Archive for category: News

You are here: / / News

Faithful+Gould Partners with Atkins Acuity to Build Infrastructure Capacity in Singapore

/in /by
Reading Time: 2 minutes

Singapore has, in recent years, been recognised as a highly attractive market in the world for infrastructure investment.

With support from Singapore’s Economic Development Board (EDB), a government agency that acts to stimulate economic growth and create employment opportunities in Singapore, Faithful+Gould and Atkins Acuity (Acuity) are investing and training consultants, managers and directors to expand skills in project management and whole asset lifecycle infrastructure development.

Faithful+Gould will be investing up to $2 million over the next five years to develop 16 high-potential project managers in deepening their skills for project leadership roles.

Acuity has plans to invest $2.5 million over the next five years in recruiting and developing 18 high potential consultants, managers and directors in Singapore to develop skills in advanced infrastructure development, overcoming complex asset management challenges, and delivering solutions across the whole asset lifecycle for developing economies.

Chief executive officer Donald Lawson said, “Investment in skills is essential to drive innovation and enable sustainable economic growth in the region. Specifically, with the advent of digital, we see an unprecedented momentum of change in the construction industry. Our partnership with EDB is empowering us to prepare for this change and build capacity and create job opportunities in Singapore while helping grow the infrastructure market.”

Ms Fong Pin Fen, director for cities, infrastructure and industrial solutions at EDB, added, “We are pleased that Atkins has set up its global end-to-end advisory business, Acuity, whose senior leaders are based in Singapore. Atkins Groups’ investment will help bring value to Singapore’s infrastructure ecosystem and strengthen our standing as Asia’s leading infrastructure hub. With talent as a key pillar of the sector, EDB looks forward to partnering Faithful+Gould and Acuity in not only growing its business, but also in the building up of skilled talent that will help fuel the industry’s growth.”

In recent years, Singapore has been recognised as a highly attractive market in the world for infrastructure investment thanks to its comprehensive infrastructure ecosystem, strong business environment, a healthy pipeline of development work and a growing economy. A workforce with deeper infrastructure skills will help the city better capture growing opportunities and maximise its growth potential.

URA to Launch Tender for Reserve List Site at Beach Road

/in , /by
Reading Time: 2 minutes

The land parcel at Beach Road is a plum CBD fringe commercial site that should generate good interest amongst developers and investors. With 88,313 square metres of GFA, the site can be developed for office use (minimum 61,820 square metres) and retail use (maximum 3,000 square metres), while hotel, service apartment and residential use are also allowed. Conservation of the former Beach Road police station on the site will enhance the character of the development making it more interesting.

The office component would increase the critical mass of new office buildings in the vicinity, together with South Beach Tower and Duo Tower.

The triggering of this site comes in tandem with positive investment sentiments in the office property market and also at a time when office rents appear to be firming after two years of decline. Seven bidders contested keenly for the Central Boulevard site in November 2016 and it would not be surprising if the unsuccessful parties in that tender contest again, for the subject site. If residential use is incorporated in the development, it would coincide with an expected upturn in the residential market.

The development of the subject site augurs well for the office market as it will increase the supply of quality office space in the CBD fringe that is more affordable than those in prime CBD. In the CBD, the potential supply of office space is approximately 18 percent of its investment grade stock while in the CBD fringe, it is less than 2 percent, reflecting the uneven spread of new supply between the two sub-markets. JLL had recently released a white paper on office decentralisation highlighting the need for more office space outside the CBD, especially in the decentralised sub-market to provide more affordable office space options to businesses.

BuildTech Yangon Synergises Green Network Development in Myanmar

/in , , , /by
Reading Time: 4 minutes

The 4th edition of BuildTech Yangon concluded on 20 May 2017 after three days of industry discussions, international dialogues, commercial engagements and knowledge sharing in Myanmar. Organised by Sphere Exhibits, a subsidiary of Singapore Press Holdings (SPH) and co-organised by the Myanmar Construction Entrepreneurs Association (MCEA), BuildTech Yangon 2017 is the leading industry event focusing on the value chain for the build environment sector in Myanmar.

Graced by the Guest of Honour, U Zaw Aye Maung, Minister of Ethnic Affairs, Ministry Yangon Region Government, BuildTech Yangon 2017 focused on green buildings, key solutions and technologies, redefining Myanmar’s building and construction sector. Attended by high profile delegates, dignitaries and key decision makers, the event took a focused approach in addressing key policies in the country’s city development.

Advancing the Green Building Network in Myanmar
A highlight this year was the inaugural Green Building Conference, an innovative two- day event designed to help nurture sustainable and green development whilst fostering the formation of a National Green Building Council in Myanmar.

