Concrete Asia Launches First Dedicated Concrete and Construction Trade Show in Thailand

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The 4-in-1 exhibition and conference aims to attract over 450 exhibitors, brands and thousands of trade professionals from across the region.

The 4-in-1 exhibition and conference aims to attract over 450 exhibitors, brands and thousands of trade professionals from across the region.

Scheduled to take place from 21 to 23 September, 2016 at the IMPACT Exhibition & Convention Centre in Bangkok, Thailand, Concrete Asia 2016 is jointly organised by the Asian Concrete Construction Industry in partnership with Globe International Events Consultancy Pte Ltd, Singapore and Impact Exhibition Management Company Thailand. It aims to gather industry professionals to network and display a full spectrum of the concrete supply chain in the world of civil construction for paving, surfacing, building and infrastructure.

Concrete Asia 2016 will be held as part of the Asian Construction Week, which also comprises of BMAM Expo Asia 2016 and GBR Expo Asia 2016, presenting a mega presentation in over 200,000 square feet of exhibition area that will showcase the latest products and technologies. There will also be more than 20 seminars and conferences held alongside during the Asian Construction Week.

Increased urbanisation, investment, government spending, and consumer spending has set Concrete Asia to target the Asian economies which is expected to double in the next 10 to 15 years. To accommodate the striving demand, the Asia’s construction market is expected to grow in both residential and infrastructure sectors. ASEAN is a trillion dollar economy, with growth expected to reach US$4 trillion in 2020 and is the perfect market for the concrete industry.

As the world enters the 4th industrial Revolution, which is also known as “Industry 4.0” defined by the application of Internet of Things (IOT), big data analytics, cyber-physical systems and many other advanced technologies, the concrete industry stands on the threshold of a major transformation that requires economies around the world, including Asia, to redefine and reinvent themselves in order to progress and thrive, according to Professor Dai Xianming, President of the Asian Concrete Construction Institute (ACCI).

“Besides having the exhibition itself presenting trade and networking opportunities, the event is also a strong content platform in terms of the trends, technology and knowledge which are essential for the continual development of the concrete construction in the region. I welcome all in the industry to grow their businesses to success together with our event when it officially opens in September 2016”, said Mr. Loy Joon How, General Manager, IMPACT Exhibition Management Co.

The 4-in-1 exhibition and conference aims to attract over 450 exhibitors, brands and thousands of trade professionals from across the region. The event’s hosted VIP buyer programme will also host more than 120 key buyers from across the region to facilitate close door buyer-seller meetings.

Build Eco Xpo (BEX) Asia 2016: futureproofing the green building industry

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L to R Dr John Keung, CEO, BCA; Lee Fook Sun, Chairman, BCA; Minister Lawrence Wong; Debbie Evans, President, Reed Exhibitions, SEA and Australia; Chia Ngiang Hong, President, SGBC

L to R Dr John Keung, CEO, BCA; Lee Fook Sun, Chairman, BCA; Minister Lawrence Wong; Debbie Evans, President, Reed Exhibitions, SEA and Australia; Chia Ngiang Hong, President, SGBC

Against a backdrop of accelerating climate change and rapidly increasing population growth, the call for more energy and cost-efficient buildings in Southeast Asia is immediate. With IDC’s prediction that Asia Pacific will become the frontline for the Internet of Things (IoT) by 2020, the green building industry can expect an increased adoption of green technologies with a growing focus on IoT.

Returning in its ninth edition, Build Eco Xpo (BEX) Asia 2016 is held at Marina Bay Sands Expo and Convention Centre Singapore from 7 to 9 September. BEX Asia 2016 is one of the anchor events of the Singapore Green Building Week (SGBW). In light of a rapidly-advancing infocomm technology landscape, BEX Asia is uniquely poised to deliver ideas and solutions to futureproof the built environment with an increased focus on smart yet energy-efficient technologies.

The event will see the convergence of green building experts, policy-makers, academics and built environment practitioners of international recognition for a discussion of new ways to tackle these issues. Exhibitors will showcase ways in which green buildings and new technologies can work in tandem for a regenerative approach to building designs, propelling the industry beyond the existing sustainability agenda.

The opening ceremony was graced by Minister for National Development, Mr Lawrence Wong.

