Perspective Type: Articles

Perspectives, developed by SJ Academy, is our Thought Leadership platform to explore new ways of tackling some of today’s most complex challenges. We draw on ideas and opinions from our experts across different businesses. Diverse in topics and sharp in focus, Perspectives provides a platform for us to challenge assumptions and examine new possibilities. We hope that it will spark some ideas in you too.

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Powering the Water Sector Using Smart Technology

Flowing and Taking Form, Digitally

Universally, the Water Sector has embarked on a journey towards digital transformation, in tandem with the technology shifts happening in other infrastructure industries. Smart technology has crept into our lives, in ways we do our work as designers, and how various infrastructure owners operate and maintain their assets.

It is an exciting time for our industry, and it is interesting figuring out which side of the fence we are sitting on. We need to ask ourselves; do we want to miss the opportunities presented by new technologies, or do we want to be an early adopter?

The key to success is being aware, adaptable and be ready to take on change.

Not only must we be open to the digital innovation wave that is presented to us, we must also be ready to select the technologies we want to champion and apply early. In doing so, our clients can capitalise on these advances.

A large part of SMEC’s business derive from setting foot in the early adopters’ camp. We take on proven technologies and processes as they become available to us, and partner with companies to drive new opportunities. Some of the real value is making technologies available, and tailoring them to our clients’ specific needs.

Novel Ways to Capture and Interpret Data

Remote data capture is already embedded within the engineering community across the board and particularly within the hydropower, dams and water sector.

We move across various spectrums of technology – from aerial photography, to drones, LIDAR, 3D scanning and multiple forms of remote capture that acquire a broad data scope. The team focuses on cross-examining the data, and importantly, aims to capitalise the depth and richness of the data in different ways. A great example of this is how we manage both the collection and interpretation of data from drones.

While we are accustomed to using drones for project images and videos, our requirements have also advanced at a rapid pace. Often, there is significant cost and time involved, and limitations on how much data a person can collect within a certain amount of time. Now we are starting to use drones in confined spaces, inside a reservoir, pipeline, manholes, pits and places which potentially pose danger to people.

The role of the engineer has also shifted in how he uses technology in a much more interactive and effective way, to increase the quality of data captured – including real time capabilities.

Back in the office, we use smart automation to connect multiple data sources and analyse the results. The data interpretation is complex and operators still require a solid technical background to understand how to analyse the data.

Driving Innovation Through BIG Data Analytics

It is possible to capture large data sets from clients over several years of asset monitoring. We utilise unguided analytics – find patterns in the data without any technical preconceptions – to extract valuable insights, and then leverage on our technical experience to understand and apply those patterns.

This is a process which has been applied recently with Queensland Urban Utilities (QUU), one of the largest water distributor-retailers in Australia – supplying drinking water, recycled water and sewerage services to a population of more than 1.4 million in South East Queensland. The SMEC team did some unguided analytics on the work order history of sewage pump station assets (such as requests for repairs, replacement and other works) as part of the “Enhanced Condition Assessment Programme”. The analytic plots revealed patterns and trends in the dataset which allowed QUU to make informed decisions on how to prioritise their maintenance efforts, future budgets and reduce the operational risk of assets (i.e. assets which are causing the most outages/disruptions, and then targeting them for future maintenance strategies). We were able to pull trends from the data results and confidently engage QUU with data driven recommendations to improve maintenance operations across their asset portfolio.

Championing VR/AR

The SMEC team also recently completed a 3D scanning project in the galleries of a wastewater treatment plant for South Australia Water. This project involved areas which were difficult to access by conventional means. The team produced a 3D model of the galleries which was used as an important resource for the design of key remediation works.

In addition to producing the 3D design, SMEC has championed virtual and augmented reality (VR/AR) in the built environment. Other civil engineering and water infrastructure projects include the iconic Snowy 2.0 project, a proposed pumped-hydro expansion of the Snowy Mountains (New South Wales) Scheme which will supercharge its existing hydro-electric generation and large-scale storage capabilities. Here, we utilised VR construction visualisation. Additionally, we have transformed the design into an animated construction sequence where we can see how the project will actually be constructed.

Technology’s Role in Water Security

A recent online article in Create magazine (https://www.createdigital.org.au/magazines/australias-water-security-issues-engineering/) written by my SMEC colleague, Jonathan Kent, outlines how Australia is increasingly adopting dams and engineered water storage. He described how other more high-tech and expensive technologies such as desalination have been installed to provide increased water security to major urban areas. I agree that providing water security to the driest and most in-need areas is the most challenging issue to overcome, especially when urbanisation of major coastal centres continues.

The SMEC team is providing expertise to address the issue, and we are working with Water New South Wales (NSW) on the implementation of the Wentworth to Broken Hill Water Supply Project, which will provide greater water security to regional NSW.

Leading Innovation Across Other Areas of Specialties

To keep up with challenging external environments, our clients and partners are increasingly placing high values on innovation. SMEC has entrenched this culture of innovation with an Innovation Grants Programme, which provides employees an opportunity to pitch and refine their ideas for innovation, and a chance to secure funding to develop their ideas.

Our commitment to smart technologies within the water sector aligns with our broader interest in renewables and sustainability. Our designs positively impact the built environment and help to shape a better future for all.

SMEC was also the Design Lead on the Sydney Metro Northwest surface and viaduct civil works (SMNW-SVC) project, which has been consistently recognised for innovation and sustainability. In 2015, the project won a Leading Design IS rating from the Infrastructure Sustainability Council of Australia for the most environment-friendly project design. In 2017, the project was recognised as a “Leading” As-Built IS rating – the highest possible score for sustainability. And in 2018, the project clinched “Project of the Year” and “Global Best Rail Project” from Engineering News-Record (ENR), which described its design as ‘elegant, innovative and sustainable’.

This article was first published in Infocus, SMEC’s digital platform (http://www.smec.com/infocus/expertise/powering-the-water-sector-using-smart-technology/)

Perspectives, developed by SJ Academy, is our platform to explore new ways of tackling some of today’s most complex challenges. We draw on ideas and opinions from our staff associates and experts across different businesses. Click here to read more about Aviation Planning in Singapore, Infrastructure & Connectivity, and Facilities Management.

Workplace and Workforce of the Future: Redefined

I was involved in a study several years back, together with other senior HR leaders and practitioners, on the future workforce and its implications to HR. I ‘interviewed’ my young son, who was seven years old then, and asked him what he thought ‘work’ will look like for him in the future. I was expecting some typical school-kid answers like ‘policeman’, ‘bus driver’ or ‘doctor’ but he replied: “I want to create something new every day!” Naive as it may seem, and many parents would have taken it at face value, it was thought-provoking to me at that point, and in light of the increasing global interest on the future of work.

After all, many of today’s workplaces in the real world are designed as places for work, literally. And ‘work’, as defined in the dictionary, is to carry out tasks or fulfill duties regularly for a salary. Assuming most kids have similar aspirations about their future, the question, therefore, is whether conventional workplaces are adequately equipped to satisfy the creative desires of future generations over the next ten to twenty years, and beyond. So, to define how the future workplace looks like, we first need to understand the characteristics of the future workforce and what ‘work’ means to them, how individuals generate economic value for themselves, and how organisations can engage them to create business and societal value.

