The Development Bureau (DEVB), the Department of Housing and Urban-Rural Development of Guangdong Province (DHURDGP), and the Authority of Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Modern Service Industry Co-operation Zone of Shenzhen Municipality (Qianhai Authority) announced today (June 12) the launch of five pilot projects in Qianhai, which will adopt Hong Kong's New Engineering Contract (NEC) form or the Smart Site Safety System (4S). 

     Held at the NEC Forum for Project Leaders, the launching ceremony of the Qianhai NEC and 4S Pilot Projects was officiated by the Permanent Secretary for Development (Works), Mr Ricky Lau; Deputy Secretary for Development (Works) Mr Tony Ho; Second-level Inspector of the DHURDGP Mr Huang Weide; and the Chief Hong Kong and Macao Liaison Expert of the Qianhai Authority, Mr Gary Wong.

     Mr Lau said that this year marks the opening year of the National 15th Five-Year Plan, and this collaboration is an important part of the plan to deepen the alignment of rules and mechanisms in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area as well as to accelerate the strategic planning in respect of the development of new quality productive forces. The pilot projects will implement the recommendation set out in last year's Policy Address to deepen Hong Kong-Shenzhen co-operation in engineering and construction and help promote the advanced contract management systems and innovative technologies of Hong Kong's construction industry to Qianhai, thereby supporting Qianhai's construction industry to go global. It not only facilitates regional synergy, but also enables Hong Kong to better integrate into and serve the overall development of the nation, so as to promote high-quality development for the nation.

     Among the five pilot projects, the "11th Road Space Redevelopment Project" and "Guiwan Three Innovation Corridor, Guiwan Three Hub East Corridor and Tinghai Qianwan Four Corridor Project" will adopt Hong Kong's NEC form to optimise the contract management systems. The "Tonggang Street (Mawan Second Road to Mawan Avenue) Road and Utility Corridor Project", "Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Plaza Project (Phase 1) - Trading Plaza Section and Jingxing Jilang Section", and "Mawan First Development Area 01 Plot East Tower Project" will adopt Hong Kong's 4S to strengthen digital safety supervision.

     The NEC form promotes a collaborative partnership between the client and the contractor, and establishes a comprehensive project management system that includes early warning mechanisms, compensation mechanisms, and action timetables. It effectively resolves contractual issues and enhances project performance. The DEVB first introduced the NEC form to public works projects in 2009, and it has since been applied to over 850 public works projects with a total contract value exceeding $550 billion. Other public organisations, such as the Airport Authority Hong Kong and the MTR Corporation Limited, have also adopted the NEC form.
     ​
     The 4S enables remote monitoring of high-risk activities on construction sites in real time (such as lifting operations, working in confined spaces, and mobile machinery operations). It can detect hazards early and issue immediate alerts to prevent serious accidents. Project teams can also analyse safety performance data collected by the 4S to identify the crux of potential safety hazards and formulate appropriate enhancement measures. To encourage the effective use of the 4S, the DEVB, in collaboration with the Construction Industry Council, launched the 4S Labelling Scheme to award a label to construction sites that have been inspected on-site and assessed as having properly applied the 4S. To date, over 800 public and private projects have received labels. Following the adoption of the 4S, the overall accident rate in the construction industry has been reduced by approximately 20 per cent, having a positive impact on construction site safety and providing more comprehensive protection for workers' safety.

Ends/Friday, June 12, 2026
Issued at HKT 16:45

NNNN