Perth Stadium is the first full LED-lit multi-purpose stadium implementation in the APAC region. Image courtesy of Philips.
Philips Lighting has just announced the largest LED stadium lighting system of its type for Australia’s newest sporting venue, Perth Stadium. The stadium plans to use LED lighting to support its mission to become the premier, multi-purpose venue in the southern hemisphere.
As part of the West Australian Government’s ‘fans-first’ approach for the stadium, it demonstrates the lighting design capabilities, which Philips Lighting can bring to a project of this scale. The holistic LED stadium lighting system includes more than 15,000 controllable LED light fittings that are managed through a control platform. It has the flexibility to create a completely immersive lighting experience for the venue with a capacity of 60,000, making it ideal for a variety of events.
The lighting has the flexibility to create a multi-purpose arena for fans to watch anything from their home football and cricket teams to world-famous rock concerts. Music and lighting can be merged together in advance by the lighting operator for seamless implementation to create visually stunning pre-match light shows. In addition, the LED floodlights meet the requirements for HDTV broadcasting standards for sports lighting.
Chris Palandri, Regional Director for Multiplex, the stadium builder, said, “LED stadium lighting is an integral part of the plan to make Perth Stadium the premier multi-purpose venue in, not only Western Australia, but also the entire southern hemisphere. The lighting will be crucial to delivering an amazing fan experience whether it’s for Australian Rules Football, cricket, a rock concert, or for a completely different type of event. The stadium will represent a beacon for the entire community.”
The venue showcases the Philips ArenaExperience capability. The centerpiece is the Philips ArenaVision LED pitch lighting system comprising LED floodlights and a control panel. This system can be synchronized with external lighting consoles for other types of lightshows and events. The stadium façade and roof canopy will be lit by Philips’ Colour Kinetics architectural LED lighting with connected LED light points that can be easily controlled.
An artist’s impression of the new Perth Stadium. Image courtesy of Philips.
The roof canopy acts as a giant canvas upon which spectacular light shows can be created with patterns and imagery via the connected light points. Philips Lighting also provided LED lighting for offices and hospitality areas inside the stadium.
David Gardner, general manager, Philips Lighting ANZ said, “On completion, this project will be Philips Lighting`s largest complete LED stadium implementation in the world, and the largest LED multi-purpose stadium lighting implementation of its type in the world. The scale of the project really demonstrates how seriously Australians take their sport and events. We at Philips Lighting are proud to install this world-class LED stadium lighting system together with Multiplex, the stadium builder, for the enjoyment of fans.”
The Stadium will be used for, amongst others, Australian Rules Football, Cricket, Rugby Union and Rugby League, Soccer and entertainment events. It is scheduled to open in time for the start of the 2018 Australian Rules Football season. a train and bus station, as well as a pedestrian bridge connection across the Swan River to the city centre will service the facility. Find out more HERE.
Innovative structural engineering was needed to ensure Dubai’s newest tourism hotspot, the Jumeirah Al Naseem, took full advantage of its spectacular location. Construction of the Jumeirah Al Naseem was announced in late 2012 by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Ruler of Dubai. At the time, he emphasised how Dubai’s tourism infrastructure must match the UAE’s increasingly strong position as an international tourism hub. Global infrastructure and engineering advisory firm Aurecon rose to the design challenges, helping ensure the venue delivers a truly five-star experience for its guests.
The opening of the new 430-room Jumeirah Al Naseem gives substance to the Ruler of Dubai’s ambition. The fourth luxury hotel within the Madinat Jumeirah Resort development, the Jumeirah Al Naseem links with the three existing Jumeirah resorts, which occupy a prime spot on the stunning local coastline. The Resort, Dubai’s largest, was recently named in the Top 3 hotels of the Middle East and Africa by Travel + Leisure magazine.
Aurecon started work on the Jumeirah Al Naseem in December 2012 when the company was invited to collaborate on a range of engineering disciplines by leading development and management company, Mirage Leisure and Development. Aurecon and Mirage have collaborated on several previous developments within the Madinat Jumeirah Resort. Other companies appointed to the project included South African architects, Northpoint, who delivered the concept, and the Dubai office of Woods Bagot, who served as executive architect.
Having been awarded several engineering disciplines within the project, Aurecon began its design work in 2013. Civil and structural work was led by the local Dubai office with support from Aurecon’s office in Cape Town, while acoustics design, vertical transportation, marine design, waste management and geotechnical design was handled by experts in other global offices in Australia and South Africa.
Wouter Brand, Technical Director of Buildings and the Project Director for Aurecon’s work on the Jumeirah Al Naseem, says the company’s previous experience in the region, particularly in hotels and resorts, proved invaluable in making this project a success.
The opening of the new 430-room Jumeirah Al Naseem gives substance to the Ruler of Dubai’s ambition.
“Our knowledge of the local construction industry was as important as our ability to provide engineering solutions to the many design challenges of the project,” he said. “Creating a seamless connection with the rest of the resort was essential, as was making the most of its geographic location, lying across the water from the spectacular Burj Al Arab Jumeirah and delivering incredible sea views to all guest rooms.”
Challenging Designs One of the biggest challenges to the structural design was to accommodate the complex building geometry and orientation of the hotel rooms, which were not compatible with the structural grid of the supporting basement car park. The lower level car park was designed with a rectangular grid of supporting concrete columns and walls for effective traffic flow and generous parking bay sizes. However, the structural column grid for the superstructure was restricted by the orientation of the hotel rooms and corridors, as well as the siting of the public entrances, retail and services spaces on the ground floor.
