IES Drive Higher standards for M&E Works

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The Institution of Engineers, Singapore (IES) launched the Mechanical & Electrical (M&E) Resident Engineers (RE) and Resident Technical Officers (RTO) Registry today, in partnership with the Association of Consulting Engineers Singapore (ACES).

Functioning as an accreditation scheme to institutionally recognise M&E REs and RTOs who possess the necessary professional competence, skills and experience to perform their duties, this new registry will assist the built environment sector in ensuring that building projects are completed according to high safety standards and quality.

Although it is not a statutory requirement for M&E REs and RTOs to be accredited, the scheme will help in setting out the necessary requirements for a site supervisor so that qualified candidates can be identified and selected to assist Professional Engineers (PEs) in the supervision of contractors to meet required standards at work sites.

The scheme will also emphasise on the ability of REs and RTOs to implement energy-saving equipment or materials for building projects across the island, paving the way for meeting the target of at least 80% of green buildings by 2030.

 

For the individual M&E RE and RTOs, the scheme provides a career advancement platform for these supervisors, one through which they can share experience and network with their counterparts, voice their challenges or concerns, and acquire new knowledge through courses jointly organised by IES and ACES.

To be registered, an M&E RE or RTO must possess the required academic qualifications, relevant on-site experience and pass an interview.

“As the people on the ground supervising construction works, M&E REs and RTOs play extremely important roles in the development of safe and high-quality buildings in Singapore. With its rigorous entry requirements, the registry will serve as a competency benchmark for employers and Professional Engineers looking to hire qualified casino pa natet REs and RTOs,” said Prof S.K. Chou, President of IES.

“The setup of the registry is timely and critical in our push for a future-ready built environment by ensuring high standards in the M&E works in the industry. Besides green building development, another area where M&E REs and RTOs can contribute is raising construction productivity. With technologies ever advancing, the M&E sector can work with BCA to explore and introduce innovative and productive mechanical, electrical and plumbing (MEP) technologies, systems and work methods to achieve high degree of buildability and constructability in all construction projects,” commented Dr John Keung, CEO, Building & Construction Authority (BCA), who was the guest-of-honour at the event.

In 2009, IES introduced the Civil and Structural (C&S) REs and RTOs Registry to enable employers to fulfil the statutory requirement under the Building Control Act for C&S REs and RTOs to be accredited. To date, in partnership with ACES through a Joint Accreditation Committee, IES has registered 5,000 C&S REs and RTOs.

Comtech Building Redevelopment

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Construction begins on SG$350 million Comtech building redevelopment; Singapore

Construction has begun on the SG$350 million redevelopment of the Comtech commercial building in Singapore. Mott MacDonald is acting as building services consultant on behalf of Mapletree Business City Pte Ltd on the project.

The redevelopment of the Comtech building will include the construction of a new 30-storey tower with three stepped podium blocks, providing approximately 125,000 sq m of gross floor area. As the second and final phase of the Mapletree Business City (MBC) integrated business hub it will build on the previous success of MBC, which includes a business park and retail space, office and meeting facilities, restaurants and cafes and a gymnasium with heated pool.

The MBC development has revitalised the Alexandra Precinct of Singapore. Located at the fringe of the central business district, it is designed to support, enhance and exceed the needs of modern businesses.

CheeChuan Tan, Mott MacDonald’s project director, said: “Once the redevelopment of the Comtech building is complete, the complex will be a Grade A business park space with high floor plate efficiency. The project also recently obtained Green Mark Platinum certification, Singapore’s highest sustainability award. This was achieved thanks to a predicted 30% energy saving through the use of efficient chiller plants and lighting.”

Construction of the project is due to be completed in the first half of 2016.

More information can be found at http://www.mottmac.com/

AECOM opens the longest bridge in Southeast Asia

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Longest Bridge in Southeast Asia

KUALA LUMPUR (March 4, 2014) AECOM celebrates the official opening of Second Penang Bridge – the longest bridge in Southeast Asia

 AECOM has played a key role in partnering with the contractor to deliver an innovative structure designed to withstand the severe seismic stress of a once-every-2,500-year earthquake.

