Buildings Department (BD) is spearheading the development of the Electronic Submission Hub (ESH) (https://esh.bd.gov.hk) as a digital platform for receiving and processing of building plans, documents and applications submitted under the Buildings Ordinance (Cap. 123), as an alternative means to the present paper-based mode of submission. ESH is a web-based platform operating 24 hours a day and 7 days a week all year round, excluding scheduled maintenance and unexpected downtime.
ESH is being implemented in three stages. Following the launch of Stage 1 of ESH on 30 June 2022 to accept structural plan submissions for building works above ground not requiring cross-departmental referral (excluding alteration and addition works), BD launched Stage 2 of ESH on 31 March 2023 to accept more types of plan submissions covering the following types of works (excluding alteration and addition works):
- (1) hoarding, covered walkway and gantry;
- (2) demolition works;
- (3) drainage works;
- (4) excavation and lateral support works;
- (5) ground investigation works;
- (6) foundation works;
- (7) site formation works; and
- (8) all structural works.
In Stage 2 of ESH, a total of 18 government departments and organisations including the BD will make use of the ESH to receive and process plans submitted by registered building professionals under the BO. The BD will continue to develop Stage 3 of the ESH which will accept all types of plans including general building plans and plans for alteration and addition works, as well as related applications. Details of the requirements on the format, manner and procedures for making electronic submissions via ESH are provided in the Practice Note for Authorized Persons, Registered Structural Engineers and Registered Geotechnical Engineers (PNAP) ADM-17 as well as Practice Note for Registered Contractors (PNRC) 42.
Featured videos on the functions and features of ESH Stage 1 and Stage 2 are available.
For enquiries, please contact esh-helpdesk@bd.gov.hk or ESH hotline at 3580 1000.
Key figures for ESH [Up to 30 November 2023]
- System Requirements for Desktop Version
- CPU: 2 Cores (2.0 GHz per core)
- Memory: 8GB
- Storage: 10GB free storage
- Operation System: Microsoft Windows 8.1 or above, MacOS
- Browser: Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox or Safari (MacOS)
- Software: Adobe Acrobat Reader
- HTML version: HTML5
- Encryption: TLS 1.2
- JavaScript: Enabled
- Cookies: Enabled
- Chinese Character Support: Hong Kong Supplementary Character Set (HKSCS-2008)
- System Requirements for Mobile Version
- Operating System: iOS 13 or above, Android 9 or above
- Browser: Mozilla Firefox (iOS and Android), Google Chrome (iOS and Android) or Safari (iOS)
- HTML version: HTML5
- Encryption: TLS 1.2
- JavaScript: Enabled
- Cookies: Enabled
- For authorized persons (AP), registered structural engineers (RSE), registered geotechnical engineers (RGE) and authorised signatories of registered contractor
- Hongkong Post e-Cert (Personal)
- Digi-Sign Personal ID-Cert Class 1, Class 8
- iAM Smart
- For others including owners and collaborators
- Hongkong Post e-Cert (Personal)
- Hongkong Post e-Cert (Organisational)
- Digi-Sign Personal ID-Cert Class 1, Class 8
- Digi-Sign Organisational ID-Cert Class 2, Class 9
- iAM Smart
Types of Digital Certificate | Digital Certificate Subscription Fee | Availability for Using in Signing on Different Platforms of ESH | Availability for Signing of Multiple Documents at a Time | Security Protection |
---|---|---|---|---|
|
Required | Desktop Computer (Microsoft Windows, MacOS) | Yes | Password |
|
Required | Desktop Computer (Microsoft Windows only) | Yes | Password |
|
Free of charge |
|
Will be available | Biometric authentication function including facial recognition and fingerprint identification which is provided by one's personal mobile devices |
* e-Cert Token(FEITAIN) is not compatible