Frozen Office

In summer,most of office will also turn on the air conditioner. The temperature of some office maybe type of company are settled too low . The staff need to wear jacket or blanket to keep warm in the office. The office are mostly used theCentral air-conditioning so the office can not change the degree of the temperature easily. This type of frozen office not just unhealthy for the human, but also energy wasting. There are "Freezing Summer" in the office.

In Hong Kong, there are many in-door environment are turning the air-con to the low temperature. In 2006, the Hong Kong government try to promote the in-door temperature should be set to 25.5C. According to their research,  25.5 degree C is the most comfort human thermal. It will affect the humidity of the air. Moreover ,this 25.5 is must more energy saving in this range. For every 1 deg C decrease in temperature setting, the reduction of electricity consumption in the air-conditioning equipment is about 3%. It can reduces the GHG emission in the same time. Therefore, Try to avoid turn on the air con. If the air con must turn on, please try to set the temperature to 25.5C

Refernce:
http://www.emsd.gov.hk/filemanager/conferencepaper/en/upload/22/HKIE_Environment_Annual_Seminar_Paper_25.5_deg_C_and_Human_Comfort.pdf

Air pollution

In 7 May 2016, the Sydney sky is full of fog and the air quality become very poor. The main reason is that the Blue Mountain had a range of hazard reduction fires. According to NSW Rural Fire Service, there are more than 40 placed are started hazard reduction burns in the near region of Blue Mountains ,

For the ashes of the hazard burnt will create a big smog. It will affect the viable of the city. Moreover, the greenhouse gas, for example the carbon dioxide, will be released during the tree burnt. Although hazard burn can help to reduce the risk of forest fire, the bad effect of hazard reduction burns will cause many side-effect. Therefore, I suggest the government should use the cut replace the burn of the hazard.

Reference:
http://www.rfs.nsw.gov.au/fire-information/fires-near-me

Light Pollution

When the first night arrived in Sydney, I was attached by the dark sky. That is full of star in the sky. I can see them clearly. However, when i am in Hong Kong, due to the serious light pollution, there is hard to see the star in the night. 

starry night at Southern Hemisphere

Hong Kong has a nickname called "Never Sleep City". That mean most of the shop or office will work till overnight. Due to the spotlights and LED billboards on the streets, Hong Kong's sky is brighter than other cities.It cause Hong Kong become the world's worst city for light pollution.

 

The light pollution will create many side-effect, First, the strong light will affect the residential area, the bright light will pass thought the windows. It will affect the people sleep.  The biological clock will be affected and health may become worse. On the other hand, that is the most famous thing in Hong Kong and it create a great income in tourism. In my opinion, the Hong Kong Government should try to make a balance of tourism development and the light pollution. Not to let the light pollution problem become serious.

Reference:

http://lighttalk.via-verlag.com/2013/03/light-pollution/

 

Urban Renewal

Many well developed cities are also facing the same problem - the inner city become old and full dilapidated buildings.

 

There are two ways to renew these type of building: 1.  Rehabilitation of dilapidated buildings to prevent urban decay, these can maintain and restore the buildings which have the historical and architectural value, and to sustain local characteristics; 2. Demolish the whole building and rebuild it.

Most of the cities are willing to use the second method because it can save the maintenance cost of the old building and also can release the plot ratio for the building. It can create more economic benefit. Moreover, the whole city will have the new look and become more attractive.  However, this method will cause the whole city lost many historical building and collective memory. Therefore, when renew the city, the developer should consider about the historical value of the building, not just the economic value.


Reference:
http://www.ura.org.hk/en/about-ura/vision-mission-and-values.aspx

Gutter Oil

In China, the cooking oil is the essential element for every meal. Everyday Chinese consume many oil. Therefore, some of the bad guy try to save the cost to product the cheaper oil. Gutter oil is a cheap way to produce cooking oil, which is wasted or used oil came from the gutter. Those "oil" will mix will another chemical to make the taste and smell become better. After all the proceed,the oil will be repackaged and sold to small restaurants at below market prices. These gutter oil is full of chemical elements  and may cause careers or other side-effect to the health.

Actually this kinds of oil is also common in western country, but used in industrial , not cooking.In 2014, Boeing company try to use the gutter oil to be the bio-fuel for the aircraft. It can be save the cost and make the environment become better.

Reference:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vp92BlLLVEI

Noise Pollution

IN recent days, due to the Sydney light rail construction, the night work was started on Anzac Parade which near my living place. There are some construction noise during the midnight. Although the noise is not really loud, it still affect my sleep  quality .

It makes me check about the noise problem about the construction site. However, it just apply for the city centre. In the regulation of the City of Sydney,  the construction must be carried out between 0700 and 1900 on weekdays and in Saturday can just be started from 0700 to 1700. There are also have the noise criteria. During the first working hour, there is no more than 5dB above the background. After that, there is no more 10dB above background noise level at all other times. 

The neighbor  have right to complain if the noise problem is too disturbing. The City of Sydney can restrict the equipment and time of the construction 

Reference:

http://www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/live/report-local-issues/noise/construction-sites

http://www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/word_doc/0010/136882/Combined-Construction-Noise-Factsheet.doc

Zero- Waste Lifestyle

https://www.facebook.com/insiderpeople/videos/526689684205335/

This video is shown that the 25- year old singer try to enchase the Zero-waste Lifestyle. After four years, the trash that she used which can be store in the little jar.

She discovered that the main waste of our daily life is the plastic waste and hard to avoid to use plastic. Then she decide to use the homemade product to reduce to buy the product in the store, for example toothpaste and body butter. She also brings her own containers when she buys somethings each time.

Honestly, this type of lifestyle maybe really can save money and reduce to produce the waste. However, it is hard to promote to public. The main reason is that everyone want to be the be convenient. For example, the people would like to buy a drink in store rather than bring the bottle to fill the water in outside because the cost is not high for them and bring the bottle is quite inconvenient to them. Moreover, for the normal office hour working, they do not have so much time to do the handmade product.

Therefore, the concept of the zero-waste lifestyle is good, it is hard to promote to everyone. What we can try to eliminated to produce the waste.