Second Penang Bridge is a 24-kilometer (14.9-mile) bridge linking the Penang Island and the Malaysia Peninsula and is the largest civil engineering project in the past 20 years in the region. It consists of precast segmental concrete marine viaducts in 55-meter (180-feet) span modules and a cast in-situ concrete cable-stayed bridge measuring 475 meters (1,558 feet).

AECOM’s team in Malaysia, together with engineers from the long-span and specialty bridges group, worked in the design, construction supervision, and construction engineering of this record-breaking project. A special aspect of the project involved applying intelligent construction engineering techniques to enable successful erection of the 240-meter (787-feet) main span cable-stayed bridge over the main navigation channel.

“The Second Penang Bridge is subject to the merciless forces of nature, such as earthquakes, potential tsunamis, and wind, to name a few; and is exposed to a hostile marine environment. These challenges were overcome through meticulous planning and design, and the result is one of the world’s largest sea-crossing projects in recent years,” said Dr. Robin Sham, AECOM’s global long-span and specialty bridges director. “We have helped accomplish an immense human endeavor; creating many innovations along the way.”

Pioneering Bridge Technology

In addition to its large size, this RM 4.5 billion project pioneered new construction methods to minimize the risk caused by seismic activity near the Sunda tectonic plate, including the use of 2-meter-diameter (6.5-foot-diameter) bored piles founded to a depth in excess of more than 120 meters (394 feet) for the cable-stayed bridge, and the use of high-damping rubber bearings for seismic isolation of the marine viaducts.

The whole sea-crossing project introduced numerous innovations, including intelligent bridge geometry control, a lightweight form traveler machine for cable-stayed bridge erection, the extensive use of the statnamic pile-loading testing method and the use of high-damping rubber bearings for seismic isolation. The project also saw the most extensive use of precast hollow concrete spun piles in bridgework, and substantial driven tubular steel piles in a marine environment.

This strategic new link can alleviate the overloaded traffic of the existing bridge and improve the overall connectivity between the city and the Penang International Airport, spurring the area’s economic growth.

Schindler supplies to Poland’s award-winning Warsaw Spire

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Schindler underlines its reputation as partner-of-choice supplying leading technology mobility solutions to landmark buildings.

Double-deck efficiency: The company has been given the assignment to ensure people mobility in Warsaw Spire’s ca. 100,000 m² of office space. A total of 41 Schindler elevators will be installed, including 17 Schindler 7000 high-rise double-deck elevators; elevators with two stacked cars that can service two floors simultaneously. Schindler will also be supplying its award winning destination control system, PORT Technology.

The Warsaw Spire will be the first building in Poland, and one of the few in Europe, to be equipped with double-deck elevators.

Award winning architecture: The design – that won the “Architectural Design of the year, Poland” in 2011 – redefines urban office space and will include trees, fountains, shops and restaurants. Two 55 meter high buildings will stand at the base of a breathtaking 220 meter spire in the middle.

Warsaw Spire in Warsaw, Poland

Newest energy efficient products: Schindler will also install 27 units of its newest innovation, the Schindler 5500 elevator with its regenerative-drive technology, energy-saving LED lighting and ecoMode operation. And of course both elevators are being designed to fit the interior concept of the architect for color, material and ambiance.

The new Warsaw Spire complex will also receive 4 Schindler 9300AE escalators. The 9300AE uses a special drive system and rise angle to lower energy by as much as 27% compared to earlier escalators.

Large project expertise: Chosen by Ghelamco Poland Sp. z o.o., Schindler will be the sole supplier of mobility solutions for the futuristic office building in the heart of the Polish capital. Schindler was awarded the contract for its large-scale project expertise and for state-of-the-art products using green technology.

Delhi Metro to install solar power plant at Dwarka station

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NEW DELHI –  In its attempt to conserve environment, Delhi Metro has become the country’s first mass transit system to begin installing solar power plants on the roofs of its stations.

