CapitaLand’s The Interlace, the only residential project accorded Universal Design Mark Platinum at BCA Awards 2014
The Group also awarded the prestigious BCA Quality Excellence Award - Quality Champion (GoldPLUS)
Singapore, 22 May 2014 – – CapitaLand Limited’s The Interlace was the only residential project to be accorded the top accolade of Universal Design Mark Platinum at the annual Building and Construction Authority Awards 2014 (BCA Awards). It was also conferred the Design and Engineering Safety Excellence (Residential) award.
CapitaLand was also awarded the prestigious BCA Quality Excellence Award - Quality Champion (GoldPLUS) for its commitment to higher quality and workmanship standards of its new buildings in Singapore over the years
Since last year’s BCA Awards, CapitaLand has been accorded 11 Green Mark and three Universal Design Mark awards. To date, the Group has bagged a total of 85 Green Mark awards and 11 Universal Design Mark awards for its development projects in Singapore, China, Indonesia, Malaysia and Vietnam.
Mr Tan Seng Chai, Group Chief Corporate Officer, CapitaLand Limited and Chairman, CapitaLand Sustainability Steering Committee, said: “We are honoured to be recognised by BCA for our efforts in green buildings, universal design and building quality. We understand how buildings would touch the lives of home owners, shoppers, tenants and serviced residence guests, and members of the public. We are therefore committed to build them to be green, accessible, to the highest quality and ensure the safety of our stakeholders. We believe that when we build buildings, we build people too.”
He added: “BCA has continually raised the building standards in Singapore by extending beyond green buildings to provide holistic benchmarking for the building and construction industry. We share BCA’s conviction to enhance our built environment. In accordance with CapitaLand’s Green Buildings Guidelines, environment, health, safety and social factors are considered at all stages of development. CapitaLand takes a holistic and progressive approach towards sustainability and we remain committed to design, build and operate our properties for the long-term well being and benefit of the users and the community."
CapitaLand’s Green Buildings Guidelines (GBG), an in-house guide developed since 2007, outlines environmental considerations to be factored in at all stages of a project, from feasibility, design, procurement, construction, operation to redevelopment. It applies to developments and refurbishments, and joint venture developments where CapitaLand has management control and the largest stake. The guidelines have since been extended to include, health and safety, and universal design aspects of real estate development. GBG is incorporated into the Group’s ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001 certified Environmental, Health and Safety Management System (EHSMS) and sustainability targets linked to key performance indicators.
CapitaLand’s commitment to building sustainably is reflected in the following areas:
Environmental Sustainability
Green building targets s ne of Green Mark GoldPLUS by BCA and certification by a green rating system administered by a national government ministry/agency or a Green Building Council recognised by World Green Building Council are implemented across the Group’s new properties in Singapore and overseas respectively.
The Group also tracks energy, water usage and carbon emission intensity across its international property portfolio as part of its standard operating procedures.
Although not legislated, CapitaLand carries out mandatory Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) during the feasibility stage of any development project. EIA is a key component of its Green Buildings Guidelines, which has been implemented since 2007. It focuses on identifying any environmental threats or opportunities related to the project site and its surroundings, covering areas such as floods, biodiversity, air quality, noise, connectivity, heritage and resources.
Universal Design
The Universal Design Mark was launched in October 2012 as a voluntary initiative to encourage the adoption of user-centric building design, operations and maintenance. In support of the scheme, CapitaLand has set a minimum requirement of Universal Design Mark Gold for the Group’s new projects in Singapore.
CapitaLand’s Universal Design criteria includes ensuring accessibility in the built environment to people of different age groups and varying mobility and connectivity to public transport, roads, amenities and between buildings. The Group also takes effort to provide community spaces as public gathering points at its shopping malls.
Quality Excellence
In support of the BCA Quality Mark scheme, CapitaLand has committed all its residential developments in Singapore to be certified or committed under the Quality Mark scheme.
