Grundfos, a global leader in advanced pump solutions and  water technologies, has become the first organisation in the water solutions sector1 to receive full  validation of its 2050 net-zero target from the Science-Based Targets initiative (SBTi), a climate action organisation that enables companies to set greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction targets  grounded in science. SBTi also validated the company’s near-term 2030 emission reduction targets.

Poul Due Jensen, Group President & CEO of Grundfos, comments: “Today, we announce the most  significant long-term climate commitment in our sustainability journey at Grundfos, one that highlights  our leadership in taking climate action across our footprint and deep into our value chain. At Grundfos,  our services and solutions go beyond water, as do our sustainability ambitions: saving energy, saving  water, circular business, and water access.  

As a leading pump manufacturer and water solutions provider, we take responsibility for the carbon  that is emitted not only to produce our products but also the energy consumed when they are in use.  This creates a layer of complexity many companies do not have when tracking emission reduction, and  I am immensely proud to see Grundfos lead the sector in brave pursuit of a better world for people,  businesses, and planet.”

Grundfos aims to accelerate its transformation to a net-zero future whilst enabling its customers to  save energy. The net-zero target will require significant innovation efforts and deep, concerted  decarbonisation efforts across the company’s operations and value chain.

To achieve this long-term goal, the SBTi also approved Grundfos’ near-term CO2 emission reduction  targets. Grundfos commits to reduce absolute Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions 50% and reduce  absolute Scope 3 GHG emissions 25% by 2030 from a 2020 baseline year.

Grundfos worked with industry experts to identify the use of Grundfos products by end users as its  biggest source of GHG emissions. These emissions, of which Grundfos is indirectly responsible for  across its value chain, account for 99% of the company’s total GHG emissions. As such, Grundfos  believes it can make the most difference in addressing the growing climate challenges by pledging to  reduce Scope 3 emissions by delivering the world’s most energy-efficient and digitally enabled product  portfolio.

Grundfos’ science-based targets and carbon footprint baseline have been created in partnership with the Carbon Trust, a global climate consultancy. Hugh Jones, Managing Director, Advisory at the Carbon  Trust said, “We are proud to have supported Grundfos in setting its science-based targets, which are  aligned to both climate science and global net zero ambitions. This represents a significant milestone in the company’s sustainability journey and makes a positive contribution to the wider water sector’s  move towards a decarbonised future.”

1 As found on Science-Based Targets initiative’s publicly available target dashboard as of 9 November 2022.

Workthere is pleased to onboard Staytion, Asia’s first multi-concept  lifestyle space provider as part of its offering for co-working spaces. Staytion will launch  their first outlet at Marsling MRT station, with three more outlets slated to open at Dhoby Ghaut, Woodlands and Paya Lebar MRT stations by January 2023.

Workthere believes in providing a solution to work decentralization by connecting people  to more accessible workspaces. As part of Savills, it offers options for the full spectrum of  space to meet the working needs of individuals and businesses. They support start-up to large-scale corporations, offering bespoke office space, private offices or HQ spaces of 1,000 desks across multiple countries.

In Singapore, most co-working centres are situated in central areas, primarily in the  central business district, with a precious few located within the heartlands. By including Staytion as part of Workthere’s offerings, it will to help build a more inclusive array of co working options for hybrid workers, better connecting commuters and residents to secure,  accessible and cost-effective workspaces to work, live and play.

Staytion has reinvented the familiar MRT station environment to meet the needs of a  targeted transient crowd and communities living nearby, particularly working parents and  those living in tight spaces to connect them to comfortable, productive and easily  accessible spaces at MRT stations. In partnership with Workthere, users can book  Staytion’s co-working spaces through the Workthere platform.

The following spaces are offered: Communal Seating, Private Studio and Meeting Rooms. Each outlet will have Wi-Fi services, focus spaces such as meeting nodes, cosy reading nooks, F&B outlets and cafés.

