PHILIPPINES, MANILA – The Zuellig Building, an elegant office tower located in Manila, Philippines, was selected as a winner in 2014 Urban Land Institute (ULI) Global Awards for Excellence program. This annual award recognizes outstanding achievement in the entire development of a project. Judges consider planning, design, and construction excellence, as well as accomplishment in financing and management. Thirteen winners, selected from a finalist pool of 23 projects, were honored at a ceremony at the ULI Fall Meeting in New York City on October 22 2014.
A press release from the ULI featured a quote from jury chair M. Leanne Lachman, president of real estate consulting firm Lachman Associates in New York City. Lachman noted that this year’s winners “demonstrate high-quality, innovative land use and building design. In addition, many involve historic preservation, public-private partnerships, environmental sustainability, and creative financing. This group of diverse projects is a timely reminder of how thoughtful design plays a central role in community health and longevity.”
The Zuellig Building has a distinctive presence on the capital’s skyline and is the first office building in Makati’s Central Business District that was pre-certified by the U.S. Green Building Council at the LEED® Gold level. The project is now LEED® Platinum certified. The double-paned, low-e glazed facade is designed to minimize solar heat gain and energy loss while allowing 90 percent of interior spaces to have access to natural light and views. Printed onto the glass, the tower’s frit pattern references local organic motifs and reinforces the vertical proportions of the tower.
Information and images by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP (SOM).
Kuching, Sarawak will be the host venue for the inaugural Green Buildings & Parks World 2014 from 1– 3 December 2014 at the Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK). The event is held in response to the fast growing market for green infrastructure and parks industry in the region, including both retrofitting infrastructure and new developments.
Co-organised by Confexhub Group and the Institute of Parks and Recreation Singapore, GBPW 2014 is Supported by the Ministry of Infrastructure Development and Communications Sarawak, Ministry of Tourism Sarawak, Sarawak Convention Bureau, BEAM Society Limited, CIDB Malaysia and Malaysia Green Building Confederation; is endorsed by many other regional trade associations in relations to green infrastructure.
Green Buildings and Parks World 2014 themed ‘Building for A Better Tomorrow’is aimed to provide a platform for developers, professionals and government bodies to converge and share, learn and collaborate to improve the green buildings and parks of their countries.
Over 200 international industry players from 20 odd countries representing architects, consultants, city planners, engineers, construction companies, building/facility managers of commercial and industrial properties, public facilities and material suppliers are expected to attend the conference and the collocated products showcase.
According to Datuk Abdul Aziz S.A. Kadir, the GBPW 2014 Organising Chairman, ‘This event is an exciting platform to not only enhanced knowledge on the latest green certifications, green incentives & financing options, advance green materials and technologies, the role of landscape and parks with buildings; but also a unique opportunity to meet with experts, share ideas and networking for potential future collaboration. From here, participants will learn from industry experts in the field, hear about the exceptional best practices, and have the opportunity to ask questions, seek advice and interact with other industry professionals regarding both retrofitting and developing new green infrastructures.’
On pre-conference day, there will be a technical tour to one of the green buildings in Sarawak that will provide hands-on experience to the conference delegates; to learn on energy efficiency, low-E glass and rain harvesting components, as well as the building integrated photovoltaic panels for solar harvesting.
HONG KONG — AECOM, a premier, fully integrated infrastructure and support services firm, announced today that it has been appointed by the Drainage Services Department of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government to provide investigation, design and construction supervision consultancy for the relocation of Sha Tin Sewage Treatment Works (STSTW) to caverns in Sha Tin, Hong Kong. The consultancy’s lump sum fee is around US$32 million while the total contract value, including site supervision costs, amounts to US$130 million.
With a sewage treatment capacity of 340,000 cubic meters per day, the relocated STSTW will be the biggest cavern sewage treatment works in Asia when completed, serving a population of over 800,000 in Sha Tin. This project also marks a new milestone in large-scale cavern development in Hong Kong as part of enhancing land supply strategy to free up land for housing and other beneficial uses.
AECOM’s scope of works includes engineering and environmental impact assessments, design of sewage treatment process, all aspects of engineering and architectural design in relation to the sewage treatment works in caverns, preparation of tender documents and construction supervision. AECOM will also assist the government in public engagement activities and provide preliminary design for the upstream sewerage networks and pumping facilities related to the relocation of the STSTW to caverns.
