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Paya Lebar Quarter Urban Regeneration Project by Lendlease Set to Transform Paya Lebar

6 December, 2016/in Architecture, Construction, Design, News, Sustainability/by Editorial Staff

Reading Time: 4 minutes

Artist’s impression of Paya Lebar Quarter. Image courtesy of www.payalebarquarter.com

Lendlease, an international property solutions provider with over 40 years’ experience in Singapore, recently unveiled Paya Lebar Quarter, an urban regeneration mixed- use development bringing together progressive workplaces, dining, shopping and generous green public spaces. The project is set to catalyse the area’s regeneration into a bustling, pedestrian- friendly new city precinct while retaining its cultural richness.

Expected to be completed in phases with retail and commercial in H2 2018 and residential in H1, 2019, Paya Lebar Quarter will be a significant landmark of Urban Redevelopment Authority’s (URA) 12-hectare Paya Lebar Central, the most centrally located regional commercial hub in Singapore.

Located just 10 minutes from the CBD by car or train, the 3.9 hectare Paya Lebar Quarter development enjoys excellent connectivity with direct connections to the Paya Lebar MRT interchange. Aligned with Singapore’s vision to be a car-lite city, Paya Lebar Quarter is one of the first developments to incorporate a cycling path within the precinct that facilitates a continuous connection to the wider Park Connector Network. Office occupants will also have access to end-of- trip-facilities, making active commuting to work, such as cycling, a reality.

“Urban regeneration is a key pillar of Lendlease’s strategy and it comprises over 70 percent of Lendlease’s S$49.3 billion international development pipeline. With its central location, Paya Lebar Quarter will lead the way in regenerating the area and will turn it into a vibrant hub offering a new and dynamic city life,” said Mr Richard Paine, Managing Director of Paya Lebar Quarter.

The Paya Lebar Quarter architecture responds to the area’s heritage with inspiration drawn from the intricate weaving patterns of the Songket, a traditional brocade textile of the Malay culture; the design language and gold-and-silver colour palette for the façade seek to unify the buildings and public areas to seamlessly weave the seven buildings into a single tapestry.

From the start of the planning for Paya Lebar Quarter, Lendlease has been closely engaged with community stakeholders, ensuring that its design enables social inclusivity and builds community heartware, an increasingly important consideration as cities urbanise.

One of the signature features of Paya Lebar Quarter is the generous provision of 100,000 square feet of green public spaces (the size of more than 20 basketball courts). These public spaces will be where the community can bond and build a network of relationships through spontaneous interactions, collective celebrations and new friendships among those who live, work and play at Paya Lebar Quarter. There will be a covered outdoor event space, which will also help enhance a strong community spirit and culture by hosting large scale celebratory, festive and community events.

One of the signature features of Paya Lebar Quarter is the generous provision of 100,000 square feet of green public spaces. Image courtesy of www.payalebarquarter.com

“We are glad that the distinctive cultural heritage and community spirit of this area is reflected in Paya Lebar Quarter,” said Prof Fatimah Lateef, Member of Parliament (MP) for Marine Parade Group Representation Constituency (GRC) for the ward of Geylang Serai. She added, “The development complements and adds to the revitalisation of the precinct as well as the dynamism of the area. It will complement the adjacent development of Wisma Geylang Serai, due for completion in 2018. This area will be a new place for the community to hangout and to own. It is befitting as a location in the Geylang-Paya Lebar sub-regional centre.”

Progressive and Creative Place-making
Paya Lebar Quarter will serve a working population of 22,000 in the local catchment area within 7 minutes’ walk and approximately one million residents in the trade area. When the wider Paya Lebar Central precinct is fully developed, Paya Lebar Quarter is expected to have 52,000* workers in its immediate catchment.

Mall:
The Paya Lebar Quarter mall will be the social heart of a vibrant Paya Lebar retail precinct, with over 200 retail shops offering a multitude of exciting indoor and parkside dining, lifestyle and fashion options for residents, office executives and shoppers. NTUC FairPrice Finest and Kopitiam are the first two anchor tenants to sign up at Paya Lebar Quarter mall, taking over 22,000 sq ft and 15,000 sq ft of space respectively.

