Steel MiC Elderly Housing: A Haven for Senior Citizens

The ageing population and housing issues are two major challenges in Hong Kong's society. To provide a comfortable living environment for the elderly, the Hong Kong Housing Society (HKHS) has constructed Chung Yuet Lau, an elderly housing project in Jat Min Chuen, Sha Tin, using "Steel Modular Integrated Construction'' (Steel-MiC). This project makes HKHS's first venture into utilising steel MiC in an elderly housing project, which helps to overcome lifting and congested site constraints. These innovations enable senior citizens to enjoy their golden years in a comfortable setting.

The Chung Yuet Lau project is set to be completed within Q1 2024 and Ir Thomas Ho, Chairman of the Construction Industry Council, was invited to visit the construction site to witness the advantages of Steel-MiC. Considering the ageing population in Jat Min Chuen, HKHS has decided to construct the ten-storey Chung Yuet Lau, with 64 units, each with an area of approximately 200 square feet, offering lifetime full rent exemption for the elderly to move in. Ms. Katherine Chu, General Manager (Project Management) of HKHS, highlighted that the project serves a dual purpose: facilitating ageing in place and optimizing the existing housing resources to meet the changing needs of public.

Exceeds 90% Prefabrication Rate for Residential Floor

In recent years, Modular Integrated Construction (MiC) has become a trend in Hong Kong, with over a hundred projects adopting this innovative construction method. Chung Yuet Lau is one of the projects utilizing Steel MiC, with lightweight concrete system. The lightweight design enhance the flexibility of design and lifting operations, which are crucial aspects of MiC Installation. Ms. Ceci Hon, Manager (Project Management) of HKHS, explained that while the podium of the building is constructed using traditional methods, the second to ninth floors are constructed with MiC, and the utilisation rate of pre-fabrication exceeds 90% for these floors. She further explained that each unit is composed of two MiC modules, with a total of 17 modules per floor. As a result, there are 229 pre-fabricated components, including the rooftop machinery room, lift shafts and corridor end walls, etc.

A notable feature of Chung Yuet Lau is its “pre-fabricated Lift Shaft”. The lift shaft modules are prefabricated in factories and then transported to the construction site for installation. The team highlighted the engineering challenge of this task, as precise positioning of the module's steel reinforcement positions using Building Information Modeling (BIM) were crucial to ensure successful assembly. As the lift installation is under the critical path of the project, the team extensively researched different methods to reduce the installation time. Eventually, some mechanical and electrical components were pre-installed along the lift shaft and MiMEP lift machine room beforehand and conducted a mock-up off site to facilitate the on-site installation process.

Engaged Safety Consultant for Evaluation of Lifting Risks

MiC eases out on-site long consuming construction sequence through off-site prefabrication, reducing the time required onsite for construction compared to traditional methods and improve the quality works with controlled working environment. Since the project is located in a dense residential area with frequent traffic, the team engaged an independent safety checker to review different procedures and provide advice on heavy lifting works for safety assurance. Additionally, industry practitioners, such as representatives from the Occupational Safety & Health Council, Construction Industry Council, Hoisting Engineering Association and subcontractors, were invited to participate in risk assessment workshops to identify potential risks and ensure proper risk management through Dynamic Risk Assessment.

Elderly-Friendly Design

Chung Yuet Lau is specifically designed for senior citizens, and the interior design of the building has also been carefully considered. Apart from equipping the flats with kitchen cabinets, a range hood and an electric water heater, the design has also adopted elderly-friendly features like low door curbs bathrooms with sliding door to facilitate wheelchair access. To prevent the elderly from mistakenly gripping the water pipes while taking a shower, handrails are coloured yellow for easy identification. Also, external wall of each unit is designed with different colours and clear signages are provided on each floor. Mr. Joel Chan, Director of P&T Architect Ltd, said that HKHS has set up a social and elderly wellness department, which has accumulated experience and knowledge in catering the needs of the elderly with elderly-friendly designs. “This colour scheme serves as a visual aid for the residents, especially those with dementia, as the use of vibrant colours allows them to easily recognise their own units after stepping out the lift.”