(香港，二零一三年六月二十四日) 香港工程師學會 (下稱「學會」) 一直關注舊樓失修問題嚴重，對市民安全以至整體社會造成的不利影響。現時香港舊樓常見的六大安全危機，主要包括樓宇結構殘舊、電力裝置老化、消防系統欠佳、供水及排水系統過時、通風裝置故障及其他安全危機 (詳情請參閱附件一)。

為喚起業主重視樓宇安全之意識，學會最新出版一本「樓宇保養維修指南」，全面介紹現時樓宇常見的失修問題，業主安排檢查時需要特別注意的事項，以及各種解決方法。學會希望透過增進業主有關樓宇安全的知識，從而鼓勵他們及早安排樓宇進行檢查和維修，將安全危機消除於無形。

樓宇失修是香港存在已久的問題。現時全港30年以上樓齡的私人樓宇有接近20,000 幢，其中超過3,000幢更有50年以上樓齡，而且數目每年不斷增加。舊樓缺乏妥善的保養維修，石屎剝落及窗框墮街等事件經常發生，不但影響大廈住客，對市民大眾安全更會構成嚴重威脅。

香港工程師學會會長蔡健權教授、工程師表示：「學會非常重視本港舊樓數目不斷增加，而業主對大廈維修的意識普遍薄弱，令樓宇失修問題一直存在。作為長遠解決之道，學會支持政府於去年推出的強制驗樓計劃，令舊樓業主正視大廈安全問題。然而，舊樓保養維修的範圍十分廣泛，除了樓宇結構外，還包括電力、消防、供水和排水及通風等專業工程範疇，比較強制驗樓計劃的規定為多，大廈業主有必要清楚了解樓宇保養維修的全面性。」

蔡會長指出：「預防勝於治療，業主應委任註冊檢驗人員，定期為樓宇進行檢驗，及早找出問題所在，並適時進行維修工程。妥善保養不但能夠為住客締造更佳的居住環境，長遠更可節省維修支出。因此，學會特別出版一本『樓宇保養維修指南』，幫助業主全面了解大廈保養維修的各方面問題，使樓宇的維修範圍更加全面，工作能更快地順利開展，並且取得更大的成效。」

新出版之「樓宇保養維修指南」，以深入淺出的方式，全面解構樓宇八大部分的保養維修問題，包括樓宇結構、窗戶結構、電力系統、消防系統、空調及通風系統、升降機及扶手電梯裝置、煤氣及石油氣系統、供水及排水系統，同時提供多項實用貼士，列出業主在安排樓宇檢驗及維修期間應注意的事項。該指南將可於8月中在各區民政事務處索取，有興趣人士亦可登入香港工程師學會網址：www.hkie.org.hk下載。

政府於2012年6月推出強制驗樓計劃，規定30年或以上的私人樓宇業主，須委任一名註冊檢驗人員就樓宇的公用部分、外牆及伸出物或招牌每10年進行一次訂明檢驗，並負責監督檢驗後認為需要進行的訂明修葺工程。截至今年5月底為止，共有126名工程師名列有關檢驗人員名冊內。

根據香港工程師學會的觀察所得，首批納入強制驗樓計劃的2,000幢目標大廈，業主在安排驗樓和維修上面對不少困難。例如，這些舊樓很多仍未有成立業主立案法團，難以聯繫業主作出統籌；亦有業主不清楚如何符合有關計劃的規定，例如委任註冊檢驗人員；同時擔憂未能負擔所需開支。此外，界定大廈僭建物亦是很多業主關注的問題。

蔡會長指出：「香港工程師學會出版之『樓宇保養維修指南』，希望有助業主明白註冊專業工程師在樓宇保養維修方面所擔當的角色。解決樓宇失修問題，實在刻不容緩。學會未來將投放更多資源，協助推行樓宇安全計劃，幫助市民建設優質家園。」

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附件一: 香港舊樓常見六大安全危機

(Hong Kong, 24 June 2013) The Hong Kong Institution of Engineers (HKIE) has been concerned about the problem of building neglect which poses a threat to the safety and welfare of residents and the public at large. The six safety hazards commonly found in ageing buildings include dilapidated physical condition of the building structures, obsolete electrical facilities, substandard fire services installations, outmoded water supply and drainage systems, defective ventilation systems and other safety hazards. (Please refer to Appendix 1 for details).

