Eminence Terrace I is the first completed Dedicated Rehousing Estate* in Hong Kong, and the first subsidised housing project built using concrete modular integrated construction (MiC) techniques. Situated in Hung Shui Kiu in the western New Territories, the building holds 300 one- to three-bedroom units ranging in size from 367 to 622 square feet, with 80% of the materials used in a typical floor being precast or having MiC elements.
Eminence Terrace I’s MiC construction created significant material and time savings, dramatically reducing the building’s carbon footprint while enhancing productivity, quality and site safety during construction. It also speeded up the project’s construction significantly; shortening the superstructure work timeline by more than 10%. The building is made up of 1,225 individual modules, with a typical floor having 49 modules of 13 different types. The unit balconies, which are waterproof and integrated into MiC modules, were also completed in a factory.
The building follows a “practical but not extravagant” design principle, offering comprehensive ancillary facilities in addition to the residential units, including a clubhouse, gym, multifunction rooms, a landscaped garden, and a children’s play area. The project also enhances the ecological value of its surroundings through tree planting and landscaping with a diverse mix of trees, shrubs and ground cover that will flower throughout the year. The greenery also visually screens the building’s lower floors and provides a barrier against noise and dust.
Exhaustive studies were conducted during the design phase of the project. These examined ecological connectivity, water consumption, air quality, daylighting, and wind and noise impacts on the surrounding neighbourhood. The results of these studies led to several sustainable design aspects that are considered innovative in public housing projects, including a significant building setback, single-sided natural ventilation, high site greenery coverage and new MiC techniques like mounting cables and water pipes inside walls, and having cabinetry, sanitary appliances and finishing processes completed in a factory before being delivered to the site. These aspects also improved overall quality control and reduced construction waste and the project’s carbon footprint.
*Dedicated Rehousing Estates accommodate residents of older buildings that are affected by the numerous urban redevelopment and renewal projects currently being conducted across Hong Kong to maximise land use efficiency.