Workplace:
Three Grade A office towers with close to one million square feet of high quality work space will be within the development. These offices are designed for businesses that embrace a progressive work culture that promotes collaboration, health and wellbeing, flexibility and productivity.

Residences:
Park Place Residences at Paya Lebar Quarter comprises three towers with 429 units that offer residents a private sanctuary in a vibrant and centrally located city precinct. Residents can enjoy a connected city lifestyle with easy access to a myriad of amenities, activities and green public spaces.

Building a Green, Active, Engaged Precinct
Paya Lebar Quarter’s sustainability vision focuses on building an Active, Green and Engaged environment for people who live, work and play there. The development is on track towards being the first development to achieve the BCA Green Mark 2015 Platinum rating. In addition, the project has also incorporated evidence-based design strategies across the precinct to enhance occupant health and wellbeing.

“Lendlease has always had a reputation as a sustainability leader. In FY15, we have received 69 awards recognizing our global environmental and social leadership,” said Mr Paine.

For more information, visuals and a preview of how Paya Lebar Quarter will lead the transformation of Paya Lebar into a dynamic business and lifestyle hub, please visit www.payalebarquarter.com.

BEX Asia and MCE Asia 2016 Fulfil Industry’s Call for Climate Change Solutions

23 October, 2016/in Events, Sustainability/by Editorial Staff

Reading Time: 3 minutes

As Southeast Asia’s leading green conventions, BEX and MCE Asia provided excellent touch points for industry stakeholders looking to gain a competitive edge.

Against a backdrop of heightened environmental sustainability and growing market demand for green events, exemplary trade shows Build Eco Xpo (BEX) Asia and Mostra Convegno Expocomfort (MCE) Asia 2016 concluded on a high note, bringing together a total of 11,976 visitors across 57 countries over three days from 7 to 9 September, 2016 – an 8 percent increase in participation from 2015.

Held during the Singapore Green Building Week, the ninth edition of BEX and second edition of MCE Asia played host to 450 exhibiting companies from 27 countries and regions, including China, Germany, Italy, Japan, Taiwan, and United States. 48 industry practitioners also shared insights on multiple verticals crucial to advancing the sustainability agenda at complementary seminars, Green View and MostraXchange. Topics discussed included renewable energy, green architectures, smart technologies and energy efficient solutions, as well as the often neglected heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) systems.

As Southeast Asia’s leading green conventions, BEX and MCE Asia provided excellent touch points for industry stakeholders looking to gain a competitive edge and stand out in an increasingly saturated market. Reed Exhibitions recognises this and with its refreshed Business Concierge programme, facilitated a total of 373 business meetings, with more than US$130 million expected in green building business transactions.

Louise Chua, Business Development Director and Project Director, Reed Exhibitions, the organiser for BEX and MCE Asia 2016, said, “In line with the Building and Construction Authority of Singapore’s recent efforts to encourage building users and owners to play a bigger role in the green building industry, we’re very proud to have created a platform through BEX and MCE Asia where the various stakeholders can come together to have a better understanding and awareness to transform spaces and buildings to be more environmentally-friendly.”

Echoing similar sentiments is returning BEX Asia exhibitor, Big Ass Solutions.David Williams, General Manager, Big Ass Solutions said, “BEX Asia was a great opportunity for us to highlight our energy efficient, smart building technologies like our fans and lighting to key stakeholders. We were able to build on existing business relationships, as well as forge new connections within the industry.”

The ninth edition of BEX and second edition of MCE Asia played host to 450 exhibiting companies from 27 countries and regions.

In the same vein, returning exhibitor, Florence Chan, Managing Director of Camfil said “Speaking at the Green View seminar allowed us to go beyond our product offerings and sustain discussions on issues that plague the region such as the recurring haze situation, which emphasizes the importance of having not just timely and efficient solutions, but innovative ones.”

Over at MCE Asia, the spotlight continues to be shone on how buildings’ cooling systems need to be improved and properly maintained to achieve energy efficiency. Said Markus Yang, CEO of Eura Drives, “With a focus on all things related to the HVAC-R sector, MCE Asia provides a much needed sharing platform for knowledge and expertise on heating and cooling systems.

Added Daniel Testar, Chief Representative, Reflex Winkelmann, “As the only edition in Asia, MCE Asia presents us with a unique launch pad to position ourselves in key Asian markets and reach out to stakeholders in the tropical belt region.”

