JLL has announced that it has joined the World Green Building Council’s (WorldGBC) Asia Pacific Regional Network (APN). The APN Is led by 17 Green Building Councils (GBCs) and three regional partners, representing a region home to over 60% of the world’s population and expected to contribute to over 50 percent of global GDP growth in the coming decades.
The announcement is reinforced by the region’s position at the forefront of adopting green building practices, with several countries implementing stringent green building codes and standards. However, the region is also vulnerable to the impacts of climate change; rising sea levels, extreme weather events, and biodiversity loss are amongst the many challenges faced.
The dual drivers of high adoption of green building practices and the impact of climate change will likely ensure that the region is a critical focus for climate resilience initiatives. For JLL, the APN brings opportunities to address the climate crisis at both a local and global scale and from an economic perspective, supporting the region’s ambitions as a key hub in global manufacturing and supply chains,
“There is no bigger conversation within the built environment than sustainability actions, initiatives and strategies. Our clients are proactively working towards net zero carbon targets and demanding more from us as advisors. This platform will be boosted hugely with our closer linkage with the World GBC,” said Lili Tao, Managing Director, South East Asia, Project and Development Services (PDS), JLL (pictured above).
“We are thrilled to welcome JLL as a Regional Partner. Their collaboration further strengthens our commitment to advancing sustainable built environments across the network and beyond. The Asia Pacific region is pivotal in shaping the future of global sustainability. With JLL’s expertise and leadership in real estate, we are confident that by working together, we can drive meaningful change to ensure that our built environments support, and actively contribute to, a sustainable future, for our region and the world,” said Joy Gai, Strategic Partnership Lead and Asia Head, WorldGBC.
Hyundai Engineering & Construction Co., Ltd. (HDEC) has entered a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Surbana Jurong Group (SJ). This strategic partnership leverages the respective strengths and expertise of HDEC and SJ to advance sustainable practices within the built environment industry while addressing global energy challenges. HDEC is renowned for its extensive track record in construction, while SJ has extensive experience in multidisciplinary consultancy services across the built environment and energy sector, including clean fuels, new energies, energy transition, engineering and project management.
Key objectives of the MOU include:
Exploration of collaborative projects: HDEC and SJ will jointly identify potential projects within the realms of renewable energy and infrastructure.
Research and Development: HDEC and SJ will jointly undertake R&D initiatives focusing on low-carbon business practices and innovative construction technologies such as Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) and prefabricated prefinished volumetric construction (PPVC).
Cooperation on infrastructure technology: The MOU outlines plans for general cooperation in infrastructure technology, including construction automation or robotics, collaborative workshops, training programs, and technical support.
SMR: HDEC and SJ will also collaborate on opportunities related to SMR technologies, an area critical for Singapore’s future energy needs.
SJ’s Group Chief Executive Officer Sean Chiao said, “The transition to net zero is underway, but it’s not happening fast enough, and the demand for resilient infrastructure has never been greater. By joining forces, HDEC and SJ aim to push the boundaries of sustainable practices in the built environment and address global energy challenges head-on. SJ’s multidisciplinary consultancy, deeply rooted in sustainability, combined with HDEC’s world-class engineering and construction expertise, will drive innovation in clean energy solutions and advanced construction technologies, paving the way for a greener, more resilient future.”
A representative from HDEC stated, “Since entering the Singapore construction market in 1981, HDEC has actively contributed to the country’s economic development through major infrastructure projects, including the construction of Changi International Airport, Marina One, South Beach, and Southeast Asia’s largest underground substation. With this business partnership with SJ, a leading built environment consultancy with a long track record of successful project delivery, we will make every effort to accelerate Singapore’s energy transition based on the strengthened collaboration network at both the government and group levels and the trust we have built with the Singapore government and clients.”
The MOU ceremony between HDEC and SJ was part of the Singapore-Korea Business Forum which took place on 8 October 2024. Present at the MOU ceremony were (from left to right) Young-joon Yoon, President and CEO of Hyundai E&C; Ahn Duk-geun, Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy of the Government of South Korea; Tan See Leng, Minister of Manpower and Second Minister for Trade and Industry; Sean Chiao, Group CEO, SJ.
A new report released by Climate Group and Ramboll at Climate Week NYC reveals close to 50 percent of global businesses that were surveyed for the research are prepared to pay a premium for lower-emission steel and concrete, signalling a powerful and growing demand for more sustainable materials. With steel and concrete emissions responsible for 15 percent of global emissions, their urgent decarbonisation is critical to meeting the goals outlined in the Paris Agreement.
