Engineering Brilliance Lands Singapore Engineers Regional Honours at CAFEO 2016

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Innovative Floating Wetlands @ Punggol. Image courtesy of www.hdb.gov.sg

Innovative Floating Wetlands @ Punggol. Image courtesy of www.hdb.gov.sg

A record number of six engineering projects clinched the prestigious ASEAN Outstanding Engineering Achievement Awards 2016 at the 34th Conference of the ASEAN Federation of Engineering Organisations (CAFEO34) on 23 November 2016, at Palawan, Philippines, out of a total of 34 winners from the region. AFEO also conferred five engineering champions and leaders from Singapore with the AFEO Honorary Fellowship title at the ceremony.

Presented by AFEO, a non-governmental organisation affiliated to the ASEAN Secretariat, the annual awards salute engineering achievements distinctive in their demonstration of outstanding engineering skills and significant contributions to the engineering progress and the quality of life amongst the ASEAN countries.

The Institution of Engineers, Singapore (IES) had selected these projects out of the 13 winners of the IES Prestigious Engineering Achievement Awards 2016 for nomination to the AFEO awards. The winning projects are:

  •  A Biophilic Waterway@Punggol – Innovative Floating Wetlands and Freshwater-Tolerant Mangroves by Housing Development Board (HDB)
  • Development of Semakau Landfill Phase II by National Environment Agency (NEA)
  • Galassia – NUS First Nanosatellite by National University of Singapore (NUS)
  • The Future of Auditing: Early Detection & Prevention of Significant Trading Irregularities by A*STAR, Institute for Infocomm Research (I2R) and Group Audit, DBS Bank Ltd
  • Highly Flexible and Wearable Sensors for Real-Time Healthcare Monitoring Applications by NUS
  • Seeing is believing: from Microscope to Nanoscope by NUS and Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD)

“All the winners highly deserve to be applauded for their contributions as their work have made remarkable impact to the quality of life of the people in Singapore. IES is pleased to be a conduit for their work to be recognised by AFEO and hope that the awards will inspire them to bring about far-reaching positive impact to communities across ASEAN,” said Er. Edwin Khew, President of IES.

The ceremony also observed the conferring of the AFEO Honorary Fellowship title upon five distinguished persons from Singapore. Each of them has been exemplary in rendering outstanding and meritorious services to the engineering profession, IES and Singapore. They are:

  • Er. Chong Kee Sen – Immediate Past President, IES
  • Prof. Quek Tong Boon – Advisor, DSO National Laboratories; Chief Executive, National Robotics Programme; and Chief Defence Scientist, Ministry of Defence till June 2016
  • Prof. Low Teck Seng – CEO, National Research Foundation, Prime Minister’s Office
  • Mr. Chua Chong Kheng – Deputy CEO, Land Transport Authority
  • Mr. Lee Fook Sun – President, Singapore Technologies Electronics Ltd

IES and various Singapore engineering representatives attended CAFEO34 in Palawan from 21 to 24 November 2016. Since 1982, the annual CAFEO has been hosted in different ASEAN member countries to promote goodwill, understanding, cooperation and exchange of ideas and experiences in the fields of education, science, engineering, technology, environment, human resource, training and registration of professional engineers.

MHE-Demag Opens Southeast Asia’s Largest Crane Manufacturing Plant

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The Bukit Raja manufacturing facility is also a showcase of MHE-Demag’s innovative solutions.

The Bukit Raja manufacturing facility is also a showcase of MHE-Demag’s innovative solutions.

MHE-Demag, a joint venture between Terex MHPS GmbH and Jebsen & Jessen (SEA) Pte Ltd, has officially opened its largest manufacturing and warehouse facility in Bukit Raja, Malaysia. Developed at a cost of RM45 million, the facility can operate at a capacity of 200,000 production hours a year, a 54 percent increase from the previous site. The facility is also expected to support the fabricated metal products and machinery & equipment industries; two key areas that have been identified as drivers for the manufacturing sector to attain its projected growth of 5.1 percent per annum.

