Ensuring Compliance with Environmental Regulations during Hotel Renovation

The SINO Quality hotel management has planned to renovate a dilapidated warehouse in Kowloon by refurbishing it according to the government's regulations and guidelines. The renovation process is expected to be completed within four quarters, with each quarter having its own set of tasks, estimated budget, and timeline. The consultant will oversee compliance with air pollution control ordinances, ozone layer protection, waste disposal, water pollution control, and noise control regulations. The management aims to complete the renovation on time and within budget while ensuring compliance with government regulations.

SINO Quality Hotel
A Business Report for the renovation of SINO Quality Hotel, Kowloon, Hong Kong.
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SINO Quality Hotel: A Renovation Plan
Contents
Executive Summary.................................................................................................................3
Background..............................................................................................................................4
Research into the refurbishing plan.........................................................................................6
Planning................................................................................................................................6
Climate.................................................................................................................................7
Labor....................................................................................................................................7
Environment rules and legislation.........................................................................................8
Analysis....................................................................................................................................8
Table depicting the renovation plan and estimated budget...................................................10
Conclusion.............................................................................................................................10
Recommendations.................................................................................................................11
References.............................................................................................................................12

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SINO Quality Hotel: A Renovation Plan
Executive Summary
The report is a detailed analysis of the refurbishing and renovating plans of SINO Quality
hotel in Kowloon, Hong Kong. The SINO group which has a chain of five star restaurants all
over Hong Kong had to unexpectedly stop its business at Kowloon due to a few disputes with
the local authorities. After a hiatus of two years, the hotel’s management has decided to
resume its operations at Kowloon and refurbish the existing premises that were dilapidated.
Once the one year long refurbishing efforts are carried out, the management expects that they
would be able to offer exquisite five star amenities to the customers like an impeccable
service combined with a blend of fine dining, luxurious stay and utmost comfort. The report
includes a step by step outline of the different milestones that has to be attained to complete
the renovation work within the stipulated time and budget. The report intends to be a guide to
the engineers and executives in developing a more detailed strategic report for the milestones
achieved with the cost and time constraints.

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SINO Quality Hotel: A Renovation Plan
Background
Crowded by a bustling population of close to 8 million, and a per capita Gross Domestic
Product of around 40000 US Dollars, the prospects of tourism and the hotel industry in Hong
Kong is quite bright and filled with opportunities. Statistics point out that Hong Kong comes
within the top twenties, of all the countries in its position as one of the most ideal travel
locations (Song et.al, 2003). With a very conducive market for business opportunities, the
country displays a variety of positive attributes for the hotel industry to thrive. A few of these
attributes are technological development, a stable government, a very cordial attitude towards
tourists and a distinct and diverse array of traditional and modern cuisine.
The major source of tourism flow to Hong Kong is through the Chinese mainland and this is
one of the prime sources of revenue for the hotel industry in Hong Kong (Hanqin and Lam,
1999). The SINO Quality hotel is located in one of the most inhabited, metropolitan areas of
Hong Kong, at Kowloon. The city of Kowloon geographically encompasses two suburban
areas, New Kowloon and the Kowloon Peninsula. Historically, Kowloon had been highly
populous, with a lot of displaced emigrants entering from China. In addition to this, a lot of
factories with commercial and private settlements also had added to the commotion and
bustle of the city.
The SINO group of Hotels, which hosts a Chinese tradition and culture, had been previously
recognized all over Hong Kong for its oriental qualities along with an affability and
cordiality, not to be known anywhere else in the world. The SINO group also had been well
known for offering its guests impeccable service and convenience, with no compromise on
parameters like hospitality and quality, which are very mandatory in the hotel industry. A
shift in the management staff of the hotel and a few disputes with the local authorities had
made the SINO Quality Hotel to temporarily disrupt its operations in Kowloon and leave its

