Hong Kong update: Building bridges

The CIPHE Hong Kong Branch (CIPHE-HKB) membership represents different sectors ranging from the government, client, consultant, contractor and supplier, to the operation and maintenance field.

The Branch is thriving. Memberships have increased by around 10% in a year to 1,500, including people with high academic qualifications and a higher proportion of younger candidates, resulting in the formation of the Young Members’ Club.

This growth in terms of both quantity and quality in membership is undoubtedly thanks to the dedicated participation and effort of the management committee of the Branch, especially since the execution of the new governance launched in 2018.

The new governance assumes a good succession regime, providing stability and sustainability that has attracted more talent to join. Of course, the award of CEng by the Engineering Council is a great asset to members. As a result the Branch established a devoted CEng working group to promote it.

Spreading the word

CIPHE-HKB strives to make an important contribution either on its own or via collaboration with government departments, universities and educational institutes and other professional bodies.

The role and functions of the Branch are delivered in a variety of ways both internally and externally. Internally, it helps equip members with advancement of science and practice towards a greater degree of professionalism. Externally, it promotes the image of CIPHE-HKB via media interview and talks, conducts training courses, launches public education programmes and also offers expert advice to government from time to time.

Working through COVID-19

CIPHE-HKB has recently offered advice and support to the government in combating COVID-19 through a number of undertakings. Firstly, the Branch offers its expertise with the publication of technical papers. It also organises webinars and courses, notably to share and review the design, installation and maintenance of drainage systems to curb cross-contamination between compartments of a building.

Secondly, it collaborated with other professional bodies to launch the Leaky Drain Busters programme with an aim of helping the government to analyse the problem of local transmission in residential blocks and helping the community to control the spread of COVID-19.

A press conference was held in December 2020 under the programme recommending numerous short-, mid- and long-term precautionary and improvement measures.

Last but not least, e-posters have been published to help people identify some possible sources of household pollutants together with best practices and solutions for mitigating the spread of viruses. E-posters are useful for promotion and education to the general public and have been disseminated to more than 55 institutions and the government.

Hong Kong has a lower confirmed death rate due to COVID-19. This might be thanks to the orchestrated effort of parties concerned, including the government, in the timely devising and enforcing of policies and measures, and the communities’ self discipline and cooperation in wearing facemasks. Hong Kong’s experience of SARS means that the public generally accepts that wearing facemasks is one of the most important measures against the propagation of viruses, along with maintaining social distancing. Medical and engineering professionals providing expert advice have helped to educate the public and support the government to fight the virus.

Proactive approach

CIPHE-HKB has been working with government departments, notably its close partnership with the Water Supplies Department (WSD), and has a higher participation in its work over the years, possibly due to its increasing professionalism and status as a chartered body.

The Branch has been invited to provide expert advice and serve as a bridge between government and the industry stakeholders on plumbing, drainage and water supply issues in buildings. The department has also granted members an equivalent qualification to facilitate applications to become a licensed plumber.

Nowadays, licensed plumbers play an increasingly important role in ensuring drinking water quality and safety in Hong Kong, which is full of tall buildings built with complex systems of lengthy water pipes. Licensed plumbers work in valuable partnership with installers in buildings to achieve project completion on schedule and to stipulated standards.

Unlike other skilled trades in the construction industry, such as formwork erector, general welder and electrical fitter, that experience greater shortages, the supply of licensed plumbers is generally healthy and the Branch has been helping in this regard with a great majority of our members licensed plumbers.

Supervisory Board’s role

The Supervisory Board is charied by Enoch Lam and its purpose is to oversee the business of the HK Branch. However, Lam was keen to do more than the duties prescribed in the governing document and wanted to include strategic views and directional advice on the development and role of the Branch too.

“I was much impressed by the keen commitment and vigor of the committee head to make the Branch one of the leading professional institutes in Hong Kong and to contribute to the local plumbing and engineering sector,” says Lam.