Standardized prefabricated components are widely used in the construction of
public housing blocks in Hong Kong for many years. The most popular forms of
building in the public housing construction include Harmony and Concord blocks.
The construction of these blocks include large amount of prefabricated components
such as precast facades, staircases, tie beams and semi-precast slabs.
In late 90's, Hip Hing completed Yat Tung Estate, Sam
Mau Ping Estate, Kam Fung Court, Chung On Estate, Fu Cheong Estate by using standard
Housing Authority Precast Facade units. 2 projects in Lei Muk Shue Estate and
Kwai Chung Estate Redevelopment are being constructed by the same method.
Apart from the public housing projects, precast construction technology is rarely
used in private section. After years of research and development, we has successfully
promoted and developed the pioneer precast construction technology in a private
residential development at Greig Road
(Case 1 - Private Residential Development
at Greig Road). This is the first private sector project to adopt a combination
of aluminium formwork with precast concrete facade, Lost-form (a slim precast
concrete panel used as permanent formwork finished with external tiles for in-situ
concreting) and semi-precast balcony as the construction method. External scaffolding
is only required at the lightwell area. This new construction method considerably
reduces the site environmental nuisance during construction period.
Following the successful experience in Greig Road project, we collaborate with clients and consultants of 3 private residential projects
(Case 2 - Private Residential Development at Park Road, Bonham Road and Kennedy New Town Praya) to change the traditional construction to precast method. The external wall of the 3 projects have been built by using the tower crane to lift and place the precast facade or Lost-form units one by one without any apparent external construction works at site. All the precast components have been completed with external tiles, aluminium windows and air-conditioner platforms, saving a lot of time in erecting and dismantling external scaffoldings for those external finishing works.
In 2003, precast construction method goes to another milestone by introducing precast structural wall units and precast bathroom and kitchen completed with both internal and external finishes in a private residential project at Fu Tei (Case 3 - Private Residential Development at Fu Tei). Total in-situ concreting works has been reduced by 50% in volume. Wet trade works in kitchen and bathroom are mostly completed in factory before they have been delivered to site for installation. Site works for the Fu Tei project is scheduled to commence in late-2003.
