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Paya Lebar Quarter Achieves Highest Rating for New Green Mark Standards

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PLQ Commercial Towers

Paya Lebar Quarter by Lendlease, a $3.2 billion mixed-use development, is the first in Singapore to achieve a Platinum rating under the Building and Construction Authority’s (BCA) latest version of its Green Mark scheme for new non-residential buildings, Green Mark for Non-Residential Buildings NRB: 2015.

Currently benchmarked as the highest sustainability standard for non-residential buildings in Singapore, the GM NRB: 2015 Platinum has been awarded to Paya Lebar Quarter’s three office towers and retail mall. The development’s residential component, Park Place Residences at PLQ has also been awarded the BCA Green Mark Platinum for Residential Buildings.

GM 2015 addresses sustainability in a balanced and holistic manner which rewards overall performance of buildings that are climate responsive, energy effective, resource efficient, smarter and have healthier indoor environments.1 The assessment criteria also reflects a strong recognition of sustainable design features that boost the health and well-being of building occupants.

Paya Lebar Quarter’s sustainability vision focuses on creating an active, green and engaged environment by putting people at the centre of its design. The development offers more than 100,000 square feet of green public spaces, seamlessly linked with the Park Connector Network. Its public space design which fuses retail, entertainment and leisure experiences allows the community to engage in a diverse range of activities and the vast, open spaces where they can relax and mingle makes Paya Lebar Quarter a vibrant, evolving place.

Mr. Richard Paine, Managing Director of Paya Lebar Quarter by Lendlease, commented: “Lendlease places people at the heart of our vision to create the best places. We are deeply honoured and encouraged by this award, recognising our holistic approach towards sustainability which is aligned to BCA’s Green Mark evolvement placing greater focus on the health and well-being of building occupants, energy effectiveness, climatically contextual design, smart buildings and resource use. We will continue to create inclusive urban living spaces that redefine the way people work, live and lead truly connected lives.”

PLQ Public Realm

Paya Lebar Quarter recognises that an efficient performing building will also result in operational savings enhancing property valuation on top of conserving the environment. As such, the precinct has incorporated various features to efficiently use resources throughout the building’s life cycle.

With the implementation of high efficiency water fittings along with monitoring and leak detection systems, the development expects to save over 40 percent of water annually during operations. The development will also achieve over 30 percent in energy savings, in comparison to a reference building designed for code compliance. The energy savings stem from a variety of design solutions, from high performance facades to the use of Light Emitting Diodes (LED) and more efficient air-conditioning systems.

Future retail and office tenants will also benefit from Lendlease’s Green Lease program, which encourages tenants to adopt sustainable fittings, equipment and mindsets for operational savings and providing a healthier environment for their employees in their tenancies.

The project’s focus on health and wellbeing on top of energy efficiency is also evident from other progressive initiatives throughout Paya Lebar Quarter. The lush landscaping resulted in a precinct-wide Green Plot Ratio of 6.93 and the precinct wide tree-positive strategy means there will be three times more trees as compared to the original site. Paya Lebar Quarter will also introduce some of the best active mobility provisions in Singapore, including end-of-trip facilities for office and retail tenants, ample bicycle parking spaces, and almost one kilometre of dedicated mobility routes seamlessly connected to the wider Park Connector Network.

PLQ Promenade

Paya Lebar Quarter’s Green Mark achievements are the latest in a series of sustainability milestones, testament to Lendlease’s commitment to creating liveable cities that positively contribute to the social, economic and environmental fabrics across urban landscapes. In addition to Green Mark, Paya Lebar Quarter is also the first private mixed-use development to be designed and certified under the Public Utilities Board (PUB)’s Active, Beautiful and Clean Waters (ABC Waters) programme through the incorporation of water sensitive urban design principles.

Lendlease’s mixed-use development in Jurong, Jem®, one of the first mixed-use developments to achieve Green Mark Platinum Version 4.0 in 2012; its 313@somerset mall along Orchard Road is the first shopping mall in Singapore to be recertified under the Green Mark Platinum Award (Existing Building Version 3.0) in 2014; Parkway Parade is one of the first mixed use developments in Singapore to have achieved the BCA Green Mark Platinum Existing Building (Non-Residential) criteria in 2010. Lendlease has also won 50 Sustainability awards to date for other projects in Singapore.

