LEED Platinum for Asia Square, Singapore: Sustainable Architecture Redefined

Asia Square – a compilation of twin towers at Marina bay in Singapore has earned for itself, the LEED Design Core & Shell (LEED-CS) Platinum pre-certification from the US Green Building Council. This is the only building in Singapore to attain the LEED Platinum, and it has also secured the Green Mark Platinum Award for a new non-residential building from Singapore’s Building and Construction Authority (BCA).

Features like energy & water-efficiency and high indoor environmental quality, among several others, helped the twin towers earn these honours. This multiple-use sustainable tower covers 2.65 million sq ft Grade-A space and its construction will be completed by the year 2012. It is estimated that Asia Square consumes 33 % less energy and 40 % less water, when compared to the other conventional buildings of similar size.

Structure

The twin towers float above a podium structure, and sport semi-transparent glass walls and a ceiling punctuated with glass roof panes. The podium structure accommodates “The Cube” - a vibrant, 100,000 sq ft (9200 sq m) public space used for networking and recreation – Exhibitions, performances and other shows are held here on a regular basis. Asia Square also includes 280-room five-star hotel and 60,000 square feet of retail space.

Asia Square Tower-1 will feature 43 floors and Asia Square Tower-2 will feature 46 floors with the hotel occupying the 32nd to 46th floors. The retail space within Asia Square will be located on the 1st and 2nd floors in both towers.

Asia Square will be connected to surrounding developments through an extensive network of underground pedestrian walkways and second storey links.

The structure incorporates several environmentally sustainable features. It will house the largest photovoltaic cells (solar panel) installation in Singapore and also the first bio-diesel generation plant in a commercial development in the CBD.

Sustainable Features

Façade
Tower-1 uses the triple Low-E Coating double glazing and insulated spandrel heights in the façade to trap the sunlight and flood daylight into the interiors, thereby reducing the cooling cost and conserve energy to a maximum possible extent.

The Cube

The Cube – an open air plaza towering at a height of 16m - is naturally ventilated and fully landscaped. Skylights in The Cube maximize the influx of natural light during the daytime. The roof is designed in a way that reduces the need for a mechanical ventilation and smoke extraction system. Also, high ceilings allow thermal stratification and the landscaping helps further regulate temperature.

Bio-Diesel Plant

Asia Square is the first downtown commercial building in Singapore to locate the bio-diesel generation plant. The oil waste from the catering establishment is recycled into 2, 40,000 litres of bio-diesel annually, which is planned to donated to charity.

Motion Sensor

Motion Sensors are installed at all lift lobbies, toilets, car parks and staircases to vary lighting levels according to occupancy and usage, ensuring maximum energy saving.

Water Efficiency

To maximum the conservation of the all-important natural resource, highly water-efficient fittings, certified as ‘very good’ and ‘excellent’ under ‘PUB WELLS’ are selected for all basin taps, bib taps, urinals etc. Further, rain water is harvested and discharged into irrigation water tanks, which will be reused for landscape irrigation. It is estimated that approximately 65 million litres of water can be saved annually through these water-friendly fittings and processes.

Photovoltaic Cell

Asia Square has the largest renewable energy generation systems of all commercial setups in Singapore. Photovoltaic cells cover the entire roof area and generate nearly 270,000 KWh of power per year.

Air Conditioners

Chilled water for the air-conditioning systems is supplied by the district cooling plant operated by Singapore District Cooling. Variable speed drivers will ensure that the chilled water is distributed by the pumps in accordance with the buildings’ cooling load requirements, thereby contributing to energy conservation.
Lighting

All office areas are equipped with T5 light fittings, complete with high-efficiency electronic ballasts, to achieve optimal energy saving while ensuring sufficient illumination.

Photo sensors are incorporated in all office areas, which assist in reducing the use of artificial lights at the perimeter zones.

Regenerating Elevators

Elevator movement generates kinetic energy which will be converted to electrical power, which in turn will be distributed back to the grid. The elevators are therefore expected to consume 18% less power compared to buildings without the power regeneration system.

Source: www.Asia-square.com

Bid for speedy completion of new Assembly green rating process

The consultant in charge of the green ratings for the new Assembly complex will request the Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) to expedite the process of review of the green aspects of the project.

This would make way for speedy completion of the green rating process and announce the LEED certification during the inauguration of the Assembly building on March 13. “If the IGBC accepts the request to expedite the rating process, it will be definitely possible to announce the rating on March 13,” said Deepa Sathiaram of En3 Sustainability Solutions, the green consultant of the project. “A few specifications to be used for construction of the green building have to be documented. It will be completed shortly,” she added. A few interior materials for the building are still in the process of procurement, she said.

The building is likely to be the largest governmental green building in India. Special glazing work on the Assembly building is part of the green measures. It has been registered for rating under the category of ‘LEED India for New Construction,’ which is a green building rating system that helps to guide and design high-performance commercial buildings which include offices, retail and service establishments, institutional buildings and buildings of four or more habitable stories.

Software simulations are being prepared for energy and lighting calculation and analysis, she said. Calculations pertaining to water consumption in the building, test reports and data sheets for materials used in the green building and drawings for site related items will be readied shortly, said Ms. Sathiaram. After a formal audit of the building by IGBC the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) green building certification would be awarded.

SOURCE : THEHINDU