To date, close to 11,000 units in over 30 of CapitaLand’s residential projects in Singapore have been certified or committed under the Quality Mark scheme since it was introduced in 2002. The Group attributes this largely to the discipline and robust process in paying attention to details in the design, building and operating stages of its properties.
Design for Safety (DfS)
Workplace health and safety is of prime importance to CapitaLand and its stakeholders including employees, tenants, contractors, suppliers and the communities who use the Group’s properties. It has an Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) management system which is externally audited to the OHSAS 18001 standards. The Group sets OHS key performance indicators which also include the requirement for main contractors to be OHSAS 18001 certified or be externally audited for OHS compliance.
By working closely with stakeholders, The Interlace was accident free during construction and was completed ahead of schedule.
As part of CapitaLand’s DfS requirements, the Group provides a systematic approach to ensure safety in construction and maintenance right from the design stage so that health and safety risks can be minimised throughout the life cycle of buildings and structures. With this emphasis, greater awareness towards safety practices is exercised among its stakeholders, including contractors and construction workers, and risks (if any) are identified and designed out or mitigated in the early phases of a project.
In Singapore, CapitaLand provides training on DfS and has staff who are certified as DfS Coordinators by the Workplace Health and Safety Council of Singapore. This means they are qualified to facilitate design reviews and flow of DfS information. For example, they would follow through with the project from the design stage, to the construction stage until the handover for maintenance.
CapitaLand is committed to DfS and will continue its efforts to raise the bar, especially by providing opportunities for more staff to be trained and certified. The Group is also looking to extend relevant training for its overseas staff.
Please refer to the Annex for a listing of CapitaLand’s BCA Award winners and more details on the respective award-winning projects.
ANNEX
Since last year’s BCA Awards, CapitaLand has garnered 11 Green Mark awards and three Universal Design mark awards.
To date, CapitaLand has received 85 Green Mark awards (including 14 provisional awards): 63 in Singapore, 16 in China, two in Vietnam, three in Malaysia and one in Indonesia. The Group has also received 11 Universal Design Awards.
CapitaLand was accorded the BCA Green Mark Champion Award in 2012 and the Built Environment Leadership Award (Gold) in 2009.
Universal Design Mark and Design and Engineering Safety Excellence (Residential)
The Interlace, Singapore (Universal Design Mark Platinum and Design and Engineering Safety Excellence - Residential)
Universal Design
The Interlace is one of the largest and most ambitious residential developments in Singapore. Located at the 99-year leasehold site bounded by Alexandra Road and Ayer Rajah Expressway, the 1040-unit project completes a nine-kilometre long green belt that stretches between the Kent Ridge, Telok Blangah Hill and Mount Faber parks.
The concept for environmental deck (E-deck) is to integrate the unique building forms that create hexagonal arrangements of generous green areas which are spread evenly throughout the eight-hectare site. The eight courtyards, nine sky terraces and numerous private roof gardens cater to the varying spatial needs of all the residents. Although the original terrain is undulating, one can move from one end of the site to another without any drops and is traffic-free.
All courtyards and sky terraces are designed with individual themes and are evenly distributed throughout the site. This provision of ample activity areas strengthens community bonding among residents. Starting from the basement, larger handicap and family parking lots are provided for the convenience of wheelchair users and families with prams. Bicycle lots and pedestrian walkways are harmonised with the basement layout. Careful planning and signage will help users of the 1,000 plus-lot car park navigate confidently.
The E-deck and basement car park clearly separate the pedestrian and vehicular circulation. Certain apartment units are designed with ageing-in-place provisions such as step-less bathrooms. As the site is a sprawling eight hectares, features such as a prominent Y-Axis pathway that sweeps through the site helps to orientate residents on the ground. A large central water feature that is easily visible from various locations in the development enhances navigation. Distinct landscape features and sculptures give each space a unique identity, making the scale of the spaces more palatable to residents and visitors.
Some apartment units are designed with ageing-in-place provisions such as step-less bathrooms. In addition, there are 16 dual-key units which provide separate but joint apartments that will serve the needs of multi-generation families well. These dual-key units allow multi-generation families to live close to one another and yet enjoy some privacy.
