The Hong Kong Institute of Building Information Modelling (HKIBIM)

Introductory Note

This Code is published under Article 3.9 of the Articles of Association approved by the Institute at the Annual General Meeting held on 16 January 2009.
This Code was approved at the Annual General Meeting held on 16 January 2009 and became effective from 16 January 2009.
The object of this Code of Conduct is to promote the standard of conduct, or self-discipline, required of members of the Institute in the interest of the public. It aims to ensure:
(a)	that all Members conduct themselves in a manner consistent with that of a professional person;
(b)	that one Member does not gain an unfair advantage over another;
(c)	that Members do not misrepresent themselves;
(d)	that the public may rely upon the Institute’s Members for their integrity and professionalism.

The Institute will not normally use its disciplinary procedures to determine allegations of incompetence or negligence, except where these relate to the procedural and administrative aspects of professional work.
All classes of members of the Institute are governed by the Articles of the Association of the Institute, and such regulations may be in force at any time.
All Members must adhere to the Code of Conduct at all times and must endeavour to secure the widest possible acceptance of the Code by all Member classes of the Institute. When it is alleged that a Member of the Institute from any class of membership has acted in breach of the Code, the Committee shall refer the case for a full investigation to the Conduct Committee who shall inform the Member of the right to explain the circumstances. If the Conduct Committee considers that there is a case to answer, it shall report its findings to the Committee. The Committee shall be invited to endorse the decision of the Conduct Committee. The Member or complainant will be provided with the right of appeal via a special Working Group, except when the Conduct Committee has determined that there is no case to answer.
For the purpose of this Code, the Institute may hold a Member acting through a body corporate of which he is a director responsible for the acts of that body and such a Member shall so conduct the business of that body to comply with the Code of Conduct.

The Code

In this Code the words standing in the first column of the following table shall bear the meaning set opposite to them respectively in the second column if not inconsistent with the subject or context:

Words:	Meanings
“Institute”	The Hong Kong Institute of Building Information Modelling.
“Board”	The Institute Board / Board of Institute.
“Conduct Committee”	The Committee is established to consider any charges against a Member arising out of the Code of Conduct or any complaint against a Member who has deemed to have conducted himself in a manner inconsistent with the status of a member of the Institute.
“Appeals Procedure”	A special Working Group to consider appeals against the decision by the Conduct Committee following a hearing where a charge has been proven.
“In writing”	Written, printed or lithographed or partly one or partly another or produced by any other modes of representing or reproducing words in a visible form.
“members”	printed entirely in lower case type means a Professional Member, Technical, or all classes
“Members”	commencing with the letter “M” in upper case type, means Professional Members of the Institute.
A “client”	shall be any person or body who commissions a service or services from a member.

Words importing the singular number only shall include the plural number and vice versa.
Words importing the masculine gender only shall include the feminine gender.
Words importing persons shall include corporations.

Clause 1:
The Members shall at all times:
(a)	act with integrity so as to uphold the standing and reputation of the Institute;
(b)	act faithfully and honourably in their professional responsibilities;
(c)	rely solely on merit to secure commissions and appointments;
(d)	not seek directly or indirectly to injure the professional reputation of another; and
(e)	not knowingly misrepresent the views of the Institute or their professional qualification.

Clause 2:
(a)	Only Professional Members shall describe themselves as qualified Manager of Building Information Modelling and use the designation MBIM;
(b)	Only Professional Members shall practice as sole practitioners, partners or directors and advertise their membership of the Institute as a professional qualification.

Clause 3:
(a)	Those Members in private practice shall take reasonable precautions to ensure that no conflict of interest arises between their clients and themselves;
(b)	Employed Members shall take reasonable precautions to disclose to their employer any conflict of interest which arises between themselves and their employer;
(c)	Any Members perceiving a potential conflict of interest shall report that conflict in writing to their client or employer at the earliest opportunity.

Clause 4:
Only those Members awarded the suffix MBIM shall describe themselves as Manager of Building Information Modelling unless :
(a)	the Committee approves either generally or specifically the use of any other description, or;
(b)	those Members possess other qualifications or perform other functions which allow the use of other descriptions.

Clause 5:
The Members in private practice as sole practitioners, partners or directors shall obtain formal registration by complying with the Institute.

Clause 6:
(a)	The Members who provide services directly to a client shall obtain and maintain adequate professional indemnity insurance;
(b)	Those Members who are directors of companies which provide services directly to a client shall ensure that adequate professional indemnity insurance is obtained and maintained on behalf of that company.

Clause 7:
The Members in providing a professional service shall:
(a)	on accepting instructions from clients, endeavour to ensure that services offered are appropriate to the clients’ requirements;
(b)	before commencing work on any commission, endeavour to ensure that their terms of engagement have been given in writing to the client and shall satisfy themselves that those terms have been accepted;
(c)	endeavour to ensure that the clients’ existing professional advisors (if any) have been consulted and that all responsibilities to those persons have been appropriately discharged;
(d)	not misrepresent the services available;
(e)	decline to provide a service to their clients if they knowingly lack adequate resources or, if appropriate, advise or recommend the necessity of assistance from a suitably qualified professional; and
(f)	if desired, obtain an Institute licence for the use of its logo.

Clause 8:
The Members shall:
(a)	keep themselves informed of current practices and developments appropriate to the type and level of their responsibilities; and
(b)	be able to provide evidence that they have complied with the current guidelines for Continuing Professional Development (CPD).

Clause 9:
The Members shall report to the Institute any alleged breaches of this Code by themselves of which they become aware.

Clause 10:
The Members who are the subject of an investigation by the Institute of an alleged breach of this Code shall use their best endeavours to assist in that investigation.

Clause 11:
Immediately upon ceasing to be Members of the Institute, Members shall return their certificate of membership and/or membership card to the Institute and they shall take all reasonable steps to avoid third parties describing them as remaining members.

Introductory Note