CV6213

Construction
Technology

The Shugart
Project Study
October 2016

Group 8
CHOI Wee Lim
LIM TSUNG YEE Nicky
CHAURASIA Shweta
WU Fu Ying

Contents
Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 3
Substructure ......................................................................................................................... 9
Soldier Piles ...................................................................................................................... 9
Deep Foundation ............................................................................................................. 12
Superstructure .................................................................................................................... 15
Structural system ............................................................................................................. 15
In-situ Columns ............................................................................................................... 15
Post-Tensioned Flat Slab ................................................................................................ 17
Shear Wall....................................................................................................................... 21
Basement Wall ................................................................................................................ 22
Partition Wall ................................................................................................................... 24
Curtain Wall ..................................................................................................................... 27
Steel Roof Structure ........................................................................................................ 29
Construction and Building Pictures...................................................................................... 31
Authority Requirements....................................................................................................... 34
Urban Redevelopment Authority, URA ............................................................................ 34
Building and Construction Authority, BCA........................................................................ 39
National Environment Agency, NEA ................................................................................ 44
Fire Safety and Shelter Department, FSSD ..................................................................... 48
Public Utilities Board, PUB .............................................................................................. 50
Land Transport Authority, LTA ......................................................................................... 57
Ministry of Manpower, MOM ............................................................................................ 59
Existing technologies used to enhance productivity ............................................................ 60
Building Information Modelling (BIM) ............................................................................... 60
Design for Manufacture and Assembly (DFMA) ............................................................... 62
Proprietary formwork ....................................................................................................... 64
New technologies that could improve productivity ............................................................... 66
1

Prefabricated Pre-finished Volumetric Construction (PPVC) and Prefabricated Bathroom

Unit (PBU) ....................................................................................................................... 66
Virtual Design and Construction (VDC)............................................................................ 68
Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT) ....................................................................................... 69
Adoption of ICT for Smart Construction ............................................................................... 71
3D Laser Scanning .......................................................................................................... 71
Drones............................................................................................................................. 73
Automation and Robotics................................................................................................. 75
3D Printing ...................................................................................................................... 76

Introduction
Seagate Technology is an American data company and leader in the development and
production of hard disk drives and storage solutions. The company has been present in
Singapore for more than 30 years. The new facility named The Shugart in honour of the
founder of Seagate, Alan Shugart, focuses on the development of 2.5-inch small form-factor
hard drives, hybrid drives, firmware, software and technologies. Applications for these
products include the latest thin-and-light mobile PCs, local backup storage devices, digital
video recorders and new opportunities such as network attached storage solutions.
The Seagate Singapore Design Centre also known as The Shugart is an integrated design
and R&D centre with a gross floor area of approximately 40,880 square meters and consists
of a nine-floor tower connected to a six-floor tower with three basement levels. The building
boasts a host of environmentally-friendly features such as large scale solar panels, passive
displacement ventilation, energy-efficient lighting and rainwater harvesting systems. As such,
the facility was awarded the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) Green Mark Platinum
Award, the highest rating for sustainable and environmentally-friendly buildings in Singapore.
The Shugart is located at the 30-hectare Fusionopolis, a world-class R&D hub at JTC
Corporations one-north development in Singapore. The new facility in Ayer Rajah Crescent
was designed to house more than 900 employees and is used by the companys mobile
storage R&D team in Singapore. The facility comprises of carparks, offices, laboratories,
research and development space and gym facilities for staff. The new facility will enable all
Seagate's R&D personnel to be housed together for greater collaboration and innovation.

Map location of the building

Boustead Projects Pte Ltd has been awarded its largest contract to date which exceeded
S$100 million to design and build the The Shugart. The facility, which began construction in
July 2013 was completed in a record 18 months. Adding on to the challenge of a tight project
timeframe was the aim to achieve the highest levels of eco-sustainability.

Principal parties involved in the project

Client

Seagate Singapore Data Centre

Project Consultant

Boustead Projects Pte Ltd

Main Contractor

Boustead Projects Pte Ltd

Architect

HA Architects Pte Ltd

Civil & Structural Engineer BC Koh & Partners LLP

Site layout plan of proposed construction

Project Organisation Chart

Elevation A of building

Elevation B of building

Basement 3 Structural layout

Substructure
Soldier Piles
With three levels of basement below ground level, the first major challenge of the construction
was to excavate approximately 12m deep. As part of shoring system (ERSS) before any deep
excavation, the main contractor used soldier piles system on the perimeter of the proposed
excavation area for the construction of 3 basements carparks levels. Due to the proposed
construction work being near to existing premises, mitigation steps have to be taken in order
to prevent any major settlement to the existing premises.

Layout plan showing location of soldier piles

Soldier piles and laggings are ERSS that retain soil using vertical H-steel piles driven into a
drilled excavation and grouted at regular intervals along the proposed wall location. Steel plate
laggings are placed between the soldier piles as excavation proceeds. The laggings effectively
resist the load of the retained soil and transfer it to the piles. The additional lateral support on
these soldier piles are provided by bracing on the ground surface.

Soldier Piles

Inclinometer and settlement markers were installed around the project boundary to monitor
the settlements level due to the excavation work. The main contractor is responsible to ensure
that the critical level stated in temporary works design is strictly complied and to monitor the
settlement of adjacent ground surface and any existing retaining wall.

Soldier piles with steel plates laggings

10

Soldier piles supported with strutting on ground

11

Deep Foundation
The foundation of this building was built up from bored piles using hydraulic boring. Bored pile
is a non-displacement form of foundation that is cast in-situ and provides economical load
bearing suited to a wide range of geological conditions.
CSC Bored Pile System Private Limited was the specialist piling contractor engaged for this
project. The factor that lead to the use of bored piling method are:
1) Bored piles are able to withstand high load and shear capacity as The Shugart building
consists of 3 basement carpark floors and 6 storey floors.
2) Since the proposed piling location is near to public amenities and residential buildings,
noise pollution is a main concern. The process of bored piling produces low noise and
vibrations.
3) In case of hard bedrock is encountered, the hydraulic boring rig can be equipped with rotary
drilling rig auger bucket which is more time efficient.

Hydraulic boring rig

12

Method statement of the bored piling work

1) Prior to any piling work, a licensed surveyor was engaged for the setting out the pile
locations in accordance to the pile coordinates.
2) Plumbline was then used to check the verticality of the piles before piling work.
3) The hydraulic machine equipped with auger was used for boring into normal soil condition
until the required toe level. In case hard rock is encountered, roller bit/hammer rod was
used.
4) Temporary casing was then inserted into the borehole to prevent any collapse of soil during
boring work.

Temporary casing inserted by means of double clamp vibrator`

5) For every 3m interval during boring, the operator collected disturbed soil samples for visual
inspection and soil recording purposes.
6) Upon reaching design depth, cleaning bucket was used to ensure the base was firm and
free of sediments prior to casting.
7) After flushing, rebar cage was lowered into the borehole. Adequate spacer blocks and
lifting wires were used in this operation.

13

Lowering of rebar cage into borehole

8) Tremie pipe was then inserted into the borehole until it reached its base. Next, concrete
was poured directly into the tremie pipe until concrete overflows on the top surface.

Pouring of concrete via tremie pipe

14

Superstructure
Structural system
The Shugart building can be described as a conventional reinforced concrete building. The
building essentially comprises of two building blocks which are interconnected by a sky bridge.
With a grid system generally at 8.7m by 8.7m and a total of 12 storeys including basement, it
is safe to say that concrete is the best option as a structural material in terms of economy. At
a span of 8.7m, it is reasonable for concrete elements to span without excessive deflections.
The use of grid repetition also contributed in a more standardized design and hence
standardized structural elements. The slabs were designed as post-tensioned flat slab with
drop panels whereas the upper roof structure is made up of steel. The lateral stability of the
building is achieved by the diaphragm action of the slab transferring the lateral loads to the
concrete shear walls.