The first 500 kwp ‘Roof Top Solar Power Plant’ is being installed at Dwarka Sector 21 metro station and is expected to be functional in six months.

A Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) for installing the plant was signed between Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) and the developer, a multinational firm engaged in the installation and production of solar power worldwide, in the presence of DMRC’s Managing Director, Mangu Singh and other officials.

This is the largest roof top plant with such capacity in Delhi-NCR region under RESCO model.

Under this model, DMRC will pay for the units generated by the plant and the capital investment shall be provided by the developer. The power produced from this plant will be used to cater to the power requirements of DMRC at this station.

“After the installation of this roof top plant, Delhi Metro will also explore the possibility of installing more such plants at its stations, depots, parking lots as well as residential complexes,” Executive Director, Corporate Communications, Anuj Dayal said.

Efforts are also being made to integrate such solar plants with the station structures of Phase II, he added.

Delhi Metro has already taken up a slew of measures oriented towards the conservation of environment and the use of renewable means of energy.

In 2011, DMRC was certified by the United Nations (UN) as the first Metro Rail and Rail based system in the world to get Carbon Credits for reducing Green House Gas Emissions as it has helped to reduce pollution levels in the city by 6.3 lakh tons every year thus helping in reducing global warming.

DMRC’s first Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) project on regenerative braking had also achieved many international firsts apart from earning valuable foreign exchange for the country.

 

Artistic Resin Flooring by Flowcrete

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The shimmering Expressions Single Tone floor installed in the Blue Planet Aquarium in Denmark.

The shimmering Expressions Single Tone floor installed in the Blue Planet Aquarium in Denmark.

The Lukas Image Studio in Poland.

The Lukas Image Studio in Poland.

International resin flooring manufacturer, Flowcrete Group has announced the launch of a new range best online casino of artistic resin floor finishes targeting contemporary retail brands and commercial sector clients.

The Expressions range features three new systems in a total of 20 new colour ways offering a choice between solid and multi-dimensional marbled colour tones or alternatively a striking galvanised metallic effect to offer the highest artistic design finish on the surface of the floor.

Each system is intricately trowel applied by hand through Flowcrete’s approved applicator network, using a number of creative techniques, to deliver a one-of-a-kind surface that can never be fully recreated. The new Expressions line also offers a number of performance advantages over alternative materials including excellent UV-stability, slip resistance and durability – making it an ideal solution for commercial and public settings.

For more information, visit: www.flowcreteasia.com/expressions.

New 166 m Office Tower Will Be The Second-Tallest Building In Turin

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World-famous Italian star architect Renzo Piano is the name behind another new urban landmark in Turin, this time a sophisticated highrise project in the city’s San Paolo district. The client is the banking group Intesa Sanpaolo SpA (BISP), whose around 100,000 staff and over 5000 branches make it one of the largest in the eurozone. The new building will fulfil very exacting structural and environmental standards. Rising to a height of 166 m, it will also take up a visually pre-eminent position in the Turin skyline. Especially with its automatic climbing equipment, Doka is helping this structure to be built economically and to high quality specifications.

A prestige project in the highrise sector: once completed, the Torre Intesa Sanpaolo skyscraper in Turin will house the new headquarters of the Intesa Sanpaolo SpA banking group.

A prestige project in the highrise sector: once completed, the Torre Intesa Sanpaolo skyscraper in Turin will house the new headquarters of the Intesa Sanpaolo SpA banking group.

Turin, Italy – On completion, the Torre Intesa Sanpaolo will offer more than 110,000 m² of useable floor-space spread over 44 storeys, with most of it being used to accommodate 2000 office workplaces. Other parts of the building will be put to various interesting uses for the Turinese public, including a conference and event venue, exhibition spaces, a panorama restaurant and a bar with a viewing terrace. Visitors will be whisked upwards by a free-standing panoramic lift.

