PROJECT DETAILS
Client:
Hong Kong SAR Government
Date:
2015-2019
Location:
Hong Kong
Project Background
The Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macau Bridge (HZMB) is a bridge–tunnel system spanning 55 kilometers (34 miles) consisting of a series of three cable-stayed bridges, an undersea tunnel, and four artificial islands with border crossing facilities. It is currently the longest sea crossing as well as the longest open-sea fixed link in the world. The HZMB spans the Lingding and Jiuzhou channels, connecting Hong Kong, Macau, and Zhuhai — the major cities outlining the south-west and south-east ends of the Pearl River Delta in China.
Scope of Commission
AEE was commissioned to provide energy modelling services and energy analysis for the border crossing facilities on the Hong Kong side, in particular the following buildings:
- Customs and Excise Department Building providing accommodation, customs and immigration facilities
- Fire Station, and
- Police Station.
As part of the project, AEE’s building physics team modelled the sea-water-cooled district cooling system serving all facilities on the island. The energy studies were fundamental for achieving Platinum-level certification under the BEAM Plus for New Buildings (BEAM NB v1.2) rating scheme.
Further Information
Construction of the Hong Kong – Zhuhai – Macau Bridge project began on 15 December 2009 on the Chinese side, with Vice Premier of China and Politburo Standing member Li Keqiang holding the commencement ceremony. Construction of the Hong Kong section of the project began in December 2011. The last bridge tower was erected in June 2016, while the last straight-element of the 4,860-metre-long (15,940 ft) straight section of the sub-marine tunnel was installed in July 2016, while the final tunnel joint was installed in May 2017. Construction of the Main Bridge, consisting of a viaduct and an undersea tunnel, was completed in July 2017, and the entire construction project was completed on 6 February 2018.
The Main Bridge section includes a 22.9-km (14.2 mi) viaduct and a 6.7-km (4.2 mi) immersed tube undersea tunnel that runs between two artificial islands, the Blue Dolphin Island on the west and the White Dolphin Island on the east. The viaduct crosses the Pearl River estuary with three cable-stayed bridges spanning between 280 and 460 metres (920 and 1,510 ft), allowing shipping traffic to pass underneath.
Under Hong Kong jurisdiction, the Hong Kong Link Road was built by the Highways Department of the Government of Hong Kong SAR to connect the Main Bridge to the artificial island housing the Hong Kong Boundary Crossing Facilities (HKBCF). This section includes a 9.4-km (5.8 mi) viaduct, a 1-km (0.62 mi) Scenic Hill Tunnel and a 1.6-km (1.0-mi) at-grade road along the east coast of the Chek Lap Kok. The HKBCF cooling and air-conditioning is provided by a central District Cooling Plant located on the artificial island.
