Practice Note for Authorized Persons,
Buildings Department Registered Structural Engineers and APP-19
Registered Geotechnical Engineers
Projections in relation to Site Coverage and Plot Ratio
Building (Planning) Regulations 20 & 21
In accordance with regulation 2 of the Building (Planning) Regulations
(B(P)R), site coverage (SC) means the area of a site that is covered by the buildings
erected thereon. Hence all components of a building, including all projections, should
be accountable for SC. SC is also a measure to control the building bulk.
Minor projecting features
2. In the case of plot ratio (PR), the definition of gross floor area (GFA) uses
the term “external wall”. Clearly “wall” does not just mean concrete or brick material,
and windows and parapet railings should obviously also be included. For projections
from a building, it is accepted that if the projections are not at a floor level, or potential
floor level, and do not dominate the face of a building, measurement as accountable GFA
is not required.
3. It follows from the above that the following projections from the face of a
building, having no significant impact on building bulk, need not be counted for SC and
PR:
(a) pitched roof eaves and flat roof overhangs complying with the
projection and clear height limits in regulation 7(1) of the B(P)R
(provided they are not contained within parapet walls as part of
an accessible flat roof);
(b) individual air-conditioner boxes and platforms of reasonable
size and projecting not more than 750 mm, which have a built-in
system for condensate disposal;
(c) air-conditioner platforms complying with Appendices B and C
of Code of Practice on Design for Safety – External Maintenance;
(d) individual projections / window hoods complying with B(P)R
and porches having projection not exceeding 2 m;
(e) window cills and window surrounds projecting not more than
100 mm;
(f) string courses, fins and architectural mouldings complying
with the projection and clear height limits in regulation 7(1) of the
B(P)R (but not structural beams and columns);
/(g) …
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(g) window flower boxes projecting not more than 500 mm and
complying with the design requirements as illustrated in the sketch
in Appendix A;
(h) external drainage pipes and gutters complying with the
projection and clear height limits in regulation 7(2) of the B(P)R;
(i) sunshades solely used for the purpose of energy conservation
projecting not more than 1.5m from the external wall complying
with the criteria set out in Practice Note for Authorized Persons,
Registered Structural Engineers and Registered Geotechnical
Engineers (PNAP) APP-67 and PNAP APP-156;
(j) reflectors projecting not more than 1.5 m from the external walls,
subject to submission of quantitative assessment of environmental
benefits to the Building Authority for consideration in case they
project over 0.5 m from the external walls;
(k) canopies projecting not more than 2 m over an entrance to a
building;
(l) drying racks and supporting frames for light fittings, antennas
or transceivers for public telecommunications services
complying with the projection and clear height limits in regulation
7(3) of the B(P)R;
(m) retractable awnings for external wall openings complying with
the projection and clear height limits in regulation 7(4) of the
B(P)R and applicable positional, projection and clear height
requirements under minor works item 2.43 in Schedule 1 of the
Building (Minor Works) Regulation; and
(n) metal supporting frames for growing of plants projecting not
more than 300 mm from the external walls within lot boundary.
4. It is emphasised that, notwithstanding paragraph 3 above, if any of the
listed features is so exaggerated, excessive in scale, or defeats the provisions of the
Buildings Ordinance (BO) (for example, a structural beam doubling as a flower box) or
is provided or designed in an unusual way, that feature will be counted for SC and, if
appropriate, also for PR.
Projecting windows
5. It follows from the above that all other projections must be included in SC
and PR calculations. However projecting windows will not be regarded as GFA and will
be accepted as not counting for SC and PR, if they satisfy all the following criteria within
the storey from which they project:
/(a) …
-3-
(a) the projecting window is from living room, dining room or
bedroom of domestic accommodation only;
(b) only one such projecting window is allowed per room and it should
be located on one external wall only;
(c) the elevational area 1 of the projecting window does not exceed
50% of the area1 of the external wall where the projecting window
is located;
(d) the extent of the projection is not more than 100 mm from the outer
face of the main external wall;
(e) the base is not less than 500 mm above finished floor level;
(f) the window complies fully with regulation 3A of the B(P)R. For
the purposes of this requirement, the height of 1 100 mm
protective barrier will be measured from floor level and any part
of the window within this dimension should be fixed or otherwise
suitably protected in line with paragraph (2) of the said Regulation;
and
(g) the projecting windows will not form a piecemeal addition to
existing buildings.
Covered areas under large projecting / overhanging features
6. For innovative building designs (excluding shopfront overhead, signboard
and the like), the Building Authority has been taking a pragmatic approach on the
acceptance of different projecting / overhanging features. Save for the areas covered by
projecting features which provide a weather-protected shelter capable of functional use,
it is accepted that where there is no objection from the relevant government departments
and the clear height of the projecting feature is more than 7.5 m above the covered areas,
the covered areas satisfying the following criteria will not be regarded as GFA and thus
are not required to be included in the GFA calculation:
(a) The ratio of horizontal width of the covered area to the clear
height of the projecting features above the covered area is not
less than 1:8, OR
(b) Access to the covered area is not possible and abuse is unlikely.
7. For the covered area under special design of projecting / overhanging
features which do not satisfy the requirements in paragraph 6 above, such as twisted
building form, inclined external wall design, etc., justifications should be provided with
the merits of the design for consideration of GFA exemption (please also see PNAP
APP- 2).
/Air-conditioner …
1
For the avoidance of doubt, while the thickness of the enclosures of the window should be included in the
elevation area of the window, the thickness of the enclosure walls and slabs (floor and ceiling) of the room
where the projecting window is located should be discounted for the purpose of calculating the area of the
external wall.
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Air-conditioner boxes / platforms projecting over street
8. Except those complying with Part II of the B(P)R, no projections will
normally be allowed over streets unless they can be justified in the public interest. In
this context the projection of individual air-conditioner boxes / platforms not exceeding
750 mm and window hoods not exceeding 500 mm may be permitted, provided they are
at a height of not less than 2.5 m above ground (please also see PNAP APP-42). For
proposals relating to wholesale conversion of industrial buildings and other similar
alteration and addition works, application for exemption from section 31(1) of the BO
and / or modification of regulations 20 and 21 of the B(P)R for the erection of individual
air-conditioner boxes / platforms with a projection of more than 750 mm from the external
walls with or without projection over a street will be favourably considered only if there
is sufficient justification to demonstrate that there are difficulties in placing the air-
conditioners inside the premises due to the design and layout constraints in the existing
building. As a condition for the granting of the exemption / modification, Grade 1 room
air-conditioners as specified in the Code of Practice on Energy Labeling of Products
issued by the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department should be installed upon
completion of the proposed works.
Drainage provisions for cantilevered reinforced concrete structures
9. PNAP APP-68 has given guidance on the safe design and construction of
cantilevered reinforced concrete structures. For projects incorporating cantilevered
reinforced concrete structures, means to prevent the accumulation of water and
corresponding surface water drainage provisions for such structures conforming to the
recommendations of paragraph 4 in Appendix A of PNAP APP-68 should be shown on
the general building plans and drainage plans respectively for approval.
( YU Tak-cheung )
Building Authority
Ref. : BD GP/BREG/P/2 (V)
This PNAP is previously known as PNAP 68
First issue March 1980
Last revision September 2019
This revision September 2020 (AD/NB1) (Paragraph 3 amended)
Appendix A
(PNAP APP-19)
(11/2012)