In-situ Columns
The column elements of the building were in-situ reinforced concrete. The reason for choosing
in-situ over precast was purely based on time constraint. The contractor had a very tight
schedule and did not plan in advance the order of precast column units. Had precast column
units been ordered in advance and implemented during the project, this would have further
increased productivity. It can be observed that two typical column dimensions were used for
the project that is 850x850mm and 1000x1000mm in an attempt to enhance productivity by
standardizing column sizes. The contractor also used proprietary column formwork system
namely Zulin steel form for the benefits listed below.

Benefits of Zulin steel form for columns

1) Safety Better control on housekeeping, safety barricade can be incorporated to the
formwork to protect against fall.
2) Building quality Better finish quality, reduces rework.
3) Sustainability Can be reused hence reducing wastage.
4) Efficiency Highly modular, quickly assembled and dismantled on site.
5) Usability Easy to use, require low assembly skills.

15

Method of Zulin column formwork assembly

1) Prepare platform to support the metal formwork.
2) Lift the metal formwork to the platform.
3) Fix the external corner angle of the formwork.
4) Lift another unit and fix to the other side of the external corner angle so that both Lshaped formwork are combined.
5) Fix the connected part of the formwork according to the span that was endorsed by the
Professional Engineer.
6) Fix the primary bearer to the formwork as per dimension in the approved drawings .
7) Fix the walkway bracket to the metal formwork at the location specified on the approved
drawings.
8) Install safety guardrail, toe board, decking and cat ladder from the operation platform to
the walkway.

Column formwork put in position

16

Post-Tensioned Flat Slab

As mentioned earlier, the majority of the slab was designed as a reinforced concrete posttensioned flat slab with drop panels. The use of post tensioning allowed the designer to
achieve longer spans while maintaining a thin slab thickness. The drop panels served to carry
the high stress concentrations only where required (at the columns) hence making effective
use of materials. The convenience of flat slab comes with the ease of placing of formwork
during construction and allowing suspended services to circulate freely without any obstruction
during fitting out. The contractor adopted proprietary table formwork system Dokaflex to
achieve a cost-effective and efficient way to cover large areas of slab.

Method of construction of post-tensioned flat slab

1) Strands are arranged in the slab as indicated by the Engineer.
2) The slab is cast and allowed to set for a minimum of 3 days.
3) The strands are then stressed, that is pulled to the load specified by the Engineer using a
stressing jack machine.
4) After stressing, the protruding strands are cut off and the pocket in which the anchors are
located is filled with grout to protect them from corrosion.

Strands placed in slab

17

Protruding strands to be pulled and cut-off, the holes then filled with grout

Stressing jack machine

18

Post-tensioned slab layout

19

Benefits of Dokaflex Table formwork

1) Flexibility in spacing between and heights of individual props.
2) Components are light enough for erecting and dismantling manually.
3) Lapping of standard lengths of H-Beams both in primary and secondary layers avoid their
cutting on site.
4) Does not require skilled labour on site.
5) Enables re-propping and frequent reuse of materials.
6) Can be transferred as complete set, hence no loss of components.
7) Shifting trolley provides superb mobility in horizontal direction. Also quick to shift hence
faster construction.
8) Easy fixing, simple deshuttering hence high labour productivity.
9) Requires less props in relation to area.

Method of table formwork assembly

1) Mount the table heads, primary and secondary beams.
2) Mount the formwork sheets.
3) Fix the floor prop to the table head.

Main components of table formwork system

20

Dokaflex Table formwork

Shear Wall
Shear walls are in-situ reinforced concrete walls that are designed to take the lateral loads
(wind) of the building to the ground. The shear walls are located at the lift and staircase areas
as they provide a continuous structure from roof to ground. To speed up the construction of
the shear walls, the contractor used crane climbing formwork system (or jump form). In this
system, the formwork is displaced upwards with the help of the tower crane once the concrete
has hardened.

Crane-climbing formwork

21

Basement Wall
The basement walls are reinforced concrete walls that are designed to resist the lateral loads
caused by the soil that it is retaining. The thickness of the basement walls for this project was
300mm for a height of 3.8m. Again the contractor made use of proprietary formwork system
to increase productivity. In this case, the Doka Wall formwork was used.

Method of wall formwork assembly

1) Pre-assemble elements face-down on an assembly bench.
2) Mount the panel struts and the ladder system.
3) Attach the crane hook and pick up the gang-form.
4) Position gang-form to its location.
5) Fix the panel struts firmly to the ground.
6) The gang-form is now stable and can be aligned vertically.
7) Detach the gang-form from the crane and install the pouring platform.
8) Continue lining up further gang-forms in this way and link them together.
9) Mount the opposing guard-rail to the (laid-flat) gang-form of the opposing formwork.
10) Lift the opposing formwork by crane to its next location.
11) Fit the form ties.
12) Continue lining up further gang-forms in this way and link them together.

Step 1

22

Step 2

Step 3

23

Partition Wall
The non-structural partition walls used for the project were Acotec wall panels. The latter are
precast wall panels that have several advantages over traditional brick/block walls as
mentioned below.

Benefits of Acotec precast wall panels

1) Increased speed of construction.
2) Minimum wastage.
3) Build and finish quality.
4) Easy site management.
5) Environmental friendly.

Method of installation of precast wall panels

1) Clean the position of slab where wall panel are to be installed.
2) Mark the position of the slab where the wall panel are to be installed.

24

3) Wall panels to be identified and transferred to the area where they are going to be used.
4) Trolleys and forklifts to be used to transfer the wall panels to the designated areas.

25

5) Openings to be made on the wall panels where the dowel and starter bars are going to be.
6) Fill the holes with epoxy and thrust a 150mm long T10 bar into the hole.
7) Fill the gap between the top of the panel and the soffit with grout.

8) Apply grout on the side of the panel.

9) Install the following panel and fill gap between panels with grout.

26

Curtain Wall
The front faade of the building is fully glazed to allow for maximum light penetration during
the day hence minimizing the use of artificial light. The faade is made up of double glazed
units which provide better insulation in the goal to minimise building energy usage. The
installation of glazing is always a very delicate process as we are dealing with glass material
which is very brittle and therefore need attentive and extra precautionary installation
measures.

Method of installation of curtain wall system

1) Setting out positions of curtain wall mullions shall first be determined and marked on the
floor beams with black ink.
2) Locations of angle brackets (Item A) supporting curtain wall are then determined & fixed
onto the R.C. slab by means of anchor bolts (Item B).

Connection detail of curtain wall

3) Prior to installation, all unitised curtain wall shall be hoist to the required floors by means
of tower crane.
4) Lay out the curtain walls on the floor prior to the installation.
5) The curtain walls are removed from the steel rack by means floor crane.

27

6) The panels are laid out sequentially on the floor slab onto four-wheeled mobile trolley
horizontally. It is laid in close proximity of the floor position on the faade. The top transom
is being laid closest to the perimeter of the floor slab.

Stepwise installation of curtain wall

Step installation of curtain wall

28

Steel Roof Structure

The roof of the multi-purpose sports hall located on the 9th storey of the building spans
approximately 22m. Due to this long span, a steel roof truss was ultimately the better option
as it is lightweight and faster to erect as compared to concrete. All steel structure members
were fabricated off site before delivery to site. This has the advantage of increasing
productivity, better quality control and less housekeeping required.