With a built-up area of close to 15,000 square metres sitting on over 26,000 square metres of land, the plant is also the largest and first-of-its kind crane manufacturing facility in Malaysia and the region. Capable of building cranes of up to 50-meter span, this plant will primarily serve customers from Malaysia, Australia, Cambodia, Myanmar and Singapore, who hail from various industrial sectors where lifting, moving and maintenance of materials or machineries are required.

Mr Karl Tilkorn, Regional Managing Director, MHE-Demag, said, “This investment cements MHE-Demag’s commitment to Malaysia over the past 40 years, and is an important step forward for us. This plant is the largest and most modern of our eleven manufacturing facilities across the Southeast Asian region. Each industrial crane needs to be individually designed and custom fabricated, hence the larger production facility along with state-of-the- art equipment will allow us to maintain our leadership position to meet the high standards required by our growing customer portfolio, particularly with the prestigious projects we have secured.”

The facility will also host MHE-Demag’s Regional Training Centre, where employees and customers throughout the Group will attend skills training and upgrading programmes to ensure excellence in operations, maintenance and safety for industrial cranes is maintained. The factory has also been built in reference to the Malaysian Green Building Index, incorporating the most environmentally friendly solutions.

Mr. Frankie Chan, Managing Director of MHE-Demag Malaysia said, “We have put a lot of focus on creating conducive work areas that have a low impact on the environment. This includes building for natural ventilation and employee well-being; from utilising translucent panels to allow for extensive natural light to investing in ergonomic workstations. Our Regional Director, Mr. Joergen Moeller, also personally managed the construction process of this manufacturing facility from design to final stage. I strongly believe the new factory will enhance employee comfort and increase their motivation, leading to greater customer satisfaction.”

. Leading MHE-Demag material handling products such as lift trucks, dock levellers, aerial work platforms, building maintenance systems for safe working at heights, as well as automated car parking systems are employed in industrial applications throughout this facility.

Easily accessible via the North Klang Valley Expressway, Federal Highway, the New North Klang Straits Bypass and the new proposed Coastal Highway, the Bukit Raja manufacturing facility also connect to major ports such as Port Klang, Northport and West Port within 30 minutes.

Besides Bukit Raja, MHE-Demag has another manufacturing facility at Simpang Renggam, Johor, and twelve sales & service offices within Malaysia. In addition, a service depot is also established in KLCC.

New Technology Venture Launched to Facilitate Green Building Projects

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Arc allows any project to measure improvements and benchmark against itself and projects around it.

Arc allows any project to measure improvements and benchmark against itself and projects around it.

A new technology company, Arc Skoru Inc., was officially launched today by Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI). This new venture will be the official host for Arc, a state-of-the-art digital platform available at arcskoru.com.

Arc allows any project – whether a single building, a community or an entire city – to measure improvements and benchmark against itself and projects around it. Scot Horst, who has overseen and led the development of LEED since 2005, has been appointed as the CEO of Arc.

“GBCI developed Arc as a way to provide new and more transparent ways to share information,” said Mahesh Ramanujam, president and CEO, U.S. Green Building Council and GBCI. “Scot Horst brings many years of leadership and expertise to Arc, and we celebrate him in his new role as the CEO. For the past 11 years, Scot has led the evolution of LEED through LEED 2009 and LEED v4. He was also the chief inventor of the LEED Dynamic Plaque, a system designed to tie ongoing building performance to initial certification.”

The goal of Arc is to support the missions of USGBC and GBCI. LEED-certified buildings can use Arc to improve and benchmark against other certified buildings around them. Existing buildings that have not certified can use Arc to make incremental sustainability improvements to eventually achieve LEED certification.