To design a sustainable sewage treatment works located inside caverns that will meet the demands for the next several decades, AECOM’s cavern and process teams will work out advanced sewage- and sludge-treatment technologies to minimize the size of needed caverns, energy consumption, carbon footprint and sludge production, in order to optimize the cost of the entire life cycle. AECOM will organize pilot studies to ensure that state-of-the-art technologies work well for local sewage characteristics, including high salinity due to the use of seawater for flushing in Hong Kong.
“AECOM is delighted to deliver this mega-infrastructure project after the completion of our feasibility study,” said Sean Chiao, AECOM’s President, Asia-Pacific. “With our integrated capabilities and technical expertise, we provide a truly integrated service to handle this challenging project that will generate tangible benefits for the Hong Kong society.”
The investigation and design work are scheduled for completion in phases from 2017, and construction works will commence afterwards.
Mark your calendars now, as the ninth edition of Hong Kong International Building and Hardware Fair organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council will be held on 29 October – 1 November 2014 at the AsiaWorld Expo! The fair welcomes close to 180 exhibitors. Among them, the exhibitors from Portugal and Turkey participate in the fair for the first time. They display broad array of building materials and hardware products. 14 exhibitors from Huzhou, Zhejiang province of the Chinese mainland, will participate in Huzhou Pavilion to showcase their latest green building materials and decorations. Inaugural Building Performance and BIM zone
Building Information Modelling (BIM) is the hottest development in the building industry. It is a new tool to holistically manage information relating to construction projects from planning stage, to design, construction and operational stages. As BIM has become popular in the sector, BIM Day, co-organised by the Construction Industry Council, will be held on the first day of the fair (29 October). Visitors will learn more about the benefits and applications of BIM through a series of seminars and project presentations. This hopefully will enhance the driving force to the industry. The debut of Building Performance and BIM zone will feature related products and services. A Wide Array of Top-Notch Products
Everything goes mobile. Through mobile apps, people do not have to stay in the office to manage their work. VHSoft Technologies Co., Ltd. (Booth no.: 8-H08) has developed VHSmart™ Mobile Construction management system, allowing users to conduct site inspection, job assignment, task progress monitoring, safety management and asset management on Mobile Phone. Real-time synchronisation facilitates users to review status and performance statistics anytime anywhere.
In addition, Autodesk® Building Design Suite of Synnex Technology International (HK) Limited (Booth no.: 8-H01) provides a portfolio of interoperable building design software that supports BIM- and CAD-based workflows to help professionals design, simulate, visualise, and construct better buildings.
More building materials are added in eco-friendly elements, offering energy saving solutions to modern homes. LTR Tiles (Booth no.: 8-H27) made from a durable, lightweight polycarbonate material is a revolutionary new design for architects and builders. They provide an extremely cost effective and discrete integral clear roofing solution, enabling permanent light and shade plus a natural cooling effect.
Grasp Business Opportunity by Staying Abreast of the Market Trend
A series of seminars, forums and networking events will be held concurrently with the fair. Professionals in the industry will share their insights with the visitors. Final day of the fair (1 November) will open to the public with the inaugural Ideal Home Mart. Retail sales of selected products will be available. There will be public forums on the topics of “Architecture and Surveying Industry”, “Green-Living‧Modern Home” and “Micro-Living: Small Space, Big Idea”.
The concurrent ninth edition Eco Expo Asia will take place at AsiaWorld-Expo, offering expanded sourcing opportunities for gift and premium buyers. Fair details can be viewed at the fair website：http://www.hktdc.com/fair/hkbdh-en
Mentioned Product feature:
VHSoft Technologies Co., Ltd. Product zone: Building Performance and BIM Booth no: 8-H08
Synnex Technology International (HK) Limited Product zone: Building Performance and BIM Booth no.: 8-H01
Company commits to $50 million in R&D spending over three years focused on developing and expanding its low-global warming potential portfolio of heating and cooling products
SINGAPORE– Johnson Controls, a global multi-industrial company, today will join private and public sector industry leaders in a White House roundtable discussion to phase down the use of high global warming refrigerants, which are used in air-conditioning and refrigeration systems. Johnson Controls commits to spend over $50 million over the next three years to develop new products and improve and expand its existing low-global warming potential (GWP) portfolio.
