【Safety Walk with Thomas】China's Smart Building Advancements Shine in Advanced Construction Projects of the Greater Bay Area |【安全誠行】大灣區先進建築項目體現中國智能建造

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.

香港建造業一直積極融入國家發展大局，建造業議會主席何安誠工程師早前就帶領政府代表、承建商及其他業界翹楚，到訪廣州建築集團（廣建）了解其人才培養及創新數碼科技的發展。廣建連續三年登上《財富》世界500強企業排行榜，在工程與建築行業中全球排名第12位，足證它穩列全世界工程與建築行業的第一梯隊。建造業議會早前舉辦的「國際可持續建築論壇暨展覽2023」，亦邀請了廣建的專家出席演講，介紹他們的創新建造方式以及如何優化産業結構。

「灣區智造」 展現國家級技術水平

廣建的新型建築工業化龍頭企業「灣區智造」為華南地區規模最大、技術最先進裝配式建築產業基地，提供組裝合成建築法（MiC）及裝配式建築設計方案、產品研發、智能製造、裝配施工、運營維護等建築全生命週期解決方案。位於香港將軍澳的先進製造業中心的雙T梁及東京街組裝合成項目的MiC模組都是在「灣區智造」基地生產，基地更可以為模組預製內部裝潢（Mi-interior）。

「灣區智造」公司擁有工業4.0全自動化生產線，廣建亦完成了「1+4」MiC全產業鏈佈局與建設，即：新建模塊化建築研發製造中心，協同現有灣區智造預製混凝土研發製造中心，以及新建的裝配式機電研發製造中心、裝配式裝修研發製造中心、鋼筋精加工中心，目標是一年生產10,000個MiC組件。除了房屋，廣建更希望將橋樑、大型蓄水池、地下綜合管廊等模組化。何工程師表示香港建造業正迎來黃金十年，未來要興建最少200,000個組裝合成的單位，裝配式建築及數碼化勢在必行，廣建將Mi無極限發揮得淋漓盡致，值得香港業界借鑒。

廣建為了將建築產業更國際化，與國家住建部、建造業議會簽訂合作協定書，共同建設「粵港澳大灣區綠色建造科技創新展示平台」；與金門建築、華懋集團、香港大學、建造學院等香港企業機構在MiC建築、裝配式建築、建築信息模擬（BIM ）應用、節能減碳、綠色金融、全過程諮詢、產業工人培訓等領域開展合作，支持香港發展建設。

南沙醫院 以高科技建造世界最大規模中醫醫院

大灣區融合愈見緊密，廣建承建的項目「明珠灣大橋」在2021年落成，通過深中通道連接深圳、珠海、中山，另一端則通過虎門大橋與東莞連接，成為重要的樞紐中心。」為確保質素，廣建非常重視檢測一環，於是在南沙設置廣州建設工程質量安全檢測中心，為集團裝配式建築檢測基地，嚴格檢測大橋組件的鋼結構、地基基礎、物料抗燃程度、甚至燈光的色溫及亮度。

廣建亦負責位於廣州市南沙區萬頃沙廣東省中醫院南沙醫院工程，項目由5幢大樓組成，提供1,200個床位，總建築面積達380,000平方米，是集醫療、教學、研究於一體的大型綜合性醫院，並將成為全球最大規模的中醫醫院。項目根據地域氣候特點和生態建築設計原則，打造符合綠色自然、融合嶺南特色的醫院建築。除此之外，建築過程背後的科技元素亦叫人讚嘆。

在施工管理上，廣建設定了質量管理、安全文明管理等多項指標，獲得多項建築行業獎項。廣建首先要求項目做好樣板引路管理，包括基礎工程施工時每一根工程樁的驗收過程都按照一樁一檔要求做好影像資料記錄；另外工程團隊亦需做好樣板引路管理，按照實施計劃及引路管理制度，落實各個工序樣板，確保與計劃所預定的一致；而實體質量控制方面，團隊在模板驗收、鋼筋綁扎、砌體施工、 底板防水、 混凝土結構實體都要做到一絲不苟。

項目亦結合虛擬實境（VR）技術等資訊科技對員工做好安全教育，包括設立「VR安全教育體驗區」、製作安全教育視頻等。另外，工程團隊亦預先為項目製作漫遊視頻，以便裝修程序時可以看樣定版，用作參考依據。用戶更可以透過VR技術變更裝飾材料、調整光照效果以及實時渲染模型，提高裝修看樣定板效率，另外視頻亦結合720度全景拍攝技術，通過實景720度合成圖像，全方位還原現場裝修樣板間真實情况。

從BIM到3D建模 項目進度實時跟蹤

在科技應用上，南沙醫院工程亦應用了各種技術，包括以BIM為核心，進行項目進度模擬、施工現狀展示和機電BIM深化設計，以統一設計、施工進度管理及人手調動，增加工程安全及效率。由於項目需要拆除工地範圍中的一座高壓電塔，而電塔周邊環境複雜，嚴重影響項目開挖進度，於是BIM團隊通過三維傾斜攝影技術及三維掃描技術，結合施工模擬圖，制定專項施工方案，將電塔拆除的影響降至最低。此項目去年更在第十一屆「龍圖杯」BIM大賽和廣東省第四屆BIM應用大賽獲得施工組一等獎。

為便利施工進度管理，項目把各分項工程的施工進度記錄至BIM模型，一方面作為施工管理紀錄保存，另一方面亦作統計數據基礎及數據分析，以便對設備進行調整，從而監控工程進度控制。最後，團隊亦利用BIM技術深化設計，在醫院立體建模過程中，對設計圖進行校對和深化，審核建築、結構、機電、醫療專項安裝等各專業圖紙，在施工前解决圖紙錯漏問題，儘量避免因設計圖問題引致重做及浪費材料的情況。廣建亦搭建「智慧工地平台」，以BIM技術一體化管理進度、質量、安全，盡量將資訊可視化、線上化，有效預防和改進工程進度，例如對現場工人數量進行統計，在系統中顯示每個區域、樓層、各個工序的工種類別、人員數量，以便實施人力管理，解决傳統管理模式流程規範、數據紀錄、責任歸屬、決策的問題，亦有助後續工程驗收、索賠佐證、實際進度的比對。

何工程師十分欣賞廣州建築完備的產業鏈管理，由生產、檢測、建造等皆能透過智慧科技管理，只要把握好香港面向世界的機遇，廣建定能為大灣區注入新動力，為建造業開拓新紀元。

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