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Straits Times
5 days ago
- Business
- Straits Times
People's Park Complex being repainted red and white, but not specifically for SG60
People's Park Complex in Chinatown being repainted in red and white on May 20. ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI People's Park Complex being repainted red and white, but not specifically for SG60 SINGAPORE – Chinatown's modernist icon People's Park Complex, which is being studied for the possibility of conservation, will sport a fresh red-and-white look later in 2025. The choice of colours has led some, including one of the building's architects Koh Seow Chuan, to associate it with Singapore's national flag – which is apt, given that works are taking place in 2025, the 60th anniversary of the country's independence. But 'the colour scheme was not specially chosen to mark SG60', People's Park Complex's managing agent Claire Dixon-Lim told The Straits Times . It 'was recommended by a designer and approved by the building's management council', she said, adding that the facade rectification and repainting works are slated to be completed before the fourth quarter of 2025, depending on weather conditions. The mixed-use development , which was completed in 1973, was last repainted in 2009, when its then orange and green facade made way for yellow and green paint coat that is now being painted over. It had to be repainted as the existing paintwork would be affected facade rectification works that were required. In November 2024, the Building and Construction Authority had told People's Park Complex's management to carry out a facade inspection, and rectify defects. Works are slated to take place from Dec 1, 2024, to Aug 15, 2025, Ms Dixon-Lim said in a letter to the development's owners and occupiers in November 2024. People's Park Complex, a 31-storey strata-titled complex, is currently being studied by the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) for conservation. In February, the agency said that it had completed a structural investigation of the building, which will guide URA's assessment 'in determining the potential of conserving the building vis-a-vis redevelopment plans'. The complex was one of the first mixed-use commercial and private residential developments in the region . It was also the largest shopping complex in Singapore when it first opened and the first shopping complex in the country with atriums. Pioneer Singaporean architects William Lim, Tay Kheng Soon and Mr Koh of Design Partnership Architects, known today as DP Architects, were the men behind its design. Speaking to ST, Mr Koh said that the building's concrete facade was originally unpainted, with an off-form, fair-faced finish that was common in modernist buildings after World War II. 'Fair-faced concrete was in vogue after the war when most countries were poor,' he noted. Non-profit heritage group Docomomo Singapore said in a paper on the complex that its fair-faced finish adhered to the modernist precept of 'honest material expression'. This black-and-white photograph from May 1979 shows People's Park Complex's fair-faced concrete facade, before it was painted. PHOTO: ST FILE Modernist architecture spans roughly the 1930s to the 1980s, and includes styles such as brutalism, which People's Park Complex is associated with. Generally, modernist architecture is linked to minimalism, and emphasises function over ornamentation. Mr Koh said that the building was first painted in the late 1980s . Archival photos from the late 1980s and 19 90s show that the complex had a largely beige colour scheme. People's Park Complex (left) in March 1996 with a beige-coloured facade. PHOTO: TNP FILE This was likely replaced by an orange and green scheme when the building underwent a $15 million facelift that started in 1998. People's Park Complex, with the Chinese characters zhen zhu fang, or Pearl Square, on its facade, pictured in March 2007 with an orange and green paint scheme. PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO The Chinese characters zhen zhu fang, or 'Pearl Square', were presumably added to the building's facade during these works – a nod to the building's location at the foot of Pearl's Hill. The hill was named after Captain James Pearl, who commanded the Indiana – the ship brought Sir Stamford Raffles, modern Singapore's founder, to the island in 1819. The Chinese characters zhen zhu fang, or Pearl Square, on the facade of People's Park Complex are often photographed from Temple Street in Chinatown. ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI In 2009, the building was again repainted – this time, in a brighter yellow and green scheme. People's Park Complex undergoing repainting in May 2009, when the orange and green facade (right) made way for a yellow and green scheme (left). PHOTO: ST FILE It is this yellow and green scheme that is currently being replaced with a red and white scheme. The progress of repainting works at People's Park Complex, captured on May 20. ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI Painters giving a new hue to People's Park Complex on May 20. ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI Architectural photographer Darren Soh, who has posted photos of the repainting works since early April, said he feels that the bright red being used is a very polarising colour, adding that 'you either love it or you don't'. 'Everything and everyone around People's Park Complex will now have a red hue when light is shining brightly on its facade,' Mr Soh said. Ng Keng Gene is a correspondent at The Straits Times, reporting on issues relating to land use, urban planning and heritage. Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