BEX Asia and MCE Asia are the anchor events of the Singapore Green Building Week, alongside the International Green Building Conference (IGBC) organized by the Building and Construction Authority of Singapore (BCA). The next editions of BEX Asia and MCE Asia will be held from 13 to 15 September, 2017.

More information about the Singapore Green Building Week, International Green Building Conference, BEX and MCE Asia 2016 is available at www.sgbw.com.sg, www.bex-asia.com and www.mcexpocomfort-asia.com.

BEX Asia 2016 Returns as a Regenerative Force in the Age of IoT

6 July, 2016/in Events/by Editorial Staff

Reading Time: 4 minutes

BEX Asia is uniquely poised to deliver ideas and solutions.

Against a backdrop of accelerating climate change and rapidly increasing population growth, the call for more energy and cost-efficient buildings in Southeast Asia is immediate. With IDC’s prediction that Asia Pacific will become the frontline for the Internet of Things (IoT) by 2021, the green building industry can expect an increased adoption of green technologies with a growing focus on IoT.

Returning in its ninth edition, the upcoming Build Eco Xpo (BEX) Asia 2016 will be held at Marina Bay Sands Expo and Convention Centre Singapore from 7 to 9 September, 2016. In light of a rapidly advancing infocomm technology landscape, BEX Asia is uniquely poised to deliver ideas and solutions to futureproof the built environment with an increased focus on smart yet energy-efficient technologies.

The event will see the convergence of green building experts, policy-makers, academics and built environment practitioners of international recognition for a discussion of new ways to tackle these issues. Exhibitors will showcase ways in which green buildings and new technologies can work in tandem for a regenerative approach to building designs, propelling the industry beyond the existing sustainability agenda. Minister for National Development, Mr Lawrence Wong, will grace the opening ceremony.

An energy-efficient event strategy that can take the heat
The future of the green building industry is facing a high degree of complexity and uncertainty due to climate change and the disruptive nature of innovation. As regenerative solutions take centre stage this year, visitors to BEX Asia will see a strategic three-way rollout of the exhibition and seminar to focus on green architectures, smart technologies and energy efficient solutions.

One-stop business exchange platform
Continuing the tradition of previous exhibitions, BEX Asia 2016 will also house dedicated market pavilions from mainland China, Taiwan and Singapore, consolidating in-country exhibitors for an overview of game-changing solutions of local relevance to the regional audience.

“We aim to lead the charge for sustainable coating solutions for greener architectures through our innovative products. Our eco-friendly products can improve the quality of life, and we’re very excited to be at BEX Asia 2016 to share our expertise and network with the community,” said Kel Low, Senior Manager, Specifier Relations, Nippon Paint.

Echoing a similar sentiment is Alex Lau, CEO, Anacle Systems, a home-grown green technology firm determined to resolve energy wastage with its smart energy management system. “BEX Asia serves as a launch pad for transformation in areas of energy efficiency and smart technology. Our generation is technologically savvy and it is important to have energy saving abilities like smart meters and energy tracking systems at our fingertips. BEX Asia is an ideal place for us to be part of dialogues to drive breakthroughs in next-gen energy management.”

Anacle Systems and Nippon Paint will be joined by returning and new exhibitors including Akzo Nobel Paints, Camfil, Fuji SMBE, Kansai Paint, LifeSmart Singapore, Mun Hean, Parex Group, REC, and ST Electronics at BEX Asia 2016.

Thought provoking insights exchange
According to the Global Green Building Market Outlook 2020 published by Research and Markets, the worldwide green building market will grow at a compound annual growth rate of about 13 percent from 2015 to 20202. This growth can partly be attributed to rising awareness of the implications of climate change, and the understanding that green buildings can result in lower level of greenhouse emissions.

To continue to advance such knowledge, industry innovators will gather at the ‘Green View’ to share related insights from which our man-made environment is founded on. Seminar goers can expect topics ranging from an education of materials necessary for green architectures by San Marco Paints and Graphenstone, to visionary tales of a smart community by Lux Research and getting to the heart of the energy efficiency boom by AECOM.

To complement these discussions, event organisers have also enhanced the business-matching programme. Set to attract the region’s key suppliers and marketers, BEX Asia 2016 is expected to surpass more than US$125m in green building business transactions. Visitors can expect one-to-one business matching, as well as key networking with regional delegations including Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam and beyond Asia from Italy.

