Tag Archive for: Building Efficiency

You are here: / / Building Efficiency

Posts

FARO® Introduces As-Built Software Platform For 3D Digital Modeling

/in , , /by
Reading Time: 2 minutes

FARO, a trusted source for 3D measurement and imaging solutions for factory metrology and construction BIM, announces the availability of the FARO® As-Built software platform that enables efficient and cost-effective transfer of 3D reality capture into Autodesk® design tools to create ready to use CAD and Building Information Modeling (BIM) deliverables.

As-Built is specifically designed to minimise the effort and time required to create as-built documentation, which is the main task across AEC professionals in the building, facility and infrastructure design phases.

This comprehensive and innovative platform seamlessly integrates processed 3D data coming from the FARO SCENE software platform and can then support point cloud modelling (i.e. the set of data points acquired by a 3D laserscanner that are then displayed as a visual representation of an object or area) for the latest 2019 Autodesk® design tools. The FARO As-Built platform offers three powerful options:

  • As-Built for AutoCAD® Software
  • As-Built for Autodesk® Revit®
  • As-Built Suite – includes both As-Built for AutoCAD® Software and As-Built for Autodesk® Revit®

The full functionality of PointSense for AutoCAD® solutions, all previous standalone AutoCAD® plug-ins and PointSense for Revit®, respectively are now migrated into the As-Built platform. Additionally, As-Built is available across a broadseries of languages, including French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, Japanese, English and German.

As-Built for AutoCAD® Software

  • Best in Class Usability: Users now have access to a common graphical user interface that provides a single entry point for all FARO features and functionality across the entire AutoCAD® platform. This enables new users to get upto speed quickly and immediately begin to leverage the power of As-Built.
  • Unique Performance and Value: AEC professionals benefit from a single point cloud-modelling platform that not only offers versatile tools that span different industries such as Architecture, Civil/Survey, Oil & Gas, and FacilityManagement but also total stations and UAV sensors. There is no longer a need to purchase or support separate total station software. Additionally, it is now easy to combine a terrestrial view with an aerial view that provides an evenbetter digital representation of the real world.

As-Built for Autodesk® Revit®

  • Confidence in Accuracy: As-Built for Autodesk® Revit®, like its predecessor PointSense for Revit®, accelerates Scan-To-BIM workflows and includes powerful features such as surface analysis by Levels of Accuracy standards asdefined by the U.S. Institute of Building Documentation, which enables users to more confidently validate the accuracy of the as-built model compared to the relevant point cloud.

“We have been uniquely focused on delivering 3D digital modeling solutions that address the key pain points of AEC professionals; specifically waste and project delays that lower productivity and increase operational costs,” statedAndreas Gerster, Vice President Global Construction BIM. “As-Built is both a powerful tool for Autodesk® users who use FARO Focus and Freestyle solutions and also for other 3rd party 3D imaging hardware products.”

Singapore Solar Developer Sunseap Donates Solar Array To Green School Bali

/in , , /by
Reading Time: 2 minutes

Green School Bali students and friends are one step closer to getting their campus off the grid, with the support of Sunseap, one of the largest clean energy solutions providers in Singapore.

Sunseap, a Singapore-based solar developer, generously donated PV solar panels that will power one of the world’s greenest maker spaces: The Green School Community Innovation Hub. The “iHub” is a green, rapid prototyping facility that is changing the face of education, and is where inspiring entrepreneurial problem solving, student ideas are incubated, tested, rethought, refined, and finally brought to life, under the guidance of the community, visiting entrepreneurs, local artisans and teachers.

Mr. Rob Khoo, Vice President of Marketing and Communications at Sunseap Group, said: “Sunseap is delighted to support Green School Bali in its efforts to go green. This donation is part of Sunseap’s corporate social responsibility initiative to help people in the region become more aware of the impact of their daily activities on the environment and how they can switch to renewable energy sources to reduce their carbon footprint.”

Sunseap’s donation puts the power into the hands of young people to be the change makers they want to be. This project represents the entrepreneurial mind-set and collaborative problem solving that are the hallmarks of both Green School and Sunseap.

