From iconic buildings to state-of-the-art developments , Soilbuild is reshaping urban landscapes with eco-friendly and sustainable design. Join us as we speak to Ermanno Cirillo and Julian Chia, the architects behind Tai Seng Exchange and the upcoming Tampines Connection, as well as Lim Han Qin, the Director of Soilbuild Group, to gain insights on the sustainable practices incorporated into the buildings they designed and built.
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Watch more: https://www.asiaone.com/video
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00:00Hey everyone, I'm Melissa Tan, a Climate Action and Sustainability Advocate.
00:04I grew up as a very environmentally conscious kid who was obsessed with recycling.
00:09But of course, there is so much more to living sustainably,
00:12and that includes the buildings we work or live in.
00:15Taising Exchange is more than just a conventional industrial building.
00:19Its sustainable design coupled with SoilBuild's best practices in construction
00:23and building operations gives it an edge over other developments in the area.
00:27Let's hear more from the architects.
00:30We have Ermano, the mastermind behind Taising Exchange,
00:33and also joining us today is Julian, the lead designer behind the next exciting
00:38SoilBuild industrial project coming up in Tampines North Drive.
00:41Thank you so much for joining us.
00:43My pleasure.
00:44So you know, just walking into this space, it's such an experience.
00:48It's really impressive.
00:49I was wondering, what was the architectural concept behind Taising Exchange?
00:54Well, with Taising Exchange, we wanted to reimagine the typical industrial building
01:00into a lush and welcoming space for all to enjoy.
01:04That is why we used this radial plan where we arranged all the buildings around a central garden.
01:10And the other element was to encourage a journey of discovery for the users.
01:16So as the users move around the development and within Taising Exchange,
01:21they will enjoy the different and unique green features of the building from different points of views.
01:26So people coming in can definitely anticipate and experience.
01:30And for you, Julian, in Tampines North Drive, what was the architectural concept there?
01:35In addition to the air well that brings natural daylight and ventilation to the building and the users,
01:41we also have quite a number of solar panels on the roof.
01:45We've also incorporated quite a number of greenery on the horizontal and vertical surfaces.
01:50So in the form of roof gardens, courtyards, plaza spaces, as well as green walls on the facades.
01:57So these serve to not only provide visual relief, but also some passive cooling for the building and the building users.
02:04The site is also located along N Park's park connector.
02:08So we provided for an end of trip facility to encourage the building users
02:13to adopt more sustainable commuting practices for this development.
02:17Oh, that's beautiful. Really supporting the community.
02:20You know, even with all these really amazing features that I feel really should be in every building,
02:25there might still be some misconceptions that you hear from people. What are some of those?
02:30Well, I think one of the things we hear often, people might think sustainable buildings have to be fancy and costly.
02:38Through a careful planning, a conscious design from the inception of the project,
02:44you can actually achieve significant cost savings, both upfront, I would say, and in the long term.
02:51Yeah, I think Mano has a really good point.
02:55There are many cost effective, passive means of sustainable design that we can adopt.
03:01This could supplement the more high tech solutions that are available in the market.
03:06It's really about choosing the right features to incorporate into the design.
03:10When done properly, it will not compromise on the user's comfort as well as function and utility.
03:16In fact, it really amplifies the experience of the space itself.
03:20So with all of this, I mean, what are some of the benefits that you see from all these eco-friendly designs
03:27and the building itself being green design, especially in a climate like Singapore?
03:33Singapore weather is very unforgiving to people and to buildings.
03:38In terms of energy consumption, in terms of maintenance of building structures.
03:43And so the obvious benefit is that if we design buildings that can consume less energy, reduce the waste,
03:50the long term benefit of having eco-friendly feature will be enormous in the context of Singapore built environment.
03:58I think it's really part of our responsibility as building professionals to lead the way and set a good example for others to follow.
04:07And now through the work that you do and the way these spaces are designed, that really reverberates outwards
04:13so we can all, you know, aim towards our greater goal, low carbon living.
04:17So thank you so much, Armando and Julian for sharing such deep insights with us today.
04:22I really appreciate it.
04:23You're most welcome.
04:24Pleasure. Thanks.
04:25Now here we have Han Cheng, Director of SoilBuild Group Holdings, here with us to chat more about what going green means to SoilBuild.
04:33Thank you so much for joining us.
04:34Thank you. My pleasure.
04:35You know, Han Cheng, just walking into this building, it really brings such a pleasant experience.
04:41What are some of the benefits that you see bringing to employees and occupants when they use your buildings?
04:48So in our green buildings, we tried our best to incorporate as much natural light as possible.
04:53And we hope that that would improve the workplace productivity by making the workplace a more conducive one for occupants.
04:58We've also incorporated a lot of green spaces around the buildings, planters, terraces.
05:03And we hope that these pockets of greenery will give tenants an opportunity to interact, a space for them to relax and relieve their stress, hopefully.
05:11Wow, I can definitely agree with that.
05:13Seeing all this beautiful greenery.
05:15But apart from the user experience, what other benefits do you see just having green buildings here in Singapore?
05:21So in an urban city like Singapore, we want to adopt more green buildings to hopefully make the city a more liveable and resilient one.
05:27And we also want to take the chance to reduce our carbon footprint and our impact on the environment.
05:32And beyond these environmental concerns, green buildings achieve cost efficiencies for us, arising from a lower energy consumption.
05:38Well, now in Singapore, you are one of the frontrunners and I feel like every building should be designed this way.
05:44But do you see it being a norm here in Singapore, especially in the near future?
05:50Yes, most certainly.
05:51And we are glad that the government is actually supportive in its push to make sure that most new buildings going forward will now be Green Mark certified with sustainable design.
06:00Well, I mean, that's really encouraging for all of us to hear.
06:04Coming to the topic of sustainability, you know, driving to the heart of it.
06:08How do you feel personally pushing for sustainability and what does it mean for SoilBuild as well?
06:13So back then when we first started, we wanted to design more green buildings as a way to differentiate ourselves from other developers.
06:20But over the years, we have witnessed the concerns arising from climate change and the increasing toll arising from urbanization.
06:27So in 2011, we developed our first green building called Solaris at OneNorth.
06:31And Solaris at OneNorth has extensive eco features and innovative green vertical landscape design.
06:38Some of the key features include a continuous landscape perimeter ramp that wraps around the facade of the building, a solar shaft and rainwater harvesting.
06:45It sounds like you're on a great trajectory there.
06:48But looking forward, where do you see SoilBuild going in the next 5 to 10 years in terms of sustainability?
06:53We definitely want to add more green buildings to our portfolio.
06:56So BCA Green Mark Platinum is no longer the highest level of certification.
07:00And going forward, we will be targeting BCA Green Mark Platinum Super Low Energy Certifications for buildings in our portfolio.
07:07So well said, Han Qing. I mean, this has been so inspiring to hear.
07:10You know, this is the heart of sustainability.
07:12How can we continue to push forward and not just be complacent because there is so much we can do for our planet.
07:18And how can we inspire everyone else in the industry to go forward with us as well?
07:23So thank you so much for sharing with us today.
07:25Thank you.
07:26Singapore is leading the way in sustainable urban development,
07:29serving as a prime example of green building practices for planners and developers across the region.
07:35Green buildings such as SoilBuild's Taising Exchange and its upcoming development in Tampines North Drive
07:40can play a significant role in mitigating environmental degradation and promoting a more sustainable future.
07:46These projects aren't just about constructing buildings.
07:49They're about building a greener, brighter future for everyone now and for generations to come.
07:55So, here's a thought.
07:57What green features would you like to see in the places you work or live?
08:01Let us know in the comments below.