The Steel and Concrete Transformation: 2024 market outlook on lower emission steel and concrete report, comes after over 250 companies globally from 42 countries and 21 industries were surveyed on their current readiness to use and willingness to pay for lower emission steel and concrete. It aims to evaluate business readiness to incorporate lower-emission steel and concrete in their operations, their willingness to pay a premium for these materials, and the existing key barriers preventing wider adoption.
Positive Market Outlook but Barriers Remain
The research indicates growing momentum, with 45 percent of respondents saying they would be willing to pay a premium for emissions reductions of 25 percent or higher for steel, while 57 percent would be willing to do so for reductions exceeding 50 percent. For concrete, these numbers were 40 percent and 49 percent respectively. While the ability to pay varies across sectors and geographies, 52 percent of respondents had a higher willingness to do so when compared to their stance one year ago, while 34 percent reported no change in opinion.
The report highlights that businesses expect the transition towards lower-emission materials to be inevitable. Driven by both regulatory pressures and market demand, 78 percent of respondents answered they expect lower-emission steel and concrete will be standard materials for new products or projects within the next decade.
While the outlook is broadly positive, the report also focused on the barriers and solutions to this widescale adoption and transition. Businesses said while progress is accelerating, the greatest barriers to adoption remain cost (84 percent), industry conservatism (37 percent), and lack of knowledge (33 percent).
In terms of solutions, businesses were clear that governments have a significant role to play in supporting them. Financial levers such as tax incentives, credits, and subsidies (69 percent), carbon pricing (50 percent) as well as minimum product standards or embodied carbon limits (43 percent) were identified as crucial policies for governments to prioritise. Without them, the world is unlikely to see the rapid scaling of lower-emission steel and concrete in time. Clear and robust policies must be implemented at all levels of government, now.
Jen Carson, Head of Industry at Climate Group, said, “Business leaders are not only calling for change – they’re enacting it. This report is a real temperature check of the market. It’s hugely encouraging to see the appetite is here, now, for organisations to pay a premium for lower-emission steel and concrete. Actors across the value chain – suppliers, governments, and investors – should take note.
But there’s deep work to be done to speed up progress. It’s critical that businesses can make the right choices for their operations, and the planet, and switch to lower-emission steel and concrete. Governments must listen to their concerns, support their ambition, and act quickly to remove barriers. This way, we can unlock corporate demand to drive real sector transformation.”
Michael Simmelsgaard, Chief Operating Officer at Ramboll, said, “The fact that more companies are now willing to pay a premium for lower emission steel and concrete sends a strong signal to the market. To accelerate progress, all actors now need to come together – from policymakers and investors to off-takers of steel and concrete, as well as end users who will need to accept a price premium until the market matures. Let’s build on the momentum we have to drive a rapid and lasting decarbonisation of heavy industries on the path to global net zero.”
KONE has become not only the first and only vertical transportation service provider, but also the first Finnish company to have its products certified by the Green Product Council Indonesia (GPCI). As a nod to its long-term commitment towards the green transformation of Indonesia’s built environment and beyond, the GPCI awarded the highest Gold rating in KONE’s recent Green Label Indonesia certification for six elevator and one escalator products.
The certified KONE products are KONE Minispace™, KONE E Minispace™, KONE N Minispace™, KONE E Monospace®, KONE N Monospace® and KONE S Monospace® elevators, as well as KONE TravelMaster™ 110 escalator.
The independent Green Label Indonesia certification scheme, introduced in 2015, promotes and facilitates the use of eco-friendly products and sustainable practices in the country’s construction industry. Through this eco-label certification, KONE’s elevators and escalators are on track to be recommended for the Green Building Council Indonesia’s Greenship and even the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certified buildings. Today, these certified elevator and escalator products are already implemented in many iconic buildings across Jakarta’s financial centre and Surabaya, bringing about smooth and efficient people flow.
“At KONE, we are committed to supporting our customers in achieving their building sustainability goals. To bring more transparency of our manufacturing and solution integrity to the market, we chose to complete the Green Label Indonesia certification process with seven of our best-selling elevator and escalator products. Achieving such a third-party accreditation helps us demonstrate the environmental stewardship of our manufacturing process, that we have proper controls in place to minimise the use of resources and reduce waste while upholding high standards of product safety and quality,” says Budi Silaban, KONE’s managing director for Indonesia.
“This recognition is also a great testament to KONE’s contributions in paving the way for Indonesia’s sustainability journey. We have been actively present in Indonesia for 30 years and hopefully more, to help customers effectively reach their sustainability targets, with green building solutions, best-in-class energy efficiency and solutions that extend the equipment lifetime.”
