In his presidential address to members of the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers (HKIE), Arup Group Deputy Chairman Dr Andrew Chan set out his vision of a resilient Hong Kong in response to climate, financial and environmental challenges, and outlined the crucial role of engineers in realising this vision.
Andrew’s speech, 'Engineers: designing a resilient Hong Kong', assesses Hong Kong’s current and planned infrastructure in energy and buildings, water, waste, transport and agriculture and emphasises a holistic, sustainable strategy to combat and defy its challenges.
“During the past several decades, Hong Kong overcame barriers and became resilient. But such resilience was fortuitous. Hong Kong currently faces new and greater challenges, from climate change to economic competitiveness to infrastructure. The city now must actively design its resilience - with engineers uniquely skilled and positioned to lead the way,” he said.
The engineering analysis is supported by advanced visual animation to highlight the infrastructure integration at the building, street and aerial scale, and shows how engineers can design a resilient Hong Kong.
To inspire more young people to pursue the profession, a video named 'Engineers are cool' was specially produced by Arup for this occasion, showcasing the unlimited possibilities of engineering.
Andrew was elected President of the HKIE for the 2009/10 session in June 2009, dedicated to leading the institution to new heights, especially in the context of 'leadership in sustainability'. With a total of 23,000 members, the HKIE is the second largest professional institution in Hong Kong, playing a significant role in public affairs, especially the city's infrastructure development.