Hong Kong often feels like a city permanently under construction. The inescapable sound of jackhammering, endless stretches of bamboo scaffolding and green netting overhead, and daily lines of helmeted men and women queuing for lunchboxes are all too familiar. These everyday scenes tell a story of an industry that, until recently, has relied on methods developed a century ago or more.

 

However, there’s a significant change afoot in the construction sector, visible in the densely populated Kowloon neighborhood of Cheung Sha Wan. On the corner of Tonkin Street stands Hong Kong’s first private residential project utilizing the Modular Integrated Construction (MiC) methodology—a smarter and more sustainable way to shape our urban landscape.

 

Typically, building construction resembles the popular playroom favorite, LEGO: hand-assembled, one piece at a time. It’s a time-consuming and labor-intensive process. MiC, however, efficiently stacks almost complete apartments on top of each other, rapidly and safely, with the help of cranes. These self-contained modules arrive fully equipped with glazing, plumbing, wiring, bathrooms, and kitchens. This means that all the labor-intensive work traditionally done on-site, hundreds of feet above the ground, is now completed in a safer, indoor environment. Workers are protected from the elements, there’s no need to work at dangerous heights, and technology and automation play a significant role in boosting efficiency and quality control throughout the process.

 

Speaking about Modular Integrated Construction, Chinachem Group hopes that its pioneering efforts will lead to broader adoption of modular construction in the city. The advantages for the surrounding community are substantial—reduced noise, less waste, shorter construction times—benefiting everyone. Additionally, there are significant economic and safety benefits. The Group is proud to be the first and knows it won’t be the last.

 

The environmental advantages of this approach are also impressive. For the Tonkin Street project, on-site labor is estimated to be reduced by 70%, noise by 65%, construction waste by 65%, and carbon emissions are minimized. These notable benefits are why Chinachem is next deploying MiC in a 2,000-apartment project in Tung Chung, which will be the city’s tallest modular residential project upon completion.

 

The Tonkin Street project marks the start of a smarter future for the construction industry in Hong Kong, and Chinachem is proud to be pioneering a more sustainable approach to creating places with heart.