Straits Times
16-05-2025
- General
- Straits Times
Go 25 movement to spur sustainable cooling launched in tandem with Go Green SG 2025
Senior Minister for State Amy Khor speaking during the launch of Go Green SG 2025 on May 16. ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI Go 25 movement to spur sustainable cooling launched in tandem with Go Green SG 2025 SINGAPORE - A new campaign to urge businesses and building owners to turn up their thermostats was launched on May 16. Called the Go 25 movement, it encourages Singapore residents to set the indoor air-conditioning temperature in their homes, offices and buildings at 25 deg C. The campaign is an initiative housed under Go Green SG 2025. According to the Building and Construction Authority (BCA), buildings account for over 20 per cent of Singapore's carbon emissions, and air-conditioning is a key contributor to building energy consumption. This, in turn, creates a vicious circle , where hotter cities demand more cooling, which generates more emissions and heat, further raising ambient temperatures, said the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment (MSE). BCA also noted that approximately 60 per cent of electricity consumption in non-residential buildings is attributed to cooling systems, with mechanical ventilation accounting for an additional 10 per cent. Overcooling – which happens when spaces are cooled with air-conditioning beyond comfort range – increases electricity usage, accelerates climate change and exacerbates the urban heat island effect. The urban heat island effect occurs when densely built areas experience higher air temperatures than undeveloped rural areas. 'Achieving our climate goals requires the collective efforts of everyone. Each of us has a personal responsibility to protect and steward our shared environment, for ourselves as well as our future generations,' said Senior Minister for State Amy Khor at the launch of Go Green SG 2025 on May 16 at Changkat Primary School. The launch of the third edition of Go Green SG – a month-long campaign packed with activities for the public, schools and organisations to participate in – was attended by President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and Senior Parliamentary Secretary Baey Yam Keng. President Tharman Shanmugaratnam interacting with students who helped with the illustration of SG60 Go Green SG storybook on May 16. ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI Running till June 19, the campaign aims to rally the populace to make Singapore a green, liveable and climate-resilient nation. Led by the Singapore Green Building Council (SGBC) and MSE, and supported by the National Environment Agency (NEA) and BCA, the Go 25 movement is mapped out into three key initiatives: a pledge, a personality quiz and an industry guide. The pledge encourages building owners, businesses and organisations to commit to sustainable cooling, which also includes the provision of cooling alternatives like fans, and encouraging relaxed dress codes among tenants and occupants. A downloadable toolkit that includes poster templates, social media assets and information sheets is also available for pledgers to encourage stakeholders and other potential pledgees to 'Go 25' as well. An online personality quiz titled 'Go 25 Indoor Comfort Quiz' was also created to teach users about their ideal temperature profile and the benefits of higher indoor temperatures. The insights gathered will be consolidated into a report that will be published in June. The report will outline the average temperature preference of Singapore residents, basic energy savings potential, and quick actions for business owners and building managers to reference in their operations. Changkat Primary School's Eco Hub during the launch of Go Green SG 2025 on May 16. ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI The toolkit and quiz can be accessed at Finally, a guide developed by SGBC and BCA will be published in the third quarter of 2025, which will serve as a technical guide for the processes and considerations needed when raising indoor ambient temperature while maintaining occupant comfort. Mr Baey hopes that with more than 95 per cent of government buildings already adopting Go 25, the Government will be able to set an example for businesses and organisations across Singapore. A study by Ngee Ann Polytechnic's Centre for Environmental Sustainability found that every degree raised in air-conditioning temperature, between 23 and 25 deg C, yielded up to 12 per cent of cooling energy reduction, with no reported increase in occupant discomfort. The study was commissioned by MSE and SGBC and was conducted between January and April. NEA data also found that for every degree raised, approximately $13 of savings could be achieved every year. 