Francis K.W. Wong

Government roles in implementing building information modelling systems: Comparison between Hong Kong and the United States

Purpose – Building information modelling (BIM) is a paradigm shift in the architectural, engineering and construction industries which transforms processes to achieve greater efficiency and effectiveness. The purpose of this paper is to highlight the implementation of BIM in Hong Kong and the USA and recommend strategies for BIM implementation in Hong Kong.Design/methodology/approach – A literature review of BIM initiatives taken in Hong Kong and the USA was conducted including the government policy, guidelines, standards and implementation status. Findings from the literature review were complemented with insights obtained through focused interviews of experts in the field for arriving at recommendations based on the research. The principal investigator of this research also participated in the establishment of a BIM professional institute as one of the founding board members.Findings – As a result of studies performed for this paper, guidelines are proposed for BIM implementation in Hong Kong. The role ...

Attributes of Building Information Modelling Implementations in Various Countries

Abstract Various initiatives can be taken to implement building information modelling (BIM) systems in a country. The purpose of this article is to highlight critical initiatives derived from the review of BIM implementations in both the public and private sectors in six selected countries. The methodology adopted for structuring the study is to classify BIM initiatives for its implementation in policy, process and technology fields. A literature review of such BIM fields from the USA, Finland, Norway, Denmark, Singapore and Hong Kong is provided. Moreover, the experiences of authors in BIM research projects conducted in the past through questionnaire surveys and interviews are also utilized to synthesize the findings. The review suggests that, in several situations, BIM is implemented in conjunction with industry foundation classes for better integration and interoperability of various components of a BIM system. The types and roles of major stakeholders in promoting and providing support for the implementation, research and development of BIM systems are presented. The findings suggest that initiatives can be taken for policy formulation, BIM organization, information exchange capability, research areas identification, promotion, presentation and liaison of BIM programmes for an effective BIM implementation in a country.

Assessing quality relationships in public housing: An empirical study

Purpose – Quality management in construction has received increasing attention in recent years. Numerous studies have been carried out which have highlighted the factors affecting quality of construction. Each study has contributed to identifying factors affecting quality. However, there is little published work that comprehensively addresses the factors specifically affecting the quality of Hong Kong public housing, which has long been criticized as having poor quality performance. This paper aims to identify the factors affecting the quality outcomes of public housing projects.Design/methodology/approach – Potential quality attributes affecting quality performance was identified from the literature. A five‐page questionnaire was then developed to determine how these identified factors affect the quality scores of public housing projects. Factor analysis and multiple regression analysis were used to examine the data obtained from the questionnaire survey.Findings – Analysis of 54 cases indicated that the...

Evaluating the effectiveness and practicality of a cooling vest across four industries in Hong Kong

Purpose Extreme hot environments are prevalent in many occupational settings, and facilities management workers are no exception. Wearing suitable cooling garment is a useful means to alleviate heat strain and improving performance at heat exposure. This paper aims to evaluate the effectiveness and applicability of the cooling vest across four selected fields (i.e. construction, outdoor cleaning and horticulture, kitchen work and work involved manual handling at the airport) and identify the shortcomings of the cooling vest used by the participating workers. Design/methodology/approach This study adopted a two-phase design: a quantitative questionnaire survey followed by qualitative in-depth interviews. Findings A remarkable physical strain alleviation (PSA) of 21.1 per cent (14.8 per cent in construction, 18.8 per cent in horticulture and cleaning, 27.4 per cent in kitchen and catering and 26.5 per cent in airport apron service) is achieved by the use of cooling vest in four industries. Despite the success of PSA, several shortcomings of the cooling vest were identified: easily stained color, heavy weight, short cooling time, inflexibility that presents a hazard around moving equipment, lack of industry-specific design, nondurable and thick fabric with poor permeability. Originality/value The findings of the current study do not only confirm the effectiveness of the cooling vest in alleviating heat strain and physical strain but also identify the major shortcomings upon which further improvements can be made.

Findings from a research study of construction safety in Hong Kong: Accidents related to fall of person from height

Purpose – Falls continue to be the major cause of fatalities in the Hong Kong construction industry, as well as in other countries. Published statistics of the Labour Department, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) showed that from 2000 to 2004 approximately half of the fatal construction accidents were a result of fall of person from height. In view of this phenomenon, the purpose of this paper is to present the findings and recommendations of a research paper which investigates the problems associated with fall of person from height in the construction industry.Design/methodology/approach – Accident data obtained from the Architectural Services Department, HKSAR, was analysed according to the 14 available factors collectively to derive explanations for common situations and reasons leading to fall accidents.Findings – The findings of this rigorous analysis are presented to practitioners whose feedback on the findings are recorded by means of a questionnaire survey. The responses from the sur...

