Speech by S for W at International Conference on Tall Buildings

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Following is the full text of the opening address (English only) by the Secretary for Works, Mr Kwong Hon-sang, at the 5th International Conference on Tall Buildings at the University of Hong Kong today (Wednesday):

Professor Cheung, Professor Wu, Dr Choi, Ladies and Gentlemen,

I feel very much honoured to have this opportunity to speak today at this 5th International Conference on Tall Buildings, to a gathering of prominent professionals and academics from all over the world.

I am glad that, after a decade since the last Conference held in Shanghai, the University of Hong Kong and the Tongji University have again jointly organised this important international conference, and this time held in Hong Kong. I fully agree with Professor Cheung, as he pointed out in his invitation letter to me, that this conference is highly relevant to Hong Kong because of the tremendous building development that has been taking place here.

Indeed, the last decade has seen very rapid, exciting and fruitful development in the design and construction of tall buildings in Hong Kong, and in many other cities in the Mainland of China as well as the Asian region. The papers presented in this Conference on the design of the future tower blocks at our Hong Kong and Kowloon Airport Railway Stations, the Jin Mao Tower and the China World Trade Centre in Shanghai, and the Plaza Rakyat Office Tower of Kuala Lumpur are just some of the examples.

Our very high population density and the aspiration for a better living environment have over the past decades driven local planners, engineers and architects to work out solutions producing high quality, high density urban forms, including high rise buildings. In many ways, Hong Kong can be regarded as an `urban Laboratory', where there has been always a willingness to try out new ideas, to learn from past mistakes, and to take forward and improve those elements of design that have proved their worth. Such a process has in the past decades, helped transform our urban development into intensive vertical spatial forms, especially along the northern shore of the Hong Kong Island facing the harbour. While most of these buildings have been planned and designed to optimise land use aiming at maximum profit returns, an increasing number of tall buildings completed in Hong Kong since the 80's have demonstrated a trend towards more imaginative designs, integrated development, and improved building standards with much advancement in building services, innovative intelligence systems, and significant improvement in energy efficiency. In an increasingly competitive and quality conscious market, such improvement in addition to being visually pleasing, and functionally efficient, definitely provide a much necessary edge.

With major tall buildings completed in recent years including the Central Plaza and a few others in the Central District such as the new Hang Seng Bank Building, and some others being built or planned, Hong Kong will be having more and more tall buildings ranking among the tallest in the world by early next century. Other examples include those major comprehensive developments over the Airport Railway stations, involving buildings having 80 or more stories on top of the commercial podium. There are other proposed developments of this range of height being planned.

In the public sector, the Architectural Services Department of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government is also working on a number of major Government building projects with high rise tower blocks. One example is the Redevelopment of the Police Headquarters Phase III at Arsenal Street, with a building height of some 200 metres above ground. Construction will commence in mid-1999 for completion around the end of 2002. The proposed future Central Government Complex at the Tamar site off Queensway would also include highrise office towers, with emphasis on intelligent building systems and the most advanced state-of-the art technology applications.

Indeed, much advancement has been made in tall building planning, design, construction and management. As reflected by the titles of the over 170 conference papers to be presented under the various sessions in this 3-day conference, the scope of subjects developed under the theme of tall buildings has become so diverse covering a very wide range of topics. Typically, the development process for a tall building needs to take into account many considerations besides aesthetics, costs, construction technology and the more and more sophisticated computer aided structural modelling, analysis and detailing. These considerations include those concerning energy efficiency, natural and artificial lighting, building climatology, wind-generated noise interference, emergency situations, social and psychological needs, security, management and maintenance. Although these various items might not be new subject matters even at the last conference a decade ago, we all know that there have been tremendous refinement, breakthrough and new concept in most of these different areas, from structural analysis, design standards and methods, to material science research, foundation design and vibrational dynamics; and from state-of-the-art construction technology, automation and management, to social and environmental considerations as well as innovations and technological applications. All these have been the results of years of hard work and dedication by those who have contributed to bring about advancement to our living and social environments.

As we move into the new millennium, I am sure we will continue to work at achieving the common goal of designing and constructing more efficient buildings, making buildings more habitable, easier and less costly to maintain, and more environmentally friendly and safe. Towards this end, there should be more liberalisation in the exchange of technology and information with more co-operation among professionals and scientists of different places.

During the past two years, particularly after Hong Kong's return to Chinese sovereignty, the Works Bureau has been actively promoting the exchange of technology and research co-operation between Hong Kong and the Mainland of China relating to construction and the building industry. Since earlier this year, we are having close liaison with the China Academy for Building Research under the Ministry of Construction, and the Centre for Asian Tall Buildings and Urban Habitats of the University of Hong Kong to promote research collaboration of the two institutions. Apart from basic research studies, the collaboration will also place emphasis on research work required for industrial applications. We believe that the strengths of the two places in building technology and research could supplement each other. A seminar on subjects relating to buildings would be jointly organised by the two institutions to be held in Beijing next June.

The economic downturn in the past year severely affected many Asian economies, and had caused construction and building development in many countries to slow down. The pace of private sector development in Hong Kong has also been affected significantly, with drastically reduced construction output. Yet, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government will maintain a strong public works programme. To meet projected population growth and to facilitate future development, we have committed to invest over HK$235 Bn (US$30Bn) in the 5 years from 1998 in public works and infrastructural development, which is 50% more than the HK$155 Bn (US$20Bn) Airport Core Programme completed recently. Besides building works under our Public Works Programme, the Government will also maintain its public sector housing production under a separate Housing Programme, with a target of producing 50,000 housing units each year. All these indicate that Hong Kong will continue having a large building construction programme, requiring contribution from engineering and building professionals and experts.

I am sure that this 3-day conference will be a very useful forum for the sharing and exchange of professional and research experience. I hope that it will stimulate further research and development for future advancement and engineering excellence. May I also take this opportunity to wish all the overseas delegates an enjoyable stay in Hong Kong.

Ladies and gentlemen, I am happy to declare that this Conference is now open.

End/Wednesday, December 9, 1998

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