Afro-Asia Shipping Company and Shimizu Corporation Enter into Joint Venture Agreement

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Afro-Asia Shipping Co (Pte) Ltd (AAS) and Shimizu Corporation Investment and Development Division recently announced their joint venture to redevelop Afro-Asia Building, one of the oldest office blocks along Robinson Road in Singapore’s Central Business District (CBD), into a brand new Grade A office building. Cushman & Wakefield’s Capital Markets team acted as the advisor for the transaction.

AAS and Shimizu Corporation have incorporated a joint venture company, Robinson Development (Pte) Ltd, to which AAS will be transferring the lease rights and retain a controlling interest in the company. Robinson Development (Pte) Ltd will fund the cost of constructing the office building with loan assistance from financial institutions. The total cost for the entire project is estimated to be in excess of SGD320 million. Shimizu Corporation will carry out the demolition in November this year and construction is expected to commence in April 2018, with completion scheduled for mid-2020.

Mr. Tan Chin Hoon, Managing Director, AAS said, “AAS is privileged to partner with Shimizu Corporation, a well-established name in the real estate and construction industry. The new development will enhance the façade of Robinson Road and we are confident that the redeveloped 63 Robinson Road will be a much sought-after commercial address in Singapore.”

Mr. Hideto Kawakami, Deputy General Manager, Shimizu Corporation said, “We are excited to expand our investment portfolio in Singapore through this joint venture. For the new development, we will be bringing in the latest eco-friendly designs and state of the art technology from Japan to meet the future needs of commercial occupiers. They can expect flexible and efficient prime space with a modern touch that will accommodate the latest and future working trends.”

Built in the 1950s, Afro-Asia Building, which is currently seven-storeys high with a four-storey annexe will be redeveloped into a 19-storey high development with a total gross floor area of 16,908 square metres. It will boast panoramic views of the CBD skyline and a roof top garden. Adopting a green design approach, the building will incorporate innovation and green technologies including efficient air- conditioning management, cleaning and maintenance services, which are prevalent in Japan. There are also plans to get the development certified under the Green Mark Platinum and LEED Platinum standards.

The new development will have a Food & Beverage (F&B) component on the ground floor with office spaces from levels 7 to 18. The site is highly accessible and is in close proximity to the North-South, East-West and Downtown MRT lines. It is also about 120 metres away from the new Shenton Way MRT station due to complete in 2021.

Ms. June Chua, Executive Director, Leasing at Cushman & Wakefield noted that the redevelopment comes at an opportune time as demand for new Grade A office space in the CBD is picking up momentum and this new development tactically meets market demand for exclusive space sought after by mid-size office occupiers.

“According to our research, there will be approximately 137,000 square metres of Grade A office space completing in the CBD in the next three years, and all these developments, with the exception of 63 Robinson Road, are designed for larger office occupiers. Given the very limited good quality office buildings which have been developed over the past 10 years in Shenton Way and Tanjong Pagar, we expect pent-up demand for quality and exclusive space which 63 Robinson Road is well placed to serve,” she said.

Siemens Launches First Fully Integrated Digitalisation Hub in Singapore

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Image courtesy of RENDY ARYANTO / Visual Verve Studios

Siemens launched its first fully integrated Digitalization Hub in July 2017 to bring its expertise and innovations in the Internet of Things (IoT) to the Southeast Asian market. Siemens will be co-creating future digital applications with customers and partners to build a digital ecosystem.

The launch took place simultaneously at parallel events in Singapore and at Siemens’ headquarters in Munich: Singapore’s Prime Minister, Lee Hsien Loong, and the President and CEO of Siemens AG, Joe Kaeser, unveiled a plaque in Munich to mark the Hub’s opening, while Singapore’s Minister for Trade and Industry (Industry), S. Iswaran, and the CEO of Siemens Singapore, Armin Bruck, opened the Hub in Singapore.

