An appropriate procedure for this would be for the immediate establish- ment of a Hong Kong Building Indus- try Metrication Panel with small executive committee representative of all sectors. Its membership should cover: Government, contracting, manu- facturing, professional, educational, labour, property and development
interests.
One of the first tasks of such a panel, after issuing its programme, would be the publication, in Chinese and English, of an authoritative guide to the use of M.M.C. in Building in Hongkong (14).
The proposed change is clearly necessary, desirable and possible here, but it should be remembered that it will affect individuals as well as the industry as a whole. If it is not to cause uncertainty, make assimilation diffi- cult, and prove a lengthy and costly process, it must be carried out in a positive, unemotional, comprehensive and practical way, devoid of mystery.
The industry's inter-dependant na- ture implies that it must also be a co- ordinated and systematic move. The cost to the industry, and to the econ- omy in general, will be much less if the changeover is simple and complete.
To achieve all this, Hong Kong's nature and implications of a change building industry must
to an M.M.C: system.
a) adopt the metric system, based on S.I. Units, in full and as quickly as possible.
b) accept the principles of dimensional co-ordination and control, based on a 10 cm. module, as quickly and as comprehensively as the situation,that does (or should) pertain in the in- dustry here at any particular time, allows.
c) ensure that the small temporary ad- ditional resources required for this are provided without delay.
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If the H.K. Government, as the ideal leaders and co-ordinators, are un- able to act promptly enough on this, then it is imperative and in its own interests for the building industry perhaps through some well established organisation such as the Federation of H.K. Industries to do so direct, if confusion and waste are not to reign for many years.
Bibliography
The following basic sources of re- ference have been used. They are among many that are being published and they provide a good introductory guide to all in the building industry on the
(1) The Internation System. (S.I. Units) B.S.S. 3763 (British Standards Institution). (2) The use of S.I. Units P.D. 5686 (B.S.I.). (3) Programme for the change to metric in the Construction Industry P.D. 6030 (B.S.I.).
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(4) A guide for the use of the metric system in the Construction Industry P.D. 6031 (B.S.I.).
(5) Estimate of timing for B.S.I. work in dimensional co-ordination in Building P.D. 6249 (B.S.I.).
(6) Recommendations for the co-ordination of dimensions in Building Basic sizes for building components and assemblies B.S.S. 4011 (B.S.I.).
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(7) Recommendations for the co-ordination of dimensions in Building Controlling di- mensions B.S.S. 4330 (B.S.I.). (8) Co-ordination of dimensions in Building Steps to basic spaces for building com- ponents – P.D. 6426 (B.S.I.).
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(9) Recommendations for a system of tole rances and fits for Building B.S.S. 3626 (B.S.I.).
(10) Limits and fits for Engineering B.S.S. 1916 (B.S.I.).
(11) A.J. Metric Handbook. 1968 (Archi- tectural Press).
(12) LO.B. Journal. Building Technology & Management, May 1968. Metric Change. (I.O.B.).
(13) R.I.B.A. Journal. March 1968 metric change. (R.I.B.A.).
-
The
(14) R.I.C.S. Journal. The chartered Sur- veyor. March 1968 – A metric guide. (The R.I.C.S.).
(15) The co-ordination of dimensions for Building – 1965 (R.I.B.A.). (16) The Modular Quarterly (The Modular Society).
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