• RICS and HKIS sign landmark agreement

    4 December 2018

    (30 NOVEMBER 2018, Hong Kong) A landmark agreement will see land surveyors accredited by both RICS (Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors) and HKIS (The Hong Kong Institute of Surveyors) enjoy mutual recognition and benefits, in a joint bid to better prepare the profession for future opportunities.

    RICS and HKIS signed mutual recognition agreement of land surveyors (L) Sean Tompkins, Chief Executive of RICS (R) Sr Dick Kwok, President of the HKIS

    Members of RICS chartered through a Geomatics pathway (Chartered Land Surveyors) and the Land Surveying Division of HKIS will be encouraged to collaborate and share innovations under the deal, which will see credentials and know-how aligned between professionals from both organisations.

    The new agreement follows an earlier partnership signed between RICS and HKIS in March, which secured mutual recognition of valuation surveyors. Both agreements serve to help Hong Kong’s surveyors better prepare themselves for the growing opportunities presented by the ongoing Greater Bay Area development, which has created an unprecedented demand for construction and surveying professionals.

    The arrangement also allows Hong Kong’s class of surveyors to capture opportunities presented further afield by China’s historic round Belt and Road Initiative, as well tap into the wider global market, and gain access to the leading knowledge pool possessed by RICS and HKIS.

    Clare Chiu, chief operating officer of RICS HK, Taiwan and Macau, said: “This mutual recognition agreement comes at a timely moment from which the entire region stands to benefit, and it is only right we do all we can to ensure all of Hong Kong’s surveyors are best equipped to contribute – at the benefit of both the city and the Greater Bay Area. RICS has long championed the advance and advantages of inter-organisation collaboration, and this landmark agreement represents a meaningful opportunity to serve our ongoing goal of promoting innovation and teamwork, in harmony with HKIS members.”

    HKIS President Sr Dick Kwok added: “By sharing qualifications, we fortify the credentials of Hong Kong’s ranks of talented surveyors, allowing them to compete regionally and internationally at this dynamic time of growth and opportunity in the Greater China area. We look forward to collaborating further with our friends at RICS, and continuing our valued role in upholding standards in the industry.”

     

     

     

    More Industry News
    Gammon Construction wins the Lyric Theatre Complex at the West Kowloon Cultural District
    (28 November 2018, Hong Kong) Gammon Construction Limited (‘Gammon’) has been awarded the HK$5.5 billion Works Contract (L2) of the Lyric Theatre Complex and Extended Basement for the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority (WKCDA) in Hong Kong. (按此浏览简体中文版) The project involves construction of a world-class theatre complex that comprises a 1,450-seat lyric theatre, [...]
    One Hennessy receives overwhelming pre-leasing response ahead of its 2019 opening
    (21 November 2018, Hong Kong) Chinachem Group’s One Hennessy is nearly completed and available for lease, with JLL appointed as the sole leasing agent. The Grade A office tower has seen significant pre-leasing activity and had already been up to 80% secured by major corporations in the region. Four floors capturing spectacular Victoria Harbour views in the high zone are now being [...]
    Schotten & Hansen’s Hong Kong showroom reopens after revamp
    Holz Selections, the wholesaler and retailer of timber construction materials in Hong Kong, officially reopened their extensively remodelled Schotten & Hansen showroom with a celebratory event held on a sizzling hot Friday night, co-organised by ROF Media on 3 August. Located on 220 Gloucester Road in Wanchai, the uber-modern ground floor showroom features a selection of carefully curated [...]
    Housing Prices to fall 15% in 2019
    (13 November 2018, Hong Kong) Hong Kong’s housing market is entering a correction phase with prices forecasted to fall by 15% in 2019, according to JLL’s latest residential market forecast. However, if the current trade tensions between the US and China worsens and the stock market continues to slide, housing prices may drop by as much as 25%. Housing prices have steadily increased since [...]
    Developers will build more livable flats as nano flats will lose demand
    (30 October 2018, Hong Kong) Increasing public housing supply could affect the demand for nano flats in more remote locations, according to JLL’s latest Residential Sales Market Monitor released today. The firm expects developers would build more livable flats with bigger sizes when the supply of public housing increased significantly. But it will take at least four to five years to [...]
    Green Financing – Greenlighting Green Investment into Green Real Estate
    (23 October 2018, Hong Kong) Cushman & Wakefield, a leading global real estate services firm, and US Green Building Council (USGBC), jointly released the report: Green Financing – Greenlighting Green Investment into Green Real Estate on 2018 Greenbuild China. From a global perspective, green financing is progressively being utilised as a catalyst in the transition towards a greener [...]
    Knight Frank profits jump 14% to £166.7m led by resilient global markets
    Results for the year ended 31 March 2018: Group turnover up 10% to £525.9m (2017: £476.2m) Group profit before tax up 14% to £166.7m (2017: £145.7m ) Strong balance sheet with net assets at £262.9m (2017: £224.7m) Asia-Pacific operations in Knight Frank delivered record turnover and profit, with the firm’s businesses in Singapore and Hong Kong achieving their best years [...]
    Hong Kong Institute of Construction is opened to inherit professional skills
    (3 October 2018,Hong Kong) Hong Kong Institute of Construction (HKIC), a member organisation of the Construction Industry Council (CIC) successfully held its grand opening ceremony at HKIC – Tai Po Training Ground. Eight officiating guests included Mr. Paul CHAN, Financial Secretary, Mr. Michael WONG, Secretary for Development, Ir HON Chi-keung, Permanent Secretary for Development [...]
    Imagine the cities of 2030 at MIPIM Asia
    (27 September 2018, Paris)–World-renowned property summit MIPIM Asia 2018 will offer a glimpse into the cities of the future, with this year’s event carrying the future-facing theme “Invest in a better tomorrow”. More than 900 property leaders from across the continent will gather to wonder how coming generations will live and work, at the leading industry event, taking place in Hong [...]