How a Hong Kong luxury estate saved HK$1b in renovation cost with tech solutions

In Hong Kong, the upmarket Residence Bel-Air estate managed to save residents over HK$1 billion in renovation costs through technology-driven preventive maintenance, marking a significant shift in the city's approach to aging buildings. Allen Ha Wing-on, convenor of the Residence Bel-Air owners' committee, highlighted that the tragedy at Wang Fuk Court, where 168 lives were lost during a HK$336 million renovation project, served as a wake-up call for the private housing sector to adopt such technology.

Ha pioneered a three-year program utilizing Internet of Things sensors and big data analysis to monitor the health of infrastructure, allowing for targeted repairs and extending the lifespan of building components. This new concept, dubbed "homegevity," has the potential to revolutionize property management not just in Hong Kong, but across cities facing rapid urban decay.

Despite challenges in securing funding for preventive maintenance, Ha emphasizes that the existing management fees, which already allocate funds for such purposes, can be leveraged to maintain properties without large-scale, costly renovations. The tragedy at Wang Fuk Court underscored systemic issues such as bid-rigging and substandard construction practices, prompting calls for systemic reforms in property asset management and a proactive approach to property maintenance before buildings reach their aging stages.