Supported by the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB), the Hub brings together data scientists, solution architects, software engineers, system experts and domain specialists from the urban infrastructure, industrial and healthcare sectors. These professionals will experiment, learn, develop and test-bed innovations and future-ready digital solutions that help businesses become more efficient and sustainable.

An integral part of the Digitalization Hub concept is MindSphere, an open, cloud- based IoT operating system that offers data analytics, connectivity capabilities and tools for developers, applications and services. This platform helps evaluate and process data to gain insights and optimise asset performance for maximised productivity.

“Innovations have been a vital part of Siemens’ DNA for 170 years. With this Digitalization Hub, we’re creating synergy and an ecosystem for our teams, customers and business partners to tap into the benefits that digitalisation can bring,” said Joe Kaeser, President and CEO of Siemens AG. “Singapore is the ideal location for this Hub because of its distinctively advanced industrial and urban infrastructure development, combined with the government’s Smart Nation thrust to enable a digital economy.”

Sixty specialists from a variety of disciplines will work at the Hub at the outset. The number of digitalisation experts is expected to reach 300 by the year 2022. The key target areas for the Hub are urban infrastructure, advanced manufacturing and healthcare.

To mark the launch of the Siemens Digitalization Hub, three collaboration agreements were signed with Singapore partners. Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) will partner with Siemens to create and showcase data-driven innovations for urban infrastructure, such as innovative mobility solutions based on self-driving vehicles, and advanced data analytics for optimising the performance of green buildings.

SP Group will collaborate with Siemens to build a next-generation energy management software platform for SP’s 24/7 control centres, to enable more robust planning, surveillance and predictive maintenance of Singapore’s electricity network. They will also create a multi-energy urban micro grid solution to help consumers save energy and cost.

The electronics arm of Singapore Technologies Engineering Ltd, a leading technology, engineering and defence group; Singapore Technologies Electronics Limited (ST Electronics), and Siemens signed a partnership agreement to co-create and proactively market innovative digital use cases in the field of transportation (roads, harbours, airports and mass transit). The focus is on applications and solutions for connectivity, cyber security, data convergence, analytics and contextualisation. These applications will use MindSphere to enable expansion into further market segments.

Tender Closing for Residential Site at Woodleigh Lane

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The bidding war for residential sites has escalated further in this tender, driven by bidders’ determination to secure this attractive site in a market that is potentially recovering. Located adjacent to the Woodleigh MRT station and across the road from the future commercial/residential development, in a new housing sub-market that is in strong demand, the subject parcel was just too irresistible to many of the bidders, accounting for their bullish bids.

About half of the bids were above expectations with the top 4 bids within a tight 3.6 percent margin. With the top bid of $1,110 psf/pr by CEL, the break-even is estimated to be close to $1,600 psf, suggesting that units are likely to be priced optimistically when they are launched.

BEX Ramps Up 10th Anniversary Edition With Sustainability Focus

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BEX Asia is set to welcome international visitors this September. Image courtesy of www.facebook.com/BEXAsia

Build Eco Xpo (BEX) Asia, Southeast Asia’s leading trade exhibition for the green building market, is set to welcome international visitors this September. Paving the future for a greener, sustainable living, the event will be held in conjunction with Mostra Convegno Expocomfort (MCE) Asia, a regional HVAC-R, water and energy exhibition, and the International Green Building Conference (IGBC), at Marina Bay Sands from 12 to 14 September 2017.

According to the UN, half of Southeast Asia’s population will be urban residents by 2018. Cities account for 60 to 80 percent of energy consumption and generate more than 70 per cent of the human-induced greenhouse gas emissions. Shining the light on the latest solutions for building developers and managers, BEX Asia 2017 and its co-located event, MCE Asia, are expected to play host to over 450 exhibiting companies internationally and attract over 12,000 visitors across the region.

Promising an all-rounded experience for participants, BEX and MCE Asia will feature complementary seminars that will offer a mix of perspectives to support knowledge building and exchange and inspire innovation in the industry.

