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Volume 1 Issue 1 Year 2007 M<strong>ICA</strong> (P) 234/10/2006<br />
Singapore: Exporting An<br />
Urban Planning Miracle<br />
Often, Singapore is seen as just another shopper’s paradise or as an exotic Southeast-Asian holiday getaway. However, this tiny<br />
nation of 4.3 million people is also one of the most efficient and well-planned cities in the world. Consequently, it holds many<br />
infrastructure-development lessons for other developing countries such as India, Vietnam, China (PRC) and the Middle-East .<br />
SINGAPORE is only the size of 68,200 football fields (699 sq.km.).<br />
However, the small city-state’s efficient town planning, unique<br />
building architecture (public and private) and effective waste-disposal<br />
system places Singapore on par with highly-developed global<br />
metropolises. The very founding of modern Singapore in 1819 by Sir<br />
Stamford Raffles was arguably a planning achievement in itself – as<br />
the British searched for a deep, sheltered harbour to establish a pivotal<br />
maritime base for their interests in the Far East. Faced with the pressure<br />
of a mounting population, Singapore founded the Housing<br />
INSIDE<br />
urban development<br />
Surbana Corporation: From Mass Housing To<br />
Iconic Building ............................................................. 2<br />
environment<br />
Water Sustainability .................................................... 3<br />
transportation<br />
Three SEA Public Transport Systems ........................ 4<br />
The Advantages Of Steel Fibre Reinforced<br />
Concrete (SFRC) ........................................................ 6<br />
energy<br />
Bitumen: A Growing Energy Source In Asia ............... 8<br />
Malaysia Building Integrated Photovoltaics .............. 10<br />
Development Board (HDB) in 1960, which many feel was the turning<br />
point in the history of modern Singapore. In the course of the next<br />
five years, the HDB constructed 50,000 new homes, and by 1970,<br />
housing had ceased to be a cause for concern in Singapore. Today,<br />
the policy of Singapore’s urban planning – under the charge of the<br />
Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) – is to create partially selfsufficient<br />
towns and districts. In turn, these are further served by<br />
four centres, each serving one of the four different regions of<br />
Singapore besides the Central Area. These regional centres reduce<br />
traffic strain on Singapore’s central business district (CBD) by<br />
replacing some of its commercial functions.<br />
As land is scarce, the goal of urban planning is to use land<br />
efficiently without sacrificing comfort, and also to serve as many<br />
people as possible for a particular function, such as housing or<br />
commercial purposes. Infrastructure and environmental concerns (as<br />
well as enough space for water catchments and military uses) are<br />
important planning considerations. Land reclamation has continued<br />
to be used extensively in urban planning, and Singapore has grown<br />
at least 100 sq km from its original size before 1819. The urbanplanning<br />
policy demands that most buildings should be high-rises,<br />
with exceptions for conservation of heritage or nature areas. Urban<br />
planning policy also relies on the effective use of public transport.<br />
Singapore’s Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) system links all the different<br />
districts by rail, thus reducing reliance on roads. This further reduces<br />
strain on traffic and vehicle pollution while saving land space. The<br />
districts with their different functions are allocated strategically<br />
according to 55 planning areas.<br />
While efficient town planning ensures optimum use of<br />
resources, aesthetically-pleasing architecture makes the cityscape<br />
impressive without compromising on precious natural resources.<br />
Singapore’s architecture has won accolades the world over as a<br />
unique mix of Eastern and Western styles displaying both<br />
efficiency as well as beauty. Getting around the city and the<br />
suburbs is convenient via Singapore’s extensive and reliable public<br />
transport system. Singapore’s transportation policy strives to<br />
provide free-flowing traffic for easy movement of people and<br />
goods within the constraints of its limited land space. This is done<br />
by minimising travel through systematic town planning,<br />
facilitating accessibility by constructing an extensive and<br />
comprehensive network of free-use and gantry toll roads, and<br />
promoting an alternative efficient transport system which<br />
integrated Mass Rapid Transit (MRT), Light Rapid Transit (LRT),<br />
and public bus services.<br />
Prudent land-use planning has enabled Singapore to enjoy<br />
strong economic growth and maintain social cohesion; in addition,<br />
it ensures that sufficient land is safeguarded to support continued<br />
economic progress and future development. With a limited land<br />
area of about only 699 sq. km. Singapore is constantly in search of<br />
solutions to overcome its space constrictions.<br />
One way is to create ‘new’ land is through reclamation projects;<br />
the other way is to make the most of the land that Singapore<br />
● See page 2
Surbana Corporation: From Mass<br />
Housing to Iconic Buildings<br />
Summit Residences, China (PRC)<br />
Al Salam City – UAE<br />
Faced with the prospect of looming<br />
competition on its home turf of<br />
Singapore and armed with a 40-year<br />
track record in public housing building<br />
