HONG KONG--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The second edition of the RICS (Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors) International Heritage Conservation Conference will feature international case studies and high-level discussions between policy makers, institutional investors and conservation experts on the topic of built heritage conservation.

As the Asia Pacific region in particular is seeing a strong rise in adaptive reuse projects, the conference will devote a number of strategic sessions to outline government policies for the successful operation of heritage properties, and more than 20 internationally renowned guest speakers will present during the conference, along with the Guest of Honour, Mrs Carrie Lam, Chief Secretary for Administration, Hong Kong SAR Government.

Built heritage conservation is widely recognised as a vital aspect for cities faced with rapid development, and the relationship between conservation and urban expansion has been highlighted worldwide as a key measure to encourage sustainable growth. A number of successful adaptive reuse cases have given rise to new, vibrant areas, and the resulting benefit to communities – from both a social and economic standpoint – has advanced the progress of heritage conservation.

Featured speakers include:

• Mr Brian Anderson, Partner, Purcell
• Mr Kelvin Ang, Director, Conservation Management, Conservation & Urban Design Group, Urban Redevelopment Authority, Singapore
• Mr Guy Bradley MRICS, Chief Executive, Swire Properties
• Mr John McNairney, Former Chief Planner, Scottish Government
• Dr Selia Tan, Associate Professor, Department of Architecture & Overseas Chinese Hometown Cultural Research Centre of China, Wuyi University, China

Mr Clement Lau FRICS, Chair of RICS Hong Kong Board commented: “Heritage building revitalisation and conservation processes can be especially complex. Owner and operator interests need to consistently be balanced with stakeholder and community needs. In light of these challenges, we hope the RICS International Heritage Conservation Conference will provide an informed, industry-leading platform for discussion on key heritage conservation topics like operational best practices and public-private sector collaboration.”

Built structures are subject to a number of challenges, from weather to government policies and a lack of economic feasibility. Adaptive reuse has sprung up as a viable alternative to breathe new life into these buildings; it is shown that cultural heritage value can go hand in hand with commercial projects, offering a win-win for all parties.

This approach is gaining ground among both policy makers and industry professionals. Furthermore, while a lot of these structures may be subject to regulations, they also offer unique features and history which has proven to be popular among especially the creative industries. Many adaptive reuse buildings house a combination of event space, boutique hotels, F&B and projects linked to arts and culture, and its increased popularity has started to spread to high-street retailers.

Conference details:

About RICS

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RICS promotes and enforces the highest professional qualifications and standards in the development and management of land, real estate, construction and infrastructure. Our name promises the consistent delivery of standards – bringing confidence to the markets we serve.

We accredit 125,000 professionals and any individual or firm registered with RICS is subject to our quality assurance. Their expertise covers property, asset valuation, real estate management; the development of infrastructure; and the management of natural resources, such as mining, farms and woodland. From environmental assessments and building controls to negotiating land rights in an emerging economy; if our members are involved the same professional standards and ethics apply.

We believe that standards underpin effective markets. With up to seventy per cent of the world’s wealth bound up in land and real estate, our sector is vital to economic development, helping to support stable, sustainable investment and growth around the globe.

With offices covering the major political and financial centres of the world, our market presence means we are ideally placed to influence policy and embed professional standards. We work at a cross-governmental level, delivering international standards that will support a safe and vibrant marketplace in land, real estate, construction and infrastructure, for the benefit of all.

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Contacts

RICS East Asia Public Relations Representatives
Ms Esther Kam, 3159 2978
esther.kam@creativegp.com
Ms Penn Leung, 3159 2986
penn.leung@creativegp.com