Rapid Workforce Regeneration

Over the last fifty years, we have seen new generations of workforce emerged at a rapid pace. We had the ‘Typewriter’ generation in the 70’s where words-per-minute was a key competency for many jobs. The ‘PC’ generation in the 80’s made typing skills a thing of the past! Then came the ‘Pager’, ‘Handphone’ and ‘Laptop’ generation in the 90’s, where such gadgets were symbols of mobility and connectedness. The ‘Swipe’ generation emerged in the new millennium. My son lost interest in a LeapFrog tablet which I bought for him when he was two because it did not respond to his swipe gesture! Then enters the ‘Social’ and ‘Crowd’ generation of today, where ‘Friends’, ‘Likes’ and ‘Followers’ are not just icons but bragging rights for personal pride and self-worth. ‘Twitter’ and ‘Google’ aren’t just company names anymore, they have become every day verbs! In this age, reputation has become digital and people spend an inordinate amount of time building and maintaining it online. The more entrepreneurial ones monetize it for economic gains with an entirely new industry of social influencers, marketers, and retailers created out of virtually nothing.

The emergence of ‘Cognitive’ and ‘Machine Learning’ will be the defining lexicon of the 2020 generation and beyond. Gone will be the days where one has to do their own analyses to draw insights. Instead, insights and intelligent predictions are expected without even a mouse-click, if we still use mouse at all by then. If you wonder why you are getting medical adverts on your social page and others don’t, you have probably been sharing photos of unhealthy food choices for years! Unbeknownst to you, the technologies you use learn about your lifestyle choices and predicts what attention you need and when. To the generations prior, this is a rather scary thought. But to future generations, this is going to be a basic expectation. In other words, the workforce of the future demands for insights as none of them have the time nor capacity to make sense of the universe of information which is exploding at an incomprehensible rate that requires beyond-human ability to synthesize.

Technological Empowerment

This will be the fuel that propels the fourth industrial revolution from mere conjecture to reality. More and more brick-and-mortar businesses will be disrupted by players without ‘bricks’ and ‘mortars’. With access to insights at their fingertips, more people will be empowered to create economic value on their own without traditional employment. Not too long ago, the likes of Uber and Airbnb were unimaginable. But today, they are serious billion dollar enterprises who created Blue Oceans out of the already crowded market dominated by traditional businesses. Paving forward, more and more products and services will be ‘Uberized’, so will education, talent, and skills.

Without a doubt, the common theme across these generational shifts is technology. It is no longer just means for automation, efficiency, and productivity. The evolution of technology has become the biggest influencer of human mindset, preference, and behavior, more so than fellow humans like educators, friends, and parents. What this means is that every person, with or without formal education or qualification, is empowered to create higher forms of economic value completely on their own. With virtually zero start-up cost, one can simply make money as a value creator. 3D printer technology will mature to an extent that it costs no more than today’s personal printers. Not only can one create knowledge capital, one can produce real physical products without a factory! The gig economy will expand to a scale that makes employees wonder why they even bother to sit by an office desk doing mundane work and makes product engineers wonder why they are paid the same salary whether their products sell a million copies or just a few.

Paradigm Shift in the Notion of “Work”

If the above is portentous, the implications to organisational designs, structures, and operating models are immense. Today, we speak of attracting talents to work FOR us, but tomorrow it will be about attracting talents to work WITH us. The age-old HR philosophy of “Attract-Motivate-Retain” now needs a fresh definition. To engage the “Talent Cloud”, or “Gig Economy” in today’s parlance, our traditional notion of ‘work’ will evolve into four different forms of participative work arrangements:

‘Auction’ – where individuals (or teams) table their interest, with their expected reward, to work on a challenge defined by a business entity.
‘Tender’ – where individuals (or teams) bid to undertake an assignment defined by a business entity at a fixed reward.
‘Contest’ – where individuals (or teams) compete with others to produce a deliverable to win a reward defined by a business entity.
‘Partner’ – where individuals (or teams) bring new ideas or opportunities to a business entity and share the resulting gain.

None of these arrangements require an individual, or a team, to be an employee of any organisation – no employment contract, no performance appraisal, no employee benefit to worry about, etc. Real-time evaluation, feedback, and endorsement on their quality, service, and capability will contribute to their digital reputation in the public domain validated by the crowd. This digital reputation becomes their “professional currency”, which they build and maintain over time, and which defines their value and worth to any future prospect.

The Future Workplace

To adapt and enable such new forms of participative work arrangements, corporate functions like HR, Finance, Procurement and IT operating as separate functions in most organisations today will need a new paradigm shift. Perhaps they will converge into a new form of integrated corporate entity whose mission is to engage global Gig-ers out there to be part of the organisation’s value creation ecosystem. Such an entity will put in place the right technologies, armed with cognitive and machine learning capabilities, to manage these new work arrangements, engage the limitless cloud of talents out there on a global scale, suss out the truly valued ones, and manage and maintain the relationship ecosystem thereafter. Along with this shift comes a new kind of profession, not unlike the emergence of “Data Scientists” in response to the rise of “Big Data” not too long ago.

On the other hand, while we tend to define ‘workplace’ in physical and environmental terms today, the virtual or digital dimension will matter more to the workforce of the future where individuals value their digital real-estate than physical ones. With digital workbench and dashboard complete with cognitively enabled tools for communication, collaboration, production, and distribution, anyone can virtually own an ‘office’ and run their business off it. Consistent with a recently published study by Mercer where “adaptive work”, “digital living”, “talent ecosystem”, “rethinking HR paradigm”, and “distributed teaming” are some of the top talent trends outlined, we will likely see significant and disruptive changes over the next decade from the status quo.

Although the transition will not happen overnight, it has become increasingly pressing that organisations need to figure out ways to imbue agility into how they operate or risk being left behind. Beyond just mindsets, behaviors and skills, agility requires an all-of-organisation approach as well from business models, operating structures, management systems to technology infrastructures. Especially for traditional brick-and-mortar businesses, the journey must begin now by anticipating how the future will disrupt their core businesses and take the necessary steps to stay on or ahead of the curve.

This article was first published on “People Matters Online Magazine” (17 October 2018)

The Belt & Road Initiative and What It Means for South East Asia

Launched five years ago, the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has mobilised much Chinese funds and State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) to invest, construct and operate projects in South-East Asia (SEA), South Asia, Central Asia and even further away in Africa. Given that infrastructure in many of these countries in these regions are under-invested, the BRI represents a huge opportunity for these countries to uplift their infrastructure and build strong foundations for economic development.

An example of a BRI project is the development of a US$9b deep-sea port and industrial park in Kyaukpyu. Situated in the western Rakhine State of Myanmar, Kyaukpyu will provide Western China with access to the Bay of Bengal, and is therefore highly strategic to China. To Myanmar, the project will lead to economic development and potentially reduce some of the ethnic tension in the Rakhine state. The project is therefore strategic to both countries. The project is currently still under negotiation between the Chinese consortium leader CITIC Group[1] and the Myanmar Government.

