BLOG - Page 42 of 108 - Building Review Journal

Savills Singapore Expands Property and Integrated Facilities Management Platform

4 October, 2022/in News/by Editor

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Savills Singapore has made a strategic move into the Facilities Services sector, expanding and enhancing its Property and Integrated Facilities Management platform through the acquisition of a majority stake in Absolute Maintenance Services (“AMS”), a market leading facilities services group focused on providing innovative cleaning and sanitising solutions.

AMS will continue to be led by Ken Lee and Patrick Pek and trade as Absolute Maintenance Services Pte Ltd and Solute Pte Ltd. joining Savills with immediate effect. The teams will be integrated into the Savills existing platform reporting directly to Marcus Loo, CEO, Savills Singapore.

The acquisition will create a Property Management (“PM”), Integrated Facilities Management (“IFM”) and Facilities Services platform expanding Savills reach into Government and Institutional clients. It will also offer our existing Private and Corporate clients in the residential and commercial sectors a broader range of services and end-toend solutions.

AMS is Singapore’s leading provider of innovative cleaning, disinfecting, and sanitising solutions for large scale facilities, for a wide range of clientele across Government, Institutional and commercial assets. AMS has grown rapidly, as investors, asset owners, and operators across all sectors demand efficient and enhanced hygiene in private and public spaces to meet higher health and safety standards. AMS is at the cutting edge of technology incorporating state-of-the-art artificial intelligence (“AI”) driven robotics and internet of things (“IoT”) technology in its solutions. With AMS, Savills will also be seeking to enhance reporting on all aspects of environmental, social, and governance (“ESG”).

Marcus Loo, CEO, Savills Singapore said, “This is an exciting development for Savills Singapore business and an important milestone for the company. The acquisition expands the depth and breadth of our client offering in PM, IFM, and Facilities Services enabling us to offer clients greater value. I am excited to be working with Ken and his team to offer our collective clients, highly efficient end-to-end services leveraging robotics, IoT, and AI to optimise our services and help meet the ever growing demands of ESG reporting.”

Ken Lee, Managing Director, AMS said, “I am delighted to be joining forces with the Savills team here in Singapore. With their market leading position in MCST commercial and residential strata management and their growing presence in the IFM marketplace, we see many synergies and growth opportunities.”

Chris Marriott, CEO, Savills SE Asia commented, “This transaction is an important strategic step in the ongoing development of the Savills platform both in Singapore and SE Asia. In welcoming AMS, we have positioned ourselves as a leading player offering combined services in PM, IFM, and Facilities Services sectors. The acquisition also meets our corporate strategy: to build a robust business model that balances high value recurring income with our transactional agency income, creating a business that will thrive and survive under all economic circumstances.”

Horizon Towers launched for sale

4 October, 2022/in News/by Editor

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Horizon Towers Launced For Sale at $1.1b

Horizon Towers, a collective sale site in the prestigious Leonie Hill locale, is launching for sale by tender by sole marketing agent JLL.

Sitting on elevated grounds in the coveted District 9, the site enjoys double road access with wide frontages nestled within the tree-lined Leonie Hill and Leonie Hill Road, exuding exclusivity amidst serenity. The 99-year leasehold development comprises 211 units in two towers.

The sprawling 1.9 ha site is zoned “Residential” in the 2019 Master Plan with an allowable height of up to 36 storeys. It has an “as-built” gross plot ratio (“GPR”) of around 3.28 and may be redeveloped into a luxury high-rise residential development with spectacular city views all round.

“A luxurious high-rise masterpiece on the elevated and sprawling grounds of Leonie Hill, complete with comprehensive amenities and bespoke services for its future well-heeled residents can be envisaged to be delivered by a very discerning developer on this premier address in the Orchard Road neighbourhood,” says Mr. Tan Hong Boon, Executive Director of Capital Markets at JLL Singapore. “The scale of the site will undoubtedly add to the grandeur of the development – a key selling feature that the developer should capitalize on.’’

At a reserve price of $1.1 billion, Horizon Towers’ unit land rate reflects about $2,049 per sq ft per plot ratio (psf/pr) over its 204,742 sq ft site at the GPR of ~3.28, inclusive of an estimated $277 million lease top-up premium. As there is no land betterment charge (formerly known as ‘development charge’) payable for intensification of the site even with the 10 per cent bonus gross floor area due to a high development baseline, the reflected unit land rate is $1,862 psf/pr.