Structural drawing for steel roof truss

Steel roof truss connection details

29

Method of steel roof construction

1) Steel truss is prefabricated and delivered to site.
2) Steel truss is lifted in position between supports using the tower crane.
3) Steel truss is installed between its supports using bolted connections.
4) Diagonal roof bracings are fixed to the roof truss.
5) Purlins are fixed to the steel trusses.
6) Roof sheeting are fixed to the purlins.

Steel roof structure

30

Construction and Building Pictures

31

32

33

Authority Requirements
Urban Redevelopment Authority, URA
URA is the national urban planning authority of Singapore, and a statutory board under the
Ministry of National Development.
The authority is of especially critical importance to the city-state, because Singapore is an
extremely dense country where land usage is required to be efficient and maximised in order
to reduce land wastage in the face of land shortage.
The URA is also responsible for assisting to facilitate racial harmony, such as to have their
urban planning avoid segregation, as well as seeking ways to improve aesthetics and to
reduce congestion. It is also responsible for the conservation of historic and cultural buildings
and national heritage sites.

URA Responsibilities
1) Land use planning
2) Development control
3) Urban design
4) Building conservation
5) Land sales
6) Carpark management

URA requirements with respect to Project Planning and Construction

The Shugart is considered as a business park development. The URA defines it as an area
set aside for non-pollutive industries and businesses that engage in high technology, research
and development (R&D), high value-added and knowledge intensive activities.
The two main features that distinguish business parks from industrial estates are:
(a) The range of permitted uses that are generally non-production in nature but are
characteristic of high-technology and research-oriented industries and
(b) The emphasis on landscaping, quality building designs and provision of amenity facilities
to reflect the importance companies placed on the image of the business park and the welfare
of their employees.

34

a. Location
Business Parks are allowed on land zoned Business Park and Business Park White.
The site is located in the Business Park zone as defined by URA.

Location

Zoning according to URA

35

URA also uses quantum control to define the minimum ground floor area usage criteria for
Business Park developments as per Figure below. For this project, the minimum 60% GFA
requirement was achieved mostly on use as test laboratory, research and development and
product design and development.

36

b. Building height
The maximum allowable building height is expressed in terms of number of storeys stipulated
in the Master Plan. However, the resultant building height must also comply with the technical
height controls imposed by other authorities such as aviation path restrictions,
telecommunication and military installation.

Compliance
The building height for this building is approximately 53.5m above ground level and has
complied with all the requirements of the authorities concerned.

c. Building setback & road buffer requirements

The building setback and road buffer requirements for BP developments are set out in Table
A and Table B below. The road buffer requirement for the project fall into the Category 3.

Compliance
During project planning, designers ensured that the building setback was at a minimum of
4.5m from the boundary line as well as a minimum road buffer of 5m.

37

d. Landscaping
To allow flexibility in providing attractive landscaping within developments on Business Park
and Business Park-White zones, there is no minimum provision requirement for green areas.
A 2.0m (minimum) wide planting strip is to be developed along all sides of the development
site boundary. For the boundary fronting a public road, the width of the green buffer shall be
provided in accordance with the category of the road. The planting strip shall be continuous
except where an access road is required.

Compliance
A minimum of 2.5m wide planting strip was allowed for around the perimeter of the site.

38

Building and Construction Authority, BCA

The BCA was established to develop and regulate Singapore's building and construction
industry. BCAs vision is to provide The Best Built Environment for Singapore, our Distinctive
Global City. Its mission is to shape a Safe, High Quality, Sustainable and Friendly built
environment for Singapore.
The BCA approves building and structural plans, and regulates requirements at construction
sites. It is also responsible for the issuance of permits to start work, temporary occupation
permits and certificates of statutory completion. It champions barrier-free accessibility and
sustainability of the built environment. It also reviews building regulations and codes that are
related to energy efficiency, barrier-free and buildable design.

BCA Responsibilities
1) Enhancing building safety
2) Promoting building quality excellence
3) Championing environmental sustainability
4) Enhancing barrier free accessibility
5) Transforming the building and construction industry

BCA requirements with respect to Project Planning and Construction

The BCA develops and regulates Singapore's building and construction industry to shape a
Safe, High Quality, Sustainable and Friendly built-environment for Singapore. Before the
construction work can commence on site, approval of the structural plan for the development
and a permit will have to be obtained from the BCA.

a. Building Control Act and Building Control Regulations

Under the Building Control Act, BCA had implemented the buildability legislation for all building
projects to raise productivity in the built environment sector and reduce its reliance on foreign
workers. The mandatory requirements for adoption of buildable designs had also been
progressively raised over the years. The legislation has had the effect of changing some of
the design practices in the industry, for example, the switch to more flat plate designs, dry
walls, precast construction and prefabrication, and adoption of higher repetition of grids, floorto-floor heights and more repeated component sizes. In 2011, BCA introduced the
constructability requirements for builders to adopt more labour efficient technologies and
methods to improve productivity during construction. This helps to ensure that productivity
39

concepts initiated during the upstream design phase by architects and engineers would be
implemented with labour-saving construction processes by builders during the downstream
construction phase. There is a need to lift productivity onto a higher plane by getting the
industry to design and construct more buildable buildings and to exploit more labour-efficient
technologies and productive methods of construction. Key productivity components including
industry-wide standard dimensions and building components for specific types of development
is encouraged. The industry need to adopt the Design for Manufacturing and Assembly
(DFMA) approach, by moving as much construction work offsite to a controlled manufacturing
environment as possible and minimising work on site.
To achieve these objectives, the Code of Practice on Buildability sets out the requirements of
minimum Buildable Design Score, minimum Constructability Score and their submission
procedures. It also sets out the method of determining the Buildable Design Score and the
Constructability Score, as well as the requirements for the specific productive technologies.

Compliance to Buildable Design Score

The score for buildable design computed in accordance with the Buildable Design Appraisal
System (BDAS) as set out in the Code of Practice.
The Buildable Design Score of a project is made up of 3 parts:
1) Structural System (maximum 45 points). Points are awarded for various types of
structural system used. For example, use of welded mesh or prefabricated
reinforcement, precast joint detail, mechanical connection for precast joints, high
strength concrete, self-compacting concrete, diaphragm wall, etc...

2) Wall System (maximum 45 points). Points are awarded for various types of wall system
used. For example, use of drywall for internal dry areas, simple design, etc.

3) Other Buildable Design Features (maximum 10 points). Points are awarded for
standardization, modular dimensions, use of precast/prefabricated components
(precast staircases, PBU), mechanical, electrical & plumbing (MEP) systems, high
impact productive and modern construction systems (PPVC, CLT).
The building is categorized as a research building with a GFA > 25,000 m2. The minimum
Buildable Design Score is 82 points. The project has achieved a score more than 82 points by
making use of simple and standardized design, prefabricated reinforcement, flat plate design,
precast wall panels, prefabrication wherever possible, high repetition of grids, etc...

40

Compliance to Constructability Score

The score for constructability computed in accordance with the Constructability Appraisal
System (CAS) as set out in the Code of Practice.
The Constructability Score of a project is made up of 3 parts:
1) Structural System (maximum 60 points). Points are awarded for various methods and
technologies adopted during the construction of structural works. For example,
external access system, formwork system, structural innovative methods, systems,
processes and plant and equipment that contribute to labour saving on time.

2) Architectural, Mechanical, Electrical & Plumbing (AMEP) System (maximum 45

points). Points are awarded for various methods and technologies adopted during the
construction of AMEP works. For example, screed-less floor, un-plastered RC wall,
spray painting, pre-insulated pipework, prefabricated ducts, flexible water pipes, etc.

