Hong Kong Conference: a bright future awaits

RICS is delighted with its recent Future of Construction in Hong Kong Conference, and believes it will be the first of many.

The conference was chaired by Michele Lui, manager (business development) at Hip Hing Construction, who guided delegates throughout the sessions and moderated Q&A with the speakers.

The opening remarks were delivered by Dave Hallam MRICS, chair of RICS’ Hong Kong Advisory board and head of design and engineering at Arcadis Hong Kong. He shared his enthusiasm for the conference, and outlined RICS’ goals and commitments for the surveying community in Hong Kong and the APAC region. There has been more attention on the construction sector in recent times due to the shift in priorities toward sustainability, but what are the key trends from the Hong Kong Construction Conference?

Sustainability initiatives in Hong Kong

The presentations began with an exploration of sustainability initiatives from Dr Cheung Tin-cheung from the board of directors of the Hong Kong Green Building Council.

He was followed by Sam Crispin, senior director of regional sustainability and ESG at Savills Hong Kong, and Emma Harvey, group sustainability manager from Gammon Construction Limited. Sam and Emma presented together, highlighting that key stakeholders need to work together if sustainable and net-zero carbon goals are actually to be achieved.

Sam said: ‘We thought that this was a really engaging way to present the material, and we quickly found a common passion for a topic that is crucial if the world is to limit global warming to within 1.5C.’

Construction in Hong Kong and BIM technology

Attendees then heard about a range of projects that are using the latest BIM technology and data, and the impact this can have on construction. There was also a detailed discussion about some of the , and the speakers explored how to overcome these.

Michael Orr, a product specialist for APAC at Autodesk Construction Solutions, stressed the importance of embracing these new technologies, saying that ‘failure to adapt to technological trends in the industry can affect profit and competitive positioning in the market.’

Delegates also looked into why will help construction stakeholders in Hong Kong to lower risk, increase productivity and win more tenders.

The conference emphasised the importance of ICMS 3 as well, and why we need to ensure greater uptake and implementation by clients across the region – indeed, globally. It was fascinating hearing from the panel on how it can have a positive, cost-effective impact on carbon reporting.

Alan Muse, head of construction at RICS, said: ‘This is a nascent area of practice that is likely to grow in importance as governments around the world sign up to net-zero commitments and the funders and financiers of construction insist on carbon reduction to meet ESG reporting requirements.’ 

To complete the day there was an engaging session from Ben Jones, senior director of project management, enterprise at CBRE Hong Kong. He discussed how to ensure we maintain effective client management in dynamic times. He was also keen to highlight the importance of remaining positive, ending the conference stating that ‘the future is bright for Hong Kong.’

The conference was thoroughly engaging, and feedback has been very positive. RICS is keen to develop the event, and believes it will continue to have an impact for the surveying and construction community in Hong Kong.