and design, the folks at Surbana had to<br />
quickly learn the ropes of securing<br />
business in a competitive environment.<br />
The task was made even more daunting<br />
when the Singapore government<br />
imposed a ‘non-compete condition’ on<br />
Surbana in exchange for guaranteed<br />
projects from HDB over a period of four<br />
years. It was no consolation that<br />
between 2002 and 2006, HDB ‘new<br />
build’ numbers were stagnating, as the<br />
supply of houses outstripped demand<br />
in the then shrinking economy. Unfazed<br />
by the challenges ahead and leveraging<br />
on its Singapore experience, Surbana set<br />
out exporting its planning and design<br />
expertise to the world.<br />
IN 2003, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance of<br />
Singapore, Mr Lee Hsien Loong announced in his national<br />
Budget Speech that the government will, as part of measures<br />
to facilitate entrepreneurship, progressively stop providing<br />
services that the private sector can supply. A few months<br />
later, on 1 July 2003, the public housing authority, Housing<br />
and Development Board (HDB), announced that its Building<br />
and Development Division was to be re-organised and HDB<br />
Corporation Pte Ltd (HDBCorp) would be created.<br />
Of the 3,000 personnel affected, 900 chose early<br />
retirement, while 1,300 urban planners, architects, engineers,<br />
project managers, quantity surveyors and site supervisors<br />
joined HDBCorp. The birth of HDBCorp signaled the<br />
beginning of Surbana Corporation (Surbana). The next three<br />
years following the re-organisation was an exciting one:<br />
HDBCorp was acquired by Temasek Holdings, the<br />
government’s investment vehicle and re-branded to Surbana<br />
Corporation. Surbana went on to build a township in<br />
Chengdu, China and to provide its full suite of planning,<br />
building design and construction management services to<br />
places as far flung as the Middle East and South Africa.<br />
Exporting Surbana’s Expertise<br />
Today, Surbana boasts a track record of having clinched<br />
projects in more than 45 cities across 14 countries. Some of<br />
the services that Surbana has exported include master<br />
planning for regional governments, architectural and<br />
engineering design, project management and supervision.<br />
With regional offices in Shanghai, Chengdu, Hyderabad,<br />
Kolkata, Kuala Lumpur, Ho Chi Minh City and Abu Dhabi,<br />
Surbana has made its mark and staked its future on the<br />
growing economies of Asia and the Middle East.<br />
The year 2006 marked an important milestone in<br />
Surbana’s history, as the first keys to the completed<br />
apartments of the middle-income Chengdu Botanica<br />
Township were handed to buyers, thus replicating its success<br />
story in Singapore housing and township development.<br />
Riding on the wave of Botanica’s Phase One sell-out success,<br />
Surbana moved quickly to acquire land in the cities of Wuxi<br />
and Xian to build about 40,000 homes over the next decade.<br />
In January 2007, Surbana held a ground-breaking ceremony<br />
for its prestigious Royal Complex mixed-use development<br />
project in Abu Dhabi, UAE. Costing US$214 million to<br />
develop, the development by the water-front prime district<br />
is scheduled for completion by January 2010. In addition,<br />
Surbana’s award winning Grand Corniche Hotel, designed<br />
to reflect Abu Dhabi’s maritime heritage, is also targeted for<br />
completion in December 2009. To be built at an approximate<br />
cost of AED 370 million (US $100 million), this sleek 35-storey<br />
structure will house a luxury hotel, serviced apartments and<br />
a retail podium.<br />
Surbana is gaining wide-recognition for its diverse<br />
regional portfolio, and has won many local and international<br />
awards. The company’s architectural designs have won a<br />
number of international competitions including an Excellence<br />
Award for the ecological master planning of Taihu<br />
(Tongzhou). Surbana was also bestowed the highest honour<br />
in the architectural arena by earning three awards for the<br />
public sector category of the internationally recognised Fiabci<br />
Prix d’Excellence in 2006. In Singapore, Surbana was<br />
recognised and awarded the 2006 BCI Asia Top-10 leading<br />
Architectural firms in Singapore and also won two HDB<br />
Design Excellence Awards in 2006.<br />
Refocusing on Home Market<br />
Surbana’s ability to deliver a full suite of services and its<br />
reputation for quality delivery is not lost on its clients. Most<br />
of the expertise in designing and building the more than<br />
900,000 homes that house about 85% of Singapore’s<br />
population resides with Surbana today. No other<br />
organisation can boast of that track record, and only a few<br />
have the in-house expertise to provide a one-stop, integrated<br />
● From page 1<br />
already has. Town planners have intensified land use<br />
by locating various facilities together instead of placing<br />
them separately. For example, storm-water collection<br />
ponds are located under road flyovers, and train stations<br />
and bus stations are built over each other. Singapore,<br />
thanks to its perennial quest for efficient town planning,<br />
has perfected a system (which can help builders and<br />
town planners in developing countries such as India,<br />
Vietnam, the Middle East and China) to find answers to<br />
pressing questions like creating adequate public<br />
housing, a clean environment, an efficient public<br />
transport system, and effective country-wide sanitation<br />
and waste-disposal systems.<br />