“This is by far the most reasonably priced private residential site in and around the Orchard Road neighbourhood this collective sale cycle and it presents a great opportunity for developers and consortiums to acquire this one-of-its-kind sprawling choice site with its unparalleled attributes,” said Mr. Tan.

“In the past few quarters, we have seen private residential prices breaching new highs in both the Outside Central Region (mass market segment) and the Rest of Central Region (mid-tier segment), rising significantly faster than the relatively flattish price trend of the Core Centre Region (“CCR”, high-end segment). This lagging price movement is expected to be bumped up by the other two segments and propel the rise in prime residential prices towards a new norm,” noted Mr. Tan.

Given Singapore’s safe-haven reputation amidst the post-pandemic environment and uncertainties caused by geopolitical conflicts, inflation and rising interest rates, JLL expects both locals and foreigners to enter the market and be increasingly committing to this prime asset class in the CCR, especially around the Orchard Road locale, for their capital preservation and investment diversification.

“With the decreasing unsold stock of new residential units in the CCR, especially quality and sizable luxury apartments around Orchard Road, and the projected incoming high demand for quality and bespoke apartments, we expect the Horizon Towers site to attract a good number of discerning developers capable of delivering an exceptional quality development comprising approximately 560 luxurious units at an average size of 1,200 sq ft,” adds Mr. Tan.

The tender for Horizon Towers closes on Thursday, 20 October 2022 at 3.00 p.m.

Cushman & Wakefield’s New 11,400-Sqft Office Exudes the Same Vibe As Singapore’s Best Bars

3 October, 2022/in Design/by Editor

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Coaxing a work-from-home workforce back to the office is a challenge with many companies resorting to incentives such as free meals or requirements to work in the office a certain number of days. A different approach was taken by Cushman & Wakefield, which felt that a new concept for an office where people want to return to and work in was in order. It came up with what they call the “destination office”, located in Singapore’s Central Business District.

The first sign that this workplace is not a regular office starts at the lift lobby, where there is not even a nameplate for the real estate services firm, and no doors either. Instead, the reception area opens up to a view over Singapore and feels akin to a first-class business lounge, with coffee and food, tables for guests to sit at and talk rather than be whisked off to a personality-less meeting room. The reason the space feels so much like one of Singapore’s lauded bars is that it was designed by MSDO, the same team behind the Manhattan Bar and Atlas.

Walking on from the large reception lounge is the working area which features adjustable height desks. It is not unusual to see one person sitting down working whilst the person next to him/her is standing up doing the same thing. Some meeting rooms are custom designed without the ubiquitous teleconferencing set up to allow people to just gather and talk. The most interesting part of the office is hidden behind a mirrored door — the Library houses, a long communal desk with wood and leather features, and is a no-talking zone where people can silently get on with their work, free of distractions.

“This is what offices of the future will be, where people want to be in to collaborate, learn, and create, whilst being allowed to have a quiet space to work. Our office is chock-full of amenities. It does not only give off a hospitality feel, it has everything employees need to work effectively,” Andrew Carmichael, Senior Director, Project & Development Services, Asia Pacific at Cushman & Wakefield, told Singapore Business Review.

Designing the ‘Destination’ office

Cushman & Wakefield tapped its own in-house Total Workplace team to brief the creative team, not only on the company’s requirements but also on how they imagine the future office should look like.

Carmichael cited four key visions, the first ones being centred on their clients and workers, whilst the others were focused on creating a high-performance work culture, as well as promoting sustainability.

He shared the firm had to be “purposeful” as it manages over 2,000 employees in its Singapore offices alone.

Cushman & Wakefield, through its facilities and engineering arm, C&W Services, had likewise ventured into reimagining the office of the future when it transformed its office in Chai Chee into a “living lab.” This time, Carmichael said, the company envisioned a “destination office,” where clients and workers, when gracing its halls, would have a hospitality-driven experience comparable to visits made to destination bars and even, resorts.

The new office has a fully tech-enabled environment that allows seamless connectivity, giving employees the freedom to move around as they please. Cushman & Wakefield also updated its desk booking system, developed with Indoor Finders, which the staff could use to reserve desks and meeting rooms.

“The bookable workstations app is a simple, yet intuitive technology. It somehow knows the people the user wants to work with, who is with his or her team—it sends the user in that direction,” he said.

The 11,400-square foot office can be found at the new integrated development CapitaSpring. It features 101 functional work points and workstations to cater to Cushman & Wakefield’s workforce during peak hours.

