Perceptions on the Application of Design-Build Procurement System in Hong Kong: Fid-Bau Portal

Perceptions on the Application of Design-Build Procurement System in Hong Kong

Lam, Edmond W.M. / Chan, Albert P.C. / Chan, Daniel W.M.

The traditional design-bid-build procurement method has long been adopted in the construction industry for decades, but the result of adversarial relationships among project team members lowers the chance of project success. The aim to better guarantee the successful delivery of construction projects has instigated the development of a variety of alternative project procurement systems, among which Design-Build (D&B) has been progressively used worldwide including Hong Kong.

This paper explores the perceptions of construction practitioners on the application of Design-Build procurement system in Hong Kong through twenty-three detailed structured interviews. It was discovered that some local project participants are confused with the definition of public sector because of the ‘Public-Private’ hybrids. The D&B participants also showed concerns on the influence of the client on design and construction matters under the architect-led design-build. A comprehensive review of the various forms of D&B and the practice of D&B is also provided to identify four major issues in the application of design-build procurement system, namely rapid changing market conditions, streamline of bureaucracy, involvement of client and special risks on contractor. The useful insights generated from this paper are essential for the development of knowledge of D&B in a global sense.