Building features and site‐specific factors affecting buildability in Hong Kong

Purpose – Buildability is concerned with enhancing building designs to achieve ease of construction. Adapting from the Buildable Design Appraisal System in Singapore, a tailored‐made Buildability Assessment Model (BAM), which scores buildability of building designs, has been devised for use in Hong Kong. In developing the BAM, local factors and terrain characteristics, e.g. highly constrained and sloping site conditions, which are common features besetting the industry, are particularly considered. The purpose of this paper, therefore, is to report on the effects of building sites on buildability.Design/methodology/approach – A questionnaire survey with 39 valid responses was administered on construction practitioners, aimed at understanding the relative buildability importance of a number of building features and site‐specific factors in Hong Kong. Analysis was carried out using the relative importance index method.Findings – It is found that the most important buildability considerations for building fe...

A Study to Improve Higher Education for Surveying Professionals in Hong Kong

Abstract The ever-changing market for the construction sector in Hong Kong is having a profound impact on the employability of its professionals. To produce ‘preferred’ graduates, tertiary education institutions need to obtain feedback from professional bodies and other industry stakeholders on course curricula in order to ensure that their graduates will meet the changing needs of the industry. The Department of Building and Real Estate (BRE) has been producing surveying graduates for construction, real estate and related industries for over 30 years. It provides academic programmes with an aim to enable students to develop their full individual potential, to practise and to lead within their chosen professional discipline. In the coming academic year, the existing three surveying degree programmes in BRE will be combined into a common surveying programme with the purposes of widening the knowledge base of the students and providing more flexibility for the graduates to meet the changing market needs. A survey was conducted which aims to assess the perception of the new common surveying programme and to solicit views on improving the academic programmes according to the industry needs. This paper presents the core survey findings obtained from three target groups - i.e. undergraduates in the Department, alumni, and employers. The results reveal the trend in higher education that more generic knowledge for surveying professionals is required at undergraduate level including basic technical skills, language, presentation skills and computer skills. In addition, linkages between higher education institutions and the industry should be strengthened in order to provide practical training. A sandwich programme is also increasingly desirable. This study helps to formulate the new degree programmes and, more importantly, to adjust and improve the curriculum for surveying education in a wider context.

The development of anti-heat stress clothing for construction workers in hot and humid weather

Abstract The purpose of this study was to develop anti-heat stress clothing for construction workers in hot and humid weather. Following DeJonge’s functional clothing design process, the design situation was explored, including clothing fabric heat/moisture transporting properties and UV protection and the aspects of clothing ergonomic design (mobility, convenience, and safety). The problem structure was derived from the results of the surveys in three local construction sites, which agreed well with the task requirements and observations. Specifications were consequently described and 30 commercially available fabrics were identified and tested. Fabric testing data and design considerations were inputted in S-smart system to predict the thermal functional performance of the clothing. A new uniform prototype was developed and evaluated. The results of all measurements suggest that the new uniform which incorporated fabrics with superior heat/moisture transporting properties and loose-fitting design could reduce the workers’ heat stress and improve their comfort and work performance. Practitioner Summary: The construction workers’ uniform currently used in Hong Kong during summer was unsatisfactory. Following DeJonge’s functional clothing design process, an anti-heat stress uniform was developed by testing 30 fabrics and predicting clothing thermal functional performance using S-smart system. The new uniform could reduce the workers’ heat stress and improve their comfort and work performance.

Strategies for Improving Safety and Health of Ethnic Minority Construction Workers

AbstractThe construction industries of developed countries are faced with an aging workforce and a shortage of recruits. It is common for migrant workers/ethnic minorities (EMs) who are already part of the society to join the construction industry. With increasing involvement of EMs in the construction industry, effective strategies for improving their safety and health are urgently needed. The existing body of knowledge is mainly derived from research conducted in English-speaking countries with Western cultures. Research on safety of migrant/EM construction workers in multidialect Asian countries with Eastern cultures has been lacking. This study aimed to identify various strategies for improving the safety and health of EM construction workers from the Asian perspective. Twenty-two face-to-face semistructured interviews were performed with safety professionals in Hong Kong followed by two rounds of Delphi survey with 18 safety experts to verify the interview findings and rank the relative importance of...

Evaluating Sustainable Building-Maintenance Projects: Balancing Economic, Social, and Environmental Impacts in the Case of Hong Kong

AbstractThis study investigates whether existing residential buildings can be repaired and maintained with alternative mixes of materials to maximize social, economic, or environmental benefits through a case study of a residential building repair and maintenance projects in Hong Kong. Based on optimization techniques, through a portfolio of materials two of the three objectives in building maintenance works can be achieved: employment generation, lifecycle cost reduction, and carbon emission reduction. These materials are different from the original ones used in the floors, walls, ceilings, waterproofing, and doors. The findings enhance the sustainability performance of the global building construction sector in overcoming the universal barriers to implementing energy-efficient buildings, namely, high initial cost, weak enforcement of government policies, and uncertainty of returns. The prototype model suggests that a portfolio of materials can be constructed to achieve two objectives at any given time, ...