Singapore’s push to become a smart nation has led to the built environment sector’s increasing adoption of Integrated Digital Delivery (IDD) technologies in recent years.

One of IDD’s key benefits is that buildings are expected to be constructed in a shorter time, at a lower cost and be of higher quality arising from improved defect detection and inspections. Contractors who are early adopters of IDD said they have cut construction time by 35% to 39%.

Guan Ho Construction, the main contractor of the Punggol Town Hub, is one of these early adopters. IDD has allowed Guan Ho Construction to visualise, coordinate, communicate and build more efficiently and effectively with project partners, including suppliers and sub-contractors.

Here’s a look at the key digital solutions that Guan Ho Construction implemented during the design and construction stages for this community and lifestyle hub, set to be unveiled in Punggol come 2021.

Virtual Reality (VR) and Building Information Modelling (BIM)

With the use of VR technology to render designs in real-time, project discussions became more efficient and meaningful.

The use of Building Information Modelling (BIM) also meant that the project team could better inspect interfacing connections between structural steel beams and precast columns in 3D, instead of looking at 2D drawings.

Guan Ho Construction is an early adopter of IDD technologies such as BIM.

Drones

Drones were used to capture real-time aerial images of the construction site, which eased progress checks during the construction stage. Compared to traditional site walks, drones managed to save about a third of the usual time taken.

Cloud Collaboration

By sharing project data using cloud-based tools, everyone was able to work as a team in real-time. This paved the way for improvements in communication, collaboration and decision-making, as well as an estimated 20% in time savings.

Logistics Tracking Platform

Guan Ho Construction worked closely with their structural steel fabricator Kong Hwee Iron Works and precaster Eastern Pretech to set up a logistics tracking platform for structural elements such as precast columns and structural steel beams.

The platform, which is based on a QR-code system, allows for real-time tracking of the prefabricated components. The result? Efficient inventory control during fabrication, efficient allocation of space for materials on-site, and efficient monitoring of structural elements delivery to minimise delays.

About Punggol Town Hub

Punggol Town Hub is a community and lifestyle hub, managed by the People's Association (PA). It will bring together programmes and services from multiple agencies, catering to the needs of over 146,000 residents in Punggol.

The new facilities include a hawker centre, regional library, childcare centre and healthcare facilities. The hub will also include a revamped Punggol Vista Community Centre, which will be about seven times the size of the current void deck community centre.

The hub will be located opposite the Waterway Point shopping mall and next to the upcoming Punggol Regional Sports Centre.