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Contents (a)
Section 1: Engineering (General) 2 (b)
IES Update
Section 2: Engineering (Civil & Structural • Infrastructural • Environmental Focus) 6
Cover Story: Dawson Estate BTO Projects
18 Interview: Energy-efficient performance guaranteed Published By The Institution of Engineers, Singapore
20 Sustainable Energy Application: Solar Assisted Heat Pump
Director, Marketing Roland Ang
24 Products & Services
Marketing & Publications Executive Jeremy Chia
26 Section 3: News & Events
Chief Editor T Bhaskaran Editorial Board Er. Dr Adhityan Appan Mr Lee Siew Wei Er. Siow Keng Cheng Mr Wong Chung Wan Manager, External Relations Valerie Neo Cover designed by Jeremy Chia Cover image (a) by SCDA Architects Pte Ltd. Cover image (b) by WOHA Architects Pte Ltd.
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THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER Jul 2010 · 1
IES Update Message from the President
IES COUNCIL MEMBERS 2010/2011 President Er. Ho Siong Hin Vice Presidents Er. Chong Kee Sen Er. Prof Chou Siaw Kiang Er. Edwin Khew Er. Lum Chong Chuen Er. Ong See Ho Prof Yeoh Lean Weng
Dear Friends
Honorary Secretary Er. Ng Say Cheong
While much of the attention was focused, and correctly so, on the challenges at the national-, state- and city- level during the SIWW, it must be pointed out that there are a lot of possibilities at the facility-level engineering and management to conserve energy and water resources. Experts have stated that energy-saving, particularly in buildings, can have a greater impact on the issue of sustainability, than the harnessing of renewable energy sources. Likewise, the use of recycled water such as NEWater and ‘grey water’ for non-potable applications, within the premises of buildings, can help to achieve the desired degree of conservation of water as well as energy.
Honorary Treasurer Assoc Prof Daniel Lim Assistant Honorary Secretary Er. Jee Yi Yng Assistant Honorary Treasurer Mr Jeffrey Chua Immediate Past President Er. Lee Bee Wah Past Presidents Er. Tan Seng Chuan Er. A/Prof Foo Say Wei Er. Ong Ser Huan Council Members Dr Boh Jaw Woei Prof Er Meng Joo Er. Koh Beng Thong Mr Lim Shiyi Er. Low Wong Fook Mr Neo Kok Beng Er. Ong Geok Soo Er. Prof Ong Say Leong Er. Pak Yew Hock, Lawrence Prof Seeram Ramakrishna Mr Tan Kai Hong Er. Toh Siaw Hui, Joseph Mr Alfred Wong 2 · THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER
The recently held Singapore International Water Week (SIWW) 2010 and World Cities Summit 2010 brought the world’s major stakeholders on a common platform to find solutions to the most important challenges confronting every country in the world. SIWW also served as a showcase to highlight Singapore’s capabilities and achievements in attaining water sustainability and in addressing the issues of urban transformation.
The project teams responsible for the creation of buildings should therefore give the utmost importance to these objectives at the earliest stage of the design process. Further, facility engineers and managers have the task of ensuring energy-efficient and waterefficient operation of buildings. I am heartened to note that relevant technical committees within IES are playing their part in highlighting the importance of facility design, operation, and management, and enhancing the standing of the professionals working in these fields; organising professional training; and managing certification programmes. In this way, we can ensure that buildings are designed and operated in a sustainable manner. Come 4 September 2010, IES will be launching the National Engineers’ Day (NED) at *SCAPE, with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Mr Teo Chee Hean as Guest-of Honour. Intended to promote the engineering profession as an attractive career among the young, especially at the secondary school levels, NED promises to be an extravaganza of engineering-centric activities and exhibits which will appeal to the target audience. Among the programmes will be the hosting of secondary school students by engineering firms. We hope to count on your support to make NED a success!
E H Er. Ho Siong Si Hi Hin President The Institution of Engineers, Singapore (IES) Jul 2010
IES Update Singapore Aerospace Forum 2010 On 25 June 2010, the IES Aerospace Engineering Interest Group, Singapore Institute of Aerospace Engineers, and Singapore Polytechnic, organised the Singapore Aerospace Forum 2010 that addressed the subject ‘Seletar Aerospace Park (SAP)’. It was attended by about 130 participants. Prof Yeoh Lean Weng, IES Vice President and Chairman for IES Industrial Group, in his welcome address, said, ‘The aviation industry in Singapore is a thriving one, having been identified as a key component of Singapore’s quest to become a major transport hub. Singapore has evolved to become a major aerospace maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) centre in the Asia Pacific region. Our sustained high growth has created strong clusters of aerospace activity, mainly concentrated in the Changi area’. ‘With Asia expected to double its fleet of aircraft by 2018, we can be certain that the Singapore aerospace industry will experience exponential growth. No longer will Changi alone be sufficient to serve the needs of the rapidly expanding industry. This is why the Seletar Airport has been identified as a dedicated aerospace facility to meet the needs of the industry’, he added. Four speakers, namely Mr Kevin Chow, Deputy Director, Precision Engineering and Transport Engineering, Singapore Economic Development Board, Ms Tang Wai Yee, Director, Aerospace, Marine & CleanTech Cluster, JTC Corporation, Mr Koh Chwee, Director, Engineering Planning Division, JTC Corporation, and Mr Daniel Ng, Deputy Division Head, Aviation Industry Division, Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS), gave their presentations on the latest developments and projects that their respective organisations are embarking on. After the presentations, Prof Yeoh presented plaques to the speakers as tokens of appreciation. The event was sponsored by ST Aerospace. 4 · THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER
Prof Yeoh Lean Weng presenting the plaque to (clockwise from top left) Mr Kevin Chow from EDB, Ms Tang Wai Yee from JTC Corporation, Mr Koh Chwee from JTC Corporation, and Mr Daniel Ng from CAAS.
Prof Yeoh presenting a plaque to Mr Lim Tau Fuie, representing ST Aerospace, the sponsor of the event.
From left to right: Mr Daniel Ng from CAAS, Mr Koh Chwee from JTC Corporation, Prof Yeoh Lean Weng from IES, Mr William Goh from SIAE, Ms Tang Wai Yee from JTC Corporation, Mr Kevin Chow from EDB, Mr Lim Tau Fuie from ST Aerospace, and Mr Ng Weng Lam from Singapore Polytechnic.
Jul 2010
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Cover Story: Dawson Estate BTO Projects SkyTerrace @ Dawson Winner of a Green Mark for Buildings Award, for Residential New Buildings, under the Platinum category, at BCA AWARDS 2010, the Housing & Development Board (HDB) Build-ToOrder (BTO) project also received the ABC Waters Certification from PUB, the national water agency. DESCRIPTION OF PROJECT ‘Housing in a Park’ Located in Dawson Estate, the project site is bounded on the north and east by Margaret Drive, and on the west by Dawson Road. Running along its entire southern boundary is the Alexandra Canal Linear Park. The key driving concept of the project is the creation of ‘Housing in a Park’ and a ‘City in a Garden’, with the public residential development set in a scenic park-like environment. In response to this vision, the intention is to convert Margaret Drive into an ecological corridor with finger park linkage to the Alexandra Canal Linear Park along the eastern boundary of the site. The project site will thus eventually enjoy seamless connectivity to greenery on three sides. This green concept is further brought into the development by introducing lush landscaping on the ground plane, which travels up the building facades taking the form of green terracing, roof gardens, and green sky terraces. Multi-generational living and community building The project design aims to reinforce the idea of multi-generational living and community building by providing extended families the opportunity to buy interconnected loft units. These loft units are designed such that a paired larger flat and a studio apartment can be combined by removal of the internal walls. The concept of community building is further promoted by creating a variety of active and passive recreational spaces to allow for greater communal interaction. These community spaces and integrated recreational facilities are designed in a park-like setting, enabling residents to enjoy the natural environment. 6 · THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER
The key driving concept of the project is the development of public housing set in a scenic park-like environment.
THE PRECINCT DESIGN The 758-unit development comprises five residential 40-storey to 43-storey towers and a 4-storey linear multi storey car park (MSCP) podium. The MSCP podium is connected to the residential towers by bridges, at every level of the podium, enabling the residents to have an uninterrupted covered entry experience from the car parks to the lift lobbies and to their apartments.
Running east-west along the central spine of the project, and interspersed by pockets of greenery, is the Heritage Gallery, the main circulation spine, which celebrates the history of Dawson Estate, whilst spatially linking the residential towers and MSCP with various community and recreational facilities – outdoor amphitheatre, precinct pavilion, community centre, children’s playground, fitness corner etc. All these amenities are located within easy walking distance from
The project will enjoy seamless connectivity to greenery.
Jul 2010
Cover Story: Dawson Estate BTO Projects all the blocks. The site planning takes full advantage of the long north and south boundary, by aligning the residential towers along this axis, thereby maximising the development’s north-south exposure. A formal main entrance and drop-off court is carved out in the north-west corner which connects to a peripheral road that runs along the western, south-western, and northern boundary, and loops into the MSCP. This road also serves as the service access route to the residential towers. The majority of the southern periphery of the development is thus preserved as a vehiclefree green park that opens up seamlessly to the Alexandra Canal Linear Park. LANDSCAPE STRATEGY The landscaping concept aims to provide
the residents with a natural and green living environment and complements the idea of community living by creating a varied collection of communal spaces within the development. The main arrival into the development is at a shaded arrival court anchored by two large rain trees and a formal canopied drop-off area. This space is linked to the residents’ lift lobbies and other communal facilities through the Heritage Gallery. The residents enter their homes at the end of a journey that is complemented by landscaped courts and green vistas. The soft landscaping strategy here is to provide trees that introduce vertical rhythmic elements and shade to the journey, and ground cover that imparts colour and texture to the garden spaces. The southern periphery of the Heritage Gallery extends out to a
generous open lawn that stretches out and seamlessly merges with the Alexandra Canal Linear Park. On the eastern edge of this lawn space sits an outdoor amphitheatre that serves as a focal point for the community. Adjacent to the amphitheatre are located the active recreation facilities like the children’s playground, fitness corner, and outdoor badminton courts. The northern periphery of the site is currently lined with existing mature rain trees. The landscape design responds to this environment by the addition of similar rain trees to complement the scale and rhythm of the existing foliage, and the planting of low level shrubbery to create lushness at pedestrian scale. There is careful and sensitive selection of shrubbery and ground cover to subtly announce the three pedestrian entrances
The Heritage Gallery, the main circulation spine, celebrates the history of Dawson Estate, whilst spatially linking the residential towers and the multi storey car park, with various community and recreational facilities.
A formal main entrance and drop-off court is carved out in the north-west corner of the development.
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Jul 2010 · 7
Cover Story: Dawson Estate BTO Projects to the development that run south towards each of the residential towers facing the ecological corridor. This area will blend seamlessly with the ecological corridor in the future, especially with the introduction of a linear bio-retention basin along the northern periphery. The green concept is reinforced by having cascading green terraces and edge planters that screen the bulk of the MSCP, culminating in a green landscaped roof of the MSCP. Ascending from the adjacent open lawn at ground level, landscaped terraces on the southern side of the MSCP provide a continuous route with intermediate communal spaces, up to the green roof above. These terraces, together with the green roof, serve as convenient communal gathering spaces for the residents due to their close proximity to the residential towers. The majority of the green roof is covered by a linear undulating turfed area, anchored by a tai-chi court, on one end, and a multi-purpose trellis covered court, on the other. Low-level shrubbery and small trees are planted along the sides of the roof to define the edges and provide shade and screening to the residents. Adjacent residential towers are linked by sky terraces at two levels. Thus there are sky terraces at levels 13 and 28, 18 and 33, and 19 and 34, connecting pairs of adjacent towers. These serve as fire refuge holding areas as well as communal gathering points that provide unparalleled views of the surrounding cityscape. Each
sky terrace is lightly landscaped with shrubbery and small trees, to create a welcoming environment. BLOCK & UNIT LAYOUT Block layout Each residential block is designed with four units on each floor, which are served by three lifts and two staircases.
The common areas are designed to have through-ventilation, including the staircases which are clad with lightweight metal mesh. In the evenings, backlighting to the staircases converts the mesh cladding into a silhouette, creating a ‘lantern effect’. The service areas of the units are grouped close to the core of the block, making available the outer periphery
Existing and planted trees and shrubbery, as well as landscaped cascading terraces and sky terraces, add to the greenery in the development.
Ascending from the adjacent open lawn at ground level, landscaped terraces on the southern side of the multi storey car park provide a continuous route with intermediate communal spaces.
8 · THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER
Jul 2010
Cover Story: Dawson Estate BTO Projects for major spaces like living rooms and bedrooms. As each floor has only four units, only one unit occupies each of the four wings of the block, ensuring privacy and minimising the amount of common areas in this compact layout. Unit layout The apartment design is based on one of two configurations - the multigenerational loft unit and the doubleheight loft unit. Multi-generational loft units are a combination of a double-storey 4- or 5room unit and a studio apartment. The double-storey unit enjoys a double-height living room that is attached to a loft space above. The buyer is provided the opportunity of purchasing and combining these apartments by connecting the upper storey loft space of the 4- or 5- room unit directly to an adjacent studio apartment. Each unit will still have its respective individual entrances, for privacy. The double-height loft units are special apartments that enjoy a double-height living/dining room space. The ceiling height for this space is a soaring 5.4 m. Each double-height loft unit is designed to have a balcony as an extension of the living room space. Generally, unit plans are designed with minimal structural beams traversing major spaces. This feature allows for flexibility in catering for future conversion into different bedroom configurations to suit the evolving requirements and lifestyles of residents. All living rooms and bedrooms have full perimeter frontage for best possible views out and maximum daylight penetration. This feature is enhanced by having full height windows for all the bedrooms and living rooms. A service yard is provided for each unit for the washing and drying of clothes. These yards and other service areas of the units like bathrooms face the internal elevations of the block, keeping the main external facades clean and uncluttered. ELEVATION DESIGN The tower elevation design showcases the interlocking spaces that are created by the loft concepts. Units are clearly defined by architectural edge fins that give a clear
The sky terraces serve as communal gathering points that provide unparalleled views of the surrounding cityscape.
