A Panoramic Innovation Paradigm for Eco-Sustainability in Infrastructure Megaprojects

A mega transportation project often crosses natural reserves and habitat zones of species. Preservation of endangered species has always been a challenge. This article presents a panoramic innovation paradigm for improving a megaproject's eco-sustainability. The paradigm structures the innovative solutions in four categories of organizational, strategic, technological, and management innovations along the three phases of a project's lifecycle of initialization, construction, and maintenance. The implementation of the solutions in the Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macao Bridge has successfully preserved the endangered Chinese white dolphin ( Sousa chinensis ) by increasing its population by 50% from 1200 in 2009 when the project was started to 1890 in 2016 when the project was completed. The panoramic innovation paradigm can provide useful insight and guidance to similar megaprojects around the world.