– Contributed by Mr Mao Hanlin, MPAM 2014
Our MPAM class, currently studying the subject of urban development and policy led by Prof Gu Qingyang, strongly believe in the concept of learning through study and travel. We once again experienced a mobile classroom during our recent visit to Keppel Group on 20 Oct 2014 to learn more the development projects that they undertake.
The first stop was Keppel Bay.
The Keppel Bay project consists of two major clusters; the Marina at Keppel Bay with a coastal line of 750m, and Keppel Island, which is a private property. These two properties are connected via the Keppel Bay bridge. The Keppel Bay project consists of both a coastal residence and a yacht club. The private residence area has been developed and it is now at its 3rd stage, and the three properties are named Caribbean, Reflections and Corals at Keppel Bay. The yacht club has 168 berthing points which could accommodate yachts from 20m up to 200m. Both projects can be considered very successful as all the jetties are currently being renter and most of the coastal residences have also been sold.
The Keppel Bay area was originally occupied by the Keppel Shipyard. In 1999, the shipyard was relocated to Jurong in 1999 and the site was then converted to accommodate Keppel Bay. The development of Keppel Bay provides two classic references for urban development. Firstly, the original industrial area was modified and converted into a residence and business area. It has been Keppel’s goal to achieve “Ultimate Living”, providing luxuries such as high-end yachts and berths, premium restaurants, bars, clubs and quality residences. In addition, the berths for World Yacht Competition also provide a perfect spot for living, leisure, recreation and interaction for the magnates. Secondly, the goal of ultimate living is complemented by the organic integration between the project and the existing city landscapes. The Keppel Bay is the masterpiece of Mr Daniel Libeskind, the renowned designer. The design is streamlined and modern, and enables the residents to have unobstructed sea views and a vantage point to appreciate both Keppel island and the greenery of Singapore. It is merged seamlessly with its surroundings, namely Mount Faber, Labrador Park, and Sentosa.
The second stop of the mobile classroom was One-North.
After we finished the visit at Keppel Bay, we proceed to One-north to check out the heating and cooling project developed by Keppel. It was launched in 2013 after being awarded the tender by Jurong Group, with the main purpose of providing cooling service for its tenants. With the move of MediaCorp into the park, the heating and cooling projects now provides the service to more than 750,000 m2 for 18 blocks of building. The heating and cooling technology was mainly imported from Japan, which uses centralizes chilled water cooling. With this system, cooling is achieved by running cold water through pipes and heat through the use of heat exchanger technology, while also providing a water recycling system. The main advantages of such technology are its low costs, space-saving feature, continuous operation, plug-and-play access and flexibility, safety and environmental friendliness.
Keppel launched part of its heating and cooling projects in China as well, primarily focusing on cooling projects in the coastal area. It has been proven to be effective after some added innovations. In China, any project that saves energy will be regarded with priority, therefore Keppel will stand a high chance of developing some industrial cooperation if they are able to provide viable solution for heating services – especially for the north-east region. As the urbanization process in the middle and western area of China is picking up rapidly, we foresee the potential need for heating and cooling services. We feel that it is likely to have a mutually beneficial relationship between China and Singapore, due to the rapidly increasing market in China and the maturing technology of Singapore in heating and cooling projects.