Yudiono, GPCI chairman, who graced the Green Label Indonesia certificate award ceremony last month at KONE’s head office in Jakarta, comments, “The Green Product Council Indonesia warmly congratulates KONE on being the country’s first elevator and escalator company to earn the Green Label Indonesia certification and impressively with the top Gold rating. For our construction industry, this marks a step change in pushing the boundaries of sustainable business practices and enables the market to make more informed decisions about elevator and escalator products. We look forward to partnering with KONE, with its advancements in sustainability and environmental achievements, to continue driving impact and promoting environmentally friendly programs widely including to suppliers.”
Beyond its Green Label Indonesia certification, KONE has also made significant strides in greening its local operations and elevating the industry. Last year, the company successfully replaced the entire petrol-based motorcycle fleet in Indonesia with electric vehicles for its field team of maintenance supervisors. With sustainability as an integral part of the business, KONE is also furthering regenerative drive technology to support customers in cutting electricity usage. Today, some 43 percent of KONE’s elevator car interiors are manufactured locally, earning it the Tingkat Komponen Dalam Negeri (TKDN) certification recognition in 2023.
Global warming is a clear threat to the environment and humanity. The increase in atmospheric temperature (climate change) today has serious consequences for all life on Earth. Many people worldwide are aware of and urgently tackling this issue. Nippon Paint, Asia’s no. 1 and the world’s fourth largest paint manufacturer and distributor has recognised the causes and effects of the climate crisis for decades. Therefore, it expresses its commitment by unveiling its mission to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 with the ‘Green Plan,’ hoping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from energy sources used in production.
Roadmap to Net Zero 2050
Nippon Paint adheres to the Green Plan, which includes implementing green processes and using green products, aligned with the principles of global sustainability encompassing the environment, society, and economy. This plan covers both innovation and consumers as well, following 9 UNSDGs principles. Combined with the ‘smart framework’ strategy, it emphasises sustainability in business operations and value chains and promotes a culture of environmental responsibility and equality within the organisation. This agenda is crucial for becoming fully net zero by 2050.
Green Process
Direct greenhouse gas emissions will be reduced under the ISO 14001:2015 environmental management system with the following strategies:
Energy: Installing solar panels on the factory roof will reduce carbon emissions by more than 600,000 kilograms per year, equivalent to absorbing carbon dioxide from planting over 60,000 trees. Alternative energy from solar cells can produce over 1.4 MW of electricity per year. There will also be a switch to battery-powered forklifts instead of diesel-powered vehicles.
Water Conservation: Water is essential for manufacturing processes. Nippon Paint promotes wastewater treatment by reusing properly treated wastewater. This can reduce water use by more than 840,000 litres per year, equivalent to flushing the toilet over 70,000 times. Nippon Paint has also installed soil and leak testing kits to reduce environmental problems. Different types of conventional wastewater treatment are as follows: Water that cannot be reused or recycled is disposed of according to industrial waste regulations and stored by a licensed service provider for additional treatment per local laws. Water that must be treated before disposal, such as laboratory water is treated in a dilution tank and tested before release as public wastewater. Water that can be drained directly, such as water from bathrooms and sinks, is connected to the public sewage system.
Reducing Air Pollution: A large dust collector machine reduces dust produced in the factory by 3,000 kilograms per year.
Waste Disposal: Waste disposal methods vary depending on the type of waste and recyclable materials. Waste is either reused or recycled by the appropriate contractor or managed internally. Nippon Paint emphasises waste separation and proper disposal, conducting impact assessments under ISO 14001 standards and local waste disposal laws to craft effective waste management plans.
Green Process and Green Product
Nippon Paint’s paint system and innovative products aim for low carbon emissions in the following ways:
Paint System: Reducing embodied carbon through certified carbon footprint products offers solutions for lowering carbon during construction. Energy-saving paint technology, reducing building improvement needs, and certifying high-efficiency energy-saving labels help reduce carbon emissions.
Colour Innovation: Paint products are guaranteed to have safe paint labels or are GREEN CHOICE, free of pungent odours (low VOCs), which improve LEED v4.1 and WELL v2 scores. These innovations help reduce job site waste and dust, enhancing quality of life and environmental safety. Nippon Paint has strengthened 40 brands with a certified CFP carbon footprint label, indicating carbon release throughout the product lifecycle.