Design and Engineering Safety Excellence (Residential)*
Breaking away from the standard typology of residential developments in Singapore, The Interlace comprises 31 super blocks, each six stories tall, stacked in a hexagonal arrangement, offering eight large-scale courtyards. The interlocking super blocks resemble a ‘vertical village’ with cascading sky gardens, and both private and public roof terraces. Extensive residential amenities and facilities are interwoven into the lush vegetation and offer opportunities for social interaction, leisure and recreation within the green terrain.
The unique interlocking building design called for creativity and innovativeness in the construction methodology, design development and building processes. T.Y.Lin International Pte Ltd, the Civil and Structural Consultant appointed for the project, carried out a rigorous and comprehensive analysis during the design development stage.
The analysis included (a) assessing the impact on the main core that resulted from each stage of construction, especially at the transfer deck, (b) the building of a full-scale 3D model to obtain the interlocking force and moment envelope in mega columns, and (c) load analysis of the stress distribution for the transfer decks.
Interestingly, the construction methodology of the transfer deck was based on bridge engineering methodology. To optimise internal unit space, high strength concrete was used in the mega columns to minimise the column sizes.
*Recipient: C&S Consultant: T.Y.Lin International Pte Ltd
Universal Design Mark and Green Mark
Sky Vue, Singapore (Universal Design Mark Gold - Design and Green Mark GoldPLUS)
Sky Vue, a 694-unit residential development located in the heart of Bishan, will offer a wide array of lifestyle amenities to cater to residents of all ages and abilities. Every floor of the two 37-storey blocks will feature two interconnected lobbies which will not only provide more exclusivity for the residents but also reduce the travel distance between the lift lobby and the unit for more comfort. Sky Vue will offer four sky terraces on the top floor, each with their own features, where residents will be able to enjoy exclusive, panoramic views.
The development features well-articulated, livable spaces, catering to different family structures and individuals. Each unit is designed to allow for immediate ‘move-in’. Design innovations include a fully fitted kitchen for each unit, a dedicated shoe cabinet with a key slot feature as well as an accessible walk-in closet for the master bedroom regardless of the unit type – a rare provision for its market segment. Each unit type also has its own unique layout features, some of which are not conventional in the current market. These features include dual access to the shared bathroom for small units and for selected unit types, balconies which straddle across the kitchen, living room and master bedroom to function as outdoor entertainment spaces. For couples with babies or young children, the structural layouts of the larger units are designed to offer the adaptability to combine the master bedroom and the adjacent bedroom into a shared space. Likewise, there is also the flexibility to combine the living room and the adjacent bedroom into a large entertainment space or work area.
Sky Vue is also thoughtfully designed in line with environmental sustainability through energy and water efficient features. Solid walls and openings are strategically positioned to reduce solar heat transfer into the unit without compromising the architectural design and user comfort. Coupled with energy-efficient air conditioners, these strategies significantly reduce energy consumption. As LED lighting has a longer lifespan and is more energy efficient than conventional lighting, the use of LED lighting in common spaces such as lobbies, corridors and car park will reduce the need for regular lighting replacement and reduce energy consumption. A rainwater tank integrated into the development will harvest rainwater for landscape irrigation. In addition, a drip irrigation system coupled with rain sensors will be installed to efficiently channel the harvested water to the plant roots in order to reduce water wastage.
Sky Vue will also feature a bio-retention basin which will function as a storm water treatment system to treat surface run-off. This will slow down the rate of water flow into the city drainage system during peak rainfall, thereby minimising chances of flash floods. Sustainable products which are certified by local bodies such as Singapore Green Building Council and Singapore Green Labelling Scheme will be extensively used in Sky Vue. These products include constructed materials with recycled content, and with low chemical emissions.