Multi-generational loft units are a combination of a double-storey unit and a studio unit. The doublestorey unit enjoys a double-height living room that is attached to a loft space above.
crisp silhouette to the tower facades as well as provide some sun-shading to the south-facing facades. Spanning vertically between the fins are full-height windows. These, together with the vertical groove lines on the pre-cast panels, provide an interesting relief pattern on the facades, which creates an additional level of detail and refinement to the elevations.
As an extension of the site landscaping, the MSCP elevations are softened with green terracing and edge planting. This green elevation concept is carried through vertically to the sky terraces that span horizontally between the tower blocks at staggered intervals, thus providing compositional juxtaposition to the verticality of the towers.
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Jul 2010 · 9
Cover Story: Dawson Estate BTO Projects GREEN FEATURES The design of the project incorporates a green strategy which has several components. The green features are expected to produce energy savings of 793,962 kWh/yr and water savings of 40,616 m3/yr. North-south orientation The five residential tower blocks are oriented north-south, to minimise solar gain to the apartments. The facades of the towers consist predominantly of pre-cast panels and full-height windows. East and west facing facades are designed to have minimal openings and all windows are installed with low-e glass to further minimise heat gain. The Residential Envelope Transmittance Value (RETV) achieved is 18.01W/m2.
The double-volume loft units have a ceiling height of 5.4 m.
Through-ventilation of common areas Typical lift lobbies and common areas are designed to maximise throughventilation. Staircases are clad with lightweight metal mesh which introduces a large degree of porosity and openness to the staircase enclosures. Together with the open parapets surrounding the typical lift lobbies, uninterrupted flow of air across the common spaces is encouraged. Bio-retention basins Bio-retention basins are incorporated on the northern, western, and south-western peripheries of the site, to catch storm-water surface run-off from the peripheral road. The water that percolates through these bio-retention basins undergoes a natural bio-filtration process that removes water borne pollutants and is stored in several underground catchment tanks. The stored water is then recycled for irrigating ground level landscaping. Excess water from the bio-retention basins is discharged directly into government drains in line with PUB’s ABC water policies. Rainwater harvesting and drip irrigation In addition to bio-retention basins, a rainwater harvesting strategy is employed to irrigate above-ground landscaped areas at the sky terraces, the landscaped MSCP roof, MSCP green terraces, and edge 10 · THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER
The orientation and design of the residential tower blocks minimise solar gain and maximise air circulation and ‘through ventilation’.
planters. Rainwater is collected from roofs and is fed to intermediate holding tanks by gravity, to irrigate these areas through a drip irrigation system. Early estimates indicate potential water savings of about 40%. The system also allows for a top-up with PUB water to supplement the system during periods of low rainfall. Water-efficient fixtures This residential development has waterefficient fixtures such as water closets, bath mixers, wash basin mixers, and bib
Jul 2010
taps, as certified by the Water Efficiency Labelling Scheme (WELS). Solar panels Solar panels are installed on the upper roofs of the towers, to harvest solar energy which will be used to supplement the power for common area lighting and lift operation in the residential towers. Preliminary estimates indicate potential minimum savings of 24.6% of the total power consumed using T5 fluorescent fittings (the HDB requirement of 3.15 hours/day is used as the baseline).
Cover Story: Dawson Estate BTO Projects Motion sensors To further reduce the power consumption within the common areas, staircases are equipped with motion sensors. Effectively, minimal lighting is provided on landings to meet code requirements and the lighting is supplemented only when the staircases are being used. Lifts Lifts are equipped with AC VVF (Variable Voltage and Frequency) and sleep mode features. These features are estimated to provide 10% savings in lift operational costs. Environment management Recyclables chutes are provided for collection of recyclable waste. PROJECT DETAILS Site area: 22,524 m2 Total GFA: 87,101.97 m2 Plot ratio: 3.87
Bio-retention basins are incorporated to catch storm-water surface run-off from the peripheral road. The water that percolates through, undergoes a natural bio-filtration process that removes water borne pollutants.
PROJECT CREDITS Client / Developer Housing & Development Board Project Manager SCDA Architects Pte Ltd Architect SCDA Architects Pte Ltd Landscape Architect SCDA Architects Pte Ltd
The energy harvested by the solar panels installed on the upper roofs of the towers, will be used to supplement the power for common area lighting and lift operation.
M&E Engineer Bescon Consulting Engineers Pte C&S Engineer Ronnie & Koh Consultants Pte Ltd Quantity Surveyor WT Partnership ESD Consultant ZEB-Technology Pte Ltd
All images by SCDA Architects Pte Ltd.
Recyclables chutes are provided for collection of recyclable waste.
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Jul 2010 · 11
Cover Story: Dawson Estate BTO Projects Skyville @ Dawson Winner of a Green Mark for Buildings Award, for Residential New Buildings, under the Platinum category, at BCA AWARDS 2010, the Housing & Development Board (HDB) Build-ToOrder (BTO) project also received the ABC Waters Certification from PUB, the national water agency. INTRODUCTION The project presents an opportunity for the team of design consultants to conceive and design a new and exciting vision for the future of public housing in Singapore. The design proposal re-thinks conventional norms for public housing by creating spaces that range in scale, location, and function. • The Sky Villages, Rooftop Penthouse, Urban Plaza, and social facilities, help foster community spirit. • Configurable unit layouts allow expression of individuality and diversity of character. • A sustainable environment is achieved by utilising good passive design, a variety of foliage, and on-site renewable energy, creating the potential to reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions. The design for Skyville @ Dawson is the product of integration of the three key concepts of community, variety, and sustainability, as mutually beneficial concepts, and presents a glimpse of what the future of public housing in Singapore could be. Skyville @ Dawson will be a precedent for HDB’s new generation of public housing. Located in Queenstown, the site for Skyville @ Dawson is bounded on the north and east by a newly aligned Margaret Drive and Dawson Road. The south boundary runs parallel to the Alexandra Canal Linear Park. There are many mature trees in this estate which will be conserved and developed into a landscaped park, covering about 30% of the site area. The 960-unit public housing development is located within the HDB landscaped master plan for the Eco Corridor and Alexandra Canal Linear 12 · THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER
The design for Skyville is based on a re-thinking of conventional norms for public housing.
Interaction takes place when residents cross paths at the ground level lift lobby of their blocks.
Jul 2010
Cover Story: Dawson Estate BTO Projects Park. This project will be developed by HDB to fulfil the vision of creating ‘Housing in a Park’, where public housing is set in a scenic park-like environment. COMMUNITY This project aims to build communities. A rich variety of sheltered and outdoor community spaces are designed to encourage social interaction among residents at different scales and levels. By strategically locating these spaces along the daily routes of residents, this becomes part of their daily life. Interaction takes place when residents cross paths at the ground level lift lobby of their blocks. Here they collect their mail, wait for the lifts, wait for school buses, or they can sit in the community living room to enjoy a chat as well as the serenity of the landscaped park just next to it. The landscaped park and the landscaped deck of the podium block provide interaction spaces in an outdoor setting. These accommodate precinct pavilions, playgrounds, fitness stations, and beautifully landscaped gardens, for the enjoyment of residents, their families, and their communities.
FLEXIBILITY IN LAYOUT
THE FAÇADE
All the apartment units are designed with beam-free ceiling in core spaces, and with columns along the perimeter, to maximise flexibility in unit layout. Residents will enjoy a range of unit layouts with a variety of options in terms of living room and master bedroom sizes, and number of bedrooms, to suit their individual lifestyles and family needs.
The tower façade is designed to highlight the different clusters, with the sky gardens providing visual relief at regular intervals, as well as punctuating the solid element with a dispersion of voids and landscaping. Each cluster within the block is characterised by a colour that differentiates it from other clusters, to
Example of how the layout of the units allows change over the lifecycle.
The landscaped deck of the podium block is another outdoor venue for community interaction.
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Jul 2010 · 13
Cover Story: Dawson Estate BTO Projects give a sense of identity. The playful staggering of the vertical wall finishes and colours lends a rich and varied touch to the tall stately towers, thereby providing a special character to this development. THE LANDSCAPE A rich variety of landscaped areas is designed to bring an enjoyment of nature into the high-rise living environment. Both the residential towers and the multi storey car park will be landscaped at the roof levels as well as at the sky villages. At ground level, there is a huge landscaped park with majestic rain trees on the north side, 13 of which have been earmarked for conservation. The bioswale, integrated at the edge of the towers, creates an eco-feature water garden, while at the same time pre-treating hardscape water run-off and managing storm-water. Skyville @ Dawson has an intensive green roof system at the tower blocks, multi storey car park, and the adjoining 3-storey building. The extent of coverage
The tall, stately towers are conspicuous even when viewed from a distance.
14 · THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER
Community spaces are strategically located along the daily routes of residents, to promote social interaction.
The landscaped areas bring enjoyment of nature into the high-rise living environment.
Jul 2010
Cover Story: Dawson Estate BTO Projects
At ground level, there is a huge, landscaped park, with majestic rain trees on the north side.
The bio-swale integrated at the edge of the towers creates an eco-feature water garden, while at the same time, pre-treating hardscape water run-off and managing storm-water. Image by ICN Design International Pte Ltd.
The buildings are topped by an intensive green roof system and there are sky gardens at various levels of the tower blocks.
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Jul 2010 · 15
Cover Story: Dawson Estate BTO Projects of the green roofs is about 4,690 m2, out of the entire building roof top area of about 9,370 m2. Sky gardens are created on the 3rd, 14th, th 25 , and 36th storeys of the tower blocks. Each of these sky gardens is a communal sky village of 80 units. Residents share these community spaces just outside their doorsteps. Residential units are also in close proximity to the Alexandra Canal Linear Park which forms part of the nation-wide park connector network.
Transmittance Value (RETV) of 19.56 W/m2 was obtained. Renewable energy A grid-tied, mono-crystalline, photovoltaic (PV) system is incorporated into the
roof garden features to supplement the energy requirement for the lighting of the common areas. The capacity of the PV modules installed is 125kWp and the estimated electrical output is approximately 137 MWh/year.
SUSTAINABILITY A sustainable environment is achieved in this project through utilising good passive design and a variety of foliage, and installing solar panels, thereby creating the potential to reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions. Building orientation The buildings are 100% north-south facing and more than 70% of the dwelling units enjoy true cross ventilation. Computer simulation In order to design and identify effective layouts and dimensions of the buildings, which will ensure cross ventilation, Computation Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulation of natural ventilation within the units, was carried out at the design stage. Daylighting and thermal analyses were also carried out during the initial design stage to identify the optimum façade design that would achieve a balance between reducing solar heat gain, allowing daylighting to permeate, and ensuring cost-effectiveness. A Residential Envelope
Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulation of natural ventilation within the units, was carried out at the design stage. Image by Beca Carter Hollings & Ferner (S.E. Asia) Pte Ltd.
Daylighting and thermal analyses were also carried out during the initial design stage to identify the optimum facade design. Image by Beca Carter Hollings & Ferner (S.E. Asia) Pte Ltd.
All the buildings face north-south.
16 · THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER
A grid-tied mono-crystalline PV system is incorporated into the roof garden features, to supplement the energy requirement for the common area lighting.
Jul 2010
Cover Story: Dawson Estate BTO Projects Lighting Through good daylighting designs and the use of energy-efficient T5 light fittings with high frequency ballasts for the illumination of all common areas, the buildings aim to achieve savings in the power consumption for lighting, of more than 55%, as compared to a typical codecompliant building. In addition, motion sensors are installed to control the lights at the half landings of each staircase, so that half of the lights will be automatically switched off when there is no movement of people along the staircases, further reducing the energy consumption of the lighting. Through the incorporation of PV technology and an efficient lighting system, an estimated overall energy savings of approximately 394 MWh/year could be achieved for Skyville @ Dawson. Dwelling units The message of sustainability and ‘green living’ is extended into the dwelling units as well. All the water fittings such as basin taps, and WC flushing cisterns used, are rated ‘Very Good’ (2 Ticks) under the Water Efficiency Labelling
Scheme (WELS). The estimated overall water savings for Skyville @ Dawson is approximately 53,000 m3/yr. Efforts were also taken during the design phase to ensure a good indoor environment quality within the residential units. All wet areas will be adequately ventilated with good daylighting and all refuse chutes will be located in open areas in the common corridors. Environment-friendly materials Where possible, the construction materials used will be certified by Singapore Green Labelling Scheme (SGLS). Non-structural elements will be made with concrete incorporating ground granulated blastfurnace slag (GGBS), and environment-friendly water-proofing materials will be used in all the wet areas. Environmental protection A compost bin centre will be installed at the ground level to promote recycling of landscape clippings as well as organic wastes, which will be used for landscaping. At the ground level, recycling bins for paper, plastics, and metals, will be located at the lift lobbies for use by the residents.
Dual bins will also be provided at the common refuse chutes on every level, to promote the concept of recycling among the residents. Bicycle parking lots will be allocated at each tower block to encourage alternative transportation. In addition, the development is located within walking distance to the bus stop and the MRT station, further reducing the carbon emissions from transportation. CONCLUSION Skyville @ Dawson is among the forerunners that define the new generation of public housing in Singapore. This BTO project sees the implementation of sustainable technologies at a large enough scale to show meaningful results on environmental sustainability design and also to deliver long-term savings to the end-user. PROJECT CREDITS Client / Developer Housing & Development Board Project Manager WOHA Architects Pte Ltd Architect WOHA Architects Pte Ltd
All the water fittings are rated ‘Very Good’ (2 Ticks) under the Water Efficiency Labelling Scheme (WELS).
M&E Engineer Beca Carter Hollings & Ferner (S.E. Asia) Pte Ltd C&S Engineer LBW Consultants LLP Quantity Surveyor KPK Quantity Surveyors (Singapore) Pte Ltd Landscape Consultant ICN Design International Pte Ltd ESD Consultant Beca Carter Hollings & Ferner (S.E. Asia) Pte Ltd
A compost bin centre will be installed at the ground level to promote recycling of landscape clippings as well as organic wastes, which will be used for landscaping. Image by ICN Design International Pte Ltd.
All images by WOHA Architects Pte Ltd, unless otherwise stated.
THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER
Jul 2010 · 17
Interview Energy-efficient performance guaranteed ‘The Singapore Engineer’ speaks to Mr Pay Ngiap Poh, Vice-President – Asia Energy Solutions, Ingersoll Rand, Climate Solutions Asia Pacific, and asks him about the company’s capabilities and contributions in the area of energy management in buildings. Question: Trane has all along been a well-known name in airconditioning equipment and systems. When did the company move into the role of an ESCO (Energy Services Company)? Answer: About 15 years ago, Trane started providing Energy Services and Asset Management Services in the US, and we have been moving well. In Asia, we were not doing much in this area. Around three years ago, we decided to focus on Asia by launching a bridgehead – Trane Asia Energy Solutions – in Singapore, and that is when we started offering these services.