In combination with micro-hydro turbine on the banks of the local river, this gift of solar panels will expand an existing solar array on campus, adding another exciting element to the student-driven energy sustainability project “Operation Rain or Shine”. The ultimate goal of Operation Rain or Shine is to become a model of renewable energy production and storage for the school and local community—a showcase of resilient and reliable clean energy. The hybrid renewable energy micro-grid will now be expanded through the generous support of Sunseap.

John Mcaslan + Partners And Woods Bagot Are Lead Designers On Sydney’s Central Station

/in , , , /by
Reading Time: 3 minutes

John McAslan + Partners and Woods Bagot are the architectural partners delivering the Sydney Metro upgrade to Central Station, a key component of the Sydney Metro City & Southwest project.

The renewal of Australia’s biggest railway station is underway, with a recent announcement that Laing O’Rourke has won the $955 million contract for the Sydney Metro City & Southwest upgrade of Central Station, including Central Walk. The station is a key one within the $20 billion Sydney Metro project, Australia’s biggest public transport infrastructure project.

Jointly leading the multi-disciplinary, international design team are architects John McAslan + Partners and Woods Bagot, whose bold, can-do architecture will give the station an entirely new functional and experiential vibe.

Key heritage qualities of the 112-year-old station will be emphasised along with the introduction of new architecturally-inspiring elements as part of a scheme that amplifies Central Station as a Sydney icon. Signalling a step-change in the station’s functional, urban and cultural contributions to the city, the project will trigger much higher levels of people-movement and energy, and wider civic and commercial renewal.

The design team has impeccable credentials. Renowned UK architect John McAslan + Partners designed the highly celebrated and multi-awarded regeneration of London’s King’s Cross Station, restoring the 170-year-old station and adding a highly innovative concourse to accommodate up to 150,000 passengers per day. Woods Bagot’s exemplary transformation of Sydney’s Wynyard Walk commuter link injects civic, cultural and commercial energy by connecting Wynyard Station with Barangaroo and the waterfront.

Below ground, the atmospheric qualities of volume, surface, and natural light characterise the design scheme for the Central Station upgrade. With respect to existing hierarchies of arches and materials, the proposal has a clear relationship with Walter Vernon’s architecture of the station above. While the interfaces between old and new will be quite distinct, they will be architectural segues rather than jump-cuts.

The Central Station metro upgrade includes the main concourse, Central Walk (connecting the Sydney Metro platforms to Chalmers Street), northern concourse (interface between the new metro and the existing station) and the metro box platforms.

Central Station is the backbone of Sydney’s public transport network, with more than 250,000 people passing through the station every day. That number is forecast to grow to 450,000 in the next two decades. The Central Walk concourse will better connect customers to trains, buses, light rail and the new Sydney Metro. Features of Central Walk include:

  • A 19-metre wide tunnel from Chalmers Street, linking to new metro platforms under Central
  • New, easy access points to Sydney Trains platforms 16 to 23
  • Escalators directly to suburban platforms for the first time.

As Sydney director Domenic Alvaro explains, the project is a significant win for Woods Bagot and the result of the firm’s deliberate expansion in the Australian transport sector.

Sydney Metro is Australia’s largest public transport project. It will transform Sydney, delivering more trains and faster services for customers across the network. A new stand-alone railway network, Sydney Metro is the solution to clearing the city’s public transport bottlenecks and will deliver a quality of rail service never before seen in Australia.

Sydney Metro City & Southwest will extend metro rail between Chatswood and Bankstown, including a new crossing beneath Sydney Harbour, new railway stations in the lower North Shore and CBD, and the upgrade and conversion of the current line between Sydenham and Bankstown.

AGC and Kinestral Technologies Join Ventures to Accelerate Global Adoption of Smart-Tinting Glass

/in , /by
Reading Time: 2 minutes

AGC Asahi Glass, a world-leading manufacturer of glass, chemicals, and high-tech materials, and Kinestral Technologies, maker of Halio smart-tinting glass, announced the creation of three joint venture companies that will sell, distribute, and service Halio to meet increasing global demand for smart city solutions. Formed to accelerate the adoption of Halio, the new ventures – Halio North America, Halio International, and Halio China – will be the exclusive sales and marketing agents for Halio smart-tinting glass in the commercial and residential housing industries.

