The Housing Bureau signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Nano & Advanced Materials Institute (NAMI) today to establish a strategic partnership in innovative construction technologies.

Leveraging NAMI’s cutting-edge expertise in advanced materials and the Housing Authority’s public housing practical verification platform, the partnership is expected to accelerate the validation and application of new building materials while creating a sustainable technology development model through patent protection and commercialisation mechanisms.

The first batch of research technologies includes enhancements to the MiSmartLink co-developed by the Housing Authority and NAMI as well as the development of composite sealing rolls, advanced concrete materials and soundproof materials.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Secretary for Housing Winnie Ho said that the bureau hopes this co-operation can inject innovative and technological power into Hong Kong’s construction industry by providing a practical verification platform through public housing.

She added that the bureau and NAMI will strive to build a broader partnership network, develop international markets, and position Hong Kong as a regional hub for construction technology intellectual property, reinforcing the city’s role as a “super connector”.

Addressing the ceremony, Secretary for Innovation, Technology & Industry Prof Sun Dong remarked that the MOU is a manifestation of positive interaction among the upstream, midstream and downstream sectors in innovation and technology as well as an exemplary model of collaboration between Government, industry, academia and research.

He further noted that NAMI’s research and development in construction materials is tailored to the Housing Authority’s diverse application scenarios and production requirements, offering a practical implementation platform for NAMI’s research outcomes.

This synergy is fostering an ecosystem-wide transformation within the industry and realising a more effective public housing supply, Prof Sun highlighted.

The Government added that the collaboration will lead to the establishment of a complete intellectual property management mechanism, allowing research results to gain patent protection and create revenue through technology licensing and commercialisation.

A portion of the revenue will be reinvested into a new round of research and development, in order to form a sustainable development model.