The company also purposefully dedicated half of its space for collaboration with 17 meeting rooms and phone booths, on top of open spaces that amount to twice the size of the collaboration space Cushman & Wakefield had in its previous office. Aside from its Library, the destination office also features the “Saloon,” which has a cafe setting that allows employees to eat, meet, connect, and work.

“If you don’t want to book a desk, we encourage people to go around the periphery where there is very simple technology,” Carmichael said, noting that some huddle rooms were designed intentionally without any technology, whilst others feature all sorts of technology where workers can simply “plug and play.”

ASDA 2023 Platform To Inspire and Showcase Purposeful Design and Practical Solutions for Multi-Generational Living

3 October, 2022/in News/by Editor

Reading Time: 3 minutes

LIXIL, the maker of pioneering water and housing products, is pleased to announce the launch of the American Standard Design Award (ASDA) 2023. Organized through American Standard, the ASDA 2023 competition focuses on multi-generational living with the theme ‘A Home to Love, A Space for Everyone’. The ASDA 2023 is calling for innovative user-centric designs that are purposeful and practical from the next generation of designers across the Asia Pacific (APAC).

Multi-generational living continues to be popular across Asia. Prior to COVID-19, almost half of Asians (45%) were living with their extended families in one household.[1] The pandemic accelerated this trend; as families made space for older relatives, young adults moved back home, and households accommodated more family members to pool their living and financial resources. As families adjusted to longer term co-living in the same space, designers are met with a unique set of challenges around privacy, comfort and accessibility.

The ASDA competition aims to reflect the relevance of multi-generational living with a design approach that balances hygiene, ergonomics, safety and convenience for users of different age groups – from children to parents to grandparents.

“For over 140 years, American Standard has continuously raised the bar in delivering bathroom solutions that combines purposeful designs and pioneering technologies. With our deep industry and design expertise, we are delighted to collaborate with leading architects and designers to launch ASDA 2023. American Standard has been trusted for generations for its progressive and dependable products, and we chose this year’s ASDA theme to inspire student designers to create an inviting multi-generational bathroom space in the home that every generation will love, whilst competing against their peers across the APAC region.” said Antoine Besseyre Des Horts, Leader, LIXIL Global Design, Asia.

Last year’s inaugural ASDA received an overwhelming response of nearly 3,000 entries hailing from seven countries: Australia, Cambodia, India, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.

“The ASDA provides a great platform for design enthusiasts to apply our knowledge and learnings into real-world scenarios. The opportunity to present our ideas to industry’s top professionals was highly motivating and offered valuable insight into crafting thoughtful and unique designs,” said Lê Đức Thinh, ASDA 2022 Residential Bathroom Space Design Grand Prize Winner.

This year, the ASDA is inviting entries for the category of Residential Bathroom Space Design, emphasizing the importance of bathroom aesthetics for urbanites living in high-mass housing. With limited living area shared by a mix of age groups, designers will have to optimize and create multi-functional homes that strike a balance between private and shared spaces. The competition will push the envelope on design, challenging students to create a safe, hygienic and comfortable bathroom that is loved by everyone in the family.

The ASDA 2023 is open to Year 2 and above tertiary design school students from ten countries across the Asia Pacific – Australia, Cambodia, India, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.

The competition will accept entry submissions from August 24th, 2022 until January 15th, 2023. Entries will be judged through to May 2023, when the Asia Pacific Grand Prize winner will be announced.

The entries will be judged at two levels – National Level and APAC Level. At the national level, a national judging panel made up of architecture and design luminaries from each country will evaluate entries received from local participants.

First prize winners from each country will then proceed to the APAC competition round and will be judged by a regional judging panel for the Grand Prize. In addition, the Grand Prize winner will also have the opportunity to join the award ceremony in Singapore and visit the LIXIL Design Centre for an opportunity to interact with the LIXIL global design team.

For more information about the design competition and a way to be part of an impactful movement that can make a difference to consumers’ lives, please visit the ASDA website at (https://americanstandard-apac.com/asda).

[1] https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2020/03/31/with-billions-confined-to-their-homes-worldwide-which-living-arrangements-are-most-common/

Chongqing Gaoke Group Office Project by Aedas

27 September, 2022/in Architecture/by developer

Reading Time: 4 minutes

Chongqing gaoke group ltd office project by aedas 01

Completed in 2022, Aedas-designed Chongqing Gaoke Group Ltd Office Project utilises a simple elegant form. It is derived from the northern light, which creates the twisting shape of the 180m tall tower to form expressive double-curved surfaces on the building façades. Vertical lines accentuate the minimalistic form and through the effect of reflection and refraction from the glass create a design statement that celebrates light as the major tool to define architecture.

