New Era of Statutory Submission

SBI was engaged by the Hong Kong Buildings Department and Development Bureau to hold the second stakeholder engagement forum on the adoption of openBIM for statutory plan submissions. The session, hosted at the Hong Kong Central Library, drew over 600 participants, both in-person and online, including consultants, contractors, and industry professionals.

A follow up to the first round of stakeholder engagements last year, the forum focused on a refined roadmap for openBIM adoption, highlighting practical workflows for preparing and submitting plans. Participants responded positively, noting the roadmap’s practicality and that industry feedback had been incorporated into the refinements. Local and Mainland experts also shared case studies and demonstrations of the latest BIM tools, helping to illustrate the feasibility of using openBIM in day-to-day practice.

A key topic of discussion was funding and capacity building. With remaining Construction Innovation and Technology Fund (CITF) resources limited, stakeholders considered how best to support SMEs, expand training opportunities, and ensure sufficient software and hardware access as the industry prepares for the 2029 mandate. Survey and monitoring efforts will continue to better understand industry readiness and training needs.

Key takeaway: the forum reinforced a shared commitment among government and industry to move toward more efficient, technology-enabled submission processes, with ongoing collaboration expected to guide future funding and training measures. The roadmap has strong industry backing, but continued investment and targeted training will be key to making the approval process smarter, faster, and more resilient.