The impact will be positive for China if it is able to develop access points for its manufactured exports and its imports of strategic resources, if the BRI allows its state-owned enterprises (SOEs) to establish their market presence in SEA and if the BRI leads to a stronger global leadership role for China. However, if the projects turn out to be commercially unviable, the economic benefits of BRI for SOEs will be in doubt. Furthermore, if the BRI generates negative media for China, it will lead to a negative image for China.

Second, we look at the impact on SEA countries. If the BRI leads to sustainable infrastructure development without incurring too much financial burden or loss of internal political support, the BRI will have a positive impact on SEA countries. Conversely, if it leads to infrastructure projects that are not well-utilized, too much government debt and too much opposition internally, the BRI will have a negative impact on SEA.

How China and the SEA countries go about securing their own interests and how they react to one another’s actions will be key to how the BRI plays out.

The current backlash against BRI in some countries suggest that the impact for SEA countries may be perceived to be slightly negative today, rightly or wrongly. This is not sustainable. If China is perceived to benefit from the BRI while the SEA countries do not benefit much, then the SEA countries will stop participating. Similarly, if SEA benefits from the BRI while China does not, it is also not sustainable.

In the longer term, the two more likely scenarios are:

Silent End – if the impact on China and on the SEA countries turn out to be more negative than positive, both sides will slowly disengage themselves from the BRI and the initiative will fizzle out over time.
Shared Prosperity – However, if there are effective efforts by both China and the SEA countries to develop win-win solutions, the BRI may enter a golden phase where both sides enjoy many years of mutual benefits.

The BRI creates the opportunity to build much-needed infrastructure in SEA and for strong economic development in these countries. If we do not take advantage of the BRI, and it ends up in the “Silent End” scenario, it would be an unfortunate loss of opportunity for the entire region. This should be avoided.

Shared Prosperity

To help the BRI move towards the win-win scenario of “Shared Prosperity”, we can consider the following:

Pragmatic Infrastructure Roadmaps

First, the SEA countries should each develop a pragmatic Infrastructure Roadmap. Such a roadmap should have a clear vision of what infrastructure projects are important and should be given priority within the next 10 years. It should estimate the costs of these projects, identify those that are commercially viable and those that require government support. It should examine how these can be financed without creating a budget deficit crisis for the country, including whether private sector companies can be involved in the financing, ownership and operation of such projects. It should also address social and environmental concerns in the community.

Countries with such an Infrastructure Roadmap will be in a better position to decide what projects to be pursued pro-actively under the BRI framework and what projects should be held back. In this way, the SEA countries would be able to leverage on the funds made available by the BRI to advance its infrastructure development plans, rather than take on projects that turn out to be ineffective or too costly. In this regard, glamorous large-scale projects may not always be the most impactful projects.

Principles of Market Forces

Second, principles of market forces should be adopted as much as possible. Feasibility studies should have realistic commercial projections, and reviewed carefully to determine if projects should be pursued. For instance, users of the infrastructure should be made to pay for the services they consume, at full costs if possible. Commercial operators of the infrastructure should be engaged on a Private Public Partnership basis if viable. SEA Governments must be prepared to help overcome political and social obstacles if the projects are beneficial to the countries.

State-Owned Enterprises from China should assess the commercial viability and sustainability of the projects before taking the plunge. While there are strategic reasons for implementing infrastructure projects, we should leverage on market forces and commercial interests to make these projects financially sustainable as much as possible.

High Standards of Governance

Third, more emphasis needs to be placed on the governance of the BRI projects by the Chinese SOEs, the SEA governments and other companies involved. If BRI projects are associated with improper use of funds, the global image of China, the Chinese SOEs and the SEA governments will be negatively impacted. To prevent this, a stronger code of governance should be exercised by the Chinese SOEs and the SEA governments for BRI projects.

Strong Project Leadership

Finally, each major infrastructure project must be supervised by a competent leader. A leader with a clear vision, good management skills, integrity and strong political support will be able to deliver the infrastructure project on time and on budget. Conversely, without good project leadership, even structurally sound projects will be badly implemented and end up as failures.

Making BRI a Multilateral Initiative

It will be useful if the BRI becomes more multilateral in its implementation. This will not be easy. Involving third countries will take time and can be complicated. And not all countries want to be involved in costly infrastructure projects. But if successfully done, this will provide an independent view of the commercial viability and risk management of the project.

Conclusion

When all these considerations are accounted for and proper measures put in place, the BRI will have a much higher chance of success. And the scenario of “Shared Prosperity” will become a likely outcome.

This article is co-created by Surbana Jurong Academy.

[1] Singapore design and engineering firm, Surbana Jurong was also involved in the master-planning of the industrial park.

Perspectives, developed by SJ Academy, is our platform to explore new ways of tackling some of today’s most complex challenges. We draw on ideas and opinions from our staff associates and experts across different businesses. Click here to read more about Digital Technology, Aviation Planning in Singapore, and Infrastructure Investment.

The Future is Taking Off – Key Trends Impacting Airport Planners

To cope with the increased demand for air travel, authorities of the aviation industry will need to put on their thinking hats to implement new processes and technologies. According to Airports Council International (ACI), air passenger numbers are predicted to exceed 22 billion by 2040, a near tripling of the 7.6 billion air travellers in 2016.

It should be noted that the largest demand for air travel will be routes to, from and within the Asia-Pacific region. This gives pressure to air travel & tourism players within the region to better their end-to-end travel facilities, air carrier services, and attractiveness of the country destinations. Not only is the aviation sector required to serve increasing volumes, but passengers are increasingly becoming more discerning and demanding of the level of service they receive. It is forecasted that major airports by passenger volume need major infrastructure developments in the next decade to keep pace with projected growth. However, given the tight timelines for these projects and the scarcity of funding and space, it is unlikely that airports will expand as required within the timeframe.

The solution is to seek out new technologies and processes, and making changes to the airport in the context of the passenger’s end-to-end journey.

Planning the Passenger Journey

Successful aviation planning is defined by adopting a forward-looking approach for potential investment in on-ground infrastructure, and one that provides for operational improvements and passenger capacity growth. Planners are not just looking at the transformation of airports, but the complete ground journey experience that moves through the airport – the passenger, the baggage cargo and the aircraft. Not all airports carry the same interface and characteristics, as decisions are made based on the countries’ economic climate, circumstances and complexity of transport movement.

This complete passenger journey from home to final destination and back home again has two focus areas:

Off-airport activities (passenger services beyond the offers of the airport), and advanced processing (pre-authorisation, pre-customs clearance, etc);
Passenger interface systems

Off-airport and Advanced Processing Activities

One key element in enabling ground facilities to cope with huge increase in passenger volumes, and in the case of land-scarce countries such as Singapore and Hong Kong, aviation planners try to move as many processes as possible off-airport. There are virtual and physical components to this strategy. From the onset of aviation planning, government and authorities will need to embrace moving travel authorisations and customs controls to a digital environment, from the time of booking through to departures/arrivals. Airlines and airports also have a crucial role to play in ensuring data exchanges & integration take place, thus minimising the need for physical document checks at the immigration.