For example, Singapore acts as a catalyst for India’s<br />
foreign trade because Singapore is a strategic business<br />
hub for an estimated 6,000 Indian companies. Singapore<br />
is also India’s largest trading partner among the ASEAN<br />
member countries. The Indo-Singapore bilateral trade<br />
touched 16.6 billion Singapore dollars in December 2005.<br />
This trade volume is expected to increase substantially<br />
approach to development from site planning, land surveying,<br />
architectural and engineering design to contract and project<br />
management and supervision. Being a Temasek-linked<br />
company has also helped to open doors to overseas projects<br />
as foreign governments recognise the well-respected<br />
Singaporean system that offers efficiency, integrity and<br />
effectiveness.<br />
Surbana’s management recognises the challenges ahead,<br />
so it is sparing no effort in changing perceptions and<br />
promoting Surbana’s capabilities beyond just public housing<br />
projects. Indeed, Surbana has shown itself capable of more<br />
diverse designs such as iconic projects in the Middle East,<br />
retail malls in India and luxury homes in Shanghai. Besides<br />
providing the full gamut of building consultancy services,<br />
Surbana has also carved itself a niche in water-front<br />
development projects. For example, Surbana’s reclamation<br />
and infrastructure team was responsible for reclaiming most<br />
of Singapore’s eastern and northern shores, including the<br />
now highly sought after Marina Bay Financial Centre.<br />
Surbana also had a hand in building the Marina South Pier,<br />
which replaced the downtown Clifford Pier passenger ferry<br />
terminal, and the company also completed reclamation and<br />
infrastructure works for the Southern Islands, which is touted<br />
as Singapore’s newest playground for the jet-setting rich.<br />
Surbana’s consultancy arm, Surbana International<br />
Consultants, is hoping to emulate the same degree of success<br />
in its home market of Singapore as it has overseas. As of<br />
July 2007, Surbana will be free to compete for Singapore<br />
projects. The timing could not be better as the construction<br />
industry has shown strong growth, even though it is still a<br />
far cry from the pre-Asian financial crisis of S$24.4 billion in<br />
1997. With the award of two integrated resorts, a new sports<br />
hub, ramped–up public housing programmes and more<br />
government land sales expected, there should be enough<br />
projects to keep many companies busy. While Surbana may<br />
have an edge in gaining market share in public sector projects,<br />
being thoroughly familiar with the government procurement<br />
process, landing jobs in the highly competitive private sector<br />
will not be as easy. ❏<br />
with the signing of the Comprehensive Economic<br />
Cooperation Agreement (CECA). While the marketing<br />
efforts of the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) have<br />
ensured that Singapore is a must-see for many Indians<br />
(and PRC Chinese) planning holidays abroad, it is a<br />
propitious time for Indian companies to tap the exciting<br />
infrastructure possibilities that the vibrant city-state has<br />
to offer.<br />
Singapore companies are keen to offer their expertise<br />
in areas such as master planning of townships,<br />
architectural designs and construction. Singapore<br />
brands are also looking for partners to distribute or<br />
market their products abroad, especially in India,<br />
Vietnam, the Middle East and China (PRC). In the areas<br />
such as intelligent building systems, security<br />
surveillance systems or traffic control systems,<br />
Singapore has world-class companies, which could<br />
provide transfer of technology and infrastructuredevelopment<br />
knowledge abroad. ❏<br />
This article was submitted by IE Singapore.<br />
2 <strong>ICA</strong> Volume 1 Issue 1 2007
Water Sustainability<br />
While reams of newsprint have been devoted already to the Mumbai, India authorities’ efforts to clean up the Mithi<br />
River, the highly developed city-state of Singapore is putting together a high-level plan to market its waste-water<br />
technology globally. Singapore’s Ministry of Environment and Water Resources (MEWR) has recently set up the<br />
Environment and Water Industry Development Council (EWI) to spearhead the growth of the environmental and water<br />
industry in Singapore. The government plans to develop Singapore as a global hub for environment and water for<br />
business, investment, research and technology.<br />
SINGAPORE targets to grow value-added contribution from the water sector from $0.5<br />
billion (0.3% of GDP) in 2003 to $1.7 billion (0.6% of GDP) by 2015. Jobs for this sector are<br />
expected to double to about 11,000 in 2015 with a large part of the growth in professional and<br />
skilled categories. According to the MEWR’s website EWI, the on-going efforts of other<br />
governmental agencies such as EDB; IE Singapore; the Agency for Science, Technology &<br />
Research; National Environment Agency (NEA); Nanyang Technological University (NTU);<br />
and National University of Singapore (NUS) will:<br />
• Attract more companies to locate their operations in Singapore<br />
• Help local companies to grow<br />
• Encourage more companies and research institutes to develop cutting-edge water<br />
technology and<br />
• Further export Singapore’s capabilities to growing markets, especially in the Middle East<br />
and China<br />
Potential for Growth<br />
With the growing global emphasis on water and the environment, Singapore is well<br />
