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LUSH 2.0: Extending the greenery journey skywards

30 June, 2014/in News/by Editor

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SINGAPORE – The Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) announced new urban greenery initiatives and enhancements to the LUSH (Landscaping for Urban Spaces and High-Rises) programme on 12 June 2014, to further strengthen efforts in greening the city and to encourage more pervasive greenery within Singapore’s high-rise urban environment.

Termed LUSH 2.0, the enhanced programme will cover more development types ranging from residential developments to office, retail and even hotel developments. The geographical coverage of LUSH 2.0 will also extend substantially to cover most of Singapore.

“The provision of greenery in Singapore has always been important in our planning – not just because it beautifies our city, but because we see the value of greenery in improving our quality of life. This is an effort that involves many partner agencies, as well as developers and building owners, working together to create a lush environment for people to enjoy. Through LUSH 2.0, URA hope to bring greenery literally to greater heights in Singapore,” said Ng Lang, Chief Executive Officer of URA.

A significant amount of greenery within developments today is a result of URA guidelines, which require developers to provide greenery in various forms. For example, developers had to provide tree planting verges along the public roads and other site boundaries as early as 30 years ago.

In 2009, URA launched the LUSH programme to consolidate and synergise a number of new and existing green initiatives that encourage more skyrise greenery in private developments. The programme encourages building owners and developers to provide well-planted and designed communal green spaces at both the ground and upper levels of buildings, such as sky terraces and roof gardens. The programme also encourages good design of aesthetically-pleasing green spaces so that urban dwellers in Singapore are always close to greenery.

Since its introduction, URA have added more than 40 hectares of green spaces within Singapore’s urban environment, equivalent to 130 primary school fields. Greenery is well-integrated within our developments in the form of sky terraces, rooftop gardens and vertical green walls. With LUSH 2.0, URA hopes to facilitate even more pervasive and accessible urban greenery so that the people’s overall well-being, living and working environment, are enhanced further.

Victoria Theatre and Victoria Concert Hall Open House Weekend

25 June, 2014/in News/by Editor

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Front Facade (Artist Impression). Courtesy of W Architects

For one weekend only, the curtain is up for a sneak peek at the refurbished Victoria Theatre and Victoria Concert Hall! On 19 and 20 July, be among the first to discover what’s new at Singapore’s oldest performing arts centre through a series of guided and self- guided tours. Enjoy special performances by the Singapore Symphony Children’s Choir, T’ang Quartet and other arts groups.

What’s Your Victoria Story?

We are on the lookout for your favourite memories of Victoria Theatre and Victoria Concert Hall! Do you have stories of your first dates, backstage jitters, or were you part of the mass weddings held there in the 1950s? Share your old photographs and memories of these well-loved spaces at our irememberVictoria collection booth!

Snap your most creative shot of the refurbished venues and hashtag your photos to #irememberVictoria!

Date: 19 & 20 July 2014 (Saturday & Sunday)
Time: 10am – 7pm

Location:

Victoria Theatre, 9 Empress Place, Singapore 179555

Victoria Concert Hall, 11 Empress Place, Singapore 179558

Admission: Free

irememberVictoria is a collaboration between Victoria Theatre and Victoria Concert Hall with the Singapore Memory Project.

World Cities Summit Mayors Forum 2014 features largest gathering of mayors to date

2 June, 2014/in News/by Editor

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SINGAPORE – Over 130 mayors and city leaders from global cities discussed the importance of good governance and community engagement, and how smart technologies will contribute to urban development at the World Cities Summit Mayors Forum (WCSMF) today. Mr Lee Yi Shyan, Singapore’s Senior Minister of State for Trade & Industry and National Development and Chairman of the Forum, highlighted the importance of nurturing a global community of mayors and city leaders to share different approaches and plans in light of common challenges faced by cities, especially rapidly emerging cities in Asia.

The WCSMF 2014 is a key highlight at this year’s World Cities Summit (WCS), a biennial global platform for government and industry leaders to address liveable and sustainable city challenges, share integrated solutions, and forge high-level partnerships.