For the airport’s infrastructure, all people moving systems will need to conveniently connect airports to the cities they serve. Prevalent in some cities, passengers could even commence their journey from secured entry gates (trains and bus stations) within the city, bypassing the need for processes within the airport terminal building. Linking the airport is the first step towards distributing transportation channels.

Virtual Airport for Passenger Interface

Passenger Interface Systems in airports are taking huge strides forward, thanks to predictive modelling (use of statistics to predict outcomes) and artificial intelligence that crunch real-time data far swifter than any human. Being aware of changes to a passenger’s journey or their baggage will enable airport, airline, ground handler and all other stakeholders to optimise the decision-making process across the entire value chain.

Consistent definitions and a workable interface for information-sharing and data mining is vital. A passenger could turn to several touchpoints – staff, website, mobile applications, customers’ information desk – for a flight update and get several different answers. Hence, deploying more sophisticated real-time passenger interface systems will facilitate greater choice and flexibility for customers, and at the same time, increased process efficiency and trigger compliance & security.

When a virtual airport is created, it literally means that some digital activities can be undertaken beyond the offers of the airport. Human capacity can potentially be added without the need for a physically bigger airport. The next few sections will discuss key trends that airport planners need to look out for when designing Smart Airports.

Designing and Developing Smart Airports

There are many factors to consider when airport planners design Smart Airports – ease of movement throughout the airport, efficiency and seamless integration of passenger processing touchpoints, as well as large scale sharing of information between airport operator, airlines, ground handlers and support organisations, thereby ensuring timely flight departures and arrivals.

Enhancing Passenger Processing Efficiency Through Self-Service Options

Planners are given the uphill task of making sure that passengers’ airport experience and satisfaction index constantly remains a mark above the rest, even as increasing passenger traffic puts strains on the capacity of various processing touchpoints.

As part of the launch of Fast and Seamless Travel (FAST) transformation programme at the Singapore Changi Airport, Changi Airport Group (CAG) has introduced the new “automated bag drop machines” at the self-service luggage check-in facilities, located at the airport’s newest Terminal Four (T4). These machines have incorporated “facial recognition technology”, which eliminates the need for manual identity checks by staff and enables the automation of processes and checks for the departure journey.

This helps to address long term manpower productivity concerns. As such, check-in agents can be re-deployed for other airport roles. For travelling passengers, it will mean shorter queue and greater flexibility to check-in at their own convenience using the self-service check-in options.

Enhancing Operational Efficiency for the Airport Community

Airports have their own set of challenges to overcome, including flight delays, unpredictable events, and inefficient use of resources. Better collaboration amongst airport stakeholders is the key to overcoming these challenges and an “Airport Collaborative Decision Making (ACDM)” technology can very well be a key enabler in this respect.

This technology will provide the airport with accurate information on aircraft arrivals and departures to minimise delays and increase capacity. It basically syncs up airports, airlines, ground handlers, and air traffic controllers, on the same collaborative platform to work more efficiently together.

Some key benefits that ACDM brings to the airport eco-system:
a) For Airlines – shorter taxi times, fuel savings, reduced delays mean cost savings and customer satisfaction, increased capacity with the same fleet;
b) For Air Traffic Control – more predictable traffic & therefore reduced workload, reduced probability of errors, better pre-departure sequence, beneficial network
effects as more airports become ACDM accredited;
c) For Airport Operator – reduced environmental impacts such as noise and emissions, improved punctuality, improved gate planning, stand planning and management.

Airport IT Infrastructure

With all systems integrated at the front end to serve discerning travellers, it is important to also provide a robust infrastructure to support successful roll-out of integrated facilities management. A good IT masterplan, coupled with knowledge on how different systems interact and complement one another – will help greatly in keeping good records on maintenance, and ensure sustenance of the business.

In essence, the airport scene will not change dramatically even if such a vision comes to pass. An airfield will always be a necessity for the aircrafts. The airport retail model will, however, evolve. The following section will explore how consumer behaviour in air travel has evolved, and how it has impacted the way smart airports pan out.

Air Travel Passenger – Is It All About Me?

We discussed the importance of integrating passenger systems to capture demographical needs. When planning around these systems, a huge population of the “me-centric” passengers (refer to Illustration 1) use mobile devices to communicate with other computers, kiosks, smart devices and sensors to enable seamless, safe and secured transactions.

Airport interface systems need to be consistent and simple, so the me-centric passenger can switch between devices, and have the option of speaking with a virtual agent at any point in the airport.

Illustration 1: “Me-centric” passenger who uses her mobile device to communicate with other kiosks, smart sensors (an important factor to consider when planning for Airport Interface Systems)

Changing Demographics and Needs

The growth of the middle class with its additional discretionary money to spend on leisure and entertainment, means that they are explorative, and will be open to new travel experiences.

The Millennials

The new middle class may be led by Generation Y, or better known as the Millennials. While the millennials make up the majority of global travellers, they are also making huge purchases online – Amazon, Alibaba, etc. This begs the question on whether there is a need for shopfronts at the airport. Perhaps, to give the retail experience a more tactile holistic approach, shops in airports can be converted into experiential centres, as opposed to mere transaction venues. Airports can even have a dedicated space for pick-up of goods ordered online.

Millennials also strive on personalising their purchasing needs and travel options. Investing in a robust “customer relationship management (CRM)” system that provides a 360 view of customers – with better integration of data related to travelling and spending – may very well be the airport’s long term business model.

The Silver Generation

The fact that today’s population is living longer, also means there will be more seniors (older than 60 years) travelling. Airports of the future will need to cater to the exponential growth of the ageing population.

The ageing population will have decreased mobility and the inability to cover long distances. Airports will need to build seamless connectivity (with handicapped friendly facilities) within the terminals, and to review walking distance between touchpoints even as terminals become larger in size. At the same time, smaller details that cater to the ageing population, such as incorporating larger purpose-built public washrooms, will need to be taken into account.

Conclusion – So, What Holds for the Airport’s Future?

As aviation planners gather feasibility studies based on consumer behaviourism, travel patterns, flows and processes, the basic rule of thumb is to remain flexible to changes, and make adjustments where it requires.

Citing the example of Singapore’s Changi Airport, will the airport remain as a key transfer hub, or will there be more planned in/outbound flights to cater to increased air travel demands within the APEC region? Singapore, as a key location for global business exchange, has transformed dramatically from the days when Changi Airport was first opened.

How will new business trends impact Singapore’s status as a hub, and how should we implement terminal design that is modular in nature to facilitate nimble operational adjustments to traffic size and mix? Moreover, with the advent of broader mobility developments such as self-driving vehicles, how should the airport design be sufficiently forward-looking and flexible to seamlessly integrate with such new technologies in the longer run, which are critical aspects of building a holistic aviation ecosystem. All these factors will greatly influence planning and design of the future airport.

This article is co-created by Surbana Jurong Academy.

