A View on Shaping a Resilient Future for Hong Kong: A Q&A with Chloe Tong

A growing city, Hong Kong is a major international business, trade and financial hub in Asia. [1] Jacobs has a legacy of more than 50 years in Hong Kong, helping accelerate the city’s vision to create a lasting, positive legacy for generations to come. 

With our design, engineering, program management and consulting and advisory capabilities, we’re solving major problems the city is facing - from urbanization, climate change, logistics and digital proliferation to security, water scarcity, and challenges around investment partnerships and mega infrastructure.

This series of Q&As introduces you to our visionaries helping realize Hong Kong’s sustainability and resilience goals. 

In this article, meet Chloe Tong, one of our senior engineers, who discusses her journey and how we’re helping shape Hong Kong’s future.

Hi, Chloe. Please tell us a bit about your background and your role. 

I am a structural engineer with over ten years of experience in civil and structural engineering. 

My experience includes project administration, project coordination, land resumption, site planning, designing infrastructure, foundation systems, 100 meters (328 feet) tall superstructures, public transport interchange and delivering temporary works for high-rise buildings. 

Over the past six years, I’ve been extensively involved in our government infrastructure projects in Hong Kong. This includes hands-on project coordination in delivering The Civil Engineering and Development Department (CEDD) Mountain Bike Trails, the Agri-Park at Kwu Tung South and the Reassembly of Queen’s Pier. 

I also lead project coordination, including day-to-day project administration and liaison with CEDD and various departments on statutory and government submissions, management and maintenance, and tender document preparation. Additionally, I lead the structural design for a project with the Hong Kong Housing Authority.

Is there a project you’re particularly proud of?

One of the projects I’m excited to have been part of is CEDD’s South Lantau Mountain Bike Trails (MBT) network. We were brought onboard as an engineering consultant for the project to improve and expand the MBT network while preserving the natural environment. Our team helped establish the impressive 4.5-hectare (11.1 acres) Mui Wo Mountain Bike Practice Ground in Lantau South Country Park. It’s a first of its kind practice ground in Hong Kong and one of the largest MBT practice grounds in all of Asia. The site features trails designed for various skill levels, along with supporting facilities and new technical features, appealing to biking enthusiasts – be it novices or experts.

I’m also proud to be on the team bringing the 80-hectare (197.6 acres) Agri-Park in Kwu Tung South - a crucial part of CEDD’s 5-year strategic plan to build a livable, resilient and sustainable Hong Kong. Once complete, it’s expected to produce an additional 4,000 tonnes (4409 tons) of vegetables annually, over and above the current annual harvest of 14,900 tonnes (16,424 tons). This will help address the food security needs of the city and spark positive socio-economic changes for generations to come.

Another project I’m currently working on is delivering engineering services for the structural and geotechnical design of Public Housing Development at Tung Chung Area 23 Phase 1. This project is part of government’s initiative to develop the Tung Chung New Town into a comprehensively planned new town complete with community facilities – a significant project addressing the needs of increasing population in Hong Kong. It involves the construction of a housing block atop a two-story podium and a refuse collection point block connected by a footbridge. The domestic block consists of 19 domestic stories with about 475 flats. The podium has a car park for private cars, motorcycles and bicycles, covered parking spaces for light goods vehicles, and loading/unloading bays at grade. The refuse collection point block contains estate management offices, E&M service units and a refuse collection point.

Another project that I’m delighted to lead is the Hong Kong Housing Authority’s (HKHA) footbridge project. The proposed footbridge will span 80 meters (262 feet) and will feature the innovative use of warren truss structures – a structural system using a weight-saving design based on equilateral triangles. Another interesting aspect of the project is the use of dampers (rarely used in Hong Kong) to achieve the client’s requirements and the latest design standards as well as tackle site constraints.   

What’s an emerging challenge in Hong Kong that needs to be addressed? 

Redeveloping old communities! Considering these communities developed over a period of 50 years, most buildings in the city are old, low-rise and do not comply with the latest building ordinance. Redeveloping these old communities is necessary to not only adhere to the new building ordinance but also accommodate the city’s increasing population.

What advice would you give to young professionals entering the industry?

Being in a solutions and advisory role means solving problems with teammates, not alone. My advice to young professionals is to foster a team-oriented mindset and recognize that the best solutions often emerge from the collective efforts of all team members. 

What do you enjoy most about being part of #OurJacobs?

At Jacobs, “we do things right” – this is the most exciting part for me in our endeavor to make the world smarter, more connected and more sustainable. 

I enjoy working with our talented teammates and consultants not just in Hong Kong but across the globe and together bring projects to life. There are truly no regional boundaries at #OurJacobs, and this has enabled me to work with different cultures.