Beginning from 1 July 2015, owners who apply for the Common Area Repair Works Subsidy under the Integrated Building Maintenance Assistance Scheme (IBMAS) can have the chance to get the new Green Item Subsidy (up to $1,500 per unit; up to $600,000 per Owners’ Corporation）on top of the subsidy for general repair works (up to $3,000 per unit; up to $1,200,000 per Owners’ Corporation).
 
URA encourages building owners to carry out necessary comprehensive building repair works to improve the building safety and hygiene conditions as well as the enhancement of their built environment. Timely repairs can upkeep buildings to a serviceable condition to avoid any premature deterioration and aging.
 
Good and efficient building rehabilitation to extend building life and building repair cycle can be considered as good demonstration of sustainability. It is also a concept to “Green”.   

Most of the buildings in the territory are of reinforced concrete structure, it is a natural process of decay and weathering of these structures in exposing to the environment. Efficient and extensive repair can help to rectify the defect like spalling concrete. Further protection can be allowed by protective coating to the building. Hence, external wall paints is not just serving to offer cosmetic appearance to buildings, but also serving to provide protection to the building structure to certain extent provided that appropriate material is selected with good workmanship allowed.  This is vital for the success of building maintenance works.
 
Owners may consider making use of the Green Item Subsidy on their external repainting work. URA encourages owners to use durable paint materials with low volatile organic compound. Appointed contractor has to follow the manufacturer’s instruction as well as the specification requirement in proceeding and completing the repainting works, so as to achieve the best performance of the paintwork.
 
Owners may also consider making use of the Green Item Subsidy for any improvement and upgrading works at common areas. Typical examples are the installation of energy saving lighting system, the fixing of which can help to reduce the running cost of building. In order to assure the use of appropriate and reliable products, URA encourages owners to source such “green” products which are generally recognized by the industry, for the purpose of applying and assessment under Green Item Subsidy. The Green Product Accreditation and Standards (HK G-PASS) launched by the Hong Kong Green Building Council (HKGBC) is one of such standards for reference.