HK$637.5 mn proposed for construction of annex block at Observatory headquarters

The government is seeking advice regarding constructing the Annex Block at the Hong Kong Observatory (HKO) Headquarters, with an estimated budget of HK$637.5 million.

According to the document submitted to the Panel on Environmental Affairs of the Legislative Council, the proposed building will feature an integrated forecasting and warning center that will utilize big data and artificial intelligence to enhance forecast and risk assessment capabilities for extreme weather.

The Observatory also plans to establish a Meteorological Data and Computation Centre in the annex block to provide sufficient space for computer hardware and related facilities, as the amount of meteorological data has increased more than a million times over the past three decades.

Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Satellite and Radar Operation Centre, Calibration Laboratory and Electronics Workshop for Meteorological Instruments as well as Public Information and Education Concourse would also be included in the proposed four-story annex block.

The project site will occupy an area of about 4,000 square meters, the Environment and Ecology Bureau added.

In addition to the annex block, HKO plans to refurbish and convert the existing Red House into a new History Room, which will be used to preserve and display items of precious historical value of the Observatory and will be open for public visits by appointment. 

Authorities have warned that failing to implement the project would severely hinder the utilization of new technology in forecasting extreme weather, ultimately impacting public safety. 

The Bureau emphasized the urgent need to construct the annex block, stressing that progress in developing and improving forecasting systems with new technology would be severely hampered without the project. The setback would also make it challenging to enhance the forecasting and early warning capabilities in the face of extreme weather events.

The Bureau also mentioned that the new block would create the necessary space and facilities to enhance collaboration with the mainland, as well as promote regional and global partnerships. The initiative aims to strengthen Hong Kong’s status as a prominent hub for meteorological advancements on both a regional and international level.