3) Good Industry Practices (maximum 15 points). Points are awarded for good industry
practices adopted on site to improve productivity. For example, use of VDC and BIM,
engaging a BCA Certified Construction Productivity Professional (CCPP) in the project,
use tools like CCTV to conduct real time monitoring on site, conduct monthly work
study sessions, etc.

In addition to the above, points are obtainable in Part A and Part B if a project adopts
innovative systems that help to achieve productivity improvement. Innovation points
are awarded subjected to BCAs assessment on a case-by-case basis of the impact
on labour efficiency of the particular system used.
The building is categorized as a research building with more than 6 storeys and a GFA >
25,000 m2. The minimum Constructability Score is 60 points with a minimum of 45 points from
Structural Systems. The project has achieved a score more than 60 points by making use of
proprietary system formwork, climbing formwork, use of tower crane, walls un-plastered, use
of spray painting, use of flexible water pipes, etc.

41

b. Building plan approval

It is a set of acceptable solutions that meet the prescribed objectives and performance
requirements. The prescribed objectives and performance requirements are deemed to be
satisfied if the design and construction of a building comply with the acceptable solutions.
Alternatively, a person may utilise alternative solutions in respect of the design and
construction of any building if these solutions satisfy the prescribed objectives and
performance requirements. Alternative solutions are solutions that entail the use of any design,
material or construction method that differs completely or partially from those in the acceptable
solutions.

Compliance
The design and construction of The Shugart complied with the acceptable solutions. All the
architectural and engineering plans have been approved by BCA before construction. The
engineering approvals includes temporary earth retaining structures (soldier piles), piling
works (bored piles), sewer, water and other utility pipe layout and structural plans.

c. Accessibility in the Built Environment

It is one of the strategic thrusts of the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) to build a
friendly environment that is accessible to all. Universal Design (UD), in the broadest term, is
design for all people. It seeks to create an environment addressing the needs for all age
groups and people of different abilities including temporary disability. The move towards
universal design has developed due to the expanding population of people with varying degree
of abilities and advancing years, their demands for recognition and desire for independent
living.
To address these needs, BCA introduced a new Universal Design Guide in October 2007 that
provides a more complete set of guidelines for adoption in all building designs. It has UD
recommendations that are applicable not only to commercial buildings but also a wider range
of building types, including residential buildings as well as public and community facilities.

Compliance
The project has kept the concept of Universal Design in mind to build a friendly environment
accessible to all.

42

d. Environmental sustainability of buildings

BCA has enhanced the Building Control Act and put in place legislation to require a minimum
environmental sustainability standard that is equivalent to the Green Mark Certified Level for
new buildings. The new Building Control (Environmental Sustainability) Regulations 2008 will
apply to:
1) All new building works with gross floor area of 2000 m2 or more.
2) Additions or extensions to existing buildings which involve increasing gross floor area of
the existing buildings by 2000 m2 or more.
3) Building works which involve major retrofitting to existing buildings with existing gross floor
area of 2000 m2 or more.
The requirements on environmental sustainability of buildings will be integrated with the
building plan process. The QP who submits the building plan and the other appropriate
practitioners will be responsible for assessing and scoring the building works under their
charge using the criteria and scoring methodology spelled out in the Code for Environmental
Sustainability of Buildings.

Compliance
The facility was awarded the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) Green Mark Platinum
Award, the highest rating for sustainable and environmentally-friendly buildings in Singapore.
The building scored 92 points with features such as large scale solar panels, passive
displacement ventilation, energy-efficient lighting, rainwater harvesting systems, use of green
concrete and double glazing units for insulation.

43

National Environment Agency, NEA

National Environment Agency is a statutory board under the Ministry of the Environment and
Water Resources in Singapore. NEA is the leading public organisation responsible for
improving & sustaining a clean & green environment in Singapore.
By protecting Singapore's resources from pollution, maintaining a high level of public health
and providing timely meteorological information, the NEA endeavours to ensure sustainable
development and a quality living environment for present and future generations.

NEA requirements with respect to Project Planning and Construction

a. Environmental Health
The Code of Practice on Environmental Health (COPEH) provides the guidelines to address
environmental health concerns in the design of buildings. The Code spells out the objectives
to be met and stipulates only the minimum basic design criteria.
With respect to construction works on site, the contractor had to ensure that the following have
been respected.
1. Site maintenance
The developer, QP and contractor are jointly responsible for the cleanliness of the site. All
parties concerned shall ensure that no building materials, equipment or debris are stacked
along the footway, the planting verge or the drain so as to cause obstruction to pedestrians
and the free flow of the drain.
2. Toilets
Sanitary facilities in a construction site shall be provided as per NEA requirements.
3. Refuse
The refuse storage shall be designed such that there will be minimum nuisance to
occupants and neighbouring premises, and no pollution to the environment. All facilities
provided shall be adequate in size to meet the anticipated refuse output.
4. Anti-mosquito breeding
The QP shall take into consideration and avoid features that may result in water stagnation
and become potential breeding habitat for mosquitoes on the construction site.

44

b. Pollution Control
The NEA give recommendations on pollution control requirements and good practices to
safeguard clean air, clean land, clean water and a quality living environment.
During construction, the contractor ensured that the site respected the following:
1. Air Pollution
Excessive dust from site does not affect the neighbourhood areas during excavation or
building works. Dust particles have to be contained within the site and preventing
measures should be taken to reduce dust as far as possible.
2. Water pollution
The trade effluent discharge to sewer/watercourse from the construction site did not
contain refuse, garbage, sawdust, timber or any solid material.
3. Noise pollution
NEA regulates noise levels from construction sites and industrial operations using a set of
permissible noise limits. Residential buildings are located more than 150m from the
construction site. Hence from the table below, the construction noise limit is 75 dBA for
12hrs or 90 dBA for 5mins during 7am to 7pm and 65 dBA for 12hrs or 70 dBA for 5mins
during 7pm to 7am. The contractor implemented proper noise control measures during the
construction period to ensure that the noise emission levels from the activities are within
noise limits and would not cause nuisance to any nearby residents.

45

Contractors Site Environmental Control Program

In addition to NEA strict requirements, Boustead Projects Pte Ltd has set their own standards
and documentations on the operational procedure and control of waste management, pollution
controls and resource management. The Environmental Control Officer (ECO) assisted in the
preparation and implementation of these documentations to site.
ECO Responsibilities:
1. The Environmental Control Officer shall prepare and submit a Site Environmental
Control Program to the Project Manager.
2. The Site Environmental Control Program shall include plans on the following areas:
Area designated to store construction waste;
Silt control measures endorsed by Qualified Erosion Control Professional (QECP);
Site layout plan of temporary structures (e.g. canteens, toilet facilities, workers
quarters, etc.).
3. The Project Manager shall then submit the Environmental Control Program prepared
by the Environmental Control Officer to the Director General of Public Health,
Environmental Health Department of the National Environmental Agency (NEA)
4. The Environmental Control Officer shall submit a Site Environmental Control Report to
the Project Manager of the site once every 2 weeks.
46

5. The Site Environmental Control Report is to be filed and maintained by the Project
Manager. This should be made available for inspection by the authority when
requested.
6. The Environmental Control Officer shall record any irregularity detected in the Site
Environmental Control Report and make recommendations on remedial measures to
be taken by the Project Manager. It will also record training courses and activities held
to promote environmental health on the site and investigate into feedback and
outbreaks of vector-borne and infectious diseases, etc.