Currently in its fifth edition, the WCSMF nurtures a global community of mayors and city leaders, to exchange ideas and best practices and explore solutions to address common challenges. WCSMF 2014 features the largest gathering of mayors to date. Also participating in the forum were experts from international organisations, including the United Nations, World Bank, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), and Asian Development Bank.

In Mr Lee’s closing remarks at the Forum, he said: “As city leaders, we have the heavy responsibility of mobilising the necessary resources and coordinating different programmes. More importantly, we need to engage the community and galvanise our people so that all can move towards our goals”.

Mayors and city leaders also agreed that it is most important to engage their community and put people at the centre of policy goals. Lord Mayor Damon Thomas of Hobart, Australia said: “Passion and people involvement are key… unless the people feel connected and proud, it’s not much use.” Mayor Ahmed Aboutaleb from Rotterdam, the Netherlands said: “The key (to a sustainable urban ecosystem) is co-creation. No government is in a position to do it alone… The world needs leaders who are willing to share knowledge with corporations and societies.”

Cities also pledged their support for the United Nations Open Working Group’s Sustainable Development Goal that focused on Sustainable Cities and Human Settlements. This will focus the attention and resources of national agencies, local governments, the private sector and civil society towards managing urban challenges and creating more liveable and sustainable cities.

WCS Mayors Forum 2015

Mr Lee also announced that next year’s WCSMF will be held in New York City, USA. The city was awarded the Lee Kuan Yew World City Prize in 2012 for reinventing and rejuvenating itself post-September 2001 to give residents and tourists renewed confidence and optimism for the city’s future. Mr Mitchell Silver, New York’s Commissioner of Parks and Recreation said: “We are excited that many of you will be coming to New York for the next Mayors Forum.”

The Centre for Liveable Cities (CLC) also launched the publication Liveable and Sustainable Cities: A Framework at the WCSMF, which distilled the key actors and principles of Singapore’s development journey into the CLC Liveability Framework. The book was presented to mayors and city leaders as a resource to help them develop liveable and sustainable cities. The book is available for download via CLC’s website: http://www.clc.gov.sg/documents/books/CLC_CSCLiveable&SustainableCities.pdf

Xylem Affirmed Singapore as their Greater Asia Headquarters

2 June, 2014/in News/by Editor

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SINGAPORE – Xylem Inc. (NYSE: XYL), a leading global water technology company dedicated to solving the world’s most challenging water issues, today announced at Singapore International Water Week (SIWW) 2014 that Singapore has been chosen as the company’s Greater Asia headquarters. The regional headquarters will drive continued geographic and market expansion in the region, reflecting Singapore’s leading position in the water industry. SIWW, which takes place from June 1 to 5, also marks Patrick Decker’s first official visit to the region as Xylem’s President and Chief Executive Officer.
“Our Let’s Solve Water” tagline is an inspirational call to action for our employees. It’s also an invitation to like-minded partners around the world to join us in developing solutions to one of the world’s most urgent issues – the need for clean, safe water and sanitation,” said Decker. “Xylem is focused on developing and growing water markets, and we are continuing to expand our presence where demand for water is escalating due to fast-expanding populations. Much of this growth is occurring right here in Asia, which is why we are proud to announce that Singapore will join China as one of Xylem’s regional headquarters.”

