The ongoing Ho Man Tin (HMT) Station Package 2 Residential Project co-developed by Chinachem and MTR, the project has attracted much attention since its planning. Ir Ho On-sing, Thomas, the Chairman and Ir Cheng Ting-ning, Albert, the Executive Director of the Construction Industry Council (CIC), together with Mr. Wong Yan-lok, Roger, the Deputy Secretary of the Development Bureau, Mr. Au Yeung Hoi-pang, the Assistant Director of the Buildings Department and Mr. Chan Ka-lai, the Assistant Commissioner of the Labour Department, made a site visit to the project to have an in-depth understanding of how the professional construction team has optimised openings, work at height and other procedures through human-centred planning and technology to ensure safety from site operation to property management stage.
It is always better to prevent problems before they occur. Mr. Percy Chan, the Director of Gammon Construction, revealed that HMT Station Package 2 was also carried out based on this concept. With reference to the concept of 3S—standardisation, simplification and single-integrated element—proposed by the Development Bureau for public works planning, the project has incorporated various innovative elements and technologies since its early stage of planning, so as to improve quality and safety.
Air-conditioner Platforms for Maintenance Safety—a Future Trend of Residential Buildings
One of the innovative attempts of the project is the design of an independent air-conditioner platform for each unit. Although air-conditioning maintenance works are of small-scales, those involving bamboo scaffolds and suspended working platforms result in accidents from time to time in recent years. Mr. Alan Mo, the Construction Manager of Gammon Construction, explained that the planning team adhered to the idea of “Digest into small” and designed air-conditioner platforms to allow workers to access the exterior of the building in a safer manner. The design was incorporated in the initial building plan for application for safety, efficiency and time-saving reasons.
Digitalisation of construction works can greatly enhance efficiency. The team has spent huge efforts in Building Information Modelling (BIM) to create a model map for each unit to visualise the site environment, so as to allow better planning of construction space, movements of machinery and locations for placing radiators, etc. Mr. Alan Mo also pointed out that future air-conditioner and exterior maintenance works would hopefully no longer require bamboo scaffolds and suspended working platforms, and could mitigate the risk of work at height in the long run.
Mr. Wong Yan-Lok, Roger from the Development Bureau believes that despite the myth that safety and productivity offset each other, HMT Station Package 2 is a perfect demonstration of how an innovative solution can fulfil multiple requirements and deliver favourable results.
Use of Apps to Unleash the Power of BIM
Whlist the use of BIM for the planning and management of large sites is nothing new, each site has different needs. The key is to maximise the power of BIM with the use of creative applications. In respect of safety of openings, in addition to metal covers, barriers and permits, the team also introduced the BIM system to incorporate the information of 1000+ temporary and permanent openings in the sitemap to enable future monitoring and ensure safety.
Most of the past opening accidents involved workers who were in fact not engaged in openings-related works. As such, Gammon’s team has invented a smart “G Lock” powered by Bluetooth, which is installed on metal gates to reduce risk by restricting access to openings. After obtaining permission to access in the G Lock App, workers can unlock the gate with the in-app button when they arrive at the gate. The G Lock is also connected to the BIM system for monitoring the access of openings and any abnormal cases can be handled promptly.
Efficient Progress Management with Go Pro
Technology is widely used, but it also takes time for frontline workers to adapt. In view of this, the team has developed an API System, so that completed BIM plans can be converted into 2D plans that are easier to read, allowing frontline workers to better understand the status of the project. Compared with manual drawing, which can take at least two weeks, the API System can complete the process within two hours with accuracy improved as human errors can be mitigated.
In order to monitor the progress of complicated interior fittings, the team developed an integrated artificial intelligence system to be used as a recording and monitoring tool derived from BIM. The team first posted QR codes at each unit and location that needed to be inspected, and then the inspectors can wear helmets equipped with Go Pro cameras for inspection. By analysing and comparing camera images, the intelligent system can assess the progress of the project. Images collected are automatically converted into text and chart reports for engineers at different levels to monitor the progress.
New Material for Better Opening Management
In recent years, some accidents involving openings were caused by the use of sealed covers, where workers failed to observe the inside of the openings. As a result, this project has introduced a see-through opening cover made of synthetic stone, with small holes that allow people to see the inside of the openings. Despite features including rust-free, corrosion-resistance and strong load capacity of up to 5kPa, the material is thin and lightweight, as a 1m2 plate only weighs about 10kg.
With special nails and caps, a see-through cover plate mounted on top of a concrete piece is capable of supporting the weight of a fire truck without additional support required inside the opening. In the future, Gammon will cooperate with the CIC to continue to develop similar materials, in order to meet fire-proof standards and improve them to be a building material suitable for both temporary and permanent purposes.
During this site visit to HMT Station Package 2, Chairman Ir Ho On-sing, Thomas was delighted to see that the construction team and the landlord have been working well together, with synergy that maximised safety and efficiency and a humanistic reward scheme that complimented outstanding workers. He was particularly impressed by the sharing of a worker. “When accident happens, it does not only affect productivity and costs time and money. Loss of life cannot be compensated. So, always keep safety first on sites!”