Latest Environmental Campaign: Revitalize the World
Nippon Paint recently launched the ‘Revitalize the World’ campaign, promoting sustainability through vibrant colours representing nature. This campaign highlights the current environmental challenges and encourages collective efforts to reduce climate change, promoting sustainability and equality. Nippon Paint is dedicated to its mission of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050 and creating a sustainable environment for all.
Schneider Electric has released its sustainability performance scores for the second quarter of 2024, alongside its half-year financial results. Tracking and disclosing the quarterly progress of Schneider’s Sustainability Impact (SSI) programme is central to achieving its 2021–2025 global and local ambitions, contributing to its six long-term sustainability commitments.
Recently, Schneider Electric topped the list of “World’s Most Sustainable Companies for 2024” compiled by TIME Magazine and Statista, further emphasising the strategic importance it places on sustainability impact. This recognition underlines Schneider Electric’s climate leadership in setting ambitious targets and its expertise in helping customers become more energy efficient and reduce their emissions.
“Coming top in TIME’s list of most sustainable companies confirms just how much ambition and dedication are needed to decarbonise value chains and evolve business models,” said Xavier Denoly, Senior Vice President of Sustainable Development at Schneider Electric. “With one and half years to meet our 2025 sustainability ambitions, each of Schneider’s transformative global and local initiatives helps us to steadily and deliberately build on our achievements and strive for long-lasting impact.”
This quarter, Schneider Electric kept up the pace on:
Climate action: breaking the 600 million tonne barrier on reporting saved and avoided carbon emissions for customers, thanks to energy-saving products, software, and services. Schneider Electric continues to make steady progress every quarter and is well on the way to meeting its target to help its customers save and avoid 800 million tonnes of CO2 emissions by 2025. Efforts to accelerate supplier decarbonisation and tackle scope 3 emissions were also rewarded with an impressive progression from 19 percent this time last year to 33 percent this quarter. Schneider Electric’s Zero Carbon Project encourages strategic suppliers to switch to cleaner energy, matching them with solution providers, as well as offering on-site support, renewable energy market analysis, and specialist training
Empowering all generations and providing learning and development opportunities to meet Schneider’s ambition of training 1 million people with energy management skills by the end of 2025. By working extensively with NGOs and encouraging employees to volunteer as trainers, 682,000 people worldwide have benefitted from these education and entrepreneurship opportunities. Recently, the Schneider Electric Foundation partnered with INCO in Senegal on a “Get into Energy Transition” digital learning programme.
At the end of the quarter, Schneider’s Sustainability Impact score came in at 6.78, on track to reach the 2024 end-year objective of 7.40 out of 10. Find more details in the Q2 2024 report of Schneider’s Sustainability Impact programme, including the progress dashboard. Other key second-quarter sustainability highlights:
Awarded the prize for Best Universal Registration Document at the Transparency Awards 2024
Awarded Living Wage certification for the second year by the Fair Wage Network for ensuring that all employees are valued and compensated fairly
Ranked #1 on Gartner’s Supply Chain Top 25
The Schneider Home solution was recognised as the 2024 Sustainable Product of the Year by Green Builder
Launch of Villaya Flex rural electrification and clean power system for off-grid communities
Grundfos recently appointed Hamed Heyhat as Executive Vice President and Divisional CEO of its Water Utility division. Hamed is committed to guiding the Division towards innovative solutions that improve water and energy efficiency, ensuring resilience against climate change for communities worldwide.
Hamed will lead Grundfos’ efforts to enhance global water access and support sustainable aquifer management while driving the digital transformation within the Water Utility division. Collaborating with teams in Brookshire, Texas, USA, and across the Global Grundfos business, he will implement strategies to create a sustainable water future. The division aims to meet the growing demand for clean, safe water by transforming water cycle management—from drinking water to wastewater, for communities and irrigation.
Hamed brings more than 20 years of experience from the wider utilities industry, gained at global companies including Alstom, General Electric Company, and most recently Honeywell. He joins Grundfos from his role as President of the Smart Energy business within Honeywell.
Poul Due Jensen, CEO of Grundfos said: “Hamed brings deep knowledge from the utilities industry, many years in senior leadership, and a proven track record of success. He has an ambitious, present, and authentic leadership style, and I am confident that he is a great fit for Grundfos and our Water Utility division, helping us drive forward our company ambition to respect, protect and advance the flow of water.”
Hamed Heyhat said: “Like Grundfos, I am passionate about making water a resource for everyone and so I’m excited by the prospect of joining Grundfos and the Water Utility division. As part of our global team, I look forward to advancing the development in this vital area, making an impact globally with sustainability and digitalisation as key levers.”
