The new campus of the University of Macau (UM), with more than 80 buildings, covers approximately one square kilometre, which is about one thirtieth the size of Macao. The tight construction schedule and the technical complexity of the construction works have presented an extraordinary challenge for the university. What preparations and follow-up work does UM need to do to make sure the relocation can be completed in a smooth manner with minimum negative impact on teaching and research activities? This issue of umagazine has the latest.
1. Environmental Protection and Cooling Systems
The water recycling system, natural gas system and solar water heating system on the new campus will constitute the largest environmental protection system Macao has ever seen. In a complete departure from the traditional way of installing a separate air conditioning system in each building, the new campus uses a large underground district cooling system, which has added to the complexity of the new campus project.
2. Three Connections and One Levelling
The fact that the “three connections” (water, electricity and roads) follow Macao standards has added to the difficulty of construction. “One levelling” refers to the land levelling works conducted during the early stage of the new campus project. It took the better part of a year to level a piece of 5-million-m2 land and to build it up by three metres to make sure the new campus has a solid foundation.
3. Large Underground Structures
The combined building area of the underground parking and cooling system on the new campus is 110,000m2 (approximately the size of 11 standard football fields). The complex soil condition of the new campus site has significantly added to the difficulty of the new campus project.
4. Astounding Numbers of Drawings and Piles
The new campus project involves more than 100,000 design drawings, the review of which required a large number of architects and engineers. And because new campus buildings are mostly built on soft subsoil, more than 24,500 reinforced concrete piles, with a combined length of over 1 million metres and involving approximately 150,000 tons of reinforced concrete, were used to strengthen the soft subsoil foundation.
5. The Largest Campus Network
The two central data centres on the new campus will have more than 500 network lines and 300 optical fibre cables, forming the largest campus network in Macao. UM has successfully converted physical servers into virtual machines for most IT systems, which means that systems and data can be transmitted to the new campus through data replication, thus significantly reducing the time of service interruption as well as the risk of data loss from moving physical hardware.
6. Purchase of Over 100,000 Pieces of Furniture
Before the new campus can start operation, UM needs to purchase more than 100,000 pieces of furniture and sports facilities as well as to invite tenders for outsourcing services. In the meantime, 8 residential colleges, 5 residential college dining halls, 5 restaurants and 10 shops need to be established.
7. Biggest Book Relocation Project in Macao’s History
The current UM Library houses approximately 500,000 copies of catalogued books, 150,000 copies of non-catalogued books, and innumerable journals and old newspapers, which would translate into approximately 40,000 boxes of items to move. It will be the biggest book relocation project in Macao’s history.
8. Relocation of Over 110 Labs
There are more than 110 laboratories on the current campus, among which 60 or so high-tech and biomedical laboratories contain more than 6,800 precision instruments. This and the fact that wet labs house large amounts of chemicals and hazardous substance also add to the difficulty of the relocation.
9. Lots of Follow-up Work
A lot of follow-up work needs to be done after the completion of the construction, including outfitting laboratories, lobbies of the various buildings, restaurants and kitchens; installation and testing of campus computer networks and information equipment; installation of WiFi network, telephone system, water, electricity and natural gas metres; installation of audio-video systems and 1,500 split-type air conditioners in classrooms and meeting rooms; installation of kitchen cabinets and cookers in more than 400 residential units; transportation, medical, security and cleaning arrangements; as well as quality inspection for more than 80 buildings.
Relocation to the new campus is a huge, unprecedented undertaking, not just for UM, but for Macao as well. In addition to the above-mentioned items, UM also needs to move approximately 2,500 computers, 8 major academic units, approximately 10,000 students and staff, more than 1,500 dormitory students, approximately 15,000 boxes of belongings of the dormitory students, and 60 staff dormitories. UM is making meticulous planning and preparation for the relocation, and has established relevant contingency plans. Numerous Town Hall Meetings have also been held to involve staff and students in the preparation for the relocation. According to the latest relocation plan, UM will move to the new campus in stages in the 2013/2014 academic year.
