INNOVATIVE MOVE

The most energy-efficient office in Singapore will be completed by mid-2015 – and could revolutionise the way in which new buildings are constructed.

The United World College South East Asia (UWCSEA) is expected to consume 40 per cent less energy than the average office in the island country.

And it will also feature a ‘3for2’ concept, which allows developers to create three floors within the standard space of two floors, without any impact on perceived floor-to-ceiling heights.

This innovative approach – which includes the efficient integration of new technologies such as LED lighting panels, passively cooled ceiling tiles and highperformance chillers – was developed by the Singapore-ETH Centre Future Cities Laboratory, a joint Swiss-Singaporean research centre, and UWCSEA.

Professor Dr Arno Schlüter, Leader of the 3for2 Project, said: “For modern offices in Singapore, up to 25% of vertical space is occupied by ductwork, structures and other technical systems that provide the services occupants need.

“Furthermore, roughly 60% of electricity consumption is attributed to airconditioning alone. Such has been the status quo for decades.

“If a new set of solutions for air-conditioning and lighting could halve both space and energy requirements, we could achieve significant savings in building material costs and energy bills.

“This combined cost-saving potential has been largely untapped by the green buildings sector thus far.”