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LIXIL Named First Commercial License Partner For Georgia Tech Reinvented Toilet Technologies

7 April, 2024/in News /by Editor

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Commercialization Follows Successful Collaboration with Georgia Tech and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to Bring Technology to Pilot

LIXIL, maker of pioneering water and housing products, today announced it has been named the first commercial license partner for Georgia Tech’s Generation 2 Reinvented Toilet (G2RT) Consortium’s technologies. The G2RT program had a global research team of 95 engineers, scientists, and industrial designers tasked with transforming traditional, infrastructure-dependent toilets into an appliance. LIXIL’s commercial license follows a four-year partnership with Georgia Tech, as well as ongoing collaboration with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation as part of the Foundation’s Reinvent the Toilet Challenge, initiated in 2011.

The G2RT itself is designed to operate independently of traditional infrastructure and provide an accessible, sustainable sanitation solution. Unlike conventional toilets that rely on sewer systems, septic tanks, cesspools, or latrine pits to dispose of waste, the G2RT is equipped with a self-contained processing unit that treats waste directly at the source. When the toilet is used, the liquid waste is purified and recycled for flushing, while the solid waste is subjected to high heat and pressure, eliminating pathogens and transforming it into safe, compostable, dry solids. This process prevents the contamination of water systems, thereby reducing the spread of diseases caused by fecal contamination and waterborne pathogens.

In addition to its public health benefits, reinvented toilets will ultimately offer significant cost savings in construction and installation. By removing the need to connect to sanitation grids or septic systems, this technology can be deployed without the need for extensive infrastructure development, enabling access to sanitation in communities where sewer infrastructure cannot reach.

The G2RT reinvented toilet neutralizes waste within the appliance itself without the need to be connected to a traditional sewage treatment infrastructure. Photo credit: LIXIL

“LIXIL’s purpose is to make better homes a reality for everyone, everywhere, and the reality is that billions globally lack access to basic safe water, sanitation, and hygiene. We believe innovations in decentralizing waste treatment for a low-cost, reliable solution will be key to accelerating access to safe water and sanitation,” said Erin McCusker, Senior Vice President, Leader, SATO and LIXIL Public Partners. “As an appliance-like solution, a ‘Reinvented Toilet’ helps remove barriers to sanitation access, and we’re energized by the idea of continuing to invest in R&D to develop the G2RT into a market-ready product and provide people with improved, flexible, and safe sanitation.”

Georgia Tech’s G2RT designs are standalone appliances that run on electricity, requiring no input water connection and no output sewage connection. In the development of the G2RT and in partnership with Georgia Tech, LIXIL acted as the commercial advisor, front-end designer, and manufacturer, delivering a total of 24 prototypes used for the laboratory and in-home tests across the United States, Europe, South Africa, India, and China. The prototypes were laboratory-tested in the United States and Europe, and then field-tested in people’s homes in South Africa and India. The scientific results suggest that a reinvented toilet product would be able to achieve international sanitation standards, promising a clean, safe, and dignified future for all. As the first commercial licensee, LIXIL will invest in further development to refine these technologies into products suitable for both public and private sector use.

“It has been an honor to partner with LIXIL and lead this global R&D collaboration aimed at turning an infrastructure into an appliance. Looking to the future, we recognize that while half the world needs a toilet, the other half needs a better version,” said Shannon Yee, a mechanical engineering professor at Georgia Tech who directs the G2RT consortium. “So next, our focus will pivot towards helping scale manufacturing of an accessible product, so that Reinvented Toilets can get to the people who need them the most.”

As recently as 2023, 3.5 billion people around the world lacked access to safely managed sanitation services, increasing the risk of diseases like cholera and dysentery. As part of the commercial license, LIXIL is committed to the Gates Foundation’s principle of “Global Access”, which ensures these innovations reach those most in need of access to safe sanitation. LIXIL Public Partners, the company’s public sector engagement and collaboration platform focused on delivering household solutions for water, sanitation, and hygiene, will lead the development and application of G2RT design concepts, including uses for emergency response, for public toilets, and in underserved communities lacking access to traditional sanitation solutions.

“The leadership of companies like LIXIL is vital to bringing new sanitation technologies to market at scale and increasing access to safe sanitation for all,” said Doulaye Kone, Interim Director of the Water, Sanitation & Hygiene Program at the Gates Foundation. “LIXIL’s expertise in designing and delivering products to meet diverse community needs will help ensure that these technologies reach the people that need them most, leading to improved health, productivity, and gender equality.”

Surbana Jurong’s “Campus in Nature” to Create a Smart, Sustainable Future

20 March, 2024/in News /by Editor

Reading Time: 5 minutes

Surbana Jurong (SJ) today announced the official opening of SJ Campus, the company’s new global headquarters with a built-up area of 1,200,000 sq ft, at a ceremony graced by Singapore Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Lawrence Wong. Set within CleanTech Park in Jurong Innovation District (JID), the campus is a strategic centre for collaboration, learning, and a living lab for innovative solutions for the built environment. JID is a vibrant ecosystem of enterprises in smart city and urban solutions.

