Hong Kong telco HKT is working with Kai Tak Sports Park and Hip Hing Engineering to achieve 5G smart construction. The have built the city’s first construction site with a dedicated 5G network infrastructure.

The cross-industry partnership hopes to realise Hong Kong’s largest sports infrastructure, which is also the first construction site in the city to be equipped with a dedicated 5G network infrastructure.

Together with a series of 5G applications, the project aims to revolutionise the construction industry and set benchmarks in smart construction.

Kai Tak Sports Park’s world-class sports facilities will strengthen sports development in Hong Kong. HKT, KTSP and Hip Hing Engineering share the common goal of achieving smart construction and have equipped the sports park’s construction site with dedicated 5G coverage.

This includes 5G-powered applications such as a mobile management system, robotics and IoT to boost work efficiency and communications among construction workers.

Within the 28-hectare construction site, HKT has built a dedicated 5G network consisting of 5G base stations and numerous 5G routers and wifi access points. This network empowers real-time simultaneous collaboration between site personnel of about 2000 people, and enables large files and huge amount of data to be transmitted at a speed 20 times faster than 4G.

The 5G technology optimises building information modelling (BIM) and increases project constructability while saving time and cost.

HKT is also delivering a 5G mobile management system at the construction site.

Aiming to reduce 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 enhancing safety in lifting operation.

Kai Tak Sports Park project team will consider applying more artificial intelligence (AI) technology on the construction site to reduce the health and safety risks of workers.

“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,” said Kenneth Ma, executive director of Hip Hing Engineering and director of KTSPL. “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, in the extent to efficiency, precision and accuracy. In the future, I hope that 5G smart infrastructure will pave new grounds for the construction industry.”

Tom Chan, managing director of HKT’s commercial group, added: “HKT strives to revolutionise the construction industry with 5G development and emerging technologies such as IoT and AI applications. HKT is honoured to participate in this project with Hip Hing Engineering to construct a world-class sports infrastructure in Hong Kong. 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.”

Kai Tak Sports Park is an integrated sports, leisure and entertainment destination that is expected to be completed in the second half of 2023. The 28-hectare park will be part of the redevelopment on 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 5000 seats.

The KTSPL project team comprises local and global companies with experience in the design, construction, venue management, sales and marketing, retail and operation of large scale projects, as well as the management of major sports venues. Key members include Hip Hing Engineering, Populous and ASM Global.

Hip Hing Engineering is wholly owned by NWS Holdings.