Turnaround times on construction projects can sometimes move at a breakneck pace and, in that regard, few if any can compare to China.
The nation’s Broad Sustainable Building organization has made a name for themselves for the speed with which they are able to complete projects. Having built the 15-storey Ark Hotel in just six days in 2010, the company has since topped itself, building the 30-storey T30 hotel in a mere 15 days.
Obviously, construction that moves this quickly is bound to raise some eyebrows, not to mention concern over safety standards. The concerns are even greater given that China has seen a rash of infrastructure accidents recently, with many tying the failures to construction teams emphasizing speed over careful practices.
In the cases of the Ark and T30 hotels, however, safety seems to have been a prime consideration. Not only were there no work site injuries reported on either build, the hotels themselves have come with a stamp of approval from China Academy of Building Research. The academy has examined the T30 Hotel and said it was structurally sound enough to withstand an earthquake of 9.0 magnitude, the same category as the devastating Japanese earthquake of 2011.
Broad Sustainable Building’s keys to success include a large labour force – more than 200 workers helped complete the T30 Hotel – and good planning and preparation. All key structural features in the building consist of prefab steel and cement to reduce the amount of work required on the work site itself and to ensure the completed project is extremely solidly-built.
The prefab nature of the building also ensures sustainability, which is boosted with the installation of quadruple-glazed windows and glass walls 15 centimetres thick to provide optimal insulation and thus reduce the need for heating and cooling within the building.
Energy-saving lights have also been installed to help limit the building’s environmental impact.
With the Ark and T30 hotels as prime examples, China is demonstrating that construction projects can be completed quickly and safely while remaining mindful of sustainable building practices. Such buildings could help the burgeoning superpower further position itself as a global leader while shedding its reputation as a nation that places speed and efficiency over the safety of its workers and residents.
