Indicators for evaluating environmental performance of the Hong Kong urban renewal projects

Purpose - This study is a follow-up to the previous studies undertaken by the authors. The paper aims to develop a set of valid and reliable performance indicators to evaluate the environmental quality of a project in order to minimise the adverse impacts of urban renewal projects on the environment. Design/methodology/approach - First, a brief introduction to the most critical environmentally sustainable factors that should be considered when planning an urban renewal project is provided. Then this study identifies criteria for the selection of indicators, and develops appropriate indicators and a corresponding points-scoring system for six major environmental design criteria through a comprehensive literature review and with the help of a number of experts from industry and academia. Findings - This study proposes a set of environmental performance indicators and a corresponding points-scoring system for the assessment model derived in a previous study. A total of 12 indicators have been developed for six design criteria (i.e. two indicators per criterion) in which both quantitative and qualitative indicators are derived, and five different scales are adopted to score individual assessment indicators. Originality/value - By developing relevant indicators, the parties concerned can easily identify whether a renewal project meets pre-determined planning initiatives and environmental objectives. Once deficiencies are noted, the relevant parties can take immediate action to rectify and refine the design accordingly. It is expected that the environmental performance of a renewal project can be evaluated effectively against the benchmarks through the assessment process.