placed to take the lead in this industry as an R&D base, and also as a provider of water<br />
solutions. To meet the country’s water challenges, Singapore has been investing heavily<br />
in water-related research and technology for the last four decades, and it has developed<br />
excellent capabilities in the field of water management. With the development of major<br />
national water projects such as NEWater, the Deep Tunnel Sewerage System and Marina<br />
Barrage, Singapore has turned its vulnerability in terms of water into a strength; this has<br />
resulted in a thriving water industry eco-system with more than 50 international and<br />
local companies in existence.<br />
Clean Land<br />
In Singapore, the waste disposed goes into incineration plants or into landfills. If the<br />
current volume of waste keeps increasing, Singapore will need to build large incineration<br />
plants and find new places for landfills. In land-scarce Singapore, where land is required<br />
for schools, houses and other uses, this is not a sustainable option. To address this issue,<br />
the strategies of volume-reduction by incineration, waste recycling, reducing land-filled<br />
waste, and waste minimisation have been identified. Currently, about 90% of the waste<br />
is incinerated, while the remaining non-incinerable waste is land-filled. However, the<br />
demand for land-fill is still too high. Hence, there is a need for recycling efforts (like the<br />
National Recycling Programme introduced in 2001), and a need for trying to find useful<br />
applications for incineration ash. It is also important for consumers and producers to<br />
minimise the amount of waste generated.<br />
Solid Waste Management<br />
With limited resources available for waste disposal, the National Environment Agency’s<br />
(NEA) policy for waste management necessitates the incineration of all incinerable waste<br />
that is not recovered, reused or recycled. Non-incinerable waste such as concrete slabs, bulky<br />
waste materials and incineration ashes are disposed of at the offshore Semakau Land-fill.<br />
Core Strategies for Sustainability<br />
• Minimise waste through reducing, reusing and recycling to ensure long term sustainability<br />
• Towards zero landfill<br />
• Develop the recycling industry and position Singapore as a centre for recycling technology<br />
in the region<br />
Clean Water<br />
Water is a scarce and precious resource because as a small island city-state with<br />
an increasing demand for water, Singapore has to make every drop count.<br />
Rainwater that falls within the catchments areas is collected in reservoirs. Today,<br />
about half the area of Singapore is being utilised as catchments for rainwater<br />
collection. With plans to build more reservoirs, drains and canals, the local<br />
catchments will be expanded to about two-thirds of the island. Even as we increase<br />
sources, it is also important to keep water demand low.<br />
Core Strategies for Water Sustainability<br />
• Enhance robustness and resilience of water supply sources<br />
• Develop effective water-demand management strategies<br />
• Build up a vibrant water industry<br />
• Encourage greater private sector participation<br />
• Study and explore alternative policies, technologies and strategies to ensure<br />
long-term sustainability of Singapore’s water supply<br />
Public Health<br />
Singapore’s public health record is enviable. The country is respected<br />
internationally for its high standard of public health. It is one of only two<br />
Southeast Asian countries recognised by the World Health Organisation as<br />
having eradicated malaria (the other country is Brunei Darussalam). Cases<br />
of serious food-related illnesses, such as cholera and typhoid fever, which<br />
usually result from poor sanitation and low food hygiene standards, have<br />
been kept at a minimum. In 2003, there was only one local case of cholera<br />
and three cases of typhoid. This is no mean feat as Singapore is an ‘open<br />
city’, situated in a region that is endemic for various tropical diseases such as<br />
dengue fever and malaria.<br />
With so many people, ships, vehicles and aircraft coming and going across<br />
Singapore’s borders each day, and with the increasing numbers of new and<br />
mutated viruses in circulation, the country maintains its vigilance to prevent<br />
major outbreaks of known and potential diseases. Its high health standard has<br />
been achieved with the co-operation of the wider community and the country’s<br />
private sector.<br />
This article was contributed by IE Singapore.<br />
Water treatment facility<br />
<strong>ICA</strong> Volume 1 Issue 1 2007 3
Three Southeast-Asian<br />
Public Railway Systems<br />
Tanvir Orakzai compares three Southeast-Asian public railway systems: Singapore, Hong Kong and Bangkok in<br />
terms of common construction techniques and utilisation features, and also outlines specific architecture aspects<br />
each rail systems’ MRT stations.<br />
MRT (Mass Rapid Transit) is a transportation system<br />
designed to move large numbers of people in urban<br />
environments. The modern transit is an outgrowth of<br />
industrialisation and urbanisation. One of the most<br />
important modes of mass transit is via subway and<br />
surface-rail systems designed to commute between<br />
urban and suburban locations. The mass transit system<br />
works on a ‘fixed route’ system with<br />
little obstruction from conventional<br />
road traffic; the result is a gigantic<br />
people-moving machine that is the life<br />
blood of large modern cities. However,<br />
MRTs are not just about moving people,<br />
