In late July, the Institution signed a cooperation agreement with industry enterprises to jointly promote the engineering profession and nurture talented engineers. The agreement was signed between the HKIE and some renowned companies in Hong Kong such as China Mobile Hong Kong, Automated Systems, Hong Kong Broadband Network, Huawei, Otis, and TK Elevator.

The initial two-year cooperation agreement, extendable upon mutual agreement, establishes a communication platform between the Institution and enterprises for knowledge exchange, talent cultivation, and maintaining high-quality engineering professionalism. Participating companies enjoy benefits such as opportunities for eligible management personnel to become senior members of the Institution and guidance on joining the “Scheme A Graduate Training Programme” to develop the next generation of engineers.

In addition to the cooperation agreement, we have undertaken several key initiatives. These include the establishment of the “Professional Certification Mechanism” offering certifications in emerging areas such as Building Information Modeling (BIM), Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), and Stage Engineering. Our collaboration with the Vocational Training Council (VTC) enables BIM training courses to develop a skilled workforce.

President Ir Dr Barry Lee, accompanied by Senior Vice President Ir Eric Ma, Vice Presidents Ir Alice Chow and Ir Prof Frank Chan, Executive Member Ir Willam Luk, Chief Executive & Secretary Ir Prof Alfred Sit, and Director Ir Peter Si, led a group of young engineers to Guangzhou on 12 August 2023 to strengthen bonds and exchange knowledge with local counterparts. The delegation visited a local enterprise (番禺廣汽研究院) followed by the HKIE Cocktail Reception 2023 @Guangzhou that was well-attended by over 100 participants. The visit concluded with the Greater Bay Area Young Engineers Exchange Session organised by the Guangdong Provincial Association for Science and Technology (廣東省科學技術協會).

The Institution’s Consolidated STEAM Promotion Scheme was launched to strengthen STEAM education efforts. Partnerships with selected schools aim to inspire the younger generation to pursue engineering as their future studies and careers. The scheme was formalised through a Charter of Cooperation, solidifying our commitment to advancing STEAM education.

These initiatives and collaborations, along with our enhanced HKIE Members’ Benefits Scheme, highlight our dedication to providing additional value and better serving our members. The enhanced benefits are in four areas, namely Clothing, Eating, Living and Transportation with the support of 47 new merchants. A launching ceremony was held on 25 August to announce this good news. By fostering a vibrant professional community and offering exclusive benefits, we hope to create a supportive and enjoyable environment for our members’ professional development.

President Ir Dr Barry Lee (6th right) and representatives from various companies who signed the agreement with the Institution

President Ir Dr Barry Lee (middle) signed the MOU with VTC Academic Director (Engineering), Vocational Training Council Dr Daniel Yan (5th left)

Participants at the Launching Ceremony of the Consolidated STEAM Promotion Scheme

President Ir Dr Barry Lee (middle; front row) with merchants at the Launching Ceremony of the HKIE Members’ Benefits Scheme

To strengthen the Institution’s public presence and its bond with the media, the captioned gathering was held on the afternoon of 8 August 2023 at the recently opened EngHub. The guests on the Institution’s side ran the gamut from veteran to young engineers, including our Executive, Public Service Committee (PSC) Chairlady Ir Mandy Leung, media spokesmen Ir Louis Szeto and Ir Ho Wing Ip, and this Session’s President’s Protégés. At our invitation, about 20 media representatives attended.

The gathering was already abuzz with networking and conversations during the reception, when the guests were arriving one after another. This relaxed ambience continued throughout, but was given focus when Mr Ivan Ip and Miss Claudia Ng, the two Protégés serving as emcees, drew everyone’s attention with their opening remarks. They soon ceded the stage to their “mentor” President Ir Dr Barry Lee, who, in his welcome remarks, succinctly explained his Presidential Theme “We Engineer, We Serve”, his slogan “Be the Change”, and how this Session’s initiatives will realise the visions they stand for.

The Institution’s representatives were then invited to the floor by groups to have their photographs taken; and while a certain representative was coming on stage, the emcees would take the opportunity to add in some comments on what function he or she (or the group represented) serves within the Institution. Our media friends got to know, for example, that the PSC organises events to promote the engineering profession among students.

In the chit-chat session that followed, Ir Dr Lee, at the Protégés’ promptings, talked about the Institution’s latest and soon-to-be achievements. These include concluded or projected visits to Macau, Guangzhou, the UK, Stockholm, and Dubai; Memorandum of Understanding with VTC; Charter of Cooperation with organisations; various STEAM promotion schemes; and the Hong Kong Engineers Week 2024. At the mention of the Institution’s 21 disciplines, Ir Dr Lee introduced the media spokesmen and their respective expertise, urging media representatives to seek them out when needed. Then a question game was played about the disciplines relevant to the incidents happening recently and the incidents the HKIE has recently given professional opinions on. Ir Dr Lee also outlined the Institution’s views on the 2023 Policy Address. This session was concluded after the Protégés introduced themselves one by one.

