The Centre for Innovation in Construction & Infrastructure Development (CICID) of The University of Hong Kong (HKU) with support from the Development Bureau of the HKSAR Government organised an event at HKU on May 28, 2019 (Tuesday) to launch the Modular Integrated Construction (MiC) Strategy Paper entitled “Modularisation for Modernisation: A Strategy Paper Rethinking Hong Kong Construction”.

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The officiating guests at the event included Ir Mr LAM Sai-hung, JP, Permanent Secretary for Development (Works), HKSAR Government, and Professor Christopher Chao, Dean of Faculty of Engineering, HKU. Ir Mr Lam delivered a keynote at the event on Construction 2.0 and MiC. This was followed by Ir Dr Wei Pan, Executive Director of HKU CICID and the Principal Investigator and Lead Author of the MiC Strategy Paper, who presented the MiC Strategy Paper. After that, Mr KL Tam, Director of Estates of HKU, presented on MiC for hostel development. Prof CK Mak, Vice Chairman of HKU CICID, closed the event.

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MiC has been brought forward in the Chief Executive’s 2017 and 2018 Policy Address as a new policy initiative to promote innovative construction. Ir LAM Sai-hung, JP, Permanent Secretary for Development (Works) of the HKSAR, said: “The construction industry of Hong Kong is facing severe challenges such as ageing workforce and unsatisfying safety performance. MiC, studied by HKU CICID, is able to address the key challenges in the construction industry. The Government is promoting MiC application both in private and public sectors through various means of supports.”

“We are more than delighted that the strategy paper is about to launch. This paper not only gives direction on the adoption of MiC in Hong Kong in a multi-level systems framework, but also provides a guidance for the enterprises and industry practitioners to adopt the new technology in the works,” Professor Christopher Chao, Dean of Faculty of Engineering of HKU conveyed in the ceremony.

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This strategy paper elaborates on the MiC policy initiative by providing a definition and recommending strategies for the adoption of MiC in Hong Kong. Ir Dr Wei Pan, Executive Director of HKU CICID, expressed that “Modular construction has proven to lead to significant benefits in many countries and regions. The benefits could also be achievable in Hong Kong. To realise the benefits, we must verify and adapt the MiC solutions to Hong Kong’s regulatory, economic, social, technological and geographical contexts. Success strategies are needed to safeguard the modernisation of Hong Kong construction through modularisation.”

With the suggested framework of MiC policy scenarios in the short, mid and long term, there is a promising future of marching towards a modern construction industry and society. The launched MiC Strategy Paper will have an important impact on the accelerated and successful uptake of MiC in Hong Kong.