'Building owners and businesses can... supplement air-conditioning with hybrid cooling solutions, such as ceiling fans, and engage their tenants and occupants on sustainable cooling. We can also dress light when going to air-conditioned places such as shopping malls, opt for fans over air-conditioning at home, and encourage our family and friends to do the same,' Dr Khor said. The Go Green SG launch event featured booths by SGBC and CapitaLand on their energy saving and green building initiatives, as well as booths by NEA, PUB, and the Singapore Food Agency. Through sustainability challenges organised by CapitaLand, small start-ups and entrepreneurs were able to pitch and develop sustainable technologies that could be implemented in building construction and improvement. An example is Magorium, a home-grown brand that repurposes plastic waste into bitumen, which is used to pave roads. According to Mr Ted Howland, CapitaLand Investment vice-president of group sustainability, Magorium has used plastic waste from CapitaLand malls including Raffles City Shopping Centre and Plaza Singapura in the making of its bitumen. CapitaLand will also be using this bitumen to pave the roads of its upcoming show-flats and development projects. 'Each of these solutions represents one small but very important step that accumulates and brings us to reaching our 2030 sustainability masterplan targets. It's not about finding that one silver bullet to solve everything, because we don't believe there's one of those,' he said. The statutory boards under MSE also organised booths to educate students on the boards' respective histories and milestones in establishing a more sustainable and environmentally conscious Singapore today. President Tharman launched Changkat Primary School's newly constructed Eco Hub , which offers pupils a space to learn about sustainability concepts such as circular economy, food security and biodiversity through experiential learning. The highlight of the interactive space is a wormery. Piloted in 2024, the wormery is looked after by Primary 5 and Eco Club pupils who add food scraps collected from the school canteen twice a week to the compost boxes. They also water the compost mix daily to ensure the composting worms – African nightcrawlers – remain healthy. After four weeks, the vermicompost is ready for use in the school garden. (From left) Upper primary pupils Khayra Nyla Khairil Nizam, Foo Jun An and Srikaarthika Chidambaram illustrated some of the characters in the newly unveiled SG60 Go Green SG e-comic book. ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI A commemorative SG60 Go Green SG e-comic book featuring characters illustrated by three pupils of the school was also unveiled. The book, which traces the Republic's environmental journey over the past 60 years, educates students on what they can do to keep waterways clean, reduce waste and support local produce. The books will be distributed to all primary and secondary school students from May 16. Organised by MSE , together with some 400 partners, Go Green SG 2025 will feature more than 900 activities, with programmes released gradually over the month. Some of these activities include guided ferry tours of the Southern Islands and a mushroom cultivation workshop. Online registration for Go Green SG 2025 activities opened on May 12. The public can visit to check out the activities currently available. Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
Business Times
07-05-2025
- Business
- Business Times
Towards better energy use benchmarks for Singapore's commercial buildings
[SINGAPORE] Singapore's Building and Construction Authority (BCA) launched the Green Mark (GM) certification scheme 20 years ago, a green-building rating system designed to evaluate a building's environmental impact and performance. Subsequently, in 2008, new buildings were required to meet a minimum environmental sustainability standard. Over this time, the government has also introduced the minimum standards for existing buildings to reduce energy use. In September 2024, the Mandatory Energy Improvement (MEI) regime was announced, with the intent to speed up energy efficiency improvements. This programme shifts the emphasis from 'encouraging' improvements in energy efficiency to 'requiring' them if energy use intensity is higher than a stipulated threshold. Properties consistently ranked among the worst 25 per cent of buildings in terms of energy use intensity will be required to undergo energy audits and implement energy efficiency improvement measures. Owners of commercial and institutional buildings report their buildings' information and energy use under the Annual Mandatory Submission of Building Information and Energy Consumption Data (AMS), and this information forms the basis of the building energy benchmarks. The energy use intensity of a building is measured by the Energy Use Intensity (EUI) metric, which is based on total annual electricity consumption per square metre of building gross floor area (GFA). Refining existing benchmarks Up until recently, the BCA's EUI benchmarks grouped commercial buildings into office, retail and hotel if