Chongqing gaoke group ltd office project by aedas 02

Stands at the north of Xingfu Plaza, the project is located in Jiangbei District of Chongqing. The surrounding environment has already been developed in a spacious plot, and one big challenge for the designer is to interpret planning concept of “solar”, into an iconic landmark well-integrated in the existing community context.

“As an open public space, the tower has all the credits to be a city icon, especially the significant twisting of the façade is remarkable.” Inspired by the dancing aurora, Aedas Global Design Principal Ken Wai and his team, has introduced an impressive façade design through bottom-to-top connections between northern and eastern sides. The ‘dance of light’ is characterised by the juxtaposition of rectilinear forms and tower façades with double curves. Such curvaceous façade expression offers ever-changing perspectives around the development. When the sun rises, the curved façade shines, and the tower becomes the building of light. When night falls, the curved façade showcases reflections that allude to the dancing figure of a ballerina. The podium roof extends a coherent statement of sliding twist from top to bottom, echoing with the geometry of the tower and maintaining a consistent architectural style.

To achieve a very smooth transition of the glass façade, the design uses double-curved cold form glass instead of the usual or more common faceted method. The maximum twisting angle is up to 8.8 degrees per floor surpassing the existing super high-rise tower in the world by nearly 1.5 times (CTBUH Journal, 2016 Issue 3). It is expected to be one of “The Most Twisting Towers in the world”. Innovative façade technology from façade engineer RFR empowers the precise execution of such challenging design. The area of the hyperbolic curtain wall is about 8,000 square metres, and the number of hyperbolic curtain wall panels is as many as 1,709.

The unique twisting results in a high double-curvature ratio, which poses a major challenge for the overall façade system. The team and RFR joint hands to leverage the cold bend glass technique and BIM on complex geometry façade for a magic solution. Such innovation is to adapt to the changing geometric

parameters and dimensions while fulfilling requirements on safety, waterproof and thermal performance. It also ensures a consistent façade construction in line with BIM simulations. The system of cold bend glass on the 3D frame façade component enables a maximum of 86mm in glass deviation between floors, realizing a record-breaking design in China. From overall geometry analysis, façade component modelling & clash checking, LOD400 detail component modelling, automotive data exporting and auditing, 3D BIM has been utilized throughout the entire façade design process. Through value engineering, a portion of the hyperbolic glass with flat glass is successfully replaced that achieved savings in construction costs.

The architectural form uses twisted curved glass, leading each glass is different in size and degree of twist. With a unique twisted façade and integration with landscape, the view of the tower varies from different angles.

“The façade is not only an outlook expression, but also a way of protection that sculpts interior spaces.” Ken explained. His delicate design has been articulated for the top of the tower, by conveying the conceptual “Valley of Light” through the transparent glass façade and lightings, to make a coherent statement. Such concept differentiates the crown of this tower from other office spaces. The plant room, BMU and other facilities are centralize inside the “Valley” on the top of the building, achieving functional unity without undermining the visual aesthetics.

“As for the master layout, we have put thorough consideration to the surrounding environment and the building volume. The tower is located of the left side of the mall, minimising the towering effect on the adjacent parts of the development, and establishing interactive connections in between. The tower sets back northwards, to connect podium and the mall at the south. A variety of public space for civic leisure has thus been created. The underpass to its west leads easy access to the existing shopping centre, as a sensible approach to improve commercial value of underground space.” Ken said.

Lendlease Digital Launches Podium Property Insights in Asia

27 September, 2022/in News/by Editor

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Lendlease Digital announced the launch of Podium Property Insights in Asia. Launched in partnership with Accenture and Google Cloud, the one of-a-kind software platform for workplace managers and real estate owners will optimise space utilisation and cost savings within buildings that support employers in improving the employee experience.

Designed for large scale enterprises, government agencies, and portfolios, the platform allows users to view, analyse and predict future requirements, as well as gain value from specific data at a portfolio, building and team level. The partners have begun pilots in select locations, including Accenture’s Singapore office and the Csuites flexible workspace at Paya Lebar Quarter.