The World Green Building Council (WGBC) participated in BuildTech Yangon for the first time this year, supported by the Singapore Green Building Council, the country’s representative to the eminent international group. WGBC held several meetings with local industry associations to discuss the development and nurturing of Myanmar’s green building movement.

Delegates to the Green Building Conference had access to sessions on a range of topics that included cases studies on recent green projects and introductions to green buildings and green architecture. Panel discussions with a wide range of experts on the topics of Regulations, Certifications & Policies Building and Housing adapted to Climate Change and Innovative Solutions towards a Greener Yangon were well received.

Dr. Swe Swe Aye, Chairman of the Green Building Committee, Building Engineers Institute of Myanmar and co-organiser of the Green Building Conference, said: “The inaugural Green Building Conference was a tremendous success, and we are thankful for the experts in green building construction who took time from their busy schedules. The Green Building Committee and Building Engineering Institute welcome the opportunity to be able to collaborate closely with local and regional green building experts and authorities in the region.”

Delegates and visitors also saw the latest in green technologies and sustainable and energy efficient solutions at the Green Pavilion. Participating companies from China, India, Italy, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, South Korea, and Thailand showcased a wide array of innovative products, solutions, and materials on the trade floor.

Mr. Ryo Lau K.S, Sales Engineer of Master Wire Cable Sdn Bhd said, “As a Malaysian company that has taken the plunge to explore opportunities, we have identified a gap in the manufacturing and supply of cables in Myanmar. There is a vast potential in Yangon as the city expands its infrastructure and building construction capabilities and needs. We are happy to have obtained good sales leads at the trade show.”

Additionally, a Memorandum of Understanding between the Myanmar Construction Entrepreneurs Association (MCEA) and the Singapore Institute of Building Limited (SIBL) was renewed to further extend their collaboration in advancing the industry. I&H Engineering Co., a joint venture between the Myanmar Ministry of Construction and I&H Asia Pacific, launched their new factory located just outside of Yangon, while trade missions from across the region held closed-door networking sessions.

Championing Industry Leaders
Mg Mya Hnin Bi from THS Construction was the winner of this year’s highly anticipated brick laying competition, which featured a live assembly of a set prototype of a model building. The national competition saw 20 companies competing to win the accolades, and spurring improvements in brick layer techniques and skillsets in the local construction sector.

The objective of this national competition aimed to increase the skill level of workers in the industry as well as to incentivise award winners to further their skills in similar international brick laying competitions. Brick laying is an important and essential skill that is much-needed in the construction industry. Competitions such as this will encourage workers to sign up to bricklaying courses in Myanmar’s effort to stay ahead.

Some 1,000 guests also came together for the MCEA annual gala which took place on 19 May 2017. Awards, jointly presented by MCEA and Sphere Exhibits, were given to young construction entrepreneurs for their exemplary contributions to the industry and community. They included Diamond, Gold and Silver Awards for the Best Contractors and Best Projects, and individual accolades for MCEA’s Man of the Year and the Builder of the Year Award.

For more information, visit www.btyangon.com/en.

14th Guangzhou Electrical Building Technology Opened With Strong Support

/in , /by
Reading Time: 2 minutes

The Guangzhou Electrical Building Technology fair held its 14th edition from 9 to 12 June, 2017 in the China Import and Export Fair Complex in Guangzhou. The fair hosted over 180 industry-leading suppliers from around the world and drew attention from notable industry associations and enterprises, and hosted renowned exhibitors such as include Auguan, Bittel, Canall, CATO, OUCHUANGYUAN, Panasonic, povos, Power2control, Xiaomei, S&B, Seyoung, Szsaw, Tender, T-Touching, Vanhi, wintom and many more.

These brands showcased their latest technologies and solutions for the electrical engineering, intelligent building and smart home markets. The four-day event attracted a diverse range of professional visitors, including system integrators, architects, designers, engineers and end-users.

A key highlight of the 2017 fair was the full schedule of reputable events welcoming influential speakers from the industry to deliver important insights. Backed by numerous industry associations, the fair had more than 13 seminars evolving around two themes: intelligent building and smart home standards, and intelligent buildings, smart homes and smart hotels.

Supported by well-known domestic and overseas standards organisations, the Guangzhou Electrical Building Technology fair brought back popular forums on intelligent building and smart home standards to share the latest development trends. The forums aimed to enhance communication between different standards and systems, and strengthened the integration of new technologies and Internet of Things (IoT). Participating associations. Some topics discussed include Bluetooth 5 and its facilitation in smart home development, EnOcean Batteryless Wireless Technology for Intelligent Buildings and IoT, and much more.