As the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries integrate as a single economic community in 2015 and embark on key infrastructure projects, Xylem is well positioned as a technology and equipment provider focused on helping the region meet its
present and future water needs. Xylem’s presence in Mainland China continues to grow, with two factories, research and development capabilities and a business headquarters located in Shanghai. Through these two designated headquarter locations in Asia, Xylem will
be well positioned to steer and drive growth in Greater Asia and Mainland China.
“Our headquarters in Singapore will oversee, manage and function as our local ‘center of excellence’ as we continue to drive growth in the region,” said Allan Hendry, regional director for Greater Asia. “Locally, we are proud to be partnering with PUB, Singapore’s national water agency on research and development programs, as well as with other local companies in the areas of smart water networks and offshore and marine applications.”
“We are delighted that Xylem has affirmed Singapore as their Greater Asia headquarters. Over the years, Singapore has been growing its water industry with research and innovation as the key drivers,” said Chua Soon Guan, PUB’s deputy chief executive of policy and
development. “Through a slew of funding opportunities, commercialisation programmes and test-bedding opportunities, we offer a conducive platform that drives cutting-edge water solutions. This expansion of activities by a major global water company like Xylem reinforces Singapore’s position as a global hydrohub, especially in Asia. Xylem will join more than 130 water companies and 28 research institutes spanning the entire spectrum of the water value chain who have presence in Singapore,” According to the Singapore Economic Development Board, Singapore will see the water sector’s contribution to its GDP rise to $1.7 billion in 2015 – from $0.5 billion in 2003. Local jobs for the sector are expected to double to about 11,000, and will largely comprise professional and skilled positions.
Xylem is a founding partner of Singapore International Water Week and has participated in the meeting since 2008. The five-day event will take place at Singapore’s Marina Bay Sands Hotel, in conjunction with the World Cities Summit (WCS) and CleanEnviro Summit
Singapore (CESS). Xylem’s exhibition space, located within the Sands Expo & Convention Center, will feature Xylem’s “Virtual Resilient City,” as well as selected technology from the company’s portfolio of products and brands. Throughout the week, there will also be product demonstrations and videos showcasing the company’s innovative capabilities.
As part of the company’s participation in SIWW 2014, Xylem’s President and CEO Patrick Decker will be a panellist at the TechXchange forum along with other industry leaders. He will also speak at the Water Leaders Summit. For more information on SIWW 2014 and
individual events open to the press, visit http://www.siww.com.sg.

About Xylem
Xylem (XYL) is a leading global water technology provider, enabling customers to transport, treat, test and efficiently use water in public utility, residential and commercial building services, industrial and agricultural settings. The company does business in more than 150 countries through a number of market-leading product brands, and its people bring broad applications expertise with a strong focus on finding local solutions to the world’s most challenging water and wastewater problems. Xylem was named to the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index for the last two years for advancing sustainable business practices and solutions worldwide.
For more information, please visit us at www.xylem.com.

Young Leaders to Seed Change in World Cities Summit 2014

30 May, 2014/in Events/by Editor

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Over 60 Young Leaders from diverse urban sectors will gather in Singapore on Saturday, 31 May 2014, for the inaugural World Cities Summit Young Leaders Symposium, to catalyse change in cities.

The WCS Young Leaders Symposium is a key highlight at this year’s World Cities Summit, a biennial global event for world leaders and industry experts to address liveable and sustainable city challenges, share integrated urban solutions and forge strategic partnerships.

Themed “Seeding Change in My City”, the Symposium is a platform for Young Leaders from different urban fields, with the capability to adapt to rapid changes, to pool their knowledge, engage in intellectual discourse and discuss initiatives to tackle challenges faced by cities.

The Symposium will bring together government officials, industry experts, urban planners, architects, designers, mobility experts, economists and researchers from 28 countries. Typically aged between 30 and 45, they are united in their commitment to help shape urban development agendas in cities around the world.

At the forum, participants will share fundamental changes that their cities need to adopt to facilitate the creation of more sustainable, liveable and desirable cities. They will also discuss practical initiatives that will drive the much-needed changes in their urban environments. The Symposium’s Guest-of-Honour will be Minister of State (National Development) Singapore, Mr Desmond Lee, and the discussion will be chaired by Ambassador Burhan Gafoor, Chief Negotiator for Climate Change, Singapore.