List of documentations regarding Workplace Safety and Health

47

Fire Safety and Shelter Department, FSSD

The Fire Safety and Shelter Department (FSSD) is one of the departments under the
Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF). The role of FSSD is to administer Fire Safety Act and
Civil Defence Shelter Act and regulates fire safety and CD shelter standards in Singapore.
FSSD also reviews, develops, formulates, plans and implements fire safety and civil defence
shelter policies and programmes. This will allow our population to live, work, play and learn in
a fire safe environment during peace time and have protection during war emergency.

FSSD requirements with respect to Project Planning and Construction

Any development will need to comply with fire safety requirements stipulated by the Fire Safety
and Shelter Department (FSSD). Fire safety plans complying fully with the requirements
stipulated in the Fire Code (Code of Practice for Fire Precautions in Buildings) will have to be
submitted to FSSD for approval. Upon the satisfactory completion and inspection of the fire
safety works, Fire Safety Certificate (FSC) will be issued by the FSSD before the building can
be allowed to use or occupy.

Fire Safety Act

Fire Safety Act is an Act to make provisions for fire safety and for matters connected therewith
for example, the fire resistance of elements of structures, fire precautions, means of escape,
site planning and external firefighting provision, etc...

Buildings on construction site

All temporary structures/buildings including site offices or housing quarters on construction
sites shall comply with SS 547 Code of Practice for Temporary Housing Quarters on
Construction Sites. Although submission of plans to SCDF (FSSD) is not required, a set of
plans of the temporary buildings, duly endorsed by a Qualified Person (QP), shall be available
on site for inspection by the Relevant Authority at all times.

Building under construction

Currently, there are two types of rising mains required in our buildings i.e. Dry riser for buildings
between 10m to 60m in habitable height and wet riser for buildings above 60m in habitable
height. Where a building is required to have the provision of rising mains, all rising mains
(either dry or wet riser) shall be designed and installed while the building is under construction.

48

Building fire safety requirements

1) The fire resistance of elements of structure for all basement floors = 4 Hours
2) The fire resistance of elements of structure for 1st storey to roof = 2 Hours
3) The whole building is provided with automatic sprinkler system, automatic fire alarm
system, smoke detector for M/E rooms, hose reels, dry risers, portable extinguishers,
emergency lightings, extra lights and one-way and two-way emergency voice
communication system.
4) Basement 1, 2 & 3 are provided with engineered smoke control by mechanic means.
5) All service risers containing pipes or cables are compartmented from the floors above and
below by RC floor slabs. All pipers/cables penetration for services are sealed with fire rated
material.
6) Maximum travel distance
One-way Two-way
Industrial

25 m

60 m

Ancilliary office 30 m

75 m

49

Public Utilities Board, PUB

The Public Utilities Board (PUB) is the statutory board of the Ministry of the Environment and
Water Resources responsible for ensuring a sustainable and efficient water supply. The Water
Supply (Network) Department of the Public Utilities Board is responsible for the operation and
maintenance of the water mains and connecting pipes up to the water meter. For construction
requirements, the Code of Practice provides information and requirements to adhere to with
regard to sewerage water and sanitary works, surface water drainage and water services.

PUB requirements with respect to Project Planning and Construction

a. Sewerage water and sanitary works
It is essential that adequate measures are taken during the planning, design and construction
of all new building and infrastructure developments to ensure that they do not affect or
undermine the integrity of the existing sewerage system. It is also important that good design
and engineering practices are adopted in the planning, design and construction of new
sanitary drain-lines and sewers to ensure that they can perform effectively and with minimal
maintenance. The project has obtained approval from the PUB after implementing these main
points into planning.
1. The development shall be served by an internal sanitary plumbing and drainage
system. This internal sanitary plumbing and drainage system shall be connected to
public sewers by an internal drain-line maintained by the owner or occupier of the
development. In the planning and design of the internal drain-line and its connection
to the public sewers, the development shall make use of the existing sewer connection
that is located within the development site.

2. It is essential that the sewers shall remain readily accessible at all times so that any
maintenance works to the sewers can be carried out expeditiously. For this, no building
or structure shall be allowed to be erected over and across any sewers.

3. All buildings or structures shall be erected away from sewers/pumping mains.

However, if there is a need to build near sewers or pumping mains, adequate
separation distance shall be provided between the structures and the sewers/pumping
mains, as follows:

50

All buildings and structures shall be built at the following minimum lateral distances
away from sewers:

All buildings and structures shall be built at the following minimum lateral distances
away from pumping mains:

4. In the planning, design and construction of the development, it is vital to have a clear
knowledge of the existing sewerage system, if any, within the development site. A
thorough investigation of the development site shall be carried out to determine the
existing sewerage system within the site, and all practical measures shall be taken to
ensure that the proposed development will not disrupt or affect any sewer/drain-line
that is serving adjacent lots/premises.

5. As far as possible, sewerage works shall be carried out within the limit of the
development site. If there is a need to lay sewers and to carry out the sewerage works
beyond the limit of the development site, the developer shall obtain the consent from
the owner of the land on which the sewerage works is to be carried out.

6. A set of drawings including layout of sanitary drainage system and the details shall be
submitted to PUB for approval prior to construction.

51

b. Surface water drainage

The Code of Practice on Surface Water Drainage is issued under Section 32 of the Sewerage
and Drainage Act (Chapter 294). It specifies the minimum engineering requirements for
surface water drainage for new developments. In this project, The Qualified Person ensured
that all aspects of surface water drainage are effectively taken care of in the planning, design
and implementation of the development proposals.

At planning stage
1. Drainage reserve
The width of a Drainage Reserve is based on the required drain size as determined by
the Board. Requirements for Drainage Reserves are shown below.

52

2. Minimum platform level

The minimum platform level of the development site as specified by the Board is the
required minimum ground level of that proposed development. The platform levels as
determined shall be indicated on the layout plans. The minimum platform level required
for a proposed development depends on its locality and the type of development.
With regard to this project, the minimum platform level shall not be lower than:
i.

104.0 mRL for developments along the southern coast, and 104.5 mRL for
developments along the northern coast; or

ii.

600 mm above the adjacent road/ground level; or

iii.

600 mm above the highest recorded flood level, if any, as advised by the Board;
or

iv.

Any other level as may be specified by the Board;

whichever is the highest.

3. Crest level
A minimum crest level is required for an entrance, exit or opening to the basement.
With regard to this project, the minimum crest level for basements, underpasses and
sunken/underground facilities shall be at least 150 mm above the minimum platform level
as specified above.

4. Flood protection measures

Flood barriers shall be installed at all points of entry and exit for the building premises (at
ground/platform level).

5. Runoff
All runoff within a development site shall be discharged into a roadside drain or an outlet
drain and not into the adjacent premises. A minimum 600 mm high solid boundary wall
shall be erected around a development site to prevent surface runoff from overflowing into
adjacent premises.

6. Internal drainage system

The capacity of internal drains shall be sufficient to intercept and discharge all runoff from
the development site.

53

7. Structure over roadside drain/outlet drain

No structure shall be constructed over the roadside drain or outlet drain without the
approval of the Board.

8. Drainage for basement

Basements shall as far as possible be designed to prevent any ingress of storm water.
Where ingress of storm water cannot be completely prevented, the catchment contributing
to the ingress shall be kept to the minimum and an adequate pumped drainage system
shall be provided.

At construction stage
The contractor ensured that the following have been respected as specified by PUB:
1. The execution of any work shall not change, disrupt, fill, block, divert or disturb the
existing overland flow or the existing system of drains unless an alternative drainage
system has been approved by the Board.

2. The runoff within, upstream of and adjacent to the worksite shall be effectively drained
away without causing drainage problems within the worksite or in areas outside the
worksite.