Focus on green architectures, smart technologies and energy efficient solutions

The future of the green building industry is facing a high degree of complexity and uncertainty due to climate change and the disruptive nature of innovation. As regenerative solutions take centerstage this year, visitors to BEX Asia will see a strategic three-way rollout of the exhibition and seminar to focus on green architectures, smart technologies and energy efficient solutions.

Continuing the tradition of previous exhibitions, BEX Asia 2016 will also house dedicated market pavilions from mainland China, Taiwan and Singapore, consolidating in-country exhibitors for an overview of game-changing solutions of local relevance to the regional audience.

Some of the exhibitors that will be present at BEX Asia 2016 include Anacle Systems, Nippon Paint, Akzo Nobel Paints, Camfil, Fuji SMBE, Kansai Paint, LifeSmart Singapore, Mun Hean, Parex Group, REC, and ST Electronics.

On the seminar ground: Thought provoking insights exchange

According to the Global Green Building Market Outlook 2020 published by Research and Markets, the worldwide green building market will grow at a compound annual growth rate of about 13 percent from 2015 to 2020. This growth can partly be attributed to rising awareness of the implications of climate change, and the understanding that green buildings can result in lower level of greenhouse emissions.

To continue to advance such knowledge, industry innovators will gather at the ‘Green View’ to share related insights from which our man-made environment is founded on. Seminar goers can expect topics ranging from an education of materials necessary for green architectures by San Marco Paints and Graphenstone, to visionary tales of a smart community by Lux Research and getting to the heart of the energy efficiency boom by AECOM.

To complement these discussions, event organisers have also enhanced the business matching programme. Set to attract the region’s key suppliers and marketers, BEX Asia 2016 is expected to surpass more than US$125m in green building business transactions. Visitors can expect one-to-one business matching, as well as key networking with regional delegations including Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam and beyond Asia from Italy.

“Beyond sustainability and the recognised need to reduce carbon footprint, there is a greater call to strengthen competitiveness and collaboration between private and public stakeholders for collective action. We want to walk the talk and ensure that BEX Asia continues to be relevant. The solid foundation we’ve built will help us continue conversations for a better tomorrow for future generations,” said Louise Chua, Business Development Director and Project Director, Reed Exhibitions, organiser of BEX Asia 2016.

Aimed at inspiring green building leaders around the region, BEX Asia 2016 will be held alongside the second edition of Mostra Convegno Expocomfort (MCE) Asia, the leading trade exhibition dedicated to energy efficient solutions in HVAC-R, plumbing technology, sanitary accessories, and renewable energy, as well as the International Green Building Conference (IGBC) organised by the Building and Construction Authority of Singapore. Both exhibitions will play host to more than 450 exhibiting companies across the region to a congregation of over 12,000 trade visitors.

Visitor registration is now open at: http://www.bex-asia.com/visit/registration/.

SUEZ launches AQUADVANCED(R) Urban Drainage, an innovative waste and storm water solution

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spring-rain-2-1427535-640x960

Stormwater is responsible for 50% of the pollution flowing into rivers and beaches in urban areas.

Faced with urban population growth, global warming and changing regulations, optimising the performance of sewer and stormwater networks is a priority for local authorities. Responding to this challenge, SUEZ is launching AQUADVANCED® Urban Drainage[1], a digital solution that allows local authorities to monitor in real time their sewer and stormwater networks to mitigate the risk of flooding and to control the quality of discharges into the natural environment.

Optimising The Performance Of Sewer And Stormwater Networks: A Challenge For Local Authorities

Rising urbanisation and the increase of impermeable surfaces in urban areas have reduced the natural infiltration of stormwater into the soil to 15%. The remaining 85% flows on the surface, collecting the residues deposited on roofs and roads (fuel, heavy metals, plastics, etc.). Local authorities are faced with the challenge of collecting these polluted waters in the sewerage networks, and of treating them later into wastewater treatment plants to reduce the risks of severe flooding, human and material damage and pollution of the natural ecosystem. Stormwater is responsible for 50% of the pollution flowing into rivers and beaches in urban areas.