“Beyond sustainability and the recognised need to reduce carbon footprint, there is a greater call to strengthen competitiveness and collaboration between private and public stakeholders for collective action. We want to walk the talk and ensure that BEX Asia continues to be relevant. The solid foundation we’ve built will help us continue conversations for a better tomorrow for future generations,” said Louise Chua, Business Development Director and Project Director, Reed Exhibitions, organiser of BEX Asia 2016.

Supported by prominent organisations in the industry, BEX Asia 2016 is one of the anchor events of the Singapore Green Building Week (SGBW).

Aimed at inspiring green building leaders around the region, BEX Asia 2016 will be held alongside the second edition of Mostra Convegno Expocomfort (MCE) Asia, the leading trade exhibition dedicated to energy efficient solutions in HVAC-R, plumbing technology, sanitary accessories, and renewable energy, as well as the International Green Building Conference (IGBC) organised by the Building and Construction Authority of Singapore. Both exhibitions will play host to more than 450 exhibiting companies across the region to a congregation of over 12,000 trade visitors.

Visitor registration is now open HERE.

ABB to drive retractable roof on world’s largest free-spanning dome in Singapore

19 September, 2014/in News/by Editor

Reading Time: 3 minutes

ABB solutions for precise control and energy efficiency will enable 312 meter diameter dome on the Singapore National Stadium

Zurich, Switzerland– ABB, the leading power and automation technology group, is set to drive the retractable canopy on the world’s largest free-spanning domed roof at Singapore’s new National Stadium, part of the Singapore Sports Hub. The 55,000-capacity stadium is the first of its kind in Southeast Asia to boast a retractable roof and the only stadium in the world built to accommodate soccer, rugby, cricket, athletics and concerts all in one venue.

The stadium’s dome roof is one of its most distinctive features, and will become a prominent part of the Singapore skyline. Covering approximately 20,000 square meters, weighing 2,200 metric tons and reaching some 80 meters high, the roof is partially retractable to offer spectators ventilation and protection from the elements.

The stadium is ABB’s latest project in ‘moving architecture.’ Other notable professional sports venues with retractable roofs automated by ABB drives include Arizona’s Cardinals Stadium and Dallas’s Cowboys Stadium. ABB power and automation technologies are in place at a number of the world’s premier sport venues, including Cape Town Stadium in South Africa, Olympic stadiums in Beijing, China, and Rio de Janeiro’s Maracana Stadium in Brazil – venue for the final match of the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

“This ambitious project represents a remarkable milestone for ABB in terms of intelligent control and automation, and we are proud to be a part of Singapore’s iconic achievement,” said Pekka Tiitinen, head of ABB’s Discrete Automation and Motion division.

It only takes around 20 minutes to fully open or close the roof, which is divided into two sections each programmed to travel at around 40 millimeters per second. Three ABB Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC) are the ‘brains’ behind the motion, providing the control and coordination for 32 regenerative variable speed drives to automate the roof.

Regenerative drives can recover thermal energy from the motor deceleration process, convert it into electrical energy and feed it back into the network – saving energy that would have otherwise been wasted. Thanks to their superior harmonic performance and Direct Torque Control, the ABB drives can maintain power supply quality and run with zero speed torque, which increases the safety and energy efficiency when moving the roof.

In addition to being weather resistant and blocking the sun’s heat, the innovative roof doubles as an enormous projection screen. The steel trusses supporting the dome are lined with some 3,000 LED lights,further adding to Singapore’s already glittering nighttime skyline.

Built on the original site of the National Stadium that was demolished in 2010, the Singapore Sports Hub opened its doors to the public in June 2014. The Singapore Sports Hub also includes the OCBC Aquatic Centre, an indoor space that can host FINA competitions, the OCBC Arena, a multi-purpose sports arena,a Water Sports Centre, sports library and museum, retail mall, together with a host of Community facilities. For more information, please visit the Singapore Sports Hub website: www.sportshub.com.sg

ABB (www.abb.com) is a leader in power and automation technologies that enable utility, industry, and transport and infrastructure customers to improve performance while lowering environmental impact. The ABB Group of companies operates in around 100 countries and employs about 145,000 people.

