CapitaLand’s next-gen integrated developments CapitaSpring, Funan and Jewel Changi Airport win top BCA Universal Design Mark Awards

• Most lauded international developer with 25 BCA Awards wins and 19 Green Mark Awards
• Somerset Ho Chi Minh City becomes highest BCA-rated property in Vietnam

Singapore, 22 May 2018 – CapitaLand’s next generation of iconic integrated developments in Singapore - CapitaSpring, Funan and Jewel Changi Airport ¹ - won Building and Construction Authority’s (BCA) Universal Design (UD) Mark Design Gold^PLUS award, the highest accolade for UD for projects under development. Funan also achieved BCA’s Green Mark (GM) Gold^PLUS award this year. When completed, the properties will not only redefine Singapore’s architectural landscape, by incorporating sustainable and inclusive design elements, they will enhance liveability and redefine the paradigms of live, work and play in Singapore’s Central Business District (CBD), the Civic & Cultural District and aviation hub respectively.

Winning 25 awards for its developments in Singapore, China and Vietnam, CapitaLand is the international developer with the most number of wins at the BCA Awards this year. CapitaLand also won the most number of Green Mark awards, clinching 19 GM awards.  CapitaLand continues to be the top real estate developer in Singapore with the most UD Platinum and UD Gold^PLUS awards, winning 17 of these awards since the UD Mark Certification scheme was introduced in 2012.

Mr Tan Seng Chai, CapitaLand’s Group Chief People Officer and Chairman of the CapitaLand Sustainability Steering Committee said: “As a responsible developer, CapitaLand recognises how the built environment can influence community development positively. These next-gen iconic developments are a testament to CapitaLand’s extensive real estate design, development and master planning capabilities. From introducing thoughtful designs that are creative and inclusive for every sector of the community, to creating unique features befitting of these highly anticipated landmark projects that are close to the people’s hearts, CapitaLand has once again shown its strong commitment to achieving at least UD Mark Gold for all its new developments in Singapore.”

Highest BCA-rated property in Vietnam

Somerset Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam achieved the GM Gold^PLUS award, making it the highest BCA-rated property in Vietnam and in CapitaLand’s portfolio in Vietnam. The serviced residence was fitted with water efficient fixtures as well as efficient air-conditioning systems and LED lightings to reduce the building’s carbon footprint. The serviced residence also encourages its residents to live sustainably. Friendly reminders to switch off lights, save water, and reduce the use of single-use plastic can be found within the apartment. Somerset Ho Chi Minh City has set up a green corner to promote recycling. The serviced residence also organises events such as tree-planting and environment-themed movie screenings to further inculcate green habits amongst the residents.

“Our achievements in greening our global portfolio affirms our commitment. More than 90% of CapitaLand’s existing properties in Singapore have received at least a Green Mark Gold rating and we are pledging to green our existing properties globally by 2030. We will continue to combine smart sustainable designs with active placemaking initiatives to engage our customers, stakeholders and staff to play an active role in safeguarding our environment,” added Mr Tan.

Mr Hugh Lim, BCA’s Chief Executive Officer said: “CapitaLand’s achievements in the BCA Awards 2018 exemplifies their emphasis on people-centric designs to create communities and promote inclusivity as well as championing environmental sustainability. This also underscores the important role that developers play in leading their project teams to adopt a user-centric philosophy right from the start and to ensure that the design intent is implemented. In this year of Climate Action, the BCA Green Mark Pearl Award for Capital Tower is also a testament of CapitaLand’s environmental stewardship to work with their tenants and end-users in rolling out various green practices within their organisations. Their achievements are indeed commendable and I hope they will continue to inspire more tenants and end-users to follow suit.”

