Liveable Cities & Transportation Theatre
Embedding Resilience into Infrastructure Design and Delivery
11 Sep (Thur) Day 1 : 14:50 – 15:40
As climate risks and urban challenges intensify, resilience must be embedded into the DNA of infrastructure. This session will focus on how engineers, designers, and policymakers can future-proof cities against shocks such as extreme weather, resource stress, and socio-economic disruptions. Discussions will cover resilience frameworks, adaptive design principles, and examples of infrastructure projects that have successfully integrated resilience from conception to completion. Delegates will learn how to move beyond reactive approaches and integrate resilience into project lifecycles, balancing cost, functionality, and long-term sustainability.
Learnings
- Learn about resilience frameworks and tools that help cities mitigate climate risks and enhance urban resilience.
- Discover best practices in designing and delivering infrastructure that is robust, adaptable, and futureproof.
Post-event Actions
- Advocate within your organisation or industry for embedding resilience metrics into infrastructure standards, funding criteria, and procurement processes.
- Apply resilience assessment frameworks to current or planned infrastructure projects to identify vulnerabilities and opportunities for adaptive design.
Speakers
Moderator
Hong Wan
Regional Director, Hong Kong
Institution of Civil Engineers, Hong Kong Association
Hong Wan
Institution of Civil Engineers, Hong Kong Association
Regional Director, Hong Kong
Mr Hong Wan graduated from the University of Hong Kong in 2005 and began his engineering career at Thames Water Utilities Limited in the UK, where he worked until 2012.
After returning to Hong Kong, Mr Wan took on roles at Black & Veatch and SUEZ from 2012 to 2017, contributing to the delivery of various water and waste management projects. He later joined the Construction Industry Council (CIC), serving as Manager at the Construction Innovation and Technology Application Centre (CITAC), where he promoted the adoption of innovative technologies in the construction sector.
In January 2021, Mr. Wan was appointed Regional Director, Hong Kong of the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE). In this capacity, he continues to drive the advancement of the civil engineering profession across the region.
My Sustainability Goals for 2025:
- Promote and support the adoption of whole-life carbon management practices across infrastructure projects in Hong Kong.
- Encourage the integration of smart and sustainable technologies in construction by sharing best practices and success stories.
- Inspire and empower young engineers with the skills and mindset needed to lead in sustainability.
Edwin Lau
Assistant Director / Operations and Maintenance
Drainage Services Department
Edwin Lau
Drainage Services Department
Assistant Director / Operations and Maintenance
Mr Edwin Lau is a civil engineer by profession and has worked as a professional engineer in the Government of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region for about 30 years. During his services, he has been involved in the life cycle covering planning to operation stage of various drainage and sewerage projects over the territory. Currently, Mr Lau is the Assistant Director of the Operations and Maintenance Branch of the Drainage Services Department of the Hong Kong SAR Government, overseeing drainage system and blue-green drainage infrastructure planning, research and development, climate change, operation and maintenance of drainage and sewerage network, and district matters in the department.
Supported by
Hong Kong 2050 is Now
Hong Kong 2050 is Now is a Hong Kong-based platform for education, collaboration, and action on the climate crisis. We seek to inspire ambitious target setting, induce behavior change, and mobilise collective action towards a carbon-neutral Hong Kong.
Our initiative in accelerating sustainable development in Hong Kong:
- Educate and engage the public on the risks and opportunities facing Hong Kong in an age of climate crisis, based on rigorous scientific and policy research.
- Encourage personal, corporate and government action to be undertaken now in combating the climate crisis, including personal lifestyle, business best practice, and regulatory change.
- Aggregate the efforts of stakeholders working towards the vision of a Net-Zero carbon Hong Kong, leveraging existing grassroot and community movements to further catalyse their impact.
Institution of Civil Engineers, Hong Kong Association
Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) is one of the world’s most respected professional engineering associations. Established in 1818, it has 95,000 members across the globe. ICE’s vision is to place civil engineering at the heart of society, delivering sustainable development through knowledge, skills and professional expertise.
Our sustainability goals for 2024:
- Place the decarbonisation of our industry at the heart of our agenda (UNSDG 9.4)
- Working with others, both in the UK and overseas, to build resilience and mitigate the significant effects of climate change (UNSDG 13)
- Transform the availability of potable water and sanitation across the world (UNSDG 6 & 7)
- Transform the productivity of our industry by driving modern methods of procurement and manufacture (UNSDG 8 & 9)
- Enhance the knowledge, insight and ethical understanding of engineers wherever they work across the world
