Development of the design-build procurement system in Hong Kong

Various procurement systems were developed to help the client complete a construction project within the constraints of time and cost and to the required quality. Design-build (D&B) is one of such alternatives to deal with the problems of the traditional project delivery system and its use is on the rise in many countries. Participants should be equipped with proper D&B knowledge for better project performance. This paper investigates the development of the design-build procurement method by means of structured interviews with the client, contractor and contractor's consultants in the Hong Kong setting. Results show that D&B research is conducted by experience sharing among D&B practitioners. The definition of D&B is also recognized by the practitioners who suggested the transfer of risks to the contractor, the need to make use of resources and expertise from the contractor, better meeting the principles of public accountability and variation avoidance as the four main reasons for the wider adoption of D&B in the public sector. Such a study can reveal the development of the design-build procurement system in Hong Kong and establish a platform for information exchange among project practitioners in the construction industry.