Estimated energy savings: 3,000,000 kWh/yr; Estimated water savings: 85,000 m3 /yr
Universal Design Mark
Marine Blue, Singapore (Universal Design Mark Gold - Design)
Taking into consideration the physical constraints and restrictions of the site, Marine Blue integrates a modern architectural design and a holistic physical environment that addresses the needs of users from all age groups and physical abilities through well-thought design concepts.
An elevated environmental deck (E-deck) containing most of the communal areas and facilities segregates the main pedestrian circulation and amenities from vehicular traffic, ensuring a safe and conducive barrier-free environment. With simple rectilinear arrangement of amenities, communal spaces, facilities and blocks, the overall design provides clarity in orientation, space and way finding for residents and visitors. To further facilitate way finding, the main landscape, landmark features and communal facilities are planned as focal points. Lush greenery in the planting beds and planters provide a cool, welcoming, and pleasant environment.
With the E-deck planned as the main circulation area, all facilities and amenities are wellconnected and easily accessible for everyone, ranging from wheelchair users, children, and elderly to nursing mothers. A nursing room is incorporated next to the function room for the convenience of breast feeding mothers and changing of diapers in a private environment. For safety, a first aid room is incorporated within the gymnasium. A community garden with planter boxes of adequate knee space and height for wheelchair users is also provided at the clubhouse rooftop.
For residents or visitors to interact and enjoy the lush landscaping, there are provisions such as seats of varying heights with integrated grab-bars, and adjacent niches for parking of wheelchairs along the routes.
Green Mark
Singapore projects
Bugis Junction, Singapore (Green Mark Platinum)
Located in the heart of Singapore's Civic and Cultural District, Bugis Junction enjoys direct connectivity from its basement level to Bugis MRT station – the interchange for East-West Line and Downtown Line – and is well served by major public bus routes. In line with its close proximity to the Singapore Management University, LASALLE College of the Arts and School of the Arts, Bugis Junction is positioned as a trendy fashion enclave with exciting food and beverage (F&B) choices catering to young adults and professionals.
As part of an integrated development which also includes office towers, Bugis Junction has been conferred the prestigious BCA Green Mark Platinum Award, the highest level of green building certification in Singapore. This is a two level improvement over the BCA Green Mark Gold Award the integrated development attained in 2011.
Under Bugis Junction’s green building programme, the mall’s chilled water plant has been upgraded to achieve a high efficiency level. Other measures adopted by the mall to increase energy savings include the installation of energy-efficient T5 and LED lights. In addition, the mall’s iconic sky-lit roof reduces the use of artificial lighting by allowing an abundant flow of daylight into the shopping arcade, while the use of double-glazed glass for the roof helps to reduce solar heat entering the mall.
In terms of water savings, Bugis Junction has been certified a PUB Water Efficient Building since 2008, with efficient water fittings that meet requirements under PUB’s Water Efficient Labelling Scheme. The mall’s extensive water monitoring system also helps the management to track water usage across different parts of the building, and aid in quick detection in the event of a leak.
To support green mobility, hybrid vehicle car park spaces and bicycle parking spaces are provided at the mall. On top of that, digital signboards and a car park guidance system help drivers find their parking spaces quickly, further reducing carbon emissions. To maintain good indoor air quality, carbon monoxide sensors have been installed in the car park. These sensors also help to achieve energy efficiency of the mechanical ventilation fans in the car park, turning them on only when needed.
Estimated energy savings: 5,804,205 kWh/yr*; Estimated water savings: 1, 072 m3 /yr*
* Including Bugis Junction and office towers
Golden Shoe Car Park, Singapore (Green Mark GoldPLUS)
Golden Shoe Car Park is a 10-storey building located in the heart of Singapore’s Central Business District near Raffles Place MRT station. Its 1,053 car park lots from 2nd – 9th storey serve the parking needs of office workers and visitors in Raffles Place. Retailers and food and beverage outlets occupy the first storey while offices occupy 10th storey. The building is served by a screw chiller with plant efficiency of 0.647kW/Ton. It has energy-saving lights installed on all car park decks and motion sensor lights in the toilets and the chiller plant room.