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SINO Quality Hotel: A Renovation Plan
premises for a short while. After major efforts and deliberation by the management, along
with consulting with top architects and designers, the management had decided to continue its
operations at the dilapidated warehouse by refurbishing the premises of the old construction.
The management had also taken a decision to provide state of the art amenities to occupy the
modern, new-fashioned tourist, who hopes to experience the hospitality and services that the
SINO Hotel would offer, comparable to Hong Kong’s warmth and generosity. The
management had also taken steps to offer a round the clock service to the travellers, with
facilities to dine, exercise or relax, irrespective of a fixed time or schedule. Being
geographically placed in one of Kowloon’s busy and main avenues, the SINO hotel offers a
very busy and vibrant surrounding; one with innumerable choices of places to eat, shop or be
entertained.
The refurbishing efforts of an old construction may involve a lot more of labor and effort than
building a modern construction altogether. The reason behind this is becausethe majority of
the costs required for a new construction go towards the purchase of raw materials that are
needed for a new construction. The builder Eric Han, who will be overseeing the refurbishing
efforts, plans to provide as much of job opportunities to the locals of Kowloon during the
entire renovation efforts. The major job vacancies, both skilled and otherwise for the
renovation that are intended to help the residents of Kowloon with job opportunities are that
of carpenters, electricians, labourers in construction, skilled personnel in operating heavy
equipments, supervisors and managers of construction and labor. The management forecasts
that the refurbishment efforts of the SINO Hotel would unveil itself to the city and would be
able to promote Kowloon as a major destination of choice for tourists, both for business and
leisure purposes.

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SINO Quality Hotel: A Renovation Plan
Research into the refurbishing plan
A detailed analysis into the different factors that has to be taken care of, while the renovation
is carried out is listed out in this section.
Planning
By default, the rules in Hong Kong states that a land could be owned by only the government.
Private owners can keep a holding of a land only through a leasing agreement which is done
for a reasonably long duration of time (Chu and Choi, 2000). Though the land where the old
warehouse exists is considered as a private land, with effect of the land acquisition rules in
Hong Kong it is owned by the government and has to undergo strict specifications. While
renovating, the management of SINO has to take special permission from the Planning
Department located at North Point in Hong Kong. The department is responsible for charting
out the different design plans and specifications for construction at any region in Hong Kong.
The planning board specifies special regulations on buildings, stipulating strict rules on the
number of floors or the extent a new or modified building can reach.
The main regulation for renovating buildings that would be applicable for SINO is the
Mandatory Building Inspection Scheme as specified by the government of Hong Kong for
renovating constructions. As per the norms of the scheme, any construction that is more than
30 years old, should conduct a mandatory inspection by an authority appointed by the
government (Nissim, 2011). The inspection would do an analysis of the different construction
schemes or refurbishing attempts ensuring there is no damage to the surroundings during the
process. The management of SINO should also seek approval from the Lands Administration
Office which is the local authority for the renewal and reconstruction of certain specified
areas in Kowloon.

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SINO Quality Hotel: A Renovation Plan
Climate
Kowloon generally has a pleasant climate all the year-round. The builder Eric after a
consultation with the management of SINO had decided to start the work of restoring the
hotel by mid-September, once the summer ends. Starting from September, the autumn season
in Hong Kong begins with the temperatures hovering in the mid-20s. The winter starts from
the final few days of October till December. The climate is expected to be conducive for
labor and construction, as the weather is relatively cool during the day and no unexpected
drizzles or shower is expected to hinder the progress of the work. The only phase when the
renovation work is expected to get stagnant is during the summer beginning from the month
of May. Suitable alternatives are to be found out to continue the work, without any major
hindrance during this season so that the project remains on-track and gets finished on
schedule.
Labor
The major labor categories expected for the renovation job are masons, plumbers, carpenters
and electricians. Since it is the management and the builder’s decision to recruit the
maximum number of employees locally, advertisements can be made on different mediums
such as the local newspapers and through online mediums. Interviews are to be conducted to
choose the candidates for specialized jobs to ensure that they are the right fit for the job. This
also makes sure that the renovation could be completed entirely to perfection, without
unnecessary delay. Apart from the normal workforce required for refurbishing and
construction, it is mandatory that skilled stone masons are recruited for the renovation
process. Skilled stone masons are responsible for executing and overseeing the construction
of structures that use huge stones while building. They are responsible for shaping the stones,
installing them and placing them at different locations within the construction. Since the job