AQUADVANCED® Urban Drainage To Better Manage Sewer And Stormwater Systems, Prevent Flooding And Preserve The Quality Of The Receiving Water Bodies

In response to these challenges, SUEZ is launching AQUADVANCED® Urban Drainage, a digital solution that helps local authorities to manage their sewer and stormwater systems. The tool allows to choose the solution that best meets their needs, from the monitoring of an environment (rivers, the sea, sewerage networks), to the anticipation of flooding events and pollution of the natural environment, and the predictive and dynamic management of the complete sewerage system.

AQUADVANCED® Urban Drainage provides a global, real-time vision of the complete system, based on data from sensors installed both in the network and in the environment (rivers, watercourses, etc.) and on short-term weather forecasts. By centralising and analysing all these data, the software solution can anticipate the hydraulic performance of the network (saturated storage capacities, volumes to be treated, etc.) or of the natural ecosystem (risk of pollution or overflowing watercourses). For certain sewerage systems, the tool can also calculate the best control strategy, and automatically and remotely monitor the system’s facilities (storage reservoirs, pumping stations, etc.).

AQUADVANCED® Urban Drainage anticipates the risk of untreated wastewater overflowing into the natural ecosystem, monitors the quality of discharge on a daily basis and helps to protect the environment. Deploying this system can cut the volumes of stormwater that flow into rivers or the sea by up to 45%.

Presented at the Singapore International Water Week (10-14 July), where it is currently being deployed, AQUADVANCED® Urban Drainage has been already introduced in eight European cities, including Bordeaux, the Paris conurbation, Marseille and Barcelona.

Leader on the Smart Water market in Europe, SUEZ is complementing its offer to support local authorities in the sustainable management of resources with this management software dedicated to optimise sewer and stormwater networks’ performance. AQUADVANCED® Urban Drainage completes the existing software offer for the drinking water networks, named AQUADVANCED® Water Networks.

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[1] AQUADVANCED® is a registered trademark or a trademark under pending application.

Arcadis Report Finds Construction Disputes in Asia Last Longer Than Ever

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The length of time needed to resolve a construction dispute in Asia increased to an average of 19.5 months.

The length of time needed to resolve a construction dispute in Asia increased to an average of 19.5 months.

The length of time needed to resolve a construction dispute in Asia increased to an average of 19.5 months, according to the Global Construction Disputes: Don’t get left behind report released today by Arcadis. Impacting parties involved in a dispute and the overall construction industry, this figure is four months longer than the global average of 15.5 months.

While in 2015 the industry has seen an overall reduction in the value of construction disputes in Asia, disputes here are still approximately 45 percent higher than the global average of US$46 million.

The value of disputes relating to global construction projects in Asia has dropped from US$85.6 million to US$67 million in 2015. The report found that the value of construction disputes were the highest in the Middle East at US$82 million, followed by Asia. This year’s report is Arcadis’ sixth annual study into the duration, value, common causes and methods of resolution of construction disputes across the globe.

The study reveals that in 2015 there were some changes in the reasons behind disputes in Asia as compared to previous years. A failure to properly administer the contract moved up from second in last year’s report to first in 2015. The study found that the most common causes of construction disputes related to the administration of contracts. The top three causes were:

  • Failure to properly administer the contract
  • Failure to make interim awards on extensions of time and compensation|
  • Poorly drafted or incomplete and unsubstantiated claims

Where a dispute occurred, Joint Ventures (JVs) were more likely to be behind the cause in Asia, with a JV–related difference the cause in 41.4 percent of all cases, compared with a global average of 25.5 percent.

The three most common methods of Alternative Dispute Resolution that were used during 2015 in Asia were:

  • Party to party negotiation
  • Arbitration
  • Mediation

From a market perspective, Arcadis believe that although there is a construction slowdown, China, Hong Kong and Singapore markets are now facing challenges that are presented by large-scale infrastructure projects nearing completion. To address both historic and current issues, several regulatory changes have been implemented across the region. Hong Kong introduced the Rights of Third Parties Ordinance on 1 January, 2016, and the Security of Payment is due in 2017. Singapore is currently in consultation on a Mediation Bill, which looks to strengthen the overall framework for the use of mediation.

Philip Moss, Head of Contract Solutions, Asia, said: “We are expecting to see the number of disputes we will be dealing with in the coming year to increase. Given the current economic conditions, stakes are high for both parties and no one is looking to engage in long and protracted disputes; thus we are likely to see a further increase in the use of ad hoc forms of Alternative Dispute Resolution in the region. With that said, perhaps the best course of action is to seek to resolve issues before they become a formal dispute, instead of passively looking at ways to address issues that arise on the projects.”