Designed by Safdie Architects working with SJ’s architects, SJ Campus reenvisions the relationship between nature and the workplace. Aligning with the character of Singapore as a “City in Nature”, SJ Campus is a “Campus in Nature” that can accommodate 4,000 onsite employees and the wider community.

For the first time since SJ’s formation as a collective of built environment consultants in 2015, employees from different entities in Singapore finally congregate under one roof. The campus has been designed with both the SJ community and the community-at-large in mind, creating uplifting spaces that maximise engagement, facilitated by the site’s natural setting.

Sean Chiao, Group CEO, SJ, shared: “This campus is more than a global headquarters; it’s a living lab for innovating solutions and pushing the boundaries of sustainable development. Over the years, SJ has assembled a portfolio to inject new thinking and talent into the group, and fuel our capabilities to transform the built environment. In SJ Campus, our diverse talent come together to collaborate and solve our clients’ most complex problems, fulfilling our purpose, Real impact, made together.”

SJ’s multidisciplinary team undertook much of the work that brought the Campus to life, providing consultancy services from architecture, landscape architecture, engineering, and project management, to workplace strategy, integrated facilities management, and security services.

Chaly Mah, Chairman, SJ, remarked: “Today marks a significant milestone in SJ’s evolution. We have a strong platform to continue our aspiration of becoming a leading global architecture, engineering, design consultancy. As we open our doors to the wider community, we invite all to join us in shaping a smart, resilient and regenerative future. Working together with our clients, partners, our people and the community, we are committed to creating a future legacy that is greater than our collective past, one that serves generations to come.”

Situated on a previously undeveloped greenfield site, the SJ Campus design preserves more than half of the site’s existing green space and replaces built-upon green areas with rooftop gardens, lush interior gardens, and extensive exterior landscaping. At the outset, a detailed mapping and analysis of the site was performed to plot the specific location of the existing flora, including a Banyan tree estimated to be over 60 years old.

The ten towers of the campus are linked by a pedestrian spine and enclosed courtyards, that allow for natural light and fresh air. Amenities further enhance the experience, including a 1,000-seater multipurpose area, a junior ballroom, rooftop terraces, a team lounge, table tennis, and soon to be opened, a gym. Many of these spaces take advantage of natural views, with large windows looking onto gardens.

The campus is a destination for walking trail enthusiasts, birdwatchers, cyclists, and families exploring the Jurong Eco-Garden, home to a freshwater swamp, streams and Singapore’s last two dragon kilns. Cyclists are welcome to secure their bicycles at the onsite racks and utilise the campus shower facilities. To complete an outing, visitors can enjoy a meal at the cafeteria nestled within the campus grounds.

The project was awarded the Singapore’s Building and Construction Authority (BCA)’s Green Mark Platinum Super Low Energy (SLE) and BCA-HPB Green Mark Platinum for Healthier Workplaces certification. The campus is designed for maintainability and deploys integrated facilities management to optimise operational efficiency. It is also WELL Pre-Certified by the International WELL Building Institute for having demonstrated a commitment to incorporate health and well-being features and practices. The campus is distinguished by its:

• Engineering for sustainability: Through Design for Manufacturing and Assembly (DfMA), SJ constructed precast post-tensioned concrete frames in a unique arrangement, resembling inverted pyramidal cantilevered blocks. These structures form self-shading terraces, reducing solar radiation by a significant 36 per cent. SJ’s design and engineering teams rigorously pursued a performance-based approach, aligning with key sustainability objectives of the project.

• Best-in-class energy efficiency: The campus has adopted one of the largest underfloor air distribution systems in Singapore. This provides efficient cooling from below to target occupied space and improve indoor air quality and additional energy savings of up to 16 per cent of the cooling energy required. Other smart facilities management solutions include an Integrated Command Centre, where IOT devices leverage artificial intelligence and machine learning to monitor energy, water, occupancy patterns, and indoor air quality to optimise carbon management, and improve productivity. These active systems and natural design elements work in combination to achieve an overall energy savings of 41 percent. SJ Campus is estimated to save 4.4 million kWh/year operational energy savings which is equal to avoiding 1,785* tons of carbon dioxide per year, based on Energy Market Authority’s grid emission factor.

• Renewable energy: SJ Campus has successfully integrated a next-generation solar photovoltaic (PV) system using bifacial PV panels, which can produce clean energy when illuminated on either of its surfaces. The solar rooftops in SJ Campus serve as a testbed for advanced PV technologies, energy storage and the deployment of a smart grid. Located in four towers, it has a combined energy yield of 389 MWh per year, which is equivalent to powering 120 three-room HDB flats every year. On-site renewable energy helps to offset Scope 2 emissions, saves energy costs, and earns renewable energy certificates (REC)s.

• Role as a living lab: The campus serves as an incubator for real-world urban solutions to demonstrate the scalability of emerging technologies to the built environment industry. SJ is working with BCA to test-bed low carbon technologies to save energy and improve occupant health.