Halio China includes a third partner: G-Tech Optoelectronics Corp. (GTOC), a subsidiary of Foxconn Technology Group. The three partners have been introducing Halio in their respective markets since the product was first unveiled in January 2017 at the BAU Trade Fair for Architecture, Materials and Systems in Munich, Germany.

“Partnerships are integral to the successful roll-out of HalioTM smart-tinting glass in the Asia Pacific region to support the growing number of green buildings. As such, joining forces with AGC gives us access to a global sales and support infrastructure, as well as decades of expertise in the use of glass in facades, while GTOC bolsters our manufacturing expertise and provides us access to China, one of the fastest growing markets for smart-tinting glass,” said S.B. Cha, CEO of Kinestral Technologies.

The technology

Halio technology enables glass to tint, reducing glare and blocking unwanted solar heat – automatically or on command. It looks like ordinary clear glass until it tints, achieving its darkest shade in less than 3 minutes, thus improving occupant comfort in smart homes and buildings while achieving up to 40 percent improvement in energy efficiency.

“We are convinced that Halio technology is poised to transform the glass industry,” said Jean- François Heris, senior executive officer of AGC and president of AGC Building and Industrial Glass Company. “Natural light is the #1 most desired feature in office designs, but conventional glass requires blinds, shades, awnings or architectural elements that block heat and glare. Halio gives people the best of the outdoors while meeting increasingly stringent energy codes.”

Jim Arnold, former senior vice president of sales at Control4 and DIRECTV, will head Halio North America. Alain Jardinet, a veteran executive of AGC Glass Europe, will lead Halio International which will sell to all markets outside of North America and China. Halio China will be headed by Alex Jiang, an executive of GTOC.

Close to 69,000 Buyers Visit Twin Lighting Fairs and Eco Expo

/in , , , /by
Reading Time: 3 minutes

Organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), the 19th Hong Kong International Lighting Fair (Autumn Edition), the second Hong Kong International Outdoor and Tech Light Expo and the 12th Eco Expo Asia concluded with close to 69,000 buyers from 151 countries and regions visiting the three events. The figure is 7 percent higher than last year’s attendance.

“According to an on-site survey, 93 per cent of the interviewees believed that the development toward smart cities and smart homes will facilitate the advancement of the lighting industry in the coming two years,” said HKTDC Deputy Executive Director Benjamin Chau.

Cross-industry Cooperation
The Autumn Lighting Fair was held from 27 to 30 October at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC), while the other two fairs were held at the AsiaWorld-Expo from 26 to 29 October. The three parallel fairs offered a one-stop sourcing platform and synergy to provide more cross-industry business opportunities.

Gathering close to 3,100 exhibitors and nearly 55,000 buyers, the HKTDC Hong Kong International Lighting Fair (Autumn Edition) and the HKTDC Hong Kong International Outdoor and Tech Light Expo formed the world’s largest lighting marketplace. Meanwhile, Eco Expo Asia, jointly organised by the HKTDC and Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd, and co-organised by the Environment Bureau of the HKSAR Government, featured nearly 340 exhibitors and attracted more than 14,000 buyers.

Sales Expected To Grow 16 Percent In 2018
The HKTDC commissioned independent on-site surveys during the Autumn Lighting Fair and Outdoor and Tech Light Expo. Among the 636 exhibitors and buyers interviewed, about 95 per cent of the respondents expected a better or stable market prospect in 2018, with the overall sales of products expected to increase by 16 per cent on average.

On the global outlook, the survey found that respondents were most optimistic towards the Chinese mainland, followed by Japan and ASEAN markets. Among emerging markets, the industry is most interested in expanding business in the Chinese mainland (24 percent), ASEAN (17 percent) and the Middle East (7 percent).

On products, respondents considered household lighting (29 percent) to have the greatest growth potential in 2018, followed by LED and green lighting products (24 percent) and commercial lighting (16 percent).

“Internet of Lights” – a new trend ahead
During the fairs, industry leaders, who were invited to share their insights on the latest industry and products trends, revealed that the function of lighting products has evolved to become the “Internet of lights,” which has become an essential trend for smart homes.