Aligning his leadership background and virtues with the Grundfos purpose, Hamed will also be focussed on the wellbeing of Grundfos colleagues. As such, driving profitability will go hand in hand with reinvesting in the workforce and the communities they serve, led by a belief that with global reach comes a responsibility to build a more sustainable future.
Hamed continued: “As a global company with a worldwide presence, we have a role to play in making the world a better place for future generations. Grundfos is at the forefront of combining water solutions and digital solutions to help our partners and customers use water and energy more efficiently and reduce their carbon footprint. It’s also a business committed to helping the world cope with the challenges of climate change, leading by example to inspire others to join us in our mission for a sustainable future.”
Global architecture, engineering and consultancy firm Ramboll is spotlighting the pivotal role of renovation in reducing carbon emissions, cutting costs, and meeting sustainability goals in its new Renovation and Transformation Assessment Guide. BRJ speaks to Huang Yu, Director, Buildings, Ramboll, to see how repurposing existing buildings is becoming the smart choice for property investors and owners.
As urbanisation accelerates and sustainability becomes a pressing concern, Ramboll’s newly launched Renovation and Transformation Assessment Guide emerges as a crucial tool for property owners and investors. With the built environment contributing significantly to global CO2 emissions and waste, the guide advocates for a shift from new construction to renovation and transformation. By focusing on regulatory, financial, and sustainability drivers, the guide helps stakeholders assess the business case for repurposing existing buildings, identifying risks, and uncovering opportunities.
The case for renovation is compelling: it not only curtails carbon emissions and operational costs but also aligns with Singapore’s Green Plan 2030, which aims for a greener, more resource-efficient built environment. Through a range of case studies, the guide demonstrates that renovation can be both environmentally and economically advantageous, challenging the conventional belief that new construction is always the better option. As cities grapple with space constraints and rising costs, transforming existing structures is proving to be a sustainable and strategic solution.
Building Review Journal (BRJ): What are the main benefits for property portfolio owners and investors in Singapore when prioritising renovation and transformation over new construction?
Huang Yu (HY): Renovating existing buildings not only reduces carbon emissions and waste compared to building new but can also be more cost effective and attractive to tenants. This combined with legislation demanding smarter construction resource management, impacts real estate portfolio owners and investors.
There are of course regulatory requirements when it comes to heritage buildings, such as the unique and charming Singapore shophouses, which are managed under the Heritage Conservation Act by the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) and Building & Construction Authority (BCA). The ability to preserve them while also transforming them is an important way to conserve this architecture that is representative of Singaporean culture.
Sustainability is another benefit. Upgrading existing buildings with greener features to achieve greater efficiency in operation is key to realising BCA’s ambition to make 80 percent of Singapore’s buildings green by 2030. This presents an ambitious backdrop to encourage the renovation and transformation of building assets to achieve greater sustainability performance.
BRJ: How does the cost-effectiveness of renovation compare to new construction?
HY: Using lifecycle analyses and lifecycle cost analyses, Ramboll experts performed a comprehensive assessment of 16 cases ranging from family homes and terraced houses to tower blocks, commercial buildings and public buildings. The buildings also represent a wide range of building functions, choice of materials and locations. The main findings were that:
Renovation is both greener and more cost-effective than new-builds
Carbon emission in new construction depends on the materials used
The level of renovation determines the extent to which carbon impacts from operational energy can be reduced
Carbon impacts occur at different life cycle stages for new and mature buildings.
All 16 cases in this analysis show that renovation is advantageous both financially and in terms of climate impact. Whole lifecycle calculations of the scenarios reveal that in five of the cases, it will be more than twice as expensive to build new than to carry out extensive renovations over 50 years. This goes against the common assumption that it is not worthwhile to preserve and renovate buildings because they will be more expensive to operate.
In the realm of Singaporean projects, Ramboll has effectively executed transformation projects, including substantial structural modifications to five-star hotels and top-tier office buildings. Incorporating fresh usable space via lightweight construction methods, which leverage existing foundation systems, not only expedited construction timelines but also yielded substantial cost reductions.
BRJ: How are rising construction costs influencing the shift towards renovation and transformation in Singapore?
HY: There is no shortage of funding for infrastructure and built environment projects. The scrutiny is more around bankable projects. Investors are increasingly looking at the bankability of projects through multi-dimensional lenses, adding environmental, social and reputational issues to the traditional financial aspect. Renovation and transformation present opportunities to meet these requirements.
BRJ: Can you provide examples of projects where renovation has proven to be more environmentally sustainable than building anew?