they occupied 60 per cent or more of GFA. With the support of BCA, the Institute of Real Estate and Urban Studies (Ireus) proposed a higher cut-off of GFA usage to 90 per cent or more. This aims to provide purer benchmarks, which can be combined into weighted benchmarks for buildings with a mix of these uses. A NEWSLETTER FOR YOU Tuesday, 12 pm Property Insights Get an exclusive analysis of real estate and property news in Singapore and beyond. Sign Up Sign Up In 2023, the median EUI for pure offices was 164, followed by hotels at 255 and retail properties at 447, clearly showing the substantial differences in energy use intensity between each type of property. In Singapore, it is common for buildings to contain a mix of uses. The pure benchmarks can be factored into any combination of floor area allocated to office, retail and hotel uses, to derive a weighted benchmark specific to a building. As energy use in offices is typically less than that in hotels and retail, the previously used 60 per cent cut-off for benchmarks can be more onerous for office buildings that contain other commercial uses and less onerous for retail properties. For example, Guoco Tower is a large downtown development of mostly offices, but it also contains hotel and retail components. Its reported 2023 EUI of 231 would place it well above the median for pure office of 164 and even above the 75th percentile of 205. However, against a weighted median benchmark of 214 based on the GFA allocated to each use, its performance would be much better. In its recent online release of 2023 EUI data, the BCA adopted the Ireus approach by using a similar 90 per cent cut-off for its energy use benchmarks. In addition, owners can also estimate weighted benchmarks based on the mix of uses in a building. Offices Among offices, energy use intensities were not substantially different between the subcategories except for laboratories with energy use that was almost double that for offices overall (median EUIs of 309 and 164, respectively). Offices in business parks had the lowest median EUI at 145, possibly due to more buildings within business parks that use district cooling (the energy consumption of which is attributed to the district cooling operator). Retail In Singapore, most retail properties under the BCA's AMS are multi-tenanted shopping centres. The non-strata shopping centres generally represent the best-performing retail properties in Singapore in terms of revenue and patronage. They commonly have long opening hours, high levels of pedestrian traffic and often contain uses with higher energy consumption and/or intensity, such as supermarkets, restaurants and cinemas. As a result, their EUIs are relatively higher, with a median of 483 overall. Those linked to MRT stations had even higher median energy consumption at 511, while those not linked to MRT stations were lower at 472. Strata shopping centres had much lower energy use, with a median EUI of 284. This was probably a result of these centres being less heavily patronised than the non-strata shopping centres. They might also accommodate more service businesses such as tuition or dance studios, which have lower energy footprints or shorter trading hours. As a result, shopping centre energy use is likely to be closely related to financial performance. This presents a conundrum for owners of top-performing malls if their energy use is benchmarked against lesser-performing centres. Hotels Median energy use was slightly higher among five-star hotels at 256 compared with 238 for four-star properties. Hotels were also examined by size, with smaller hotels of under 15,000 square metres having higher energy use than larger hotels. These smaller hotels also had a wider variation in energy use, with the worst 25 per cent having EUIs of at least 344. More effective monitoring The refinement of Singapore's commercial building energy use benchmarks is a vital step for both building owners and the government. They enable more effective monitoring of energy usage and provide valuable reference points, allowing owners to measure their energy use against more efficient peer properties. With this information, targeted energy efficiency improvement strategies can be developed. To further assist building owners, Ireus is currently analysing the costs and benefits of around 100 green retrofitting projects undertaken in commercial buildings across Singapore in recent years. Further refinement of Singapore's commercial building energy use benchmarks is possible. While building typology significantly affects EUI, other factors such as operating hours and tenant composition could also be analysed more closely as potential differentiators for EUI benchmarking categories. As we gather more operational data and deepen our understanding, these benchmarks can be further enhanced, ensuring they remain relevant and insightful for all stakeholders. The Ireus Refining Energy Use Benchmarks report was released in January 2025 and is available through the Ireus website. The BCA's latest Building Energy Benchmark Report is available online in Excel format on its website. David Dickinson is an adjunct senior research fellow at Ireus; Chen Huaying is a research assistant at Ireus; and Joseph Ooi is co-director of Ireus and a professor of real estate at NUS Business School, National University of Singapore