Participants at the WCS Young Leaders Symposium include the Mayor of Bandung, Indonesia, Mr Ridwan Kamil; Chief Representative best online casino Officer of GDF Suez China, Mr Raphael Schoentgen; Chairman of the Lien Foundation, Mr Laurence Lien; and Chief Operating Officer for EMBARQ World Resource Institute, Mr Clayton Lane and many other senior personages.

More than 200 Young Leaders were selected from hundreds of nominations to be part of the inaugural initiative. Young Leaders are selected once every two years and each has a three-year tenure. During their term, WCS Young Leaders are invited to exclusive meetings and events to encourage sharing of best practices and initiate projects. Upon completion, members will join the alumnus and mentor other WCS Young Leaders.

“The issues we aim to address at WCS and the solutions that we hope to co-create will impact the world in the decades to come. It is therefore very crucial to include the next generation in the conversation to ensure that their ideas and voices are heard,” said Mr Khoo Teng Chye, Executive Director of the Centre for Liveable Cities. “Through this forum, I hope that the Young Leaders will form lasting partnerships to influence the urban development plans of the future.”

For more information, visit www.worldcitiessummit.com.sg

Delta Faucet Company Debuts New Ara™ Bath Collection in Singapore

30 May, 2014/in News/by Editor

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Delta Faucet Company, America’s faucet innovation leader, has unveiled the Delta^®Ara™ Bath Collection for the first time in Singapore. The award-winning, contemporary line of faucets, showers and bath accessories in the Ara™ Bath Collection are influenced by the angular silhouettes seen in modern residential homes. The new suite of cutting edge products boasts crisp rectangular shapes with slim profiles that will satisfy home and commercial building owners looking for sophisticated designs to complement their modern interiors.

Ara™14 Series Shower Trim

Ara™ Two Handle Widespread Lavatory Faucet with Channel Spout

The Ara™ Bath Collection incorporates Delta Faucet Company’s renowned technologies. All showerheads in the collection feature the company’s innovative H₂Okinetic® technology that sculpts water into a unique wave pattern, creating the feeling of more water than a standard shower モバイルカジノ flowing at the same rate.
“As modern interior designs continue to be sought after in Singapore, we are extremely excited to introduce the Ara™ Bath Collection, which we believe will appeal to the local market with its sleek design and innovative water-saving technology.” said David Naber, General Manager of Delta Faucet Company, Asia Pacific. “We have been in the Asia Pacific region for over two decades and have observed home design trends evolving as consumers become more discerning. With an eye on these trends, we are now strengthening our presence in the region, in line with Delta Faucet Company’s global expansion plans.”

In Singapore, selected products from the Ara™ Bath Collection are available through Delta Faucet’s local dealers. The full collection will be available by Q4 2014.

Johnson Controls expands manufacturing and R&D in China

29 May, 2014/in News/by Editor

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SINGAPORE – Johnson Controls, a global multi-industrial company, officially opened a $35 million expansion of its manufacturing and research and development center in Wuxi, China. The expansion will meet the demand for energy efficient buildings by tripling the company’s manufacturing capacity to serve the growing market.
Located in Jiangsu province, the entire Wuxi campus now covers 138,500-square-meters with more than 1800 employees, including 60 new employees. The Wuxi campus and its engineering center is now one of Johnson Controls’ largest research and development centers for building solutions in the world for heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems, as well as industrial refrigeration solutions. The campus will also spearhead continuing innovation on heat recovery solutions that make district heating plants up to 40 percent more efficient.
“Urbanization and the government’s efforts to promote sustainable development are driving demand in China for energy efficient buildings,” said Dave Myers, president, Johnson Controls Building Efficiency. “This is a real opportunity for us to expand our presence and use our expertise and innovation in a growing global market.”
The new facility is equipped with the latest automatic and intelligent production lines to ensure excellence in productivity and quality control. The new construction used integrated building technologies and solutions such as rainwater recycling and solar energy systems to meet LEED Gold certification standards.
The expansion is part of Johnson Controls continued commitment to China across its businesses. Last year, the company announced plans to build a second global corporate headquarters in Shanghai. The 35,000-square-meter campus is expected to be completed by late 2016.