Mr Pay Ngiap Poh.
Artist’s impression of Gardens by the Bay.
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Jul 2010
Interview Q: How are the prospects for ESCOs in Singapore and Asia, in both newbuilding and refurbishment projects? In general, the business opportunities have gone up tremendously. With the emphasis on ‘green’ buildings, there is a real need to reduce the energy consumption of buildings, with the airconditioning alone accounting for up to 60% of the total. With respect to the retrofitting of existing buildings in Asia, the prospects are good as there are a lot of ‘matured’ buildings, especially in cities like Bangkok, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, and Taipei. As a result of the need for energy services, our Asia Energy Solutions expects to grow 30% year-on-year. Q: What are your comments on the incentives being given to building owners to incorporate ‘green’ features in their projects? A: With the widespread awareness of global warming and climate change, we see several countries in the region, such as Japan, Thailand, China and Korea, introducing energy-saving programmes that include incentives. Singapore has also taken action, and the incentives provided are good. But for energy-savings to be actually realised, accurate measurement of the performance of the systems, particularly the airconditioning system, is important.
In Thailand, we secured the Seagate and Tetrapak building projects. We are also moving to North Asia. A notable project here is the Hong Kong Jockey Club. Q: What are the highlights of Trane’s contributions in Gardens by the Bay? A: The Conservatory Complex in Gardens by the Bay comprises a ‘Cool Dry biome’ and ‘Cool Moist biome’, for the plants and flowers of two different geographical environments. We supplied airconditioning equipment including energy-efficient chillers, as well as the controls for the two biomes. The Gardens by the Bay project will use Trane's Building Automation System (BAS), which facilitates web-based facility management of multiple buildings. The BAS will control the functioning of the different equipment and systems in the two biomes, including those for solar tracking, fogging, shading, irrigation, ACMV (Air Conditioning Mechanical Ventilation), and lighting. Q: What guarantees do you give on the performance of chiller plants? A: Trane gives 3-year, 5-year, and 10-
year guarantees on the performance of chiller plants which are maintained by the company. For example, in Mapletree Business City, we have a performance guarantee of 0.65 kW/ton energy efficiency, for a cooling load varying from 2,000 ton to 10,000 ton. Q: What is the significance of the acquisition of Trane by Ingersoll Rand? A: Ingersoll Rand’s diversification started 10 years ago. But it was in 2007 that the company sold its road construction machinery, construction equipment, as well its utility equipment and attachment products businesses. In December of the same year, Ingersoll rand acquired Trane. This gives the company a strong focus in the area of ‘Climate Solutions’, together with Thermo King and Hussmann. Whilst Trane is a leader in airconditioning systems, services, and solutions, Thermo King manufactures temperature control systems for a variety of transportation modes including trailers, trucks, buses, shipboard containers, and railway cars. Hussmann provides display cases, refrigeration systems, installation, and services to food retailers around the world.
Q: What are some of the projects that Trane has successfully undertaken? A: At our bridgehead in Singapore, we have laid the foundation, and built up the team through transfer of knowledge and training. We have already established a track record here, with completed and ongoing projects such as Singapore Post Centre, The Galen, Mapletree Business City, and New Tech Park. Trane also supplied our energy-efficient chillers to the national project - the Gardens by the Bay. We have several jobs in Malaysia including Penang Times Square, Dammansara Oasis, Parkson Shopping Complex in Kuala Lumpur, and Hotel Parkroyal Kuala Lumpur.
Trane’s Building Automation System will control the functioning of the different equipment and systems in the two biomes at Gardens by the Bay.
THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER
Jul 2010 · 19
Sustainable Energy Application Solar Assisted Heat Pump – research and development at NUS Energy is considered to be a prime agent in the generation of wealth and a significant factor in economic development. Of all known energy sources, solar energy is considered clean and inexhaustible. Solar energy is particularly suitable for low temperature applications and offers an excellent opportunity for its use with heat pumps. The unglazed evaporator-collectors absorb both solar energy and ambient energy due to the low operating temperature. At the National University of Singapore (NUS), three different systems have been designed, fabricated and installed. They are: • A solar assisted heat pump system for producing hot water using an unglazed evaporator collector. • A solar assisted heat pump for hot water production, drying, and space cooling. • A solar assisted heat pump system for desalination using an unglazed evaporator-collector and a solar liquid collector. Dr M N A Hawlader, Mr Zakaria Mohd Amin, and Dr Ye Shaochun, Department of Mechanical
Engineering, NUS, describe the three systems. INTRODUCTION Taking into consideration the growing energy needs and concerns regarding environmental degradation, greater attention is being given to clean and inexhaustible energy sources, such as solar energy, for various applications. The use of solar energy systems reduces pollution and waste, and has little or no harmful effects on the environment. It is understood that this source of energy can complement, rather than compete with, conventional energy sources. A combination of solar energy and heat pump can improve the quality of the energy available and has the potential for being utilised in different applications [1- 2]. The evaporator-collector used in such a system can absorb both solar and ambient energy [3-4]. Huang and Lee [5] studied the long-term performance of solar assisted heat pump water heaters. Grossman [6] conducted experiments with a solar heat pump system to provide cooling, dehumidification, and airconditioning. In 2003, Hawlader et al
Fig 1: Schematic diagram of a SAHP water heating system [9].
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[7, 8] conducted a series of experiments on the application of a Solar Assisted Heat Pump (SAHP) system for water heating, drying, and desalination. APPLICATION OF SAHP SYSTEMS At NUS, several SAHP systems were built for the evaluation of their performance in various thermal applications, under the meteorological conditions of Singapore. SAHP for water heating The most common use of solar thermal energy is in the area of water heating. Heat pumps are becoming more popular, since they are more energyefficient and have a better performance than conventional heating systems such as those using gas or electricity. Hawlader et al [9] developed a SAHP water heater, as shown in Figs 1 and 2, and conducted experiments on such a system operating under the meteorological conditions of Singapore. The system includes two serpentine, unglazed, evaporator-collectors connected in series. The ambient air also acts as a heat source depending on the operating temperature of the evaporatorcollectors.
Fig 2: Photograph of a SAHP water heating system [9].
Sustainable Energy Application
Fig 3: Schematic diagram of an integrated solar heat-pump system.
Integrated SAHP system At NUS, an integrated system for airconditioning, water heating, and drying, was designed and built, as shown in Figs 3 and 4. The various components of the system are an evaporator-collector, evaporator, variable speed reciprocating compressor, air-cooled and water-cooled condensers, drying chamber, blower, and other control devices. The evaporatorcollector and evaporator are connected in parallel with individual expansion valves. The air-cooled and water-cooled condensers are connected in series. SAHP for desalination Desalination processes involve phase changes and require significant energy inputs. At NUS, a direct expansion SAHP system for desalination was designed and built [9]. In the desalination system, as shown in Figs 5 and 6, the heat pump provides heating and cooling for the desalination process. In the desalination section, the water is preheated using a liquid solar collector. Previously, only an electrical heater was used to maintain the temperature of the feed water at 70° C [10]. Currently, the heater serves as a booster. The heat exchange between water and refrigerant occurs in the desalination chamber and water condenser tank. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION SAHP water heating Fig 7 shows the thermal performance of the system in water heating with solar radiation for different collector areas.
Fig 4: Photograph of an integrated solar heat-pump system.
As seen from the figure, for a particular collector area, if solar irradiation increases, the Coefficient of Performance (COP), the ratio of heat gain to compressor work, increases. It may happen if the fluid temperature in the collector increases due to high solar irradiation and reduces the work of the compressor. Again, for the same reason, for a particular size of the compressor and specific solar irradiation, the COP of the system increases with increasing collector area. Integrated SAHP system Here, all the three applications (water heating, drying, and airconditioning), are implemented simultaneously. A room is cooled down by this system. A cooling load analysis has been done and this system has a cooling capacity of at least 4200 W. Cooling capacity is a measure of
the total amount of cooling needed for an enclosed area during a specified period of time. A total of 10 towels are placed in a drying chamber and dried by the hot air from the air condenser. The weight of the 10 towels in the drying process is shown in Fig 8. The temperature of the air inlet is around 55° C while the temperature after drying is around 30° C. It can be seen initially that the temperature difference between the inlet and outlet is larger and gets smaller after the towels are dried. Within 30 minutes, 1400 g of water evaporate, leading to the drying of the towels. There is a drop in the temperature of air at the outlet as the heat from the air inlet is used to dry the towels. While most systems vent out the warm air, this system effectively makes use of it to dry the towels.
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Jul 2010 · 21
Sustainable Energy Application SAHP for desalination Desalination is performed and compared at two compressor speeds (30 Hz and 35 Hz) under the meteorological conditions of Singapore. From Fig 9, it can be seen that at 35 Hz, more water is produced. This is because at higher compressor speeds, the refrigerant is driven at a higher flow rate, resulting in more water evaporation and condensation. Performance Ratio (PR) is defined as the amount of distillate produced per 2326 kJ of heat input. The value ‘2326 kJ’ represents the theoretical amount of energy required for evaporating 1 kg of water. Higher PR indicates higher distillate production per unit heat input and better utilisation of the thermal energy of the system. From Fig 10, it can be seen that the PR is lower when the compressor is running at 35 Hz. Under similar solar irradiation conditions, distillate production by the system is slightly higher when the compressor is running at 35 Hz. CONCLUSION The SAHP system is an effective and environment-friendly solution for low temperature applications. This system uses both solar and ambient energy, enabling operation even at night. The efficiency of the unglazed evaporator-collector was found to be much higher than that of the air or liquid collector. The application of SAHP principles facilitates the development of an integrated multi-task SAHP system, where solar and ambient energy, and waste heat from airconditioning, can be used for water heating, drying, desalination, and space cooling.
Fig 5: Schematic diagram of the desalination system [10].
Fig 6: Photograph of the desalination system [10].
REFERENCES [1] Kush E A, 1980: ‘Performance of heat pumps at elevated evaporating temperatures with application to solar input’, Journal of Solar Energy Engineering, Vol 102, pp 203-210. [2] O'Dell M P, Mitchell J W, and Beckman W A, 1983: ‘Design method and performance of heat pumps with refrigerant filled collectors’, Transactions of ASHRAE Vol 89 (1), pp 519-525. 22 · THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER
Fig 7: Effect of storage volume on thermal energy output by the collector and condenser.
Jul 2010
Sustainable Energy Application [3] Ito S, 1992: ‘Heat pumps with direct expansion solar collectors’, Transactions of the Japanese Association of Refrigeration, Vol 9(2), pp 101-115. [4] Chaturvedi S K, Chen D T, and Kheireddine A, 1998: ‘Thermal performance of a direct expansion solar assisted heat pump. Energy Conversion and Management’,Vol 39 (3-4), pp 181191. [5]Huang B J and Lee C P, 2003: ‘Longterm performance of solar-assisted heat pump water Heater’, Renewable Energy, Vol 29, pp 633-639. [6] Gershon Grossman, 2002: ‘Solar-powered systems for cooling, dehumidification and airconditioning’, Solar Energy, Vol 72(1), pp 53-62.
Fig 8: Variation of drying load with time.
[7] Hawlader M N A, Chou S K, Jahangeer K A, Rahman S M A, and Eugene Lau K W, 2003: ‘Solar-assisted heat-pump dryer and water heater’, Applied Energy, Vol 74(1-2), pp 185-193. [8] Hawlader M N A, Prasanta K Dey, Sufyan Diab, and Chan Ying Chung, 2004: ‘Solar Assisted Heat Pump Desalination’. Desalination, 168, 49 –54. [9] Hawlader M N A, S K Chou, M Z Ullah, 2001: ‘The performance of a solar assisted heat pump water heating system’, Applied Thermal Engineering, 21, 10491065.
Fig 9: Distillate production rate as a function of solar irradiation for different compressor speeds.
[10] Hawlader M N A, Zakaria Mohd Amin, 2008: ‘Conversion of seawater to fresh water: an experiment with a solar assisted heat pump’, ASME 2nd International Conference on Energy Sustainability ES2008, August 10-14, 2008, Jacksonville, Florida, USA. [This article is based on a paper presented by Dr M N A Hawlader, at CAFEO 27 (the 27th Conference of ASEAN Federation of Engineering Organizations). Hosted by the Institution of Engineers, Singapore (IES), CAFEO 27 was held at Suntec Singapore International Convention and Exhibition Centre, from 30 November to 2 December 2009].
Fig 10: Variation of PR with solar irradiation for different compressor speeds.
THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER
Jul 2010 · 23
Products & Services New Intelligent Power Manager software simplifies supervision of UPSs and ePDUs Diversified industrial manufacturer Eaton Corporation recently announced the introduction of an intuitive, costeffective, and secure software that will enable Information Technology (IT) managers and administrators to remotely manage and monitor all of their networked power and environmental devices across the enterprise. According to the company, its Intelligent Power Manager software is a robust and scalable program that will enable the supervision of networked Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) systems to be done at a cost that is substantially lower than the cost of using major network management system platforms. Intelligent Power Manager can carry out a scan for all the UPS systems, regardless of the vendor, using both XML Web services and SNMP protocols. It also discovers and manages other critical power components, such as ePDU products, shutdown modules, and environmental sensors, to give administrators comprehensive control of their protected infrastructure. ‘Intelligent Power Manager is an excellent productivity tool that gives IT managers a global view of their power and environmental devices, from any secure personal computer on the network’, said Mr Bernard Lee, Product Manager, Eaton Power Quality Business Unit. ‘The flexible and intelligent monitoring of devices simplifies management, minimises response time, reduces time to repair, and substantially increases uptime - benefitting the bottom line’, he added. The feature-rich software presents a consolidated view of the main operating parameters of all UPS systems, which can be configured easily, according to the type of UPS, location, operating status, and other user-defined parameters. Through its colour-coded displays and customised views, administrators can activate advanced functions such as automatic shutdown of unattended servers, automatic re-boot, and system operation scheduling of multiple devices over multiple locations. The software also offers the ability to organise devices by several different criteria such as 24 · THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER
Internet Protocol (IP) address, application type, or owner. Users can assign automatic actions such as e-mail notification of power or environmental events, as well as centralise alarms and maintain event logs for preventive maintenance of the entire installed equipment base. Moreover, network management card setup and maintenance is reduced by mass-upgrading the firmware. As part of Eaton’s PowerChain Management solutions, Intelligent Power Manager can be used in combination with Eaton’s Power Xpert platform, which provides facility managers with a comprehensive view of their electrical systems. It is a scalable solution, managing virtually any number of power devices on the network. ‘This software gives IT users who may not have an in-depth knowledge of power quality concepts, an easy-to-use tool to manage and monitor power assets remotely’, said Mr Lee. The multi-platform, web-based Intelligent Power Manager software is bundled with Eaton’s UPSs at no charge, for up to 10 monitored devices. Eaton’s
electrical business is a global leader in power distribution, power quality, control and automation, and monitoring products and services. Eaton’s global electrical product series, including CutlerHammer, Moeller, Powerware, Holec, MEM, and Santak, provide customerdriven PowerChain solutions to serve the power system needs of the data centre, industrial, institutional, public sector, utility, commercial, residential, IT, mission critical, alternative energy, and OEM markets worldwide. A diversified power management company, Eaton Corporation is a global technology leader in electrical components and systems, for power quality, distribution, and control; hydraulics components, systems, and services, for industrial and mobile equipment; aerospace fuel, hydraulics, and pneumatic systems, for commercial and military use; and truck and automotive drivetrain and powertrain systems, for performance, fuel economy, and safety. Eaton has approximately 70,000 employees and sells products to customers in more than 150 countries.
The Intelligent Power Manager software facilitates the cost-effective supervision of networked UPS systems and associated equipment.
Jul 2010
Products & Services Accurate determination of insulation moisture content DIRANA, the DIelectric Response ANAlyzer, from OMICRON, determines in a simple and efficient way, the moisture content of liquid-filled transformers. Accurate knowledge of the moisture content is a crucial factor in the condition assessment of power transformers. High moisture levels accelerate insulation decomposition, decrease dielectric strength, and may cause bubbles to form at elevated temperatures. Additionally, the condition (water content) of the oil is determined. DIRANA can also be used for the condition assessment of bushings, instrument transformers, cables, and rotating machines. Other applications include verification of proper drying for a new transformer at the factory or confirmation that the transformer is properly dried out after field assembly, repairs, or oil processing. Speed meets precision DIRANA determines the moisture content on the basis of Dielectric Frequency Response (DFR). A special feature of DIRANA is the combination of the two measurement techniques Polarisation Current Measurement (PDC) and Frequency Domain Spectroscopy (FDS). This allows for accelerated
measurements, even in the very low frequency ranges which are often required for measurements on transformers that are new, cold, and dry. The extended measurement range of 5 kHz down to 50 μHz, allows DIRANA to discriminate between moisture in the oil, insulation geometry, and paper. The result is independent of moisture equilibrium and insulation temperature. By combining the time and frequency domain methods (PDC and FDS), DIRANA achieves superior speed that halves conventional measurement times. Measurements made with DIRANA are claimed to be more accurate than traditional oil sampling, as compensation for equilibrium conditions and the use of equilibrium diagrams are no longer required.
for conductive ageing byproducts in the oil and is therefore well suited for older transformers.
Integrated expert knowledge DIRANA's assessment is based on a database containing data from measurements of real oil-paper-insulation systems with varying moisture content and oil/paper ageing. On this basis, the measurement results are automatically analysed and the moisture content is then classified according to IEC 60 422 between the extremes ‘dry’ and ‘extremely wet’. Additionally, the software compensates
New features A new ‘Pre Measurement Check’ feature analyses the capacitance, signal to noise ratio, and noise current, to ensure a successful test. The software also recognises when sufficient data has been gathered and the test can be stopped. Therefore the measurement time can be minimised. Training videos are now available that discuss moisture analysis and test set operation.
Dielectric Response Analysis with DIRANA.
LED lighting from AZ E-lite Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) are energy-efficient and long-lasting. LED lights create less heat than traditional lights, which means they last longer (up to 50,000 hours which is 50 times more than incandescent lights and five times more than fluorescent lights) and save up to 50% in electricity bills. The global LED lighting market is expected to grow exponentially with increasing acceptance and adoption of LEDs as a viable mainstream and green technology. AZ E-lite, a wholly owned subsidiary of Aztech Group Ltd, offers a range of LED lighting for various applications. Included are Commercial Lighting (office lighting, spotlights & LED floodlights),
LED & Green Lighting (LED modules & LED lights), and Household Lighting (ceiling lamps & LED light bulbs). The IP54-designed Aztech LF210 & LF420 (2-feet and 4-feet) LED luminaires with fixtures, are used for outdoor lighting. They are also commonly used in residential buildings (in the common corridors, staircases, and void decks) and in commercial buildings. The Aztech LF210S2 & LF420S2 (2-feet and 4-feet) LED luminaires with fixtures and built-in motor sensors provide further energy savings. They are commonly used in residential buildings (in the common corridors, staircases, and void decks) and in commercial buildings.
The Aztech LT8 Series (2-feet & 4-feet) LED tubes can be used for direct replacement of standard fluorescent tubes. They are commonly used in hospitality lighting, office lighting, and other indoor lighting. The Aztech LE27N LED spot lights can be used for direct replacement of standard incandescent bulbs. They are commonly used in hospitality lighting, office lighting, and other indoor lighting. The Aztech XL & XL-S) LED floodlights are suitable for indoor and outdoor areas. The XL-S model is built with Pyroelectric Infra-Red (PIR) motion detector and daylight ambience sensor for further energy savings.
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Jul 2010 · 25
News & Events Philips sports lighting at 2010 World Cup stadiums Six out of the 10 stadiums that hosted the recently concluded 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa soccer tournament, were lit up with the ArenaVision MVF404 floodlighting solution from Philips. They are the Soccer City Stadium in Johannesburg where the final was held, Ellis Park Stadium in Johannesburg, Royal Bafokeng Stadium in Rustenburg, Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban, Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane, and the Nelson Mandela Stadium in Port Elizabeth. The ArenaVision MVF404 floodlighting solution has been developed to allow for 10% more light and fewer luminaires to be used, thereby saving on costs, energy use, and maintenance. With increased optical efficiency, the light distributed has minimal spill. The new ArenaVision systems offer easy lamp fitting and replacement, full IP65 compliance, a new safety knife connector system, and an electronic hotrestrike solution, while continuing to offer all the benefits of its predecessor.
The advanced and yet unobtrusive lighting solutions from Philips helped to enhance the viewing experience for players, referees, spectators, and TV viewers alike, bringing the spectacle and emotion of the soccer games alive. ‘Light represents less than 1% of the stadium/arena budget, but determines 99% of the effect seen on TV. It is vital that our lighting systems accommodate the stringent demands of the TV broadcasting industry in capturing the details and emotion of the sports for a remote audience. But it does not stop there. The ArenaVision systems also give live spectators the best possible viewing experience to clearly see what is going on from every seat. And, as we all know, every detail can be of great importance. Good and unobtrusive lighting help players and referees deliver the best performance. It is for this reason that Philips was chosen to light most of the South Africa’s top stadiums’, said Mr Jeroen Jansen, Philips Lighting’s General Manager for Southern Africa.
Ellis Park Stadium in Johannesburg.
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In the Moses Mabhida Stadium, for example, Philips supplied a total of 548 ArenaVision MVF404 2kW floodlights to illuminate the soccer pitch to 2000 lux average vertical while the athletics track is illuminated to 1000 lux average vertical. The floodlights are mounted on two aluminum catwalks suspended by tierods from the roof steelwork - one on the east side and one on the west side. The average height of these catwalks is 45 m above the playing field. In the event of power failure, 46 hot restrike versions of the 548 floodlights, provide safety lighting. To further ensure maximum performance of its lighting installations, the floodlights were powered by diesel generators during the World Cup 2010 tournament, with supply utility ESKOM acting as the backup. Philips also supplied general lighting luminaires for the venues. For example, at the Soccer City Stadium, the company provided 1900 roof truss
News & Events luminaires (TCW216 2xTL-D 58 W) to illuminate the underside of the skin of the roof canopy; 60 upper tier aisle lighting luminaires (MVF616 1 kW halogen floodlights) to illuminate a part of the spectator seating; 1600 luminaires (TCW216 2xTL-D 18W) to illuminate the roof catwalks on which the floodlights are mounted; and 136 upper concourse column spotlights (BBB451 3 x LED-K2) for aesthetic lighting as well as office and general lighting. Further, Philips used LED solutions to light up a hotel where the Dutch soccer team was staying. Philips’ ArenaVision sports lighting already equips more than half of the world’s major football stadiums, and the technology has been further improved since the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany. Philips has been the leader in sports lighting applications. For years, the company has been the technical partner of international sports federations. Through these partnerships, Philips has helped to draw up official specifications and guidelines for floodlighting in sporting venues.
A hotel where the Dutch soccer team was staying, lit up with LED solutions from Philips.
Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban.
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Jul 2010 · 27
News & Events New Philips brand store for home lighting
Philips has opened a brand store for home lighting, along Bukit Timah Road. The store offers lighting solutions, displayed in a home setting.
Philips Electronics Singapore has opened a brand store for home lighting, along Bukit Timah Road, that will enhance consumers’ shopping experience. The store offers lighting solutions, combining energy-efficient lighting technology and sophisticated designs, displayed in a home setting, that will appeal to the lifestyles of modern consumers and their increasing desire to personalise their living spaces. The store will feature the latest home lighting solutions from Philips, including Ledino, said to be the world’s first complete range of indoor lighting for homes, based on energy-saving Light Emitting Diode (LED) technology. Other home lighting solutions include ecoMOODS, a range of contemporary light fixtures, that combines style and function; KidsPlace, a line of fun, creative lighting that is child-safe; Aquafit, a dedicated range of bathroom lighting; Roomstylers, a collection with diverse styles suited for different living areas; and Outerstylers, a range of water-resistant outdoor lighting. The size of the home lighting market in Singapore is currently valued at between S$ 40 million and S$ 60 million per annum. This figure is expected to increase as an estimated 37,000 private residential units are likely to be given Temporary Occupation Permits by 2012. Philips 28 · THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER
Ledino is said to be the world’s first complete range of indoor lighting for homes, based on energysaving LED technology.
estimates that, globally, more than 75% of all lighting points will be converted to LED lighting, by 2020, with advanced societies like Singapore taking the lead. Through the brand store, Philips hopes to address the growing needs of consumers. Lighting experts will be available at the new store to provide advice and guidance on what lighting can do for their spaces at home, and on choosing the appropriate lighting for the various rooms and corners.
Jul 2010
‘With the new brand store, we want to provide inspiration for home owners seeking to see their homes in a new light, and show them how lighting has the ability to transform their homes’, said Mr Tiew Chew Meng, General Manager, Philips Lighting Singapore. ‘Local consumers are becoming more discerning, with cost no longer the sole factor for purchase. They consider benefits to their homes, their families, and even the environment. Our team of
News & Events trained personnel at the store will work closely with homeowners to source for the right lighting solutions across our wide range of offerings. We are confident that consumers will find their purchasing experience much more enjoyable’, he added. Moving forward, the brand store will be a platform to showcase Philips’ new lighting ranges and product innovations. Consumers who visit the store will find information on these new technologies and see how these lighting solutions will look in their actual environments. In the brand store, concept spaces, which will demonstrate how homeowners can play with lighting to enhance various home spaces and décor themes, will be updated every six months, with new furnishings and lighting fixtures fitted in. ‘With the opening of this store, we want to continue to engage our consumers and give them ideas on what they can do with lighting at home’, said Mr Tiew. ‘Lighting is more than just luminaires. We want to show how lighting can transform homes and enhance lives’, he added.
Lighting products are available for all parts of the home, including the living room, kitchen, and outdoor areas.
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Jul 2010 · 29
News & Events Ensuring glare-free lighting of the Centre Court at Wimbledon
A tennis match in progress with the roof in the closed position. Image by All England Lawn Tennis Club.
Wimbledon 2010 was held from 21 June to 4 July 2010 at the All England Lawn Tennis Club. Traditonally, the matches were played during the day under natural light, and they were interrupted when the level of light deteriorated. Now, with the installation of a retractable translucent roof over the Centre Court at Wimbledon, matches could be played at night with the help of artificial sports lighting. The GRAFIK 7000 system, from Lutron Electronics, is used to control the more than 120 light sources when the retractable roof is closed, offering accurate and glare-free lighting of the Centre Court. The new system controls both direct and indirect lighting sources. It is the first time that indirect lighting has been used to illuminate such a high profile sports arena. Sixty of the indirect lights are fitted
The GRAFIK 7000 processors have been integrated into the retractable roof signalling system, so that on requiring the roof to open or close, a chain of lighting sequences are put in place for optimum visual comfort and safety. Image by All England Lawn Tennis Club.
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News & Events to the retractable trusses and are focused onto the reflective roof fabric, creating a blanket of overlay light. The Lutron system can be programmed in two operating modes – Championship and non-Championship. The Championship mode is pre-programmed and fully automated to exacting requirements, to ensure that players have the minimum of distractions. The nonChampionship mode is more flexible, with a number of preset scenes being possible for various training and spectator conditions. The conceptual design of the sports lighting was accomplished by global engineering design company M-E Engineers. ‘In designing the sports lighting for the retractable roof on Wimbledon’s Centre Court, we were presented with a unique challenge - the sliding roof was to be far lower than at any other major professional venue in the world, creating a potential problem with glare to the players’, said Mr Corey Berhost, Associate Director, M-E Engineers. ‘Working with the architects and the client, we introduced the technique of indirect sports lighting. What was discovered was that by reflecting some of the light off the roof itself, we could add a layer of diffuse light to blanket the court and this reduced the need for the quantity of glare-producing direct luminaires. Everything from the selection of a fabric roof membrane to the colour selection of the moving roof trusses, played a major role in the symbiosis of the system integration’, he added. A key requirement was meeting the high luminance levels required by TV companies with the high-definition coverage of the event. The All England Lawn Tennis Club also specified an ‘easy to use’, fail-safe way of controlling the lighting whether the roof was open or closed. The GRAFIK 7000 control system provides the centralised lighting control solution. With multiple processor capacity (with up to 32 processors), 16,384 zones and 6,144 Control Station Devices, the system is well placed to cope with stadiums of any capacity. At Wimbledon Centre Court, three GRAFIK 7000 processors and 24 Lutron XP Softswitch power and switching panels have been used, alongside
a Graphical User Interface in the master control room, to ensure ultimate control of all the lighting circuits. Not only is the visual comfort of the players, visitors, and viewers, preprogrammed into every lighting scene, health and safety considerations are integral to the system, as well. The GRAFIK 7000 processors have been integrated into the retractable roof signalling system, so that on requiring the roof to open or close, a chain of lighting sequences are put in place for optimum visual comfort and safety. When closing, the lighting sequences are not activated until the roof locking pins move into place and subsequently, when the roof is ready to be retracted, the sports lights are automatically turned off and allowed a
10-minute cool-down period, before the trusses begin to open and manual control is regained again. Lutron Electronics Lutron Electronics Co Inc, headquartered in Coopersburg, Pennsylvania, USA, is a leading designer and manufacturer of lighting controls and architectural lighting control systems for residential, commercial, and institutional applications. Lutron sells and services products in more than 80 countries around the world. It offers more than 15,000 products, from single-room dimmers, and quiet, electronic-drive shades, to comprehensive architectural systems that operate lighting throughout an entire building and can control virtually any lamp source.
