Buildings are not only the place where we live, work and carry out different activities, but also the most valuable assets for many people. As you may know, buildings in Hong Kong are facing the problem of ageing. Currently, there are 5 900 buildings aged 50 years or above in Hong Kong and the number will increase by 580 annually. There are also 20 000 buildings aged 30 years or above and the figure will increase to 30 000 in a decade. In view of this, we must be vigilant in inspecting and maintaining  buildings to protect our own and public safety.

The Government has been adopting a multi-pronged approach in implementing measures to enhance building safety in Hong Kong. Nonetheless,  Government efforts alone are  not enough, the community needs to foster a culture of caring for buildings  and to coordinate  the efforts of property owners, residents, building professionals and the community in enhancing building safety.

The Building Department (BD) will hold Building Safety Week 2015 from March 14 to 20 to enhance public understanding of building safety through a series of activities. The one-week event will feature many informative and entertaining activities, including the Building Safety Carnival, 3D Mapping Show and exhibitions.

Let me share with you some of them: 
Building Safety Carnival – It will be held at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) square on March 14 afternoon. There will be game booths set up by students participating in the Building Safety Pioneer Programme and government departments.  Teams from various organisations and schools will also perform at the carnival.

3D Mapping Show – It will be shown on the façade of the Stanley Ho Building in PolyU every 30 minutes from 7.30pm to 9pm on March 14 and 15. Apart from watching the innovative 3D mapping show, the audience will be invited to participate in large-scale interactive games, enjoying a brand-new visual, audio and artistic experience.

Building Safety Exhibition–It will be held during the week on the podium floor and the 3/F gallery of Innovation Tower, introducing building safety-related issues in a lively way, including the risks of unauthorised subdivided flats. Highlights include building models of minor works items and augmented reality - a walk through buildings of different periods; plastic brick models to show the life-cycle of a building; free access to view approved building plans online; and a hologram on what to inspect in the Mandatory Building and Window Inspection Schemes.  Participants may also visit the Simulation House to experience the danger of fire in dilapidated buildings and other potential threats posed by defective buildings and drains.

Building Safety Week 2015 will also feature a series of creative workshops including plastic brick model workshops, Fotomo workshops and T-shirt silk screen printing workshops. Seminars for the public, students, building professionals, contractors and property management stakeholders will be held.

Building Safety Week 2015 will open from 10am to 7pm daily. Admission is free. You may register at http://goo.gl/forms/iBaefBG4S6 for the seminars and visit BD’s Facebook page dedicated to “Building Safety Week 2015” (https://www.facebook.com/events/412365645591078/) for more information.