3. All earth slopes shall be set outside the Drainage Reserve.

4. No obstruction of any kind shall be placed, laid or erected within Drainage Reserves
and drains unless authorised by the Board. If so, the Drainage Reserves and drains
shall remain accessible at all times to workers and plant/equipment of, or authorised
by the Board.

5. No temporary structures such as cofferdams, crossings, stagings etc. shall be

constructed in or over an existing drain without the approval of the Board.

6. Any temporary structure if approved within a drain or Drainage Reserve shall be

removed immediately on completion of the construction works or as directed.

7. Drainage inlets such as drop-inlet chambers and scupper drains shall not be blocked
by any material or debris.

54

8. Drains shall not be covered without the approval of the Board.

9. Bunds of stockpiled materials such as earth from trench work shall not be longer than
10 m and gaps of at least 1 m width shall be provided between the bunds to allow the
free flow of surface runoff.

10. Material from any stockpile shall not be allowed to fall or be washed into the drain.
Adequate preventive measures, including the provision of proper and stable barricades
or screens where necessary, shall be provided.

11. Any damage to existing drain/drainage facilities arising out of any work shall be
immediately reported to the Board. Any obstruction to flow arising from the damage
shall be immediately and completely cleared. The damaged drain shall be repaired or
reinstated to the requirements of the Board.

12. The discharge from any construction / earthwork sites into storm water drainage
system shall not contain Total Suspended Solids (TSS) in concentrations greater than,
the prescribed limits.

13. A construction / earthwork site should practise recycling of water. The recycled water
could be used for non-potable purposes in order to minimise discharge into the
stormwater drainage systems.

14. The contractor shall obtain a written permission (or a clearance certificate) from the
Board before the commencement of any earthwork.

15. A temporary drainage system shall be provided for all roadworks to prevent flooding
or water ponding on the road. Where the road is being raised and the new road
drainage outlets are at a higher level than the existing ones, the existing outlets shall
not be blocked unless temporary alternative drainage system has been provided.

55

c. Water services
Developer shall engage a Professional Engineer to design, construct, alter or repair at his own
cost the water service installation within his premises to convey the supply of water from the
Public Utilities Board (PUB). Prior to commencement of water service works, water service
workers are required to notify PUB, Water Supply (Network) Department by submitting the site
plan and schematic drawings of the water service installation. Upon completion of the water
service works, water service workers are required to submit a Certificate of Satisfactory
Completion of Water Service Work certifying that the water service installation is completed in
accordance with the Public Utilities (Water Supply) Regulations, Singapore Standard CP 48
Code of Practice for Water Services, all other relevant statutory requirements and other PUB
requirements.

Compliance
A site plan and schematic drawings of the water service installation was submitted for the
application of incoming water. All these were in accordance with the provisions of the PUB.

56

Land Transport Authority, LTA

The Land Transport Authority is a statutory board under the Ministry of Transport of
Government of Singapore that administers and regulates land, sea and air transportation
within the republics jurisdiction.
LTA is responsible for planning, operating, and maintaining Singapores land transport
infrastructure and systems.

LTA requirements with respect to Project Planning and Construction

Street Proposals and Works on Public Streets
Some key considerations that have been evaluated at Development Control Stage for the
project:
1. Suitability of access points
Access points shall be suitably located to ensure smooth flow of traffic on roads. Access
points are to be located along local access roads and at a safe distance from road
junctions, road bends, pedestrian crossings, bus-stops, existing access points etc. Access
points shall be located along the lowest hierarchy of roads if there is more than one road
category fronting the development site.

2. Extent of frontage improvement

The extent of frontage improvement including upgrading of open drains to covered drains
for safety of pedestrians and to serve as foot paths is determined at this stage for the
details to be worked out by the Professional Engineer.
3. Improvement needed to existing traffic scheme
Any improvement to the existing traffic scheme including introduction of yellow boxes,
relocation of arrow markings, relocation of hump etc. are determined at this stage.

4. Requirement for a Traffic Impact Assessment (TIA)

TIA studies are required for developments exceeding certain threshold development
intensity. The purpose of a TIA is to identify the traffic impact of a development on the
surrounding transport network and the necessary measures to mitigate these impacts. If
the development is located in an area with already high traffic volume, LTA will advise the
applicant on whether a TIA is required.

57

5. Relocation of any street lights and related facilities

Existing street lights and/or its related facilities such as overground (OG) boxes may be
required to be relocated to give way for proposed access points.
6. Application for temporary crossings
If an applicant wishes to gain access to his development site during the course of
construction other than the approved access, he must apply for a temporary crossing from
LTA. Consideration for the location of the temporary access is same as that for a
permanent access.
7. Site maintenance
The developer, QP and contractor are jointly responsible for the cleanliness of the site. All
parties concerned shall ensure that no building materials, equipment or debris are stacked
along the footway, the planting verge or the drain so as to cause obstruction to pedestrians
and the free flow of the drain. There shall be no loading / unloading of building materials
as well as no parking / waiting of construction vehicles along the road.
8. Tower crane
The jib, counterjib and counterweights of the tower crane shall not over-sail or interfere
with any buildings, structures, bridges, public roads or areas within the railway protection
zone (i.e. 40m from the outermost edge of the rapid transit system structure), unless the
owner of the tower crane has obtained consent from the occupant of the building or LTA
allowing the jib of the tower crane to over-sail the building or public roads.

58

Ministry of Manpower, MOM

The Ministry of Manpower is a ministry of the Government of Singapore which is responsible
for the formulation and implementation of labour policies related to the workforce in Singapore.
The ministry oversees matters related to immigration, issue of Employment Pass (EP) to
foreign talents, student pass, passport, visa, grant of residency/citizenship etc. The mission of
MOM is to develop a productive workforce and provide safe and healthy work environments
for people.

MOM requirements with respect to Project Planning and Construction

a. Workplace safety and health
The contractor has to abide by all the safety regulations under the Workplace Safety and
Health Act. In addition, good planning and management of construction site to prevent
accidents. The list of safety requirements is exhaustive it includes:
1. Protective equipment to be worn at all times on construction site.
2. Employees should be trained and aware of hazards.
3. Fire fighting and first aid equipment should be available on site.
4. Machinery and equipment (e.g. tower crane) frequently inspected.
5. Scaffolding inspection.
6. Good housekeeping.

b. Work permit for foreign workers

To employ foreign workers for the construction sector, the contractor have to meet specific
requirements for worker's nationality, quota and levy. Prior to application of work permit, the
contractor need to apply for man-year entitlement it is a Work Permit allocation system for
workers from non-traditional source (NTS) countries and the Peoples Republic of China
(PRC).
The MYE reflects the total number of Work Permit holders a main contractor is entitled to
employ based on the value of projects or contracts awarded by developers or owners. It is
allocated in the form of the number of man-years required to complete a project.

59

Existing technologies used to enhance productivity

Building Information Modelling (BIM)
BIM is an intelligent model which contains shared information about a facility. These
information include 3D models of the facility as well as time, cost, planning and facility
management. As new information is fed into the model, other parties can instantly get access
to the updated model. The major benefits that this tool provide are:
1. 3D visualisation Enable easier design decisions to be taken by comparing different
design alternatives, it can also be useful to showcase the design to Clients.
2. Change management The modification of the design is automatically updated and
allows for faster documentation as well as ensuring quality assurance by the
automatic coordination of these changes
3. Simulation Since the model contains information from different disciplines such as
architectural, structural, mechanical electrical and plumbing, etc we can
understand the behaviour of the facility even before its construction
4. Data management With information on time, the model can assist in the planning
and sequencing of the construction works. With information on cost, quantities on
materials can easily be retrieved and hence the tendering and estimating process
can be done much faster
5. Facility operation The management of the facility as well as the operation can be
done more efficiently hence saving time and money.