SJ adopted a “develop and lease” model to fund the development of SJ Campus. SJ secured 100 per cent funding for the development of the property and subsequent lease agreement for the entire land lease tenure from M&G Real Estate, one of the world’s leading financial solutions providers for real estate investors. This arrangement has provided SJ with a compelling long-term and cost-effective solution in developing the property.

Big 5 Construct Saudi 2024 Breaks Record Attracting 64,331 Attendees

19 March, 2024/in News, Events /by Editor

Reading Time: 4 minutes

Big 5 Construct Saudi serves as a hub for major deals and partnerships as Sustainability Professionals of Saudi Arabia and the Saudi Women Engineering Society sign an MoU
Returning exhibitor Salaba Fasteners announces business expansion into Jeddah, Riyadh, Dammam, Jazan and Tabuk at Big 5 Construct Saudi
Dates announced for Big 5 Construct Saudi 2025 and for the first time in the Middle East the event will be held across two weeks from 15-18 and 24-27 February 2025

The 12th edition of Big 5 Construct Saudi, the largest construction event in the Kingdom concluded in Riyadh, having welcomed 64,331 attendees across four days from 26 to 29 February 2024 at the Riyadh Front Exhibition & Conference Centre at ROSHN Front. The event was held under the patronage of and inaugurated by His Excellency Mr. Majid Abdullah Al-Hogail, the Minister of Municipal, Rural Affairs and Housing in Saudi Arabia.

“As the 2024 edition comes to a close, Big 5 Construct Saudi has celebrated remarkable growth, doubling in size and attracting the largest gathering of construction professionals to Saudi Arabia over the span of four days,” said Muhammed Kazi, Vice President – Construction at dmg events.

“Through fostering valuable partnerships and showcasing advancements in construction technology and practices, the exhibition remains committed to enhancing the Kingdom’s multi-trillion-dollar construction sector.”

New partnerships, market expansion and renewed commitment at Big 5 Construct Saudi

Big 5 Construct Saudi solidified the importance of exhibitions in facilitating strong business relations in the Kingdom, where demand is ripe for new technologies, local and international collaborations as well as unique products & services.

During the exhibition, the Sustainability Professionals of Saudi Arabia (SPSA) and the Saudi Women Engineering Society (SWES), both first-time association partners of the event, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). Signed by Alshaima Abduallah Alshayeb, Founder and Chairwoman of the SWES and Dr. Mohammed Al-Surf, Founder and President of SPSA, the MoU signified a milestone in advancing gender equality in engineering and sustainability practices in alignment with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 objectives.

Returning exhibitor, Salaba Fastners, took to the event to announce business expansion into Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam, Jazan and Tabuk during this year’s participation. The company specializes in the wholesale supply of construction equipment such as screws, fasteners and industrial tools.

Commenting on their participation, Amir Swailam, Business Development Director, Construction Products Holding Company (CPC), said: “It has been an exhilarating experience to have been a part of Big 5 Construct Saudi 2024. This event provided us with an opportunity to tap into new prospects and leverage the significant market growth in Saudi Arabia. With the upcoming mega projects such as Riyadh Expo 2030 and the World Cup 2034, we are committed to consolidating our position as the primary solution provider for ongoing and future giga projects in the region. We are eager to expand our operations, capitalize on our cutting-edge facilities and patented machinery, and deliver exceptional engineering solutions.” The company has one of the largest manufacturing capacities in Saudi Arabia for the production of specialized construction materials such as precast and ready-mix concrete, steel, cables, aluminum and glass, marble and granite.

Twice the size, twice the opportunity in 2025

Big 5 Construct Saudi has become a pivotal trade exhibition, playing a significant role in fueling the expansion of the Saudi construction market. The growth of the event reflects the rising demand for long-term, fruitful partnerships and advancements within the industry.

In 2025, at Big 5 Construct Saudi, attendees can leverage business activities and opportunities in Saudi Arabia’s construction sector across two weeks. Attracting more than 2,000 exhibitors from over 60 countries, the event will run from February 15-18 focusing on ‘Strong Foundations from Design to Build’ and from February 24-27 on ‘Transforming Projects from Fit-out to Services’.

“It’s the first time in the Middle East that an event will be held across two weeks and is unprecedented in Saudi Arabia’s events landscape. Focusing on the latest in construction design, materials and technologies as well as showcasing interior fit-outs and essential construction services, Big 5 Construct Saudi will shape Saudi Arabia’s construction landscape,” added Kazi.

Saudi Arabia’s largest event for the built environment will be accompanied by eight co-located events including the esteemed HVAC R Expo Saudi, Windows, Doors & Facades Event Saudi, Stone & Surface Saudi Arabia, now rebranded to Marble & Stone Saudi, and FM Expo Saudi, now with an expanded profile and renamed to Saudi FM & Clean. Alongside the already anticipated launch of Saudi Hospital Design & Build Expo, Big 5 will also be introducing two new specialized events in the Kingdom next year: Totally Concrete Saudi and Saudi Urban Design & Landscape Expo.

