CE opens construction expo

December 13, 2022

Emerging technologies:

Chief Executive John Lee (fifth right) attends the grand opening ceremony of the Construction Innovation Expo 2022.

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Chief Executive John Lee:

Construction is Hong Kong's fifth-largest employer, contributing more than 4% of our gross domestic product. 

And those numbers are destined to soar, down the road. Hong Kong's annual construction volume is expected to grow to more than $300 billion, equivalent to around US$38 billion, in the years ahead.

Modular Integrated Construction (MiC) will play a role in the rise of the Northern Metropolis, and in our high quality development overall.
 
Indeed, MiC is essential to delivering future housing for the people of Hong Kong. The Development Bureau is establishing a cross departmental steering committee on MiC and will work to strengthen our MiC supply chain and build collaboration with other cities of the Greater Bay Area.
 
MiC will also be the approach we take in building our brand new Light Public Housing. MiC provides the means for us to, expeditiously, build 30,000 units of this innovative form of public housing in the coming five years. It will play a big part in achieving our goal of shortening the waiting time for public housing from six years to 4.5 years in four years' time.
 
Indeed, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government spares no effort in boosting the supply of affordable housing for the people of Hong Kong. We look beyond soulless figures, and put ourselves in the people's shoes to enhance the quantity, quality, speed and efficiency of our construction of public housing. All in all, we endeavour to build a liveable Hong Kong for everybody.

Chief Executive John Lee officiated at the grand opening ceremony of the Construction Innovation Expo 2022 at the Convention & Exhibition Centre this afternoon.

The five-day expo, which was jointly organised by the Development Bureau, the Construction Industry Council (CIC) and the Centre of Science & Technology Industrial Development (CSTID) of the Ministry of Housing & Urban-Rural Development, features four key themes that include automation, digitalisation, industrialisation and modernisation.

It has attracted some 170 exhibitors and over 14,000 visitors, comprising industry practitioners, students and young people from local, Mainland and overseas organisations.

About 60 experts, academics, government officials and entrepreneurs will share their experiences on modular integrated construction (MiC), digitalisation, safety and health and green construction at various conferences as well as the Global Construction Summit and the Greater Bay Area Construction Summit.

Addressing the ceremony, Mr Lee said: “Construction is Hong Kong's fifth-largest employer contributing more than 4% of our gross domestic product. Hong Kong's annual construction volume is expected to grow to more than HK$300 billion, equivalent to around US$38 billion, in the years ahead.”

Noting the importance of innovation to construction, Mr Lee highlighted the two memorandums of understanding on industry innovation signed by the CIC at the ceremony. One was signed with the CSTID to target innovative construction technology, and the other one with Huawei to promote technological exchange in construction.

In addition to stressing that the Government spares no effort in enhancing quantity, quality, speed and efficiency of public housing construction to boost the supply of affordable housing, the Chief Executive explained that the Development Bureau is establishing a cross-departmental steering committee on MiC, working to strengthen the MiC supply chain and building collaboration with other cities in the bay area.

He added that the bureau is also working with the industry on the education of emerging technologies, boosting STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics) education in post-secondary institutions as well as in primary and secondary schools, so as to help nurture a new generation of adept and tech-savvy practitioners for the industry.