“Arc allows buildings, communities and cities to compare their performance against their peers and also connect to vetted green building strategies,” said Scot Horst, CEO, Arc. “Over the last two decades LEED certification has become a symbol of leadership, signifying that a project is saving energy, resources and water, and is healthier for occupants and the community. A LEED building has become the mark of a high quality building. Now through the Arc platform, all buildings can improve and work toward LEED certification.”

Today more than ever before, the green building movement relies on technology and data, and the future of green buildings is focused on performance. Arc represents a new era for green building; the platform takes LEED to the next level through the shared use of technology, feedback and recognition of excellence.

About the Arc platform:

  • Arc is a simple digital platform for all projects pursuing LEED certification and will eventually include other green building rating systems, standards protocols and guidelines.
  • Arc is inclusive of all projects, even those not pursuing certification, so that all buildings can measure performance and make incremental improvements.
  • Arc facilitates connections to people and projects globally. It encourages innovation, enabling informed decisions on building design, operations and maintenance.

Features of the current Arc platform include:

  • Existing buildings can use Arc to earn LEED Operations + Maintenance certification and precertification using the O+M performance path.
  • Projects that are currently pursuing and planning to register for the LEED for Existing Buildings standard path can also use Arc for performance data reporting.
  • Cities, communities and districts can use Arc to start tracking data and earn LEED pre-certification.
  • All registered and previously certified LEED projects have access to Arc to keep their LEED certification up to date. Project leads can also use Arc for performance data tracking and reporting as per the initial requirements in LEED for data sharing. Projects previously using the LEED Dynamic Plaque will be included in Arc.

The O+M performance path was approved by the LEED Steering Committee in January 2016 and the LEED for Cities Pilot was approved by the LEED steering committee in October 2016. LEED for Cities will be submitted for USGBC member approval following input from pilot users.

Over time, Arc will continue to add rating systems into the platform. The platform provides an entry point for all buildings with the goal of eventually certifying them to LEED or to other GBCI rating systems such as GRESB, WELL, PEER, SITES, Parksmart, etc. As GBCI adds new rating systems, the introduction of Arc makes the certification process as streamlined as possible for the end user. Projects pursuing certification under more than one rating system will realize efficiencies in places where the rating systems share the same or similar requirements.

Paya Lebar Quarter Urban Regeneration Project by Lendlease Set to Transform Paya Lebar

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Artist's impression of Paya Lebar Quarter. Image courtesy of www.payalebarquarter.com

Artist’s impression of Paya Lebar Quarter. Image courtesy of www.payalebarquarter.com

Lendlease, an international property solutions provider with over 40 years’ experience in Singapore, recently unveiled Paya Lebar Quarter, an urban regeneration mixed- use development bringing together progressive workplaces, dining, shopping and generous green public spaces. The project is set to catalyse the area’s regeneration into a bustling, pedestrian- friendly new city precinct while retaining its cultural richness.

 

Expected to be completed in phases with retail and commercial in H2 2018 and residential in H1, 2019, Paya Lebar Quarter will be a significant landmark of Urban Redevelopment Authority’s (URA) 12-hectare Paya Lebar Central, the most centrally located regional commercial hub in Singapore.

 

Located just 10 minutes from the CBD by car or train, the 3.9 hectare Paya Lebar Quarter development enjoys excellent connectivity with direct connections to the Paya Lebar MRT interchange. Aligned with Singapore’s vision to be a car-lite city, Paya Lebar Quarter is one of the first developments to incorporate a cycling path within the precinct that facilitates a continuous connection to the wider Park Connector Network. Office occupants will also have access to end-of- trip-facilities, making active commuting to work, such as cycling, a reality.

 

“Urban regeneration is a key pillar of Lendlease’s strategy and it comprises over 70 percent of Lendlease’s S$49.3 billion international development pipeline. With its central location, Paya Lebar Quarter will lead the way in regenerating the area and will turn it into a vibrant hub offering a new and dynamic city life,” said Mr Richard Paine, Managing Director of Paya Lebar Quarter.