Totally Concrete Saudi will transform the concrete industry in the Kingdom by bringing in new technologies, sustainable methods and products. Separately, Saudi FM & Clean will highlight FM products & services, commercial cleaning & hygiene for residential, commercial and mixed-use facilities. Saudi Urban Design & Landscape Expo will present design, urban planning and landscape architecture professionals with an opportunity to learn about new products for garden design, irrigation design, landscape maintenance, etc., gain inspiration and forge valuable business connections. “The collective launch of these three shows underscore our commitment to empowering the Saudi construction market with comprehensive solutions and unparalleled opportunities for growth,” concluded Kazi.

Registrations are now open for Big 5 Construct Saudi 2025. The event is free-to-attend for industry professionals, excluding visitors under the age of 18. To register, visit: www.big5constructsaudi.com

Geo Connect Asia Returns With 4th Edition to Unite Asean’s Geospatial Industry

18 March, 2024/in News, Events /by Editor

Reading Time: 4 minutes

The fourth edition of Geo Connect Asia (GCA), the region’s leading trade event and conference for the geospatial, positioning and remote sensing industries, opens its doors today at the Sands Expo and Convention Centre in Singapore. The two-day event brings together industry-leading companies, government agencies, institutions and up-and-coming startups to explore the impact of geospatial technologies in Southeast Asia and further their role in fueling economic growth and enriching lives.

GCA 2024 is held alongside co-located shows Drones & Uncrewed Asia, Digital Construction Asia and the inaugural Marine & Hydro Asia, which focus on the latest technologies relating to unmanned aerial vehicles, digital construction, and hydrospatial challenges, respectively.

Guest of Honour Edwin Tong, Minister for Culture, Community and Youth and Second Minister for Law, addressed attendees during the opening ceremony, which was graced by notable attendees from the Singapore Land Authority (SLA); Land Transport Authority; Health Security Agency of the United Kingdom; Lands Department of Hong Kong; Open Geospatial Consortium; and the Geospatial Information Agency of the Republic of Indonesia. A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed between SLA and the Ministry of Health’s Office for Healthcare Transformation (MOHT), fronted by Colin Low, Chief Executive of SLA and Dr Tan Weng Mooi, Director (Integrated Health Promotion) of MOHT, to enhance the Digital Local Connect initiative – a precinct-based digital resource guide designed to help residents access and navigate health and social services. Mr Colin Low also represented SLA to sign another MOU with SingHealth Community Hospitals, represented by Associate Professor Gan Wee Hoe, Chief Executive Officer of SingHealth Community Hospitals, to co-develop a living asset map of community assets and activities.

The burgeoning global geospatial information and technology market is forecasted to be valued at US$1.37 trillion by 2030 , as advancements in remote sensing, location-based analytics and other geospatial solutions shape countless sectors such as construction, agriculture, environment monitoring, supply chain management and natural resource management. APAC is playing a leading role in the ecosystem’s accelerating growth across the globe, with its industry projected to be worth US$216 billion by 2025. The convergence of geospatial technologies is weaving stronger connections between nations, through knowledge sharing and increasing collaboration to the shared challenges that go beyond geographical boundaries.

Rupert Owen, Co-founder of Geo Connect Asia, said, “I am delighted to welcome the industry back to Geo Connect Asia. Following three successful editions, Geo Connect Asia and Digital Construction Asia 2024 bring together the brightest minds from the region and beyond to share proven solutions, and how they can help address some of the most pressing challenges of today.

The launch of Marine & Hydro Asia adds hydrographic content to the overarching theme of ‘underground, land and sea to sky’, while Drones & Uncrewed Asia navigates exciting pathways.”

Colin Low, Chief Executive of the Singapore Land Authority, said, “As the national geospatial and mapping agency, the Singapore Land Authority aims to drive collaboration between public and private agencies, as well as the community. Industry platforms like Geo Connect Asia foster innovation, empower individuals and businesses to leverage the transformative technologies not just for economic development, but to create smarter, geo-enabled outcomes for a more inclusive and sustainable future for all.”

The Geo Market Place

The GCA exhibition is back with an expanded floor space to showcase the widest range of geospatial and related technologies yet. These include spatial analysis software, satellites, remote sensors, mapping systems, laser scanners, unmanned vehicles, ground-penetrating radars, satellite communications services, UAV traffic management platforms, and many more. Leading exhibitors at the main exhibition showground include Trimble, Oracle and NavVis, and pavilions from Singapore and Thailand.

Geo Connect Asia Conference

The conference theme, “Geospatial Driven Impacts: Underground, Land and Sea to Sky”, captures the all-encompassing capabilities of geospatial solutions. With a stellar line-up of speakers across vectors, the programme will facilitate conversations between makers and users of these technologies to unleash their full potential. Notable speakers hail from AECOM, Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT), Lands Department Hong Kong, Petronas, and Portcoast (Vietnam), Ministry of Health Singapore, and GCA Strategic Partner Singapore Land Authority, among many others.