The Guangzhou Electrical Building Technology show, along with the concurrently held Guangzhou International Lighting Exhibition, was headed by the biennial Light + Building event. The next edition of Light + Building will take place from 18 to 23 March, 2018 in Frankfurt, Germany. To find out more about GEBT, please click HERE.

Largest LED horticultural lighting project in the world

/in , /by
Reading Time: 2 minutes

World’s largest LED horticultural lighting project will enable year-round growing, and save 50 percent on energy costs compared to conventional high-pressure sodium lighting.

Philips Lighting will be providing LLC Agro-Invest, Russia’s most innovative greenhouse produce company, with LED grow lights to support cultivation of tomatoes and cucumbers in greenhouses covering an area of more than 25 hectares (equivalent in size to about 40 soccer pitches). The project, which is the largest LED horticultural lighting project ever undertaken, will enable year-round growing, help boost yields – especially in the winter – and will save 50 percent on energy costs compared to conventional high-pressure sodium lighting

Philips Lighting is working with Dutch partner Agrolux and Russian installer, LLC ST Solutions, which will equip greenhouses in Lyudinovo, Kaluga Oblast, 350 km south west of Moscow, during the next three months. Philips Lighting will provide ‘light recipes’ optimized for growing tomatoes and cucumbers, training services and 65,000 1.25m long Philips GreenPower LED toplights and 57,000 2.5m long Philips GreenPower LED interlights. Laid end to end, they would stretch 223 km, the equivalent of crossing the English Channel from Dover to Calais more than five times.

 “We have a reputation for innovation on a large scale and LED grow lights are definitely the future. They deliver the right light for the plant, exactly when and where the plant needs it the most, while radiating far less heat than conventional lighting. This allows us to place them closer to the plants,” said Irina Meshkova, Deputy CEO and General Director, Agro-Invest. “Thanks to this technology we will be able to increase yields in the darker months of the year, and significantly reduce our energy usage,” she added.

The project also underlines a global trend for large-scale LED horticultural lighting implementations that can support demand for locally grown produce. “Our grow lights are the perfect supplement to natural daylight so that crops can be grown efficiently throughout the year. The project also highlights a growing international trend to replace imports with domestically grown produce, reducing food miles and ensuring freshness,”said Udo van Slooten, business leader for Philips Lighting’s horticultural lighting business.

thyssenkrupp Inaugurates World-Class Elevator Manufacturing Site in Pune

/in , /by
Reading Time: 2 minutes

The elevator facility in Pune, India.

thyssenkrupp recently inaugurated its newest Multi-Purpose Facility (MPF) for the elevator industry in the Chakan Industrial Area of Pune, Maharashtra, India, The facility will include the manufacturing of elevators, a distribution centre and training facilities. Representing an investment of 3 billion rupees (44 million euros), the new 20,000-square-metre facility is designed for an initial capacity of manufacturing 6,000 elevator units, extendable to over 10,000 units in the foreseeable future.

thyssenkrupp has built a strong global reputation in helping to improve mobility and efficiency in rapidly-growing urban areas around the world. Having established a 95 percent manufacturing localisation target, the opening of the Pune factory will enable the company to significantly expand in the region and support the increasing growth of the Indian construction sector, driven by strong urbanisation.

Nurturing local talent is an essential element of thyssenkrupp’s plans for India. As part of the factory’s inauguration thyssenkrupp will also be launching a new seed campus training centre for field technicians. This facility will support the development of local skills and knowledge in line with the Indian government’s wider training programs to improve service provision and efficiency in businesses across the region.

The global seed campus team is taking learning at thyssenkrupp Elevator to a new era, driving the evolution of learning tools and methodologies by including digitalisation in all its forms: mixed reality, virtual reality, gaming applications and simulations.

On this occasion, Ravi Kirpalani, CEO of thyssenkrupp India, comments: “The urban population in India is one of the fastest growing in the world. 30 percent of citizens currently live in urban areas, and this is expected to reach 40 percent by 2030. The government is focused on building new housing complexes, airports, malls, railway stations and harbours. We are delighted that our new local manufacturing site will better enable us to support this.

With the addition of the new Multi-Purpose Factory to the Chakan Industrial Area, thyssenkrupp is poised to play an important role both in supporting the development of the local area, and contributing to wider Indian goals of sustainable and efficient urbanised growth.”

Peter Allaart, Executive Vice President, Global Manufacturing, thyssenkrupp Elevator, comments: “We’re proud to have been able to inaugurate and start ramping up this new facility in such a short time period, as the localisation of elevator manufacturing is considered crucial for the expansion of our business in India, and has been thyssenkrupp’s plan for many years.”