Designing the sports lighting for the retractable roof on Wimbledon’s Centre Court, was a challenge, as the roof has to be far lower than at any other major professional venue, thereby creating the possibility of glare for the players. Image by M-E Engineers.
Sixty of the indirect lights are fitted to the retractable trusses and focussed onto the reflective roof fabric, creating a blanket of overlay light. Image by Lutron.
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Jul 2010 · 31
News & Events Pioneering tidal power moves closer to reality Surrounded by strong seas and winds, Scotland has 25% of Europe’s tidal resources and 10% of its wave potential. One of the biggest energy suppliers, ScottishPower Renewables, wants to convert the natural power into clean electricity, with banks of gigantic, hightech, underwater turbines turning the sea’s tidal movement into green energy. It is developing a system that will be the largest demonstration tidal power project in the world, putting the company at the forefront of this activity, globally. By building at least 40 underwater turbines in various places off the Scottish coast, the tidal farm sites would have a combined output of 60 megawatt (MW), enough to power 40,000 homes in Scotland and Northern Ireland. It is thought that, if fully accessed, Scotland’s tidal resources could contribute to more than 30% of its energy demand. One of the benefits of tidal power is that it is extremely predictable compared with other forms of green energy. Experts believe that thousands of jobs could be created in this sector as the technology is exported across the world, with an estimated market of some 40 billion pounds. Scotland's government recently stated that kick-starting the sector is vital if a significant industry, based in Scotland, is to be created, and the long term renewables targets are to be met. The high-tech, underwater turbines are 30 m tall and can work as deep as 100 m. The 20 m blades would turn at least 10 m below the surface to avoid shipping. The energy zones would be off-limits to trawlers for safety reasons. According to Mr Keith Anderson, Director, ScottishPower Renewables, ‘Tidal power is completely renewable, being driven by the gravity of the sun and moon, with no carbon dioxide emissions, plus the added benefit of being entirely predictable’. ‘The rapid technological advance of tidal power has been startling and is now allowing us to progress plans for substantial projects delivering major environmental and economic benefits’, he added. ScottishPower Renewables’ partner in the scheme is Hammerfest Strøm UK, a subsidiary of the Norwegian tidal power 32 · THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER
A Scottish company wants to convert the huge natural power of the sea into clean electricity, with banks of super high-tech, underwater turbines turning the sea’s tidal movement into green energy. Image by Scottish Power Limited.
developer Hammerfest Strøm. Hammerfest has received a grant of 3.9 million pounds from the UK’s Carbon Trust for the construction and testing of a 1 MW tidal power device off the Orkney islands, northern Scotland. Hammerfest Strøm’s underwater turbines are mounted on the sea bed to capture ‘tidal stream’ power, which is different to ‘tidal barrage’ power, because there is no need to impound the water. This is expected to bring significant environmental advantages by avoiding impacts on sensitive inter-tidal zones around coasts. In the future, arrays of multiple devices are anticipated, that could each generate 50 MW to 100 MW. The tidal turbine is expected to be fully operational near Orkney by 2011. Hammerfest Strøm UK has already completed the design and pre-engineering and is now tendering for fabrication and installation. After a test period, the company will work with ScottishPower Renewables which has plans to install the device as part of a 10 MW tidal power array off the coast of Islay, south-west Scotland, by 2012. Hammerfest Strøm's device is designed, based on a 300 kW prototype that has been installed in Kvalsundet, Norway, for the last six years. The prototype device was the first turbine in the world to convert kinetic energy in
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tidal waters to electricity and deliver to the grid in 2004. ScottishPower’s Mr Anderson said, ‘We firmly believe that the tidal turbine developed by Hammerfest Strøm is the most advanced and rigorously tested device anywhere in the world’. ‘The grant from the Carbon Trust will enable the first deployment of the turbine in Scottish waters, where we have ambitious plans to further utilise the device at a number of locations to take advantage of the fantastic tidal resources that Scotland has to offer’, he added. The tidal power resource is estimated at some 150 billion kWh/yr globally (representing capital investment of about 40 billion pounds sterling). The UK share has been estimated at 13 billion kWh/yr and more than 80% of this is located in Scottish waters. ScottishPower Renewables is part of Iberdrola Renovables, a Spanish multinational corporation, which is the largest wind energy company in the world, with an installed capacity of almost 11,000 MW at the end of 2009, and a pipeline of 57,400 MW. ScottishPower Renewables had more than 800 MW of installed capacity at the end of 2009, and a pipeline of 5,115 MW. Source: London Press Service. Author: Richard Maino.
News & Events World Wind Energy Award 2010 given to IRENA On the occasion of the 9 th World Wind Energy Conference 2010, the Board of the World Wind Energy Association (WWEA) decided to give the World Wind Energy Award 2010 to the Founding Member States of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) and handed it over to IRENA’s Interim Director General, Ms Hélène Pelosse. The World Wind Energy Award has been given to honour all Founding Members for the founding of IRENA. The creation of IRENA can be seen as the most important decision ever taken on the global level in favour of renewable energy. The founding of IRENA sent out a very strong signal to the world community that renewable energy will have to play and will play a key role in the future energy supply all over the world. With the award, WWEA has also indicated that it is committed to working closely with IRENA and will continue to give its full support. IRENA has already 145 members and the ratification process is going on rapidly. WWEA says that it is pleased that the crucial mark of 25 ratifications has now been reached. This is expected to make IRENA a legal entity by the beginning of July. With this impressive and fast progress, IRENA is an example of the successful creation of an international governmental body. In spite of a lot of opposition, the world community convincingly committed to the implementation of renewable energy. The founding of IRENA was a very long, often difficult process, and many obstacles had to be overcome. Not everybody, in the traditional energy sector and beyond, shared the enthusiasm that the initiators of IRENA had been showing for many years. The WWEA has been one of the initiators and one of the strongest
proponents since its own foundation in 2001. Officially launched by the Governments of Germany, Denmark, and Spain, in 2008, the initiative to create IRENA has found many more supporters than most people had expected, at a breathtaking pace. These countries and all those countries that followed to support IRENA showed extraordinary leadership and passion by overcoming huge internal and external barriers. The Founding Member States of IRENA, with all their authority, have initiated a new and innovative direction. It is a direction that will lead into a future where some of the most pressing problems which mankind is facing today, such as energy scarcity, climate change, and equal as well as fair access to energy, are overcome. IRENA’s Founding Members have indicated with their action that they want to break the vicious circle of increasing dependency on limited fossil resources, and replace it with energy independence by using domestic renewable resources. IRENA’s creation gives the opportunity to create the long-due access to energy for billions of people that so far have been left out. WWEA sees the creation as a milestone to introduce wind energy and other renewable energies on a broad basis and on a large scale. It will be important that the working scope of IRENA be as broad as possible, involving the broad diversity of stakeholders and applications in renewable energy. Small, rural communities as well as large cosmopolitan areas will benefit equally. WWEA however believes that building the operational capacities and capabilities of IRENA is an enormous task which requires huge efforts. WWEA said that in these circumstances, it is encouraging to
see the leadership and drive that IRENA’s Interim Director General Ms Hélène Pelosse and her dedicated team have shown. The creation of IRENA has raised high expectations all over the world. WWEA says that it hopes and expects the World Wind Energy Award 2010 to encourage the Member States of IRENA to continue the present path and without any hesitation follow it to its successful implementation. WWEA also says that it hopes and expects Ms Hélène Pelosse and the whole IRENA Staff to feel encouraged to continue the work which has just started but which will be of crucial importance for the future of mankind. World Wind Energy Award The World Wind Energy Award is an award given every year to personalities and organisations who have contributed extraordinarily to the worldwide proliferation of wind energy utilisation. The 9 th World Wind Energy Conference 2010 Organised by WWEA, in cooperation with EUROSOLAR Turkey, the World Wind Energy Conference and Exhibition 2010, the 9 th event in the series, was held in Istanbul, Turkey, from 15 to 17 June 2010. About 400 delegates attended the conference which, in addressing the theme ‘Large Scale Integration of Wind Power’, covered all aspects of wind utilisation, related policies, manufacturing, development, operation, as well as economic and social issues. It was also specially focused on large-scale integrated wind power and renewable energy solutions such as hybrid systems. The exhibition attracted about 1,000 visitors from the wind energy and all other renewable energy sectors.
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News & Events ABB wins order for offshore wind power connection ABB, a leading power and automation technology group, has won an order worth around US$ 700 million, from the German transmission grid operator, transpower, to supply an 800 MW power link that will connect more offshore wind farms in the DolWin1cluster, located in the North Sea, to the mainland German grid. ABB will deploy its innovative and environment-friendly HVDC Light (high voltage direct current) transmission technology to transmit power from the 400 MW Borkum West II wind farm and other wind farms to be developed nearby. This is the second HVDC Light offshore wind connection supplied by ABB in Germany, the first being the BorWin1 project, the most remote offshore wind farm in the world. For the DolWin1 project, the wind farms will be connected to an offshore HVDC converter station which will transmit electricity to the onshore HVDC station at Dörpen, on the northwest coast of Germany via 165 km of underwater and underground DC cables. The Dörpen/ West converter station will in turn feed AC power to the mainland grid. This is the largest power transmission order in ABB’s history. At 320 kV, this will be the highest voltage level at which extruded cable is used in an HVDC application. ABB will be responsible for system engineering, including design, supply, and installation of the offshore platform as well as the offshore and onshore converter stations, and will also supply and install the sea and land cable systems. ‘Offshore wind power is becoming a key source of large-scale renewable energy and is making a vital contribution to the effort of lowering environmental impact’, said Mr Peter Leupp, head of ABB’s Power Systems division. ‘ABB has state-of-the-art transmission technologies for integrating renewable energy sources efficiently and ensuring grid reliability and stability’, he added. HVDC Light transmission systems offer environmental benefits such as neutral electromagnetic fields, oil-free cables, and 34 · THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER
Installation of land cable for BorWin1.
The HVDC Light platform, three foundations for wind turbines and the AC platform under construction, in the BorWin1 project.
Testing of HVDC Light valves for BorWin1.
compact converter stations. It is a solution for connecting remote offshore wind farms to mainland networks, overcoming distance limitations and grid constraints, while ensuring robust performance and minimal electrical losses. Scheduled to be operational in 2013, this network of offshore wind farms is
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The platform BorWin Alpha in the BorWin1 project.
expected to avoid three million tons of carbon dioxide emissions per year, which is the amount produced when generating an equivalent amount of energy from fossil fuels. Germany currently meets about 8% of its electricity requirements with wind power, and expects to double that by 2020.
News & Events ABB commissions world’s longest and most powerful transmission link ABB has achieved another significant milestone with the commissioning of the Xiangjiaba-Shanghai project in China, the world’s first UHVDC (ultrahigh voltage direct current) transmission link to go into commercial operation. ABB was the main technology supplier to State Grid Corporation of China (SGCC) and the project was completed in 30 months, one year ahead of schedule. The ±800 kV Xiangjiaba-Shanghai UHVDC link has the capacity to transmit up to 7,200 MW of power from the Xiangjiaba hydropower plant in southwest China to Shanghai, the country’s leading industrial and commercial centre about 2,000 km away. The new link is able to meet the electricity needs of about 24 million people, and sets a new benchmark in terms of voltage levels and transmission capacity, superseding the 600 kV Itaipu transmission line in Brazil, which was also delivered by ABB. ‘The 800 kV UHVDC will play an important role in providing China with access to remote renewable energy, a key focus area for us’, said Mr Zheng Baosen, Executive Vice President, SGCC. ‘We are extremely pleased with the support and co-operation of ABB and the local Chinese suppliers during the execution of this project, which enabled its completion in record time’, he added. The high-capacity power link comprises a single overhead line and occupies less space than the existing system. Moreover, transmission losses on the new line are under 7%, again considerably less than the existing 500 kV system. The electricity saved is equivalent to the power needs of around one million people in China. ‘The Xiangjiaba-Shanghai link sets a new standard in ultrahigh voltage power transmission and underlines ABB’s global leadership in HVDC technology’, said Mr Peter Leupp, head of ABB’s Power Systems division. ‘We congratulate State Grid Corporation of China on this remarkable achievement and acknowledge the excellent cooperation and support of all our local partners’, he added. As part of the turnkey project, ABB
was responsible for overall system design and supplied the main equipment. The scope of delivery included 28 high- and ultrahigh- voltage converter transformers, 10 of which were delivered from Sweden and the rest manufactured with ABB components and technology, in local partnership. Other key products delivered include thyristor valves, DC and AC switchyard equipment and the newly developed DCC800 HVDC control system.
UHVDC transmission is a development of HVDC pioneered by ABB more than 50 years ago. The new technology with an advanced control system represents the biggest capacity and efficiency leap in power transmission systems in more than two decades. It is particularly suitable for vast countries like China and India, where consumption centres are often located far from power sources including renewables.
The 800 kV UHVDC power transformer for the Xiangjiaba-Shanghai transmission link in China.
The converter station in Fulong.