“Light is everywhere, it is the perfect carrier for transmitting and collecting data,” said David Barnby, Tridonic’s Senior Vice President (Global Sales & Marketing). “It will converge with the Internet, and the lighting industry has to work fast with other sectors to capture the new opportunities.”

Shanghai Pudong Intelligent Lighting Association Secretary-General Lighting Dai also pointed out that future lighting products must be connected with the Internet. “The industry must leverage cross-industry technologies, including cloud platforms, artificial intelligence, sensors, intelligent modules, voice recognition and software applications, to develop smart lights and achieve inter-operability with other devices.”

New Startup Zone at Eco Expo Asia Showcases Green Innovations
The HKTDC’s Benjamin Chau pointed out that a new Startup zone was set up at Eco Expo Asia and a Startup Forum was organised to help green start-ups explore more business opportunities, bringing exciting new elements to the expo.

Hong Kong start-up Rooftop Republic Urban Farming’s co-founder Michelle Hong said the expo helped her company broaden its clientele and reach out to potential partners. “Buyers from the Chinese mainland, Germany and Morocco are not just interested in our green walls and urban farming solutions, but also keen on our software, which includes workshops and educational programmes. Discussions with the MTR and a few hotels are also underway.”

Shanghai Intelligent Building Technology Opens With Strong Participation From Leading Brands

/in , , /by
Reading Time: 2 minutes

The Shanghai Intelligent Building Technology (SIBT) kicked off its 11th edition from September 5 to 7, 2017 at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre in Shanghai. With the support from Intelligent Engineering Branch of China Exploration and Design Association, the fair ran concurrently with the Shanghai Smart Home Technology (SSHT).

The two fairs welcomed approximately 240 exhibitors to present Building Internet of Things (BIoT) and smart home technologies. As a leading trade platform in the intelligent building industry, SIBT served as a comprehensive showcase of innovations such as control interfaces and systems, chips, modules, sensor products and much more.

This year’s fair focused on the idea of BIoT which provides momentum within the intelligent building industry. The concept of intelligent building has been evolving from an individual building to a cluster of buildings, moving towards intelligent technologies and digitisation. In return, the rapid development of intelligent building technologies has also enriched the original concepts and functionality of IoT technologies. The ideas of cognitive building will eventually be realised to demonstrate improvements in energy-saving, safety, convenience and efficiency.

Event Programme Shines Spotlight on Building Internet of Things (BIoT)
SIBT will present intelligent building solutions covering building energy saving, smart community and smart hotels. Confirmed leading brands include A-OK, ABB, ANJUBAO, CARLO, DHL, Dnake, DUEMMEGI, EnOcean, Foshan, Friedrichshafen, Ihorn, KNX, Rishun, SAVEKEY, Security & Fire, SenseAir, Supcon, Systec, T-Touching, Taijeisai, WISTAR and ZF.

A series of interactive seminars and events were also organised to help visitors keep abreast of the latest industry developments, helmed by expert speakers who strove to offer market insights. SIBT is jointly organised by Guangzhou Guangya Messe Frankfurt Co Ltd, the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade – Shanghai Pudong Sub Council, Shanghai Hongshan Exhibition Service Co Ltd and the Intelligent Engineering Branch of China Exploration & Design Association.

SIBT and SSHT are both headed by the biennial Light + Building event, which will take place from 18 – 23 March 2018 in Frankfurt, Germany. Messe Frankfurt also organises a series of light and building technology exhibitions in China including the Guangzhou International Lighting Exhibition and Guangzhou Electrical Building Technology. The company’s light and building technology fairs also extend to markets in Argentina, India, Russia, the UAE and other countries and regions.

For more information, visit the Light + Building or the SIBT websites.

SolarPVExchange to Power Cambodia’s First Eco-Friendly Condominium

/in , , , /by
Reading Time: 3 minutes

SolarPVExchange, a subsidiary of Sunseap group, Singapore’s leading clean energy provider, announced today that it has signed an agreement with Spring CJW Development Pte Ltd to build a solar photovoltaic (PV) system which will help power up its first eco-friendly residential development in Phnom Penh. Under the deal, SolarPVExchange will design and construct a 200 kilowatt-peak solar photovoltaic (PV) system across the rooftops of the condominium’s eight blocks of residential units.

