【Safety Walk with Thomas】Concerted Efforts from the Construction Industry and Education Sector to Establish a New Chapter for MiC Application

By constructing an improving environment, Hong Kong’s construction industry is dedicated to build a better home for all; while the education sector is devoted to nurture students to become future pillars of the society. Both industries are working hard towards a better future for Hong Kong. Ir Thomas HO, Chairman of the Construction Industry Council (CIC), joined by council members Mr. CHAN Kim Kwong and Sr Marvin CHEN, visited the fifth phase of the Student Hostel project at City University of Hong Kong (CityU), learning how it innovates and adopts Modular Integrated Construction (MiC) to enhance speed and efficiency, which symbolises the start of a new chapter for the construction industry and the education sector.

World’s Largest Student Hostel Project to Adopt MiC

Hostel life grooms students to be independent and encourage cross-culture understanding, which is an important experience for university students. In view of the shortage for accommodation space, the CityU joined hands with the contractor, Gammon Construction Limited to adopt the advanced MiC technology, offering high-quality accommodation and learning space.

Located in Whitehead, Ma On Shan, the fifth phase of the Student Hostel project at CityU provides green space, as well as academic and leisure facilities. The six halls, comprised of three towers, with over 100 single rooms and over 1,000 double rooms, will create more than 2,000 beds for students. This project is the world’s largest student hostel using MiC by the number of beds. The overall building complex involves 1,344 modules, each room module are prefabricated in factory in the Mainland. Internal finishes are completed in the factory also such as the installation of the bed, wardrobe, desk, air conditioner and even the curtain, so only installation of the modules is required after they have been shipped to sites, thus significantly reducing the construction period.

Enhancing Efficiency to Shorten Construction Period by Half

Miss Michelle CHAN, Associate Director of Campus Development Office of CityU pointed out that it was the project team’s brave move to adopt MiC, as it was just introduced to the Hong Kong construction industry at the commencement of the project. This project enjoys a few advantages that facilitate the adoption of MiC, including a large and flat construction site, highly accessible location, and repetitive room designs. The project can even reduce the impact to the surrounding neighbourhood benefited from a shortened construction period.

The student hostel project commenced in early 2022 with construction period expected to be 4 year if built under conventional method. Nonetheless, the adoption of MiC substantially enhances productivity and reduces the time needed. CityU installed the first MiC module in December last year, the last module of the same tower was installed in June 2023, topping out the tower. Other towers will be topping out by August 2023, completing the construction earliest by the end of 2023. The shortened construction period by half allows students to move in by early 2024 and enjoy their fruitful hostel life sooner.

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Embracing MiC and Digitalisation to Enjoy Complementary Advantages

Apart from adopting MiC, the projects also utilise innovative digitalisation extensively in each procedure to enhance efficiency and quality. Integrated Digital Project Delivery (IDPD) integrates construction data to help oversee the project such as the process of modules prefabrication etc, enabling the team to be well-informed of the latest progress. Mr. Jackie CHAN, Manager of Campus Development Office of CityU, pointed our that during the quality assurance and quality control process, approved inspection record will be save into the as-built Building Information Modelling (BIM) model, for facility management department’s future use. In terms of delivery of modules, Digital Twin technology was used for monitoring. To ensure safe and smooth logistics, the location, content, car plate and even driving speed can be tracked by the system.

The CIC has been encouraging the construction industry for a wider adoption of high productivity construction and digitalised technology, prompting stakeholders to enjoy the benefits it brings. Ir Thomas HO appreciates the team for demonstrating proactiveness and innovation, bringing MiC and digitalisation to site, truly enhancing speed, efficiency and quantity and making the project one of a kind.

建造教育攜手合作 齊譜組裝合成新篇章

建造業及教育界同樣為建設香港的未來默默耕耘，建造業致力為香港各階層市民建設完善環境，構建更美好社會；教育界則竭力培育莘莘學子，成為以後棟樑。建造業議會（議會）主席何安誠工程師早前參觀香港城市大學（城大）第五期學生宿舍項目，聯同議會成員陳劍光先生及陳沐文建築師了解項目如何大膽創新，採用組裝合成建築法（Modular Integrated Construction, MiC）提速提效，為香港建造業及教育界寫下新篇章。

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採用MiC技術興建的最大型學生宿舍項目

入住宿舍提供機會予年輕人學習獨立及交流彼此文化，向來是大學生活的重要體驗之一，面對學生宿位短缺問題，香港城市大學夥拍承建商金門建築有限公司採用先進的組裝合成技術，加快為學生建設優質住宿及學習空間。

城大第五期學生宿舍項目位於馬鞍山白石，設多種綠化設備、學術及康樂設施。六座舍堂由三座大樓組成，將提供逾100間單人房及逾1,000間雙人房，合共供應超過2,000個宿位。在透過採用MiC而建成的學生宿舍當中，按宿位數量計算，此項目將成為全球最大型的項目。整座建築群由1,344個組件組成，每間房間組件預先在內地廠房建造及組裝，更完成室內裝潢如設置床架、衣櫃、書桌及空調等，組件運送到工地後只需安裝及接駁，大大減少建築時間。

MiC提升效率工期銳減一半

城大校園發展處副處長陳慧敏表示在項目開展初期MiC才剛為香港業界認識，故當時是次項目能夠採用MiC實為大膽創新之舉。面積大而平整的工地、四通八達的位置、重覆性高的房間設計，項目的「天時地利」及設計特點都十分適合採用MiC，甚至能透過縮短工期減低對附近社區的影響，彌補不足。

白石宿舍項目於去年年初動工，若以傳統方式建造，工期預計長達四年。團隊改為採用MiC則有效提升生產力及縮短時間。城大於去年12月成功安裝首個MiC組件，並於本年6月安裝同座最後一個組件並平頂。其餘大樓亦將陸續於8月平頂，項目最快可於今年年末完工。工期縮減一半，令學生可提早於2024年入住，盡早享受充實的舍堂生活。

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數碼科技與MiC相輔相成

在採用高效建築技術外，項目在各個工序均以數碼科技協助施工，提升效率質素。包括以綜合數碼建造方案（Integrated Digital Project Delivery，IDPD）整合建築數據，監察項目施工如工廠建造宿舍房間組件的進度等，準確掌握工程項目的最新資訊。城大校園發展處經理陳兆基指在品質控制及檢驗過程中，批出的紀錄會存入項目的竣工建築信息模擬（Building Information Modelling，BIM）模型，供設施管理部門的未來應用。在組件運輸方面，項目應用數碼分身（Digital Twin）技術監測情況，系統能夠追蹤車輛的位置、運送內容、車牌甚至行車速度，以確保運送過程安全順利。

議會一直致力推廣建造業廣泛應用高效建築技術及數碼科技，令持分者受惠於各方面的便利。嶄新的建造模式將隨著更廣泛的使用精益求精，何安誠工程師讚揚團隊前瞻創新的態度，令MiC技術及數碼化工地在項目中落地應用，成為同類型項目的先鋒典範，「真正做到提速提效提量」。

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