Leveraging data for future insights

The Podium Property Insights software tool creates personalised insights and recommended actions to inform future workspace decisions, and drive improvements to employee satisfaction. Podium Property Insights intelligently supports 20 unique metrics – Employee Satisfaction, Space Utilisation, Health & Safety, and Sustainability – in any building to create real-time models for optimal building usage.

Unlike purely sensor led solutions, Podium Property Insights offers concise insights, analysis at the individual team level, and provides forward looking forecasts. The platform brings together place, people, and business data collected through sensors and surveys to create a staircase to value – from business intelligence to artificial intelligence, and ultimately operational intelligence. This means users have the insights needed to improve cost efficiency, employee engagement, and workplace productivity.

Workplaces where people thrive

Employees are now demanding dynamic, personalised workplace experiences. In response, Podium Property Insights sets employee satisfaction as the “hero metric,” which is unparalleled in the market. By combining AI with practical tools to enable workplace teams to respond to ever-changing employee needs, along with insights built on complete data sets, Podium focused on helping the workplace thrive by correlating building data with employee data.

Through the pilot phase of the rollout of Podium Property Insights, teams have discovered that sometimes it is the simple things that need changing – for instance replacing high-chairs with standard chairs. Other teams have been able to relook at the space requirements based on how unique teams prefer to work and collaborate.

Podium Property Insights promotes safer and healthier buildings through tracking real-time data analytics and predictive and immediate action recommendations, which aims to decrease employee complaints by up to 30% and increase workplace productivity by up to 12%.

Optimising space

For workplace managers seeking to reduce overhead costs, Podium Property Insights tracks underutilised floors and meeting rooms and places in the office that have the least engagement enabling an optimal model for space usage to produce a thriving office environment.

Companies will be able to monetise non-utilised spaces at non-peak times by reconfiguring floorplate designs and adjusting for a hybrid work model. By creating this model, companies will find maximum workplace performance, grow employee engagement and retention. Podium Property Insights will continuously evolve to include additional data sources and metrics based on feedback received.

Reducing carbon footprint

For building owners seeking to reduce their building’s carbon footprint, Podium Property Insights can monitor air quality, temperature, and acoustics across the office. The platform also identifies electricity intensity and use per occupant, enabling building owners to redeploy resources more efficiently. After piloting Podium Property Insights, buildings will have a much stronger visibility of utility spend against occupancy, enabling action to reduce energy consumption footprint by 10% to 20%, depending on building infrastructure design. Podium Property Insights supports the entire real estate value chain, while encouraging industry collaboration and co-innovation.

Users of Podium Property Insights can expect safer and healthier buildings through tracking real-time data analytics, and advise on immediate action recommendations, which is imperative in an ever-changing environment in light of the pandemic.

Lendlease First in Singapore To Achieve Three Coveted WELL Certifications

26 September, 2022/in News/by Editor

Reading Time: 2 minutes

From L-R: Victor Maningo, Vice President Global Market Development, Asia Pacific at IWBI, Ng Hsueh Ling, Managing Director, Lendlease Singapore & Chairman, Lendlease Global Commercial REIT; Jack Noonan, Vice President, Asia Pacific at IWBI, Justin Gabbani, Chief Executive Officer, Lendlease Asia and Richard Paine, Head of Development, Lendlease Singapore, pose with a plaque of WELL Gold Certification at Lendlease Singapore office. Photo credit: Lendlease

Lendlease recently announced that it has been awarded the International WELL Building Institute’s (IWBI) WELL Core & Shell Certification at Gold level for nearly one million square feet of Grade A workspaces across its three office towers at its mixed use development, Paya Lebar Quarter (PLQ), in a first for Singapore.

PLQ as the first group of projects in Singapore to register for WELL Certification in 2017 has incorporated many key sustainability features into the development and was designed with access to nature in mind, which include 100,000 square feet of green public spaces, native plants and natural materials. In addition, the development incorporates superior indoor air quality through top of-line filtration systems; use of low or zero VOC materials; access to outdoor views and daylighting for office tenants; easy access to healthy amenities such as exercise areas and facilities; and, a wide array of healthy food options.

The three office towers – PLQ 1, 2 and 3 – are characterised by large, efficient floor plates to meet the regional needs of global organisations seeking to establish progressive workplaces to attract and retain talent.

Lendlease is the world’s first commercial owner to earn a WELL portfolio score for its office portfolio from IWBI. Lendlease’s International Towers Sydney in Australia was the first to be awarded WELL Core & Shell Certification at the Platinum level, the highest certification available from IWBI.