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News & Events IBM and Johnson Controls join forces to make buildings smarter IBM and Johnson Controls have formed a worldwide alliance to create a new era of smarter buildings. The companies will team to provide solutions for smarter buildings that can improve operations and reduce energy and water consumption. Expanding on a prior relationship formed between the two companies in 2007, integrating Tivoli, from IBM, and Metasys, from Johnson Controls, this new smarter buildings offering benefits any building or portfolio of buildings. Johnson Controls will combine its global leadership in energy-efficiency and sustainable services and technologies with IBM's global leadership in software, hardware, and services. The result will help clients address growing pressure they face across their enterprises. Key elements of the offering are designed to address critical building performance areas including systems integration, energy management, enterprise reporting, space optimisation, and asset management.
Systems integration The integration of building systems, business systems, and smart grid technologies, using Johnson Controls’ EnNet and IBM software, offers increased information on the performance of buildings, to reduce operating costs and keep occupants safe, comfortable, and productive. Energy management The Johnson Controls’ Metasys Sustainability Manager combined with IBM business analytics software, provide building owners, operators, and tenants, with actionable information to help reduce energy consumption and waste. Enterprise reporting The Johnson Controls’ Energy and Emissions Management System, with IBM enterprise reporting capability, provides organisations with the capability to calculate greenhouse gas levels by measuring, managing, and forecasting
activities related to energy cost, consumption, energy-efficiency projects, fleet emissions, and waste. Space optimisation Johnson Controls’ Visible Living Lab tools and services combined with IBM building space management solutions and advanced analytics provide visibility across any building or building complex. Under-used space can be identified and more efficient options defined, including footprint consolidation, divestiture, and relocation. Asset management The Johnson Controls Metasys Building Management System integrated with the IBM Maximo asset management solution provides tools and services for visibility across a building portfolio. This boosts the efficiency of facility operations, and improves occupant safety and comfort, as well as utilisation and lifecycle management.
Singapore warehouse reduces energy use by over 50% Echelon Corporation recently announced the first installation in Singapore of a high bay lighting system featuring the company’s LonWorks control networking technology to provide dimmable, two-way communicating lights. The new solution installed at the Sony Supply Chain Solutions Singapore (SSCSS) warehouse uses ROMlight energy-efficient, individually dimmable lights, to cut energy use while increasing light quality, providing real-time insight into the health of each fixture and energy consumption, and reducing maintenance costs. High bay lighting systems are used in buildings featuring high ceilings such as warehouses, large retail stores, grocery stores, convention centres, factories, athletic facilities, auditoriums, and airport hangars. The solution was installed by Fluematic Engineering Services (S) Pte Ltd. The company replaced the existing two hundred and ten 400 W metal 36 · THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER
halide lighting fixtures with only one hundred and forty seven 400 W metal halide fixtures with acrylic reflectors from ROMlight. Each fixture includes LonWorks power line based networking technology, to enable remote control and dimming at both the individual fixture and system level. Echelon’s i.LON energy manager acts as the segment controller, providing system level functionality such as scheduling, and can act as a conduit to other building systems and software applications. The result was an improvement in light levels, enabling the customer to reduce the number of fixtures, and dim the lights, reducing overall energy use by over 50%, while still providing same light levels as before. ‘SSCSS is very pleased with the substantial energy savings and the ability to remotely dim the light levels. The system also enables maintenance cost savings, and with these combined savings,
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we expect the return of investment to be only three years’, said Mr Paul Ang, Managing Director, Fluematic Engineering Services. Echelon’s ISO/IEC standards-based LonWorks technology allows products from different manufacturers to work together on the same, open network. Fluematic Engineering Services Fluematic Engineering is an industrial construction company with capabilities to design and build cleanrooms on a turnkey basis and specialises in other industrial construction projects. ROMlight International Inc ROMlight develops energy-efficient lighting technology. The company’s continuous improvement programme ensures that the latest electronic components are incorporated in the various product designs, ensuring reliable performance at a competitive cost.
News & Events Mitsubishi Electric launches NEXIEZ elevator series for the global market Mitsubishi Electric Corporation recently announced that it has launched the NEXIEZ series of elevators for the global market. The series offers a load capacity ranging from 450 kg to 1,350 kg and a rated speed of 60 m/min to 105 m/min, and helps users reduce carbon dioxide emissions through the high energyefficiency resulting from the compact, lightweight designs. The NEXIEZ series is also designed to reflect various preferences and lifestyles to meet the needs of customers worldwide. The NEXIEZ series, positioned as Mitsubishi Electric’s next global flagship elevator series, will be manufactured by Mitsubishi Elevator Asia Co Ltd in Thailand, and shipped to other countries in Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and other areas worldwide. In response to a growing demand for elevators with reduced environmental impact, the NEXIEZ series features a permanent magnetic (PM) gearless traction machine that hoists the ropes using PM motors. The motors incorporate
technology devised by Mitsubishi Electric, which achieves size reduction and energy-efficient operations. OPTIONAL SPECIFICATIONS Regenerative converters Elevators are usually operated by traction machines which carry the elevator cars up and down. When a car travels down bearing a load heavier than the counterweight, or when a car moves up bearing a load lighter than the counterweight, the motor spins in reverse and is operated as a generator. The electricity generated by this operation was previously wasted as heat, but by using regenerative converters, the electricity can be effectively utilised for other equipment inside the building. According to research conducted by Mitsubishi Electric, building owners can consume up to 35% less energy in elevator operations and therefore reduce annual carbon dioxide emissions when incorporating regenerative converters.
LED lighting and LED hall lanterns For ceiling lights and hall lanterns, customers can select LED lighting which can reduce energy consumption by approximately 50% or more and therefore reduce annual carbon dioxide emissions compared to previous forms of illumination. LED also has a long lifespan, enabling building owners to reduce operational cost. New designs that suit each market Mitsubishi Electric has conducted market research and prepared designs to suit the tastes of each market. 15 ceiling design variations including two with LED lighting, can be used with a variety of decorative lighting boards. Six new etching patterns in addition to the current designs for the interior walls of elevator cars and hall designs include geometric patterns with modern arrangements and sophisticated atmosphere created with stainless steel in gold and other colours. For hall lanterns, five new choices that use LED will be available.
Regenerative converters used in Mitsubishi Electric’s new NEXIEZ series can help building owners to reduce energy consumption in elevator operations. The new series features elevator designs to suit different markets.
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News & Events Siemens and the Economist Intelligence Unit to rank the greenest cities in Asia Which is the greenest city in Asia? A study being conducted by Siemens in cooperation with the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), will provide the answer. Over the coming months, approximately 20 leading Asian business capitals will be compared in terms of their environmental sustainability. The cities will be assessed in eight environmental categories, including energy supply and CO2 emissions, transport, water, sanitation, and green governance. According to Siemens, the Asian Green City Index is the first known attempt to analyse and compare the environmental performance of Asian cities and their efforts to improve sustainability. Publication of the study is planned for the end of 2010. The ranking will cover cities from 11 Asian countries – China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, and Vietnam. The final selection of cities will be based on data availability. ‘With the Asian Green City Index, the Economic Intelligence Unit and Siemens are covering new ground. So far, no other study of this scope has been done for Asia’, said Mr Stefan Denig who is leading this project at Siemens. The study will be part of the Green City Index series which sets out to compare the environmental performance of cities in different regions of the world. Following the success of the European Green City Index, a study comparing the environmental performance of 30 major cities from 30 European countries, Siemens is now sponsoring similar studies for Asia, Africa, and Latin America. ‘The results of the study will help the cities to better understand and tackle their specific environmental challenges’, said Mr Lothar Herrman, CEO, ASEAN Cluster, Siemens. ‘It will enable city stakeholders to make more informed decisions about how to reduce their environmental impact by, for example, making their power supplies, traffic systems, and buildings, more energy-efficient and eco-friendly’, he added. 38 · THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER
The cities will be assessed in eight environmental categories - energy supply and CO2 emissions, transportation, buildings and land use, water, sanitation, waste, air quality, and green governance. At the same time, the study will highlight best-practice projects to enable cities to learn from one another. As an independent partner, the EIU will ensure the objectivity of the research. Over the past few years, Siemens has been focusing on urban challenges and urban sustainability, and has conducted various studies on these topics in cooperation with independent research partners. On the occasion of the World Cities Summit 2010 from 28 June to 1 July 2010 in Singapore, Siemens published its latest study ‘ICT for City Management – Using information and communications technology to enable, engage and empower city stakeholders’. In recent years, a number of other reports have been published including ‘Megacity Challenges’ (2007), ‘Sustainable Urban Infrastructure – Edition London’ (2008) and the ‘European Green City Index’ (2009). Cities must take a leading role in
climate protection. They are responsible for 80% of the world’s CO2 emissions and consume three-quarters of its energy. ‘Urbanisation and climate change are two megatrends we can help address with our valuable and innovative solutions’ explained Mr Herrmann. According to Siemens, it has the world’s largest environmental portfolio of energy-efficient and climate-friendly technologies. In fiscal 2009, the company generated about 23 billion euros in revenue from products and solutions in its environmental portfolio – approximately 30% of the company’s total annual revenue. In Singapore, Siemens is providing technological solutions to ensure the sustainable development of the island state, from clean and efficient energy, through its installed advanced gas turbines in power plants, to energy-efficient building automation systems such as the one in City Square Mall. Siemens is also working with the authorities to provide sustainable energy solutions such as smart grid solutions and is also a major partner of PUB, the national water agency, in the recycling and production of clean water.
Elevators and escalators for Shanghai project Mitsubishi Electric Corporation recently announced that it had received an order for 127 elevators and escalators to be installed in the Shanghai JingAn Kerry Centre, a large complex of buildings under construction in Shanghai, China. The order is worth approximately 1.5 billion Japanese yen, and shipments will be made from September 2010 through July 2011. The order was received from Shanghai JiXiang Real Estate Co Ltd, a joint-venture between Kerry Properties Limited, a Hong Kong-based real estate developer, and Shangri-La Asia Limited. The twin towers of the Shanghai JingAn Kerry Centre will house offices and commercial facilities. This order is for 42 high-speed
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elevators capable of speeds of 120 to 480 m/min, 37 low-speed elevators that can travel at 60 m/min to 105 m/min, and 48 escalators. To achieve energy savings, all of the high-speed elevators and 30 of the lowspeed elevators, will feature an energysaving power-regenerative function which allows the elevator to efficiently reuse energy generated from elevator operation, contributing to energy savings and reducing environmental impact. The elevators and escalators will be manufactured by Mitsubishi Electric’s Inazawa Works in Japan, Mitsubishi Elevator Asia Co Ltd in Thailand, and Shanghai Mitsubishi Elevator Co Ltd in Shanghai, China.
News & Events Siemens releases study on how ICT can be used to empower city stakeholders In the findings of a recent study sponsored by Siemens and conducted by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) on the use of information and communications technologies (ICT) for city management, it was found that ICT has become the life blood of all cities, enableing them to be competitive and provides new ways for cities to overcome some of their most pressing challenges such as traffic congestion, environmental protection, and the need to optimise infrastructure. It also empowers citizens across the world to get involved in devising solutions to the challenges of urban living. Approximately 2,800 public officials, business executives, and citizens, in 15 cities in 12 countries, were interviewed. The results were released at the World Cities Summit in Singapore on 28 June 2010. Enabling competitiveness and environmental consciousness The study found that a strong Internet network and an ICT savvy workforce are crucial for a city’s competitiveness. Some 77% of businesses globally said an improved broadband network would have a significant impact on city competitiveness, making it the most important ICT feature for attracting private sector investment. Another significant finding is that ICT can influence the behaviour of citizens and businesses towards environmental conservation by giving them more information about their usage of resources, such as energy and water. Globally, 74% of citizens and 61% of businesses claim they would likely change their consumption patterns if they can have more information about their usage. However, they admitted that the right financial incentives need to be in place as well, to encourage environmentally sound behaviour. ‘One of the most striking findings is the fact that ICT has become a basic utility, like water and electricity, for all cities’, said Mr Klaus Heidinger, Head of Global Center of Competence for City Management at Siemens IT Solutions and Services in Singapore. ‘This study shows that there is a
lot of potential for ICT initiatives like smart grid, which will enable citizens and businesses to better manage and optimise their electricity usage, improve energy-efficiency, and encourage the use of renewable energy sources. As one of the world’s leading infrastructure providers, Siemens is uniquely positioned to assist cities tackle their urban development challenges. This is not only with infrastructure improvements, but also the integration of intelligent ICT solutions into all parts of a city’s infrastructure – from municipal transport to public security’, added Mr Heidinger. Engaging all stakeholders in a city The study also revealed that businesses and citizens are looking at e-government initiatives to improve their interaction with public officials. More than 89% of businesses picked ‘higher efficiency’ as an expected key benefit of using ICT in the delivery of public or regulatory services. Similarly, citizens felt that e-government initiatives would have a major or significant impact on their quality of life. While the benefits of e-government initiatives are clear, stakeholders are divided on the barriers for their adoption. Businesses said that public officials could be more open to adopting online public services. On the other hand, a majority of citizens felt that public officials could be more responsive to their online feedback. In contrast, these officials cite citizens’ resistance to online transactions as one of the greatest challenges to e-government. Overall, this finding suggests that
e-government initiatives can bring a lot of value to cities. To derive maximum value, all stakeholders will need to work together. Empowering citizens in providing solutions for their cities The study also found an increasing trend where citizens, armed with data from official sources, video and other information, are coming up with smart phone and other mobile applications to make city living easier and more enjoyable. Public officials therefore may have to take a closer look at embracing ICT to empower their citizens to play a significant role in shaping their own cities. For example, in Portland, Oregon, USA, city officials have launched a competition called CivicApps for residents to create applications from data that includes information on parks, transportation, and building permits. And in New York City, USA, an iPhone user has taken a government census of more than a million trees to create an application that allows fellow users to point their devices at any tree to find out its size and species. The study The study ‘ICT for City Management’ was conducted by EIU from March to April this year, and involved 240 public officials, 2250 citizens, and 300 business executives, across the 15 cities – Abu Dhabi, Berlin, Buenos Aires, Copenhagen, Delhi, Dubai, Istanbul, London, Madrid, Mumbai, Munich, New York, Shanghai, Singapore, and Vienna.