HY: A project that most Singaporeans would be familiar with is the five-star Capella resort, which was originally constructed in the 1880s and used as an army barracks during World War II.
Following extensive restoration work designed by Foster + Partners, the resort was ranked as the top hotel in Singapore in Travel & Leisure’s World Best Awards 2023. Capella’s vision was to preserve the integrity of the original structure while integrating new elements. Most components were prefabricated offsite and tailored to fit seamlessly with existing structures, meaning that damage or modifications to the original structures were significantly reduced.
To construct the extension, an open-sided excavation was made behind the legacy structure where Ramboll incorporated one of the first permanent passive soil nail retaining systems in Singapore. Key to the functional viability of the scheme was the seamless integration of the old and new. To achieve this, structures were set out in such a way that allowed hotel guests to effortlessly move from one building and back without traversing different spaces.
The result was a heritage colonial building with a curvilinear extension successfully built within native vegetation that exemplifies Ramboll’s fusion engineering approach to rigorous and complex developments. For its considered design and successful implementation, the Capella Resort was a winning recipient at the URA Architectural Heritage Awards.
BRJ: Are there specific regulatory challenges that property owners face when considering renovation projects?
HY: There are no specific regulatory challenges when it comes to renovation projects. Initially, all buildings must be approached with respect, followed by a review process to pinpoint any potential engineering hurdles in meeting the latest prevailing codes and practices. Architects and engineers must collaborate to address these challenges, ensuring that the final proposal complies with local building authorities’ regulations and is suitable for use.
BRJ: How does prioritising renovation over new construction contribute to Singapore’s sustainability goals, particularly in reducing carbon emissions and waste?
HY: Singapore has an ambitious Green Plan. The Green Plan 2030 is a whole-of-nation movement to advance Singapore’s national agenda on sustainable development. The Green Plan charts ambitious and concrete targets over the next 10 years, strengthening Singapore’s commitments under the UN’s 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda and Paris Agreement, and positioning us to achieve our long-term net zero emissions aspiration by 2050. Prioritising renovation can add significant value to this plan.
For example, CO2 emissions from demolishing and building a new replacement building of the same size are on average around 35 percent greater than if a significant renovation of the building is carried out instead.
Transformation also taps into the DNA of buildings and urban areas. It informs the architectural approach and serves to preserve and enhance the heritage and cultural fabric that define a building and surrounding communities. In this way, transformation also makes an important contribution to social sustainability and Singapore’s shophouse culture.
BRJ: What role do green building certifications play in this shift?
HY: Certifications and advocacy on behalf of organisations like the Singapore Green Building Council (SGBC) are very important in educating our industry on the benefits of renovation. Aligned with the World Green Building Council’s vision of green buildings for everyone, everywhere, the Singapore Green Building Council aims to make the spaces we live, work and play in healthier, more sustainable, and more resource-efficient.
Ramboll is therefore delighted to have recently been certified by the SGBC for the provision of Environmental Sustainability Services at the highest Level 1 – Building projects with international stakeholders that seek to attain ambitious Green Mark ratings. This reflects our commitment to innovation in sustainable building design, including renovation projects.
These types of projects can dramatically reduce carbon emissions for our clients through circular and regenerative design. We look forward to continuing our journey towards building a greener and more sustainable future with the SGBC.
BRJ: What is the current state of the renovation industry in Singapore, and how has it evolved over recent years?
HY: Renovations traditionally focus on structural alterations in landed houses, shophouses and some conservation buildings. However, there’s a rising trend towards more intricate projects involving structural modifications and expansions in existing buildings, including high-rise. This trend is particularly notable in downtown areas where buildings already have deep foundations and basements.
BRJ: Can you provide an overview of Ramboll’s Renovation and Transformation Assessment Guide?
HY:Ramboll’s Renovation Assessment Guide is a practical handbook to help property portfolio owners and investors assess the business case for renovation. It also provides insights on how to mitigate risk and maximise rewards when renovating a building. To reach a more sustainable future, we must question the need for new construction, especially where existing properties can be repurposed. If planned and managed correctly, repurposed property assets can become attractive to tenants, more climate-resilient, and fit for multiple future uses.
For business case assessment, this guide centres around three key focus areas in the early planning stages of property renovation. Firstly, looking at the regulatory, financial and sustainability drivers, secondly, identifying and mitigating potential reconstruction, financial, and climate risks, and thirdly, assessing renovation opportunities and constraints to realise their full potential.
BRJ: Were there particular trends, client demands, or market needs that drove the creation of this guide?
