Some problems, especially those inherited from the past, seem too big to solve. Newly constructed buildings and structures deteriorate over time and require ongoing maintenance. However, it is impossible to demolish all the dilapidated buildings in a dilapidated area and start anew.
Meanwhile, the construction sector is evolving and introducing new materials and standards. Building codes are also often more stringent to ensure the health and safety of users.
As a result, building owners and regulators around the world are facing a catch-up cycle. However, given that it is virtually impossible for some buildings to meet all the new requirements, authorities may only be able to request that the best possible measures be taken.
Here in Hong Kong, despite the government’s financial strength and competent civil service, the problem of non-compliant and dilapidated buildings has not been resolved. How many times have you walked into an old building that didn’t have proper escape routes, functional fire doors, or blocked off staircases?
Fire Department Kowloon South Branch Commander Lam Kin Kwan said each of New Lucky House’s three staircases could have safely carried 100 people had they met fire safety standards and been non-smoking. The fire was an accident, but the lack of a safe exit was not.
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Hong Kong fire kills 5 people, injures dozens in commercial and residential buildings in Kowloon
Hong Kong fire kills 5 people, injures dozens in commercial and residential buildings in Kowloon
But let me play quarterback a little bit on Monday morning. It will take several days for a registered inspector to inspect the site and report on the necessary safety maintenance. It takes about a month to order a fire door with a certificate of acceptance, a few days to buy an exit sign or alarm off-the-shelf, and about 1-2 weeks for a contractor to install all of the above.
If the Building Authority issues a statutory notice under the Compulsory Building Inspection Scheme or Fire Safety Directive, the building owner company has one year to make the necessary rectifications. Of course, compliance involves more than actual inspections and repairs, so the owner company is given some leeway. For example, you need to hire a consultant and you need to figure out costs.
It turns out that non-compliance with safety measures is a two-way problem. On the one hand, there are owners who fail to follow official instructions and take responsibility; on the other, there are oversights in law enforcement and penalties. criminal. No matter how comprehensive and thorough the norms and regulations are, if they are not enforced, they are as good as non-existent.
So, who is responsible, the Building Department or the Fire Department? It’s easy to point fingers, but at the same time you need to be realistic when the problem is too big to be easily solved.
Problems like this should be broken down into smaller parts and tackled one at a time.
They focus on one road at a time, and if the owner company doesn’t comply, they contract directly with a contractor to fix the problem and charge the owner company a hefty premium.
In this way, authorities not only ensure that repairs are carried out effectively, but also send a message to building owners that it is much more cost-effective to do the right thing themselves. As the Chinese proverb goes, “To warn a hundred, kill one.”
We need to change our ways, especially when our current methods are clearly not working. Otherwise, you risk another deadly fire.
News of the New Lucky House fire has gone quiet. How many more times does Hong Kong need to sound the alarm and take action?
Dennis Lee is a Hong Kong-born, American-licensed architect with many years of design experience in the United States and China.
