The Secretary for Development, Mrs Carrie Lam, joined by officials from the Development Bureau, the Planning Department and the Civil Engineering and Development Department, obtained first-hand information and experience on underground space development during her visit to Oslo, Norway.
The capital of Norway, Oslo has a long history of underground space development. The city has utilised underground and cavern space to a wide extent: from traffic systems for roads, metro and railways, treatment plants for water supply and sewerage, to sports arenas and car parking facilities.
To learn about the actual use and operation of underground facilities, Mrs Lam visited the Oset Water Treatment Plant, the National Archives and the Sandvika District Heating and Cooling Plant.
She also visited the Norwegian Geotechnical Institute (NGI) to receive a briefing on the geotechnical control of underground space development in Norway. The NGI is a leading international centre for research and consulting in the geosciences and its Managing Director, Dr Suzanne Lacasse, serves as an expert on Hong Kong's Slope Safety Technical Review Board.
Mrs Lam attended a dinner reception co-hosted by the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (London) and the Norway Hong Kong Chamber of Commerce. She updated guests from various sectors of Oslo, including the trading, consultancy, shipping and construction industries, on the latest developments in Hong Kong.
On the last day of her official visit to Oslo today (September 24, Oslo time), Mrs Lam called on the Chinese Ambassador to Norway, Mr Tang Guoqiang. She then met the Mayor of Oslo, Mr Fabian Stang, Minister of Trade and Industry, Mr Trond Giske, and members of the Committee on Business and Industries of the Norwegian Parliament to update them on Hong Kong's recent developments.
Ends/Friday, September 24, 2010
Issued at HKT 19:19
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