Ng Hsueh Ling, Managing Director of Lendlease Singapore, commented: “We are humbled to be recognised by the International WELL Building Institute again for our leadership and longstanding commitment in creating well-designed developments that focus on the well-being of our people and the communities around them. Clinching the WELL Certifications is a prestigious one and is even more imperative in a post-pandemic world. We will continue to focus on creating a happier, healthier and ultimately more thriving workforce and resilient community here in Paya Lebar Quarter.”

Cosentino Launches Two New Dekton®: Onirika and Kraftizen

26 September, 2022/in News/by Editor

Reading Time: 5 minutes

Cosentino Launches Two New Dekton®: Onirika and Kraftizen

Cosentino Group had just launched two collections, Dekton® Onirika and Kraftizen.

Dekton® is an unmatched category in the world of surfaces, not only is it impervious to elements such as scratches, stains, UV rays, fire and heat, it is the only surface brand that is certified carbon neutral from cradle to grave. By offsetting 100% of carbon dioxide emissions over its entire product life cycle, Dekton® is a sustainable material which reduces environmental impact.

Dekton® Onirika

Cosentino and international interior design powerhouse, Nina Magon, have come together to create a one-of-a-kind Dekton® collection that is bold and yet, elegant and timeless. Inspired by marble patterns and immersive living, the stunning series showcases eight daring colours: Awake, Lucid, Somnia, Neural, Trance, Vigil, Daze and Morpheus.

“We are not attempting to mimic any existing natural stone. With the Dekton technology, we are able to create our own colours and structures, bringing to life something that is unique, beautiful and irreplaceable. That is the purpose of Onirika – to showcase the versatility of Dekton,” shares the Houston-based designer, Nina Magon.

From Left to Right:

• Neural combines elegance and structure to bring peace and joy, calm sensations, and an overall feeling of well-being into a space. With fine, pale veins crossing the marbled pattern, the design creates a fascinating neural network, which teleports one into a white dream. It is best suited for bright, neutral spaces with soft textures, light colours, and wooden or metallic accents.

• Lucid displays many shades, reflections, and glints of colour to create an illuminative perception of colours best combined with wood, grey and gold shades, and frosted glass.

• Morpheus is the name of this same Lucid tonality but in Dekton® Velvet Texture finish.

• Awake is a re-interpretation of the precious Paonazzo stone. It features thick veins of light greys, exquisite oxide terracotta, and a hint of subtle, inky blues. This iteration pairs beautifully with white, neutral tones, lightwood, and golds of any shade.

• Trance features warm fine streaks that move between oxides and fade to reddish gold, combining perfectly with reddish oak wood and darker walnut tones. Blue furniture and warm golds in pale finishing bring sleekness to this vibrant colour.

• Somnia boasts captivating details of warm oxide browns and whites that merge under a grid of think lines that create a sober texture. Somnia is perfect with warm dark woods, frosted glass and textured metal surfaces such as copper.

• Vigil recreates a strong Calacatta structure with thick veins in gradients of light and dark greys, matched with a subtle touch of gold. This is a classic colour that is easy to combine with warm and cold hues, wood metal, and clean concrete.

• Daze is the name of this same Vigil tonality but in Dekton® Velvet texture finish.

Dekton® Kraftizen

Kraftizen boasts a series of five versatile, beautiful colours with rich, deep textures: Umber, Nacre, Argentium, Micron and Albarium. Reminiscent of Venetian stucco, these colours are rooted in minimalism and versatility, bringing serenity into any space.

The Dekton® Kraftizen collection reinterprets craftsmanship perfected over the centuries using the latest digital craft technology. Each trowel stroke from yesteryear transfers onto canvases made of millions of pixels, becoming part of an image and a reinterpretation which will stand the test of time.

From Left to Right:

• Nacre is a colour with plenty of movement to engage all senses. Trowel marks bring the colour to life, while the subtle interplay of light and shadow accompanies every inch of the design. The silky finish is pleasant to the touch. Meanwhile, the scattered gradients are highly decorative and reminiscent of sea waves.

• Micron is elegant and minimalistic. Its markings and trowelled texture give it depth. This deep, dark grey conveys a comforting sense of calm and serenity.

• Albarium is a peaceful, powdery white colour, reminiscent of marble dust. The subtle trowel achieves a rich continuity that makes it easy to apply on large surfaces. Albarium captivates with its fine, elegant texture and the refinement and light it brings to the spaces where it is used.