HY: We can’t forget the megatrend of urbanisation, where 75 percent of the world’s population will be living in urban areas by 2050. In Asia alone, we are looking at 1.2 billion people who will be migrating to urban areas over the coming 25 years. The need for housing, infrastructure and buildings is immense.
In the meantime, there is the need to decarbonise our built environment. The built environment is responsible for 40 percent of global CO2 emissions, 33 percent of global waste, and nearly 50 percent of all extracted materials. Prioritising renovation and transformation over building new plays a vital role in decarbonising the construction sector and it is gaining momentum. The business case for renovation is clear – the time is now to respect, review and renew.
BRJ: How is the commercial property sector responding to this transformation?
HY: With commercial buildings, we see a clear trend towards organisations undertaking deep renovations of their existing offices. This is a win-win where they retain the benefit of the office being in an accessible and appealing location, whilst also optimising interior spaces, increasing energy efficiency, and creating a modern inspiring work environment. This in turn helps organisations attract and retain talent and typically reduces carbon emissions by 50 percent to 80 percent compared to new builds.
BRJ: What unique challenges do property owners and developers face when undertaking renovation projects in Singapore and how do they differ from those in other major global cities?
HY: I think one unique challenge for Singapore is the scale of the buildings, from high-rise buildings to large-scale developments, which brings an additional layer of complexity for engineers and designers. However, the impact of these large-scale buildings is worth the challenge. Singapore has its unique challenges as a city-state, such as land constraints, labour shortage and cost, which also presents itself an opportunity for innovation and ingenuity. I see opportunities for modular construction methods and Multi-trade Integrated MEP (MiMEP), which allows us to flexibly adapt and future-proof the assets.
BRJ: What future trends do you foresee in the renovation industry in Singapore, and how do you think policies will adapt to support these trends?
HY: When we know that the carbon savings from transformation initiatives are so large, as a minimum, we as advisors need to introduce a code of conduct that insists that we steer clients towards transformation. This means that we need to get better at recognising the economic, environmental, and social value of the assets they already have.
In my opinion, rapid large-scale decarbonisation calls for a significant decrease in demolition and new common regulations to support this. We already see protections in place for cultural buildings, but this needs to be extended to all buildings – especially those that contain large amounts of embodied carbon.
BRJ: What are the biggest challenges and risks for property owners and investors to maximize the benefits of renovation?
HY: Investors and developers must identify and manage risks from the very earliest stages of a transformation project before making major investments. This way they can ensure their business case stacks up and mitigate unexpected costs and delays.
Building plans from older buildings may be missing or incomplete, which creates uncertainty around the composition of the building. The condition, toxicity, and flammability of building materials may also be unknown and vary significantly depending on the type of building and when it was constructed. Conducting thorough early-stage architectural and engineering assessments, including laboratory tests and condition surveys, helps identify and minimise these risks.
A key challenge with transformation projects is that we want to preserve as much of the load-bearing structure as possible since this is where the carbon savings are greatest. However, this may place constraints on how the space can be reconfigured. Feasibility studies and creative thinking are needed to identify the options that can maximise the full potential of a transformation project and minimise the risk of it becoming a stranded asset. We are also actively looking into how AI can play a role in this.
Digital tools can play an important role in informing early-phase decision-making and at Ramboll we have developed applications that generate thousands of iterations of the possible MEP and façade configurations to identify the most cost-effective and optimal option.
Pan-United Corporation Ltd has unveiled the country’s first electric-powered concrete mixer truck, underlining its commitment to sustainability. The introduction of electric vehicles (EVs) marks a milestone in Pan-United’s journey to become a carbon-neutral ready-mix concrete company by 2050. Using an electric-powered mixer truck will reduce the carbon footprint of transporting ready-mix concrete by 45 percent compared to a fuel-powered truck. Moreover, using EVs in a highly dense urban environment like Singapore can reduce noise pollution significantly.
Mr Ken Loh, CEO of Pan-United said, “Pan-United is excited to welcome EVs into Singapore’s built environment industry. We hope to eventually operate a substantial fleet of electric concrete mixer trucks for our day-to-day operations. This step marks an exciting new venture in exploring alternative fuel technology and a deepening commitment to accomplish Pan-United’s aim of being a carbon-neutral ready-mix concrete company by 2050.”
He added: “Pan-United has actively been exploring ways to reduce our embodied and operational carbon emissions. This includes the use of alternative fuels and electric gensets in our operations to lower our carbon footprint. We will continue to actively explore new and innovative solutions and products to decarbonise and accelerate the global climate transition.”