To achieve high sustainability performance for the structure, the architects are implementing a ‘Green Building Challenge’ energy concept which will give the building an Energy Class A rating under Italian regulations. To this end, the eastern and western facades of the building will be enveloped in a double glass ‘skin’ with movable louvres that can assist with temperature regulation by being opened or closed as needed. Furthermore, ventilated ceilings are to be installed throughout the building. The southern facade carries 1600 m² of photovoltaic panelling for generating electricity. Geothermal heat will also be tapped, to lower the building’s external energy-sourcing needs.

Complex construction operations

Construction works have been entrusted to a consortium formed by Italian general contracting group Rizzani de Eccher SpA, acting as leader, and Implenia AG of Switzerland. On a site as large and complex as this – building the 166 m tower with three CIP concrete cores, composite floor slabs (steel girders plus pre-cast concrete members), shafts for 25 lifts, energy-saving HVAC systems – it is crucially important for the formwork systems used to be efficient, high-performing and reliable. In addition, on this site a substantial volume of structural steel works had to be optimally integrated into the construction workflow: to provide work-decks for pre-assembling the steelwork for the floor slabs, Doka supplied a large platform with a high load capacity (5.0 kN/m²). This platform was suspended on high-load cones anchored in the rising concrete wall, doing away with the need for labour-intensive and time-consuming shoring scaffolds.

Safe, streamlined climbing

To build this 44-storey office tower, it was important to deploy fast, efficient yet highly flexible formwork systems that could be quickly adapted to the changing circumstances encountered in different workflows. Another requirement was that the forming operations should need as little craneage as possible, because this had to be kept available for the extensive structural steel works. For this reason, the contracting consortium decided to construct the rising reinforced-concrete walls using the ‘SKE50 plus’ and ‘SKE100 plus’ self-climbing systems. The concrete placing booms are always raised cranelessly along with the formwork whenever this is automatically ‘climbed’. The fact that the entire unit is firmly anchored to the concrete construction at all times during the climbing operation ensures constant cycle times throughout the entire course of construction – regardless of the weather conditions: With the SKE system, climbing operations can continue unhindered up to a maximum wind speed of 72 km/h and a structure inclination of up to +/- 15 °.

Dokaflex props and formwork beams H20 were used to shore the composite floor slabs during construction. In areas with very high room heights, the slabs were shored with the Load-bearing tower Staxo 100 system. The resulting cycle time for all the operations on one storey was ten days.

Ever since work started on this site, a Doka project manager has been on hand to provide formwork-technology oversight. Ciro Menna of Doka Italia co-ordinates the planning and deliveries, and acts as the interface to all the decision-makers on the site: “Our formwork solution has proved itself with flying colours, in terms of both performance and safety, and has helped to optimise the sequencing of all site operations”, notes Menna, summing up his experience on this build.

 

 

 

Energy Efficient Centrifugal Pump – Xylem e-HM Series

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xylem e-hm

 

Xylem’s new e-HM series is a range of stainless steel, horizontal, multi-stage Lowara pumps specifically designed for residential applications.

 

The new e-HM pump is based on a unique hydraulic design and boasts superior performance and efficiency characteristics which significantly lower lifecycle costs and increase energy savings. When combined with Xylem Hydrovar, the e-HM pump can offer up to a further 30% energy saving compared to previous models.

 

The e-HM series has pump flow of up to 29 m3/h and can perform to a maximum pressure of 16 bars. The many configurations available mean the pump can meet specific needs of a range of residential applications such as water supply and pressure boosting through to heating, ventilation and air-conditioning.

 

The e-HM pump comes with superior levels of Net Positive Suction Head (NPSH) and a minimised impeller axial thrust which results in a longer bearing life. Due to the high grade stainless steel used, Xylem’s new pump has WRAS/ ACS/ AS4020/ NSF61 approvals and can be used to pump potable water while providing superior corrosion resistance.

 

This e-HM pump is available as a single unit for installers, or as part of a “ready to pump” package, with either a tank and fixed speed controls or variable speed controls, for ‘turnkey’ solutions. The fixed speed option offers a basic solution with a larger tank. The variable speed option allows the speed of the pump to be adjusted in relation to requirement, noticeably reducing energy consumption. The variable speed option also prevents the development of water hammer when the pump system is stopped.