He continued, “It is not only manufacturing but also about nurturing talent; the new seed campus training center will play an important role both in supporting the development of the local area, and contributing to wider Indian goals of localising talent in the country”.

By 2020, it is predicted that India will have 58 urban conglomerations and feature two of the world’s 20 global megacities (New Delhi and Mumbai). Both new skyscrapers and large-scale redevelopment of existing properties are driving construction to support continued population growth across the country’s urban landscapes. With efficient mobility being a key concern in this renewed city space, it is no surprise that India is the fastest growing elevator market in the world.

Sunseap Receives $15 Million Loan Funding for Solar Projects In Singapore

/in , , /by
Reading Time: 2 minutes

Sunseap has more than 160 megawatts of contracted solar project capacity in Singapore.

Sunseap Group Pte Ltd, one of Southeast Asia’s largest sustainable energy providers, has received a $15 million loan from United Overseas Bank (UOB) for a series of solar projects in Singapore.

These include the 9.5-megawatt peak (MWp) solar photovoltaic (PV) system at Jurong Port, the world’s largest solar PV system installed in a port, and the 2.4 MWp solar PV system at consumer electronics company Panasonic.

Mr Lawrence Wu, Co-Founder and Director of Sunseap, said: “We are delighted to have received the support of a forward-thinking organisation such as UOB, one that is known for their strong support of SMEs. The loan demonstrates UOB’s confidence in the solar industry in general and Sunseap in particular. “We are optimistic of the prospects for renewable energy in Singapore and the region, and believe that more enterprises in Singapore will embark on green initiatives.”

Mr Eric Tham, Head of Group Commercial Banking, UOB, said, “As a leading bank in Asia, UOB is committed to supporting investments, such as clean technology projects, that contribute to the sustainable development of economies and communities. We are pleased to be funding solar-powered initiatives that will help reduce the carbon footprint of companies in Singapore.”

To-date, Sunseap has more than 160 megawatts of contracted solar project capacity in Singapore, which has been deployed or is in the course of being deployed. Some of its clients include Apple, Housing Development Board, Singapore American School, Raffles Institution, the United Technologies Group and ABB.

Sunseap also has a pipeline of overseas projects in Cambodia, India, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia and Australia. In Cambodia, Sunseap has received the backing of the Asian Development Bank to build the country’s first large-scale solar power farm. The farm is expected to begin operations in August this year.

CommScope’s High Speed Migration Platform Prepares Data Centre Managers for Increased Bandwidth

/in , , /by
Reading Time: 3 minutes

CommScope’s High Speed Migration portfolio works for duplex and parallel applications. Image courtesy of CommScope.

As the world embarks on a potential fourth Industrial Revolution, it is the 30 to 50 billion connected devices that will spur the unprecedented growth in bandwidth. The next few years are critical to building the networks that will meet the demand.

In anticipation of this need, CommScope, which offers communications network infrastructure solutions, is introducing its High Speed Migration platform that assists data centre managers with building faster, more agile, high-density migration plans.

“With our High Speed Migration solutions, we’re able to help data centre managers accelerate the growth of their DC capacity and the speed of their digital transformation initiatives,” said John Schmidt, vice president of Global Data Centre Solutions at CommScope. “We are quickly moving from 10Gb/s and 40Gb/s to 100Gb/s, 400Gb/s and beyond. The more data consumers and network users need, the more services they expect, the more critical speed becomes. This is a global phenomenon and one of the top challenges that data centre managers will face.”

CommScope’s High Speed Migration portfolio works for duplex and parallel applications and allows customers to decide on the best approach to architecture. It also supports higher speeds and emerging applications without having to rip and replace. More than that, the platform allows CommScope to act as a trusted partner with our highly trained team of network architects who understand a customer’s business needs and provides insight to future data centre ecosystems and technology trends.

The following innovative solutions are part of the first phase of the High Speed Migration platform and support current and future high-speed applications:

  • MPO connectivity options: 24-fibre connections that ensure lowest first cost duplex deployments with a single connection, 12-fibre to support the seamless expansion of legacy 12-fibre infrastructures, and 8-fibre support QSFP technologies, providing for customers utilising this parallel optic configuration.
  • Fibre optic panels: Ultra- and high- density panels that simplify management of duplex and parallel ports for dynamic migration and flexibility.
  • Ultra-Low Loss (ULL) performance: Ultra-low loss pre-terminated components enable longer link spans with more connectivity options and guaranteed support for attenuation-sensitive applications.
  • LazrSPEED® WideBand OM5: Part of the flagship CommScope SYSTIMAX® portfolio most recently designated OM5 by the ISO/IEC. It enhances the ability of short-wavelength division multiplexing to provide at least four-fold increases in usable bandwidth while maintaining backward compatibility with legacy multimode fibre.
  • imVision®: The automated infrastructure management system (AIM) that gives oversight and control to SYSTIMAX physical network connectivity solutions.

