Regulating Natural Lighting and Ventilation of Residential Buildings in Hong Kong Policy Implications for High-rise, High-density Housing Environments in South Korea

Abstract

This study discusses the features of the lighting and ventilation regulations for residential buildings in Hong Kong. Given the compact built environment and public concerns about the environmental quality of housing, various lighting and ventilation regulations have been enacted in Hong Kong. The application of building regulations on the micro scale and incentive systems on the macro scale are present, and the governments' calls for more active participation of the private sector and use of the building environmental assessment tools were also noted. Unlike South Korea, however, Hong Kong was found to adopt more performance-based standards, consider the external factors of the lighting and ventilation conditions together with the indoor elements, and provide specific design guidelines. Notwithstanding the different climatic conditions and socio-political contexts of Hong Kong and South Korea, these findings provide some policy implications for the South Korean government in its efforts to achieve a healthy environment for high-rise, high-density housing. It is suggested that the South Korean government adopt more on-site measurement methods to reflect the environmental conditions accurately and broaden the scope and scale of the implementation of the lighting and ventilation regulations with more specific, practical planning and design guidelines.