 

For more information please visit www.lowara.com .

 

About Xylem.

Xylem (NYSE: XYL) is a leading global water technology provider, enabling customers to transport, treat, test and efficiently use water in public utility, residential and commercial building services, industrial and agricultural settings. The company does business in more than 150 countries through a number of market-leading product brands, and its people bring broad applications expertise with a strong focus on finding local solutions to the world’s most challenging water and wastewater problems. Xylem is headquartered in White Plains, N.Y., with 2012 annual revenues of $3.8 billion and 12,700 employees worldwide. In 2012, Xylem was named to the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index for advancing sustainable business practices and solutions worldwide.

The name Xylem is derived from classical Greek and is the tissue that transports water in plants, highlighting the engineering efficiency of our water-centric business by linking it with the best water transportation of all — that which occurs in nature. For more information, please visit Xylem.

 

 

 

Schindler Supplies to Tallest Building In China

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Schindler China, the Chinese division of the Schindler Group, has been awarded a major contract for a 115-story megatall skyscraper currently under construction in Shenzhen, Guangdong province.

 

China – When complete, Shenzhen’s Ping An Finance Center will include office and retail space and stand 660 meters high, making it the tallest building in China. The structure will feature 33 Schindler’s 7000 high-rise series elevators – which provide more efficient transportation and is the ideal choice for buildings with heavy traffic volume, and Schindler’s cutting-edge PORT transit management technology – Schindler’s leading technology for efficient transit management. By planning every occupant’s journey around the building and providing them with the means to reach their destinations quickly and easily, transit management optimizes the operation of the entire building with integrated access, guidance, transportation and security.

 

“This is one of the most exciting projects in Schindler’s history,” said Thomas Oetterli, member of the Group Executive Committee and overall responsible for the Group’s operations in China. “The Ping An Finance Center is the tallest building our company has ever had the chance to work on and we are very proud of being a part of this fascinating project”.

 

This contract is the latest in a series of significant wins for Schindler in China, where the robust urbanization trend of recent years shows no signs of slowing down.

The installation of the office elevator section started in December 2013, with a completion date of April 2015.

Huge Potential for Lighting Control Systems in India

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Mumbai, India: Escalating investment in the real estate and construction industry, coupled with the growing need to reduce energy consumption across the commercial, residential and government sectors, is propelling the Indian lighting control systems market.

 

Green building projects, in particular, are illuminating avenues for lighting control systems since they have to comply with various national standards set by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE), Energy Conservation Building Code (ECBC), Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment (GRIHA), and Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) along with international standards such as Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED).

 

New study from Frost & Sullivan, Analysis of the Indian Lighting Control Systems Market, finds that the market earned revenues of INR 2.50 billion in 2012 and estimates this to reach INR 4.06 billion by 2017 at a compound annual growth rate of 10.2 percent. Lighting accounts for more than 17-20 percent of the world’s energy costs.

With the usage of the right combination of advanced lighting solutions such as efficient lamps, high-performance luminaires, electronic drivers and controls etc., consumers can achieve energy savings of up to 60-70 percent, added the study.

 

According to study, the potential for lighting controls in green building is huge. It is observed that nearly 1,909 green buildings are registered with IGBC, out of which some 300 green building projects are certified and fully functional in India. It is also observed that there are around 300 projects registered under GRIHA.

 

“Real estate investors are beginning to realize that even though the construction costs of a green building are higher than those of a conventional building, they can recover the incremental costs within three to four years by incorporating energy saving measures,” said Frost & Sullivan’s Environment & Building Technologies Analyst.

 

“The continuing drop in the cost of traditional lighting control products, mainly due to modest innovation, will help this segment expand. Traditional lighting controls are mainly used by medium and small scale stakeholders (typically less than 5000 square meters), while the more expensive automatic controls are mainly deployed by the large users (more than 5000 square meters),” the analyst added.

 

Source: CIOL Bureau