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SINO Quality Hotel: A Renovation Plan
is highly on demand for construction and requires knowledge, skill and experience, the
recruitment of the required number of experienced stone masons is expected to increase the
total expenditure of construction by 20%.
Environment rules and legislation
The strict environment legislation in Hong Kong would also be applicable to the renovating
efforts of the SINO hotel. In order to comply with the strict regulations of the environment
laws, the management has decided to recruit a Environment Protection Consultant to oversee
the operations and ensure that the renovation efforts are carried out according to the standard
regulations. The consultant is to take care of a few ordinances and legislations as set forth by
the government to preserve the environment from the harmful effects of pollution while
construction. The consultant is supposed to oversee the compliance of mainly the air
pollution control ordinance that restricts the level of pollution that is emitted while
construction is carried out (Short et. al, 2013). There is another regulation for Ozone layer
protection that puts forth regulations for the emission of harmful ozone depleting gases while
construction. The consultant is also to supervise whether a violation happens in other
important legislations like the waste disposal ordinance, the water pollution control ordinance
and the noise control ordinance.
Analysis
It has been analysed that the SINO Quality hotel’s management has done a detailed study
about the renovation procedures to be conducted on the dilapidated warehouse which is to be
refurbished. Different aspects of the construction has been touched such as the labor
categories required, the compliance issues to be addressed, the different permissions that are
required to start the operations and the exact budget and timeframe that the project should
comply to. A quarterly report has been generated which shows the project milestone that has

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SINO Quality Hotel: A Renovation Plan
to be completed with the estimated budget at each stage. From the analysis, it clear that the
major issues that the management faces is in getting the necessary paper works done and
permission granted from the authority to commence the work. Though the local authorities
are co-operative and have agreed to grant all the necessary permissions required to start the
renovations, a slight delay may occur in further procedures regarding the permission
formalities from the government.
The following table illustrates the Quarterly plan and schedule for the refurbishing.
Time frame Renovation Milestone Estimated Budget
First Quarter Application for the different
permission and grants. This
includes the building
consent, building regulation
and planning permission
NA
Second Quarter Analysing the current
condition of the structure,
preventing further
deterioration and stabilising
the current structure.
$2 million
Third Quarter The initial demolition
procedures and major
structural enhancements in
the construction.
$5 million
Final Quarter Plastering and painting, Final $3 million

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SINO Quality Hotel: A Renovation Plan
fixes and rectifying the snags
that crop up after the
renovation
Table depicting the renovation plan and estimated budget.
Conclusion
The SINO hotel plans to restore its premises based on a lot of discussion and according to a
very detailed and in depth analysis. The factors that were considered by the management to
improve on the hotel’s condition has been depicted and summarised in the report distinctly.
The hotel’s management intends to increase its revenue in the coming years taking into
consideration the different development projects in Kowloon. The industrial arena in
Kowloon had seen an upsurge in the recent years with a lot of investors capitalising on the
availability of skilled labor and raw materials.
If the business plan is strictly adhered to, it would be easy for the management to finish the
renovation procedures exactly on time within the estimated budget. As the hotel is intended
to improve the cities renovation plans and facilitate the business and tourism revenue, there
were no major glitches in getting the approval from the local authorities. The local residents
of Kowloon are also intended to benefit from the whole renovation plan as a lot of job
opportunities in the construction arena are assumed to emerge locally benefitting the
residents. Once the hotel opens up its rooms to the public on December 2018, it intends to be
one of the prime attractions of Kowloon flaunting its oriental traditions combined with
modern amenities.

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SINO Quality Hotel: A Renovation Plan
Recommendations
Though the local authorities have agreed for the renovation procedures to be carried out, it is
highly recommended that a strict follow up should be there to ensure that the government
procedures are carried out as per schedule. Getting consent from the planning department
should also be considered as immediate priority before the refurbishing efforts begin. It is
recommended that an experienced environment protection consultant is hired as any issues in
non compliance to governmental statutes regarding pollution are not met, may disrupt the
progress of the work temporarily. The climatic conditions should be taken care of during the
construction and there should be preventive measures during the frequent typhoon or
rainstorm attacks during the summer starting from March. Providing the employees with
helmets and raincoats and allowing flexible working hours can be adopted. The workers can
also be provided with conveyance arrangements during the times of typhoon or cyclones.

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SINO Quality Hotel: A Renovation Plan
References
Chu, R. K., & Choi, T. (2000). An importance-performance analysis of hotel selection factors
in the Hong Kong hotel industry: a comparison of business and leisure travellers. Tourism
management, 21(4), 363-377.
Hanqin, Z. Q., & Lam, T. (1999). An analysis of Mainland Chinese visitors’ motivations to
visit Hong Kong. Tourism Management, 20(5), 587-594.
Nissim, R. (2011). Land administration and practice in Hong Kong(Vol. 3). Hong Kong
University Press.
Short, M., Baker, M., Carter, J., Jones, C., & Jay, S. (2013). Strategic environmental
assessment and land use planning: an international evaluation. Routledge.
Song, H., Wong, K. K., & Chon, K. K. (2003). Modelling and forecasting the demand for
Hong Kong tourism. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 22(4), 435-451.