BIM - All information contained in one model

60

Implementation to project
For all these reasons, BIM is becoming increasingly popular in the construction industry. As
such, BIM was a major contributor to the successful delivery of The Shugart project. IFE
Singapore was appointed to provide the engineering and construction management services
and to develop the project in BIM. Hence, the BIM manager worked closely with the planning
and design manager under the supervision of the senior project manager to ensure the
implementation of BIM.

61

Design for Manufacture and Assembly (DFMA)

Design for Manufacture and Assembly (DFMA) is a design technique that concentrate on ease
of manufacture and assembly. As an example, the application of DFMA for precast structural
members at offsite by construction contractors usually are these three typical components:
structural beams, columns and concrete floor slabs. DFMA basically are Design for
Manufacture (DFM) and Design for Assembly (DFA) combined.
Design for Manufacture (DFM) is a design to mitigate the manufacturing of a products
component parts. The most cost-effective materials are chosen to become a product through
process, and simultaneously reduce the difficulty during the manufacturing process. On the
other hands, DFA which symbolize Design for Assembly is for easing the assembly of a
product. It helps to minimize both assembly cost and assembly operations.

Prefabricated concrete elements

Benefits of DFMA
1. Safety Offsite assembly (e.g. in factory) will increase the safety on site due to the
elimination of onsite construction activities.
2. Speed The speed is increased due to the implementation and assembly of precast
components onsite instead of cast in-situ.
3. High reliability The number of components is reduced which leads to lower chance
of failure, thus reliability is higher.
4. Lower assembly cost Lesser components are being used resulting the amount of site
workers and unique parts are reduced. So, cost of assembly is low.

62

5. Shorter assembly time DFMA enables to save more time in order to use the standard
assembly practice. For instances, self-aligning parts and vertical assembly. It can also
improve the effectiveness during the transition from the design stage to production
stage.
6. Higher quality It can improve quality and increase efficiency stage through highly
automated method.

Implementation to project
The use of precast wall panels, unitized curtain wall systems and prefabricated steel roof
trusses are some of the examples of use of DFMA on this project. Indeed the project gained
all these benefits from using DFMA products.
Further improvement in productivity could have been achieved by using precast columns. The
reason for choosing in-situ over precast was purely based on time constraint. The contractor
had a very tight schedule and did not plan in advance the order of precast column units. Had
precast column units been ordered in advance and implemented during the project, this would
have further increased productivity.
The use of precast slab would also have increased productivity. However, the specification of
the building might not have enabled the use of precast slab. Using precast slab would require
beams to support them and hence suspended services might not be able to run freely around
the building which is a disadvantage.
Wherever possible precast beams could have been used to increase productivity. However
during this project, precast beams were not used. The reason might be that the beams were
not standard and repetitive enough to consider going precast. Precast is highly efficient when
the magnitude of the order is huge.
Staircases could have been designed to standard sizes and implemented as precast elements
to the project to increase productivity.

63

Proprietary formwork
With most of the structural elements cast in-situ, the timing of casting on site was very critical
to the delivery of the project. It goes without saying that the amount of work in assembling and
dismantling formwork was enormous. Hence any delay due to formwork assembly would have
been a major issue. This is why with the advantages of using proprietary formworks as
discussed previously, the contractor was able to achieve the targets on time.
Using the Zulin Steel form for column, the contractor increased productivity by 161% as can
be seen from the table below.

64

Using the Dokaflex Table formwork, the contractor increased productivity by 87%.

65

New technologies that could improve productivity

Prefabricated Pre-finished Volumetric Construction (PPVC) and Prefabricated
Bathroom Unit (PBU)
Prefabricated Pre-finished Volumetric Construction (PPVC) is an approach of fabricated block
in multiple units with internal finishes and then transported to site for installation similar with
Lego stack. PPVC are common particularly for residential or accommodation developments.
For instances, apartments, hostels, hotels, condominiums and nursing homes. There are three
main advantages of PPVC during construction phase.
1) PPVC enables to enhance productivity up to 50% due to saving time and manpower.
Thus, it increases the speed of construction.
2) PPVC is more environmental friendly as noise pollution and dust can be mitigated on
site due to PPVC is manufactured in the factories.
3) Manufacture at off-site factory with controlled environment leads to improving safety
on site.

PPVC construction

PPVC are very popular and widely used in Singapore. In fact, PPVC has achieved In-Principle
Acceptance (IPA) from all the technical organization for implementation across the country.
Moderna Homes, Sembcorp EOSM, Teambuild, Swee Hong / Unitised Building Australia and
Unitised Building Australia / UB RUSH are the five main suppliers for PPVC in Singapore.
There are few constructions involving PPVC in Singapore.
1) The upcoming student hostel project in Nanyang Technology University will be
constructed by adopting PPVC by Singapore Piling & Civil Engineering Pte Ltd which
is part of BBR Holdings (S) Ltd.

66

2) The announcement of new nursing home in Woodlands Crescent by Ministry of Health

(MOH) Holdings is going to be constructed through PPVC.
3) The largest application of PPVC in the world An Execute Condominium (EC) will be
constructed at Canberra Drive by CDL which will be the first developer in Asia to use
this PPVC approach. This development involving eight 10-12 storeys blocks with about
636 apartments to be built using some 3300 building modules.
Besides than PPVC, Prefabricated Bathroom Unit (PBUs) are also prefabricated and preassembled in off-site factories and transported to site for installation. The construction of whole
bathroom is done in the factory with controlled environment in order to reduce negative impact
of the environment and produce higher quality finishing. Moreover, PBUs is able to improve
productivity by reducing manpower and manage to save time up to 60%. This technology has
been used in Singapore for more than ten years. PBUs designs are developed and upgraded
remarkably both in local as well as overseas.

PBU assembled in factoriers

Implementation to project
While PPVC and PBU both have major advantages which are principally productivity and
quality, they are more easily implemented in residential developments since the design is
repetitive and the units can be stacked onto one another. For a research and development
building like The Shugart, unless provisions were made in the planning stages to have
repetitive units such as offices on one side of the building then maybe it could have been
implemented. However, the disadvantage would be that there is no flexibility to reconfigure
spaces as in flat slab with partition walls. Also implementing PPVC causes limitation in
architectural design and since The Shugart has a non-rectangular design, it would have been
difficult to implement.

67

Virtual Design and Construction (VDC)

Virtual Design and Construction is an integrated approach that combines Building Information
Modelling and advanced management methods to improve productivity. VDC works in hand
with BIM to simulate the real-world building process that is it is possible to visualize the building
being built component by component even before construction has begun. This is very
powerful as it enables the Client as well as the consultants to make well-informed decisions
faster. Therefore, VDC impacts on visualization, site logistics and planning, quantity survey
and estimation, clash detection, integration and fabrication, virtual constructability review,
facilities management and system integration.
Some of the benefits of using VDC/BIM are:
1) Enhanced communication
2) Faster processes
3) Increased collaboration
4) Reduction of rework
5) Better subcontractor coordination
6) Cost savings due to error reduction
7) Minimize waste material during construction

Visualisation of construction stages

Implementation to project
Since BIM was used in the project, it would have been possible to go one step further and
implement VDC into the project. By visualising ahead of time the sequence of the construction
works, there is no doubt that the contractor would have been in a much better position to plan
work and take better decisions, foresee site problems and be more aware of potential hazards.
All in all, all parties would have benefited using VDC in terms of time and cost.
68

Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT)

Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) is made of layers of softwood glued together. Lightweight yet
very strong, with superior acoustic, fire, seismic, and thermal performance, CLT is also fast
and easy to install, generating almost no waste onsite. CLT offers design flexibility and low
environmental impacts. For these reasons, cross-laminated timber is proving to be a highly
advantageous alternative to conventional materials like concrete, masonry, or steel, especially
in residential and commercial construction. The CLT panels are also altered in factories
especially for door openings and windows before assembled on-site. There are few
advantages of adopting CLT for construction.
1. The speed of construction is much faster and less labours are required on site
compared to traditional construction practices.
2. CLT is green as it minimising cooling and heating costs for users by supplying higher
level of thermal function.
3. CLT is a renewable, recyclable and reusable construction material after being
dismantled. Besides, timber has the lowest water and energy consumption among
building materials.
4. CLT enables to mitigate the positive impact and reduce waste to the surrounding
environment.