 

The Paya Lebar Quarter architecture responds to the area’s heritage with inspiration drawn from the intricate weaving patterns of the Songket, a traditional brocade textile of the Malay culture; the design language and gold-and-silver colour palette for the façade seek to unify the buildings and public areas to seamlessly weave the seven buildings into a single tapestry.

 

From the start of the planning for Paya Lebar Quarter, Lendlease has been closely engaged with community stakeholders, ensuring that its design enables social inclusivity and builds community heartware, an increasingly important consideration as cities urbanise.

 

One of the signature features of Paya Lebar Quarter is the generous provision of 100,000 square feet of green public spaces (the size of more than 20 basketball courts). These public spaces will be where the community can bond and build a network of relationships through spontaneous interactions, collective celebrations and new friendships among those who live, work and play at Paya Lebar Quarter. There will be a covered outdoor event space, which will also help enhance a strong community spirit and culture by hosting large scale celebratory, festive and community events.

One of the signature features of Paya Lebar Quarter is the generous provision of 100,000 square feet of green public spaces. Image courtesy of www.payalebarquarter.com

One of the signature features of Paya Lebar Quarter is the generous provision of 100,000 square feet of green public spaces. Image courtesy of www.payalebarquarter.com

 

“We are glad that the distinctive cultural heritage and community spirit of this area is reflected in Paya Lebar Quarter,” said Prof Fatimah Lateef, Member of Parliament (MP) for Marine Parade Group Representation Constituency (GRC) for the ward of Geylang Serai. She added, “The development complements and adds to the revitalisation of the precinct as well as the dynamism of the area. It will complement the adjacent development of Wisma Geylang Serai, due for completion in 2018. This area will be a new place for the community to hangout and to own. It is befitting as a location in the Geylang-Paya Lebar sub-regional centre.”

Progressive and Creative Place-making
Paya Lebar Quarter will serve a working population of 22,000 in the local catchment area within 7 minutes’ walk and approximately one million residents in the trade area. When the wider Paya Lebar Central precinct is fully developed, Paya Lebar Quarter is expected to have 52,000* workers in its immediate catchment.

Mall:
The Paya Lebar Quarter mall will be the social heart of a vibrant Paya Lebar retail precinct, with over 200 retail shops offering a multitude of exciting indoor and parkside dining, lifestyle and fashion options for residents, office executives and shoppers. NTUC FairPrice Finest and Kopitiam are the first two anchor tenants to sign up at Paya Lebar Quarter mall, taking over 22,000 sq ft and 15,000 sq ft of space respectively.

Workplace:
Three Grade A office towers with close to one million square feet of high quality work space will be within the development. These offices are designed for businesses that embrace a progressive work culture that promotes collaboration, health and wellbeing, flexibility and productivity.

Residences:
Park Place Residences at Paya Lebar Quarter comprises three towers with 429 units that offer residents a private sanctuary in a vibrant and centrally located city precinct. Residents can enjoy a connected city lifestyle with easy access to a myriad of amenities, activities and green public spaces.

Building a Green, Active, Engaged Precinct
Paya Lebar Quarter’s sustainability vision focuses on building an Active, Green and Engaged environment for people who live, work and play there. The development is on track towards being the first development to achieve the BCA Green Mark 2015 Platinum rating. In addition, the project has also incorporated evidence-based design strategies across the precinct to enhance occupant health and wellbeing.

“Lendlease has always had a reputation as a sustainability leader. In FY15, we have received 69 awards recognizing our global environmental and social leadership,” said Mr Paine.

For more information, visuals and a preview of how Paya Lebar Quarter will lead the transformation of Paya Lebar into a dynamic business and lifestyle hub, please visit www.payalebarquarter.com.

Joint Venture Between BPE Asia Real Estate and National Properties Sees Construction of Seven Luxury Properties

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The houses will have an exclusive access road and impressive unobstructed panoramic sea views.

