A large array of newly developed products and technologies for smart construction is on display at the 2024 China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS) in Beijing, demonstrating how smart manufacturing facilities can make engineering more efficient and energy-saving.
At the Shougang Park in western capital city, one of the major exhibition areas of this year's CIFTIS, a total of 123 leading construction enterprises from home and abroad have been showcasing their groundbreaking achievements of intelligent engineering construction.
One of the highlights is an unmanned tower crane designed by China Construction Eighth Engineering Division. With multiple sensors and intelligent control systems, the equipment can be operated remotely and reduce costs by more than one-third.
The product is part of the company's engineering solution of 5G smart construction sites. The overall architecture of the system is supported by a 5G telecom network and various advanced technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI), blockchain, and Internet of Things (IoT). According its developer, the solution enables effective labor management, workplace safety inspection and quality control.
"The 'smart construction site' significantly reduces costs, saving about 70 to 80 percent, which greatly lowers our management expenses," said Liu Dawei, design manager at General Contracting Company Beijing Branch of China Construction Eighth Engineering Division.
China Construction First Group showcases its containerized concrete modules at the exhibition. This structure, integrating interior and exterior decorations, electromechanical, equipment piping, kitchen and sanitary facilities, can be directly lifted and assemble together, making house construction as easy as building blocks.
"The modules produced by the factory are already rooms with decoration done. When assembling them on site, we mainly use the dry operation including welding and bolted connection, free from the need for another concrete pouring. This approach significantly shortens the construction period and minimizes weather-related limitations, allowing an early completion of the entire building," said Ruan Hao, head of the design manager department of the Design and Research Institute under China Construction First Group.
The five-day CIFTIS 2024 kicked off simultaneously at the China National Convention Center (CNCC) in eastern Beijing and the Shougang Park in the western capital area on Thursday, spotlighting the latest achievements and trends of trade in services, with activities ranging from summits and exhibitions to business negotiations and promotions, as well as achievement releases.
Smart construction technologies displayed at CIFTIS 2024
More users of new energy vehicles (NEVs) are hitting the road during this year’s National Day holiday, as an expanded public charging network in China is significantly alleviating range anxiety for drivers.
Since Tuesday, the first day of the week-long holiday, expressways in east China's Jiangsu Province have seen daily traffic exceed 150,000 vehicles, with nearly 10 percent being NEVs. In Taizhou City, a service area reported all 12 charging piles occupied around 14:00 on Wednesday.
"The number of charging piles has doubled, and they are all fast chargers. What's even more reassuring is that the staff are always here to serve us, which really eases my range anxiety," said Meng Haoyang, a NEV driver.
Similar scenes were observed in Anhui Province, where electric vehicles are arriving for charging every ten minutes at a service area equipped with 16 functioning charging piles available around-the-clock.
"It is quite convenient to charge our vehicles here since there are staff providing full service, which reduces our waiting time," said Jiang Hao, another NEV driver.
A famous tourist attraction, the Shimen Village in Wuyuan County, Jiangxi Province has drawn an increasing number of visitors going on holiday via electric vehicles, thanks to the construction of a new EV charging station.
"It is very convenient. The car is parked outside being charged while we're enjoying our tour around the village. Things can be done simultaneously without delay," said a tourist Wan Qian.
Data from the State Grid's smart vehicle networking platform showed EV charging volume at expressway stations reached a record 15.58 million kilowatt-hours during the first two days of the holiday, up 56 percent from the same period last year.
Local authorities are actively fostering a user-friendly environment to accommodate the surge in EV traffic.
In Pinghu City, Zhejiang Province, three mobile charging stations have been added to a service area on the busy Shenyang-Haikou Expressway to resolve drivers' range anxiety and offer more flexible charging options.
"We have prepared mobile charging piles in service areas with large traffic and charging demand for the holiday, guiding drivers to charge in an orderly and fast manner," said Zhu Zhenyuan, a staff member from the State Grid Pinghu Power Supply Company.
The coverage of charging stations has been further expanded across the country.
In Hanzhong, Shaanxi Province, charging facilities are available in all service areas and tourist attractions.
In Xiaogan, Hubei Province, 600 villages and rural scenic spots have been equipped with charging stations during this holiday, greatly facilitating tourist trips and family visits for EVs owners.
Expanded charging network boosts NEV use during National Day holiday