Estimated energy savings: 460,394 kWh/yr; Estimated water savings: 1,944 m3 /yr
Mixed Development at 15 Cairnhill Road (Hotel component), Singapore (Green Mark GoldPLUS)
CapitaLand has set its sights on developing an environmentally friendly mixed-used development at 15 Cairnhill Road. The serviced residence component with a hotel licence, which will be managed by CapitaLand’s wholly-owned subsidiary The Ascott Limited, extensively uses eco-friendly products and recycled materials certified under schemes by the Singapore Green Building Council or the Singapore Green Labelling Scheme. These include green ceiling boards, wooden doors, drywall partitions for its apartments, engineered timber decking and landscape drainage mats.
The development is designed to harvest rainwater for irrigation, with rain sensors and an automatic controller installed in its entire landscape area to manage water flow and minimise water usage.
Energy-efficient features comprise highly-efficient chiller plant and elevators, heat pump hot water systems which pick up heat from the air and transfer it to the water, high-performance glass with low thermal conductivity, as well as a ductless jet ventilation system with carbon monoxide sensors that turn on the fans in the car park when required.
Other green features that are integrated in the building include an auto-condenser tube cleaning system that maintains the efficiency of chillers, use of non-chemical termite treatment system, and car park guidance system to direct drivers to the nearest available parking lots thus reducing carbon emissions from vehicles.
Estimated energy savings: 2,125,355 kWh/yr; Estimated water savings: 33,365 m³/yr
Raffles City Singapore (Green Mark Gold)
Raffles City Singapore is a centrally-located integrated development comprising five levels of retail and food and beverage (F&B) outlets, a 40-storey office tower, two hotels and three levels of basement car park.
In addition to achieving the PUB Water Efficient Building Certificate, the development recycles air handling unit (AHU) condensate water to top up the cooling tower. Solar shading film on office tower windows and low-heat emission glass for the façade reduce heat gain in the atrium. Indoor audits ensure that air quality in the mixed-use development is maintained at good levels and carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide sensors are deployed to ensure air quality in the car park, common areas and offices remains good. Various energy-efficient systems can be found throughout Raffles City Singapore, including motion sensors in office toilets and staircases, LED lighting at the car park as well as photocell sensors for skylight control in the atrium, resulting in significant energy savings. Recycling bins are provided in the development to encourage tenants, shoppers and visitors to take part in recycling. Compost horticulture waste is used to fertilise the greenery within its premises.
Estimated energy savings: 142,960 kWh/yr; Estimated water savings: 164,450 m3 /yr
Tampines Mall, Singapore (Green Mark Gold)
Located in the heart of the Tampines Regional Centre, next to Tampines MRT station and bus interchange, Tampines Mall provides a varied mix of shopping, dining and entertainment options to meet the needs of middle-income consumers living and working around the bustling regional centre
As part of its commitment towards sustainable operations, Tampines Mall has upgraded its central air-conditioning system to optimise its performance. Variable speed pumps and variable speed motors are installed in the cooling tower to lower motor power when the equipment is running with partial loading, thus reducing electricity consumption. In addition, energy-efficient T5 and compact fluorescent lights with high frequency ballast are extensively used.
As a certified PUB Water Efficient Building, Tampines Mall incorporates water-saving water fittings that meet the recommendations of PUB’s Water Efficiency Labelling Scheme. Water consumption is monitored on a monthly basis with private sub-meters that track and control water usage. Consumption of potable water is reduced with the installation of a rainwater harvesting tank and the usage of NEWater for the air-conditioning plant’s cooling tower.
To foster green practices, recycling bins are provided in the mall to encourage tenants and shoppers to take part in recycling. Compost horticulture waste is used to fertilise the greenery within its premises.
Estimated energy savings: 2,304,748 kWh/yr; Estimated water savings: 1,556 m3 /yr
Oveseas project
CapitaMall Wusheng and Somerset Wusheng Wuhan, China (Green Mark Gold)
Located in Qiaokou District in Wuhan, China, CapitaMall Wusheng is part of an integrated development which also comprises the Somerset Wusheng Wuhan serviced residence managed by The Ascott Limited.