LUSH 2.0: Extending the greenery journey skywards

30 June, 2014/in News/by Editor

Reading Time: 2 minutes

SINGAPORE – The Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) announced new urban greenery initiatives and enhancements to the LUSH (Landscaping for Urban Spaces and High-Rises) programme on 12 June 2014, to further strengthen efforts in greening the city and to encourage more pervasive greenery within Singapore’s high-rise urban environment.

Termed LUSH 2.0, the enhanced programme will cover more development types ranging from residential developments to office, retail and even hotel developments. The geographical coverage of LUSH 2.0 will also extend substantially to cover most of Singapore.

“The provision of greenery in Singapore has always been important in our planning – not just because it beautifies our city, but because we see the value of greenery in improving our quality of life. This is an effort that involves many partner agencies, as well as developers and building owners, working together to create a lush environment for people to enjoy. Through LUSH 2.0, URA hope to bring greenery literally to greater heights in Singapore,” said Ng Lang, Chief Executive Officer of URA.

A significant amount of greenery within developments today is a result of URA guidelines, which require developers to provide greenery in various forms. For example, developers had to provide tree planting verges along the public roads and other site boundaries as early as 30 years ago.

In 2009, URA launched the LUSH programme to consolidate and synergise a number of new and existing green initiatives that encourage more skyrise greenery in private developments. The programme encourages building owners and developers to provide well-planted and designed communal green spaces at both the ground and upper levels of buildings, such as sky terraces and roof gardens. The programme also encourages good design of aesthetically-pleasing green spaces so that urban dwellers in Singapore are always close to greenery.

Since its introduction, URA have added more than 40 hectares of green spaces within Singapore’s urban environment, equivalent to 130 primary school fields. Greenery is well-integrated within our developments in the form of sky terraces, rooftop gardens and vertical green walls. With LUSH 2.0, URA hopes to facilitate even more pervasive and accessible urban greenery so that the people’s overall well-being, living and working environment, are enhanced further.

More Buildings Meeting Green Standards

16 May, 2014/in News/by Editor

Reading Time: 5 minutes

SINGAPORE – The Building and Construction Authority (BCA) will be giving out two BCA Green Mark Champion awards and a record number of 225 BCA Green Mark awards this year. This includes 78 Platinum and 47 GoldPLUS awards, by far the highest number of projects to have achieved the higher Green Mark ratings since the scheme was launched in 2005. The BCA Green Mark awards will be given out during the 2014 BCA Awards on 22 May at Resorts World Sentosa.

Number of BCA Green Mark Platinum and GoldPLUS awards given out each year

The high number of BCA Green Mark Platinum and GoldPLUS awards is a clear indication of the rising awareness of the BCA Green Mark as well as the growing familiarisation and competency in green building solutions within the industry. In particular, the number of awards given to existing building projects with higher Green Mark ratings increased from 16 last year to 39 this year, an unprecedented increase of almost 150%, demonstrating the success of our 2nd Green Building Masterplan which focuses on the greening of existing buildings. Stringent in its requirements, the BCA Green Mark scheme encourages the industry to adopt more sustainable building design and pushes them to constantly keep up-to-date with the latest and most efficient green building solutions.

Two BCA Green Mark Champions Unveiled

This year, the top BCA Green Mark Champion accolades will go to Keppel Land Limited and the Nanyang Technological University (NTU), for having shown strong commitment and corporate social responsibility in their efforts towards greening their buildings. To qualify for the Green Mark Champion Award, the developer or building owner must clinch at least 10 BCA Green Mark awards for their building projects including at least three Platinum and three GoldPLUS.

In its pursuit to achieve higher environmental performance for its projects, Keppel Land has, since 2012, set a benchmark for all its new projects in Singapore to attain at least the BCA Green Mark GoldPLUS rating. In addition, a further target was set for all existing commercial properties in Singapore to be retrofitted to meet at least the BCA Green Mark GoldPLUS standard by 2015.

Keppel Land Limited has so far bagged 32 Green Mark awards, of which commercial buildings, Keppel Bay Tower and Ocean Financial Centre, have attained the Platinum rating. Ocean Financial Centre, notable for its iconic design and the Largest Vertical Garden as conferred by the Guinness World Records, is the first office development in Singapore’s Central Business District (CBD) to achieve the highest BCA Green Mark Platinum rating in 2008. It features an assembly of 400m2 of photovoltaic system on its roof, amongst the largest for a high-rise commercial building in the CBD.