Mike Allen, Global Leader of Contract Solutions at Arcadis, added: “The construction industry faced head winds, particularly with commodity and currency volatility. It is evident that the natural resources market is now operating against a very different economic backdrop. The business case assumptions that were likely used to endorse projects and programs have therefore changed, presenting a huge challenge to the project and entity risk profiles.”

Download the full report HERE.

Faithful+Gould Share How Hong Kong is Once Again Attracting Commercial Property Investors

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A view of the Hong Kong city scape.

A view of the Hong Kong city scape.

Hong Kong’s real estate development opportunities can be challenging. New opportunities are opening up in Kowloon, but how do you ensure your building is fit for purpose?

Following a somewhat stagnant commercial property market in 2015, Hong Kong is now attracting investors once again. Change of use is a key driver, with many properties being purchased or leased with a view to converting to hotels or offices. The hospitality market remains healthy, creating ongoing demand for hotels.

Grade A office space, in the central business district of Hong Kong Island, tends to have long leases and rarely changes hands. Today’s available property is frequently snapped up by mainland financial institutions looking to build a bigger footprint in the city due to Beijing’s ‘going out’ strategy. According to Colliers International, the 11 state-owned banking giants each occupy at least 100,000 square feet in Central.

Away from land-hungry Central, however, ongoing redevelopment across the harbour is presenting interesting real estate opportunities. Kowloon’s lower rents are attracting prospective tenants, many of whom are keen to downsize and relocate to escape high Central rents. Kowloon East is becoming a popular location for the city’s insurance and shipping sectors, with overseas investment banks also showing interest.

Back office functions, especially, are straightforward to accommodate here. Media and creative companies are also favouring the district, with its mix of traditional and warehouse/loft spaces.

In Kowloon East, government land supply has the potential to release another 13.6 million square feet of commercial floor space onto the market. Much of this will be at Kai Tak, where occupants will also benefit from the new rail infrastructure linking into Central.

The first challenge for prospective investors outside of Central is to accept the location. A company’s staff will typically prefer the prestige of Central, with its good transport links. However, the corporate cost benefits are significant, so selling the idea to staff may be a necessary part of the plan.

Financial companies will need specific infrastructure, which is sometimes seen as a stumbling block, though in reality, this is relatively easily organised. Change-of-use compliances are complex, with inward investors typically unfamiliar with Hong Kong’s complicated system. The main pitfall is ending up with an unsuitable building, not fit for purpose.

For many clients, Faithful+Gould is with them from project inception to completion and relocation/occupation, offering a full turnkey package. Faithful+Gould performs due diligence, checking the technical suitability and fitness of purpose of the building. We provide a full detailed report including costs and expert analysis. Visit Faithful+Gould for more information.

Autodesk and Trimble Sign Agreement to Increase Interoperability

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Autodesk and Trimble will take steps to accelerate interoperability by exchanging (APIs) and developer tools. Image courtesy of Autodesk.

Autodesk and Trimble will take steps to accelerate interoperability by exchanging (APIs) and developer tools. Image courtesy of Autodesk.

Trimble and Autodesk, Inc. have entered into an interoperability agreement aimed at saving customers time and reducing project costs typically associated with workflow inefficiency across different suppliers’ technologies. This will benefit architects, engineers and contractors, and importantly, project owners by enabling more freedom to optimise technology workflows needed to meet the complex requirements of today’s construction projects

Autodesk and Trimble have a shared goal of meeting the evolving needs of the building and infrastructure industries. Reliable, fluent exchange of information among multiple stakeholders and platforms is essential to this end. The Trimble and Autodesk collaboration demonstrates their ongoing commitment to support open industry standards such as Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) and Construction Operations Building Information Exchange (COBie), and can enable current and prospective Autodesk and Trimble customers working on the same projects to work together seamlessly through optimized file compatibility across applications.

Under the terms of agreement, Autodesk and Trimble will take steps to accelerate interoperability by exchanging Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) and developer tools to build and market interoperable products. This allows the two companies to improve upon existing data exchanges, as well as open up new workflows between their products.

Tighter product-to-product integration can enable design and construction professionals to share models, project files and other data between select Autodesk and Trimble solutions both in the office and the field, and allow for the reuse of information during design and construction throughout all phases of the project.