The houses will have an exclusive access road and impressive unobstructed panoramic sea views.

BPE Asia Real Estate (“BPE Asia”) and National Properties, a subsidiary of National Electronics Holdings Limited (HKSE Stock Code: 213) announced recently a joint venture for the construction of luxury detached houses in Tai Tam, the Island South District of Hong Kong.

Mark Fogle, Managing Director & Head of Real Estate for BPE Asia said, “Along with my partners Charles Lam and Malcolm Lai, we have previously completed two projects with National Properties (110 Repulse Bay Road and 56 Peak Road), which were very successful developments. Hong Kong is one of the most robust financial centres in the world and there remains strong demand for luxury housing against a background of limited new supply. In our view, National Properties has created some of the highest quality landmarks on Hong Kong Island and we are honoured to be partnering once again.”

The proposed development includes seven luxury detached houses located on a site of approximately 32,390 square feet (3,009 square metres) each to be constructed with an elegant classic design including basement carports, private infinity pool and internal elevator. The property is located in the prestigious Tai Tam area in close proximity to the beach, the American Club and the Hong Kong International School.

Loewe Lee, Managing Director of National Electronics Holdings Limited said, “The Tai Tam project exemplifies the hallmark characteristics of National Properties’ developments including spectacular views, exceptional design, a superior level of refinement and an elegant living environment. We are very pleased to once again be partnering with members of the BPE Asia team in this initiative.”

Site formation and foundation works for the project have been completed and the construction of superstructure works is ongoing. Completion of the first show house is expected in 18 months’ time (mid 2017).

Charles Lam, Managing Director of BPE Asia said, “The Hong Kong residential property market is unlike any other gateway city in Asia. Hong Kong has a population of approximately 7.5 million people of which approximately 1.4 million live on Hong Kong Island, yet there are less than 750 single family detached or semi-detached houses located within developments of eight homes or less. Furthermore, we estimate that there is an average supply of just 15 such houses coming to the market per annum over each of the next three years.”

CDL’S Forest Woods Receives Strong Interest Ahead of Launch

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There were large crowds at the Forest Woods show flat preview that started on 24 September.

There were large crowds at the Forest Woods show flat preview that started on 24 September.

Forest Woods by City Developments Limited (CDL) and joint venture partners, Hong Leong Holdings Limited and TID Pte Ltd, has received keen interest since its show flat preview began on 24 September. There were strong enquiries for this highly anticipated new condominium in Serangoon Central which is expected to be launched next week.

Forest Woods comprises seven 12-storey blocks, most of which are within the one-kilometre radius of Paya Lebar Methodist Girls’ School (Primary) and Yangzheng Primary School, making it a major draw for families with children. Other schools in the vicinity include: Cedar Primary School, CHIJ Our Lady of Good Counsel, Maris Stella High School, St. Gabriel’s Primary School, St. Gabriel’s Secondary School, Stamford American International School, Xinghua Primary School, Zhonghua Primary School and Zhonghua Secondary School.

The project offers one-bedroom with study to four-bedroom apartments, and single-storey five- bedroom penthouses. Unit sizes range from 506 square feet (sq ft) for a one-bedroom with study to 2,185 square feet for the largest penthouse unit. Apartments are attractively priced from S$688,000 for a one-bedroom with study unit, S$838,000 for a two-bedroom, S$1.1 million for a three-bedroom, and S$1.65 million for a four-bedroom.

Flexible Layout and Finishes for Different Lifestyles

An illustration of a 3-bedroom unit at Forest Woods.

An illustration of a 3-bedroom unit at Forest Woods.

Catering to varied lifestyle requirements, select units offer the option to customise rooms with flexible layout and configurations. For example, the Open Study concept is suitable for parents who wish to supervise their children from any part of the home. The Ensuite Study concept is ideal for working professionals who prefer to work in the comfort and privacy of his or her expanded bedroom. For fashionistas who need space for their trove of beloved items, they may opt for the Walk-in Wardrobe concept.