• Umber is a timeless colour with its own personality and a special charisma. The terracotta is warm and cosy, an earthy colour closely connected to nature.

• Argentium is a perfect matte grey that can be combined with both warm and cold tones. Its trowelled structure, typical of lime plastering, provides a bold design option to the range. In ancient times, silver was considered a gift of nature created by the influence of the moon. This legend lives on in Argentium.

Dekton® offers endless design possibilities with its multiple applications for both indoors and outdoors spaces. It has won over many architects and designers around the world who chose the high-performance surface for facades, countertops, floors, cabinetry and claddings.

The two new collections are available for viewing at Cosentino City Singapore, located at 5 Straits View, Marina One The Heart (West Tower) #01-16/17, Singapore 018935.

LG Brings Clean Air to Homes With Climate Friendly Refrigerant and Innovative Air Solution

9 September, 2022/in News/by Editor

Reading Time: 4 minutes

A guest at the lg r32 refrigerant demonstration zone

LG Electronics (LG) recently showcased its total air care solutions by unveiling the latest air conditioners and air purifiers at the LG Air Solutions event. The event highlights LG’s newly launched climate-friendly R32 refrigerant for air conditioners and the LG PuriCare™ AeroTower™ Air Purifying Fan to emphasise the importance of clean air and healthy homes. Together, the company’s latest innovations provide fresh air for homeowners looking to upgrade their appliances.

Mr Gerald Chun, Managing Director, LG Electronics Singapore, said, “As one of the global leaders in air solutions, LG has been diversifying efforts to introduce forward looking products that deliver clean air to users at their comfort and convenience. Striving to make life better for all, we are focusing on developing sustainable innovations that protect the earth and cater to the evolving consumers’ needs for a healthier and better life at home.”

The R32: Environmentally Friendly Refrigerant

Taking ecological responsibility to the next level, LG has adopted the industry’s next generation R32 refrigerant for its single and multi-split air conditioners in commercial and residential settings. The energy-efficient R32 refrigerant is combined with LG air conditioners’ intelligent features and innovative product design to deliver cool air in a greener way.

With zero ozone depletion potential and significantly lower global warming potential (GWP) compared to the mainstream R410A refrigerant1, the R32 refrigerant is widely known to be more environmentally friendly for Mother Nature. The R32 conveys heat efficiently and offers a higher cooling capacity, so less energy is required to cool indoor spaces – this highlights the industry’s gold standard in heat transfer. Users can then reduce their carbon footprint and enjoy more significant savings on electricity costs. The R32, a single-component refrigerant, can also be easily recycled or reused, minimising the environmental impact of HVAC equipment, making it the refrigerant of choice for many businesses like LG today.

Unique to its multi-split residential air conditioners line-up, LG also developed the peak current control technology to manage energy consumption efficiently. Users can set a maximum consumption level to limit the total power used. An internal test result shows that usage patterns at 1.9kW and 1.7kW compared to the maximum power consumption of 2.5kW will help to save 24 per cent and 32 per cent energy, respectively2.

With an excellent 5-tick rating on Singapore’s Energy Guide3, LG’s Multi-Split Smart Inverter Air-Conditioner has a coefficient of performance (COP) that surpasses regulatory expectations 4. The Dual Inverter Compressor is also structured to operate with low vibration and less noise, resulting in optimised airflow that cools the room quickly and ensures greater energy efficiency.

The compact size of the outdoor unit makes it easy to install, perfect for those with HDBs looking to upgrade their air-cooling systems. To help users make an informed decision when choosing new air conditioners, LG’s air conditioners that use the R32 refrigerant will be identified with a Climate-Friendly label.

Enjoy Clean, Cool Air with LG PuriCare™ AeroTower™

The LG PuriCare™ AeroTower™ Air Purifying Fan features the perfect combination of an air purifier and a fan, with adjustable, three-way airflow modes that deliver fresh and clean air to every corner of the house.

The LG AeroTower™ graces any home with its sleek design that blends seamlessly into the interior. Employing a 3-step filtration system – comprising the Pre-Filter, 360-degree HEPA filter and Deodorisation Filter, the LG AeroTower™ effectively removes allergens, fine dust5, odours and harmful gases6in the air, improving indoor air quality significantly. In addition, the air purifying fan is equipped with LG UVnano™ technology to remove up to 99.9 percent of bacteria7on the fan blades, ensuring that clean air is delivered to every corner of the house.