The solar PV system will generate enough clean energy at its peak capacity to power Axis Residences’ communal facilities including its huge indoor gym, four swimming pools, multi-purpose rooms, games room and lounge. It will also help the condominium to reduce its carbon dioxide emissions by the equivalent of planting 3,222 trees a year.

That amount of energy, for example, can power 14 air conditioning units to cool down Axis Residences’ gym, multi-purpose rooms, children’s playroom and facilities. Alternatively, it can power up to 111 water pumps for the developments’ swimming pools, and supply water into the homes of its residents.

Mr Rob Khoo, SolarPVExchange’s Managing Director, said: “We are pleased to partner Spring CJW in providing solar power for its first residential project in Cambodia. Spring CJW has joined a growing list of companies that are environmentally-friendly and prepared to adopt sustainable ways of doing business. As a developer that targets young and trendy homebuyers and entrepreneurs, its green approach will go down well with its target market.

“By tapping solar energy, Spring CJW will also enable residents of Axis Residences to benefit from reduced utility and maintenance bills.”

Mr Anthony Ong, Director of Spring CJW Development Pte Ltd, said: “Spring CJW is passionate about sustainable developments and we are delighted that Axis Residences has cleared the preliminary assessment and will be the first residential development in Cambodia to attain the internationally renowned and recognised Green Mark Gold Accreditation by Singapore’s Building & Construction Authority.”

Mr Ong added that the Singapore-based developer aims to lead the way for other property developers in Cambodia to embrace sustainable green solutions for their projects.

Axis Residences is the first Cambodian eco-friendly condo development project to receive the ‘Highly Commended Award’ at the inaugural Cambodia Property Award 2016 for the Best Condo Development and the first condominium project in Cambodia to be awarded Green Mark Gold Award by Singapore Building Construction Authority.

The condominium is located along Street Doung Ngeap number III in the upcoming western Phnom Penh district, five minutes away from Phnom Penh International Airport. The US$70 million development project comprises 566 units in eight buildings of 10 floors each and is scheduled for completion by next year.

SolarPVExchange is currently in discussion with various clients in Cambodia, including hospitals, banks and factories to bring sustainable renewable energy solutions into Cambodia and the rest of Southeast Asia.

The region enjoys abundance of sunshine all year round, making the harnessing of solar energy highly viable in this region. Currently, Thailand leads the way for solar power in Southeast Asia with more solar power capacity than the rest of Southeast Asia combined.

Cambodia made its first major investment in solar energy in 2016, with the announcement of a US$9.2 million solar power plant by SolarPVExchange’s sister firm Sunseap in Bavet City, Svay Rieng to provide a quarter of the energy needs of the city and cut the country’s emissions by 5,500 tonnes of carbon dioxide a year.

JLL Introduces Command Centre to Improve Building Performance and Reduce Risk

/in , , , /by
Reading Time: 2 minutes

Global real estate company JLL is adding to its portfolio of services with the launch of its Command Centre in Asia Pacific. The new product provides real estate owners and occupiers with advanced analytics and operational knowledge for real time, remote monitoring of buildings and facilities.

The platform analyses data captured through a series of data inputs coming from a building, including Wi-Fi sensors that are easily retrofitted. It identifies trends and anomalies allowing for continuous monitoring and fine-tuning of building services to improve operations and maintenance, reduce costs and save energy.

“With the increasing prevalence of smart buildings, investors are getting savvier about new solutions they can harness to make their assets work more efficiently, enhance occupant experience and be more attractive to tenants,” says Albert Ovidi, Chief Operating Officer of JLL Asia Pacific.

“JLL Command Centre is particularly helpful for those who own, occupy or manage large real estate portfolios because they can compare their buildings or the space they occupy and improve those that are not operating at their best.”

Peter Hilderson, Head of Engineering and Operations Solutions, JLL Asia Pacific explains: “We developed this service to answer the needs of real estate owners and occupiers who are looking to make improvements in cost efficiency and reduce operational risk. It allows them to address issues before they become complaints, problems or failures. For instance, if an office building registers higher than comfortable temperatures in certain areas and the system detects a fault in the air conditioning system, it notifies a technician to rectify the problem, minimising disruption to occupants.”

