Promote Digitalisation and Low-carbon Development for our Smart, Livable, and Resilient City

On 1 October, a group of industry leaders and I attended the National Day flag-raising ceremony at the CIC-Zero Carbon Park to celebrate our country's achievement of a new milestone. We extended our wishes for our country's prosperity. The CIC will continue to leverage its professional expertise, strive for self-improvement, and support future national planning.

The Report of the 20th National Congress pointed out the importance of promoting the use of clean, low-carbon, and high-efficiency energy, as well as advancing the transition to clean and low-carbon practices in industries, construction, transportation, and other sectors. To achieve high-quality development in the construction industry, the entire industry production chain needs to work together to capitalise on opportunities from technology and industrial transformation. This can be accomplished through deep integration of technologies such as big data, artificial intelligence, 5G and other technologies, adopting low-carbon standards and operating models, and implementing green transformation thoroughly. The CIC has recently established a Smart Facilities Management Control Centre and organised a series of sustainable building activities to promote the digitalisation, intelligentisation, and low-carbonisation of the industry.

Smart Facilities Management Control Centre Launched to Monitor Energy Consumption and Carbon Footprint

The Smart Facilities Management Control Centre aims to effectively monitor the sustainable development, ESG performance, and carbon footprint of CIC's premises in order to achieve the vision of moving towards carbon neutrality. The Centre, which opened at the end of August, is located on the ground floor of the Hong Kong Institute of Construction's Kowloon Bay Campus.

The Centre is connected to IoT sensors distributed throughout the CIC's premises, enabling management staff to monitor the status of each premise at all times. This facilitates remote monitoring and control of the comfort level of the indoor environment and building maintenance. For example, the Centre's system can monitor real-time data on energy consumption and renewable energy generation at the CIC-Zero Carbon Park. Feedback and data from IoT sensors can be utilised for user statistical analysis, early warning notifications, indoor air quality monitoring and other functions. When machine learning, a type of artificial intelligence technology, is combined with data analysis, the system can identify future trends and automatically optimised on an ongoing basis.

The Centre is equipped with LED walls, a wireless presentation system and extra-large LED touchscreens. The dashboards present the system's 'digital brain.' 3D digital twin images are available to visualise the property, assisting managers in optimising operations and management strategies. The dashboards can display the reports in 4 levels: Level 1 – an overview of the CIC premises in GIS. Level 2 – an overview of real-life building performance for a specific premise with digital twins. Level 3 – a detailed view of building services systems and IoT. Level 4 – a detailed view of each field equipment and asset.

By the end of 2023, the system will be deployed at the Hong Kong Institute of Construction's Kwai Chung and Sheung Shui campuses. CCTV, EOMS, security alarm, access control and lighting systems will be installed and connected to the Centre for data exchange and remote management.

The Hong Kong's Climate Action Plan 2050 released by the Hong Kong Government in 2021 proposes to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. "Energy-saving and green building" is one of the four key carbon reduction strategies to reduce carbon emissions. Buildings account for around 90% of Hong Kong's total electricity consumption. The CIC wants to set an example and demonstrate how to implement low-carbon solutions throughout the construction and property management stages.

Join the Inaugural Global Construction Sustainability Forum and Exhibition to Understand ESG and Carbon Neutrality

The construction industry accounts for 36% of global energy use and 37% of related carbon emissions. Sustainable buildings have a great impact on reducing urban energy consumption. The CIC will host the inaugural Global Construction Sustainability Forum and Exhibition from 20 to 22 November. The Forum and Exhibition will take place over the first three days, with a technical tour on the final day. The Forum will be held at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel and will bring together more than 30 industry leaders and experts from around the world to share experiences and knowledge and discuss eight sustainable construction topics: efficient and sustainable buildings, digitalisation of construction, green finance, carbon neutrality, corporate ESG, construction in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, talent development and safety; while the Exhibition will be held concurrently at sky100 to demonstrate the application of cutting-edge construction technology.

I would like to remind everyone that it is not only listed companies that need to pay attention to ESG, because carbon audits involve the entire supply chain. Small and medium-sized enterprises, as partners of large companies, are expected to adjust their products and operations accordingly. Reviewing a company's ESG performance can assist in future planning by anticipating the company's development direction, managing climate risks, and formulating policies to attract and retain talent. Companies of all sizes cannot afford to overlook the importance of ESG.

I look forward to seeing you again at the Forum!

Construction Robot Exhibition Opens this Month to Showcase the Potential of Smart Construction

The widespread application of construction robots can help the industry improve quality and efficiency, enhance project safety and solve problems such as time pressure, cost control and labour shortage. The Construction Innovation and Technology Application Centre will present the "Construction Robot Exhibition” at the Hong Kong Institute of Construction's Kowloon Bay Campus this month. The 12 advanced construction robots on display are versatile, they can perform tasks such as ceiling grinding, wall grinding, spray painting, material carrying, welding, plastering, drilling, inspection and 3D scanning. The exhibition runs from 5 to 18 October and it opens to the public. Please visit with your family and friends to experience the convenience of new technologies and explore the unlimited potential of smart construction.

Encourage Green Innovation by Stakeholders and Promote Sustainable Lifestyles to the Public

A screw, a tool, and some data, they can all be sources of green innovation and inject vitality into the sustainable building development ecosystem. I recently visited Hilti, a construction tool manufacturer, to learn how they use innovative design to create sustainable and efficient products, thereby improving efficiency, safety, and sustainability. Their products are made from reusable materials, and the company also discloses the environmental impact data of its products. One of their research and development directions is to meet customers' higher demands for environmental protection, and this thinking is inspiring to our industry.

The CIC-Zero Carbon Park will organise an Electric Vehicle Exhibition at the end of October. The exhibition will showcase different types of electric vehicles, including those used in the construction industry, such as the electric wheel loader. Game booth, seminars, and workshops will be held to educate the public on practical tips for achieving "zero emissions". This event is a good example of the construction industry collaborating with partners to promote a low-carbon lifestyle.

The CIC is dedicated to driving digital transformation and creating a green construction ecosystem for the industry. Currently, approximately 60 organisations have co-signed the Construction Digitalisation Charter (Charter). More organisations are expected to join soon. Signatories are committed to developing an organisational digitalisation roadmap and promoting the continued and extensive use of Building Information Modelling (BIM) and Common Data Environment (CDE) to enhance project safety and improve quantity, speed, efficiency, and quality.

The CIC will proactively support the industry and mainland partners to create a green building supply chain and participate in climate change dialogues in a global context. The CIC is enthusiastic to share information and experiences with stakeholders to accelerate Hong Kong's sustainable development process and make Hong Kong a livable, smart and resilient city.