Ashley Swan, Executive Director, Commercial Leasing at Savills Singapore shares, “there is a growing need of accessible flexible workspaces, especially so with most co working outlets situated in central areas. Staytion answers this call, providing occupiers  with a multi-concept lifestyle option in the heartlands where people can carry out their  daily activities closer to where they need to be. This allows people to use their time more  efficiently while still being able to satisfy the social aspects of daily life.”

Jane Toh, Chief Executive Officer and Founder, Staytion, “Workthere and Staytion are  natural partners in this ecosystem. Workthere has a huge base of corporate clients with  varied needs for traditional and flex office spaces; and a unique proposition in its way of  connecting users to spaces.”

Casambi Asia Pacific team

Casambi, the leading producer of wireless lighting control systems, is celebrating a pivotal milestone with the opening of its first office in Asia Pacific (APAC), which will also be its regional headquarters. Located in Singapore, Casambi’s regional hub will enable the Finland-headquartered company to boost customer service and facilitate closer collaboration with industry partners to create lighting products and solutions that enhance health, wellness, and sustainability.

Casambi’s technology provides lighting designers and manufacturers with the ability to wirelessly link devices together enabling the creation of customizable smart lighting networks that are easily configured and controlled using the Casambi App. The technology is based on Bluetooth Low Energy, which offers low interference and minimal energy consumption. Its scalable and interoperable solutions can be integrated into a wide range of elements, from individual lighting fixture controls to industrial-scale solutions through cloud-based remote control, monitoring, and data logging.

The company collaborates with many of the leading luminaire, driver, LED board, LED lamp, and lighting control module manufacturers to offer the most comprehensive ecosystem for wireless lighting controls. Today, the Casambi Ecosystem provides complete end-to-end solutions to many industries spanning tourism and hospitality, industrial, retail, residential, office, outdoor, arts and heritage, education and healthcare.

Since its establishment in 2011, Casambi has sold over four million Casambi Ready devices worldwide and completed over 150,000 projects.

Kari Mettälä, CEO of Casambi, giving his welcome speech

At its opening ceremony, which was attended by Mr. Kari Mettälä, CEO of Casambi, Mr. Edmund Hui, General Manager of APAC at Casambi, and Casambi Ecosystem partners and customers, Kari Mettälä said, “Wireless lighting control solutions are gaining popularity due to their proven track record of reducing energy consumption, lowering operating costs, improving safety, and providing transparent and scalable network infrastructure with minimal disruption. Over the past decade, we have been providing the technology that underpins the transformation from wired to wireless lighting control, and the incorporation of our Singapore office shows our commitment to come closer to our partners in APAC and offer more resources that will set them up for success. We look forward to strengthening our partnerships and taking them to the next level.”

With Casambi’s versatile solutions that entirely eliminate the need for control wiring, building owners can personalize the lighting controls of different environments without conducting surface reconstruction. They can control lighting via the Casambi App, which caters to the highest demands and fulfillment down to the smallest detail. It allows the switch between daylight, circadian, and time-based scenes, offering outstanding user experiences and improving occupant well-being and productivity.

“Artificial light is part of our everyday lives, and its effect on our health and well-being should be taken seriously. Casambi’s software platform empowers users of smart devices to wirelessly interact with artificial lighting – in doing so, radically changing the way people and businesses light their surroundings to provide variation according to personal needs while optimizing energy use to improve the operational profile of the building. Our controls enable spaces to offer excellent user experiences while improving one’s visual acuity and alertness to surroundings,” said Edmund Hui, General Manager of APAC at Casambi. “With our APAC hub, we look forward to working closely with our Casambi Ecosystem partners to deliver personalized lighting options to customers in countries including Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, and South Korea.”

Some of Casambi’s industry-leading partners include ERCO, Tridonic, Occhio, Louis Poulsen, WILA Lighting, and Formalighting, to name but a few.