Collaboration on renewable energy management The ZigBee Alliance and the SunSpec Alliance recently announced an agreement to collaborate on defining standards for renewable energy and microgrid management using the ZigBee Smart Energy version 2.0 standard. The ZigBee Alliance is a global ecosystem of companies creating wireless solutions for use in energy management, and
commercial and consumer applications, while the SunSpec Alliance was formed to accelerate the growth of the renewable energy industry through standardisation of monitoring and management interfaces for energy system components. This collaboration will bridge the gap between distributed generation using renewable energy resources and the Smart Grid.
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News & Events Green features of CleanTech One JTC Corporation is developing CleanTech Park (CTP) as the choice location and epi-centre for R&D as well as business and supporting activities in clean technologies, sustainable development, and urban solutions, rather than as just a home for cleantech companies. CTP will serve as a large-scale integrated ‘living laboratory’ for testbedding and demonstration of systemlevel clean technology products and solutions, especially those catering to the tropics, before they are commercialised for the market. The masterplan of CTP was developed with the aim of optimising the natural environmental heritage, to create a conducive, eco-friendly address for the cleantech community. The emphasis is on the efforts to maintain a long-term sustainable balance between the commercial needs of CTP and the preservation of the site’s biodiversity.
building which JTC is developing at CTP, will serve as a showcase for sustainability.
CleanTech One
Hydrogen fuel cell plant A 1 MW integrated hydrogen fuel
CleanTech One (CTO), the first
USE OF SOLAR ENERGY Solar-powered solutions Solar panels based on the proven monocrystalline and polycrystalline PV cells, as well as on the new thin film and nano-structured printed PV technologies, will be installed over 2,600 sq m of roof space. Solar thermal collectors will also be placed on the roof to power a dehumidifier attached to the air flow ducts in the airconditioner units in CTO. There will therefore be no need for additional energy to dry the humid air by extracting the condensation during the cooling process, as is the case with conventional airconditioning systems.
CTO will serve as a showcase for sustainability.
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cell plant will be test-bedded at CleanTech One. Biomass will be used as the feedstock for the generation of hydrogen. In the first step, wood chips, plant waste, and other cellulosic materials, will be converted to syn-gas (a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide) via a reformer. The syn-gas will then pass through a pressure swing adsorber, where the carbon monoxide will be removed. The purified hydrogen will then enter a Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) fuel cell plant comprising one thousand 1 kW fuel cells connected in parallel and controlled by a network of microcomputers. Bio-digester A 10 t bio-digester system will be installed to decompose food waste generated within CTP. With the help of micro-organisms, the food waste will go through a rapid aerobic digestion process which leaves water and carbon dioxide as end-products.
News & Events ENERGY-EFFICIENCY Building orientation The building will be oriented in a direction that will minimise heat gain and optimise energy-efficiency, that is, it will assist in minimising the Envelope Thermal Transfer Value (ETTV). Perimeter corridors will be built to act as a buffer between the façade and the units, which will reduce heat gain. The Sky Trellis CTO will incorporate JTC’s innovative Sky Trellis - a ‘green’ canopy between adjacent buildings. The canopy will lower the heat build-up on the building façade as well as in the immediate area between the buildings. With the lowering of ambient heat, the energy consumption of the building is also reduced. The lowered demand for airconditioning will ultimately translate to savings in business costs.
reuse such as irrigation and flushing of toilets. Stormwater harvesting Stormwater will be harvested on the rooftops with minimal use of pumps, and also harvested in bio-retention ponds within the perimeter of the buildings. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION Usage of recycled materials External works such as the construction of roads, sewers, and drains, will utilise ecoconcrete, made of materials like recycled concrete aggregate and ground granulated
blastfurnace slag (GGBS). Reducing and reusing construction waste Soil excavated during construction will be retained for reuse in planting operations. Formwork will also be reduced where possible to decrease construction waste. Maintaining the green cover Space on the surfaces of the building facing the atrium will be allocated for greenery. Apart from that, pockets of skygardens will also be created on all floors above ground, to replace that lost due to development.
Natural ventilation Natural ventilation will be maximised for corridors, lobbies, open spaces, and staircases. A wind wall will channel wind through the two tower blocks to improve air circulation and the thermal comfort of occupants. Lighting According to JTC, CTO will be the first building in Singapore to fully employ LED lighting for all its indoor and external lighting requirements. Lights will dim depending on the intensity of sunlight in the room, thereby ensuring a more efficient utilisation of energy. Airconditioning system Studies have been done to find out the needed specification of the airconditioning units. This is to ensure that there will not be overcapacity leading to wastage of energy. This will be the main criteria in the design and selection of the system. Further, bends and turns in the ACMV ductwork, will be minimised. WATER EFFICIENCY Water conservation Grey water from wash basins and condensate from the Air Handling Units (AHUs) will be recycled for non-potable
Space will be allocated on the surfaces of the building, for greenery.
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News & Events Recognition for contributing to cleaner waters and sustainability PUB, the national water agency, recently honoured 14 developments with the inaugural ABC Waters Certification. Launched by Senior Parliamentary Secretary for the Environment and Water Resources, Dr Amy Khor, in conjunction with Singapore International Water Week 2010, the ABC Waters Certification scheme recognises the efforts of the private and public sectors in creating a sustainable and more liveable city through integrating the ABC Waters (Active, Beautiful, Clean Waters) concept in their developments. This is done by integrating natural elements, known as ABC Waters design features, which help treat storm water (rain water) closer to source, in a holistic manner. At the same time, these features such as rain gardens, cleansing biotopes, bio-retention swales, and constructed wetlands, optimise land use as they also achieve multiple aims of helping to slow down the flow of rain water, beautify urban spaces, create new community focal points, and enhance biodiversity. The certification scheme is built around four main categories – Active, Beautiful, Clean, and Innovation. Mr Tan Nguan Sen, Director of Catchment and Waterways, PUB, said, ‘By next year, two-thirds of Singapore will be water catchment. Storm water treatment on every possible surface that rain falls on, will be even more important. ABC Waters design features can be applied in a variety of ways to urbanscapes, architectural structures, open plazas, as well as roads and pedestrian walkways, and we encourage our partners to play a part in keeping our waters clean by incorporating these features island-wide’. Last year, the ABC Waters Design Guidelines, a handbook, was introduced for industry professionals to incorporate ABC Waters design features into their developments. The ABC Waters Certification scheme takes it one step further by recognising the efforts of developments which meet certain standards in fulfilling the ABC Waters concept. Organisations will also be able to market their developments as ‘ABC Waters certified’. 42 · THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER
Mr Sng Cheng Keh, Deputy Chief Executive Officer (Building), Housing & Development Board (HDB), said, ‘HDB houses over 80% of Singapore’s population. We have a key role to play in supporting Singapore’s commitment to sustainable development. Over the years, we have been driving sustainable development efforts in our projects. We are happy to see five of our projects ABC Waters Certified today. On top of recognising our efforts in promoting clean waters and caring for precious water resources, it spurs us to continue with our work to make public housing in Singapore a world-class model for sustainable development’. Mr Tan added, ‘The ABC Waters Certification thus provides an incentive to encourage public and private developers to contribute to cleaner waters and a more sustainable way of living’. RECIPIENTS OF ABC WATERS CERTIFICATION IN 2010 Assumption Pathway School by Assumption Pathway School Assumption Pathway School’s concept uniquely integrates a rain garden with two levels of boardwalks to bring people closer to water. The rain garden will detain and treat rainwater from 12% of the school area, and double up as an outdoor classroom site for students to learn about the natural cleansing functions of ABC Waters design features. Signage will be placed strategically on-site to educate readers on the principles and functions of the rain garden, and the school will further engage the students by involving them in the maintenance of the rain garden. Boardwalk from VivoCity to Sentosa Island by Sentosa Development Corporation At the boardwalk between VivoCity and Sentosa, bioretention planter boxes integrated with a rainwater harvesting system will be incorporated to detain and treat rainwater for reuse. Lookout decks and food and beverage outlets will line the boardwalk, with decks providing a platform for stage performances. The sky
Jul 2010
garden and vertical green, in addition to five themed gardens with an extensive array of plant species, will not only enhance the lushness of the area, but create a good micro ecological habitat. A new irrigation system will also help Sentosa Development Corporation to conserve potable water. CleanTech Park by JTC Corporation CleanTech Park, Singapore’s first eco business park, will be the choice location and epi-centre for R&D and business activities in and supporting clean technologies and sustainable solutions. It will push the boundaries of green sustainability, serving as a largescale integrated ‘living laboratory’ for testbedding and demonstration of systemlevel clean technology solutions. Central to CleanTech Park is the green core which is also the green lungs of the project. CleanTech Park has in place a holistic landscaping and hydrology plan which embraces ABC Waters design features. Rain water from roadside drains will be treated by bio-retention swales before being channelled into the central green core where it will be retained by a series of ponds and wetlands, and further purified by a cleansing biotope. Facilities such as lookout decks, pavilions, boardwalks, and stepping stones will bring people closer to water, while the provision of animal crossings and the development of an eco-habitat with suitable plantings will help preserve and enhance the rich biodiversity. Greenwood Sanctuary @ Admiralty by Housing & Development Board At Greenwood Sanctuary, landforms are designed with swales as the natural drainage system for the entire park. Rain water from paved areas in the park is detained and treated using vegetated swales and dry ponds, and is reused for irrigation. Timber crossings over the swales and dry ponds provide seamless access to park users, while the eco-retaining wall, with native species of flowering shrubs planted, attracts birds and butterflies, and adds to the beauty of the area.
News & Events Goodwood Residence by Goodwood Residence Development Pte Ltd At Goodwood Residence, reed beds and infiltration trenches will be incorporated to detain and treat rain water runoff. Seating spaces along the garden walk and a jogging trail along the reed beds will bring people closer to water, while a vertical green wall will enhance the lushness of the area and provide environmental benefits. Rain water will also be harvested and reused for irrigation of the reed beds.
parks managed by NParks, Sengkang Riverside Park is home to a unique and environmentally sustainable feature - a constructed wetland. Besides being a wildlife habitat, the constructed wetland is also designed to treat water through the use of aquatic plants. The water in the wetland is used to water plants in the park. Park visitors will soon learn about the wetland's features through educational signage in the park. It is a popular spot in the park, and draws many families on weekends.
Khoo Teck Puat Hospital by Alexandra Health Pte Ltd Planter boxes and green roofs at Khoo Teck Puat Hospital detain and treat 12% of rain water run-off that is harvested for reuse. A green wall and terraced landscape enhances the lushness of the area while resting and seating facilities along streams and water features bring people closer to water. The area is also integrated with the nearby Yishun Pond, with extensive plantings providing a tranquil and scenic environment for the hospital’s patients and visitors while creating a suitable habitat for birds and butterflies. In addition, Khoo Teck Puat Hospital also collaborates with schools and institutions in programmes such as Earth Day to spread educational messages.
Skyville @ Dawson by Housing & Development Board At Skyville @ Dawson, bio-retention swales will detain and treat rain water run-off from more than 60% of the paved area. Facilities including low benches placed around the bio-retention swales, bridge crossings, a jogging track, footpaths alongside the swales and an eco-corridor (bird watching area) will bring people closer to water. In addition, a roof garden and marsh landscaping will enhance the lushness of the area, with extensive plantings enhancing the biodiversity of the area.
Punggol Waterway by Housing & Development Board At Punggol Waterway, bio-retention swales will detain and treat up to 10% of the run-off from the catchment area. Bioengineering techniques will be incorporated to enhance the edges of the waterway, with facilities including steps leading down to the water, a promenade, a heritage trail, a boardwalk with trellis, and a water curtain, bringing people closer to water. Along the Heart wave wall, a new system will use cavitation technology to treat water from the water curtain, and an extensive planting scheme will enhance the biodiversity of the area. Recreational water-based activities such as kayaking and canoeing will also be introduced to add to the vibrancy of the area. Sengkang Riverside Park by National Parks Board Part of a group of freshwater-centred
SkyTerrace @ Dawson by Housing & Development Board Bio-retention basins will detain and treat rain water run-off from more than 15% of the catchment area at SkyTerrace @ Dawson, which will be integrated with the Alexandra Canal Linear Park to provide seamless connectivity for users. Terraced landscaping, roof gardens, and an open lawn, will add to the lushness of the area, while a rain water harvesting system integrated with rain gardens will irrigate the landscape. The use of a drip irrigation system will conserves up to 40% of potable water, and extensive plantings will create a suitable habitat for birds and butterflies. Tree House by City Developments Limited/Hong Realty (Pte) Ltd At Tree House, bio-retention swales will detain and treat rain water run-off from about 10% of the paved areas, while facilities including the Misty Creek Cascade, Secret Spring Pavilion, Discovery Pond, and Tree House Walk, will bring people closer to water. A green
wall and sky gardens will enhance the lushness of the area, and rain water will be harvested to irrigate the green wall. Extensive plantings will also create a suitable habitat for birds and insects. United World College SEA East Campus @ Tampines by JTC Corporation United World College SEA East Campus @ Tampines is targetted for completion in April 2011. Its sustainable features include a rain garden that will detain and treat rain water run-off from about 10% of the catchment area, while serving as a space for outdoor learning. Students will also be involved in the maintenance of the rain garden with facilities such as seats and stepping stones in the garden, bringing people closer to water. Vertical greenery and a roof garden will add to the greenery of the area, and a rain water harvesting system will be integrated with the rain garden for irrigation purposes. Upper Air Observatory at Kim Chuan Road by National Environmental Agency At the Upper Air Observatory at Kim Chuan Road, bio-retention swales will detain and treat rain water run-off from paved areas. Rain water will also be harvested both on ground and on the roof, and will be integrated with the bio-retention swales. A roof garden and green roof will enhance the greenery of the area, while signage on the functions of bio-retention swales and the rain water harvesting system will share educational messages with the public. Educational talks on the bio-retention swales and its natural cleansing principles, will also be introduced. Waterway Terraces by Housing & Development Board A rain garden at Waterway Terraces will detain and treat more than 35% of run-off from the catchment area. Less compacted loamy soil will be used in the open landscape area to encourage infiltration, while landscaped terraces and an alfresco café will extend over the rain gardens to bring people closer to water. Green roofs, terraced plantings, and extensive plantings, will also create a suitable habitat for birds and butterflies.