Home owners of all units are given a choice of either a warm or cool colour scheme for the finishes, accompanied with the finest in branded kitchen appliances from Bosch and bathroom fittings from Grohe.

Making Life Better With Smart Home Technology
Forest Woods leverages smart home technology to make life better in tangible yet subtle ways. All units will be equipped with:

  • Smart Home Center Lite to easily control smart devices and sensors installed
  • Smart Door Sensor to monitor the opening of doors for added security
  • Smart IP Camera to monitor what is happening at home when residents are away
  • Smart Lighting Control and Air Conditioner Control to automate lights and air-conditioning remotely.

When Forest Woods is completed, residents can also add on the Smart Digital Lock, Smart Wall Plug, Smart Smoke Sensor, Smart Multimedia, Smart Roller Blind, and Smart Motion Sensor, for an additional cost.

Mr Chia Ngiang Hong, CDL Group General Manager said, “For a few years, no project of this size was launched in the much sought-after Serangoon Central area. We have received strong interest for this highly-anticipated launch as Forest Woods comes across as a compelling purchase for new home buyers, upgraders and investors. It has an extremely prime location in a mature estate, very near the Serangoon MRT Interchange, bus interchange and Nex Shopping Mall, with easy access to amenities, expressways and many schools. Forest Woods also offers great value at attractive pricing, and several unique facilities. We expect a good take-up when sales commence.”

PSB Academy Breaks New Ground With New Campus Plans

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Artist's impression of PSB Academy's new foyer for both students and staff to gather.

Artist’s impression of PSB Academy’s new foyer for both students and staff to gather.

PSB Academy recently announced plans for anew city campus in Marina Square, occupying a space of more than 100,000 square feet across two floors. Designed to be an oasis of learning, the centrally located campus draws much inspiration from Singapore’s identity as an innovation hub and “a garden city” with a blend of advanced technology features in a refreshingly green environment with natural plants and lighting.

PSB Academy’s new campus will host English proficiency programmes, as well as accounting and finance and business and communication diploma, degree and post-graduate courses from university partners such as The University of Newcastle, Australia, The University of Wollongong, Australia, Edinburgh Napier University UK, Loughborough University UK and Coventry University, UK among others.

Students can look forward to spaces that are designed and engineered for both learning and leisure. In spite of the constraints of a city campus for example, there will be dynamic lighting that will automatically adjust to suit the time of day, to simulate an outdoor campus experience indoors. More breakout areas have also been planned, which provide student sample spaces for discussions in between classes, or for self-study.

The new, fully Wi-Fi-enabled, campus will provide students and staff with a glass-housed radio and television studio, a town hall, a student hub, classroom configurations which allow for better collaborative learning, acoustically-treated MBA rooms – that will not require microphones for voice amplification -and auditoriums that can seat more than 300 people, amongst other features.

Designs around these new facilities are centred on the theme of making “learning an adventure”, one that would encourage curiosity and exploration as part of their education journey at PSB Academy. These are expressed through design features inspired by natural landscapes from across the world, such as trekking trails, cliff faces and caverns.

Universal design a key feature in the new campus
PSB Academy’s new campus environment is also built for simple and intuitive use, with barrier-free concepts aimed at making the new facilities accessible to its diverse and cosmopolitan student community. The school’s location is in itself a perk for all commuters—they can now enjoy with a direct route to school from City Hall and Promenade MRT, the latter of which is only a 5-minute, completely sheltered walk in air-conditioned comfort.

Wheelchair-friendly features for example, have been built into classrooms, lecture theatres and auditoriums. For added convenience to school services, there will also be e-payment and ticketing systems—a first for the school—that will help students make appointments with academic staff or student services.

