The Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, officiated at the grand opening ceremony of the Construction Innovation Expo 2022 (CIExpo) at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre this afternoon (December 13).
     
     Jointly organised by the Development Bureau (DEVB), the Construction Industry Council (CIC), and the Centre of Science and Technology Industrial Development (CSTID) of the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development (MOHURD), the five-day CIExpo features four key themes, namely, "Automation", "Digitalisation", "Industrialisation", and "Modernisation", attracting some 170 exhibitors and over 14 000 visitors, comprising industry practitioners, students and young people from local, Mainland and overseas organisations.
 
     About 60 experts, academics, government officials and entrepreneurs will share their experiences on Modular Integrated Construction (MiC), digitalisation, safety and health, and green construction at various conferences as well as the Global Construction Summit and the Greater Bay Area (GBA) Construction Summit.
 
     Addressing the ceremony, Mr Lee said, "Construction is Hong Kong's fifth-largest employer contributing more than 4 per cent of our GDP. Hong Kong's annual construction volume is expected to grow to more than HK$300 billion, equivalent to around US$38 billion, in the years ahead."
 
     Noting the importance of innovation to construction, Mr Lee highlighted the two memorandums of understanding on industry innovation signed by the CIC at the ceremony. One was signed with the CSTID of the MOHURD to target innovative construction technology, and the other one with Huawei to promote technological exchange in construction.
 
     Mr Lee stressed that the Government spares no efforts in enhancing quantity, quality, speed and efficiency of the public housing construction to boost the supply of affordable housing, and added that the DEVB is establishing a cross-departmental steering committee on MiC, working to strengthen the MiC supply chain and building collaboration with other cities in the GBA.
 
     Mr Lee also stated that the DEVB is working with the industry on the education of emerging technologies, boosting STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) education in post-secondary institutions, as well as in primary and secondary schools, so as to help nurture a new generation of adept and tech-savvy practitioners for the industry.

Ends/Tuesday, December 13, 2022
Issued at HKT 17:30

NNNN