Cross Laminated Timber

69

CLT has also achieved In-Principle Acceptance (IPA) from all the technical organization for
implementation in Singapore. Nevertheless, CLT is restricted in certain contexts. For
examples, building height up to 24 metres, or up to 12 metres for healthcare projects. Next,
the fire safety requirements where buildings to be fully protected by an automatic sprinkler
system in accordance to the Code of Practice for automatic fire sprinkler system requirements.
There are three CLT suppliers in Singapore which are CLT Builders, Venturer and Lend Lease.
Additionally, CLT approach is implemented in the upcoming sports hall at Nanyang
Technological University.

Use of CLT in building construction

Implementation to project
CLT has been used in some projects as structural floor and wall systems mainly. Due to the
height of The Shugart building, the shear walls need to be rigid enough to sustain the lateral
loads. Also because the span of the slabs are 8.7m, it is very unlikely that CLT would have
been the best material for the job. CLT is more flexible, less durable and has lower strength
compared to concrete which is why it is very difficult to implement CLT in this project. However,
less structurally demanding elements or non-structural elements like partition wall could have
made use of this material as it has a lot of benefits to it. Other concerns to the use of CLT
might be the fire resistance of the building, cost of material and the maintenance of the wood.

70

Adoption of ICT for Smart Construction

3D Laser Scanning
3D Laser Scanning is capable of capturing the 3D data (or LiDAR data) using laser beam
reflected off objects in a set location. With the utilisation of this technology, contractors will be
able to document and analyse the real world scenario and objects in high definition - replicating
it in photo-realistic textures, colours and geometrical information digitally. Below are 2 types
of scanning tool available in market now which are Terrestrial Laser Scanning and Handheld
Scanning.

Different types of laser scanning tools available in market

Benefits
1. Laser scanning provides a robust method for surveying inaccessible surfaces as well as
complex geometry. All the major providers of CAD 3D modelling and BIM software have
built compatibility that allows their systems to import the point cloud data into 3D visual
graphic material shown below.

3D visual graphic generated using laser

71

2. Helicopters and drones equipped with laser scanning can be used to capture the exact
detail of topography, existing structures and townscapes. By this way, designer can get a
more complete picture of the site.

Topography and existing structures captured using laser scanning

3. During construction, laser scanning Contractor is able to obtain information in preparation

of future phases of construction. For example, interior works like structural and M&E works
can be scanned at various stages to prepare a virtual 3D model that can be used to
manage M&E, structural design and construction.

Various stages of construction scanned using laser scanning

72

Drones
An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), commonly known as drones, as an aircraft system without
a human pilot aboard. The flight of UAVs may operate with either under remote control by a
human operator, or fully or intermittently autonomously, by onboard computers. Drones are
changing the way construction companies do business. The larger the construction site the
more helpful they are in monitoring the project.

Drone in construction

Benefits
1. Monitor construction activities
Contractor can monitor all activities on site via drones. These devices provide a way to obtain
real-time data on job progress, may identify potential hazards or quality issues, and help
acquire other useful information in a very expeditious and cost-effective manner.

Site progress overall view

73

2. Showing Clients the Progress

Contractor can always update their current with the latest progress photos and videos as
clients stay away from the job site and cannot afford to come to the site again frequently. This
method reduces on manpower, time and instant capture of site progress.

Aerial view of building progress

3. Calculating the Volume of Cut and Fill

Prior to any excavation work, the contractor can estimate the volumes of cut and fill required
earthworks. Besides, the space allocation on site to mobilise in machineries and resources
can be done in an efficient way using drones rather than the conventional method.

Volume estimation

74

Automation and Robotics

Automation and robotics is the next generation technology the construction industry is looking
at to try to improve productivity. To realise automation and robotics in the construction industry,
building elements are required to be pre-fabricated and the working space weather protected
so that automated systems can be widely applied. Some Japanese general contractors have
developed automated building construction systems and applied these to actual construction
project. These systems are expected to increase productivity significantly. However still today
after a lot of research and development, most of the robots are still not widely used because
of their high price or low performance. The reasons why robotics have not taken the
construction industry yet are mentioned below.
1) Unlike the mass production of manufacturing industry, construction is a mono-product
industry i.e. construction work is less-repetitive work compared to factory work.
2) Building elements are large and robots require to be mobile
3) Robots are required to be usable in all weather conditions.
4) The operation of the robots are required to be easy for workers.
5) The robot should be transportable
Due to these difficulties, the role of robots in the construction industry is more focused towards
prefabrication similar to the manufacturing industry where the production of building
components are repetitive.

Fully automated precast factory

75

3D Printing
3D printing is the computer-controlled sequential layering of materials to create 3 dimensional
shapes. It is particularly useful for prototyping and for the manufacture of geometrically
complex components. A 3D digital model of the item is created, either by computer aided
design (CAD) or using a 3D scanner. The printer then reads the design and lays down
successive layers of printing medium (this can be a liquid, powder, or sheet material) which
are joined or fused to create the item. The process can be slow, but it enables almost any
shape to be created.
In the construction industry, Construction 3D printing can be used to create construction
components or to 'print' entire buildings. Construction is well-suited to 3D printing as much of
the information necessary to create an item will exist as a result of the design process, and
the industry is already experienced in computer aided manufacturing. The recent emergence
of building information modelling (BIM) in particular may facilitate greater use of 3D printing.
Construction 3D printing may allow, faster and more accurate construction of complex or
bespoke items as well as lowering labour costs and producing less waste. It might also enable
construction to be undertaken in harsh or dangerous environments not suitable for a human
workforce such as in space.
However, the main challenges to 3D printing is how it can be integrated with other building
components, and how it will incorporate services and reinforcement. In addition, all of these
innovations require complex equipment, and whilst it is possible to envisage using some
simplified version to manufacture specialist components on a more industrial scale, it is
questionable whether this will replace bricks and mortar.
While it has successfully been used to fabricate structural steel components such as steel
node connections, its use in the construction of a concrete building for instance is still
uncertain.

3D printed steel node

76

Implementation of ICT to project

3D laser scanning could have been used in project to map existing building or structures close
to the site. With the 3D model from BIM, the information obtained from 3D laser scanning can
then be combined together to show not only the site but also neighbouring sites. With this
information in hand, even better visualisation of the project can be achieved and can help
make better decision planning.
The drones could have been used to give a bird's-eye view of the site and provide progress
reports, speed up the logistics of construction by monitoring deliveries and offer real-time
updates on any changes that may need to be made to the plans. The contractor could have
benefited for better monitoring and planning of the site.
Robotics and 3D printing are both promising technologies which are still under development.
For now, robotics is focusing more into the prefabrication of components while 3D printing is
very effective in fabrication of complicated design of steel components. Both technologies
would not benefit the project at this current stage in development.

77