SHKP Quarterly

process. In the Group’s project in Shap Sze Heung, for example, solar panels were installed to generate renewable energy, which provides electricity for the on-site offices and can be sold to an electricity company. The Department also strikes a balance between project development and environmental conservation when planning the construction workflow. Desmond explained, “To preserve giant native twin trees in the Shap Sze Heung project, our landscaping division partnered with our associates and subcontractors to adopt leading-edge technologies in the tree transplantation process. A large number of mobile sensors were installed to monitor the real-time health of the trees; and for the first time in Hong Kong, an integrated double self- propelled modular transporter was used for the move, which significantly reduced labour, time and safety risks.” The project won the gold award in the CIC Sustainable Construction Award and received the silver award in the Innovative Safety Initiative Award in 2020, reflecting widespread recognition by the industry. Leveraging innovative technology to improve efficiency and reduce consumption In recent years, the Group has deployed new methods, including Building Information Modelling (BIM), to substantially enhance the precision of project design and construction efficiency. Desmond said, “Since we adopted BIM, we have increased our construction efficiency with less waste. It has helped us achieve remarkably improved environmental performance in our projects.” The Construction Department has also utilized other innovative construction methods, such as the extensive use of prefabricated steel reinforcing bars and a new method of leveraging turntables to install a dual-use bridge weighing 638 tonnes. These methods have resulted in increased work efficiency and reduced resource consumption. Developing intelligent construction sites Employees are the Group’s valuable assets. To improve the environment and safety level on wo r k sites, the Cons tr uc tion Depar tment recently spearheaded the and they are required to undergo temperature checks and fill out health declaration forms before entering the sites. Desmond said, “If a confirmed case is found, work on the site will be suspended at once, virus tests will be arranged immediately for all employees and workers on the site, and thorough disinfection will be carried out. The site will not resume operations until a negative test result for all workers has been obtained.” Valuing talent cultivation and creativity The Group’s Construction Department places great emphasis on nurturing the younger generation through a wide range of training and apprenticeship programmes. To provide practical work experience for young people, more than 100 construction-related students from universities and other tertiary institutions were recruited last summer to take part in internships in the Department. Desmond pointed out, “The differences between theory and real-world practice are often a conundrum for graduates. Through systematic training and apprenticeships, we hope that the apprentices will gain valuable practical experience and learn how to communicate and work with their colleagues and other workers. During the training, mentors regularly monitor the progress of the apprentices and maintain close ties and communication.” According to Desmond, the extra effort and time colleagues have invested are worthwhile because the participants highly treasure the learning opportunities, and over 90% of them are interested in working in the Group after graduation. He remarked that continuous improvement is not only part of the Group’s corporate culture, but also a core belief in the Construction Department. The construction teams have actively participated in the Group’s annual Quality Raising and Work Safety Suggestion Schemes with innovative solutions, many of which have been deployed in various d e v e l opment s . “ T h e G roup supp o r t s innov ation by inves ting consider able resources, and the construction teams enjoy taking on challenges with a strong pursuit of excellence. The more job satisfaction our colleagues get, the greater sense of belonging to the company they develop,” he said. intelligent transformation of construction sites, including the integrated commercial development at 98 How Ming Street, Kwun Tong. In addition to introducing virtual reality training to heighten workers’ safety awareness, the Department collaborated with SmarTone to develop a solution, named ‘SmartWorks’, to make site operations more efficient and to better protect workers. The solution equips workers with smart helmets, which integrate Internet of Things (IoT) sensors and GPS tracking, allowing workers’ attendance records, as well as their real-time health condition, to be closely monitored on- site. The smart helmet also has an emergency button that can trigger an SOS signal either automatically or manually in case of an accident to ensure workers’ safety. To achieve the goal of zero accidents on construction sites, the Group has established a safety management system and conducts regular external audits, covering the Real Estate Developers Association of Hong Kong (REDA), ISO 45001:2018, and the Factories and Industrial Undertakings (Safety Management) (F&IU). “We also carry out routine internal inspections, and various safety award schemes are in place to recognize project teams with outstanding safety performance,” said Desmond. “We believe that healthy competition will help us continuously improve site safety.” Safeguarding workers’ well-being amid the pandemic At the start of the COVID-19 outbreak, the Group swiftly took a series of measures to protect the safety and health of its employees. For example, the Group successfully purchased surgical masks from overseas when there were insufficiencies in Hong Kong early last year, and distributed them to employees, workers and people in need in the community. Apart from stepping up cleaning and disinfection on all work sites, the Construction Department set up individual rest and dining spaces and installed temperature sensors, while providing alcohol hand sanitizers and other disinfecting supplies. At present, all site employees and workers must hold valid proof of a negative COVID-19 test result, Sust a inab l e deve l opment def inite l y requires more resources and ca ref u l consider a tion . Thanks to senior management’s suppor t and increasing recognition from our staf f and workers , t h e G r ou p ’ s Co n s t r u c t i o n De p a r tme n t h a s c o n t i n u ou s l y imp r o v e d i t s E SG p e r f o rma n c e . 要推動可持續發展，無疑要投放更多資源和心思。除得到管理層支持，同事以至工友都愈發認同相關理念，使集 團建築部在 ESG 的表現不斷進步。 19