Keppel Bay Tower, Platinum, 2014

Corals at Keppel Bay, GoldPLUS, 2013

Bugis Junction Towers, Platinum, 2014

Nanyang Technological University (NTU) has in recent years been expanding its campus as well as retrofitting its existing buildings to higher BCA Green Mark standards. Under its strategic blueprint, Sustainable Earth is the pinnacle of NTU’s Five Peaks of Excellence or research areas in which it aims to make a global mark. The greening of its buildings is one way that NTU is putting this idea into practice, by saving energy and reducing waste, as buildings take up large amounts of energy. To date, 18 building projects in NTU have been Green Mark-certified, out of which eight have attained the highest Platinum status. Here are some of the awarded projects:

Residential Halls at North Hill, Platinum, 2014

Learning Hub at South Spine, Platinum, 2012

School of Art, Design and Media, Platinum, 2010

Residential Halls at Nanyang Drive, Platinum, 2012

More BCA Green Mark Offices in Singapore

When the BCA Green Mark scheme was first mooted in Singapore, its focus was on the ‘hardware’, to improve the energy efficiency of buildings. The BCA Green Mark has since evolved to look into the ‘heartware’, placing greater emphasis on users’ behaviour. To facilitate this, user-centric Green Mark schemes have been introduced in recent years, such as the BCA Green Mark for Office Interior, Green Mark for Restaurants and Green Mark for Supermarkets. These schemes aim to encourage users and occupants to adopt more environmentally friendly features and sustainable practices in their premises.

In fact, green offices are fast gaining popularity in Singapore. Since the launch of the BCA Green Mark for Office Interior scheme in 2009, the number of offices that are assessed under the scheme has risen from four in 2009 to 98 today.

The Credit Suisse office, located in One@Changi City, a Green Mark building, is one of the offices receiving the Platinum award this year. Besides the use of environmentally friendly fittings as well as energy-efficient lighting and electrical appliances, Credit Suisse also adjusted its air-conditioning and lighting for different zones within the office. Its flexible hot-desking system within an open layout allows staff to choose their preferred seat where they can experience the ideal temperature and lighting at different times of the day. This helps reduce the need to further warm or cool different parts of the office to meet the preferences of different staff.

BCA’s Chief Executive Officer, Dr John Keung, said, “All of us have a role to play in reducing carbon emission from buildings especially when buildings consume about one-third of Singapore’s total end-use electricity. Going green provides a cost-effective win-win solution for businesses as it not only allows them to do their part for the environment by cutting down on energy consumption, but more importantly create a healthier and better quality working environment for the employees. BCA, through its user-centric Green Mark schemes, will continue to encourage more businesses and occupants to make conscious efforts in adopting environmentally friendly features and practices at their workplaces. We also urge more building owners, developers and master planners to reach for the higher Green Mark ratings and to set their sights on the BCA Green Mark Champion and Platinum Champion status to firmly anchor themselves as sustainability champions in our built environment.”

Singapore has set an ambitious target to green at least 80% of all buildings in Singapore by 2030. To date, there are about 2,000 BCA Green Mark building projects in Singapore, translating to about 24% of the total gross floor area.

Information issued by Building and Construction Authority

New Green and Gracious Builder Scheme for Small and Medium Construction Firms

21 April, 2014/in News/by Editor

Reading Time: 5 minutes

– Customised Green and Gracious Builder Scheme launched for small and medium builders

– Green and Gracious Builder Scheme Version 2 sees increased weightage for gracious best practices

– 19 firms to receive Green and Gracious Builder Award at the 2014 BCA Awards

Building and Construction Authority (BCA) has introduced a Green and Gracious Builder Scheme (GGBS) for Small and Medium Construction Firms (SMC) to encourage wider adoption of environmentally friendly and gracious practices among builders. Adapted from the Green and Gracious Builder Scheme, the GGBS (SMC) is a voluntary scheme tailored for builders who work on smaller projects. It places greater emphasis on operational and gracious practices that can be easily adopted by smaller builders.