Gardens by the Bay and The Interlace top BCA Universal Design Mark Awards winners’ list

16 May, 2014/in News/by Editor

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SINGAPORE – The Building and Construction Authority (BCA) conferred the Universal Design Mark Award to 31 exemplary projects, up from the 26 given in 2013. Among the 31, Gardens by the Bay and a private residential development The Interlace topped the list as Platinum winners.

Introduced in October 2012, the BCA Universal Design Mark is a voluntary certification scheme that promotes Universal Design*. This scheme recognises developments, developers and architects who extensively apply a user-centric philosophy in their design, operations and maintenance of their projects and developments. It also raises greater public awareness towards user-friendly
buildings.

Commenting on this year’s BCA Universal Design Mark Awards, BCA Chief Executive Officer Dr John Keung said: “We are encouraged by how the built environment sector has responded positively to our introduction of the Universal Design Mark certification scheme. BCA has received 59 applications since the launch in October 2012. This year, 31 projects were considered exemplary in incorporating universal design features. This is an increase from 26 last year and indicates to us that more developers and architects are putting the needs of their users – including the general public – first and thoughtfully when designing their projects.”

Platinum winner: Gardens by the Bay

Gardens by the Bay (“the Gardens”), is one of the largest garden development of its kind in the world, occupying a land area of 54 hectares. It is a unique recreational destination created for all to play in a garden setting in a city. With seamless integration throughout the development and connectivity to the city, the Gardens has successfully set a benchmark for new generation of garden development within the larger urban context. Before the Gardens opened, BCA and The Gardens jointly conducted a user trial to engage its visitors, including persons with disabilities, to solicit valuable feedback on their Universal Design features.

Dedication to Universal Design extends to all the Gardens’ attractions, facilities and services. They are thoughtfully designed to cater to the diverse needs of users of all ages and abilities. The uniquely designed accessible elevated walkways at the Supertree Groove, Flower Dome and Cloud Forest allow unobstructed movement for wheelchair users and mothers with prams.

Likewise, the developer and architects have placed pro-family facilities such as wet and dry play areas designed for different age groups, ample seating, dedicated nursing areas, diaper changing stations, child friendly sanitary fittings and shower area for children at strategic locations. This reinforced the Gardens as an ideal destination for everyone – families with children, the elderly and persons with disabilities.

Orientation in the Gardens is made easy with its intuitive way-finding cues and clear signage. Maps of its facilities are strategically placed throughout the Gardens for its visitors.

Platinum winner: The Interlace

The Interlace, a private residential development, nbso online casino reviews stands out in its iconic architectural presence. The development boasts a traffic-free living environment where young children could play and run around safely. There is also a generous provision of communal facilities, landscaping and resting areas that are designed for users of all ages and abilities, so that residents of all ages and abilities to play and exercise together.

Of the Interlace’s 1,040 units of varying sizes, about 131 apartment units are designed with ageing-in-place provisions such as “stepless” bathrooms which will benefit more senior residents or wheelchair-bound residents. There are also 16 dualkey units – two units linked by an internal door – that promote multi-generation living.

The innovative stacking of the buildings in a hexagonal arrangement maximises the spacing between blocks to allow for more privacy between units. This arrangement also allows the creation of extensive roof gardens and landscaped sky terraces with lush planting and ample seating that serve as attractive and conducive places for social interaction and community bonding.

User-centric design philosophy, applied throughout the development by the developer and architects, is also well-illustrated with the sensitive design considerations. Well-placed sculptures and thematic courtyards form various landmarks and focal points that allow residents and visitors to easily find their way around this large development. Within its premises, there are seven seating areas that can be easily converted for wheelchair users.

The expansive basement car park is also carefully designed and marked with colour zones so that drivers and visitors can find their way to the right block with ease. There are also dedicated footpaths and road crossings that guide residents and visitors to their intended destinations safely and clear of the vehicular traffic.

