Wong builds up housing hopes with modular construction

Modular integrated construction technology will be used to a greater extent when building public housing blocks, Secretary for Development Michael Wong Wai-lun said.

MiC - a construction method in which free-standing modules are manufactured in a factory and then transported to the construction site for installation - has been used in Hong Kong for years and will be employed when building over 20,000 public housing units in the future.

In his blog yesterday, Wong said the Development Bureau and the Construction Industry Council have been promoting MiC technology since 2017.

He quoted the outgoing chairman of the council, Chan Ka-kui, as saying that MiC technology can improve the industry.

"Moving the construction process to a factory will not only make the construction environment more comfortable and safe, but it will also facilitate the use of technology such as robots and artificial intelligence, which will enhance productivity," Wong said. He added that MiC technology was also used during the Covid-19 pandemic, allowing the government to build a large number of quarantine sites in a short period of time.

"Nowadays, there are more than 60 construction projects that made use of MiC technology and the number of large-scale MiC projects will continue to grow in the future," Wong said.

"MiC technology will be used in public estate projects in the future, involving more than 20,000 residential units. This includes one residential building under the Tung Chung Area 99 public housing development scheme and three buildings at the Anderson Road quarry site."

Wong said the Construction Industry Council also organized many workshops and international seminars. "[The council] exchanged views with experts on MiC technology around the world, establishing Hong Kong's status as an 'international MiC city,'" he said.

Wong also said the government is determined to develop infrastructure in the coming years and spending on construction projects is expected to exceed HK$100 billion every year. There will be strong demand for construction workers, he added.

Wong also noted that the Construction Industry Council founded the Hong Kong Institute of Construction in 2018 and the institute will collaborate with the Hong Kong Metropolitan University, allowing institute graduates admission to the university for further education.