A Consultant’s Perspective on Design and Build Tunnelling Projects in Hong Kong

While aspects of geotechnical design are particularly challenging in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) with rega rds to building in the physical environment, a consultant’s role in the management of design and build tunnelling projects can be as equally demanding.

This paper will discuss the prescriptive nature of the HKSAR government approval process and the impact that this can have on innovative design. On Design and Build (D & B) projects the process of concurrent design puts even greater demands on consultants acting as the intermediary between the contractor and government approval departments.

Aspects of manag ing business relationships and working within the government approval system will also be discussed within the context of the authors experience on the China Light and Power HK Limited (CLP) Tsz Wan Shan cable tunnel project.