More than 400 building professionals, property management practitioners, government officials and academics today attended the Building Safety Symposium, organised by the Buildings Department, to discuss the application of innovative technologies to enhance safety at buildings and in construction works.

Speaking at the symposium, Secretary for Development Bernadette Linn said the Government is conducting a comprehensive review of the Buildings Ordinance, with three aims in mind: encouraging owners to expedite building repairs; rationalising enforcement against unauthorised building works (UBWs); and regulating the quality and safety of building works.

Stressing that the main approach of the review is to increase penalties, lower prosecution thresholds and rationalise enforcement priorities, Ms Linn said the Government expects a public consultation on specific proposals to be launched by the end of this year, with legislative amendment proposals being submitted in the first half of 2026.

In addition, she highlighted that the Government has adopted innovative technologies to enhance enforcement and work efficiency, including using new technologies such as drones and artificial intelligence to speed up building inspections, thereby strengthening enforcement against UBWs and defective signboards, and enhancing site safety.

The Government will also put forward elderly-friendly building design proposals to tie in with its "ageing in place" policy. It has announced a roadmap, generally supported by the industry, to make it mandatory for the private sector to adopt Building Information Modelling (BIM) technology by 2029. Ms Linn said the Government will continue to work with the industry to make preparations.

Director of Buildings Clarice Yu said at the symposium that the department will undertake a consultancy exercise on the full adoption of BIM by the private sector.

In July, the department introduced mandatory measures requiring the adoption of two alert systems, under the Smart Site Safety System, for superstructure works with an estimated construction cost over $30 million. It is also exploring the feasibility of extending the systems to other types of works.

The department will continue to apply professional expertise and take an innovative approach, while working together with the industry to create a safer and more sustainable built and living environment, Ms Yu added.

The symposium was a highlight event of Building Safety Weeks 2024, and featured a number of local experts speaking on topics ranging from elderly-friendly building design to the impact of temperature on building safety.

The department will hold carnivals on November 9 and 10 at Tuen Mun Town Plaza, and on November 16 and 17 at Olympic City 2. These will feature game booths, allowing the public to acquire building safety knowledge in a fun and engaging way.