“The strength of a company is best measured by its willingness to do what is right for its customers and the industry at large. This interoperability agreement, like others we’ve signed, speaks to Autodesk’s commitment to openness,” said Amar Hanspal, senior vice president, Autodesk. “This collaboration with Trimble speaks to our shared dedication to making the building process more efficient and productive for all involved.”

“This collaboration demonstrates our mutual commitment to provide design and construction professionals with a seamless experience from both Autodesk and Trimble design-build-operate solutions,” said Bryn Fosburgh, vice president at Trimble. “As a result all stakeholders across the construction lifecycle can optimize their workflow efficiency.”

BEX Asia 2016 Returns as a Regenerative Force in the Age of IoT

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BEX Asia is uniquely poised to deliver ideas and solutions.

BEX Asia is uniquely poised to deliver ideas and solutions.

Against a backdrop of accelerating climate change and rapidly increasing population growth, the call for more energy and cost-efficient buildings in Southeast Asia is immediate. With IDC’s prediction that Asia Pacific will become the frontline for the Internet of Things (IoT) by 2021, the green building industry can expect an increased adoption of green technologies with a growing focus on IoT.

Returning in its ninth edition, the upcoming Build Eco Xpo (BEX) Asia 2016 will be held at Marina Bay Sands Expo and Convention Centre Singapore from 7 to 9 September, 2016. In light of a rapidly advancing infocomm technology landscape, BEX Asia is uniquely poised to deliver ideas and solutions to futureproof the built environment with an increased focus on smart yet energy-efficient technologies.

The event will see the convergence of green building experts, policy-makers, academics and built environment practitioners of international recognition for a discussion of new ways to tackle these issues. Exhibitors will showcase ways in which green buildings and new technologies can work in tandem for a regenerative approach to building designs, propelling the industry beyond the existing sustainability agenda. Minister for National Development, Mr Lawrence Wong, will grace the opening ceremony.

An energy-efficient event strategy that can take the heat
The future of the green building industry is facing a high degree of complexity and uncertainty due to climate change and the disruptive nature of innovation. As regenerative solutions take centre stage this year, visitors to BEX Asia will see a strategic three-way rollout of the exhibition and seminar to focus on green architectures, smart technologies and energy efficient solutions.

One-stop business exchange platform
Continuing the tradition of previous exhibitions, BEX Asia 2016 will also house dedicated market pavilions from mainland China, Taiwan and Singapore, consolidating in-country exhibitors for an overview of game-changing solutions of local relevance to the regional audience.

“We aim to lead the charge for sustainable coating solutions for greener architectures through our innovative products. Our eco-friendly products can improve the quality of life, and we’re very excited to be at BEX Asia 2016 to share our expertise and network with the community,” said Kel Low, Senior Manager, Specifier Relations, Nippon Paint.

Echoing a similar sentiment is Alex Lau, CEO, Anacle Systems, a home-grown green technology firm determined to resolve energy wastage with its smart energy management system. “BEX Asia serves as a launch pad for transformation in areas of energy efficiency and smart technology. Our generation is technologically savvy and it is important to have energy saving abilities like smart meters and energy tracking systems at our fingertips. BEX Asia is an ideal place for us to be part of dialogues to drive breakthroughs in next-gen energy management.”

Anacle Systems and Nippon Paint will be joined by returning and new exhibitors including Akzo Nobel Paints, Camfil, Fuji SMBE, Kansai Paint, LifeSmart Singapore, Mun Hean, Parex Group, REC, and ST Electronics at BEX Asia 2016.

Thought provoking insights exchange
According to the Global Green Building Market Outlook 2020 published by Research and Markets, the worldwide green building market will grow at a compound annual growth rate of about 13 percent from 2015 to 20202. This growth can partly be attributed to rising awareness of the implications of climate change, and the understanding that green buildings can result in lower level of greenhouse emissions.

To continue to advance such knowledge, industry innovators will gather at the ‘Green View’ to share related insights from which our man-made environment is founded on. Seminar goers can expect topics ranging from an education of materials necessary for green architectures by San Marco Paints and Graphenstone, to visionary tales of a smart community by Lux Research and getting to the heart of the energy efficiency boom by AECOM.