The deployment of inexpensive Wi-Fi sensors enables quick detection of potentially dangerous issues such as a water leak in an electrical switch room. JLL Command Centre can then raise an alert to technicians who can quickly fix a leaking pipe, thus avoiding an electrical hazard, property damage and disruption to business. In the case of a data centre, it can alert a building owner to a problem such as overheating which, if left unattended, could result in a major loss of data and damage to business operations.

According to Mr Ovidi, “Digitising assets and embracing technology goes beyond mere energy savings. Our clients care about getting the most out of the assets they own and the space they occupy. This is why we’re investing in new technologies like Command Centre that ensure assets are working hard for investors and occupiers.”

Click here for more information about the JLL Command Centre.

Changing the Façade of Smart Buildings

/in , , /by
Reading Time: 3 minutes

Technological evolutions are blurring the lines between physical and digital with the introduction of the Internet-of-Things (IoT). With the number of IoT devices growing exponentially to an estimated 75.4 billion devices in 20251, building fixtures such as lights, air-conditioning, alarm systems and door locks can all be a part of a hyper-connective virtual mesh.

The integration of IoT in buildings bring about many benefits, transforming traditional architectures to smart buildings. As digitization continues to sweep across industries, buildings are also seeing rapid transformation in its form, construction and management. These enhancements stemmed from one need – to make buildings more efficient, safer and aesthetically balanced for improved quality of life.

With the global smart building market expected to grow from $5.73 billion in 2016 to $24.73 billion by 20212, there is indeed a huge potential for smart building solutions out there. Below are some of the examples of how the technology is shaping building and construction today, which will be showcased at Build Eco Xpo (BEX) Asia and Mostra Convegno Expocomfort Asia (MCE) taking place in Singapore in September.

Improved Operational Efficiency
Studies have shown that by digitising processes, companies reported an 82 percent increase in efficiency3. The same applies for building management, with the ecosystem of connected devices and sensors aggregating collected data to enable conservation of resources, better management of overhead and optimising operational efficiencies.

IoT connects a network of sensors and systems, allowing construction management to understand the efficiency of their workflow and making adjustments to improve productivity based on the data collected. IoT connectivity provides integrated systems with clear overview of information and control over resource management in real-time so any improvements can be realised almost immediately.

Companies like Crestron provide such technologies, allowing tenants and building owners to improve efficiency in resource management. Their proprietary system, Crestron FusionTM, allows tracking of energy usage through collection of data. Sensors monitor real-time and historical data and help to remotely control and schedule the usage of lightings and facilities in buildings for optimum energy efficiency.

Resource management, such as powering down lights when the systems detect zero activities, or adjusting cooling systems based on building temperature can now be automatically adjusted. This not only ensures resources are more efficiently utilised but also bring about an improved experience for the building users.

Energy Savings
Smart buildings monitor efficient energy usage through data collection and intelligent design. En-trak, a Hong Kong-based energy management solutions provider, uses IoT-enabled sensors and lighting, such as En-trak Energy and En-trakTM Smart Lighting to regulate energy usage and control lighting

For example, the company deployed En-trak Energy at Hong Kong’s English Schools Foundation’s (ESF) 22 institutions with sensors and meters to monitor and record energy consumption through a centralised system in real-time. With automation of resource and energy usage, ESF saved over HKD$1.1million in energy bills, 760,000 kWh of energy as well as reduced carbon emissions by over 600 tonnes within the first 10 months.

Energy savings can also be achieved through minimising external conditions that affect the use of the building’s resources. For example, research has shown that solar radiation through building windows account for approximately 40 percent of a building’s load on cooling systems. Smart tinting systems such as AGC -Kinestral’s Halio respond to external environment by adjusting its window tint automatically to deflect solar radiation. With internal building environments less affected by external factors, tenants can reduce up to 40 percent of energy usage in cooling systems and lighting.

Improving Experience of Tenants and Property Owners
Smart buildings provide convenience and automation to its tenants, akin to that of driverless cars. Lumani, a Singapore-based start-up developing next generation smart solutions for buildings is one fine example. LumaZones, the company’s open IoT system, makes use of sensors for autonomous operations of energy management.

