The Hong Kong Institute of Architects has proposed establishing a Buildings Maintenance Authority to strengthen oversight of building repairs, as consultation on Hong Kong’s first five-year plan ended on August 14, 2026. The recommendations were presented at a press conference held by the institute on the final day of the consultation period.
The institute has not set out the proposed authority’s specific duties, powers, composition or timetable for establishment. It also called for artificial intelligence to be used to improve the allocation of public housing resources, but details of the system’s practical use, data sources and regulatory arrangements have not been provided.
The institute urged the Government to align Hong Kong more closely with the national “3060” carbon-neutrality targets. It proposed that the Government draw up a Mass Timber Construction Standard suited to the city’s high-density urban environment.
The proposed standard would cover fire safety, structural safety and durability requirements for glued laminated timber and cross-laminated timber. The institute also encouraged the Government to study the use of timber structures in public and private projects.
The institute said structural timber and bamboo were already widely used internationally in low-carbon construction. It said timber structures could use their carbon-storage properties to reduce the carbon footprint of reinforced concrete, presenting this as part of its case for further research and adoption in Hong Kong.
The recommendations were presented on the institute’s behalf by its president, Ada Liu Man-kwan, who is also the Legislative Council member for the Architectural, Surveying, Planning and Landscape constituency. The consultation document’s response to the proposals, and any Government decision or timetable for adopting them, remain unclear.