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Master Lo Pan is the patron saint of builders and carpenters, worshipped by the construction industry. Promotion of Lo Pan’s culture represents the succession and revolution of Chinese construction technology. In celebration of the 140^th anniversary of the foundation of Lo Pan Temple, Hong Kong construction industry has jointly organised various activities. The Development Bureau (DEVB) and the Construction Industry Council (CIC) are very supportive of the promotion work to advocate the contribution of Lo Pan’s culture to construction technology, succession of craftsmanship, innovation of technology, and site safety. This time, I have invited colleagues of the DEVB to share with us how the bureau and the construction industry seek to carry forward Lo Pan’s spirit of craftsmanship.

Declaration of Lo Pan Temple as a monument, promoting Lo Pan’s culture

Located in Kennedy Town, Lo Pan Temple is a symbol of the inheritance of construction craftsmanship in Hong Kong. According to Miss Marjory LEUNG, Assistant Secretary (Works Policies) of the DEVB, the Government will declare Lo Pan Temple as a monument for permanent protection under the Antiquities and Monuments Ordinance. The declaration will not only reflect the heritage significance of the temple but also promote the spirit of craftsmanship.

With subsidies from the Financial Assistance for Maintenance Scheme on Built Heritage of the DEVB, historic architectural fabrics and decorations of Lo Pan Temple were restored. Works have been substantially completed to showcase to the public the temple’s representative ceramic figurines, plaster sculptures and wood carvings in conjunction with the 140^th anniversary of the temple’s founding this year.

Recently, on the occasion of Master Lo Pan’s birthday, Mr David LAM, the Under Secretary for Development, attended the “ Young Lo Pan Award Ceremony 2024” organised by Hong Kong Lo Pan Kwong Yuet Tong at Lo Pan Temple, to recognise outstanding young practitioners for their efforts in carrying forward Lo Pan’s culture.

Many industry stakeholders, including the Construction Industry Council, Hong Kong Lo Pan Kwong Yuet Tong, Hong Kong Construction Association and various trade unions, have also organised and supported a series of activities this year to promote Lo Pan’s culture.

Mr TANG Chi-Wang, Chairman of Hong Kong Lo Pan Kwong Yuet Tong says that they have organised a number of activities this year and conducted large scale renovation works for Lo Pan Temple. According to Mr TANG, apart from organising the Young Lo Pan Award Ceremony every year, seminars on Lo Pan’s culture are also organised from time to time. Lo Pan Patron’s Day “Good Employees” Dinner is another activity they organise. This year, they held the Outstanding Lo Pan Award for the first time to promote Lo Pan’s culture. In his opinion, site safety is a key element of assessment for this competition.

Promoting smart site safety

As the grandmaster of construction in China, Master Lo Pan has inspired future generations to implement construction safety requirements by emphasising “rules and regulations”

Mr LEE Man-yiu, Assistant Secretary (Works Policies), says that the Government and industry stakeholders have been promoting the application of innovative technologies and smart site safety, including the full adoption of the "Smart Site Safety System" (4S). In order to drive a wider adoption of 4S in the construction industry, the DEVB and the CIC have stepped up their efforts by launching a series of new measures in May this year.

One of the new measures is the “Smart Site Safety System Labelling Scheme” (Labelling Scheme) jointly run by the DEVB and the CIC, under which, construction sites that have properly adopted 4S will be issued a 4S label. The label plaque will be placed in a conspicuous place at the periphery of the site for identification and monitoring purposes. The list of worksites with labels will also be uploaded to the CIC’s website for public inspection. Therefore, members of the public can find out which construction sites have been issued 4S labels. Law enforcement departments will pay more attention to construction sites without 4S labels when conducting routine inspections and audits. At the same time, the construction industry can also find out which contractors or construction sites have not adopted 4S. It is believed that this will pose considerable pressure on them.

At present, the Labelling Scheme has received applications from more than 350 construction sites. The first batch of 110 construction sites participating in the Labelling Scheme were issued label plaques on 29 July 2024 at the presentation ceremony held by the DEVB and the CIC, with a view to encouraging the industry to join the Labelling Scheme.

Another measure is a mandatory one introduced by the Buildings Department since 1 July 2024. Conditions will be imposed on construction works under the Buildings Ordinance when the first approval for superstructure plans of private development or approval for major revisions of superstructure plans is granted. For building works with estimated cost exceeding $30 million and involving the use of mobile plants and tower cranes, registered contractors are required to adopt relevant 4S alert systems to provide qualified supervision.

The Government will continue to play the role of a promoter and facilitator to support the entire construction industry in the application of 4S, and join hands to lead site safety towards a new smart era.

Promoting high productivity construction

The Lo Pan mortise and tenon construction method seamlessly integrates architecture, structure, and craftsmanship, showcasing the boundless creativity and exceptional skills of the craftsmen. LEE Man-yiu says that Hong Kong’s construction industry has embraced the innovative spirit of Lo Pan culture and actively promoted high productivity construction in recent years. Modular Integrated Construction (MiC) modules, including architectural, structural, decorative and building services components are manufactured in factories and then transported to sites for assembly into buildings. This approach enhances site productivity and drives innovation in the construction industry.

In the same spirit as the craftsmen’s pursuit of technological innovation and excellence, Hong Kong is committed to enhancing research and development as well as quality accreditation for MiC. This commitment further promotes the complementary strengths of the construction industries in Guangdong and Hong Kong, fosters the development of new quality productive forces, and contributes to high-quality national development. The development policy aims to establish the Greater Bay Area (GBA) as a MiC technology centre, making MiC a competitive industry that expands from the GBA to international markets.

Promoting inheritance and enhancement of craftsmanship

The construction industry is dedicated to manpower training and development, carrying forward Lo Pan’s spirit of striving for excellence in craftsmanship.

To expedite the development of a talent hub in the GBA and jointly improve the skill levels of GBA construction workers and technicians, the DEVB is collaborating with the Human Resources and Social Security Department of Guangdong Province and the Department of Housing and Urban-Rural Development of Guangdong Province in developing the GBA standards for the skill levels of the above-mentioned personnel, so as to provide a basis for the“One Examination, Multiple Certification” arrangement in the construction industry. Marjory LEUNG says that after the implementation of the arrangement, construction industry practitioners who pass the examination in one of the designated examination organisations in Guangdong, Hong Kong or Macau and receive certificates of skills, will be granted certificates of skills of the relevant trades in the other two places. It will be beneficial to the enhancement of skill levels and exchange of personnel in the GBA. We plan to announce the GBA standards for the first pilot trade and the arrangements for “One Examination, Multiple Certification” within next year.

With the support from the DEVB, the CIC has collaborated with unions to launch the “multi-skill” training programme since early this year, providing workers with tuition allowance to enable them to receive training in another trade, thereby enhancing their employment opportunities while continuing the spirit of Master Lo Pan’s emphasis on craftsmanship training.

The promotion of Lo Pan’s spirit will continue. We will innovate and change in areas of innovative technologies, craftsmanship, as well as safety and training. To pass on the torch, we will promote our excellent construction culture and join hands in spreading the word about our construction legend.