Conference topics include:

The diagnostics of location in improving life quality
Nature-based solutions for future urban development
The promise of AI in construction technology: Industry transforming or a big fat fallacy?
Going global: how the Asia Pacific region is leading the way in autonomous aviation
Living on the edge: Building capacity and sharing to manage natural disasters
Geospatial drivers in speeding up the decarbonisation agenda
Mitigating risks to critical infrastructure assets
Closing plenary: Mainstreaming Geospatial: Harnessing geospatial innovation for healthcare, community, and sustainable development

Sponsors & partners

GCA 2024 is well supported by industry-leading sponsors, including fourth-time Platinum Sponsor Trimble and Sponsor AECOM. Strategic Partners include SGTech, GeoWorks and Singapore Land Authority, and Supporting Partners include ASEAN Flag; Association of Aerospace Industries Singapore; Association of Consulting Engineers Singapore; Aviation Research Centre; Temasek Polytechnic; CDAS Logistics Alliance; GS1 Singapore; Institution of Engineers Singapore; Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology; Open Geospatial Consortium; Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors; Singapore Institute of Building Limited; Singapore Institute of Surveyors and Valuers; Smart Cities Network; Society of Project Managers; and Software Park Thailand.

First Singapore Hotel Group to Attain Prestigious GSTC Multi-Site Certification for Sustainable Tourism

14 March, 2024/in News, Sustainability /by Editor

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Pan Pacific Hotels Group (PPHG) has attained the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) Industry Criteria for Hotels certification for its Singapore properties, also achieving the largest number of GSTC-certified room stock and certified properties (hotels & serviced suites) in Singapore – solidifying the Group’s commitment to sustainability and reinforcing its position as a leader in environmentally-conscious hospitality.

The GSTC Criteria is the global standard for sustainable travel and tourism. The GSTC Industry Criteria for Hotels fosters sustainable tourism practices across four key areas: effective sustainability planning, maximising social and economic benefits for the local community, enhancing cultural heritage, and reducing negative impact to the environment.

In February 2024, Pan Pacific Hotels Group attained the GSTC Multi-Site certification for all eight of the Group’s properties in Singapore. Additionally, seven of its properties – Pan Pacific Singapore, PARKROYAL COLLECTION Marina Bay, Singapore, PARKROYAL COLLECTION Pickering, Singapore, PARKROYAL on Beach Road, Pan Pacific Serviced Suites Orchard, Pan Pacific Serviced Suites Beach Road, and PARKROYAL Serviced Suites – have obtained ISO14001 certification, an internationally recognized standard for environmental management systems (EMS). Pan Pacific Orchard, Singapore is in the process of securing ISO14001 certification.

“Attaining the GSTC certification reaffirms PPHG’s commitment to sustainability and responsible business conduct,” said Mr. Choe Peng Sum, CEO of Pan Pacific Hotels Group. “At PPHG, sustainability is imperative and I am grateful for our teams’ immense efforts to attain the GSTC Multi-Site certification. This achievement is aligned with Singapore’s Green Plan 2030 and the Singapore Tourism Board’s (STB) Hotel Sustainability Roadmap – which aims for 60% of hotel room stock in Singapore to attain internationally-recognised sustainability certification by 2025.”

PPHG, with its PARKROYAL COLLECTION brand at the forefront, integrates sustainable practices throughout its operations and hospitality design. This encompasses green building design, cultural immersion, and community engagement to balance economic growth with social responsibility and environmental stewardship. By engaging guests in eco-conscious travel experiences, PPHG has become the first Singapore hotel group to achieve GSTC multi-site certification. The group invests in energy-efficient technologies, water-saving practices, and waste management strategies, such as LED lighting, recycling programs, and filtered tap water in rooms, to reduce its environmental footprint and promote responsible consumption.

Grundfos Strengthens Its Commitment To Indonesian Market by Opening a SP Sub Factory in Semarang

12 March, 2024/in News /by Editor

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Grundfos, a global leader in advanced pump solutions and sustainable water technologies, has inaugurated its SP Sub Factory in Semarang, Indonesia. This new facility is dedicated to manufacturing Grundfos SP submersible borehole pumps, specifically designed for pumping groundwater. The establishment of this factory underscores Grundfos’ commitment to the Indonesian market and its proactive approach to meet the growing demand for large-scale submersible deep-well pumps in the region.

In partnership with Tehnik Optima Pompa, a respected local industry expert, Grundfos aims to leverage combined expertise to deliver innovative and high-quality pump solutions tailored to the unique requirements of industries in Semarang and across Indonesia. The SP Sub Factory in Semarang reflects the company’s dedication to supporting local content and adhering to Indonesian regulations, fostering integration of local expertise and knowledge-sharing to ensure pumps meet the highest standards required in the Indonesian market.

Boy Ramadhan, Area Sales Manager for Water Utility at Grundfos Indonesia, expressed excitement about strengthening their presence in Semarang with the new factory. This strategic location enhances responsiveness to customer needs and aims to build lasting partnerships, support economic growth, and contribute to the development of the pump industry in Semarang.

