Not All Heroes Wear Capes, Some Look After Properties
Take a glimpse of what goes on behind the facades of our workspaces, as told by our heroes on the grounds – the property management team.
Have you ever wondered what happens behind the walls of the business buildings you work in? Who are the unsung heroes that tirelessly manage the facilities and tenants that reside within? Today, we tear down these walls through the eyes of Pei Ru, who is with CapitaLand's property management team in Singapore.
Q: Hi Pei Ru! Tell us more of what you do as a property manager.
As part of the team, I work closely with our property managers and technicians to tend to our business parks, industrial developments and logistics warehouses.
Many of you might think that we are all about keeping the buildings clean and electricity running, but our job is so much more than that! Aside from taking care of the premises and properties, we also busy ourselves with attending to our tenants’ day-to-day needs and cares.
Hiccups to business operations may crop up when we least expect it to. And who better to step in to resolve these blips, than the designated property managers close by? As the workspace partner, it is on us to support our tenants’ businesses by offering a smooth and positive workplace experience. This is why we live by our HOST programme values, to provide Hassle-free experiences, carry out Operational excellence, Serve with passion and build Trustworthy relationships with our tenant community.
Q: Do you have any experiences with our tenants that are particularly memorable?
I remember a case where there was an annual building power shutdown for maintenance at the Ascent building in Singapore Science Park earlier this year. Unfortunately, one of our tenants running a clinic did not plan for their backup power supply, which was particularly critical for them as they were keeping temperature-sensitive vaccines and drugs on site.
They urgently reached out to us for help, and we all knew time was not on our side. Much to their relief and appreciation, our team quickly pulled out all the stops to share our power supply and kept their fridges and dehumidifiers running again within the hour.
While we work closely with our tenants to take care of their needs, it is definitely heartwarming to know that we play an active role in keeping their businesses and operations going strong and smoothly.
“The (property management) team is knowledgeable and manages the building complexities to ensure all essential services function well. They provide a seamless experience for Citi’s staff and help us operate more efficiently within the buildings. In 2020, Citi Realty Services (CRS) undertook a challenging project to retire our Diesel Rotary Uninterruptible Power System located at 3 Changi Business Park Crescent Tower 1 roof while installing new UPS Gen Set systems at both towers. CapitaLand’s team rendered their full support to the CRS project team on logistics issues involving high risks heavy hoisting works amidst a tight timeline with COVID settings. This is one of the largest scale and complex engineering projects that Citi has carried out and it was of a great success. We thank and appreciate the efforts made by CapitaLand’s team.”
Ken Choo
Asset Management Head
Citi Realty Services, Citibank N.A.
Q: When the pandemic hit our shores, how did your team continue to keep workplaces safe and businesses going in this unprecedented situation?
When COVID-19 struck Singapore early last year, our team was well prepared. Hygiene and safety have always been cornerstones of our operations, even in pre-pandemic times.
To quickly allay our tenants’ safety and health concerns, we set up temperature checking posts and thermal scanners across all our buildings the next working day after the DORSCON Orange alert.
We knew peace of mind mattered most to our tenants, which we ensured by hiring designated hygiene specialist teams on standby to disinfect any premises with confirmed cases and increasing our tenant communication efforts to keep everyone up to speed on COVID updates.
We also promptly installed new cleaning equipment such as anti-microbial coating across our premises, to continually disinfect areas of high-traffic touchpoints.
Enhancing ventilation and air quality in indoor spaces could help stem the spread of COVID-19, which is why we have also upgraded the filters for our buildings with centralised air conditioning.
As we are all adapting to the new normal, it is also heartening to see some of our tenants showing their appreciation for the team during these trying times.
“CapitaLand's team is brave, responsible and dedicated. We are proud of each and every one of you!”
Employee
International Flavors & Fragrances (Greater Asia) Pte Ltd
THE GEMINI
“My appreciation goes to the property management, security and cleaning staff. I have confidence in CapitaLand for being committed to providing safe and healthy premises for their tenants.”
Avi Himatsinghani
Rewind Networks Pte Ltd
INFINITE STUDIOS
Q: Wow. These are useful technologies that were quickly implemented to ensure the tenants’ well-being.
That’s not all the tech you’ll see! Pandemic aside, we are also constantly on the lookout for new technologies that will help us stay ahead of the game and enhance our tenants’ workspace experience.
Improving the performance of our buildings is our top priority, which is why we are one of the first in the industry to set up the brand new Intelligent Building Platform. With this highly connected system, we can now review the status of multiple buildings all in one platform, and have access to immediate alerts on any issues or emergencies.
For instance, if there is any equipment breakdown in the building, we will receive an SMS notification identifying the specific location of the concern, so we can activate our team to address the emergency pronto. From rectifying aircon faults that would have otherwise resulted in air conditioning disruptions, to urgent power trips that require immediate attention, we will be able to resolve countless issues before serious damage has been caused.
Another function in the Intelligent Building Platform is our upgraded security and surveillance system. To detect any instances of security breaches, we have installed remote CCTV surveillance at our business park buildings. A suspicious person loitering around our buildings in the dark of night? An unknown vehicle parked unlawfully in our premises? Alerts will instantly be blasted to our team offsite 24/7, and we can look into it immediately, to ensure our properties and our tenants’ safety are always well guarded.
Similarly, we also have gated access with facial recognition and QR code functions installed within selected properties with higher traffic, such as Galaxis and the upcoming Rochester Commons.
This provides a higher level of security and offers a seamless experience for our tenants through card-less entry and exit, as we work towards smarter building solutions.
An enjoyable working environment is so much more than the four walls of your workplace – it often extends into the tireless upkeeping and upgrading of your building premises to keep pace with the evolving times and your needs. And behind the scenes, unbeknownst to many, often lies a property management team just like ours, dedicated to supporting our tenants with a safe, conducive and future-forward environment to return to every working day.
Say hi to your CapitaLand property management team, the next time you see us around the premises!
Looking to experience a holistic workspace environment? We might just have the right space for you.