By measuring occupancy level, it is able to adjust air temperature and lighting for a specified zone in the building, allowing for a tailored experience for users without any manual intervention. Engaging this system, a 1000-square-metre co-space office in Taipei has seen a 75 percent savings in energy usage for its lighting system.

Iot Technologies is the Way Forward for Property Owners
IoT is transforming every facet of the building and construction industry – from how it is built to how we can conserve resources and how the experience of users in the building can be enhanced. Although capital costs for green buildings seem to be higher than traditional ones, the life-cycle costs have been proven to be a lot lower, with payback happening a lot faster.

With data as the new lifeblood of every ecosystem, the industry can look forward to advanced sensors powering each stage of a building’s evolution, from design and construction to actual building management. The rapid innovation in the industry is proof that smart buildings will soon dominate skylines across the region.

M+S announces Singapore’s First Integrated Live-Work-Play App for Marina One and DUO

/in , , /by
Reading Time: 3 minutes

The Marina One development

M+S Pte Ltd announced recently its upcoming digital app, MySphere, a unified mobile platform for its Marina One and DUO developments, offering an integrated smart live- work-play management system that seamlessly combines smart controls, community management and lifestyle offerings.

The app will be Singapore’s first to be driven by its own ecosystem of assets and partners across two separate integrated developments, including over 1,600 luxury residences, 5.4 million square feet of office space and a mix of retail and F&B offerings, the Andaz Singapore hotel and urban amenities.

MySphere aims to provide purposeful and convenient access to the full suite of comprehensive offerings at M+S’s landmark developments for a holistic live-work-play experience, all from a single interface.

MySphere will also be the first app in Singapore to offer office workers mobile turnstile access at office lobbies. Encrypted technology by HID ensures enterprise-grade security with commercial-grade firewalls. A quick tap of one’s device on the turnstiles at Marina One Offices and DUO Tower authenticates the user’s avatar, allowing office workers entry into the premises and automated lift assignment.

Residents and office occupants will enjoy privileged access to state-of-the-art amenities shared between both developments. These include auditorium facilities; event spaces; and hotel rooms, function rooms and ballrooms at DUO’s Andaz Singapore hotel.

In addition, the app will deliver the first seamless, completely automated visitor management system at both developments. Other features include e-booking of residential facilities, handyman services, mobile alerts for emergency evacuation and fault reporting.

MySphere will also feature bespoke concierge services and new, innovative service models. Residents, office workers and visitors can use the app to call for a taxi; make restaurant reservations; loan an umbrella, wheelchair or mobile charger and even request for a VIP escort. They will enjoy added conveniences and perks from M+S’s partnerships with other strategic lifestyle partners, including mobile commerce platform PageAdvisor and transport services like oBike and Telepod.

On the retail front, the app will offer privileges including special retail promotions and an M+S loyalty rewards programme.

Ms. Kemmy Tan, CEO of M+S Pte Ltd, shared, “We recognise the powerful opportunity to harness mobile technology to enhance the experience for those who live, work and visit Marina One and DUO. The app is uniquely tailored to meet the needs of our tech-savvy occupants who lead increasingly busy lives. In MySphere, we will be enabling the community at Marina One to tap into the amenities and services found at Marina One as well as those at DUO; and likewise for the community at DUO, they will also be able to enjoy the same cross-integration benefits.

“‘MySphere’ aptly reflects M+S’s own sphere of influence provided by its tenants and assets, complemented by its network of lifestyle partners to access the all-encompassing live-work-play essentials and perks spanning both developments. The app will transform how residents, tenants and guests interact with the developments. This smart mobile platform is testament to our efforts to define new standards of live, work and play; meeting the digital demands of today’s generation.”

M+S appointed Habitap, a homegrown start-up for smart living technology by Philip Tang & Sons, to develop MySphere.

Franklin Tang, Chief Executive Officer of Philip Tang & Sons, added, “We are proud to partner M+S to pioneer Singapore’s first smart cross-integrated development app. M+S’s “My Sphere” app is a great example of how our mobile app development platform can help create better living, greater convenience and efficiencies for the diverse audiences of commercial, residential and retail spaces. MySphere offers a series of firsts for the local property space, and we are excited to be at the forefront of this technology as we gear up with Singapore’s Smart Nation drive.”

The MySphere app will be available for download on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store in Q4 2017.