but they are used most by daily<br />
commuters.<br />
SINGAPORE’S MRT SYSTEM<br />
The Singapore Mass Rapid Transit<br />
(MRT) is a public rail system that forms<br />
the backbone of the Singapore’s<br />
commuter network. The origin of<br />
Singapore’s MRT System<br />
Quick Facts: Singapore MRT<br />
Singapore Rapid transit began<br />
operation 7 November 1987<br />
System length: 109.4 km<br />
No. of Lines: 3<br />
No. of stations: 64<br />
Daily commuters: approx.<br />
1.338 million (2005)<br />
Track gauge: 1435 mm<br />
(standard gauge)<br />
Operator: SMRT Corporation,<br />
SBS Transit<br />
Singapore’s MRT can be traced back to 1967 when city<br />
planners desired to have a public rail system to lessen<br />
traffic congestion in the small city-state. By 1987, the<br />
North-South Line (NS) consisting of five MRT stations<br />
started operation. In March 1988, 15 additional stations<br />
were added to the new system. The initial section of<br />
the MRT was opened in 1987, but the project was<br />
completed in 1990. In 2005, the average<br />
daily commuters reach about 1.3<br />
million—a 76% increase compared to<br />
1995. Currently, Singapore MRT has 64<br />
operating stations with a Line 109 km<br />
of track on standard gauges; the total<br />
cost of the Singapore MRT system is<br />
estimated at S$5 billion.<br />
Singapore’s Mass Rapid Transit<br />
system has subsequently been<br />
expanded to include the S$1.2 billion<br />
expansion of the North-South Line into<br />
Woodlands in the northern section of<br />
the island, and completing a<br />
continuous loop. The concept of having rail Lines that<br />
bring people almost directly to their homes led to the<br />
introduction of the Light Rapid Transit (LRT) system<br />
co- existing with and connected to the Mass Rapid<br />
Transit network. On 6 November 1999, the first LRT<br />
trains on the Bukit Panjang Line went into operation.<br />
To promote tourism, the Changi Airport and Expo MRT<br />
stations were built. The North-East (NE) Line, the first<br />
Line operated by SBS Transit, opened on 20 June 2003<br />
and became one of the first fully-automated public rail<br />
Lines in the world.<br />
All MRT stations are either aboveground or<br />
underground, except the Bishan station, which is at<br />
ground level. The underground stations can also serve<br />
as bomb shelters in time of emergency. Every station<br />
has four or more general ticketing machines, a<br />
passenger service centre, along with plasma TV display<br />
units providing travel time and pubic announcements.<br />
Most of Singapore’s MRT stations make available<br />
amenities such as public restrooms, pay telephones,<br />
ticketing machines, self-service automated kiosks<br />
(SAMs) and ATMs. Some of the<br />
MRT stations are located next<br />
to retail shops, supermarkets,<br />
restaurants and banks.<br />
Singapore’s early MRT<br />
stations were designed for<br />
basic functionality which is<br />
evident in the architecture of<br />
the North-South and the<br />
East-West Lines. However,<br />
more recent MRT stations<br />
incorporate a good combination<br />
of functionality and<br />
building aesthetics (e.g., colour<br />
and design). The Expo MRT<br />
station is adjacent to the<br />
100,000 sq.m. Singapore Expo<br />
convention facility. Designed<br />
by Foster and Partners, the<br />
Expo MRT station features a<br />
large pillar-less titanium clad<br />
roof in an elliptical shape that<br />
covers the full length of the<br />
station’s passenger platform.<br />
This complements a smaller<br />
40-metre reflective stainlesssteel<br />
disc overlapping the<br />
titanium ellipse that visually<br />
floats over a glass elevator<br />
shaft.<br />
At the Chinatown MRT<br />
station, traditional Chinese<br />
calligraphy is integrated into<br />
● See page 5<br />
4 <strong>ICA</strong> Volume 1 Issue 1 2007
Transportation<br />
● From page 4<br />
the floor design of the station. Some MRT stations have<br />
artists’ paintings and sculptures that represent images<br />
of past and present Singapore. The Woodlands MRT<br />
extension has introduced bold pieces of art such as<br />
hanging mobile sculptures. The North-East Line has a<br />
programme entitled “The Art In Transit” that portrays<br />
the works of 19 local artists which are integrated into<br />
the MRT buildings’ architecture.<br />
Quick Facts: Hong Kong<br />
MTR<br />
Began operation September 30,<br />
1979<br />
System length: 91.0 km or 56.5<br />
miles<br />
No. of Lines: 7<br />
No. of stations: 53<br />
Daily commuters: approx. 2.5<br />
million (July 2006)<br />
Track gauge: 1432 mm (near<br />
standard gauge)<br />
HONG KONG’S MTR<br />
SYSTEM<br />
During the 1960s, the Hong<br />
Kong government had to<br />
accommodate increasing<br />
vehicular and pedestrian<br />
traffic of the city due to rapid<br />
economic growth. British<br />
consultants Freeman Fox and<br />
Wilbur Smith Associates were<br />
employed to study the<br />
transport system of Hong<br />
Kong and to suggest ways to<br />
improve it. The study released<br />
by the consultants in 1967 proposed the construction of<br />
mass transit railway (MTR) system in Hong Kong. By<br />
1970s, an underground network of four Lines were laid<br />
out; in addition, Kwun Tong Line, Tsuen Wan Line,<br />
Island Line and East Kowloon Line were added later at<br />
a total cost of HK$4.1 billion.<br />
The Hong Kong MTR stations have similar design<br />
and available public facilities to Singapore’s MRT<br />
stations. Even though Hong Kong MTR stations are built<br />
for standard public functionality, the public rail stations<br />