The streamlined production processes at the SP Sub Factory enable faster availability and efficient delivery of pump units, addressing the need for timely project completions and smooth operations in Semarang. By bringing production closer to the market, Grundfos seeks to provide quick and reliable service while contributing to the local economy.

Grundfos prioritizes sustainability, evident in the SP Sub Factory’s incorporation of advanced technologies and green production practices aimed at optimizing energy efficiency and minimizing environmental impact. The company aims to support Semarang’s efforts towards a greener future through sustainable practices and production processes.

In addition to sustainability efforts, Grundfos is committed to community engagement and will actively participate in local social responsibility initiatives to support Semarang’s local community development and growth. Launching training programs and workshops for local professionals and technicians in the pump industry further demonstrates Grundfos’ long-term commitment to the Indonesian market, aiming to enhance skills, promote knowledge sharing, and support sustainable industry growth in Semarang and beyond.

Suntec City Office Towers Selects UnaBiz to Enhance Indoor Air Quality for Tenant Comfort

11 March, 2024/in News, Facility Management /by Editor

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Suntec City Office Towers, an iconic integrated commercial development located in the Marina Bay Precinct within Singapore’s Central Business District, embarks on a comprehensive refurbishment project with UnaBiz, Massive IoT service provider and integrator. The large-scale project includes the replacement of existing key equipment to enhance the reliability of the Air-Conditioning and Mechanical Ventilation (ACMV) system, and the installation of an indoor air quality (IAQ) monitoring solution to improve air quality standards and enhance the comfort of tenants in the office environment.

Suntec City is a landmark development which comprises five Grade A office towers, a world-class convention and exhibition centre, and one of Singapore’s largest shopping malls, all of which are interlinked by street-level plazas and underground walkways.

Over the next six months, UnaBiz will work together with ACMV expert, D-Team Engineering, to

Replace the Air Handling Unit (AHU) at the plant room located adjacent to the service corridor.
Replace the Variable Volume Air (VAV) Controller sets located within the office areas.
Deploy close to 800 wireless IAQ monitoring sensors and 50 LoRaWAN gateways to monitor the IAQ levels of all five Suntec City Office Towers to ensure consistent IAQ standards and monitor the performance of the new ACMV systems.

“Suntec City is dedicated to enhancing workspace comfort and upholding a commitment to environmental sustainability through the use of more energy-efficient equipment,” said Steven Kong, Senior Manager of Operations of APM Property Management. “The main purpose of the rejuvenation plan is to help maintain comfort and a stable temperature in all five office towers. A data-driven ACMV system ensures good air quality for shoppers and tenants, while a high energy-efficiency system helps optimise energy consumption and reduce carbon emissions.”

The Suntec office towers comprise five buildings named Towers One through Five with four containing 45 stories and one 18 stories. The latter has 28,000 square feet of net lettable floor area on each floor while the 45-storey towers consist of floor plates ranging from 10,000 to 14,000 square feet. UnaBiz will be installing Milesight IAQ sensors and gateways, with Actility ThingPark Enterprise on-premises IoT platform on a LoRaWAN network for this project. The deployment will be carried out in phases starting with Tower 4, followed by Tower 2, Tower 3, Tower, 1 and Tower 5. In total, there are about 2.3 million square feet of office space. Tower One to Four is 45-storey representing the 4 fingers and Tower 5 is 18-storey representing the thumb.

The IAQ sensor utilised by UnaBiz is a comprehensive 9-in-1 solution that integrates nine types of sensors to measure various ambience conditions including CO2 concentration, temperature, humidity, light, TVOC, barometric pressure, PM2.5, PM10, formaldehyde and motion. This energy-efficient sensor is designed for real-time monitoring and collecting reliable IAQ data 24/7.

Mr Jonathan Tan, Managing Director of UnaBiz Singapore said, “As an IoT service provider and integrator, we are pleased to work with D-Team Engineering, Actility and Milesight to help bring this project to life. The COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated to us the importance of IAQ monitoring as the majority of us spend our time indoors. By integrating indoor IAQ monitoring with the new ACMV system, Suntec City can prioritise tenant well-being, and optimise airflow and energy consumption through data-driven ventilation. This integrated solution can help Suntec City achieve both their Social and Environmental goals.”

“Actility is thrilled to provide its QoS-based LoRaWAN IoT mediation solution that will ensure reliable wireless communication towards the whole Suntec complex. Helping to solve real problems with improved air quality and reduced carbon emission is the goal of our communication solutions and part of Actility Core values. We are proud to partner with UnaBiz on such a large-scale project.” said Alban Médici, APAC Managing Director of Actility.

“Milesight is dedicated to promoting greener buildings and enhancing the comfort of its tenants. Utilising our advanced 9-in-1 IAQ sensors and LoRaWAN gateways, building managers can enable optimised, data-driven air quality and streamlined operations for Suntec City Office Towers, effectively elevating its air quality standards and enhancing its tenant’s comfort and well-being,” said Leon Jiang, Vice President of Milesight.

The phased refurbishment works are expected to be completed by 2024 and will continue to strengthen the value propositions of the office towers.

