Background

1. Works Departments started the deployment of CAD systems for drawing production in late 1980's. To keep pace with this trend, Works Departments have developed departmental CAD standards to standardize the drawing production process.
   
   
2. To align the various Works Departments' CAD standards, a consultancy study was commissioned to formulate the CAD Standard for Works Projects (CSWP) in November 2000 with a view to
   
   
   1. aligning the Works Departments' CAD standards, particularly with respect to drawing symbols, drawing settings and resource files;
   2. setting standards for data exchange between AutoCAD drawings and Microstation drawings;
   3. setting provisions and basic requirements of CAD data management.
   
   
   
3. Consultations with Works Departments and the construction industry on the CSWP were conducted in October 2001. Strong and positive support on the use of the CSWP was received. The consultation document and the consultation report can be downloaded from here.

Current Position

4. The CSWP has been promulgated on 17 September 2002. The CSWP and its tools can be downloaded from here.

Way Forward

5. The CSWP is a key e-Government initiative to promote the use of IT to improve the quality and productivity of the construction industry and hence its competitiveness. Although the CSWP is formulated for the use of Works Departments, their consultants and contractors for preparing CAD drawings, the adoption of CSWP will be promoted to the construction industry and other government departments. With wide acceptance of the construction industry, the CSWP would become the industry de facto CAD standard.