In a bid to make learning online and offline a contemporary, seamless experience, the school will also be launching a new version of Moodle, an e-learning platform, across all its classrooms. This learning platform gives educators, administrators and learners access to a single robust, secure and integrated system that automatically syncs video recording of lessons and lectures with the school’s scheduling systems to create downloadable content for student access to more online learning and revision material.

Academy of the Future
PSB Academy is seizing on this opportunity to unveil its next phase of transformation as a leading education institution for higher learning for Singapore and beyond, with a new marketing campaign for the new campus, titled “Future Academy”. The theme reflects the Academy’s mission to groom and equip students for the future economy.

Artist's impression of the library, which provides students ample spaces for discussions in between classes, or for self-study.

Artist’s impression of the library, which provides students ample spaces for discussions in between classes, or for self-study.

“With our expansion into Marina Square, we are taking PSB Academy’s unique brand of industry-ready education to the heart of Singapore’s city centre. Our new campus is a destination that will offer a fun and enriching education experience for our students. The future of learning needs to be one that is fully attuned to the needs of the future economy, and a campus experience that is reminiscent of a continuous adventure of learning, one which inspires students to make connections, collaborate and co-create,” said Derrick Chang, Chief Operating Officer, PSB Academy.

“In our vision as a Future Academy, we, along with our world-class partner universities, will be breaking new ground into more areas of academic teaching and student-learning as we continue to gear up our graduates with an industry-ready education to thrive in our Smart Nation and beyond.”

“We look forward to welcoming PSB Academy to Marina Square, and are confident that both students and staff will enjoy being at the heart of the city. We are proud to offer the convenience of many facilities in and around their new city campus, where they can expect to create new memories, as they also break ground into fresh possibilities in quality higher education,” said Ms Chan Yien Mei, General Manager, Marina Centre Holdings Pte Ltd.

The campus move is slated to start from the fourth quarter of 2016. To find out more, click HERE.

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.

KONE to equip Middle East’s biggest health campus in Turkey

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The development is set to become the biggest health campus in the Middle Eastern region.

The development is set to become the biggest health campus in the Middle Eastern region.

KONE will install 130 elevators and escalators at the Adana Integrated Health Campus Project in Adana, Southern Turkey. The development is set to become the biggest health campus in the Middle Eastern region, comprising of three hospitals with a total capacity of 1,550 beds.

The main hospital consists of four patient tower blocks surrounding a common core and will have 1,300 beds. In addition to serving as a general hospital, it will include specialised hospitals for oncology, cardiology and cardiovascular disease, women’s and maternal health, and pediatrics.

The development will also include a physical therapy and rehabilitation hospital as well as a high security criminal psychiatric hospital. The campus will house health support facilities, a commercial area, a helipad, a technical unit building, and a combined cooling, heat and power plant.

Staff, patients and visitors will be able to move around the earthquake-protected buildings using 100 KONE MonoSpace® elevators, four KONE TranSys(TM) freight elevators, and 26 KONE TravelMaster® escalators.

“We are proud of this deal, which allows us to offer our eco-efficient technology for this state-of-the-art health campus,” said Pierre Liautaud, Executive Vice President for KONE South Europe, Middle East and Africa. “Ensuring the smooth flow of people is of utmost importance in hospital settings, where no one has time for unnecessary delays. We are happy to be able to offer our solutions for the benefit of everyone on the campus.”

The Turkish Ministry of Health project is set to become the world’s biggest base-isolated structure and will sit on 1,512 isolators, or flexible bearings, which will minimise building movement during an earthquake. The main contractor and architect of the project is RMI RONESANS MEDIKAL TAAH.INS.A.S and the project is due for completion at the end of December 2016.

Montazure Phuket Launches at Singapore Yacht Show 2016

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MontAzure is a joint venture of three of the most prestigious property and hotel investment groups in Asia.

MontAzure is a joint venture of three of the most prestigious property and hotel investment groups in Asia.

