Clement Chan Kam-wing

Opinion | As Hong Kong’s old buildings rain concrete, it’s time for urgent action

Authorities are pushing to make preventive maintenance the industry practice. But property managers and owners must also play their part in the upkeep of buildings

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A shower of concrete is seen on the pavement outside the 57-year-old residential Po On Building in Mong Kok on July 5, the second such incident in three days. Some concrete pieces were as big as a fist. Photo: Jelly Tse

Clement Chan Kam-wing

Published: 3:30pm, 30 Sep 2023

Hong Kong’s recent encounters with extreme weather are yet another reminder that the global climate crisis is upon us. But while we can do little about torrential rain, we can do something to stop concrete from raining down on us.

Unsuspecting pedestrians have been hit by falling concrete recently, in accidents that should have been forestalled. Action must be taken quickly – before the next rainstorm or typhoon pulverises more of the city’s fragile and ageing concrete.

Sadly, the decay of buildings in Hong Kong is nothing new, as the bulk of our stock dates back to the 1970s and 1980s. But the situation has been getting worse. A government report last year found that more than 26,000 buildings were 30 years or older, of which about 20 per cent (5,200 buildings) were classified – alarmingly – as being in a “varied’ or “poor” condition.

Under the Building Management Ordinance, property managers should establish and maintain a “special fund” to meet irregular expenses such as renovation, improvement works and the repair of common areas. This is to ensure a piggy bank for the upkeep of the building.

But an Urban Renewal Authority (URA) survey has revealed that only a third of buildings had set up this special fund. Even among these, all too often, the balances were inadequate to cover the cost of major maintenance works. This is mainly because many owners lack the professional knowledge needed to determine the level of reserves required or may be reluctant to participate in these matters.