The Construction Industry Council (CIC) – a platform to promote sustainable construction in the construction industry – announced that two Gammon projects were the top winners at the Sustainable Construction Awards at a virtual presentation ceremony on 13 November.

Sai Sha Road Widening Works, a Sanfield-Gammon Construction Joint Venture project, received the Contractor Gold Award in the New Works category and the University of Hong Kong (HKU) Medical Complex Extension project won the Contractor Silver Award in the Repairs, Maintenance, Alterations and Additions (RMAA) category.

This year’s winners were selected after careful consideration of performance in terms of corporate culture, stakeholder engagement, environmental measures, supply-chain management and the adoption of environmental measures.

In the case of the Shap Sze Heung Comprehensive Development – Sai Sha Road Widening Works – for a 2km long live traffic road – for example, close collaboration between various stakeholders was essential. Holistic, digital tree management was undertaken to transplant and ensure the continued existence of twin venerable trees. Use of low-carbon concrete and a solar PV system for site electrification significantly reduced the project’s carbon footprint, while a Hybrid Reality Platform enhanced sustainable construction.

The HKU Medical Complex Extension (MCE) is an RMAA project involving the existing campus, and the works involve demolition and construction of new facilities – principally a new three-storey, steel annex structure with a curving wall and a circular boardroom roof that together combine to make a striking low-rise addition to Hong Kong’s diverse urban landscape.

The HKU Medical Complex Extension building will achieve Platinum building environmental assessment method (BEAM) rating and Plus New Building 2.0 Pilot. Construction was undertaken next to the operational HKU building, which meant that project works had to be as unintrusive as possible. Innovative methods included saw-cutting slabs and taking waste concrete material offsite for breaking and recycling into environmental pavers, successfully increasing the recycling rate from 30 per cent to 60 per cent.

Wong Chun Kit, Construction Supervisor, was also recognised with an Outstanding Award for Young Practitioner for the HKU Medical Complex Extension and Michael Wong, Senior Construction Manager, won the Excellent Award for Construction Manager for the Sai Sha Project.