New Kai Tak Sports Park partnership aims to drive smart construction benchmarks

HKT, Hong Kong’s premier telecommunications service provider, has announced a partnership with Kai Tak Sports Park and Hip Hing Engineering to set new benchmarks in smart construction through the use of 5G technology.

With Hong Kong’s long-awaited Kai Tak Sports Park currently under development and expected to be completed in the second half of 2023, HKT, Kai Tak Sports Park Ltd (KTSPL) and Hip Hing Engineering expect that the 5G-powered applications such as mobile management system, robotics and Internet of Things (IoT) will boost work efficiency and communication among construction personnel.

Within the 28-hectare construction site, HKT has built a dedicated 5G network consisting of 5G base stations and numerous 5G routers and Wi-Fi access points. This network empowers real-time simultaneous collaboration between site personnel numbering around 2,000 people enabling large files and huge amount of data to be transmitted at a speed 20 times faster than 4G.

The 5G technology is helping to optimise Building Information Modelling (BIM), while HKT is also delivering a 5G mobile management system at the construction site. Aiming to minimise cabling works while optimising management quality, 4K HDR cameras have been installed on tower cranes.

These cameras with zoom-in function can capture and track individual movements or activities in specific areas of the construction site in real time, empowering effective remote monitoring of the site, and greatly enhancing safety in lifting operations.

The three parties said the Kai Tak Sports Park project team will consider applying more Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology on the construction site to minimise the health and safety risks of workers.

Kenneth Ma, Executive Director of Hip Hing Engineering and Director (design and build) of KTSPL, advised “our vision is to turn Hong Kong into a world-class smart city through our construction expertise, as well as our partnerships with like-minded key stakeholders.

“People-centric design is the core principle to build a smart city. We strive to make use of the latest technology to ensure the safety of workers, to keep track effectively on our project plan and schedule for the project owners, and to set a good standard for the local construction industry.

“We are delighted to join hands with HKT to use 5G technology in the construction site of the city’s most iconic sports infrastructure, to raise the entire safety performance with efficiency, precision and accuracy. In the future, I hope that 5G smart infrastructure solutions will pave new grounds for the construction industry.”

HKT Commercial Group Managing Director, Tom Chan added “HKT strives to revolutionise the construction industry with 5G development and emerging technologies such as IoT and AI applications.

“Through different 5G applications, we boost the BIM performance and make construction safer, smarter and more efficient. It accelerates our progress to help meet the three important goals in the construction industry: total safety, on-time project delivery, and efficiency in construction budget control.”

The 28-hectare park will be part of the redevelopment of the site of the former Hong Kong International Airport at Kai Tak. The Sports Park will feature a 50,000-seat Main Stadium with a retractable roof, an indoor sports arena with up to 10,000 seats, and a public sports ground with a capacity of 5,000 seats. 

These venues will be complemented with extensive public open space, together with retail and dining spaces, with fresh renderings of the project, which has been designed by Populous and will be operated by ASM Global, having been released in December.

KTSPL is the contracted party for the design, build, and operation of Kai Tak Sports Park. Hip Hing Engineering recently outlined how the two parties are tackling the challenges of developing the Park in its in-house newsletter, available here, with HKT now drafted in to aid what is the first construction site in the city to be equipped with a dedicated 5G network infrastructure.

Images: Concept designs for the Kai Tak Sports Park. Credit: Kai Tak Sports Park Limited/Populous.