Pan-United took delivery of the truck in July 2024 from SANY, a Chinese multinational heavy machinery manufacturing company. The electric-powered truck has a sizeable 350 kWh battery, which serves up to 360 kW at peak power, and takes two hours to achieve a full charge. For comparison, a typical Category A passenger EV with a battery capacity of 78 kW takes roughly half an hour to charge fully.
The Built Environment Expo Asia (BEX) 2024 is gearing up for a landmark return from 4 to 6 September 2024 at the Sands Expo and Convention Centre, Marina Bay Sands in Singapore. As the leading Built Environment Expo, it promises to be a dynamic hub that brings together industry professionals, thought leaders and innovative companies shaping the future of Asia’s built environment.
BEX Asia 2024 caters to the specific needs of the region’s markets, while also boasting a strong international presence. The event features dedicated pavilions like Ontario, Canada; China, and Singapore, alongside exhibitors from countries/regions including Japan, Korea, Denmark, Australia, France, Canada, Malaysia and Oman.
“BEX Asia 2024 is a timely and crucial platform for industry professionals in the region. This year’s exhibition positions itself as the leading market intelligence platform for the built environment industry that presents the transformative trends that are reshaping the region. We look forward to witnessing advancements in robotics and prefabrication technologies, alongside the continued evolution of digital design solutions,” said Yeow Hui Leng, Group Director, RX Singapore. “BEX Asia will also foster a dynamic environment where participants can forge strategic partnerships and network with the vibrant startup community — ensuring they are positioned at the forefront of building a more sustainable and resilient future for our cities.”
A Hub of Innovation
BEX Asia 2024 serves as a central platform within IBEW for industry professionals from across the region to discover a wealth of cutting-edge and market-ready solutions for all aspects of the built environment ecosystem. This year’s event will feature:
New Innovations in Action: Uncover the cutting-edge solutions that are shaping the future of the built environment. Companies such as ebm-papst, for instance, are showcasing an IoT-based solution to regulate indoor air quality and energy efficiency in real-time based on occupancy, outdoor conditions and other factors. Camfil will be highlighting the importance of proper restaurant ventilation, emphasising its benefits for health, business, and air quality management. Yitac will be launching a state-of-the-art system for ensuring optimal performance, heightened energy savings, and sustainability in air conditioning. Additionally, PestBusters will be showcasing their scientifically proven solution for eradicating termite colonies.
Experience the Future of Building with Industry Leaders: Immerse yourself in a diverse array of groundbreaking solutions from leading companies through onsite product demonstrations and successful project implementations. This includes the latest advancements that have set a new benchmark for innovative sustainability solutions, zero-emission construction equipment, fully integrated facility services, and a variety of other fields integral to the built environment sector. Explore the exhibition floor through curated delegation tours led by experts or at your own pace.
Startup Pavilions: Discover innovative construction workflow solutions from startups like Millipede. Additionally, explore the latest advancements from rising stars in robotics and automation, smart construction solutions, and green energy, as well as machine learning-based predictive analytics platforms that are supported by HKSTP, ConTech Exchange, and IES INCA.
“The built environment is evolving rapidly, demanding smarter and more efficient solutions. Digitalisation and modern technologies such as AI emerge as powerful catalysts for change, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in both environmental responsibility and operational effectiveness. Daikin is passionate about leveraging these advancements by developing cutting-edge solutions for our industry partners. Events like BEX Asia 2024 provide a valuable platform to showcase these advancements and collaborate with industry leaders. We’re excited to share our vision for the future of intelligent and sustainable climate control solutions, which includes iPlant Manager and the new MARUTTO — an integrated platform that gives unprecedented control over HVAC systems, no matter where they’re at,” said Swen Tan, Senior Manager, Sustainability Lead, Daikin.
Other Key Highlights
Knowledge-sharing Opportunities: Gain insights from thought leaders and experts through informative masterclasses on the latest trends and technologies, such as “Revolutionising Building Management with Abound: The Future of Smart Solutions”, presented by Carrier and “AI in Construction: What’s Possible?” delivered by Bimage Consulting.
SGBC Seminar: Explore firsthand the innovative advancements and practical solutions shaping sustainable building practices. Attendees will also earn Continuing Professional Development (CPD) points while learning from industry experts at the Singapore Green Building Council’s dedicated seminar programme.
Registration for BEX Asia 2024, a cornerstone of the prestigious International Built Environment Week (IBEW) 2024, is now open. Visit www.bex-asia.com for more information and to register.
