Elephant has recently completed two milestone projects: the first is the supply and installation of Public Address and Audio-Visual systems in the newly renovated and expanded Hong Kong Museum of Art, for which the construction started at the end of 2015. Elephant expanded the previous PA system into the newly added “The Wing” galleries on the ground floor and first floor annex, as well as “The Lab” and “The Attic” special exhibition galleries on the fifth floor, which offers a panoramic view of the Victoria Harbour with floor-to-ceiling glass windows. The Multi-Function Hall on the first floor, as well as the Lecture Hall in the basement have also been retrofitted with a brand-new AV over IP network system, to allow for live-casting across either location during various artists’ talks and performance events. We are proud to have taken part in this art and cultural landmark project, and are looking forward to returning as visitors after the official re-opening of the Museum in November this year.

The second is the installation of AV system for the Building Information Modelling for Asset Management (BIM-AM) Training Centre at the headquarters of the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department (EMSD), located in Kowloon Bay. The Building Information Modelling for Asset Management (BIM-AM) Standards and Guidelines is based on asset templates developed by EMSD, which summarizes information needed for over 21 types of Electrical and Mechanical (E&M) systems that require maintenance services in Hong Kong. The BIM-AM Standards standardizes BIM modelling, coding and information compiled during the construction stage to handover for building operation. During design and construction stage, BIM is used as a design visualization and coordination tool. Meanwhile, asset information should be gradually built up in the BIM model so that by the end of the construction stage, the BIM model becomes an Asset Information Model (AIM) for handover to asset management.

The BIM-AM System makes fault reporting and job assignment much easier and faster for all concerned for the repair and maintenance of building systems, as a pre-diagnosis of a fault’s root cause can be made offsite anywhere, anytime, thanks to the rich, real-time 3D information available. The BIM-AM System also works with ad-hoc wireless devices such as sensors and CCTV cameras to capture enriched real-time data for fault analysis. Onsite repair can also become faster and more effective, with easier safety compliance and documentation, streamlining processes in real life applications. It can also embed high quality, animated 3D repair manuals from manufacturers that can be accessed anywhere anytime to make repairs easier. The BIM-AM System has applications outside of routine operations and maintenance, for instance during the preparation of Alterations, Additions and Improvement (AA&I) works.