Innovative technology is always the best solution to balance urban development and environmental protection. The Sai Sha Road Widening Project in Shap Sze Heung, Sai Kung, has been in construction for 4 years. With the help of apps and new technologies, the project team has turned numerous crises into opportunities, hoping to ensure road safety and reduce risk of flooding in the future. Sun Hung Kai Properties (SHKP) has devoted considerable resources to improving the infrastructure of the Sai Sha area for the benefit of the community. Such works include widening Sai Sha Road from two lanes to dual two lanes, installation of noise barriers, implementation of greening works, building a transport interchange, three footbridges, a cycling track, and water supply and sewerage systems. The project, carried out by Sanfield-Gammon Construction JV Company Limited, started in the third quarter of 2018 and is targeted to be finished by 2024. Ir HO On-sing, Thomas, Chairman of the Construction Industry Council, paid a visit to the site in early August and was impressed by the digitalisation and innovation involved in the project as shared by SHKP and SGJV representatives.
Building Trust with Villagers
Sai Sha Road Widening Project is surrounded by nine villages, a golf course and a theological seminary. We can also see cows grazing and wandering around. For the sake of the wildlife, the team paid special attention to avoid damages on grassland while building their office. Construction manager Michael WONG also recalled his memory of Super Typhoon Mangkhut. When it hit Hong Kong in 2018, the team helped clear Sai Sha Road and earned the trust of villagers. When the construction team was dealing with grid connection, District Council members also gave a helping hand. Within two months, the team successfully ensured the power supply. Diesel generators were therefore avoided, which also reduced air and noise pollution.
In late 2018, renewable energy system was installed at office. It was also the first temporary site office being able to sell power under CLP FiT Scheme in Hong Kong. Profit is expected to come in next year. CIC has emphasized the importance of carbon neutrality for years. Ir Thomas HO appreciated the team’s pioneering idea and said the team should be praised for achieving carbon negative.
i-Tree Mobile App and Twin Trees Conservation
&ldquo:Greenery is a key feature in Sai Sha. To maintain sustainability, the team developed an i-Tree mobile app to manage more than 1600 trees alongside Sai Sha Road. By tracking number or scanning QR code, engineers will be able to access tree stability and growth status on a real-time basis.
Transplanting is inevitable during construction. What made the situation more complicated was that there was a symbolic giant twin tree weighed 183 tons. Technology once again played a crucial role in solving difficulties. Ten months before transplantation, the team started to collect data by 3D scanning and drones. They also adopted wireless remote tree sensors to monitor its growth. After calculation, they decided to lift the tree by a 600T crane and transport it by an integrated twin bogies.
Unlike conventional transplantation method, the tools helped reduce manpower and the risk to workers and the public. Transplanting time was also reduced from one week to 2 hours. After successfully transplanting the giant tree, the team is also able to monitor its health continuously with tree sensors.
Longest Pipe Jacking Drives Safety Culture
As promoted by CIC, safety should always come first in any construction site. The building of sewage system in the Sai Sa Road project involved a 695-metres long ‘S-shaped’ pipe jacking process. It was also the longest one in Hong Kong at that time. To ensure safety, the project team did not only increase the number of shafts, but also studied the geological profile thoroughly. At the early stage of pipe jacking, the team was given a lesson from the drop of a torque torque at the pipe jacking head. They immediately stopped the operation until they found out the cause from the review. After renewing operation guidelines, work resumed and pipe jacking was finished with great success.
Smart Height Restriction System
From underground to work-at-height activities, safety precautions should never be neglected. CIC has been publishing guidelines and implementing projects to foster this concept. To prevent bridge collision, the project team invented the Smart Height Restriction System. Two height restriction signposts were placed at 125 metres and 80 metres away from the portal frame respectively. When an over-height vehicle hit the signposts, alarmed will be triggered off and signposts will flash. Drivers will then be alerted to slow down or lower their vehicle before driving through the portal frame.
CITF Encourages BIM and Digitalisation
Sai Sha Road Widening Projects participated in the CIC Sustainable Construction Award in 2020 and won contractor gold award in new works category. One of the technologies contributed to this achievement was the Hybrid Reality Platform (HRP). It integrated drone surveying and photogrammetry to provide 3D visual engineering solutions. This helped facilitate design coordination, Building Information Modelling (BIM) utilization, construction sequencing, cut and fill planning and integration of multiple IoT sensors, thus reducing the chance of rework and impacts on the rural environment.
Apart from the CIC Sustainable Construction Award, the team and vendor developed a new DWSS software namely Electronic System Inspection Automation (ESIA) with the support of Construction Innovation and Technology Fund (CITF). ESIA digitalises inspection and site monitoring processes. Safety and cleansing inspection, labor attendance record and other documents are all kept in a centralized database, which made Sai Sha Road Widening Project completely paper-free since January 2019.
After four years of hard work by the team, innovative technology is proven to be the best way to balance development and environmental protection. Upon completion, they hope to bring a safer and wider Sai Sha Road for villagers. Ir Thomas HO applauded for the team’s effort in demonstrating how they always strive for better. He also encouraged upcoming projects to gain inspirations from this project to achieve people-oriented construction work.
