Using a combination of steel and concrete instead of just concrete in construction projects is the future of the industry as it requires less manpower and projects can be completed much faster, one of the city’s biggest contractors says.

There is just one snag – it is about 24 per cent more expensive.

Chan Chi-fat,  construction manager at Gammon Construction, said if composite steel was used on a high-rise project it would cut the number of workers required on each floor  from 120 to 65.

“This can help tackle the shortage of workers,” Chan said.

Fewer workers were required because different parts of the building could be installed much more easily, he said. Some parts could be prefabricated and then transported to the site.

Chan said projects could be completed about 20 per cent faster with  composite steel, and the material was totally recyclable, so if a building was demolished the steel could be reused for another project.

http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/economy/article/1826598/composite-steel-will-be-future-industry-says-hong-kong

Composite steel is not used in many Hong Kong buildings. Photo: Thinkstock