S for Housing continues Portugal visit to promote development opportunities in GBA (with photos)
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The Secretary for Housing, Ms Winnie Ho, continued her visit to Lisbon, Portugal, yesterday (July 3, Lisbon time).
Ms Ho attended a business luncheon co-organised by the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Development Office under the Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau and the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Brussels to promote the vast opportunities for Portuguese companies arising from the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA), and how Hong Kong can play its important roles as a “super connector” and “super value-adder” between the two places with its unique advantages of having the strong support of the motherland while maintaining unparalleled connectivity with the world. Around 130 participants attended the luncheon, with representatives from over 80 Portuguese enterprises from the construction sector, information technology sector, commercial sector and professional organisations, as well as representatives from 17 relevant Hong Kong enterprises.
During the luncheon, Ms Ho highlighted that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government has been actively promoting the use of innovative construction technologies to enhance the speed, quantity, quality and efficiency in increasing the supply of affordable housing. Under the Housing•I&T initiative this year, the Housing Bureau (HB) will organise a series of activities to foster exchanges between Hong Kong and other countries and regions in areas such as smart construction, smart estate management, energy saving and green buildings. She encouraged Portuguese enterprises to seize these opportunities and strengthen collaborations with the Mainland and Hong Kong.
Ms Ho expressed her gratitude in particular to the trade representatives from Hong Kong, including those participating in the construction of public housing, Light Public Housing (LPH) and transitional housing, for attending the luncheon in Lisbon and taking the opportunity to share in person with the participants Hong Kong’s opportunities and advantages in connecting the Mainland and the world. By complying with international standards, stipulating local regulations and harnessing the strengths of the GBA in smart construction, Hong Kong can further advance in its development of Modular Integrated Construction (MiC), the transfer of on-site construction processes to factories and the application of construction robotics. With the expeditious building of LPH and transitional housing, the living conditions and quality of life of people living in inadequate housing can be improved as soon as practicable. The significant housing production target of 308 000 public housing units over the next 10 years also enables the HB and the Hong Kong Housing Authority (HKHA) to promote the adoption of innovative technologies and advance public housing developments in a new era of smart construction.
Earlier in the day, Ms Ho visited EntreCampos, a local redevelopment project jointly developed by the public and private sectors, comprising social housing for middle-class residents, offices, retail, community facilities and green spaces. The project adopted Building Information Modelling (BIM) during construction. She also visited the new headquarters of an insurance company in the project. The building employs smart technologies and innovative sustainable energy systems to enhance energy efficiency. Ms Ho stated that the HKHA has strived to promote greener and more energy-efficient designs, aiming to attain a “gold” rating or above under BEAM Plus for all new housing developments. The measures include adopting MiC in construction with modules manufactured accurately and effectively in factories, and other innovative technologies such as BIM to facilitate planning throughout the construction process and enhance management, which can save energy, reduce waste and make the construction process more environmentally friendly. To improve energy efficiency, the HKHA has also implemented various green initiatives such as smart lighting control systems, light emitting diode lighting and solar photovoltaic systems. In estate management, the application of the Internet of Things and AI for collecting and analysing data has also enhanced estate management quality and efficiency. She said she looked forward to continued exchanges between Hong Kong and Portugal on innovative construction technologies and green building designs.
Ms Ho has arrived in Barcelona, Spain, last night and will begin her visit there today (July 4, Barcelona time).