Perspectives, developed by SJ Academy, is our platform to explore new ways of tackling some of today’s most complex challenges. We draw on ideas and opinions from our staff associates and experts across different businesses. Click here to read more about Drone Survey, BIM Facility Management, and the Success of a Petrochemical hub.

Drones at Work – Eyes in the Sky!

Introduction

Drones are now one of several technologies that are transforming every stage of the engineering and construction process. Its use does not only constitute to productivity boost, but every advancement in drone technology provides for better airspace awareness, transformative designs and more intelligent piloting modes.

Surbana Jurong (SJ) is no stranger to drones which have many uses, from conducting inspections and surveillance, to security-led activities by AETOS (Member of the Surbana Jurong Group), and the Infrastructure team has been using drone inspection for land reclamation, and high precision data collection.

SJ has introduced drones in projects across the entire building lifecycle, from planning & design to construction & operations, to improve overall operational productivity and effectiveness.

As drone technologies (both hardware and software) become more developed, there is no doubt that drones help save time and hence, reduce overall costs substantially. Comparing with data collection from the ground; aerial techniques can provide more accurate site surveys, aerial data, photos, videos, thermal signatures, and other useful information in a fraction of the time.

Remote Sensing Made Easy

Traditional remote sensing studies require the academician to engage chartered manned aerial vehicle to capture dataset or make use of satellite imagery, followed by long man-hours to geo-tag, and lastly stitching of individual images to form an orthomosaic image.

Modern drones can now be equipped with payload [ie, the weight a drone or unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) can carry] such as high-resolution cameras, geo-location sensors, infrared sensors, LiDAR, and can also be highly customisable depending on requirement of datasets. Together with refined photogrammetry software, millions of key points can be generated within a short span of hours with minimum human intervention.

So, How Do We Make Data Useful?

First, we make use of the contextual information which can now be imported into a survey software to create 3D models of existing conditions. These models will help in determining feasibility, understanding constructability, and help owners visualise what the project will look like upon completion. It can also be used to identify areas of risk.

Most work plans start with an accurate current topography map, with elevated contour lines and detailed 2D & 3D models for the Land Survey department, coupled with fill & earthwork hauling specifications for our Infrastructure department for rapid calculation. In this case, drones are used for surveys and inspections. And at a more progressive advanced stage, these activities will be enhanced with Artificial Intelligence, and further streamlined with Building Information Modelling (BIM) workflow.

A recent example of a drone job of this nature was when SMEC (Member of the Surbana Jurong Group) Dams Team travelled to the Eungella Hinterland in North Queensland to conduct a site recce as part of the Urannah Dam Feasibility Study. At the site, a drone was used to capture video footages, which were subsequently used by the project team to carry out their studies and video conversion. And still shots have been incorporated in relevant sections of the report.

From the end-user/client’s perspectives, drone surveys help inject real-world conditions into design and constructability conversations. The ability to easily capture site information improves the rate at which designs can be iterated on. Please refer to illustration 1 on how drones can be utilised during a design and build project lifecycle.

One simple method is to take an aerial shot of what potential tenants and investors would see when they look out from their office. This includes other visuals such as the reface views of the development, building models in the neighbourhood context, and even 180 or 360 degree visualisation from each floor.

Illustration 1: The use of drones during a design and build project lifecycle. Image credit: SJ Academy

Construction jobsite monitoring can use drones to capture pictures for daily, weekly, and monthly progress reports, or site survey maps that provide foundation for work plans. Drone images used in daily progress reports are great for change detection: they can help uncover issues that allow site managers to quickly resolve problems that can lead to performance delays.

Highly sensitive thermal camera can also be used as a payload in drone to assist facilities and security management teams in the creation of “live” data such as hotspot and water ingress behind façade.

And in the case of security management, AETOS uses drones for crowd surveillance and general security at major events. “AETOS has accumulated extensive experience in providing state-of-the-art UAV Services to the Singapore market, ranging from security surveillance and safety inspections to 3D modelling, photogrammetry and even land surveying”, shared by Robin Littau, Vice President (Business Development) of AETOS Holdings.

Robin continues, “Drones are able to complement traditional surveillance methods by covering larger areas, including blind spots while acting as a deterrent to illegal activities. Their versatility and reliability, as well as their potential to increase efficiency and productivity when used to aid ground operations, make UAVs a worthwhile investment for businesses in the security and safety industry”.

Embracing the Technology; Small Step for Big Result

BIM offers cost and time savings, creates greater accuracy in estimation, and cuts down on errors, alterations, and rework due to information loss. To reap the benefits of BIM, everyone in the architecture, engineering, and construction industries will have to learn to work in fundamentally new ways.

As BIM-plus-drones is a whole new paradigm, taking small steps when implementing a BIM/drone data project is recommended. Choose the appropriate steps and tackle them one at a time. Do a test run on a pilot project, compare, and then use the pilot project to prepare for wider BIM/drone data implementation.

Conclusion

The key takeaway for drone technology is the ability to collect data, and to execute the same mission over and over without causing huge disruptions operationally. A long-term cost and manpower saving tool for the build sector, it has survived the test of time, and has proven to cut down human and technical errors. The drone technology has undergone many generations of technological advancements. And what’s left really is how much the value chain can take to its use, and embrace it in tandem with the digital age.

This article is co-created by Surbana Jurong Academy.

Perspectives, developed by SJ Academy, is our platform to explore new ways of tackling some of today’s most complex challenges. We draw on ideas and opinions from our staff associates and experts across different businesses. Click here to read more about Technology & Innovation, Infrastructure & Connectivity, and Design Leadership

What Makes A Net Zero Energy Building?

Introduction

Amidst growing concerns about rising energy prices and the impact of climate change, it is important to know that buildings in Singapore constitute to high energy consumption year on year. This fact underpins the significance of targeting building energy use as a key to decreasing the nation’s energy consumption.

Urban builders can reduce energy use by incorporating passive and active energy-efficient strategies into the design, construction, and operation of new buildings, and undertaking retrofits to improve the efficiency of existing buildings.

Artist impression of the tallest Net Zero Energy Building in Singapore – NUS School of Design & Environment (NUS SDE4).

About Net Zero Energy Building (NZEB)

Currently, the most challenging energy-efficient strategy is designing a Net Zero Energy Building (NZEB), which produces as much energy as it uses over the course of a year. There are several definitions for NZEB, and the most commonly defined term requires renewable energy generated from its own building footprint. With advances in energy efficient system, construction technologies, and renewable energy systems, creating NZEB in our environment is fast becoming more feasible.

In Singapore, we are well connected and enjoy high grid stability. An NZEB is also connected to the electric grid, allowing the electricity produced from traditional energy sources (natural gas, electric, etc) to be used when renewable energy generation cannot meet the building’s energy load during low production season. On the contrary, when on-site energy generation exceeds the building’s energy requirements, surplus energy should be exported back to the utility grid. The target is to achieve net zero over a year.

Key Challenges of NZEB

Achieving a net zero building with today’s technologies and meeting occupants’ expectations can be challenging. In Singapore, high demand in air conditioning systems makes it even more difficult. With limited roof space, a low rise building on a low-density site have a better chance of being net zero with onsite renewables, compared to a high rise / high density area.