DigiTech ASEAN Thailand 2024 Event Returning Better And Bigger With Co-Located Ai Connect 2024 in November

5 March, 2024/in News /by Editor

Reading Time: 3 minutes

After a hugely successful 2023 edition last November, DigiTech ASEAN Thailand 2024 – the key international exhibition and networking platform to connect and do business with the global tech and digital community – is all set to return bigger and better in Bangkok, Thailand taking place from 20th to 22nd November 2024.

Organized under the theme “Connecting you with global and digital community”, DigiTech ASEAN Thailand 2024 will see the co-location of a dedicated AI industry event called AI Connect 2024 – “Decoding the Future of AI”, to collectively offer digital and technology companies with an effective platform to reach out to their market sectors. This will cover Business Software, E-Commerce & Digital Marketing, Data & Cloud, Smart Solutions & IoT, 5G Technology & Network, Web 3.0, and last by not least, AI solutions and applications.

As the global economy undergoes rapid digital transformation, new technologies, digital tools and solutions are emerging across all business sectors to enable companies to scale up their efficiency, profitability and competiveness.

The Southeast Asian (ASEAN) region is expected to be one of the world’s top five regions for digital applications by 2025, with a digital market size of US$500 billion and over 400 million internet users. Thailand is right in the middle of this rapid growing regional digital market, and Thailand’s digital economy is expected to contribute 30% of its GDP by 2030 driven by its 4.0 digital transformation economic model.

DigiTech ASEAN Thailand 2024 and AI Connect 2024 are organized to serve as important international meeting place for the global technology and digital market community to connect and engage with the South East Asian’s digital market landscape, to seek and forge business partnerships, and opportunities, networking and knowledge exchanges.

Mr. A. Balasubramaniam, Director of Digital Exports at Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) said, “On behalf of MDEC, we are very excited to be a part of this prestigious event that will gather global ASEAN tech and digital companies to connect and exchange innovative ideas as well as knowledge in the digital realm. This effort aligns with MDEC’s Malaysia Digital

(MD) national strategic initiative and Malaysia Digital Catalytic Programmes (PeMangkinMD). We envision a vibrant digital ecosystem that is achieved through partnerships and collaborations with many countries. I strongly believe that these collaborations will play a pivotal role in propelling the digital transformation agenda forward and driving sustainable growth.”

Mr. Nuttapon Nimmanphatcharin, President/CEO of Digital Economy Promotion Agency (depa) said, “DigiTech ASEAN Thailand plays an important role in facilitating the introduction of innovative digital technology trends, advancement and best practices with plenty of knowledge exchanges amongst the digital and tech community.”

DigiTech ASEAN Thailand 2023 attracted over 300 exhibitors from 10 country and attended by over 6,595 trade professionals from 34 countries. The organisers expect this year’s event to be even bigger to attract over 500 exhibitors and 10,000 trade professionals.

Mr. Pramote Phongsuwan, Head of Corporate Marketing & Branding, G-Able Public Company Limited “Today feels like a perfect blend of the public and private sectors. In both commercial and private domains, we’re witnessing trends and solutions being showcased and shared. What makes it fascinating is the integration with the government sector and its influence on the country’s direction. Whether it’s the current hot topics like AI, IoT, data, and cybersecurity, everything is being connected with applications that will have a lasting impact on our businesses, be it in IT or solutions.”

Mr. Thanapong Wongshinsri, Managing Director of Penguin X Co., Ltd. “It’s my first time at this event, and I’m genuinely impressed. We came across numerous solutions for business. What’s remarkable is that it’s not limited to Thai booths; there are also booths from overseas. As an SME, it really opened my eyes to the advancements in technology. The various insightful seminars in different sections added even more value to the experience.”

Mr Loy Joon How, general manager of IMPACT Exhibition Management Co., Ltd, comment, “DigiTech ASEAN Thailand and AI Connect 2024 is about facilitating business deals, partnerships, collaborations and networking amongst our exhibitors and attendees. The event also promise to be yet another dynamic annual platform for participants to exchange views and get updated on latest trends and opportunities.”

DigiTech ASEAN Thailand and AI Connect 2024 will take place at Hall 5 and Hall 6, IMPACT Exhibition and Convention Centre, Bangkok, Thailand from 20th to 22nd November 2024.

For more information, please visit www.digitechasean.com

Pan Pacific Hotels Group Grows Presence In Malaysia With Opening of Parkroyal A’famosa Melaka Resort

4 March, 2024/in News /by Editor

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Pan Pacific Hotels Group (PPHG) brings its modern upscale PARKROYAL brand to Malaysia with the opening of PARKROYAL A’Famosa Melaka Resort. The 213-key resort is nestled within tropical gardens and maintains easy access to Melaka’s main attractions. In line with PARKROYAL’s ethos to providing a gateway to authentic local experiences, the resort will offer activities and collaborations inspired by the rich culture of Melaka. This is the first property in Melaka and the sixth property in Malaysia under PPHG.