Control Usage Remotely with the LG ThinQ™ App

The LG ThinQ™ app provides next-level convenience for users to remotely control and manage their LG products. The LG ThinQ™ app allows users to switch on/off the device and adjust temperature settings to avoid energy wastage. It also provides updates on indoor air quality and notifications to replace air purifier’s filters.

LG air conditioners with R32 refrigerants and AeroTower™ Air Purifying Fan are available at LG official brand stores – KrisShop, Lazada and Shopee, and authorised retailers.

For more information, visit https://www.lg.com/sg/air-solutions.

1 R410A: Ozone Depletion Potential of 0, Global Warming Potential of 2,088.

R32: Ozone Depletion Potential of 0, Global Warming Potential of 675.

2 LG internal test results on 7kW model. Cooling: Indoor Ambient Temp. 27°CDB / 19°CWB, Outdoor Ambient Temp. 35°CDB / 24°CWB

3 Model Z3UQ18GFA0 – Energy Rating: 5 ticks, Annual Energy Consumption: 1956kWh, Annual Energy Cost: S$528, Cooling Capacity: 5.21kW

Model Z3UQ26GFA0 – Energy Rating: 5 ticks, Annual Energy Consumption: 2389Wh, Annual Energy Cost: S$645, Cooling Capacity: 6.46kW

Model Z4UQ28GFA0– Energy Rating: 5 ticks, Annual Energy Consumption: 2786Wh, Annual Energy Cost: S$752, Cooling Capacity: 7.51kW

4 For more information, please refer to https://www.nea.gov.sg/our-services/climate-change-energy efficiency/energy-efficiency/household-sector/tick-rating

5 Tested by SGS IBR Laboratories in November, 2021 with DOE radial-pleat filter element using test method in compliance with IEST RP CC001.6 (2016) HEPA and ULPA Filters. Results may vary depending on the actual usage environment.

6 Tested by Korea Air Cleaning Association in April, 2021 using test model FS061PWHA, test method in compliance with SPS-KACA 002-0132 indoor air purifier. Results may vary depending on the actual usage environment. 7 Tested by TÜV Rheinland using test model FS061PWHA measuring a bacteria solution (Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Klebsiella pneumoniae) on the blower fan blade at speed Level 1 for an hour exposed to LG UVnano UV-C LED test method in compliance with ISO22196:2011. Results may vary depending on the actual usage environment.

Goodman Tsuen Wan West precinct: One of Hong Kong’s Largest Data Centre and Technology Hubs

8 September, 2022/in Architecture/by Editor

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Goodman has opened its Goodman Tsuen Wan West precinct. This revitalisation project has transformed an old textile factory site into one of Hong Kong’s largest data centre and technology hubs, providing the infrastructure to power Hong Kong ahead in the digital economy.

Having acquired the disused Central Textiles factory site in 2014, Goodman worked closely with the Hong Kong authorities, electricity provider CLP Power and its global customers for years, to realise the vision of the Goodman Tsuen Wan West development. The revitalised development comprises four buildings totalling 1.6 million sq ft of space, with critical digital infrastructure that enables the continued growth of Hong Kong’s data centre, technology and telecommunication industries.

In line with Hong Kong’s strategy to be a prime location for technology and data centres within the Asia Pacific region, Goodman has delivered these new facilities to its customers who will benefit from cutting edge design. Each building has its own independent high-voltage power supply with high levels of resiliency to accommodate a range of high-tier data centre, IT, telecommunications and industrial uses.

The first two buildings are now completed and fully leased by two of Goodman’s major global customers. The remaining two buildings are currently under construction and will complete in 2024. Overall, the precinct is 87% committed to major global data centre and technology customers.

Goodman continues its focus on being a leader in sustainability. In 2021, Goodman achieved its goal of carbon neutrality across its global operations, four years ahead of its 2025 target. The Goodman Tsuen Wan West precinct further builds on these achievements, marking Hong Kong’s first development to have offset the embodied emissions from its construction. The buildings are LEED Gold pre-certified and incorporate an extensive range of sustainability initiatives including rooftop solar as well as recycling of demolition materials.

Kristoffer Harvey, CEO Greater China, Goodman Group said, “Goodman Tsuen Wan West is the latest showcase of our commitment to urban regeneration, while meeting the surging demand both locally and regionally for high-tier data centres, technology infrastructure and emissions reduction objectives. This development combines our focus on optimising our properties for people and technology, helping deliver the infrastructure shaping the development of the digital economy in Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area.”