Management Approach
Report Functions
Supporting Information
Strategy and Management
Responsible for supporting Government-owned and Government-funded facilities, the core function of ArchSD consists of the following programme areas:
Our Vision, Mission and Values
VISION
- Serve and care for our community by enriching the living environment through quality professional services
MISSION
- Ensure the quality, cost effectiveness and sustainable development of community facilities
- Ensure the quality and cost effectiveness in the upkeeping of community facilities
- Provide quality professional advisory services on community facilities and related matters
- Promote best practices in the building industry
CORE VALUES
- Professionalism
- Continuous Improvement
- Commitment
- Team Spirit
- Accountability
- Partnering Spirit
- Integrity
- Caring Attitude
- Versatility
Quality, Environmental, Health and Safety Policy
ArchSD formulates a Departmental Quality, Environmental, Health and Safety Policy, setting out our strong commitment to driving long-term sustainable development in our operations.
When delivering our comprehensive range of multi-disciplinary professional and technical services for public buildings and facilities, ArchSD strives to:
- Fulfil the agreed requirements of our clients to the highest professional standards;
- Deliver our services in an environmentally responsible manner by implementing conservation of energy, preventing pollution and reducing the consumption of natural resources to protect the environment;
- Manage our health and safety risks to ensure a safe and healthy environment for our staff, our contractors and other people who may be affected by our work;
- Fulfil all compliance obligations including applicable legislations and other requirements, and wherever practicable, to achieve standards beyond those that are legally required;
- Provide adequate resources and training to all staff and provide appropriate training to persons working for or on behalf of ArchSD, to continually improve our quality, environmental, health and safety management system to enhance performance and effectiveness; and
- Promote ArchSD's principles of quality, environmental sustainability, health and safety to our partners in work, the construction industry and the general public.
Governance
As a government department, ArchSD adheres to the highest level of governance, practices and policies set out by the Civil Service Bureau.
Our Senior Staff Forum (SSF), chaired by the Director, has put in place a management framework to oversee internal operational and sustainability agenda. The SSF develops and regularly reviews Departmental policies, strategies and goals. In addition, we have also established a number of steering committees to monitor different areas of operation of ArchSD.
Integrated Management
In addition to anchoring our Vision, Mission and Core Values, and Quality, Environmental, Health and Safety Policy, we ensure our services are on par with international standards and industry best practices where applicable for continuous improvement in operational efficiency. ArchSD's Integrated Management System (IMS) is certified to ISO 9001 Quality Management System, ISO 14001 Environmental Management System and OHSAS 18001 Occupational Health and Safety Management System. Our IMS at APB Centre has also been certified to ISO 50001 Energy Management System since 2014. With the aim to drive for continuous improvement, the performance of our IMS is monitored and reviewed by the SSF at least once per year.
Risk Management
We seek opportunities to mitigate or avoid risks and minimise negative impacts as far as practicable by formulating and implementing mitigation plans. Our risk management processes are in place to identify, evaluate, mitigate and monitor the potential key risks pertaining to our operations through risk assessments and reporting at both the Departmental and project levels.
At Departmental level, we identify and manage potential risks on quality, environment, health and safety in relation to our services and operations under our IMS.
In order to control risks in all our projects, we apply our risk management approach which strictly follows the guidelines published by the Development Bureau (DEVB) such as Technical Circular (Works) No. 6/2005 on "Implementation of Systematic Risk Management in Public Works Projects". From commencement to completion of projects, we take into account the entire lifecycle to better manage potential risks in projects. Project teams would carry out integrated management workshops focusing on risk assessment and effective precautionary control measures.
Ethics and Professionalism
ArchSD has long-held high standards of ethical standards and professional integrity. We require all staff to adhere to the regulations stated in the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance. Any cases of suspected bribery or corruption shall immediately be brought to the attention of the SSF and the Independent Commission Against Corruption for further investigation. During the reporting period, there were no such cases reported.
Furthermore, protecting the employment rights and building the capability of our staff remains central to our ability to deliver better as a government agency. To this end, we fully comply with the Employment Ordinance, and offer our employees a range of benefits and training opportunities. Alongside with our IMS, ArchSD strictly adheres to the guidelines concerning safety published by the DEVB to ensure that provisions such as site safety training, Pay for Safety Scheme, and ArchSD Site Safety Model Workers Award Scheme, are properly addressed in our works contracts. Labour Relations Officers would be appointed for large-scale construction projects for resolving disputes between contractors and workers in early stage.
Involvement in External Associations and Committees
Our senior staff members also extend their roles beyond official duties by actively participating in various professional bodies and external committees. They act as professional advisors by providing statutory and technical recommendations to support local initiatives regarding the development and execution of public policies on building design and architectural issues. Our senior staff members are involved in different sustainability-related committees including but not limited to:
- Committee on Environment to advise on matters related to environment and technology, R&D subjects, construction standards;
- Green Labelling Committee and the Industry Standards and Practices Committee under the HKGBC to drive green building development;
- Steering Committee on the Promotion of Green Building and Renewable to formulate strategies to further promote green buildings and make recommendations on relevant measures;
- Committee for Building Information Modelling to formulate strategies to drive the use of BIM technology in major government capital works projects from 2018 onwards and monitor the implementation of BIM technology in public works projects; and
- Construction Industry Council Committee on Building Information Modelling to formulate strategies for market transformation, promote the use and facilitate the application of BIM, digital construction, and its related technologies in construction industry.