Other winners

Besides these two Platinum-certified winners, these developments were also given BCA Universal Design Mark GoldPLUS certifications (in no order of merit):
– Cube 8
– Mount Elizabeth Novena Hospital
– NV Residences

For the full list of winners, please visit www.bca.gov.sg

Information provided by Building and Construction Authority.

More Buildings Meeting Green Standards

16 May, 2014/in News/by Editor

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SINGAPORE – The Building and Construction Authority (BCA) will be giving out two BCA Green Mark Champion awards and a record number of 225 BCA Green Mark awards this year. This includes 78 Platinum and 47 GoldPLUS awards, by far the highest number of projects to have achieved the higher Green Mark ratings since the scheme was launched in 2005. The BCA Green Mark awards will be given out during the 2014 BCA Awards on 22 May at Resorts World Sentosa.

Number of BCA Green Mark Platinum and GoldPLUS awards given out each year

The high number of BCA Green Mark Platinum and GoldPLUS awards is a clear indication of the rising awareness of the BCA Green Mark as well as the growing familiarisation and competency in green building solutions within the industry. In particular, the number of awards given to existing building projects with higher Green Mark ratings increased from 16 last year to 39 this year, an unprecedented increase of almost 150%, demonstrating the success of our 2nd Green Building Masterplan which focuses on the greening of existing buildings. Stringent in its requirements, the BCA Green Mark scheme encourages the industry to adopt more sustainable building design and pushes them to constantly keep up-to-date with the latest and most efficient green building solutions.

Two BCA Green Mark Champions Unveiled

This year, the top BCA Green Mark Champion accolades will go to Keppel Land Limited and the Nanyang Technological University (NTU), for having shown strong commitment and corporate social responsibility in their efforts towards greening their buildings. To qualify for the Green Mark Champion Award, the developer or building owner must clinch at least 10 BCA Green Mark awards for their building projects including at least three Platinum and three GoldPLUS.

In its pursuit to achieve higher environmental performance for its projects, Keppel Land has, since 2012, set a benchmark for all its new projects in Singapore to attain at least the BCA Green Mark GoldPLUS rating. In addition, a further target was set for all existing commercial properties in Singapore to be retrofitted to meet at least the BCA Green Mark GoldPLUS standard by 2015.

Keppel Land Limited has so far bagged 32 Green Mark awards, of which commercial buildings, Keppel Bay Tower and Ocean Financial Centre, have attained the Platinum rating. Ocean Financial Centre, notable for its iconic design and the Largest Vertical Garden as conferred by the Guinness World Records, is the first office development in Singapore’s Central Business District (CBD) to achieve the highest BCA Green Mark Platinum rating in 2008. It features an assembly of 400m2 of photovoltaic system on its roof, amongst the largest for a high-rise commercial building in the CBD.

Keppel Bay Tower, Platinum, 2014

Corals at Keppel Bay, GoldPLUS, 2013

Bugis Junction Towers, Platinum, 2014

Nanyang Technological University (NTU) has in recent years been expanding its campus as well as retrofitting its existing buildings to higher BCA Green Mark standards. Under its strategic blueprint, Sustainable Earth is the pinnacle of NTU’s Five Peaks of Excellence or research areas in which it aims to make a global mark. The greening of its buildings is one way that NTU is putting this idea into practice, by saving energy and reducing waste, as buildings take up large amounts of energy. To date, 18 building projects in NTU have been Green Mark-certified, out of which eight have attained the highest Platinum status. Here are some of the awarded projects:

Residential Halls at North Hill, Platinum, 2014

Learning Hub at South Spine, Platinum, 2012

School of Art, Design and Media, Platinum, 2010

Residential Halls at Nanyang Drive, Platinum, 2012

More BCA Green Mark Offices in Singapore

When the BCA Green Mark scheme was first mooted in Singapore, its focus was on the ‘hardware’, to improve the energy efficiency of buildings. The BCA Green Mark has since evolved to look into the ‘heartware’, placing greater emphasis on users’ behaviour. To facilitate this, user-centric Green Mark schemes have been introduced in recent years, such as the BCA Green Mark for Office Interior, Green Mark for Restaurants and Green Mark for Supermarkets. These schemes aim to encourage users and occupants to adopt more environmentally friendly features and sustainable practices in their premises.