An impromptu press conference was then held on the spot, featuring Ir Dr Lee and Immediate Past President Ir Aaron Bok responding to the media’s questions about the recent fallen concrete incidents. Suggestions were made about how the government can deal with this crisis: in the short term, it can use drones to examine buildings’ exteriors and, on detecting risks, adopt an interventionist approach—to three-nil buildings at least. In the long term, owners and owners’ corporations should be educated to regard safety inspections as part of buildings’ routine maintenance. In the intervening period, the departments in question should on their own initiative inspect three-nil buildings and hire contractors to fix any problems thus unearthed; only afterwards are the owners to be charged.

For the rest of the time, everyone was socialising and exchanging views about current issues related to engineering. The gathering turned out very much as Ir Dr Lee wished, according to his welcome remarks: an occasion to cultivate friendship between engineers and media practitioners.

Vice President Ir Alice Chow (R) networking with media representatives during the reception

The President delivering his welcome remarks

The President (middle) and his Protégés

President (5th left), Immediate Past President Ir Aaron Bok (5th right), Senior Vice President Ir Eric Ma (4th left), Vice Presidents Ir Alice Chow (4th right) and Ir Prof Frank Chan (3rd left), Executive Members Ir Norman Chan (2nd right), Ir Ambrose Chen (2nd left), and Ir William Luk (1st right), PSC Chairlady Ir Mandy Leung (1st left) and Chief Executive and Secretary Ir Prof Alfred Sit (3rd right)

Media representatives were invited to engage in a question game

Ir Bok (to whom the microphones are directed) responding to the media’s questions in the impromptu press conference

Media spokesman Ir Ho Wing-ip (middle) socialising with media representatives

Media spokesman Ir Louis Szeto (R) conversing with a media representative

Recently, our city suffered a succession of incidents caused by ageing buildings such as fallen concrete chunks from the walls of old buildings, injuring passers-by in some cases and damaging company property in others. There have also been reports from the media about water seepage problems in these buildings. In light of these issues, the Institution assumes its professional role in sharing expertise, knowledge and advice with the public in this area by organising a series of events under the theme “The building is sick”.

The first event was a press conference “The building is sick: what to do with falling concrete?” Held in the HKIE Headquarters on 26 July 2023, it sought to familiarise fallen concrete’s possible causes, means of identifying its symptoms in buildings, and prevention strategies that can be adopted by property owners. Representatives from more than ten media organisations attended.

On the Institution’s side, five professional engineers were present at the conference. Accompanying President Ir Dr Barry Lee were experts from the BD Division. They were Chairman Ir Tony W G Za, Past Chairman Ir Prof Adam S C Choy, Committee Member Ir Cedric S C Chan, and representative Ms Carmen K M Lam.

The conference began with a review of the current state of Hong Kong’s old buildings. It was explained that those aged 30 and over, of which more than 26,000 are relatively more at risk from concrete falling than buildings below that age. Of these 26,000, 20% have had their conditions assessed as “varied” or “poor”, exposing them even more to such risks. It was in this context that the need for routine maintenance was emphasised.

After expounding next on the different types of concrete falling, their respective causes and consequences, the presenters enumerated some common ways to handle a foreseen threat, ranging from non-destructive testing methods like tapping and moisture survey to structural testing methods like covermeter survey and carbonation test. The precise timing, sufficient justifications, and how-to of seeking a Registered Inspector (Engineer)’s assistance were also discussed.

The second event was the technical seminar on new technology for concrete inspection organised by the BD Division on 16 August 2023. Conducted in hybrid mode, the seminar received an overwhelming response, attracting around 800 online participants and 50 in-person participants.

Before the presentation began, there was a brief session in which the BD Division’s Chairman Ir Tony Za and its Committee Member Ir Eva Lee (who was also the emcee) recapitulated and provided some background information on the incidents.

After that, President Ir Dr Barry Lee introduced the speaker, Mr Harris Sun, CEO and Founder of RaSpect. The seminar explored the latest technologies in AI, big data and robotics that can expedite the concrete inspection process in buildings. As introduced by Mr Sun, AI can provide solutions in onsite inspection and improve building inspection efficiency by 67%. The collected data will then go through AI analysis. An inspection report will be generated with professional (engineers’) endorsement. Based on the severity level (a total of 5 levels) stated in the report, one can proceed with building renovation.

Another press conference regarding water seepage in old buildings is scheduled for 5 September 2023. Members can expect more events of such nature in future to discuss various issues arising from these buildings.

“Like humans,” our President said in the press conference, “buildings inevitably suffer ailments as part of the ageing process. And like humans, the time and money needed to deal with a building’s health issue would be far greater if one deals with it after the diagnosis than before. The Institution encourages more inspections to be made and timely maintenance work to be carried out, lest what begins as a minor problem, when exacerbated by a belated treatment, will end up endangering lives and property.”

(L to R) The BD Division’s Committee Member Ir Cedric S C Chan, its Past Chairman Ir Prof Adam S C Choy, President Ir Dr Barry Lee, its Chairman Ir Tony W G Za, and its representative Ms Carmen K M Lam at the 26 July Press Conference

President Ir Dr Barry Lee (4th left) presenting certificate to the speaker Mr Harris Sun (4th right) at the 16 August Technical Seminar