The President’s Climate Action Plan highlights the urgent need to reduce emissions caused by some hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) refrigerants, and is seeking goals, commitments and partnerships that catalyze the transition to more climate-friendly alternatives, where practical. According to the White House, emissions of high global-warming-potential HFCs – potent greenhouse gases – are expected to nearly double from current levels of 1.5 percent of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions to 3 percent by 2020, and triple by 2030 if action is not taken.
“We applaud the Administration and the regulatory agencies for taking a collaborative approach with industry to manage the phase-down in use of HFCs,” said Laura Wand, vice president, chiller solutions, at Johnson Controls’ Building Efficiency business. “
At the event, Johnson Controls will stress the importance of considering the energy efficiency of the system when selecting a new refrigerant, not just its low global warming potential. Up to 98 percent of the total CO2 equivalent emissions over the life of air conditioning equipment can be due to energy use alone, not the global warming potential of the refrigerant contained. According to Wand, some new refrigerants being released on the global market can in fact lower equipment efficiency which will have a negative impact on the environment.
“The energy efficiency makes the greatest impact on the total carbon-footprint of a system over its life,” said Wand. “Therefore, when making choices on refrigerants, we cannot sacrifice energy efficiency.”
Johnson Controls has advocated for the interests of its customers during discussions with industry associations and legislators on the regulations and standards related to refrigerants. Similarly, the refrigerants that it chooses for its products will best fit the needs of its customers and the environment based on safety, energy efficiency, reliability, availability and cost.
The company has already spent more than $26 million over the past 3 years in the development of low global warming potential technologies.
Flowcrete supplied Iveco with a range of solutions as part of the company’s vast and complex flooring project at its new manufacturing facility in Pretoria.
The 55,000 square metre installation was the largest flooring project in South Africa at the time and required multiple specialist and bespoke systems to be applied throughout the large manufacturing complex.
The global leader of industrial vehicles carried out an extensive specification process to ensure that the finished surface within its new facility would be able to withstand the intensive activity that would be carried out on site. Out of the seven companies that put forward flooring samples during the specification process, Iveco recognised that the systems provided by the global resin flooring specialists Flowcrete would
be the best fit for its latest development.
Flowcrete South Africa’s Managing Director Craig Blitenthall said: “When Iveco chose us they knew that they were choosing quality over costs,as there were cheaper alternatives available – however when it came down to which supplier was best placed to meet their demanding requirements it was Flowcrete that came out on top.
“Working on this development meant overcoming many interesting challenges, as not only was it the largest flooring project in the country at the time, but meeting Iveco’s specifications meant creating unique solutions and making full use of the flexibility of our systems.”
To meet Iveco’s high aesthetic requirements Flowcrete had to supply its solutions in the casino same colours as the client’s international standards. To do this the resin flooring specialist developed and produced floors in bespoke tones that matched Iveco’s corporate colours.
Before the floor finish could be applied the concrete substrate had to be assessed to find out what damage had been caused by a fire that had broken out during construction. To fix this floor layer the underlying concrete slabs were taken up and the area rescreeded. Support beams and sliding doors that had been fire damaged were removed and the floor cavities left behind were filled in with Conrep SF65.
The epoxy resin floor coating Flowcoat SF41 was installed across the main production areas of the facility as well as on the walkways. The hard-wearing and chemically resistant nature of this solution makes it ideal for large-scale manufacturing plants, as it will maintain a seamless, impermeable and bright surface despite the inevitable heavy work load, oil and grease spillages, hot water washes and the physical impacts of heavy equipment.
Flowcoat SF41 can optimise the working environment of industrial facilities in a number of ways. Its adjustable anti-slip profile means that the use of graded aggregates can be tailored to reduce the risk of slips and trips depending on the location.
This system was also used for the demarcation lines, creating bright and clear yellow signage to aid navigation around the busy, multi-complexsite. Flowcoat SF41 was utilised for this, as Iveco wanted a solution that was thicker and more durable than the standard demarcation line product.