Since NZEB is calculated based on energy consumption, the mode of operation is as critical as the design strategy, hence the success of the NZEB also depends heavily on the client’s involvement and cooperation. Every equipment that consumes energy from the building must be counted and monitored.

Case Study: The New NUS School of Design & Environment (NUS SDE4)

The latest, and by far tallest NZEB in Singapore is the 4^thbuilding in NUS School of Design & Environment (NUS SDE4). The programme spaces are predominantly air conditioned.

The architectural design of the NUS SDE4 is a joint effort between Surbana Jurong Pte Ltd, Serie Architects and Multiply Architects. With a sprawling gross floor area of 8,500m², the six-story building will accommodate labs, design studios and workshops for the school of architecture, interior, landscape and product design.

Appointed as the Energy & Climate consultant, Transsolar Energietechnik GmbH provides guidance to the design team in creating an energy-efficient building with simulated tools for thermal comfort, daylight & glare protection, and energy saving – all these, comes with tools for measuring effectiveness. This NZEB not only has the ability to meet its own energy needs for the next 20 years, it will also generate an energy surplus in the first 10 years.

The architectural design of the NUS SDE4 begins with maximizing passive design, yet reducing energy consumption from the grid. This results in the final construction of a large over-hanging roof to shade the interior from the scorching tropical sun, while its porous layout allows for cross ventilation for a comfortable environment – with minimal reliance on air conditioning. The effective integration of the roof and outdoor spaces, harnessing solar energy with a hybrid cooling approach, provides for natural ventilation, and at the same time, optimises lighting and energy use for the building.

NZEBs often have extremely high requirements in the active design aspects. Not only do they need to be operationally optimal and meet the standards in equipment design, they also need to challenge the norms of traditional designs. In the case of NUS SDE4, our designers stood up to the test of re-designing the traditional air conditioning system.

NUS SDE4 is also a building with smart features. The windows of lecture rooms are equipped with sensors, that will trigger the system to switch off the air conditioning system when the windows are opened. Incorporating the most advanced equipment and concept, NUS SDE4 is aimed at providing an excellent foundation and platform to fulfill the goal of zero and low energy consumption, as Singapore continues to push the boundaries of sustainable design in building a green and resilient urban environment for everyone to enjoy.

The windows of lecture rooms in NUS SDE4 are equipped with sensors, that will trigger the system to switch off the air conditioning system when the windows are opened.

Conclusion

The NUS SDE4 will indeed pave way for the design and build sector’s drive towards energy-efficient buildings for a sustainable future. It is a perfect example of true design integration with strong client’s involvement and commitment. The secret recipe to the success of this project lies in the ability to challenge conventional designs, such as the hybrid system introduced to take the conventional air conditioning system to task. If proven to be successful in the long run, it may very well be implemented for subsequent projects which garner greater savings, consumes extremely low energy, or even net zero energy, such as the cited example of NUS SDE4. While building heights and mode of operations remain highest in terms of challenges in achieving NZEB, the industry should continue exploring new features and implement innovations in the design. After all, one small step taken for a single project, is one giant leap for the building industry.

This article is co-created by Surbana Jurong Academy.

Perspectives, developed by SJ Academy, is our platform to explore new ways of tackling some of today’s most complex challenges. We draw on ideas and opinions from our staff associates and experts across different businesses. Click here to read more about the Workplace of the Future, Urban Development, and Water Management.

Designing Green Cities and Green Buildings – Is there a Secret Sauce?

Introduction

The recent global heat wave, that has claimed hundreds of lives, has once again thrown the debate on climate change wide open. Climate change certainly feels real, and backed by meteorological data, can indeed be proven to be real. Industrialisation has often been linked to global warming, and hence climate change. So too, has the consumption of fossil fuels, in which conversion into electricity can also become pollutive to the environment. As an architect and sustainability consultant, my team and I are often asked if buildings and cities – traditional culprits of industrialisation – can be designed to become more sustainable and less impactful to our natural environment.

“How can buildings and cities consume less energy?”

“What is the secret sauce behind designing green cities and buildings?”

Globally, buildings account for about 40% of the world’s energy consumption. Could we start designing, constructing and maintaining buildings that are less energy-dependent, and less environmentally-damaging?

Secret Sauce 1: Buildings that Respond to their Environment

Like a living organism, buildings interact with their environment. Understanding how the climate works, and how buildings can respond to their natural environments, will go a long way towards energy-efficient buildings. Good passive design, which is when a building’s architecture and geometry responds to the climate without necessitating energy-consuming systems, is critical. For instance, in our hot tropical climate, buildings can be oriented away from the harsh afternoon sun, and passages which facilitate natural wind-flow can be created. This would reduce the energy required to cool the building down, to achieve the required thermal comfort.

The design of sustainable buildings of the future will be underpinned by three key concepts: sustainability, resiliency and interconnectedness. Architects and engineers are realising the value of technology beyond its use as a design tool, but also for performance verification, energy management and troubleshooting. Solutions such as Building Information Modelling (BIM), Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR), when interlinked, provide enhanced capabilities to visualise both exterior and interior spaces, allowing architects to revolutionize living and working experiences for individuals. Developers can also experience the building concepts in a fully interactive 3D environment, supporting greater efficiency and accuracy in a construction project.

This is also possible at national level. Virtual Singapore allows city planners and developers to visualise and collaborate on building and infrastructure development projects together through VR. By embracing such innovation, we are now able to integrate the design process between buildings and towns, and effectively plan for critical infrastructure such as utilities, sanitation and waste management. This equips governments with capabilities to manage and support the needs of the existing population, while looking ahead to allocate resources for a sustainable future.

Buildings can also become more digitally integrated with other forms of media, developing autonomous capabilities to capture and transmit data about their occupants and making fine adjustments on its own to improve living conditions.

For example, the Building & Construction Authority (BCA) SkyLab, designed by Surbana Jurong and completed in 2016, employs Internet of Things (IoT) by interrelating the variables of lighting, temperature and indoor air quality. The BCA SkyLab is a test laboratory where new, intelligent building technologies can be installed and tested, and automated under a smart building management system – guided by close to 200 sensors. Active design solutions – those which are controlled by technology, such as artificial lighting and air conditioning – can thus be automatically adapted towards external conditions, and internal occupancy. Managed appropriately, technology integration could save more than 30% of a building’s energy consumption.

The BCA SkyLab, the world’s first rotatable laboratory for new building technologies in the Tropics, sited on the roof of the BCA Academy. Image: SJ Sustainability

Sensors placed around a building can also capture data such as human activity, brightness of surroundings and electrical consumption patterns. These devices can then implement intelligent tweaks on the fly to maintain optimal conditions, thus creating a higher efficiency in the energy performance of buildings. A seemingly small implementation of IoT in a building can bring about a significantly positive effect on both the building and its occupants, showcasing the scale at which technology can improve people’s lives.

An artistic impression of sensors placed strategically around the interiors of the BCA SkyLab, recording measurable environmental parameters such as temperature, lighting level and carbon dioxide concentration. Image: SJ Sustainability

A screenshot of the Building Management System (BMS) of BCA SkyLab which records and manages building data, and adjusts the building’s systems accordingly based on optimum efficiency and comfort.