are disabled-friendly. For example, there are dedicated<br />
spaces for people using wheel-chairs and for blind<br />
people via big entry and exit gates. Singapore MRT<br />
stations have many disabled-friendly facilities also and<br />
have clean toilets. The public toilets found at Hong<br />
Kong MTR stations are often not as hygienic.<br />
Hong Kong’s older MTR stations were functional<br />
edifices rather than aesthetically-satisfying buildings.<br />
In 1988, the Hong Kong government decided to change<br />
its policy by initiating the campaign ‘Art in MTR’. The<br />
MTR Corporation worked to make art a part of the MTR<br />
station architecture, especially in Hong Kong’s new<br />
MTR stations. Other than displaying artwork inside<br />
the large MTR stations, there have also been live<br />
performances and art exhibitions which make these<br />
MTR stations livelier places to frequent. The stations’<br />
halls are spacious and can accommodate big crowds<br />
of passengers and visitors. In some new Hong Kong<br />
MTR stations, the buildings’ architecture is very<br />
artistic; oftentimes, older stations are renovated<br />
utilising smaller works of art to make them more<br />
attractive places.<br />
The strategy of incorporating artistic elements into<br />
public railway facilities is meant to make the journey<br />
Bangkok’s ‘Skytrain’<br />
Hong Kong’s MTR System<br />
to and from their offices a pleasant experience for daily<br />
commuters.<br />
Hong Kong’s MTR has also built special stations for<br />
Disneyland Resort’s Sunny Bay Station and Disneyland<br />
Resort Station. The Disneyland Resort Station<br />
has a combined concourse and platform in the<br />
form of an open landscaped arena. Both of<br />
these public rail stations have Disney-themed<br />
trains, exclusively designed for Disney Land<br />
Park. A similar project is underway in<br />
Singapore for the planned Sentosa Island<br />
Integrated Resort in Singapore.<br />
BANGKOK’S MTS SYSTEM<br />
The Bangkok Mass Transit System (MTS) or<br />
‘Skytrain’ is an elevated metropolitan rail<br />
system built at the cost of US$1.8 billion. The<br />
Bangkok public rail network consists of two<br />
Lines: Sukhumvit Line and Silom Line. The<br />
Sukhumvit Line starts from the east at Sukhumvit<br />
Soi 81 and ends at the Mor Chit Bus Terminal in the<br />
north. The Sukhumvit Line is approximately 17 km<br />
in length and consists of 17 stations, including one<br />
common interchange station (Central Station). The<br />
Sukhumvit Line makes<br />
structural provisions for<br />
construction of one additional<br />
station in the future. The<br />
Silom Line is approximately<br />
6.5 km in length with seven<br />
stations, including the<br />
common interchange station.<br />
The total length of the track is<br />
about 23 km which is very<br />
short compared to Hong Kong<br />
and Singapore rail route.<br />
Every station consists of two<br />
levels consisting of a lower<br />
concourse with the ticketing<br />
service and entry gates that lead to a sheltered, train<br />
platform on an upper level.<br />
The purpose of the MTS project was to overcome<br />
the traffic congestion, and the design of the Bangkok<br />
MTS was based on the Vancouver SkyTrain in<br />
Canada. However, the Bangkok SkyTrain is unable<br />
to accommodate as many commuters as planned.<br />
Since 2005, passenger figures have reached 500,000—<br />
lower than Singapore’s and Hong Kong’s public rail<br />
commuter numbers. All the passenger stations of the<br />
Bangkok SkyTrain are elevated unlike Singapore and<br />
Hong Kong stations. The platforms are built to<br />
accommodate trains of six cars, but trains of only<br />
three cars are in operation. The first elevated level<br />
of the stations is accessed via stairs and escalators<br />
that contain ticket booths and kiosk-like shops<br />
similar to some Singapore MRT stations. A majority<br />
of the SkyTrain stations are built with side platforms<br />
that allow easy access to wheelchair-bound<br />
passengers entering from the streets. Unlike<br />
Singapore, security personnel are deployed<br />
throughout the SkyTrain stations at all times.<br />
Even though Bangkok MTS stations have basic<br />
amenities, such as newsstands, small shops, cafés,<br />
banking services and ATMs, the stations themselves<br />
lack many aesthetically pleasing aspects. The<br />
Bangkok MTS incorporates short rail routes that<br />
makes it less popular than taking other forms of<br />
public transportation, such as taxis, buses or tuk-tuks.<br />
Furthermore, the high cost of the SkyTrain project<br />
(US$1.8 billion) has led to higher fares and lower<br />
passenger rates. These problems can be overcome<br />
because there are plans to extend the public rail<br />
system to all major areas of Bangkok, but given<br />
Thailand’s past record of slow infrastructure<br />
development, it may take awhile before extensions<br />
to the Bangkok MTS are completed. ❏<br />
Quick Facts: Bangkok MTS<br />
Bangkok MTS/BTS became<br />
operational in 1999<br />
No. of station: 23<br />
No. of Lines: 2<br />
System length: 23 km<br />
Daily commuters: 500,000<br />
Operator: BTS<br />
<strong>ICA</strong> Volume 1 Issue 1 2007 5
Transportation<br />
The Advantages of Steel Fibre<br />
Reinforced Concrete (SFRC)<br />
The addition of steel fibres to concrete is an important step in research towards improving its properties. The<br />
areas of potential use are expanding. For example, steel fibres not only offer a solution for the low-tensile<br />