To complement these discussions, event organisers have also enhanced the business-matching programme. Set to attract the region’s key suppliers and marketers, BEX Asia 2016 is expected to surpass more than US$125m in green building business transactions. Visitors can expect one-to-one business matching, as well as key networking with regional delegations including Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam and beyond Asia from Italy.

“Beyond sustainability and the recognised need to reduce carbon footprint, there is a greater call to strengthen competitiveness and collaboration between private and public stakeholders for collective action. We want to walk the talk and ensure that BEX Asia continues to be relevant. The solid foundation we’ve built will help us continue conversations for a better tomorrow for future generations,” said Louise Chua, Business Development Director and Project Director, Reed Exhibitions, organiser of BEX Asia 2016.

Supported by prominent organisations in the industry, BEX Asia 2016 is one of the anchor events of the Singapore Green Building Week (SGBW).

Aimed at inspiring green building leaders around the region, BEX Asia 2016 will be held alongside the second edition of Mostra Convegno Expocomfort (MCE) Asia, the leading trade exhibition dedicated to energy efficient solutions in HVAC-R, plumbing technology, sanitary accessories, and renewable energy, as well as the International Green Building Conference (IGBC) organised by the Building and Construction Authority of Singapore. Both exhibitions will play host to more than 450 exhibiting companies across the region to a congregation of over 12,000 trade visitors.

Visitor registration is now open HERE.

Buildtech Yangon 2016 Meets Needs of Myanmar’s Building and Construction Sector

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BuildTech Yangon is the leading trade show of its kind.

BuildTech Yangon is the leading trade show of its kind.

The third edition of BuildTech Yangon concluded on May 28, 2016 after three days of trade discussions, commercial engagements and extensive knowledge sharing among some 3,000 trade visitors and business professionals from the region. Organised by Sphere Exhibits, a subsidiary of Singapore Press Holdings (SPH), and co-organised by the Myanmar Construction Entrepreneurs Association (MCEA), BuildTech Yangon is the leading trade show of its kind focusing on the entire value chain for the built environment sector.

H.E Zae Aye Maung, Minister for Rakhine Affairs Ministry and Labour Affairs, Immigration and Manpower Ministry, Government of Yangon Region, graced the opening ceremony of the trade show. Designed specifically to meet the needs of the burgeoning building and construction industry in Myanmar, BuildTech Yangon 2016 saw the signing of a memorandum of understanding between MCEA’s Mandalay Chapter and Sphere Exhibits to co-organise the inaugural staging of BuildTech Mandalay later this year. This extended collaboration further reinforces a stronger alliance between the two organisations in their efforts to extend the knowledge building and trade opportunities to industry professionals in Myanmar.

Positive response for integrated show and skills upgrading platform
The show hosted some 80 exhibiting companies from Austria, China, Indonesia, Korea, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, each of which offered a range of products, services and solutions for four key areas: Onsite construction machinery and equipment, building materials and architectural solutions, interior finishing and facilities management.

Visitors were able to check out various products and cutting edge technology put on display.

Visitors were able to check out various products and cutting edge technology put on display.

Industry professionals who visited the show included architects, developers, building and trade agency representatives, investors, manufacturers of machine and building, retailers, security, state-owned company owners, surveyors, trainers and wholesalers.

Ms. Nicole Zycinski Singh, General Manager of Killem Pest Pte Ltd, said: “We are very happy with our experience exhibiting at this year’s BuildTech Yangon. The organisers have done a fantastic job in coming up with a focused event and in attracting quality visitors. For a homegrown company with little experience in the Indochina market, we have received very good responses from potential buyers, several of whom have already enquired about our services. We will definitely consider returning for the next edition of BuildTech Yangon.”

The complimentary Business Seminar Series, which took place from May 26 to 28, 2016 focused on the following topics:

  • Construction safety
  • Working at heights
  • Fire safety and disaster management
  • Sustainability
  • Energy efficiency in green buildings
  • Security and town planning
  • Special economic zones
  • The investment outlook in Myanmar
  • Construction law
  • Sustainable and responsible urban design and building management
  • Infrastructure management

Young Construction Entrepreneurs Award
BuildTech Yangon also played host to MCEA’s Golden 20 Jubilee Gala, which hosted 250 guests on May 26, 2016. Three of Myanmar’s young construction entrepreneurs were presented with Diamond, Platinum and Silver awards under two categories: Professionals under 10 Years and Professionals Above 10 Years for successfully incorporating the latest construction technologies into various stages of the supply chain.