The upcoming SDE4 (School of Design and Environment Block 4) Building at the National University of Singapore (NUS), also designed by Surbana Jurong, with Serie, Multiply, Transsolar and Kajima, is slated to be the first Net Zero Energy institutional building (NZEB) in Singapore. This basically means that the building is first of all designed to use as little energy as possible, and for what it does use, harvest energy from the sun to offset that usage. Here, the advent of high-efficiency photovoltaic (PV) technology, has allowed for a higher conversion rate of solar power into electricity over the roof area. The building will also integrate IoT in managing lighting and temperature levels, based on what is visually and thermally comfortable for its occupants.

These Zero- to Super-Low Energy (SLE) buildings can lead to savings in energy consumption of more than 35%, through:

a) intelligent, IoT-assisted operations,
b) reduction of lost energy via, eg cooling an unoccupied room, and
c) offsetting consumption from the grid through renewable energy sources.

Secret Sauce 2: New Building Materials

With technology, the construction process is also enhanced, guided by a drive towards efficient, productive and non-pollutive processes. Similar to the manufacturing and assembly of consumer goods, buildings too could be designed in modular pieces and assembled on-site, thus encouraging a new mode of creativity that not only innovates building design but drives efficiency in construction and assembly. New materials such as building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPVs) for electricity generation, organic materials for façades, plant materials for exterior or interior walls, composite materials that resist the effects of weathering, and 3D-printed components for facades can help improve sustainability performance of buildings.

Machine learning and artificial intelligence are also making their way into buildings, giving building developers better tools to design more sustainable buildings for the future. For example, artificial intelligence and machine learning today can help designers make more accurate predictions of a building’s usable lifespan, its life cycle cost, and maintenance requirements, allowing building owners to proactively mitigate building maintenance issues before they become a serious problem for the occupants.

Secret Sauce 3: Technology and Self-Regulating Buildings

Buildings themselves are starting to become even “smarter” with the latest technology advancements. Aided with the right building management platform, building owners now have the ability to combine data such as energy consumption and water usage from different machines, and across disparate sources together in an easy-to-view dashboard. To better manage electricity consumption, a huge component of a building’s monthly expenditure, building managers can use a cloud-based centralized energy solution, which allows building owners to track and manage energy usage in granular detail. The data can also yield actionable intelligence to constantly improve the buildings’ energy performance and contribute to climate action.

Technology is certainly taking centre stage in the industry today, as evident by the wave of innovative technologies and new start-ups that promise to uplift the trade. For professionals in the industry, adopting an open mind to these developments in technology allows them to keep up with market trends and stay relevant. In the long run, we need to create a culture of innovation where firms are encouraged to find new modes of balancing design, productivity, operational efficiency as well as revenue. These are challenging times ahead for all of us, but also exciting times!

Artist impression of Amata Smart City in Bangkok, a circular economy district where buildings can share resource as well as energy consumption data with one another, and where renewables play a big role in energy management. Image: SJ Sustainability

Perspectives, developed by SJ Academy, is our platform to explore new ways of tackling some of today’s most complex challenges. We draw on ideas and opinions from our staff associates and experts across different businesses. Click here to read more about Technology & Innovation, Infrastructure & Connectivity, and Design Leadership

Forensic Investigation in Cost and Contracts; Not Just for a QS Mindset

Introduction

Amidst ever-changing market conditions, the move towards new technologies and ‘green’ buildings would only mean that the role of the Quantity Surveyor (QS) also has had to evolve to keep up with such new demands.

Beyond the traditional QS functions such as measurement & documentation, price, value & cost of construction, pre-and-post tender management and final account, the role has now expanded in many aspects, such as the following:

Performing due diligence for buildings;
Risk and value management;
Project financing;
Advising on the potential of a site;
Working out what a client can afford to build;
Cost reinstatement for insurance purposes;
Information technology in construction;
Sustainability and environmental services; and
Legal support

This article highlights the added role of the QS in providing legal support services.

Legal Support

Lawyers and expert witnesses often require the support of industry practitioners in handling legal disputes. For example, QS are called upon to provide support, especially in quantification and cost. With this support, the number of claims may potentially be reduced as there will be better knowledge of how strong or weak the claims are set out to be, and merits of the case in dispute.

The findings are based primarily on the agreed bundle of documents where the parties exchange data and information. The investigative mindset of the QS starts here. He has to tear up the documents and comprehend what took place during the project timeline. This requires time and experience, and the ability to empathise with the parties concerned.

Ask, Ask, Ask…

Some basic tools that the QS can use include the 5 “Ws” and 1 “H”; When, Why, Who, What, Where & How, and the Root Cause Analysis. With these tools, the QS can systematically address each head of claims and record down the events that led to the claim and dispute. It is paramount that the QS leaves no stone unturned, ie to query everything that can be queried. This is required because the QS has to be absolutely sure of what he is going to advice the expert witness. If the QS is the expert witness himself, his statements withstand the stress of cross examination.

Facts presented have to be strong, sustentative and substantiated. When all the information is in, there is a need to look into the matter systematically, using the heads/categories of claims as a guide on the issues to be addressed. What is useful is that each head of claim should have one file or individual section. This is so, that all documentary evidence found in the jungle of papers in the agreed bundle can be systematically sorted and categorised as evidence – a good practice so that no information would be left out or unattended.

Tracking & Monitoring

A tool that is used for tracking would be a time-line or mind mapping[1] tool whereby timelines and information spin-offs can be tracked, monitored and systematically addressed.

Project teams would need to be vigilant and have all round sensory of the project and chronology of events. Substantiation and justification would then be made much easier, supported by well-kept correspondences. The methodology of getting these substantiation is by itself, a management process. For example, if the QS wants to support the cost of an item with a rate, he has to consider the following:

What rate to use?
Did the rate come from Bills of Quantities (BQ) or Schedule of Rates (SOR)?
Under what circumstances was this rate (BQ or SOR) derived from, and were the conditions similar?
What were the preambles and general notes covering the rates in the BQ or SOR? Were the conditions similar to the case’s?
Is the rate appropriate and correct? Is there a difference in rate for left-in sheet piles and sheet piles to be removed later (recyclable)?
Are there any other rates that can be used to substantiate?
Any legislation to consider that may affect the rate at that point? For example, an embargo is imposed on that material resulting a higher rate at that point in time.
If the QS works the rate from 1^st principle, will he get the same figure/rate value compared to the substantiated rate?
Any external market forces or peculiar building design that would affect the quantum of the rate?

The list is non-exhaustive.

All these factors are important considerations when it comes to justifying a simple rate. This will help ensure that the rate which is used to cost an item is within reasonable doubt, and is from the perspective of the industry norms. Hence, this will leave little or no room for the opposing lawyer to question.

This process would be similar to drafting contractual clauses as well. The QS should consider the following:

What is written in the contract i.e. general terms and conditions in the contract?
How would the common law stand?
Any case law to support, and is the case law the latest?
What would be the implied terms and how would this affect the issues?
Will there be any legislation that will affect the clauses?