strength of concrete but give pseudo-ductile properties to brittle concrete. Finally, the steel fibres provide good<br />
energy-absorption which, in turn, offers a technical solution to certain specific loading conditions.<br />
FIBRE reinforced concrete is a composite material<br />
whose bearing strength is determined by the<br />
combination of its two constituent parts: the concrete<br />
and the fibres.<br />
P c<br />
= P m<br />
+ P f<br />
This assumes there is a close interaction between the<br />
two materials. Where a load is applied, this results in a<br />
deformation. Depending on the composite’s state of<br />
deformation of the composite, this interaction is<br />
governed by (1) the ratio between the elasticity moduli<br />
(n = E f<br />
/E m<br />
), (2) the transmission of the stress from the<br />
concrete to the fibres, and (3) the uniformity of<br />
distribution of the fibres.<br />
Steel fibres with hooked ends maximise these<br />
interaction fibres because the use of high-tensile drawn<br />
steel wire and the anchored hooked ends of the fibres,<br />
which make it possible to use the whole length of fibre<br />
to transmit the maximum amount of force and to<br />
prevent any splitting force from being exerted on the<br />
concrete. Furthermore, a uniform distribution of fibres<br />
in the concrete is obtained via the easy handling quality<br />
of steel fibre bundles.<br />
Reinforcement with steel fibres only show its full<br />
value in the post-elastic deformation phase. The sudden<br />
brittle failure of reinforced concrete is transformed into<br />
slow, controlled crack propagation under the influences<br />
of forces such as compression, tension, flexure, shear,<br />
shrinkage and creep. The intrinsic qualities of using<br />
steel fibres are fully revealed when they span hairline<br />
cracks in the concrete and absorb the tensile forces<br />
present. This process is related to the fibres’ hooks<br />
which are fixed in the concrete and continues until a<br />
high maximum pulling-out force is reached. To avoid<br />
sudden failure of the concrete, the quality of the steel is<br />
selected so that the breaking strength of the fibres is<br />
only exceeded in exceptional cases.<br />
In the case of further loading, the width of the crack<br />
will increase due to the pulling-out of the fibre as the<br />
hooks of the fibre undergo plastic deformation. This<br />
plastic deformation under high tensile stresses is one<br />
of the principle characteristics of steel fibres, and it<br />
allows the steel fibre concrete to achieve a high degree<br />
of toughness (ductility).<br />
As applied to concrete tunnel linings, worldrenowned<br />
expert on the subject of steel fibre reinforced<br />
concrete Mr Ir. Marc Vandewalle stated in a presentation<br />
in Singapore in 2006 sponsored by The Institute of<br />
Engineers Australia that the technical advantages of<br />
using steel fibre reinforced concrete (SFRC) include<br />
homogenous distribution, multidirectional reinforcement,<br />
excellent corrosion resistance, high-impact<br />
resistance and excellent control of shrinkage cracks, thus<br />
allowing for a more cost-effective and environmentallyfriendly<br />
engineering solution than using the standard<br />
reinforcement-cage alternative. ❏<br />
About the Company<br />
BEKAERT began as a small manufacturing<br />
and trading company founded by Leo Leander<br />
Bekaert in 1880 in the city of Zwevegem,<br />
Belgium, which is still home to Bekaert’s head<br />
office. Over the years, the company has grown<br />
into an international wire and wire-related<br />
products company, with manufacturing facilities<br />
in Europe, North and South America, Asia, and<br />
offices all over the world.<br />
Bekaert employs close to 18,000 people<br />
worldwide and has an annual sales volume of<br />
nearly US$3 billion. Because there is still a strong<br />
need for manufactured goods, particularly wire<br />
products, Bekaert is expanding every year with<br />
new products and technology to keep up with<br />
world demand.<br />
As a world leader in advanced metal<br />
transformation and advanced materials and<br />
coatings, Bekaert is also known in the concrete<br />
industry as the manufacturer of premiumquality,<br />
cold-drawn, hooked-end steel fibres<br />
under the trade name Dramix ® which turns<br />
concrete (a normally brittle material) into a<br />
ductile one when added to a concrete mix. ❏<br />
SFRC segmented tunnel linings<br />
6 <strong>ICA</strong> Volume 1 Issue 1 2007
Putrajaya Perdana Berhad:<br />
Pioneering Malaysia’s<br />
Energy Efficiency (EE)<br />
Developments<br />
Advertorial<br />
PPB Building<br />
LEO Building<br />
INCORPORATED in July 1998 to serve as the corporate vehicle for the joint development of Putrajaya – the new<br />
federal capital known as the ‘Intelligent Garden City’ – Putrajaya Perdana Berhad (PPB) is at Malaysia’s forefront of<br />
energy efficiency (EE) developments. Among its other subsidiaries, Putra Perdana Construction Sdn Bhd. is recognised<br />
for design and build projects, whereas Putra Perdana Development Sdn Bhd. develops premium energy-efficient homes.<br />
PPB’s projects include bridges, ports, international clubs, shopping centres, factories, theme-park resorts, luxury homes<br />
and premium offices.<br />
Amongst PPB’s illustrious projects, three are highlighted: the LEO, ZEO and ST ‘Diamond’ buildings. These three structures<br />
reflect PPB’s capability and commitment to construct EE buildings and Malaysia’s tenacity in making Malaysia an energyefficient<br />
‘green’ country. Of the three projects, PPB is currently constructing the Zero Energy Office for Pusat Tenaga Malaysia<br />