The integrated development boasts energy-efficient chiller plant, boiler and pumps. Variable speed drives are installed for the chilled water pumps to lower motor power when the equipment is running with partial loading, thus reducing electricity consumption. For the same purpose, energy-efficient T5 fluorescent lights are used in circulation areas such as stairwells. Motion detectors in the stairwells further reduce energy wastage by switching on the lights only when required. To conserve water, water fittings in the mall are selected based on the standards stated in the Singapore PUB’s Water Efficiency Labelling Scheme.
To further minimise water consumption, the serviced apartments are installed with water-efficient sanitary ware, washing machines, as well as refrigerators. Energy efficient LED lights are also used extensively in the serviced residence.
During the construction phase, the project development team set and closely monitored targets to reduce water and energy consumption. Environmentally-friendly materials such as certified flooring, tiles and doors were used. In addition, paints certified to have low levels of volatile organic compound were used for all internal walls to minimise the emission of pollutants and achieve better indoor air quality.
Estimated energy savings: 7,395,699 kWh/yr; Estimated water savings: 2,619 m 3 /yr
CapitaMall Tiangongyuan, Beijing, China (Green Mark Gold – Provisional)
Currently under construction, CapitaMall Tianggongyuan is located in Daxing District in Beijing’s up-and-coming south region, near the city’s upcoming second international airport. It is right above Tiangongyuan station on the subway Line 4, and is well-served by public transport.
The mall will feature a low-emissivity laminated and double glazed glass façade, which allows natural sunlight to enter, thus minimising the demand for artificial lighting. The low-emissivity coating can also reduce solar heat entering the building and minimise heat loss in winter.
For energy efficiency, the mall will install T5 fluorescent lighting with electronic ballast in circulation areas, such as the car park, maintenance room and stairwells. To conserve energy, lights in the stairwells will be activated by motion sensors, and to reduce water consumption, water-efficient fittings that meet the recommendations of the Singapore PUB Water Efficiency Labelling Scheme will be used.
To minimise carbon emissions, a car park guidance system will be put in place to guide drivers in locating their spaces quickly. Those with hybrid cars can also park at specially designated spaces. In addition, paints certified to have low levels of volatile organic compound will be used for all internal walls to minimise the emission of pollutants and achieve an optimal indoor environment.
Estimated energy savings: 5,401,508 kWh/yr; Estimated water savings: 12,644 m 3 /yr
The Mines, Selangor, Malaysia (Green Mark Gold - Provisional)
Located in Selangor approximately 15 km south of Kuala Lumpur city centre, The Mines is a modern lifestyle and family mall. It is the third mall in Malaysia to be awarded BCA Green Mark Gold, after Gurney Plaza in Penang in 2011 – the first mall in Malaysia to receive this award – and East Coast Mall in Kuantan in 2012. The three malls are managed by CapitaMalls Asia.
At The Mines, efforts have been made to ensure that the mechanical and electrical system is efficient and eco-friendly. Activated carbon filters, ultraviolet bacteria eradication light and silencers have been installed in the exhaust systems to minimise air and noise 12 pollution. The original T8 lights in the car park and corridors have been replaced by the more energy-efficient T5 and LED lights respectively.
To conserve water, a rainwater harvesting system is in place to cut down on the use of potable water. Water-efficient fittings that meet the recommendations of the Singapore PUB Water Efficiency Labelling Scheme are installed to reduce water consumption. In addition, utility sub-meter devices are installed to track usage levels and to facilitate quick identification in the event of a leak.
As part of sustainable operations, the mall has in place a recycling programme, whereby refuse such as paper, plastic, glass and metal are collected, sorted and sent to the recycling centre. Tenants are encouraged to join in the recycling programme through briefings and circulars.
Estimated energy savings: 2,325,017 kWh/yr; Estimated water savings: 6,884 m 3 /y