Its UNESCO World Heritage status, vibrant street art, and a harmonious blend of Malay, Chinese, Indian, and European heritage make Melaka a compelling destination for those seeking a unique and immersive travel experience. Located just a short drive from the UNESCO Heritage site of Melaka city, PARKROYAL A’Famosa Melaka Resort is within a 5-minute drive to A’Famosa Waterworld and Safari Wonderland, a 15-minute walk to Freeport A’Famosa Outlet & Coach Airways, and a 45-minute drive to the picturesque 1000 Flowers Garden in Ayer Keroh.

Designed to cater to a diverse range of guests, including business travellers, leisure seekers, and families, the resort offers a variety of room types to suit every preference. The rooms and suites are adorned with modern furnishings and fully equipped amenities, catering to both long and short stays.

“With 18.7 million tourists expected to visit Melaka in 2024, the city’s allure makes it an ideal location for PARKROYAL Hotels & Resorts’ continued expansion and operational success,” said Mr. Choe Peng Sum, Chief Executive Officer, Pan Pacific Hotels Group. “Our third resort property in Malaysia, PARKROYAL A’Famosa Melaka opens following the success of PARKROYAL Langkawi Resort and PARKROYAL Penang Resort.”

The resort’s 213 rooms and suites showcase the charm of Peranakan influence through the use of timber and Peranakan tiles in the design, paying homage to the rich heritage of Melaka. Adorned with calming accents, each spacious room features an al fresco balcony, providing guests with a breathtaking view of lush tropical gardens and a nearby 27-hole golf course.

Besides its convenient location, in close proximity to some of Melaka’s best-loved attractions, PARKROYAL A’Famosa Melaka Resort offers extensive facilities and F&B offerings. Spice Brasserie offers international cuisine, with dynamic live cooking stations enhancing the atmosphere, whilst Ya Yuen Chinese restaurant offers fine Cantonese cuisine in an elegant setting. The Pool Lounge offers refreshing drinks and light tapas bites throughout the day.

At SUASANA Spa, guests can indulge in wellness and beauty treatments inspired by the ancient culture and traditions of local healing practices. The resort’s grand ballroom, accommodating up to 700 guests, and seven additional meeting rooms provide flexibility for both business and social occasions. The resort also boasts a swimming pool, dedicated kids pool, playroom and gymnasium.

Lintec & Linnhoff Pens Exclusive Distributor Agreement With MEDCO in Saudi Arabia

2 March, 2024/in News /by Editor

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Effective February 2024, the exclusive distributor agreement aims to further expand Lintec & Linnhoff’s business presence in the Middle East
MEDCO will be responsible for the sales of Lintec and Linnhoff Asphalt Mixing and Concrete Batching Plants

Lintec & Linnhoff today announced the signing of an exclusive distributor agreement for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with Middle East Development Co. Ltd. (MEDCO) at Big 5 Construct Saudi 2024. Christabel Chan, Global Business Director and Tony Chakra, Regional Sales Manager, Middle East and Africa at Lintec & Linnhoff signed the agreement with Mohammed Khashoggi, Vice President at MEDCO to reinforce the company’s firm commitment to the Saudi Arabian market. This latest announcement comes just a few weeks after Lintec & Linnhoff announced a distributor agreement with Tutt Bryant in Australia.

The MEDCO distributor agreement will cover the full range of Lintec & Linnhoff’s Asphalt Mixing and Concrete Batching Plants, including but not limited to the Lintec CSD Containerised Asphalt Mixing Plant and Lintec UCP Ultra Concrete Batching Plants.

Tony Chakra said, “As we participate in Saudi Arabia’s largest construction event, Big 5 Construct Saudi, we can think of no better occasion to announce our partnership with MEDCO. The company has represented Lintec & Linnhoff in the Middle East region over the last two years and sold several Lintec CSD Containerised Asphalt Mixing Plants and Lintec UCP Ultra Concrete Batching Plants. We are therefore confident that this partnership will help the company better serve our customers thanks to their unwavering commitment to the efficient delivery of equipment, support services and spare parts. We look forward to a highly fruitful relationship, as we continue to build our business presence in the region.”

Delivering Value to Customers

MEDCO is a leading dealer of premium industrial and construction equipment in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The company was founded in 1967 by Sk. Saleh and Ibrahim A. Alfadl and is a 100% Saudi Arabian-owned business. A significant part of Saudi Arabia’s infrastructure has been built with the quality brands that are represented by MEDCO and many airports, highways, and buildings have benefited from the premium and high-quality products supplied and supported by MEDCO.

With over 170 employees operating from eight branches and facilities across the Kingdom, MEDCO’s highly trained and experienced personnel offer professional equipment and machinery sales, backed by full technical support, servicing, and maintenance, together with a comprehensive inventory of spare parts.

Emad Mukhalalaty, General Manager at MEDCO said, “We are excited to add Lintec and Linnhoff Asphalt Mixing and Concrete Batching Plants to our company’s portfolio of equipment brands. Given Lintec & Linnhoff’s renowned reputation in the construction equipment market and the solid existing relationship between the two organisations, we have great confidence that this agreement will provide new and exciting opportunities for our customers across the Kingdom.”