Oct-2024

Ir Dr Conrad WONG has truly witnessed the birth and growth of the Hong Kong Green Building Council, having been a board member since the Council's establishment and served as its Chairman from 2012 to 2016. "During the years when I led the Council, Hong Kong achieved great accomplishments in the development of green building, and it was even able to take the lead on the international stage," he recalls. "Moreover, many developing countries and Mainland China have also referenced Hong Kong’s green building standards."

He firmly believes that Hong Kong's high-level green building standards serve as a positive demonstration for other regions, creating an advantage for the city's green building industry. Many overseas industry players have downloaded the HKGBC Retrofitting Guidebook, he notes, demonstrating the Council’s leadership and influence in global green building development to some extent, and contributing to a sustainable future.
 

Infusing Green Building with the Power of Innovative Technology

Ir Dr WONG analyses the three key success factors behind Hong Kong's achievements in the field of green building – a favourable social environment, high-quality education standards, and a robust legal system. These factors have had a profound impact, he feels, laying a solid foundation for the development of green building. Moreover, Hong Kong has recognised professional organisations such as the Construction Industry Council and the Hong Kong Green Building Council, which have gathered top industry experts in the region. Close communication and collaboration between the Government and these organisations can further drive the development of green building in Hong Kong.

He suggests that the Government could incorporate innovative elements into the bidding mechanism for engineering projects as evaluation criteria. This would require contractors to demonstrate their capabilities in innovative technologies. Furthermore, he encourages the industry to support young and promising start-ups. By providing operational support, funding and technical assistance, these start-ups can be assisted in their growth. The Government could also select one or two promising start-ups to help them list on the GEM (Growth Enterprise Market) board as successful role models.

Such measures could not only promote the application of innovative technologies in the construction industry, Ir Dr WONG believes, but also convey a positive message to the public and the city's youth, showing that innovative technologies can create profitable opportunities for the business community. This will help foster a favourable environment for innovation in society.
 

Driving the Construction Industry's Development with New Quality Productive Forces

With extensive experience in construction engineering, Ir Dr WONG firmly believes that Hong Kong should transform towards technological development and move away from relying solely on real estate speculation for growth. Building construction is one of the critical areas that can undergo this transformation by improving construction techniques.

For instance, the adoption of Modular Integrated Construction (MiC) can not only shorten on-site construction periods, reduce construction waste and enhance environmental benefits, but also control costs effectively. The application of this innovative construction technology is a crucial embodiment of Hong Kong's transition from a traditional industry to a technology-driven economy.

It was for this reason that Ir Dr WONG recently established the Hong Kong Modular Integrated Construction Manufacturer Association, with the purpose of promoting the adoption and implementation of MiC and Multi-trade Integrated Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing (MiMEP) technologies in Hong Kong's construction industry. As the industry representative, the association advocates for policy support and collaboration to foster the sustainable development of the construction industry in Hong Kong.

Changing Mindset to "Break the Old and Establish the New"

Ir Dr WONG observes that housing issues have always been a deep-rooted challenge in Hong Kong. To break the deadlock, the Government must adopt an innovative mindset to "break the old and establish the new", paving the way for a completely new landscape. In addressing climate change, he believes that Hong Kong can achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, or even set a more ambitious negative emissions target. He suggests that Government should focus on assisting citizens in energy conservation and carbon reduction through appropriate policies, while fully leveraging Hong Kong's abundance of country parks and trees to create favourable conditions for achieving negative carbon emissions.

Finally, Ir Dr WONG highly praises the Hong Kong Green Building Council for its significant contributions over the past 15 years in setting industry standards, which have positively influenced other regions. He highlights the Council’s introduction of the HKGBC Climate Change Framework For Built Environment, which provides the industry with definitions, calculation tools and benchmarks to achieve carbon reduction and energy-saving goals, garnering widespread international recognition. Taking this opportunity to extend his blessings and encouragement to the Council, he urges: "The burden is heavy and the road is long. Forge ahead and continue your efforts!"