China's Smart Building Advancements Shine in Advanced Construction Projects of the Greater Bay Area

The construction industry in Hong Kong has continuously aligned itself with the nation's development. Lately, Ir Thomas HO, Chairman of the Construction Industry Council (CIC), led government representatives, contractors, and other industry leaders on a visit to Guangzhou Municipal Construction Group Co., Ltd. (GMC) to delve into talent development and innovative digital technology. GMC has been ranked in the Fortune Global 500 list for three consecutive years, placing 12th globally in the engineering and construction sector, cementing its standing as a leading force in the construction industry. GMC experts were also invited to CIC’s “Global Construction Sustainability Forum and Exhibition 2023” to deliver speech, introducing their innovative construction methods and how they optimise industrial structures.

GMC Greater-Bay Intelligent Manufacturing and Technology: Unleashing National-level Technological Excellence

GMC's flagship corporate on new construction industralisation, " Greater-Bay Intelligent Manufacturing and Technology" stands as the largest and most advanced prefabricated construction industrial base in the South China region. It offers comprehensive solutions for the whole lifecycle of construction, including Modular Integrated Construction (MiC), Design for Manufacture and Assembly (DfMA), product research and development, intelligent manufacturing, assembly and installation, as well as operation and maintenance. The Double Tee Slabs of the Advanced Manufacturing Centre located in Tseung Kwan O, and the modular units of the Tonkin Street MiC project in Hong Kong are produced at the site of " Greater-Bay Intelligent Manufacturing and Technology", which also allows for the prefabrication of interior decoration (Mi-interior) within the modular units.

The "Greater-Bay Intelligent Manufacturing and Technology" features Industry 4.0 fully automated production lines. GMC has successfully implemented the "1+4" MiC through-industry-supply chain layout and facilities. This includes the establishment of a new modular building R&D manufacturing center, which synergises with the existing Greater-Bay Intelligent Manufacturing and Technology Precast Concrete R&D manufacturing center, as well as the Multi-trade Integrated Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing R&D manufacturing center, Design for Manufacture and Assembly R&D manufacturing center, and steel reinforcement processing center. The goal is to produce 10,000 MiC components annually. In addition to housing, GMC aims to modularise various structures such as bridges, large-scale reservoirs, and underground pipelines. Ir HO emphasises that the construction industry in Hong Kong is entering a golden decade, with plans to build at least 200,000 MiC units. Prefabricated construction and digitalisation are imperative, and GMC's demonstration of Mi-Infinite sets a remarkable example that the Hong Kong industry should emulate.

To internationalise the construction industry, GMC has signed an MoU with the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development of the People's Republic of China and the CIC to build the "Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Green Construction Technology Innovation Showcase Platform". In addition, GMC has collaborated with Hong Kong enterprises and institutions such as Gammon Construction, Chinachem Group, The University of Hong Kong, and the Hong Kong Institute of Construction. These collaborations focus on various areas, including MiC construction, prefabricated building, building information modeling (BIM) applications, energy saving and carbon reduction, green finance, whole-process consultation, and industrial worker training. These partnerships aim to support Hong Kong's development and construction endeavors.

Constructing the World's Largest Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital at Nansha with Innovation & Technology

As the integration within the Greater Bay Area becomes increasingly cohesive, GMC successfully completed the "Mingzhu Bay Bridge" project in 2021. This bridge, constructed by GMC, serves as a link connecting Shenzhen, Zhuhai, and Zhongshan through the Shenzhen-Zhongshan Bridge, while also connecting with Dongguan through the Humen Pearl River Bridge. To ensure high quality, GMC places significant emphasis on inspection and testing. As a result, they established the Guangzhou Testing Centre of Construction Quality & Safety Co., Ltd. in Nansha, serving as the group's prefabricated construction testing base. Stringent tests are conducted on various bridge components, including steel structures, foundations, fire resistance level, and even colour temperature and brightness of lighting.

GMC is also responsible for the Nansha Branch project of the Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, located in Wanqingsha, Nansha District, Guangzhou. This project comprises offive buildings, providing a capacity of 1,200 beds and encompassing a total construction area of 380,000 square meters. It is a large and comprehensive hospital that seamlessly integrates medical treatment, teaching, and research, poised to become the world's largest traditional Chinese medicine hospital. The project's design adheres to the principles of regional climate characteristics and ecological architecture, resulting in a hospital building that blends harmoniously with the green and natural environment while incorporating the distinctive features of the Lingnan region. Moreover, the technological elements employed in the construction process are truly awe-inspiring.

When it comes to construction management, GMC has established various indicators for quality management and safety construction management, winning multiple awards in the construction industry. As a crucial first step, GMC mandates exemplary quality management for its projects. This includes documenting image data for the acceptance process of each pile during the construction of foundation works, following the "one pile, one file" requirement. Additionally, the project team must excel in exemplary quality management by implementing the plan and guiding management system, ensuring that each process aligns with the predetermined standards. The team pays meticulous attention to physical quality control, covering aspects such as template acceptance, reinforcement binding, masonry construction, floor waterproofing, and concrete structures.

The project also incorporates Virtual Reality (VR) technology for information technology security education among employees. This includes establishing a "VR Safety Education Experience Zone" and making safety education videos. The engineering team has developed a pre-made roaming video for the project, allowing for reference during the decoration process to achieve a finalised version. Users can utilise VR technology to modify decorative materials, adjust lighting effects, and render models in real-time, enhancing the efficiency of reviewing and finalising decoration templates. Additionally, the video combines 720-degree panoramic shooting technology to present a comprehensive and authentic depiction of the actual conditions within the decoration templates.

From BIM to Real-Time 3D Modeling for Seamless Project Progress Tracking

In terms of technological applications, the Nansha Hospital project has employed various technologies, with BIM as the core, to simulate project progress, showcase construction status, and facilitate MEP (Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing) and BIM design. This approach ensures unified design, manages construction schedules and manpower allocation, and enhances project safety and efficiency. Given the complex environment surrounding the site, which required the demolition of a high-voltage tower, the BIM team utilised 3D tilt photography and 3D scanning technologies. By combining these technologies with construction simulation, they formulated a specialised construction plan to minimise the impact of tower removal. This project was awarded first prize in the Construction Category at the 11th Longtu Cup National BIM Competition and the 4th BIM Application Competition in Guangdong Province last year.

To enhance the construction progress management platform, the project recorded construction records for each process in the BIM model. This serves as both a repository for construction management records and a basis for statistical data and analysis. It enables adjustments to machinery and monitors project progress and control. Additionally, the team utilised BIM technology for detailed design, conducting cross-checks and enhancements of architectural, structural, MEP, and medical specialty installation drawings during the hospital's 3D modeling process. By resolving drawing errors and omissions before construction, they aimed to minimise rework and material waste. GMC also established the "Smart Construction Site Platform" to integrate BIM technology for unified management of progress, quality, and safety. The innovative platform visualises and digitalises information to the maximum extent, effectively preventing and improving project progress. For example, it enables statistical analysis of on-site workforce, displaying the number of workers by area, floor, and individual work processes. This facilitates workforce management, resolves issues related to traditional management processes, data recording, accountability, and decision-making. Moreover, it contributes to subsequent project acceptance, claims substantiation, and comparison with actual progress.

Ir HO highly appreciates the implementation of a robust and all-encompassing industrial chain management system run by GMC, where production, inspection, and construction are all well managed through intelligent technology. By leveraging Hong Kong's global orientation, GMC stands ready to infuse the Greater Bay Area with new vitality and spearhead a transformative era in the construction industry.