The Housing Bureau organised the “Construction Robots for Housing - RoboPaint Master Competition x Arena of Construction Robots” today to promote the adoption of industry technologies and advance public housing developments into a new era of smart construction.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Secretary for Housing Winnie Ho said that the application of construction robots not only boosts productivity and quality but also creates a safer and healthier working environment for frontline workers.

“This advancement elevates the technological standards and professional image of the industry, making it more appealing to young professionals.”

Ms Ho cited a recent case of a public housing project which demonstrates that collaborative painting robot systems can enhance the efficiency of indoor painting works by over 50% and improve works quality.

In a public housing project with a standard floor comprising 24 units, traditional methods require eight skilled workers for wall finishing, while only two operators are needed when using a robotics system, she added.

A jury panel comprising Ms Ho and representatives from the Institution of Engineers, the Institute of Architects, the Construction Industry Council and industry experts evaluated the entries in the RoboPaint Master Competition.

The results of the competition revealed that Bright Dream (HK) Construction Technology and Weibuild Technology HK won the Grand Award. While Fangshi Technology Company and Fulltime Robotics Company earned First Runner-up, HONGKONG DAFANG AI CO. secured Second Runner-up.

The judging criteria encompassed technical performance, efficiency and productivity, quality of painting and safety.

In addition to displaying an autonomous small unmanned aircraft for scanning, the event also showcased six types of robots with potential applications in public housing construction. They included a rebar-tying robot, a floor-tiling robot, a steel frame-cutting robot, a six-metre tall three-in-one wall-painting robot, and a concrete internal wall-grinding robot.

The bureau explained that it plans to host a series of events as part of its Housing•I&T initiative. While today’s event is the first highlight of the initiative, the other events will include a housing construction robot design competition for secondary school students in September and an international summit in November, aimed at fostering the development of a construction technology market.