MontAzure, an exclusive mixed-use community project in Kamala, Phuket, was launched at the Singapore Yacht Show 2016, unveiling an elite project occupying one of the last truly sizable plots of land on the island that stretches from the mountainside to an extensive beachfront site.

MontAzure is a joint venture of three of the most prestigious property and hotel investment groups in Asia – ARCH Capital Management (Hong Kong & Shanghai), The Narai Group (Thailand), and Philean Capital (Singapore) part of Pontiac Land Group – which have teamed up to launch Asia’s most exceptional resort residential development.

The development, which covers 73 hectares (180 acres, 454 rai) and is valued at over S$500 million (THB15 billion), includes Twinpalms, one of Thailand’s most celebrated independent luxury resort brands, and the InterContinental Hotel Group (IHG) who will open the InterContinental Phuket Resort in 2019.

The first phase is the Twinpalms Residences MontAzure that occupies 100 metres of absolute beach frontage. It will be operated and managed by Twinpalms when it is completed offering one and two-bedroom units with penthouses having access to a private roof top and pool with prices ranging from SGD400,000 to SGD3.6 million.

Twinpalms Residences MontAzure consists of 75 upscale branded beachfront condominiums designed by Martin Palleros of Tierra Design which will be completed in 2018. Pre-sales have been brisk with over 37% of the units sold supported by the recent opening of the Sales Gallery and Show Suite.

Twinpalms Residences MontAzure consists of 75 upscale branded beachfront condominiums.

Twinpalms Residences MontAzure consists of 75 upscale branded beachfront condominiums.

Investors are invited to join in the management pool and benefits of a well-managed hospitality operation with attractive yields and owner usage up to 45 nights per year. Facilities include a residents’ lobby, beach front restaurant and bar, gym/yoga studio, pool bar, spa pavilions, library and lounge, outdoor event spaces and on-site management office.

Other key components of a project located in Phuket’s most upscale quarter, which boasts Andara and Amanpuri amongst its neighbours, includes 13 ultra-luxury private hillside estate villas called The Estates at MontAzure, with interiors designed by the legendary Jaya Ibrahim and architecture by Lek Bunnag. A future hillside development, an international beach club, a wellness centre, retail space and a 32 hectare (40 acres, 200 rai) nature reserve of primary rainforest completes the project.

MontAzure’s Managing Director, Roland Bleszynski, said: “We are very pleased to launch MontAzure at the Singapore Yacht Show. The participants here understand the quality of our partners and the reassurance that brings and appreciate that Phuket offers sophisticated marine support infrastructure and the most stunning cruising grounds in Asia.”

Prices range from SGD400,000 to SGD3.6 million.

Prices range from SGD400,000 to SGD3.6 million.

“Phuket has very strong fundamentals. The tourism industry will continue to boom, the infrastructure is well-planned with a new international aviation terminal opening in June and we have secured a prime beachfront site on Phuket’s sought after mid-west coast with superb potential for property and hospitality development.”

About The Twinpalms Residences MontAzure

Number of units:
75

Unit Types:
56 one-bedroom units, 19 two-bedroom units, with options for buyers to request three or four-bedroom units.

Ownership:
Foreign freehold available based on Thai Condominium Act

Prices:
S$400,000 to S$3.6 million

Site Area:
3.7 acres (15,000 sqm/161,000 sq.ft./9.38 rai)

Architect:
Tierra Design

Facilities:
Residents’ Lobby, Beach Signature Restaurant and Room Service, Pool Bar, Gym/Yoga Studio, Spa Pavilions, Library and Lounge, Outdoor event spaces, On-site Management office

Management:
To be operated Twinpalms Management

Developer:
MontAzure is a joint venture of three of the most prestigious property and hotel investment groups in Asia – ARCH Capital Management (Hong Kong & Shanghai), The Narai Group (Thailand), and Philean Capital (Singapore) part of Pontiac Land Group – which have teamed up to launch Asia’s most exceptional resort residential development.