To raise the awareness of building safety among owners, the HKIE has published a Handbook entitled "香港工程師學會公眾安全系列指南：樓宇保養維修"(Handbook on Building Maintenance and Repair). The booklet provides a comprehensive picture of the common defects found in ageing buildings and steps that owners can take to inspect their buildings and to conduct relevant repair work. In addition to enhancing knowledge of building safety among owners, the HKIE hopes to encourage them to carry out inspection and repair work for ageing buildings at an early stage to minimise safety hazards.

Building neglect is a long-standing problem in Hong Kong. There are around 20,000 private buildings aged over 30 years in Hong Kong, 3,000 of which are over 50 years old. The problem is worsening as the number of ageing buildings increases every year. There are many incidents of concrete spalling and window frame failure. The presence of ageing buildings which lack proper care and maintenance poses potential threats to residents and the public at large.

Ir Prof CHOY Kin Kuen, President of The Hong Kong Institution of Engineers, said, "The increase in the number of ageing building in Hong Kong has always been a top concern of the HKIE. This long-standing issue has not been resolved as the majority of building owners continues to ignore the importance of proper maintenance. The HKIE supports the Mandatory Building Inspection Scheme (MBIS) implemented by the government last year. By legally enforcing maintenance standards, building owners will be compelled to confront and address the safety issues of their buildings. It should be noted that many technical aspects need to be taken into consideration in the repair of ageing buildings. In addition to building structures, electricity, fire services, water supply and drainage, as well as ventilation must be assessed. The scope covered extends far beyond the MBIS regulation. Building owners need to have a thorough understanding of the comprehensiveness of building maintenance and repair.

"Prevention is better than cure. Building owners are advised to appoint a Registered Inspector to inspect their buildings regularly to identify problems at an early stage and to carry out remedial work in a timely manner. Proper maintenance will not only help to provide a better environment for the tenants, it will also save repair costs in long term. In view of this, the HKIE has published the 'Handbook on Building Maintenance and Repair' to give building owners better knowledge of the relevant issues involved in building maintenance and repair. The publication will facilitate the process of building repair works to ensure construction repairs are completed efficiently, effectively and to high standards,"said Ir Prof CHOY.

The new 'Handbook on Building Maintenance and Repair' covers eight important areas of building management and repair in a lively way. These include building structures, window structures, electrical systems, fire service installations, air-conditioning and ventilation systems, lift and escalator installations, town gas and LPG systems as well as water supply and drainage systems. It also provides practical tips on issues that need to be addressed during the process of building inspection and repair. The Handbook will be available for collection at District Offices starting mid August. The electronic version can be downloaded at the HKIE's website at www.hkie.org.hk.

The Mandatory Building Inspection Scheme was implemented by the government in June 2012. Under the MBIS, owners of buildings aged 30 years or above are required to appoint a Registered Inspector to carry out the prescribed inspection and to supervise the prescribed repair works found necessary in the common areas, external walls and projections or signboards of the buildings once every 10 years. At the end of May 2013, a total of 126 engineers were listed in the Inspectors' Register.

The HKIE has observed that building owners of the 2,000 buildings targeted for inspection in the first year encountered a number of difficulties. For instance, many of these ageing buildings were not managed by an Owners' Corporation as the building owners had never formed one. The lack of a functioning Owners' Corporation made it difficult to coordinate among owners. Additionally, many owners did not know how to comply with the requirements of MBIS, such as the appointment of Registered Inspectors. Financial difficulty was also a common issue, as was the identification of Unauthorised Building Works.

Ir Prof CHOY said, "We hope that the HKIE's 'Handbook on Building Maintenance and Repair' will help owners clearly understand the role of professional engineers in building maintenance and repair. We need to tackle the problem of building neglect now. Going forward, the HKIE will allocate more resources in promoting building safety to create a better living environment for Hong Kong people."

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Appendix 1: Six Safety Hazards Commonly Found in Ageing Buildings