Several areas of the facility required the floor to have specific properties. The laboratory and paint mixing rooms had the polyurethane resin system Flowfresh HF ESD installed across the floors and Flowfresh WR ESD was applied as coving around the drains. These systems not only create a seamless and easy-to-clean floor, but they also have electrostatic dissipative properties to avoid static charge build up. This was important within the laboratory as static charges in the floor can damage sensitive electrical equipment and within a paint room it can be a dangerous ignition source.
This combination of solutions meant that Iveco could rest assured that its new facility would maintain an unblemished surface that wouldn’t deteriorate when faced with the inevitable demands of manufacturing 20 tonne trucks.
Hydro International, the leading global provider of solutions for the control and treatment of stormwater and wastewater, has opened an office in Singapore as a centre for its growing business across the Asia Pacific region.
As part of a programme to establish a direct presence in strategic international locations, Hydro has appointed Andy Tang as APAC Regional Business Manager to run the Singapore office and develop sales distributorships across the region. Andy’s brief is to establish a platform for the introduction and support of Hydro’s innovative and brand-leading vortex control and separation technologies.
“After significant sales growth in recent years, Hydro is now keen to consolidate its successes and grow its business potential in APAC,” said International Business Director Clive Evans. “Hydro is moving closer to the international markets it serves, providing a higher-profile and responsive service to customers in the region.”
Hydro’s proven record in the region includes orders for more than 100 Downstream Defender vortex separators to improve surface water quality as part of the River of Life project in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Hydro has also seen significant interest in its wastewater grit removal solutions, and for its brand-leading Hydro-Brake® Vortex Flow Controls and Vortex DropTM Shaft technologies.
Andy Tang will be responsible for developing Hydro’s business in Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Myanmar, Australia and New Zealand.
An engineering graduate of Aberdeen University, Andy has enjoyed a successful career to date with more than 18 years in senior sales management posts in the pumps and hydraulics industry in Singapore, notably with Boerger Pumps, Fuglesangs, and Viking Pumps.
Andy commented: “I have been very impressed by Hydro’s vortex-based control and separation technologies and their no-power, no-moving parts design. Many countries in the region are prone to periods of intense, sudden rainfall leading to flooding and river pollution. Hydro’s products are well-placed to address the growing desire to improve surface water control and treatment.
“I also expect to see growing interest for Hydro’s wastewater grit removal systems, which promise operators new approaches to improving equipment performance and plant maintenance by eliminating harmful grit from downstream works.“
Monthly Index Totaled 45.88, Down 1.09 Points from August’s Reading of 46.97
BEIJING – The health of China’s steel sector may be poised for a less than robust immediate future, according to the latest Platts China Steel Sentiment Index (Platts CSSI), which showed a September reading of 45.88 out of a possible 100 points. This is down 1.09 points from an August reading of 46.97 and is the third consecutive month the index has remained below 50, indicating that market participants see demand for steel softening.
China’s steel sector expects construction steel prices to fall over September on the back of the slowdown in China’s property sector, the index survey showed.
The Platts China Steel Sentiment Index Survey – September 2014
(a figure over 50 indicates expansion; under 50 indicates contraction)
September
Change from August
August
Platts China Steel Sentiment Index(Reflects New Orders)
45.88
-1.09
46.97
New Domestic Orders
44.82
-2.62
47.44
New Export Orders
58.04
16.50
41.54
Additional Sentiment Categories
Steel Production
41.38
6.76
34.62
Inventories
Mill Inventories
46.55
-26.53
73.08
Trader Inventories
47.02
-12.42
59.44
Price Expectations
Long Steel Prices
18.75
-45.54
64.29
Flat Steel Prices
10.63
-18.54
29.17
Export Steel Prices
10.11
-25.50
35.61
The most positive reading in the latest index is expectations for new export orders, which rose by 16.50 points in September from the previous month. The outlook for crude steel product also improved, with the index moving up 6.76 points from August to 41.38 in September.
“The Chinese steel industry has been relying heavily on the export market in recent months to compensate for very soft demand in the domestic end-user markets,” said Paul Bartholomew, Platts managing editor for steel and raw materials. “The massive fall in expectations for prices of long steel products is not surprising given the slowdown in the property sector.”