Highlights of UD features at CapitaSpring, Funan and Jewel Changi Airport

CapitaSpring is set to inject more greenery and shared community spaces, rejuvenating Singapore’s CBD. The development’s Green Oasis, a four-storey high botanical promenade will become the central social space for placemaking. The development’s City Room lobby will blend seamlessly into the future 12,500-square-feet (sq ft) public park on Market Street. The well-loved Market Street Food Centre that will return to offer local gastronomical favourites will provide family-friendly tables and seats. Facial recognition technology to be used at the office entrance gantry will further enhance accessibility.

Located in the heart of Singapore’s Civic and Cultural District, Funan will feature a porous streetspace with multiple access points and gentle slopes. Bicycles, wheelchairs and other personal mobility vehicles can enter the building easily, supporting the country’s move towards an inclusive and car-lite society. Funan is set to become Singapore’s first commercial building to allow cycling through the building. In line with Funan’s experiential focus, accessibility and inclusivity are key. All facilities are accessible to wheelchair and pram users, including Funan’s futsal court and green urban agriculture space spanning a combined total of 16,000 sq ft. Any change in level is mediated using gentle gradients. Voice-activated interactive directories are located at escalators and lift lobbies of every level. Near-field Communication (NFC) technology will also allow transfer of directions from directory to personal smart phones. All levels are accessible via a handicap accessible lift. Accessible parking lots and family parking lots are close to the lift lobbies for easy access for users.

Jewel Changi Airport (Jewel) is designed with plenty of inclusive spaces for both travellers and local residents of all ages. Jewel’s majestic five-storey high Forest Valley comes with ‘active’ spaces such as walking trails to encourage active living. Canopy Park, located on the topmost floor of Jewel, will also offer plenty of large gathering spaces to promote social interaction amongst the groups of visitors at the complex. Jewel is seamlessly connected to Terminal 1’s Arrival Hall, and linked to Terminals 2 and 3 via pedestrian bridges fitted with travellators that allow travellers to walk to the complex.

To facilitate navigation, the three integrated developments will feature wider paths for wheelchairs and mobility aids, handicap accessible lifts, signages and handrails with Braille, and are also guide dog friendly. Family-friendly elements for the young and aged such as nursing rooms, diaper changing stations, child-friendly seats, and slip resistant grab bars provide a more inclusive experience for the community to live, work and play.

Driving sustainability through active placemaking and stakeholder engagement

CapitaLand received its first Green Mark Pearl Award for Capital Tower in Singapore, recognising the Group’s environmental stewardship in working closely with its tenants to achieve greater sustainability. Over 50% of the 52-storey Grade A office development’s net lettable area, including spaces occupied by CapitaLand and tenants - GIC, IINO Shipping, Simmons & Simmons - have successfully attained BCA GM Office Interior awards.

CapitaLand regularly engages its office tenants through a series of green activities such as the eWaste collection and recycling programme. It has also developed a green fit-out guide to encourage office tenants to implement environmentally friendly features and sustainable practices. The CapitaLand Commercial Trust (CCT) Eco Race also further engages the tenants in Singapore’s CBD, promoting sustainability and healthy lifestyles. In the latest edition of the race, there were 380 participants from 32 tenants across CCT’s office buildings.

Construction and technical excellence

CapitaLand also received three BCA Construction Excellence Awards, recognising projects that have achieved high standards of management, technical expertise and quality. The awards were conferred to Sky Vue, a 694-unit residential development located in Bishan, Cairnhill Nine, a 30-storey residential tower offering 268 luxurious units and Ascott Orchard Singapore, a 20-storey premium serviced residence with 220 units. During the construction of Cairnhill Nine and Ascott Orchard Singapore, the Al-Falah Mosque, which is co-located with the two properties, was able to remain open to worshippers. Innovative demolition and construction methods were used to minimise disruptions and to ensure that the mosque remained structurally safe for continued operations.

Please refer to the Annex A for more details on the environmentally friendly and inclusive design features at CapitaSpring, Funan and Jewel. For the full list of CapitaLand’s properties recognised with BCA awards this year, please refer to Annex B.

_{[1] Jointly developed by Changi Airport Group and CapitaLand.}