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G. Health, Safety & Wellness in Buildings
Combined
How might we leverage technology to enhance occupational health and safety of our construction sites, retrofit sites, or other areas within our assets or enhance the wellness of users in our existing buildings?
Challenge Description
Occupational Health & Safety
Occupational Health & Safety (OHS) is critical because your first mistake could be your last and all it takes is just 5 seconds. Hence, stringent processes are implemented to assure OHS. Permit processes are established to provide additional protection for hazardous work. Training is provided to uplift OHS knowledge and skills. Inspections are done to “find the problem before it finds us”. OHS dashboards provide leaders with important indicators to drive performance. In addition, there is the human element where OHS often needs to be enforced to ensure that OHS is done, is done right, and is done always. How can technology enhance OHS, or help to simplify and improve OHS performance including OHS in operational buildings or construction projects? Robotics that take the place of or minimise the exposure to humans in high-risk activities (including inspection or cleaning at height) are of interest.
Wellness
Wellness of users is affected by outdoor air quality (e.g., haze, air pollution), building management practices (e.g., selection of building materials, air treatment in air-conditioned space) and occupant behaviour (e.g., preference in keeping doors/windows open). In the post-pandemic world, wellness is top of mind for management.
Many solutions focus only on the IAQ component of wellness through monitoring and improving IAQ but are mainly effective in small, enclosed areas or neglect further wellness features. CapitaLand owns and manages different types of assets with characteristics such as large indoor space, multiple building entrances and high footfall, making it challenging to monitor and control IAQ. Green building design with extensive naturally ventilated common areas and multiple entrances to air-conditioned tenanted spaces may also increase possibility of polluted outdoor air infiltration.
While CapitaLand has deployed measures like IAQ sensors, high grade air filters, purging system, ultraviolet germicidal irradiation air handling units to monitor and improve IAQ at our properties, CapitaLand continues to look for innovations to enhance the wellness of our building occupants and users.
Pain Points
E.01 Limited space for on-site installation in existing buildings
E.02 Limited cost effective and proven technologies
E.03 Hard to quantify the benefits
E.04 Numerous OHS processes can be burdensome as they may be labour-intensive, and difficult to track due to manual and paper-driven processes
E.05 Much OHS data can be collected, but can that data be used effectively to realistically predict OHS trend?
E.06 Restricted implementation of OHS technologies in remote sites without internet connection
E.07 Not all solutions that benefit IAQ are energy efficient or have low carbon footprint
E.08 Small coverage area and/or poor accuracy of IAQ sensors/solutions
E.09 Hard to control human behaviour (e.g., PM2.5 is higher when the window is always opened)
E.10 Difficulty to reduce outdoor air infiltration through building entrances without compromising the building design
Solution Requirements
We seek solutions to improve the monitoring, visualisation and/or treatment of IAQ for the portfolio of CapitaLand's properties that meet the following requirements:
- Occupant experience - improve occupant comfort, wellness, and experience in the building
- Ease of integration with existing buildings - no major retrofit works required and able to work in spaces where there is frequent infiltration of outdoor air
- Small installation footprint - suitable for installation within limited space available in our existing properties
- Energy efficient/low carbon - low carbon footprint and consumes a reasonable amount of energy
- Measurable and trackable - clear computation of benefits and auditable data
- Cost efficient - strong financial benefits relative to its cost
- Ready to pilot - at least Technological Readiness Level 8 with proof of implementation
Opportunity Areas
Opportunity areas include but are not limited to:
- Augmented reality / Virtual reality (AR/VR) for safety training, including smart glasses
- • Artificial Intelligence (AI) for predictive safety
- IOT sensors for deployment e.g., work-at-height activities such as high-rise maintenance and cleaning
- Cloud solutions for accessibility
- Robotics, Drones
- IOT solutions that are effective and accurate over wide coverage area for monitoring and visualising IAQ and infiltration of outdoor air
- Air Handling Units enhancements
- IAQ treatment