The latest CSSI indicates the industry is largely expecting a drop-off in domestic orders with a reading of 44.82 points – 2.62 points lower than the previous month. The long steel prices index plunged from August’s 64.29 points to 18.75 in September, and flat steel sentiment index fell 18.54 points to 10.63. While market participants expect new export orders to increase, price expectations remain bearish, falling 25.50 points month over month to 10.11 points in September.
“The market situation does not bode well for steel producers and it’s certainly not good for iron ore miners at a time of huge supply into China. Lower steel prices will put more pressure on iron ore prices which have already hit a five-year low,” Bartholomew said.
The monthly Platts CSSI is based on a survey of approximately 50 to 75 China-based market participants including traders, stockists and steel mill operators. The survey of month-ahead sentiment is conducted during the last full working week of each month, with the results published via press release and Platts’ products and services before the 10th of the next month. Platts began tracking steel sector sentiment in China in May 2013. The Platts China Steel Sentiment Index survey plays no role in Platts’ formal price assessment processes.
For more information about steel and metals visit the website at www.platts.com.
New facility created to help printing companies and brands in Asia Pacific and Japan to bring their ideas to life
SINGAPORE — HP today announced the opening of a new Centre of Excellence (CoE) and the expansion of an HP Indigo ink manufacturing facility in Singapore. The facility aims to educate and inspire printing companies and their customers – including brands, agencies and print buyers – in Asia Pacific and Japan about new opportunities made possible by HP digital printing solutions.
HP Executives and Guest of Honor, Thien Kwee Eng, Assistant Managing Director of the Singapore Economic Development Board, at the opening ceremony for the HP Graphics Solutions Centre of Excellence and new Indigo Ink Manufacturing facility
The new 21,000 square metre facility will provide customers with one-stop access to HP’s broad digital printing portfolio and solutions, as well as a space to connect with experts and share creative and technical best practices.
The new facility will further support worldwide Indigo ink volume production by expanding local capabilities from the current ink series to the fast-growing new generation of inks for the HP Indigo 10000, 20000 and 30000 Digital Presses.
“Brand owners are facing increased competition as consumer choice and expectations have exploded. As a result, they’ve moved into the digital world to connect more powerfully with their customers,” said Gido van Praag, vice president, Graphics Solutions Business, HP Asia Pacific and Japan. “The new HP Centre of Excellence aims to give them the tools to compete, helping brands identify new ways to combine their unique skills with the industry’s broadest portfolio of innovative digital printing solutions, and its unparalleled application capabilities.”
The new facility will create employment opportunities in Singapore with more than 100 employees projected to be added to the facility in the next five years, most of which will include technical professionals and training personnel.
“We welcome HP’s latest investment as yet another milestone in the 44-year Singapore-HP partnership,” said Thien Kwee Eng, assistant managing director of the Singapore Economic Development Board. “Printing is an important industry, and the new HP Graphics Solutions Centre of Excellence and second Indigo ink manufacturing plant will help to transform the industry to capture opportunities from the growth of digital printing.”
HP Graphics Solutions Centre of Excellence Unlocks the Full Power of Digital Printing
The complete graphics portfolio and partner solutions along with an extensive gallery of applications – from stamps to building wraps – are housed in the new facility to make it easier for customers to unlock the full power of digital printing.
Printing companies will be able to benchmark and conduct end-to-end application testing of their HP digital printing equipment. Brands and agencies will be able to see inspirational ideas and work on pilot projects in a real-world production environment.
In addition, a training centre will help increase operator proficiency and expedite return on investment of HP Indigo Digital Presses, HP Scitex Industrial Presses, HP Latex and HP Designjet Printers. The centre, staffed by 11 training and ramp-up specialists, will provide hands-on learning and train more than 350 operators, engineers and production managers each year.
HP Ink Manufacturing Facility to Answer Fast Growth of New Generation HP Indigo Digital Presses
The increase in ink manufacturing capabilities supports the growing demand of Indigo next-generation presses, which are reaching 150 installations worldwide. These installations are in addition to more than 6,000 HP Indigo Presses now in 120 countries.
