For discussion
on 2 December 1998
PWSC(98-99)42
ITEM FOR PUBLIC WORKS SUBCOMMITTEE
OF FINANCE COMMITTEE
HEAD 703 - BUILDINGS
Recreation, Culture and Amenity - Burial Grounds, Columbarium and Crematoria
33RB - Replacement of Cremators No. 11 and 12 at Cape Collinson Crematorium, Chai Wan
Members are invited to recommend to Finance Committee the upgrading of 33RB to Category A at an estimated cost of $23.45 million in money-of-the-day prices for the replacement of cremators no. 11 and 12 at the Cape Collinson Crematorium, Chai Wan.
PROBLEM
The performance of existing cremators no. 11 and 12 at the Cape Collinson Crematorium is not satisfactory and cannot meet the current air emission standards.
PROPOSAL
2. The Director of Architectural Services (D Arch S), with the support of the Director of Urban Services (DUS) and in consultation with the Director of Electrical and Mechanical Services (DEMS), proposes to upgrade 33RB to Category A at an estimated cost of $23.45 million in money-of-the-day (MOD) prices to replace cremators no. 11 and 12 at the Cape Collinson Crematorium, Chai Wan.
PROJECT SCOPE AND NATURE
3. The scope of the project comprises -
- replacing the existing cremators no. 11 and 12 by modern ones equipped with a secondary combustion chamber designed with a minimum operating temperature of 850OC and a gas flue residence time of at least 2 seconds to ensure complete thermal destruction of harmful substances in the waste gases; and
- installing a monitoring and telemetry system (MTS) to closely monitor the proper functioning, in terms of temperature and combustion, of the two new cremators.
JUSTIFICATION
4. Cremators no. 11 and 12 at the Cape Collinson Crematorium have been in operation since 1962. These two cremators, designed and manufactured 36 years ago, are not equipped with secondary combustion chambers for the complete combustion of flue gases. This has resulted in the emission of air pollutants such as particulates, carbon monoxide, and unburned organic compounds and smoke at levels which exceed current air emission standards. According to the terms of the licence issued by the Director of Environmental Protection (DEP) in December 1995 under the Air Pollution Control Ordinance, DUS agreed with DEP an upgrading programme for cremators no. 11 and 12 at the Cape Collinson Crematorium and started the feasibility study for the replacement of the two cremators in late 1995. In order to meet the licensing requirement, DEMS, who provides maintenance services for the cremators, has advised that it will be more cost-effective to replace the two existing cremators rather than modifying them. This is because the existing cremators have been in use for over 35 years and are approaching the end of their serviceable lives. In addition, the brickwork structure and associated equipment of cremators no. 11 and 12 were designed to accommodate one combustion chamber only.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
5. We estimate the capital cost of this project to be $23.45 million, in MOD prices (see paragraph 6 below), made up as follows -
| $ million
|
|---|
| (a) Supply, installation, testing and commissioning of two new cremators | 10.51
|
| (b) Modification of the existing chimney, fuel oil supply pipes and electrical system | 0.81
|
| (c) Demolition and disposal of existing asbestos exhaust ducts
| 0.51
|
| (d) Reprovisioning of existing building services items affected by this replacement project | 0.28
|
| (e) Demolition and disposal of the two existing cremators
| 0.09
|
| (f) Associated builder's work and supporting plinth for installing the cremators | 1.00
|
| (g) Demolition and disposal of asbestos builder's work items | 0.50
|
| (h) Supply and installation of the monitoring and telemetry equipment for 2 new cremators | 1.99
|
| (i) Contingencies | 2.00
|
| (j) EMSD project management charges1 | 1.92
______
|
| Sub-total | 19.61 | (at December 1997
prices)
|
| (k) Inflation allowance
|
| 3.84
______
|
| Total | 23.45
______ | (in MOD prices)
|
6. Subject to approval, we will phase the expenditure as follows -
| Year | $ million
(Dec 1997) | Price
adjustment
factor | $ million
(MOD)
|
|---|
| 1999 - 2000 | 2.12 | 1.12890 | 2.39
|
| 2000 - 01 | 15.72 | 1.19663 | 18.81
|
| 2001 - 02 | 1.77 | 1.26843 | 2.25
|
| ______ | | ______
|
| 19.61 | | 23.45
|
| ______ | | ______
|
7. We derived the MOD estimates on the basis of the Government's latest forecasts of trend labour and construction prices for the period 1999 to 2002. We will tender the works under two fixed-price lump-sum contracts for the replacement and installation works respectively because we can clearly define the scope of works in advance, leaving little room for uncertainty.
8. We estimate the additional annually recurrent expenditure of the project to be $652,000. The Provisional Urban Council will meet this cost from its recurrent funding.
PUBLIC CONSULTATION
9. DUS consulted the Eastern Provisional District Board on the proposed project in September 1997 and the Board supported the project. DUS also consulted the Provisional Urban Council in July 1998. The Council supported the project.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATIONS
10. DUS completed a Preliminary Environmental Review (PER) for this project in April 1998. DEP vetted the PER and agreed that an Environmental Impact Assessment would not be required. DEP envisages that the aerial emissions from the new cremators during operation will comply with established standards for air emissions. We will control noise, dust and waste disposal and site run-off nuisance during construction through the implementation of appropriate mitigation measures in the relevant contracts.
LAND ACQUISITION
11. The project does not require land acquisition.
Background INFORMATION
12. We upgraded this project to Category B in September 1998.
13. At present, there are 12 cremators at the Cape Collinson Crematorium. Six replacement cremators and four new cremators were installed in 1995. All ten cremators are equipped with secondary combustion chambers which comply with the stipulated standards under the Air Pollution Control Ordinance and are performing satisfactorily.
14. DEMS has substantially completed the detailed design of the project using in-house staff resources. Subject to Finance Committee's approval to upgrade this project to Category A, we will invite tenders for the works in January 1999. We expect the successful contractor to start site preparation works and proceed with the manufacture and delivery of the new cremators in May 1999. We plan to start the on-site installation works in November 1999 for completion in May 2000. Installation of MTS will follow immediately and be completed in September 2000.
--------------------------------------
Urban Services Department
December 1998(PWSC0043/WIN2)
[1Since the establishment of the EMSTF on 1 August 1996 under the Trading Fund Ordinance, government departments are charged for design and technical consultancy services for electrical and mechanical installations provided by the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department (EMSD). The figures above are based on estimates prepared by the D. Arch. S. The actual cost for the services charges is subject to further discussion and agreement between the Government and EMSD.]