These processes do not just reside in the QS’ thinking process, but also within the project team members as well. To the Engineer, would his specifications contradict his designs, or is it sufficiently clear? To the Architect, would his design befits a reasonably qualified person, having taken into consideration cause and effect of his design to future maintenance for instance. Therefore, proper records and documentation, coupled with experience and wisdom, is a recipe of success for an efficiently-run project team.

Communications have to be simple, yet effective. If the story line is convoluted, the effect of the report can be lost. Statements need to appear composed, consistent and logical and there must be a clear overall view of the problem. A technique would be to take the heads of claim and formulate the report and justification under these heads. When documentation is not clearly recorded, or when statements fall into grey areas, the project can potentially go in wrong directions. Clearing doubts up-front is probably the best policy forward, true to any Partnering ethos.

Conclusion

Providing legal support is a growing work scope for the QS. It is fast expanding, especially with the provisions of specialist law courses offered by the Universities[2]. Being armed with the right mindset on cost and contracts is crucial for the QS to step up his plate and take on challenges which were previously unseen in the world of QS.

The opportunities are limitless for personalities with inquisitive minds and an investigative nature. Sweet success that comes with cracking a construction case and/or settling a dispute is priceless!

This article is co-created by Surbana Jurong Academy.

[1] Off the shelf programmes like Mind Mapper Pro offers an excellent array of tools to capture information and how the information can branch out to several sub information that has to be addressed.

[2] The National University of Singapore used to provide the Joint MSc in Construction Law and Alternate Dispute Resolution. This course provides the fundamental understanding and practicalities of the law in general, construction law and the related legislations. This is coupled by the spectrum of Alternate Dispute Resolutions.

Forensic Investigation in Cost and Contracts; Not Just for a QS Mindset

Introduction

Performing due diligence for buildings;
Risk and value management;
Project financing;
Advising on the potential of a site;
Working out what a client can afford to build;
Cost reinstatement for insurance purposes;
Information technology in construction;
Sustainability and environmental services; and
Legal support

This article highlights the added role of the QS in providing legal support services.

Legal Support

Ask, Ask, Ask…

Some basic tools that the QS can use include the 5 “Ws” and 1 “H”; When, Why, Who, What, Where & How, and the Root Cause Analysis. With these tools, the QS can systematically address each head of claims and record down the events that led to the claim and dispute. It is paramount that the QS leaves no stone unturned, ie to query everything that can be queried. This is required because the QS has to be absolutely sure of what he is going to advise the expert witness. If the QS is the expert witness himself, his statements withstand the stress of cross examination.

Tracking & Monitoring

A tool that is used for tracking would be a time-line or mind mapping[1] tool whereby timelines and information spin-offs can be tracked, monitored and systematically addressed.

What rate to use?
Did the rate come from Bills of Quantities (BQ) or Schedule of Rates (SOR)?
Under what circumstances was this rate (BQ or SOR) derived from, and were the conditions similar?
What were the preambles and general notes covering the rates in the BQ or SOR? Were the conditions similar to the case’s?
Is the rate appropriate and correct? Is there a difference in rate for left-in sheet piles and sheet piles to be removed later (recyclable)?
Are there any other rates that can be used to substantiate?
Any legislation to consider that may affect the rate at that point? For example, an embargo is imposed on that material resulting a higher rate at that point in time.
If the QS works the rate from 1^st principle, will he get the same figure/rate value compared to the substantiated rate?
Any external market forces or peculiar building design that would affect the quantum of the rate?

The list is non-exhaustive.

This process would be similar to drafting contractual clauses as well. The QS should consider the following:

What is written in the contract i.e. general terms and conditions in the contract?
How would the common law stand?
Any case law to support, and is the case law the latest?
What would be the implied terms and how would this affect the issues?
Will there be any legislation that will affect the clauses?

Conclusion

This article is co-created by Surbana Jurong Academy.

Perspectives, developed by SJ Academy, is our platform to explore new ways of tackling some of today’s most complex challenges. We draw on ideas and opinions from our staff associates and experts across different businesses. Click here to read more about Technology & Innovation, Infrastructure & Connectivity, and Design Leadership

净零能耗建筑的设计与验证

净零能耗建筑要求建筑全年产出的可再生电能要高于建筑全年的耗电量。在新加坡电网稳定的环境下，可再生能源可以直接送入电网。建筑通过输入和输出电源来验证是否达到净零能耗的标准。虽然国际上对净零能耗建筑的定义有几个标准，但是普遍认可的定义为可再生能源要全部从建筑的基地范围内产出。

净零能耗建筑的挑战在于建筑的运行模式与限高。在新加坡，可以稳定利用的可再生能源是太阳能，因此在有限的屋顶面积前提下，越高层的建筑将会越难达到零能耗。迄今为止，亚热带气候环境下，运行空调系统的最高层零能耗建筑则是新加坡国立大学第四号教学楼 – NUS SDE4。

这栋大楼由盛裕联合国际建筑机构思锐建筑事务所（Serie Architects）和新加坡的Multiply Architects建筑事务所合作设计，由德国Transsolar Energietechnik GmbH担任能源顾问。是一幢净零能耗建筑，不仅预计能在二十年内通过太阳能生产出建筑全年消耗的所有能源，还能在前十年的运营中生产更多能源。建筑总面积8千多平方米，一共有6层。于2018年9月竣工。是为下一代设计师们打造的“未来”建筑。

净零能耗建筑的设计要从最大化发挥被动式设计开始，从源头减少能耗。在此建筑中体现的主要是屋顶、外围护与遮阳设计的有效融合，中庭自然通风的设计、室内自然采光和眩光的分析与优化。零能耗建筑对建筑主动设计的要求则极高，不仅在设备设计中达到最优、最高效，还需要挑战传统的设计。在这栋建筑里，我们的设计师挑战了传统的空调送风系统。在美国ASHRAE定义室内舒适度PMV的指导下，设计中加入了风扇来提高室内风速，通过增加吹风感来提高舒适度，由此，空调则可以适当把送风温度上调，从而达到节能的目的。另外，风扇在傍晚房间没有空调的时候也起到辅助自然通风的作用。建筑在设计期间还设置了混合通风系统的测试样板间，来详细测试不同风扇和不同风速下房间通风的分布情况。

净零能耗建筑将建筑耗能降到最低之后，还需要最大程度的增加可再生能源的潜力来满足能源的平衡。此建筑屋顶设计为最大化的放置太阳能板，甲方并与太阳能板公司签署了长达十年的维护和性能担保合同。由于考虑到太阳能板的逐年衰退率，在设计中是根据预计第十年的太阳能产量作为零能耗的标准。

NUS SDE4也是一个智能的建筑，传感器的优化布局让系统了解房间的使用情况，从而最优化的运行。每个窗口也安装有传感器，一旦在空调环境下开窗，空调则会相应关闭，房间的显示装置会提醒已经打开的窗口位置。

NUS SDE4结合了市场最先进的设备与概念，希望为新加坡零能耗、低能耗的目标打造一个优秀的基础和平台。