Practice Note for Mandatory Building

Buildings Department PNBI-6

and Window Inspection Schemes

Prescribed Inspection in respect of Projections of Buildings

Pursuant to section 30B(5) of the Buildings Ordinance (BO), the Building

Authority (BA) may by notice in writing serve on an owner of a building requiring a
prescribed inspection and, if necessary, prescribed repair in respect of any projection that is
connected to that owner’s premises in the building and is occupied or used by that owner
or any occupier of that premises to be carried out within a specified time. This practice
note sets out how the projections described in section 9(1) of the Building (Inspection and
Repair) Regulation (B(I&R)R) would be regarded as part of the common parts or external
walls of the buildings for the purpose of serving notices under sections 30B(3) and 30B(4)
of the BO.

2. The following building elements are prescribed as projections under section 9(1)
of the B(I&R)R:

(a) a balcony;
(b) a verandah;
(c) a planter box;
(d) a drying rack;
(e) a window canopy (as described in section 9(2) of B(I&R)R);
(f) any supporting structure for a building service installation
(excluding any drainage system);
(g) any pipe or duct that is associated with the building service
installation mentioned in item (f) above.

Balconies and Verandahs

3. Projections exposed to the elements generally pose a higher risk to public safety
by virtue of their locations, rendering them more vulnerable than other internal building
elements. The balconies and verandahs as defined under section 9(1) of the B(I&R)R
should therefore refer to those “unenclosed” structures as shown on the original
approved plans of the building concerned. Unenclosed balconies and verandahs which
are subsequently enclosed after the building has been occupied would still be regarded
as “unenclosed” structures. Notices under section 30B(5) of the BO would be served
on the owner of an individual premises in the building in respect of the unenclosed
balcony and /or verandah that is connected to that premises and is occupied or used by the
owner or any occupier of that premises.

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4. For those balconies or verandahs which have always been enclosed and not
exposed to the elements, the inspection of the exteriors thereof would fall within the
scope of the prescribed inspection of the external walls of the buildings – see paragraph
8 below.

Window Canopies

5. Window canopies described in section 9(2) of the B(I&R)R should refer to

those which project more than 500 mm from the external wall of the building and do not
extend horizontally beyond the vertical edges of the windows below. A notice under
section 30B(5) of the BO in respect of such window canopies will be served on the
owner of the individual premises to which the windows concerned belong. Features
projecting 500 mm or less; or extending horizontally beyond the vertical edges of the
windows below would be regarded as architectural features or fins and fall within the
scope of prescribed inspection of the external walls of the buildings – see paragraph 8
below.

Supporting Structures for Building Service Installation

6. It is not uncommon that some of the original supporting structures for building
service installation may not have been specified or indicated on the approved building
or structural plans of the building concerned. For the avoidance of doubt, only when
such structures are clearly specified on the original approved building or structural plans
of the building and serve any particular unit in the building would the notice under
section 30B(5) of the BO be served on the owner of that particular unit concerned.
The structures should not extend horizontally beyond the vertical edges of the wall
openings above or the specified locations of the building service installations.
Otherwise, the structures would be regarded as architectural features or fins and fall
within the scope of prescribed inspection of the external walls of the buildings – see
paragraph 8 below.

Window Canopies, Planter Boxes and Supporting Structures for Building Service
Installation Integrated with Other Features

7. Notwithstanding the guidelines given in paragraphs 5 and 6 above, if the

window canopies, planter boxes and supporting structures for building service
installation that are integrated with other building elements projecting from the external
wall of a building such as those horizontal or vertical architectural features or fins; or the
supporting structures for building service installations that are not directly connected with
the wall openings of the individual premises, they would be collectively regarded as
architectural features or fins and fall within the scope of prescribed inspection of the
external walls of the buildings – see paragraph 8 below.

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Other Types of Building Elements Projecting from External Walls of Buildings

8. There are various building elements projecting from the external wall of a
building such as architectural features, fins, eaves, cornices, mouldings, etc. Having
regard to regulations 2 and 7 of the Building (Planning) Regulations and unless as
otherwise specified above, such building elements would fall within the scope of
inspection of the common parts or external walls of a building. Notices under sections
30B(3) or 30B(4) of the BO may be served on all the building owners, the Incorporated
Owners or the respective building owner, as the case may be.

( AU Choi-kai )
Building Authority

Ref. : BD GR/1-125/101/0

First issue : May 2013 (AD/MBI)