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Edith Lin

The use of Modular Integrated Construction (MiC) flats to address challenges faced by Hong Kong’s construction industry has come under the spotlight after installation issues were flagged at three light public housing sites.
Concerns were raised earlier this week after some MiC flats at the sites were previously found to have been improperly installed.
Authorities stressed that the incident was related to on-site work procedures rather than the construction method itself.
The Post unpacks how MiC flats work and the recent concerns surrounding them.
1. What is the MiC process?
The technique employs free-standing, integrated modules manufactured in factories that undergo quality inspection before being installed at project sites.
Assembled by advanced automation and process management technologies, the modules’ structure, interior, mechanical and electrical installations are prefabricated in the factory.
The modules undergo a series of tests, such as structural and water leakage checks, before being transported to their intended construction sites.
In July, Secretary for Development Bernadette Linn Hon-ho said more than 100 public and private projects had adopted the technology.
2. Why is the government big on MiCs?
The government proposed using the construction method in the 2017 policy address, with authorities hoping the technique could address challenges faced by the local construction industry, including an ageing workforce, increasing construction costs and site safety issues.
Citing research by the University of Hong Kong, the government has said the technology may shorten construction time by 30 to 50 per cent, increase on-site productivity by 100 to 400 per cent and reduce construction costs by at least 10 per cent.
The Housing Bureau aims to have at least half of its public projects adopt the construction technique between the 2028-29 and 2032-33 financial years.
In a bid to encourage the private sector to adopt the MiC method, authorities are offering subsidies, a 10 per cent floor area and site area concession, and other incentives.

3. What about the recent concerns?
Concerns about the construction process recently emerged after it was discovered that problematic installation works at three light public housing projects could affect their structural safety, prompting a government investigation.
Authorities said that initial inspections of 30 to 40 per cent of the modules found significant defects in a number of their structural connections, with about 6 per cent of the 4,000 screws examined found to be cut short or severed.
About 20 per cent of the connecting holes on iron plates were also enlarged without authorisation.
Authorities stressed that the incident involved on-site work procedures rather than the quality of the modules.
But a veteran structural engineer said the issues could have stemmed from the design and manufacturing process, potentially making installation more difficult.
Some MiC projects have also been the subject of water leakage or seepage reports following their completion.
The Development Bureau said in February that 1 per cent of the flats at 51 MiC projects completed between 2020 and 2024 had such issues, with most already resolved at the time.
Lawmakers earlier raised concerns about the method’s limited impact on bringing down construction costs. They also questioned the use of such modules in short-term projects, given that they were designed for long-term use.
4. Is the technology widely used elsewhere?
Singapore is among the most prevalent users of the construction technique. The city has also mandated the use of MiC flats in selected private development projects.
According to research by Hong Kong’s Legislative Council, the adoption rate of the MiC method in Singapore more than doubled from 19 to 39 per cent between 2017 and 2020, while its usage in the city state’s public housing programme had gone from 6 to 30 per cent between 2016 and 2020.
The research also noted that the construction method had been used in housing projects in mainland China, Canada, the United Kingdom and Sweden.


This story has been updated to reflect that an initial inspection of 30 to 40 per cent of the modules found significant defects in a number of their structural connections.


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Hong Kong housing

Unsure about Hong Kong’s modular flats? The Post unpacks the big questions

MiC flats at a light public housing project in Chai Wan. Photo: Jelly Tse

Concerns about the construction process recently emerged after it was discovered that problematic installation works at three light public housing projects could affect their structural safety. Photo: Karma Lo

Improper assembly behind light public housing irregularities: Hong Kong official

Authorities say they will hold the contractor and related parties accountable for construction flaws. Photo: Jelly Tse

The government has stepped up inspections at three light public housing projects in Siu Lam, Tuen Mun and Chai Wan. Photo: Jelly Tse

Hong Kong investigates ‘installation issues’ at 3 light public housing projects

The department has stepped up inspections at the Siu Lam site and the two other light public housing projects in Tuen Mun and Chai Wan. Photo: Karma Lo

Authorities say they will hold the contractor and related parties accountable for construction flaws. Photo: Karma Lo

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Hong Kong

Society

City’s use of Modular Integrated Construction flats has come under spotlight after installation issues at three public housing sites


City’s use of Modular Integrated Construction flats has come under spotlight after installation issues at three public housing sites.


Hong Kong society

Singapore

China

Housing Department

Bernadette Linn Hon-ho

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.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}City’s use of Modular Integrated Construction flats has come under spotlight after installation issues at three public housing sites

1. What is the MiC process?

City’s use of Modular Integrated Construction flats has come under spotlight after installation issues at three public housing sites