The use of I. T. in construction and real estate is growing apace. Much of the technology being used at present is out of date, and is well behind that being used in other countries. The strategic use of I T is very weak at the moment in Hong Kong and in order to generate competitive advantage within Hong Kong companies it is necessary to explore new IT directions and incorporate these into companies’ business plans.
If such changes take place then the impact on Hong Kong construction and real estate companies will be very significant. There is potential for better identification of markets and clients and there is vast potential for efficiency increases within both industries (as noted in the introductory section of this proposal).
The deliverables from the Centre fall into three categories. The first is a series of benchmark reports which indicate the current state and usage of IT in the property and construction industries. These will be of immense benefit to member organisations in determining where they lie on the technology map and assisting them to determine their IT strategy. These will be developed within the first 18 months. The second level of deliverable will be in terms of information dissemination and this will achieved by by various media such as a newsletter, short courses, and the mounting of an MSc in Construct I T and other related MScs by collaborating academic institutions. These will be delivered from the outset, i.e. within the first 12 months. The third level of deliverable will be in terms of the results of ongoing and future research contracts. The use of visualisation (V R) is one area being actively researched here at Hong Kong University and this will be of great interest to member organisations. Other projects are underway at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University and the City University. It is expected, in the longer term, that commissioned research will also be published. These projects are of longer duration and a 24-36 month lead time is anticipated.