In fact, green offices are fast gaining popularity in Singapore. Since the launch of the BCA Green Mark for Office Interior scheme in 2009, the number of offices that are assessed under the scheme has risen from four in 2009 to 98 today.

The Credit Suisse office, located in One@Changi City, a Green Mark building, is one of the offices receiving the Platinum award this year. Besides the use of environmentally friendly fittings as well as energy-efficient lighting and electrical appliances, Credit Suisse also adjusted its air-conditioning and lighting for different zones within the office. Its flexible hot-desking system within an open layout allows staff to choose their preferred seat where they can experience the ideal temperature and lighting at different times of the day. This helps reduce the need to further warm or cool different parts of the office to meet the preferences of different staff.

BCA’s Chief Executive Officer, Dr John Keung, said, “All of us have a role to play in reducing carbon emission from buildings especially when buildings consume about one-third of Singapore’s total end-use electricity. Going green provides a cost-effective win-win solution for businesses as it not only allows them to do their part for the environment by cutting down on energy consumption, but more importantly create a healthier and better quality working environment for the employees. BCA, through its user-centric Green Mark schemes, will continue to encourage more businesses and occupants to make conscious efforts in adopting environmentally friendly features and practices at their workplaces. We also urge more building owners, developers and master planners to reach for the higher Green Mark ratings and to set their sights on the BCA Green Mark Champion and Platinum Champion status to firmly anchor themselves as sustainability champions in our built environment.”

Singapore has set an ambitious target to green at least 80% of all buildings in Singapore by 2030. To date, there are about 2,000 BCA Green Mark building projects in Singapore, translating to about 24% of the total gross floor area.

Information issued by Building and Construction Authority

Build Safely with Safe Formwork Systems

16 May, 2014/in News/by Editor

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Investments in safety soon deliver demonstrable benefit to every project. Greater cost-efficiency, a reduced risk of accidents and enhanced employee motivation are just some of the advantages of implementing a professional safety concept on the site. When it comes to safety, Doka takes a holistic, A-to-Z approach that runs all the way from product development to safety consulting, and to its extensive range of products and services.

Study after study has shown that on safe jobsites, people work faster. Quite apart from human suffering and loss of value-creation, accidents also cause heavy costs ranging from sick-leave to legal consequences which may even include work on the site being stopped altogether. The old objection to installing safety systems is that it “means more work”; Doka has made this objection ever less relevant by developing quick and easy-to-operate safety innovations for every type of forming assignment.

A holistic understanding of safety begins right from when formwork systems are still under development. Safety, ease of handling and ergonomic design are among the key characteristics of Doka products. The use of high-grade materials for all formwork components not only makes them last longer, it makes them safer, too.

Systematic safety
Doka systems unite speed, safety and cost effectiveness on the site. For a high standard of safety, Doka offers complete systems for floor, wall or column formwork. These come with ‘on-board’ protection features such as ladderways or working platforms with integral edge protection. Pre-assembly of the protective elements at ground level, and easy-to-use connector components that allow the formwork and platform to be repositioned in one piece, make for swift, safe work on the site.

Safe, from the planning through until completion
As early as in the planning phase, Doka supports its customers with professional consulting with safety issues. In-depth analysis of the initial situation provides the basis for individualised solutions in which suitable products are incorporated into the formwork planning right from the start. Efficient usage of formwork systems is achieved not only by the features themselves, but even more so by using their components correctly. This is why high-quality documentation such as formwork utilisation plans, instruction manuals and safety data sheets are such an important basis for a safe site. Services such as practical, relevant training offerings, Formwork Instructors and fielding technical advisers facilitate a high level of safety on-site.