The show welcomed 3,000 trade visitors and business professionals from the region.

The show welcomed 3,000 trade visitors and business professionals from the region.

BuildTech Yangon 2016 was supported by the International Facilities Management Association (Singapore Chapter), International Powered Access Federation, Malaysia Heavy Construction Equipment Owners Association, Myanmar Engineering Council, Myanmar Engineering Society, Myanmar Industries Association, Singapore Institute of Building Limited, Vietnam Electronics Industry Association, Vietnam Federation of Civil Engineering Association, World Evergreen Travel & Tours and WSH (Asia).

Mr. U Tha Htay, President of Myanmar Construction Entrepreneurs Association (MCEA), said, “We are happy to receive good feedback from both exhibitors and trade visitors. The third edition of BuildTech Yangon delivered a more focused event that was very well received by the attendees. Its newly revamped platform for the industry, consisting of an extensive product showcase, fruitful networking sessions and specialised seminar programmes, successfully catered to the needs of Myanmar’s industry progression in providing right balance for the progression of the building and construction sector in Myanmar.”

The fourth edition of BuildTech Yangon will take place in May 2017. For more information, visit www.btyangon.com/en.

Philips’ New APAC Headquarters to Address Healthcare Needs

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The new Philips APAC Centre.

The new Philips APAC Centre.

Royal Philips has strengthened its commitment to improving the lives of people in Asia Pacific with its new state-of-the-art Philips APAC Centre in Singapore. Guests of Honour Mr. S. Iswaran, Minister of Trade and Industry (Industry), and H.E. Jacques Werner, Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Singapore attended the opening ceremony. Housed in Toa Payoh, the new 38,000-square-metre office building brings together Philips’ innovation and design expertise and business-creation capabilities to better serve the company’s business growth and address healthcare needs in the region.

Globally and in Asia, people are increasingly looking for ways to be healthy, to live well and to care for themselves and their families at home. To address these needs, collaborations and partnerships between healthcare professionals and corporate enterprises are imperative to delivering innovative solutions across the health continuum.

“Our new Philips APAC Centre – that will house our APAC headquarters and innovation activities – serves as a gateway to the region. Singapore, with its strong pool of skilled talent, is critical to us as we are increasing our focus into health technology. Our business is going through a transformation – from a supplier of individual medical and consumer products to a provider of integrated health technology solutions and services. This means that our facilities and ways of working need to transform as well,” said Fabian Wong, Chief Executive Officer, Philips ASEAN Pacific.

The Centre was built and designed with Workplace Innovation (WPI) in mind.

The Centre was built and designed with Workplace Innovation (WPI) in mind.

“We are confident that the new Philips APAC Center will be a critical node in Philips’ global innovation network, serving as a platform for Philips and its partners to co-create new digital healthcare solutions for Asia, from Singapore,” said Ms. Thien Kwee Eng, Assistant Managing Director of the Singapore Economic Development Board. “Its establishment will reinforce Singapore’s capabilities in design, digital innovation and healthcare, as we build a future economy based on innovation and value-creation.”

 

 

 

The new Philips Toa Payoh campus is set to deliver innovative solutions across the health continuum through the following world-class facilities:

  • The Philips Continuous Care Monitoring Room is where healthcare professionals remotely monitor the health of home-based patients with advanced cloud-based healthcare equipment and solutions. Philips’ solutions leverage data that enables predictive and timely interventions, delivering accurate answers at the time of need, and detecting issues before they become critical. These pioneering technologies are able to optimise the utilisation of public health resources by reducing the need for hospitalization and empowering healthcare professionals with new ways of delivering care for their patients.
  • The Health Continuum Space has the capability to simulate multiple health-medical scenarios at the same time – from a mock hospital all the way to a patient’s home. The space enables prototyping of new solutions that help make a meaningful difference in the future of patient care. Through the simulation of these different environments, Philips is able to demonstrate and test new workflows that can then be used to build future healthcare models.
  • The Philips Learning Centre is fully equipped with state-of-the-art medical equipment such as MRI and X-Ray machines, laboratories and classrooms. Here is where healthcare technicians and practitioners can enrich their knowledge and have first-hand experience handling and operating Philips medical equipment.
  • The Consumer Care centre comes equipped with a user-friendly digital platform where visitors can conveniently access Philips product information, ratings, and reviews in real-time. Purchases can also be made in the center through the online store. The centre will host cooking classes, new product launches, product demonstrations and more, allowing visitors to fully experience the Philips suite of products that promote health and well-being.

