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The Inauguration Ceremony of EMPQS was held today (September 14, 2001). The Honourable Tang Ying Yen, Henry, Steward of the Hong Kong Jockey Club and Mr Kwong Hon Sang, Chairman, Board of Directors of JCRIC (former Secretary for Works), and Professor Ian Davies, Vice-Chancellor of HKU officiated at the ceremony.
With the rapid urban development of Hong Kong, there are frequent needs for road excavation to facilitate infrastructure and land development. Each year, the Highways Department processes over 23,000 requests for Excavation Permits. The requesters will need to collect the underground utilities information beforehand. This reflects the immense market need for timely access to up-to-date underground utilities information. Presently handled using manual workflow, collection of underground utilities information, known as Mark Plant Circulation (MPC), from one single utility undertaker takes 8 to 12 weeks to complete. The processing time would be even longer should information from all utility undertakers be required. With the full implementation of the EMPQS, the processing time of MPC is expected to be cut to within seven working days while reduce the operation costs incurred to various parties by 90%.
Professor Ian Davies, HKU's Vice-Chancellor, said, "With the JCRIC's aim to serve as a one-stop supplier of slope, ground, utility services and site history information, this system will speed up the information review process, saving time and effort, and enhancing the standard of slope safety, land planning and infrastructure development. This in turn will be of particular importance to the infrastructure development of society as a whole."
Mr Kwong Hon Sang, Chairman, Board of Directors of JCRIC and former Secretary for Works of HKSAR Government further pointed out that the Centre was working closely with the Mainland scientists. He said that, our knowledge in slope management could be applied to fast developing hilly cities on the Mainland such as Chongqing; conversely, Mainland's expertise in natural terrain landslip, especially debris flow assessment and reduction, would be invaluable to engineers in Hong Kong. He added that, from the cooperative efforts between Hong Kong and the Mainland, it was anticipated that local engineers would further sharpen their skills and thus gain prominence on the Mainland and overseas.
The Honourable Henry Tang, Steward of The Hong Kong Jockey Club, said, "Land is one of our most precious resources. Land development has to be carefully planned so that we can make the most out of this scarce resource. This is especially so when we are considering the redevelopment of urban built-up areas, where numerous utility pipes and ducts are buried underground, delivering to every household electricity, water, gas and telecommunication services. As many of us can testify, disruption of these utility services, and the road-digging that accompanies it, cause much inconvenience to our lives, not to mention the tremendous loss to the economy. The availability of accurate and timely utility services information is crucial to the development of the territory." He stated that the Hong Kong Jockey Club fully supported the development of EMPQS, which had seamlessly integrated powerful computer technology with the construction industry.
The development of EMPQS is funded by the Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust and administered through the Chief Executive's Community Projects. The Hong Kong Cable Television Ltd, New T & T Ltd, New World Telephone Ltd and Transport Department have given the Centre their support and participate in EMPQS as corporate partners.
Inauguration Ceremony of Electronic Mark Plant Query System
14 Sep 2001
After two and a half years of incessant efforts, the Jockey Club Research and Information Centre for Landslip Prevention and Land Development (JCRIC) established in the University of Hong Kong (HKU) announces that a system to facilitate efficient transaction of underground utilities has completed. It is the "Electronic Mark Plant Query System" (EMPQS).
The Inauguration Ceremony of EMPQS was held today (September 14, 2001). The Honourable Tang Ying Yen, Henry, Steward of the Hong Kong Jockey Club and Mr Kwong Hon Sang, Chairman, Board of Directors of JCRIC (former Secretary for Works), and Professor Ian Davies, Vice-Chancellor of HKU officiated at the ceremony.
With the rapid urban development of Hong Kong, there are frequent needs for road excavation to facilitate infrastructure and land development. Each year, the Highways Department processes over 23,000 requests for Excavation Permits. The requesters will need to collect the underground utilities information beforehand. This reflects the immense market need for timely access to up-to-date underground utilities information. Presently handled using manual workflow, collection of underground utilities information, known as Mark Plant Circulation (MPC), from one single utility undertaker takes 8 to 12 weeks to complete. The processing time would be even longer should information from all utility undertakers be required. With the full implementation of the EMPQS, the processing time of MPC is expected to be cut to within seven working days while reduce the operation costs incurred to various parties by 90%.
Professor Ian Davies, HKU's Vice-Chancellor, said, "With the JCRIC's aim to serve as a one-stop supplier of slope, ground, utility services and site history information, this system will speed up the information review process, saving time and effort, and enhancing the standard of slope safety, land planning and infrastructure development. This in turn will be of particular importance to the infrastructure development of society as a whole."
Mr Kwong Hon Sang, Chairman, Board of Directors of JCRIC and former Secretary for Works of HKSAR Government further pointed out that the Centre was working closely with the Mainland scientists. He said that, our knowledge in slope management could be applied to fast developing hilly cities on the Mainland such as Chongqing; conversely, Mainland's expertise in natural terrain landslip, especially debris flow assessment and reduction, would be invaluable to engineers in Hong Kong. He added that, from the cooperative efforts between Hong Kong and the Mainland, it was anticipated that local engineers would further sharpen their skills and thus gain prominence on the Mainland and overseas.
The Honourable Henry Tang, Steward of The Hong Kong Jockey Club, said, "Land is one of our most precious resources. Land development has to be carefully planned so that we can make the most out of this scarce resource. This is especially so when we are considering the redevelopment of urban built-up areas, where numerous utility pipes and ducts are buried underground, delivering to every household electricity, water, gas and telecommunication services. As many of us can testify, disruption of these utility services, and the road-digging that accompanies it, cause much inconvenience to our lives, not to mention the tremendous loss to the economy. The availability of accurate and timely utility services information is crucial to the development of the territory." He stated that the Hong Kong Jockey Club fully supported the development of EMPQS, which had seamlessly integrated powerful computer technology with the construction industry.
The development of EMPQS is funded by the Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust and administered through the Chief Executive's Community Projects. The Hong Kong Cable Television Ltd, New T & T Ltd, New World Telephone Ltd and Transport Department have given the Centre their support and participate in EMPQS as corporate partners.
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