Hong Kong is a city where every square meter counts, and communities pulse with daily life. Its public housing system carries the immense responsibility of supporting millions of residents, ensuring their homes and shared spaces remain safe, clean, and well-managed. To meet this challenge, the Hong Kong Housing Authority has been taking decisive steps toward a bold vision: building smart estates.

In recent years, this vision has come to life through intelligent tools — from IoT systems and AI monitoring to service robots — all designed to make estate operations more efficient and to enhance the daily lives of residents. Among these pioneering sites is Shui Chuen O Estate, where “smart living” is no longer just an idea, but something residents experience every day.

And this is where our story begins.

A New Chapter at Shui Chuen O Plaza

This past November, two Sveabot S100 Pro M commercial cleaning robots quietly rolled into Shui Chuen O Plaza. One is assigned to the ground floor, the other to the first floor — each covering a floor area of around 1,000 ㎡ and beginning a daily routine soon familiar to both staff and residents.

Each morning, as the plaza lights turn on, the robots “wake up” on schedule and start their sweeping-and-mopping cycles. Each floor takes just 1.5–2 hours, after which the robots return to their charging stations, using only about 30% of their battery.

Observers are impressed by how quickly the robots adapt to the environment — navigating tactile paving, climbing gentle slopes, slowing near glass surfaces, and reaching tight corners with steady precision. In no time, they become dependable helpers seamlessly integrated into the plaza’s daily rhythm.

A Second Job: Becoming Mobile Promoters

Then, something unexpected happens. The plaza team realizes the robots can do more than clean — they can also act as mobile promoters.

Staff have decorated the robots with posters, and during charging breaks, the robots play promotional videos and audio messages. Wherever they move, information follows, like a small mobile billboard that doubles as a cleaning assistant. Practical, efficient, and a little playful, the robots have become more than machines for Shui Chuen O Plaza.

Blending Into Community Life

As days pass, the robots start attracting attention, especially from children, who follow behind them, giggling and trying to guess where they will turn next. If someone gets too close, the robots politely say: “Excuse me. Please let me go,” pause, and continue once the path is clear.

The robots also move with care around older residents, stopping patiently to let them pass. 

By handling dust, footprints, and small debris automatically, the robots noticeably reduce the cleaning workload. One staff member remarks, “These robots have been a huge help. They effectively clean dust and small debris, easing the manual workload and allowing us to focus on other tasks.” 

The robots don’t replace people — they free them to focus on more meaningful work, which is what smart estates are ultimately about.

Showcasing Innovation at the Housing I&T Summit

While the Shui Chuen O Plaza deployment continues, Sveabot S100 Pro M was also presented at the recent Housing · I&T Summit, where professionals from public housing and technology sectors interacted with it firsthand. Attendees explored their intelligent navigation, cleaning capabilities, and potential uses in future smart-estate initiatives.

The message was clear: cleaning robots are not merely tools — they are emerging as collaborators in the management of smarter, more responsive communities.

Looking Forward — Building Smarter Communities, One Estate at a Time

The success at Shui Chuen O Plaza reinforces a simple truth: smart estates are not built overnight. They grow through small, thoughtful innovations — intelligent tools and technologies that quietly integrate into daily life.

To date, the robots have collectively covered nearly 100,000 ㎡ cleaning area, and this number continues to grow, support public housing, from maintaining hygiene and delivering community information to assisting with resident services.

As Hong Kong continues to advance its smart estate strategy, S100 Pro M robots have already taken their place, not just as machines, but as active members of the community.

And this is only the beginning.