    The building is equipped with Philips' own LED lighting systems.

    The building is equipped with Philips’ own LED lighting systems.

In addition, the building is equipped with the company’s own LED lighting systems. Beyond sustainable features like energy-savings and a lowered carbon footprint, connected lighting with Philips PoE (Power-over-Ethernet) is built into areas where higher interaction levels are expected. Facilities management efficiency is improved with less mains wiring since the same cable can serve as the phone line, Internet cable and power cable simultaneously. Remote management of these lighting systems also means increased productivity and personalised control.

The Centre was built and designed with Workplace Innovation (WPI) in mind, a new way of working that encourages collaboration. With the aim to reduce carbon footprint, the new building now houses employees who used to occupy four buildings, with facilities that foster an activity-based collaborative work culture – a vivid manifestation of Philips’ business goals and role as the regional headquarters. The open-concept design of workplaces and the use of collaborative digital technologies enable employees to be more flexible and agile, in turn enabling them to be more productive, inspired and creative.

Ecobuild Southeast Asia 2016 Focuses On New Tech and Methodology

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There were a total of 66 paid conferences, forums, free seminars and technology symposiums, among other events.

There were a total of 66 paid conferences, forums, free seminars and technology symposiums, among other events.

Ecobuild Southeast Asia 2016 and International Construction Week 2016 (ICW2016), the region’s biggest trade event for the construction industry, was launched at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre by Dato’ Sri Haji Fadillah Bin Haji Yusof, Minister of Works Malaysia, on behalf of Prime Minister Dato’ Sri Mohd NajibTun Razak.

 

Held under the theme “Driving Productivity in Construction” and organised by UBM Malaysia, Ecobuild SEA 2016 focused the spotlight on cutting-edge technologies and methodologies, to improve productivity and sustainability in construction, particularly Industrialised Building System (IBS),as showcased in the Industrialised Building Systems Housing Expo.

 

“The theme of this year’s show is driving productivity further by increasing technology adoption and modernising construction methods,” said Prime Minister Dato’ Sri Mohd NajibTun Razak. “This is an important aspect of our national economy, for it is through increased productivity that we can properly target becoming a high-income nation by 2020.”

 

Co-located with Ecobuild SEA are the IBS Housing Expo and the CIDB-IEM Construction Career Fair 2016, all under one roof. IBS showcases quality, safe and energy-efficient methods of construction,and will help to modernise the local building industry. The Construction Career Fair is the only career fair for the professionals in the industry, also providing job opportunities to fresh graduates.

As the leading platform for the construction industry in Southeast Asia, Ecobuild SEA consists of 127 exhibitors from eight countries and regions. The participating countries are Malaysia, Singapore, China, Canada, Hong Kong, Germany, France and Australia. The show had successfully drawn 12,073 visitors from 63 countries, a 15% increase from 2015. 10.3% of the visitors are international.

There were a total of 66 paid conferences, forums, free seminars and technology symposiums,as well as five competitions alongside Ecobuild SEA. Several competitions had their finale during ICW 2016: My City 2050, Rebuild It Green, Open Ideas ­­­­­­­­Competition, International Highest Early Strength Self-Consolidating Concrete Cube Competition and IEM Mechanical Design Competition.

The next edition, Ecobuild SEA 2017, will be held on April 12-14, 2017 at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre. The theme will be “Quality, Safety and Professionalism” –  one of the four strategic thrusts of the Construction Industry Transformation Programme (CITP). It will co-locate with Greenbuild 2017, Energy Efficiency Malaysia, Construction Showcase and Construction Career Fair, including International Pavilion, Industrialised Building System Pavilion, Malaysia Timber Industry Board (MTIB) Pavilion and Contractor and Entrepreneur Development Division (BPKU) Pavilion.

For more information, call 603-21768788, email ecobuildsea@ubm.com or visit www.ecobuildsea.com.