BCA has also released an updated version of the Green and Gracious Builder Scheme. The revised scheme focuses on gracious building practices that help to minimise the impact on site and surroundings, such as improved accessibility, enhanced public safety and better noise and vibration control. In addition, manpower management practices have also been revised to emphasise employee engagement, staff welfare, retention and training.The overall weightage for Gracious Practices has been increased from 40 percent to 50 percent

These announcements come just ahead of the BCA Awards scheduled on 22 May 2014, where 19 builders will be conferred the Green and Gracious Builder Award. Five companies have successfully achieved the top ‘Star’ rating, with another eight companies receiving the ‘Excellent’ award. The remaining companies will receive the ‘Merit’ award. Of the 19 companies awarded this year, 12 builders will be receiving the award for the first time.

“Given high visibility and impact of construction works in Singapore, it is important for builders to go green and adopt ‘friendlier’ construction practices. We hope to reduce inconvenience and disturbance of noise, dust and accessibility for those living in the vicinity, as well as members of the public. It is heartening to see more green and gracious builders participate in this scheme every year, and how they have found innovative ways to build responsibly. With the new scheme for SMCs, we hope to inspire smaller builders that they too, can take simple steps to be the change agent contributing to the environment and the community-at-large,” said Dr John Keung, CEO of BCA.

Green and Gracious Builder Award Winners 2014

In line with the increased focus on Gracious Practices, this year’s Green and Gracious award winners have not only come up with innovative ways to engage employees but also redesigned their work processes with a green and gracious mind set right from the start.

This year’s ‘Star’ award winner, Straits Construction Singapore Pte Ltd, has truly gone the extra mile to improve employee welfare. At its residential project, Kovan Regency, the company used excess construction materials to build recreational facilities for its workers. It has built a multi-purpose court, table tennis table, and gym equipment with pre-fabricated concrete planks, timber materials and surplus recycled concrete respectively. The project site even boasts a vegetable planting patch, which is collectively cared for by the workers. To minimise dust and noise for neighbours in the estate, the builder planted bamboo trees at the borders of the site to act as natural barriers, creating a more conducive worksite and living environment for the workers, as well as the community in the vicinity.

Gym facilities made out of recycled materials

Multipurpose court made out of precast planks constructed with concrete

Recycling bins made out of recycled construction material

Community vegetable patch tended by the workers

Potted plants located around the worksite to create a more pleasant environment

Table tennis table made out of recycled timber materials and reinforcement bars.

Singapore Piling and Civil Engineering Pte Ltd and Singa Development Pte Ltd are the first two companies to be assessed and awarded under the revised Green and Gracious Builder Scheme. Both builders have been given the ‘Star’ award for their use of advanced technology and innovative processes to improve productivity, conserve materials and enhance public safety.

For its Galaxis project, Singapore Piling and Civil Engineering Pte Ltd adopted a top-down construction method, where it built the basement levels and upper levels simultaneously. This not only improves productivity, but also helps to reduce the noise and dust generated during the construction process by having the upper levels shield the basement excavation work. In addition, the company designed its own unique underground support structure (One Layer Earth Retaining Stabilisation Structure (ERSS) Strut system) to help speed up basement construction and reduce vibration, noise and dust pollution.

Proving that smaller builders can also achieve green and gracious practices is Pal-Link Construction Pte Ltd. A Grade C1 “General Building” BCA registered contractor, Pal-Link has been awarded ‘Merit’ for its approach to piling which reduced the number of piles used. This helped to reduce noise pollution at its Millage Condominium site. To further reduce noise and dust pollution, the company also replaced the temporary retaining wall with diaphragm wall which also acts as a permanent structure and eliminates the need for hacking.

About GGBS and GGBA

First launched in February 2009, BCA’s Green and Gracious Builder Scheme and Green and Gracious Builder Award aims to raise the environmental consciousness and professionalism of builders. The award acts as a benchmark of a builder’s corporate social responsibility to the environment and the general public, and sets standards for green and gracious practices that builders can implement to address environmental concerns and mitigate possible inconveniences to the public caused by construction works. Both the revised Green and Gracious Builder Scheme and GGBS (SMC) scheme were developed in close consultation with Singapore Contractors Association Limited (SCAL) and other builders. To date, a total of 74 builders have been certified under the Green and Gracious Builder Scheme.