Hong Kong building quality won’t fall by allowing mainland standards: minister

Hong Kong’s construction quality will remain world-class, even as authorities introduce more materials and standards from mainland China, the development minister has said in response to public concerns over building safety.

Secretary for Development Bernadette Linn Hon-ho said the government was considering pre-approving construction materials regarded by the industry as offering good value for money – such as steel, concrete and glass – and reviewing its building standards, but stressed that construction quality would not be compromised.

“It is not just about introducing mainland standards. We hope to widen the [standards] and we will adopt them if they meet our expectations,” Linn said in an exclusive interview with the Post.

“We are a very open and international city … I hope to emphasise that we source products and benchmarks from all over the world, including Hong Kong, overseas and the mainland … We cannot compromise the quality of our construction sector, even as we review [these standards].”

Her comments followed the government’s move to incorporate national railway standards into local benchmarks, aiming to significantly reduce costs and boost efficiency. The standards will first be applied to the Northern Link cross-border railway project and are expected to reduce construction costs for it by up to 30 per cent.

Last month, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu also announced in his policy address a review of construction standards and exploration of additional accreditation standards from “more regions”, with experts urging the government to introduce more mainland products and specifications to reduce the cost of public projects.