best metric sizes for each particular component need, based on its materials, manufacturing processes, jointing meth- ods, costs, and expected life. (7) (16).
Organizing building dimensions, so as to reduce component size variation, increase interchangeability and improve fit, can be aided by the adoption of a basic module. This will control rela- tionships and help eliminate site modi- fication. The selection of the 10 cm. module (with preferred sizes related thereto) has been made because of its international acceptance (15). It has been officially adopted by the Interna- tional Organization for Standardisation (I.S.O.) and the International Council for Building Research, Studies and Doc- umentation (C.I.B.). Other basic mo- dules exist but are unsatisfactory be- cause of their markedly parochial nature.
The changeover of course does have its drawbacks. For example, as Prota- goras anticipated, some see the switch from a subjective, personal, anthropo- metrically-based system to an objec- tive, anonymous, mathematically-based one, as dangerous and inappropriate for the good design of products for human use. There is also some despair that the new system lacks the flexibility of others, as is instanced by its inabi- lity to accept subdivision by 3 or 4 or multiples thereof.
Finally, the proposal remains in- compatible, at least for the time being, with American practice, which plays an important role in the technology of the building world. This particularly affects components for building ser- vices engineering, with their related units of measure (pressure, force, capa- city, energy, thermodynamic tempera- ture luminous intensity etc.). These and other differences however are like- ly to be more of temporary nuisances than of any lasting disadvantage.
From all this it is clear that the advantages of the change are over- whelming, and can be summarized as follows:
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a) The system of S.I. Units, which are easy to learn, simple to use,
and provide a systematic inter-related set of measurements, is the best means of communicating with a world, 85 per cent of the population and 75 per cent of the trade of which is already dealing in metric terms.
b) The scrutinizing necessary to make the change in conventions, also provides the opportunity to have a dis- ciplined range of Standards to which all can work, thus simplifying the de- sign and production processes.
c) The change provides a unique
chance to examine outmoded methods and designs, to improve the sizes and performance of components, to ration- alize their vocabulary and to eliminate duplication. It also opens the way for the more rapid, and sound, develop- ment of the metrological aspects of building design and production neces- sary in an increasingly machine-orient- ed industry. (5) (9) (10).
In short, adequate dimensional con- trol in building requires the full appli- cation of modular theory and S.I.Units, ie: full Metric Modular Co-ordination or (M.M.C.). (11).
Why to change
Hong Kong's main political, ad- ministrative and cultural links are with China and Europe - particularly the United Kingdom - whilst its trade and economic ties extend to almost all parts of the world. At first sight however the benefits of 'importing' M.M.C., in- to Hong Kong appear marginal. Its in- dustry is, in many respects, a labour intensive one and the bulk of its build- ings are produced with materials (ce- ment, sand, aggregate, reinforcing steel and timber) which, in themselves, are hardly affected by 'outside' production assembly-controlled dimensions. Whilst they are important character- istics of building practice in Hong Kong, low labour costs and in situ con- crete construction are by no means the whole of the picture.
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In the first place, the local build- ing industry, whether it realises it or not, will be in dire need of an increase in efficiency and an improvement in the standard of its products if it is to the standard of its products if it is to come anywhere near to meeting the demands on it that lie ahead, and the adoption of M.M.C., simply as a mani- festation of good 'scientific' manage- ment, would clearly help to bring these about.
Secondly, the industry is very wide- ly affectly by affairs outside the Co- lony. Almost all materials and com- ponents for building are imported. This is a trade that is conducted primarily with the United Kingdom, Europe, U.S.A., Australia, Japan and China, but Thailand, the Philippines, Taiwan, Ca- nada, India and South Africa are also marginally involved. At present com- ponents reach Hong Kong from these countries in at least four systems of measurement, (Imperial, Metric, U.S., and Chinese) but with a changeover to metric in the U.K., and subsequently in other Commonwealth countries like Australia and India, the majority of imports after 1970 will be in metric sizes, and, U.S. items apart, the flow of
foot/inch/pound-sized components in- to the colony will dwindle rapidly.
These countries also have sophisti- cated manufacturing industries, so the components imported from them will not only be to metric sizes, but will also be increasingly dimensionally co- ordinated to high metrological stan- dards. The proper utilization of these can help local systemization and sim- plification and could result in an in- crease in local productivity.
Building techniques constantly change. Most of these techniques ema- nate from countries that are technolo- gically more advanced and have far greater resources than Hong Kong. This means that information and data con- cerning such developments and the books and reports describing them, will soon be arriving almost entirely in metric terms.
As already stated one primary axiom of good communications is a common language, so the use of the majority vocabulary and the avoidance of any wasteful translation, would seem to be imperative.
Hong Kong has a small but impor- tant building components manufactur- ing industry. So far its markets are largely limited to S.E. Asian countries, but its contribution to the local build- ing scene, and to the economy in gen- eral, would be far more effective if it could concentrate on one set of stan- dards for its output, and avoid waste- ful size duplication.
One of the most far-reaching effects of the U.K. changeover will be in the field of Standards. Much of local in- dustry's quality, performance, testing and workmanship levels are based on British Standard Specifications and Codes of Practice. By the end of 1971, all Standards that are to do with build- ing will not just be translated into metric, but will be in full M.M.C. terms.
This will seriously affect local spe- cifications, bills of quantities, drawings, forms of contract and other documen- tation. It will also alter much of the legislation for building, including the Buildings Ordinance and its subsidiary regulations!
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Many key experts in the building industry here still originate from other countries, especially the U.K., whilst local personnel, at almost all levels, are trained both locally and overseas to U.K. qualifications. Hong Kong's educational institutions and their staff and students, and its professional bod- ies and their members, have strong formal and informal alliances, standards of syllabus and examination, recogni- tion agreements, codes of conduct and
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Far East BUILDER, October 1968.