The 10,000 square metre expansion to the ink manufacturing plant will support global production of specialized HP Indigo ElectroInks for the new generation of HP Indigo 10000, 20000 and 30000 Digital Presses. The Indigo 10000, the first B2-format digital press with offset quality, enables print service providers, photo specialty shops and book printers to provide high value, high productivity applications. The Indigo 20000 and the Indigo 30000 Digital Presses, released to the market earlier this year, are the first digital presses designed to meet the needs of label & flexible packaging and folding carton converters.
To allow HP Indigo customers in the region to order and receive more than 3,000 specially mixed ink colours within short lead times, the plant will also manufacture Pantone®-licensed spot colour inks.
Substrate testing and certification capabilities will be built into the plant to enable substrate manufacturers, suppliers and HP Indigo press owners from Asia Pacific and Japan and Europe, the Middle East and Africa to evaluate substrate compatibility with HP Indigo Digital Presses.
The new ink manufacturing facility is scheduled to open in 2015.
Acquisition of stake timely as Singapore partner clinches S$26m contract from LTA for Thomson MRT Line
Bureau Veritas, one of the largest global testing, inspection and certification agencies, has bolstered its Singapore presence through the acquisition of a 70% stake in homegrown CKM Consultants Pte. Ltd.
The acquisition of CKM Consultants will enable the Euronext Paris-listed company to deepen itself into Singapore public sector construction projects as well as expand into private sector projects in the longer term. Bureau Veritas already has testing, inspection and certification expertise in the construction and infrastructure sectors globally.
Bureau Veritas has other core competencies in sectors like Marine, Oil & gas, Consumer products and Commodities.
The partnership is timely as CKM Consultants has just clinched a S$26 million contract to undertake comprehensive qualified person supervision (an industry term used to refer to an accredited service to conduct supervision) on four new stations on the upcoming Thomson Line (TSL). With connections to the North-South East-West Line, North East Line (NEL), Circle Line (CCL) and Downtown Line (DTL), the TSL is expected to open in phases from 2019.
“Bureau Veritas has a long and rich experience in helping clients in the construction industry to define their strategies, manage risk, monitor quality, improve performance and enhance their return on investment throughout the critical design, construction and transaction phases. This timely partnership with CKM Consultants will enable Bureau Veritas to bring some of the best global practices into our Singapore partner,” said Serge Antonini, Bureau Veritas’ Senior Vice President for Southeast Asia-Pacific.
“It is also an opportunity for Bureau Veritas to bring CKM’s expertise to overseas markets, especially in Southeast Asia,” he added.
Rakesh Kumar, Chief Executive of the company’s Industries and Facilities Division, said that the new relationship with CKM Consultants is a strategic alliance because of the immense experience and track record it has in Singapore public sector construction market. “Bureau Veritas is already a diversified player in the testing, inspection and certification and we see this alliance as a marriage of global expertise and local networks to jointly seek private sector projects in the construction sector.”
“CKM Consultants views the relationship with Bureau Veritas as part of its next phase of growth,” said Abishek Murthy, a founding Director of the Singapore company. “We have been around for 25 years and have done enormous amounts of civil and structural work for numerous public projects. We see this alliance with a global MNC as a gateway to pitch for private sector projects and as a catalyst to spread our wings into the region,” he said.
CKM was founded as a professional engineering services company in 1989 and has undertaken more than 150 projects with the likes of the Land Transport Authority, National Environment Agency, National Parks Board, Preservation of Monuments Board, among others.
Murthy said that the Singapore company has four core accredited offerings: Independent Design review and peer review; Periodic structural inspections; Structural investigation & feasibility studies; and Construction supervision.
In the past two decades, CKM Consultants has successfully completed more than 500 Accredited Checking/ Independent Design Reviews / Peer Reviews mainly in Singapore and in selected markets in Asia.
Murthy adds that CKM Consultants is one of the Singapore pioneers in the area of structural investigation and consultancy. “Full structural investigation is a specialization which few have, CKM being one of them. We are a pioneer of this kind of work when the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) started their efforts to conserve buildings in the late 80s,” he added.
Bureau Veritas is a global leader in laboratory testing, inspection and certification services. Created in 1828, the Group has more than 64,000 employees in around 1,330 offices and laboratories located in 140 countries. The Singapore office, which functions as a regional headquarters for Southeast Asia and the Pacific, has 550 staff.