“Increasing awareness of the repercussions of climate change and translating this to action is key in the fight against climate change. For 10 years, our goal has been to inspire the industry to innovate and increase adoption of sustainable practices and technology in their projects. The 10th anniversary edition of BEX Asia brings all industry stakeholders together for a meaningful conversation on driving the region’s sustainability agenda in the next ten years,” commented Ms. Louise Chua, Project Director of BEX Asia at Reed Exhibitions.

New features continue to be added as BEX Asia evolves to keep pace with the industry. The 2017 edition will feature BEX-MCE Green Trails, a specially curated site tour designed to provide a deeper experiential understanding of green building practices and infrastructure in Singapore. The tour will take visitors to outstanding Green Mark Platinum buildings in Singapore, including BCA Skylab, CapitaGreen, Mapletree Business City and United World College Southeast Asia.

Endorsing Change for a Sustainable Future
This year, BEX Asia looks ahead to push forth a change in mindset to accelerate Southeast Asia’s green building developments. For the first time, the use of cutting-edge technology such as virtual reality (VR) in building design and construction will be featured to encourage designers, developers and contractors to incorporate these tools in their future projects. With demos and VR games from AAF International Asia- Pacific, Resource Data Management Asia and Nanyang Polytechnic, visitors will be able to experience building functions in a fun and engaging way.

Topics such as sustainability in interior design, intelligent green buildings, and Artificial Intelligence (AI) for intuitive and smart buildings will also be key discussion areas at the event. Visitors can look forward to the Smart Web feature area that will showcase the latest technologies from Azbil Singapore, Creston and Synergix, designed to accelerate automation amidst technological advancements such as the Internet of Things. The area will feature intelligent solutions such as building and lighting controls, HVAC optimization, access & security controls and electrical network controls that provide actionable insights to help drive better building efficiency.

Visitors at BEX Asia 2017 should also look out for an installation by G3 that leads the trend in smart buildings. Set within the exhibition floor will be the ‘FINCH’, a smart living space that is modular, relocatable and sustainable. Fabricated using cross-laminated timber (CLT), FINCH is adaptable and future-proof. It can be interconnected and stacked, creating limitless options for living and working spaces in any environment.

Cementing BEX Asia’s position as a leading industry platform for innovations solutions, more than 193 exhibitors have already agreed to participate at BEX Asia 2017, including top names such as AAF, AGC, Ariston, Azbil, Big Ass Fans, Belimo, Camfil, Crestron, ebm-papst, Kansai, Nippon, Parex, Reflex Winkelmann GmbH, ST Electronics, SMARDT, and Waldmann.

Driving Towards Net Zero Energy Building (NZEB)
MCE Asia, the Asian edition of Mostra Convegno Expocomfort (MCE), Europe’s longest running trade exhibition for environmentally friendly comfort technology, is set to open its doors for the third year running.

BEX and MCE Asia will feature complementary seminars. Image courtesy of www.facebook.com/BEXAsia

Contributing to the region’s green building agenda, MCE Asia will see top names such as ebm-papst Southeast Asia, AGC Asia and Reflex Winkelmann GmbH returning to showcase their latest innovations focusing on energy, efficiency for heating, ventilation, air-conditioning and ventilation. These household names will be joined by first time exhibitors such as AAF Singapore, Kyung Dong Industrial and Yanmar Asia, with an array of solutions that represent next-generation fittings, fixtures and controls for sustainable buildings of the future.

Specially for HVAC-R and plumbing contractors, engineers, consultants, facilities managers and owners, MCE Asia will deep dive into topics such as air and water sustainability in healthcare and ways to design and manage energy-efficient buildings. The event also incorporates pavilions representing Canada, China, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and Netherlands among others, bringing delegates closer to the opportunities and innovations in these markets.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

URA to Launch Tender for Reserve List Site at Beach Road

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Navigant Names New Leader of Global Construction Practice in APAC

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Jon Prudhoe, Managing Director. Image courtesy of Navigant.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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