Spirit of Hong Kong Awards: firm uses 3D-printed tiles to restore coral reefs
In 2014, a University of Hong Kong research team watched two years of reef restoration work collapse in Sai Kung. The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department had asked the researchers to speed up coral recovery. Cement structures were placed on the seabed and coral began to grow. But as the colonies became larger, they became unstable. “They have no roots,” said Vriko Yu Pik-fan, then…
In 2014, a research team at the University of Hong Kong witnessed their two-year coral restoration project in Sai Kung fail when cement structures used for the project became unstable. The project's leader, Vriko Yu Pik-fan, decided to co-found Archireef, a company that uses 3D-printed tiles to restore coral reefs. After trying various materials, Yu's team turned to clay and used 3D printing to create terracotta reef tiles that provided a porous, pH-neutral surface for coral larvae to attach to.
Archireef was incorporated in Hong Kong in 2020 to commercialize this research. Yu believes that a useful solution should not be limited to the lab, as her work has earned her a spot among the finalists of the Spirit of Hong Kong Awards in sustainability. The company has successfully conserved or restored close to 10 hectares of marine habitat across Hong Kong, Singapore, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia.
Today, Archireef's value lies in the evidence it provides to port operators, developers, and clients, helping them demonstrate the survival of coral species and the effectiveness of restoration efforts. Archireef now uses environmental DNA, photogrammetry, and camera imagery analyzed by software to monitor marine life. According to the company, 95% of deployed coral was still alive three years after installation in monitored Hong Kong sites.
Yu credits Hong Kong's improvements in water quality and the availability of talent for making coral restoration possible, comparing conservation to improving personal health.
Written by urgent.news from South China Morning Post - Hong Kong's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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