Factual Lead
On 3 October 2026, the Hong Kong Institute of Surveyors (HKIS) Quantity Surveying Division hosted the HKIS Quantity Surveying Division Conference 2026 at the CIC-Zero Carbon Park. Around 200 participants attended the event both in person and online to examine industry evolution, digital transformation, collaborative contracting, and payment security.
What Changed
The construction sector faces a transforming landscape marked by digital integration and evolving contract frameworks. The conference highlighted that quantity surveyors are actively shifting away from traditional administrative roles toward broader functions. As outlined by industry leadership, practitioners are increasingly evolving from traditional cost guardians and contract managers into strategic value architects, enablers, and trusted advisers who drive value creation, collaboration, digital transformation, and transparency.
Context
Established in 1984, the Hong Kong Institute of Surveyors is the only surveying professional body incorporated by ordinance in Hong Kong. As of 30 September 2026, HKIS membership reached 11,248, comprising 8,301 corporate members, 49 associate members, and 2,898 probationers and students. Within this professional body, the Quantity Surveying Division guides practice standards and professional development.
Mr. LAU Chun Kit, Ricky, JP, Permanent Secretary for Development (Works) for the Development Bureau of the HKSAR Government, attended the 2026 event as the Guest of Honour and delivered a keynote speech. Sr WAN Wai Ming, Tony serves as the President of the Hong Kong Institute of Surveyors, Sr TING Yuen Chun, Eric is the Chairman of the HKIS Quantity Surveying Division, and Sr WONG Kin Yan, Winnie served as the Organising Committee Chair of the Conference.
Why It Matters
The event addressed structural shifts in project delivery. The theme of the conference was “Transforming QS Practice in a New Era: Integrating Digital Construction, Collaborative Contracting and Payment Security”. According to Sr WAN Wai Ming, Tony, “The theme of this year’s conference is both timely and visionary. The Conference serves as a strategic platform for surveying practitioners and professionals to exchange insights, explore best practices, and formulate a collective vision for the future of the surveying profession.”
Adding to this perspective, Sr TING Yuen Chun, Eric noted, “As the construction landscape undergoes profound shifts, quantity surveyors are evolving from traditional cost guardians into strategic value architects. Under this year’s theme, we gather to explore emerging challenges, tackle critical issues, and seize new opportunities.”
Furthermore, Sr WONG Kin Yan, Winnie stated, “Developments in Collaborative Contracting, Digital Construction, and Payment Security present an opportunity for our profession to evolve beyond traditional cost management. Today’s quantity surveyors are increasingly called upon to serve as trusted advisers…”
Technical and Business Explanation
The conference featured 20 distinguished speakers from government bureaux and departments, the private sector, academia, professional institutions, and law firms across three comprehensive sessions. Participating entities included Mott MacDonald Hong Kong Limited, Civil Engineering and Development Department, China Road and Bridge Corporation (Hong Kong), WT Partnership (HK) Limited, Glodon (Hong Kong) Software Limited, isBIM Limited, dRoW Limited, Gammon Construction Limited, Currie & Brown, Arcadis Hong Kong Limited, Hip Hing Construction Co., Ltd., Pinsent Masons, Rider Levett Bucknall Limited, CSHK Professional Committee, Pacific Chambers, Hong Kong Shue Yan University, and the University of Hong Kong.
These sessions evaluated how digital tools, software solutions, and BIM (Building Information Modeling) applications integrate into quantity surveying workflows. They also examined legal and operational frameworks supporting collaborative contracting and payment security.
Sector Impact and Business Implications
The integration of digital construction tools changes how project costs and data are managed across engineering and building sectors. By adopting collaborative contracting models, stakeholders aim to reduce adversarial disputes and improve risk sharing. Enhanced payment security frameworks further protect contractors, subcontractors, and consultants across complex supply chains.
Who May Be Affected
Quantity surveying practitioners, corporate members, associate members, probationers, and students in Hong Kong are directly impacted by these evolving professional expectations. Government departments, private developers, main contractors, legal professionals specializing in construction law, and technology providers developing digital construction solutions also navigate the practical outcomes of these professional standards.
Limitations
While the conference established a strategic platform for dialogue, the operational adoption rates of specific digital construction tools and collaborative contracting clauses vary across individual private and public projects. The long-term efficacy of new payment security frameworks depends on legislative enforcement and contract execution by individual project stakeholders.
What to Watch Next
Observers should monitor subsequent regulatory updates from the Development Bureau of the HKSAR Government, practical case studies from major infrastructure and building projects involving HKIS members, and further announcements from the Hong Kong Institute of Surveyors regarding digital practice guidelines.
Attribution
This report is based on information provided by the Hong Kong Institute of Surveyors and published conference documentation.