Adjusting the orientation of the hotel was not an option because every room was required to have a sea view; while the grand entrance hall was situated to give guests a sweeping vista of the iconic Burj Al Arab Jumeirah. With numerous balconies and floor plates that stepped back with increasing height, the combined design challenges made for an intricate and highly detailed engineering process.
“The optimal solution to this engineering challenge was the introduction of a concrete transfer slab to overcome the differences between the column grid above and below the ground level” said Faan Calitz, Technical Director of Structural Engineering at Aurecon. “The transfer slab system, which in certain areas is in excess of a metre thick, proved to be one of the challenging technical aspects of the project.”
The design had to ensure low deflection of the transfer slab and provide structural redundancy against earthquake loads. It was made more demanding because the transfer slab does not have a uniform thickness or a uniform top level, as it also has to support landscape, planting and pool areas, which lie at different levels around the ground floor of the hotel.
Geotechnical and Marine Early involvement with the geotechnical and enabling works contractor was also crucial to the success of the project. Aurecon recommended the site be vibro-compacted to improve soil conditions and reduce the risk of liquefaction, which can occur during a seismic event. This compaction lowered the ground level by 400 mm and was an effective ground improvement solution.
Aurecon started work on the Jumeirah Al Naseem in December 2012.
In addition, Aurecon carried out a Marine Study for the project, which assessed the vulnerability of the coastal development to severe storm surges. The study included a risk assessment of possible flooding and associated inundation and run-up levels, and care was taken to ensure that ground floor levels of the hotel were above possible flood levels. Aurecon also designed marine protection elements, which included sheet piling to the front of the property to prevent undermining of the structure.
Local Knowledge As with all projects in Dubai, Aurecon’s design had to be approved by Government authorities before any construction could proceed. This approval process is aimed at ensuring the highest standards of design and construction quality are maintained in Dubai.
“Aurecon understands the importance of achieving an approved design within the available timeframe, because this is essential if a contractor is to commence construction on time,” said Ben Hawkes, Senior Structural Engineer who was based at the project site. “The Middle East is well-known for the scale and spectacular nature of its designs, as well as ambitious timeframes that are set for development. This all adds to the importance of ensuring that the execution of any project includes a robust plan for achieving authority approvals.”
“At Aurecon, we are committed to engineering solutions that suit the designs and dreams of our clients,” he concluded. “Although it’s only one part of the overall development, the location and guest experience of Jumeirah Al Naseem is crucial to ensuring Dubai’s Madinat Jumeirah Resort remains one of the world’s leading tourist destinations for many years to come.”
Working in green-certified buildings was associated with higher cognitive function scores, fewer sick building symptoms and higher sleep quality scores.
Considering all the time we spend at work, have you ever wondered if the building you are working in is healthy? Or, could make you think better, or be more productive?
Researchers at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and SUNY Upstate Medical University didn’t just wonder, they set out to answer those questions. Studying 109 workers at 10 buildings in 5 cities across the U.S., they discovered that working in green-certified buildings was associated with higher cognitive function scores, fewer sick building symptoms and higher sleep quality scores.
The study builds on the team’s 2015 COGfx Study– COGfx is shorthand for your brain’s cognitive function – which found significantly higher cognitive function test scores for office workers in a simulated green building environment with enhanced ventilation compared to a conventional building environment.
In the new study, presented pre-publication at the U.S. Green Building Council’s annual Greenbuild conference in L.A., employees in high-performing, green-certified buildings had 26 percent higher cognitive function test scores than those in similarly high-performing buildings that were not green certified, even after controlling for other potential explanatory factors. Among the findings, participants had:
73 percent higher crisis response scores
44 percent higher applied activity level scores, which reflect ability to gear decision- making toward overall goals
38 percent higher focused activity level scores, which reflect capacity to pay attention to tasks at hand
31 percent higher strategy scores
In addition to these statistically significant findings, the study also found that employees reported 30 percent fewer sick building symptoms and had 6 percent higher sleep quality scores compared to those working in high-performing buildings that were not green-certified, indicating that benefits of green buildings may extend beyond the workday.
“Certified green buildings not only deliver environmental benefits, they can have positive impacts on the productivity and thinking of the people in those buildings. That’s a powerful combination that can accelerate the green building movement globally,” said John Mandyck, Chief Sustainability Officer, United Technologies.
Based on their latest findings, the research team believes a holistic approach is needed. “We’re advocating for what we call Buildingomics – a new approach that examines the totality of factors in the building-related environment,” said Dr. Joseph Allen, Assistant Professor of Exposure Assessment Science at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Director of the Healthy Buildings Program at the Center for Health and the Global Environment at Harvard Chan School, and Principal Investigator for the study.
“Through Buildingomics’ multi-disciplinary approach, we aim to better understand the factors that influence health in buildings and unlock the ability to optimise buildings for improved cognitive function and health,” said Dr. Allen.
The full report – “The Impact of Working in a Green Certified Building on Cognitive Function and Health” – will be made available HERE and HERE.
Follow the discussion on Twitter using #TheCOGfxStudy.
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.
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.
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.
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
“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.
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.”
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.
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.”
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.
“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.