As part of CommScope’s entire High Speed Migration strategy, solutions include all fibre types (multimode and single mode), intelligence and customised connectors for all data centres.

CommScope’s high-speed migration services provide a bridge between current and future demand. Image courtesy of CommScope.

Delivering connectivity resources at scale has become a competitive differentiator, per Jennifer Cooke, research director in IDC’s Datacentre Trends and Strategies group. Digital transformation initiatives are built on making data-driven decisions, and the ever-increasing need for speed will challenge network and data providers soon.

“Preparing to meet this challenge requires not only investment, but a strategy and vision to transition when and where resources are needed,” said Cooke. “CommScope’s high-speed migration services meet a critical need in the market by providing a bridge between current and future demand and supporting a strategic vision for data centre and network transformation.

Navigant Names New Leader of Global Construction Practice in APAC

/in , /by
Reading Time: < 1 minute

Jon Prudhoe, Managing Director. Image courtesy of Navigant.

Navigant, a specialised, global professional services firm, announced on May 16, 2017 that Jon Prudhoe, managing director, will assume leadership responsibility for the Asia Pacific region of Navigant’s Global Construction practice. As a result of the appointment, Jon will now be a member of the practice’s leadership team.

Prudhoe is one of the few experts worldwide equally capable of opining on matters of both delay and quantum. Based in Singapore for the past 16 years, he has been appointed as an expert witness on many of the region’s largest and most complex disputes. Jon will continue to actively deliver expert and advisory services to our global clientele in the building, civil engineering, infrastructure, transportation, petrochemical, utility, shipbuilding, and on and offshore oil and gas sectors.

“Jon is a key asset in the marketplace and we are fortunate to have his assistance in our collective effort to grow the practice for the benefit of our clients,” said Darin L. Buchalter, managing director and leader of Navigant’s Global Construction practice.

Navigant’s Global Construction practice offers expert and advisory services that address execution risks throughout the lifecycle of capital investment and strive for the best possible outcomes for contractors, owners, architects and engineers, insurers, investors, lenders and their counsel.

Woh Hup Makes $1 Million Gift as Part of Anniversary Celebrations

/in /by
Reading Time: 2 minutes

Professor Chua Kee Chaing, Dean of Engineering, National University of Singapore (third from left) receives a $1 million cheque from (from left) Who HupÆs Deputy Chairman Mr Kim Yong, Executive Director Mr Yong Mee Him, and Executive Director Mr Eugene Yong.

Singapore’s leading privately-held construction and civil engineering group Woh Hup (Private) Limited is making a gift of $1 million to the National University of Singapore (NUS) to establish a Visiting Professorship at the Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, NUS Faculty of Engineering, as part of its 90th anniversary celebrations.

Professor Chua Kee Chaing, Dean of NUS Engineering, received the cheque from Woh Hup at the company’s annual dinner and dance held at Fairmont Singapore hotel on April 21, 2017. The gift will be used to establish the Woh Hup Visiting Professorship to attract top researchers, scholars and/or practitioners in the civil and environmental engineering field globally to Singapore and NUS, to share their expertise on construction innovations, and exchange insights on the latest best practices with NUS faculty, staff, students and the built environment industry. This Professorship demonstrates the close collaboration between Singapore industry and the academia to establish thought leadership in this field.

Woh Hup Executive Director Mr Eugene Yong said, “NUS Engineering is world-class in academia because it has an open culture of collaborating with external experts and with industry. This Visiting Professorship, which Woh Hup is happy to endow, will enable the faculty to invite such experts to share their expertise with the built environment sector in Singapore.”

NUS Engineering intends to invite leading international experts who have used newer construction methods to build iconic structures, such as volumetric construction (or construction of three-dimensional units in controlled factory conditions), and structural health monitoring systems, where hundreds of sensors are embedded to detect damage in critical structures like bridges and buildings. Each scholar and/or industry practitioner appointed under the Woh Hup Visiting Professorship will visit Singapore during which they will share their experiences through public lectures or short courses.

The Professorship is part of a $3 million donation to charities, community projects and education in 2017 as Woh Hup marks its 90th anniversary. In February, it gave $1.5 million to the President’s Challenge and $500,000 to the Garden City Fund to build a new Therapeutic Garden for senior citizens in Bishan Ang Mio Kio.