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News & Events HVAC Asia 2010 and Refrigeration Asia 2010 HVAC Asia 2010, The 8th Leading International Exhibition in South East Asia on Air-Conditioning, Heating & Ventilation, Air-Filtration and Purification, and Refrigeration Asia 2010, The International Exhibition in South East Asia on Refrigeration, Frozen Food Processing, Packaging and Storage, will be held from 1 to 3 September 2010, at Marina Bay Sands, Singapore. The two exhibitions will run concurrently with PS Asia 2010, The 10th International Exhibition on Fluid, Air & Gas Handling Systems in Asia. The event will also include a 2-day Industry Conference on 1 and 2 September 2010. The Process System Industry Conference will be held on 1 September while the HVAC Industry Conference will be held on 2 September. Another highlight of the event is the Country Forum where industry leaders from the region will present the perspectives from, and prospects in, their respective countries. The previous event in the series, comprising HVAC Asia 2008 together with Building Technology Asia 2008 and PS Asia 2008, was held from 2 to 4 July 2008 at Singapore Expo. HVAC Asia 2010, Refrigeration Asia 2010, and PS Asia 2010, are being organised by IIR Exhibitions Pte Ltd, Singapore.
HVAC Asia 2010, Refrigeration Asia 2010, and PS Asia 2010, will be held from 1 to 3 September 2010, at Marina Bay Sands, Singapore. Image by Marina Bay Sands.
A presentation at HVAC Asia 2009, held in Singapore Expo.
HVAC INDUSTRY CONFERENCE (2 SEPTEMBER 2010) (A selection of the scheduled presentations)
Meeting the interests of disparate stakeholders’ Speaker: Mr Justin Taylor, Group CEO, Kaer Pte Ltd, Singapore
Topic: ‘The Passive Design of High Density Sustainable Environments And Innovative Ways Of Integrating Active Systems’ Speaker: Mr Jason Pomeroy, Director, Broadway Malayan Asia Pte Ltd, Singapore
Topic: ‘Air Side is most important in designing a Green Building concept in a Tropical Climate’ Speaker: Mr John Budi, President, PT Metropolitan Bayu Industries, Indonesia
Topic: ‘Scaling up Energy Efficiency and ADB’s Clean Energy Program’ Speaker: Mr Rehan Kausar, Infrastructure Specialist, Office of the President, Asian Development Bank, Philippines Topic: ‘Buildings Of The Future: 44 · THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER
Topic: ‘The Alexandra Hospital Green Building Implementation – What Worked For Us’ Speaker: Mr Stewart Tai Yee Fong, Director, Facilities, Alexandra Hospital, Singapore Topic: ‘The much bigger opportunities are in Existing Buildings, for Equipment
Jul 2010
Manufacturers, for Financiers, for Consultants, and for the Government’ Speaker: Mr Tondy O Lubis, LEED AP – Director, Colliers FM (Facility Management Services), PT Colliers International Indonesia Topic: ‘High Efficiency Point-OfUse Distributed Energy Generation – An Affordable Carbon Reduction Solution (Australian Parliament House Trigeneration Case Study)’ Speaker: Mr Bill Proudfoot, Managing Director, MitoEnergy, Australia Topic: ‘High Efficiency Specification For Residential HVAC Systems’ Speaker: Mr Raj Alluri, Senior Advisor, Energy and Climate Change, Biosphere Capital, India
News & Events WorldGBC International Congress 2010 and BEX Asia 2010 The Singapore Green Building Council (SGBC) will be hosting the World Green Building International Congress (WorldGBC International Congress) on 13 and 14 September 2010. SGBC will also be holding the inaugural SGBC Green Building Conference from 13 to 16 September 2010. Running concurrently with the conferences will be Build Eco Expo Asia 2010 (BEX Asia 2010), from 13 to 15 September 2010, organised by Reed Exhibitions. All the three events will be held at Marina Bay Sands, Singapore, and are part of the 2nd Singapore Green Building Week. Singapore’s green building movement crossed another significant milestone when SGBC was unveiled as an Established Member of the World Green Building Council (WorldGBC) network at its Annual General Meeting on 19 March 2010, and also won hosting rights for the WorldGBC International Congress 2010, the marquee event in the international body’s calendar. Representing Singapore at the WorldGBC, SGBC is instrumental in articulating the country’s green building interests and leveraging on the wide resource of international expertise that the WorldGBC provides. The WorldGBC International Congress is an annual forum for representatives from the different Green Building Councils around the world to meet and discuss objectives, policies, and developmental strategies. It also brings together influential stakeholders from various related industries and international sustainable development experts. Minister for National Development and Founding Patron of SGBC, Mr Mah Bow Tan, commended the council for its role in raising Singapore’s profile in the area of global sustainable development. ‘The Singapore Green Building Council is an example of how the private and public sectors can work together to drive Singapore’s environmental sustainability strategy. I am heartened at the progress the council has made internationally, and would like to encourage the members to keep up the good work’, said Mr Mah.
Founding President of SGBC, Er. Lee Chuan Seng added, ‘The impetus to move Singapore towards sustainable building rests on positive linkages between private and public stakeholders. We have demonstrated in a short time that sustainability can be given more focus by companies in the building sector. I am confident that SGBC will continue to make progress in product certification as well as to build its global brand’. SGBC has also entered into a longterm partnership with REED Exhibitions, the organisers of Build Eco Xpo Asia (BEX Asia), to deliver a dedicated trade event for the industry, that has a strategic focus on bringing green building to the forefront of the industry’s needs. BEX Asia is a platform which allows exhibitors to present their products and educate potential customers on the benefits of their solutions. Last year, at BEX Asia 2009, over 200 participating exhibitors from 21 countries reached out to more than 6,400 visitors from around the region. SGBC The inauguration of SGBC opens a significant chapter in Singapore’s commitment towards creating a
sustainable built environment. It is an industry-led initiative which works towards convergence of all stakeholders in green building on a common resourceand knowledge- base. SGBC’s mission is to propel Singapore’s building and construction industry towards environmental sustainability by promoting green building design, practices, and technologies; integrating green building initiatives into mainstream design, construction, and operation of buildings; as well as enhancing capacity and professionalism to support wider adoption of green building development and practices in Singapore. Its work will complement the government’s efforts to accelerate the greening of Singapore’s buildings by 2030, while, at the same time, providing opportunities to share knowledge with other countries in its climatic zone. The SGBC membership is open to developers, contractors, manufacturers/ suppliers, engineers, architects, institutions/associations, agencies, and individuals concerned with or interested in transforming Singapore’s built environment towards a sustainable future.
Marina Bay Sands will be the venue for the World Green Building International Congress on 13 and 14 September 2010, hosted by the Singapore Green Building Council (SGBC); the inaugural SGBC Green Building Conference from 13 to 16 September 2010; and Build Eco Expo Asia 2010 (BEX Asia 2010), from 13 to 15 September 2010, organised by Reed Exhibitions. Image by Marina Bay Sands.
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Jul 2010 · 45
News & Events POWER-GEN Asia 2010 and Renewable Energy World Asia 2010 POWER-GEN Asia 2010, the region’s premier conference and exhibition for the power generation and transmission and distribution industries, will be held at Marina Bay Sands, Singapore, from 2 to 4 November 2010. In its 18th presentation this year, POWER-GEN Asia 2010 will be part of the Singapore International Energy Week, a collaboration between the Energy Market Authority and Energy Studies Institute. POWER-GEN Asia 2010 will be colocated with Renewable Energy World Asia 2010, the event dedicated to the rapidly developing renewable and sustainable energy sector. Both the events are being organised by PennWell Corporation. The power generation industry in Singapore has transformed significantly over the past few years. Beyond moving towards the increased use of combinedcycle gas turbines, companies have also increasingly adopted co-generation and tri-generation technologies, making the electricity generation cleaner, more efficient, and responsive. Singapore is one of the pioneers in the deregulation of the electricity market. The divestment of the state-owned power generation companies has resulted in the entry of leading global energy players. The electricity grid in Singapore is already among the best in the world, yet efforts do not stop there. Improving twoway communication between utilities and consumers is on the agenda, with the introduction of an Intelligent Energy System (IES) pilot project which seeks to test and evaluate smart grid applications and technologies. These issues, case studies, and technologies, will be amongst many other regional challenges and opportunities that will be discussed during the 3-day conference programme at Marina Bay Sands. POWER-GEN Asia 2010 has launched its preliminary conference programme, with over 50 conference sessions, over six tracks, addressing topics including Markets, Trends & Financing; Environmental Protection 46 · THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER
Marina Bay Sands – view from Bayfront Avenue. Image by Marina Bay Sands.
Exterior view of Sands Expo and Convention Center. Image by Marina Bay Sands.
A ballroom at the venue. Image by Marina Bay Sands.
Jul 2010
News & Events and Operational Efficiency; Power Plant Technologies; Plant Optimisation and Operation; and Renewable Energy and Hydropower. POWER-GEN Asia continues to push the boundaries in conference content and once again offers a line-up of leading conference speakers, from around the world, to discuss important topics and issues that are key to the power generation and transmission and distribution industries across the ASEAN region. At the concurrent exhibition, the largest of its kind in Southeast Asia,
visitors will have the opportunity to see the latest products and technologies on offer. POWER-GEN Asia 2010, co-located with Renewable Energy World Asia 2010, will provide the platform for international power executives to meet under one roof, and share ideas, make new contacts, and build business relationships. POWER-GEN Asia 2010 also enjoys the full support and endorsement of leading industry-related organisations in Singapore, including the Energy Market Authority; Power Seraya; Tuas Power; the
Institution of Engineers, Singapore; and National University of Singapore. The event also benefits from the support of the Singapore Exhibition & Convention Bureau. A highlight of the event is the opportunity to undertake a technical tour of the Tuas Power Plant or the new Jurong Island Cogeneration CCGT plant owned/ operated by Power Seraya. More information on POWER-GEN Asia 2010 and Renewable Energy World Asia 2010 can be obtained from www. powergenasia.com.
Strong attendance at 2009 events The previous events in the series, POWER-GEN Asia 2009 and Renewable Energy Asia 2009 conference and exhibition, attracted 7,000 power industry professionals from over 65 countries. The events were held at the IMPACT Exhibition and Convention Center, Bangkok, Thailand, from 7 to 9 October 2009. The conference featured presentations by a line-up of 120 international speakers from across the industry. The exhibition featured the products and services of 170 exhibitors. A highlight of POWER-GEN Asia 2009 was the technical tour of the Bang Pakong Combined Cycle 5 Project (BPCC 5) power plant.
Delegates at the opening session of the conference.
The exhibition featured the products and services of 170 exhibitors.
The technical tour of the Bang Pakong Combined Cycle 5 Project (BPCC 5) power plant.
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Jul 2010 · 47
News & Events Two steps ahead towards sustainable public housing in Singapore As the public housing authority that houses over 80% of Singapore’s population, HDB has a key role to play in supporting Singapore’s commitment to sustainable development. Recently, HDB made further progress with two key initiatives: a) Procurement of 1MWp solar photovoltaic (PV) panels worth about S$ 2.3 million from Renewable Energy Corporation (REC). The solar panels will be installed at six HDB precincts covering about 3,000 residential units. b) Collaboration with Camp Dresser & McKee (CDM) to develop a modelling tool to quantify and formulate a set of key performance indicators (KPIs) on sustainable environment targets in developing Punggol as an Eco-Town for the tropics. This will enable a more effective design for sustainability, and support HDB’s planning efforts to enhance resource efficiency and liveability within Punggol Eco-Town. The announcement of the two initiatives marked a key milestone for HDB as it progresses towards creating a more eco-friendly and sustainable environment for public housing. Mr Tay Kim Poh, CEO, HDB, said, ‘As the largest developer in Singapore, HDB can play a leading role in supporting Singapore’s efforts towards sustainable development. We see a lot of potential in developing clean, renewable energy, and particularly solar energy, given our extensive coverage of HDB blocks all over Singapore. We also see a lot of potential in Punggol, our youngest town, and we aim to further our efforts in developing it as Singapore’s first Eco-Town. Hence, we are excited about our partnership with REC and CDM. These initiatives will support our efforts to providing the best possible homes and living environment for our residents’. Procurement of solar PV panels The procurement of solar PV panels is part of HDB’s Solar Capability Building Programme for Public Housing, a widescale test-bedding project which is funded by the Inter-Ministerial Committee for 48 · THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER
Sustainable Development (IMCSD). The Solar Capability Building Programme for Public Housing The procurement from REC of solar photovoltaic (PV) panels is the largest single solar panel procurement in Singapore to-date. They will be installed in precincts in Jurong, Aljunied, Telok Blangah, Bishan, Ang Mo Kio, and Jalan Besar, commencing in the 4th quarter of 2010. A total of about 3,000 residential units will benefit from this procurement. This is part of HDB’s Solar Capability Building Programme which aims to achieve the following: a) Build up expertise in solar energy generation b) Achieve proficiency in design and installation c) Achieve cost-effectiveness d) Enhance maintainability REC is among the world’s largest producers of polysilicon and wafers for solar applications, and a rapidly growing manufacturer of solar cells and modules. REC is also engaged in project development activities in selected PV segments. Founded in Norway, REC is an international solar company, employing more than 3,000 people worldwide. REC will provide the PV panels which it produces locally. HDB carried out its first solar photovoltaic (PV) installation at the Serangoon and Wellington precincts in 2008, under a trial programme. The capacity generated for each block was 10 kWp, with energy generation of 900 kWh per month per block. Of this, about 600 kWh is consumed by the common services,
and 300 kWh is exported to the grid. This translates into a 10% reduction in the common area energy consumption. Developing Punggol as an Eco-Town HDB is reinforcing its commitment to sustainable development in its public housing estates. One of the initiatives that it has taken in this area, is the first noncommercial collaboration with CDM to develop a modelling tool to quantify and formulate a set of KPIs, particularly in the areas of: • Water reduction • Energy reduction • Waste reduction • Ambient air temperature • Provision of town greenery • Alternative transportation utilisation As Singapore’s youngest town, Punggol is equipped with green spaces for spatial relief and community use, and the necessary elements and facilities to embrace sustainable living. CDM’s Neyasdurai Centre in Singapore will help to develop the Urban Systems Model to support planning and design decisions. The results from the collaboration will translate into HDB’s planning and sustainability design processes for the development of Punggol as Singapore’s first Eco-Town. CDM has a 36-year history in Singapore, and has been involved in many local water supply, waste water, drainage, and solid waste projects. This collaboration is scheduled for the period 12 July 2010 to end-December 2010. Depending on the findings, the collaboration may be extended to 31 March 2011.
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