Real estate owners, architects, developers, and managers are always on the lookout for the best solutions to increase occupant satisfaction, reduce costs and improve the energy efficiency of their buildings. ERCO has recently illuminated the SongEun Art and Cultural Foundation building by the Swiss architects, Herzog & de Meuron, which is located in Seoul. Eclipse spotlights from ERCO are used throughout for display purposes: wireless controllability via Casambi as well as the high flexibility and wide selection of light distributions were benefits adding weight to the choice of lighting tools. Thanks to the new lighting installation, new projects and exhibitions can be displayed conveniently, individually, and effectively.

Wila Lighting recently relit the BBC’s seven main sites across the United Kingdom. The BBC’s technical services team decided to bring Casambi’s lighting control solution to the majority of its buildings, allowing the lights to be controlled wirelessly from mobile devices. At Broadcasting House, the BBC’s London HQ, 2,000 fluorescent light fittings in the new part of the building have been replaced with LED alternatives, together with new sensors and Casambi wireless control.  The installation was quick, simple, and cost-effective, as no other hardware was required apart from Casambi Ready luminaires, sensors, and switches. Together with WILA Lighting, Casambi control helped to achieve energy reductions of 20%, in line with the BBC’s sustainability strategy.

Casambi and Formalighting have recently created a unique dining experience for guests at AMI + Wood Ear, a fine dining restaurant located in the Central Business District area of Hong Kong. With a minimalistic approach, Formalighting developed custom track heads inside ceiling slots and ensured minimal recessed downlights. The integration of Casambi’s wireless control enables restaurant managers of AMI + Wood Ear to control the lighting from a wireless device within the restaurant and bar to enhance the ambience for the diners.

New World Development and Ares SSG have entered a joint venture to develop a commercial  complex located on Wing Hong Street in Cheung Sha Wan.

New World Development Company Limited (“NWD” or  “the Group”; Hong Kong stock code: 00017) had announced that the Group and a fund advised by Ares SSG Capital Management Limited (collectively with its group entities, “Ares SSG”)  have formed a joint venture (JV) for the construction, development, marketing and sale of a  commercial complex (“the Complex”) located on Wing Hong Street in Cheung Sha Wan.

NWD will be responsible for the construction, property management, asset management, sale  and marketing of units in the Complex. The project is scheduled for completion in late 2023.

NWD and Ares SSG are confident in the outlook for the Complex. The Group considers the  partnership with Ares SSG a prime opportunity to combine NWD’s knowledge of and expertise  in property construction and development with the resources and experience of a leading global  real estate investor. The JV will continue to capture anticipated rising demand for high-quality  commercial properties in one of Hong Kong’s emerging business districts.

The Cheung Sha Wan district has witnessed remarkable changes in recent years. Boasting  comprehensive transportation infrastructure and ancillary facilities, the district is conveniently  located, with easy connectivity, including being within a half-hour drive to Hong Kong  International Airport and the Shenzhen Bay Highway Bridge, promising great potential for  transforming the area into a new core business district in West Kowloon. Following the  completion of construction and development of the commercial complex, the project’s unit sales  will further strengthen the income stream of the Group.

Edward Lau, Chief Financial Officer, New World Development, said: “The Group is pleased to  welcome Ares SSG as a strategic investor in the Wing Hong Street project. NWD is confident  in the development prospects of West Kowloon, and has been proactive in forward planning. In  the next few years, various top-tier commercial projects under the Group will come to life in  phases across the strategic business location of Cheung Sha Wan. Our close collaboration with  Ares SSG and other business partners will forge the first grade-A commercial complex in the  core business district of West Kowloon. Not only will this meet the burgeoning demand for

grade-A office buildings in the district, but it will also breathe a new dynamic into the  development of West Kowloon.”

Edwin Wong, Managing Partner and CEO of Ares SSG, said, “We are excited to join hands with  one of the leading property developers in Hong Kong on a project with great potential. Real  estate has been one of the key sectors during our long and successful investment history across  twelve Asia-Pacific markets. We look forward to working with NWD and leveraging our  extensive experience in real estate investing in the region.”

NWD will continue to identify new projects and opportunities with growth potential and robust  recurring cash flow to strengthen the long-term development of its core businesses, optimising  value for stakeholders and enhancing the investment value of the Group.