AsiaOne
06-05-2025
- AsiaOne
Woman carrying baby unhurt after escalator steps dislodge at Harbourfront Centre, Singapore News
A woman carrying a baby escaped unscathed after an escalator they were on malfunctioned and several steps became dislodged. The incident occurred at Harbourfront Centre on Sunday (May 4) at about 2pm, according to the mall's management Mapletree. Photos posted on social media showed that the mangled steps at the top of the upward-moving escalator, with metal fragments strewn around the escalator landing. The escalator, located between the second and third floors, was still being repaired when Shin Min visited the site on Monday at around 10.15am. A notice was also put up by the mall's management informing patrons to use lifts or alternate escalators. When interviewed, a shop assistant on the second floor told the Chinese evening daily that she heard a loud noise when the incident happened. "I heard a loud 'boom' and when I looked up, I saw that the top escalator steps were bent out of shape and the escalator had also stopped running," said the woman. She recalled that there was a woman riding the escalator at the time. The woman was carrying a baby who looked to be a few months old with one hand, while she held a pram on the other, said the shop assistant, who did not want to be named. The shop assistant noted that following the incident, the woman appeared too shocked to move, while her husband, who had not yet stepped on the escalator, quickly motioned for her to walk down. "Thankfully the escalator had stopped moving. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief when she safely made her way down," said the woman. In its statement to AsiaOne, a Mapletree spokesperson confirmed that no injuries were reported in the incident. The statement noted that a shopper "had brought a stroller onto the escalator, where one of the wheels became caught between the steps". "In an attempt to forcefully remove the stroller, the steps were subsequently dislodged, resulting in the escalator coming to a halt." According to the statement, the escalators undergo monthly maintenance that are in line with safety and operational standards regulated by the Building and Construction Authority. The spokesperson also reminded shoppers with strollers to exercise precaution and use the lifts located on every floor of the mall. [[nid:714986]] candicecai@
Straits Times
22-04-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
Forum: Fire safety standards in Singapore necessarily stringent
We thank Forum writers Sarah Lee-Wong Mayfern, Ameerali Abdeali, Valentane Huang and Goh Ee Kiat for their letters 'Time for thorough review of fire safety in buildings like older shophouses' (April 10), 'Urgent need to step up fire prevention measures' (April 11), 'Staff of pre-school near River Valley fire were quick to help' (April 11), and 'Fire safety a personal responsibility, not just that of the authorities' (April 11). The fire safety standards that we set in Singapore are necessarily stringent. All new buildings and buildings undergoing renovation works must comply with the prevailing Fire Code. These include fire safety provisions such as fire extinguishers, hose reels, emergency lightings, and maximum distance to exit staircases. In addition, exit staircases must be protected within fire-rated enclosures to support safe evacuation during a fire. The Fire Code is reviewed regularly in consultation with industry stakeholders and agencies such as the Urban Redevelopment Authority and the Building and Construction Authority. To ensure the safety of building occupants and the public, building owners, tenants and business operators must ensure that their premises comply with these regulatory requirements. Before carrying out renovation works, they are required to engage a Qualified Person to ensure that the plans incorporate appropriate fire safety designs, and to submit the plans to the relevant authorities for approval. Building owners, tenants and business operators are responsible for maintaining the fire and structural safety provisions of their premises, and obtaining all the necessary permits and approvals from the relevant authorities before embarking on any works or business. The authorities are investigating the fire at 278 River Valley Road on April 8. Firm action will be taken against those found responsible for contravening planning regulations and failing to comply with fire safety standards. We wish to thank the members of the public who stepped forward during the fire. Their quick thinking, collective actions, and willingness to put themselves in harm's way saved many lives. We urge all premises owners and tenants to take fire safety seriously, and not compromise on safety standards just to save money or for the sake of expediency. Such conduct can come at the cost of lives. Ryan Ong (Assistant Commissioner) Director, Fire Safety Department Singapore Civil Defence Force Martin Tan Director (Development Control, City) Urban Redevelopment Authority More on this Topic Forum: What readers are saying Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