(PTM).<br />
The LEO Building<br />
Putra Perdana Construction Sdn Bhd. in cooperation with the Danish Agency for International Development Assistance<br />
(DANIDA) designed the Ministry of Energy, Water and Communications Low-Energy Office (MEWC LEO). As an energyefficient<br />
and low-environmental-impact edifice, the MEWC LEO is designed to meet the criteria of all LEO buildings; namely,<br />
to reduce energy consumption to 135 kWh/m 2 /yr or lower according to the Malaysian Standard MS 1525:2001 Code of<br />
Practice On Energy Efficiency and Use of Renewable Energy for Non-Residential Buildings. MEWC LEO has exceeded the<br />
requirements of MS 1525 and has measured post-occupancy energy index of only 114 kWh/m 2 /yr, that sets a new<br />
benchmark for other EE buildings. For this the MEWC LEO was awarded by the ASEAN Energy Centre the 2006 ASEAN<br />
Energy Efficiency & Conservation (EE & C) Best Practices for Energy Efficient Buildings (New and Existing Category). In<br />
comparison, most buildings in Malaysia and around the ASEAN region have energy indices ranging from 200-300 kWh/<br />
m 2 /yr.<br />
ST ‘Diamond’ Building<br />
The proposed ST Diamond Building will be an eight-storey corporate office of Suruhanjaya Tenaga (Malaysia’s Energy<br />
Commission) on Lot 2C15 in Precinct 2, Putrajaya. It will reflect the vision of the Energy Commission as the regulatory<br />
body of the country’s energy resources.<br />
The ST Diamond Building is designed specifically for Malaysia’s hot, humid climate, and the architects’ vision was to<br />
create a structure optimised for energy conservation, not just exhibiting good aesthetic qualities. Its design concept is<br />
based on an integration of disparate disciplines such as science, engineering, information technology, architecture and<br />
economics. As such, the building’s architectural design incorporates novel design ideas via the application of new<br />
technology and modern construction methods. Different engineering systems are integrated and combined in order to<br />
enhance the building’s overall performance. Integrated systems include passive systems (natural lighting, ventilation,<br />
insulation, shading), active systems (air-conditioning, artificial lightings, building automation system) and the building<br />
energy management systems.<br />
The design concept and philosophy of the ST Diamond Building focuses on its environmental context and also its<br />
architectural uniqueness. In terms of design, the building will serve as (a) a landmark for the city, (b) an architectural model<br />
for Malaysia’s hot and humid climate, (c) an example of optimum energy efficiency, (d) a high-quality work place for<br />
employees, (e) a new standard for the country’s Building Energy Index, and (f) a low-maintenance edifice.<br />
EE Luxury Homes<br />
PPB’s subsidiary Putra Perdana Development Sdn Bhd. develops EE luxury homes such as Danau Palma housing estate in<br />
Putrajaya. With impressive scenic views and opulent interiors, these luxurious ‘dream homes’ are very energy efficient. For<br />
example, the residential buildings are equipped with large roof overhangs, thermally-insulated roofs, thermal walls and<br />
low-emissive glass windows to minimise heat transmission from the outside to the buildings’ interiors. Grid-connected<br />
Building Integrated Photovoltaic (BIPV) panels are also fitted to generate electricity as individually licensed IPP’s<br />
(Independent Power Producers) to supplement the premises’ own energy consumption.<br />
PPB has also received a number of accolades which include the following from the Construction<br />
Industry Development Board of Malaysia (CIDB): •2003: Excellence Award for Major<br />
Engineering Project for the MEWC LEO • 2002: Builder’s Award for Commercial/Office<br />
Building Project for the Ministry of Finance building in Putrajaya • 2000: Builder’s Award for<br />
Large Scale Project for the Parcel D Government Office Complex in Putrajaya<br />
For more information, please contact:<br />
ST Diamond Building<br />
PTM ZEO Building<br />
No.5, Jalan P16, Precinct 16, 62150 Putrajaya, Malaysia. Tel: (03) 8886-8888; Fax: (03) 8886-8886<br />
Website: www.p-perdana.com Email: info@p-perdana.com
Bitumen: A Growing<br />
Energy Source in Asia<br />
Over the last few years, most countries worldwide<br />
have seen a steady increase in the price of fuel oil<br />
and natural gas for power generation. Coupled<br />
with steep rise in power demand due to<br />
manufacturing needs and urban development, the<br />
need to source for a practical and cheap alternative<br />
fuel (especially in China and India) is a critical<br />
factor towards further development. Failure to do<br />
so may lead to high inflationary economies or a<br />
country’s manufacturing activity may be forced<br />
into decline. Bitumen-based emulsion fuel seems<br />
to be a viable solution to help avoid these<br />
problems.<br />
ORIMULSION is the trade name given to the liquid bitumen-based fuel that was<br />
designed for industrial power plant boilers use. The technology is developed by Intevep,<br />
the research and development affiliate of Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA). Natural bitumen<br />
extracted is emulsified with water at a 7:3 ratio, with a minute amount (less than 1%) of<br />
surfactant added. The resulting product is called Orimulsion. It can be pumped, stored,<br />
transported and handled with relative ease. In addition, it can be used in conventional<br />
power plants to replace fuel oil with some modifications to meet environmental discharge<br />
requirements.<br />
Orimulsion has relatively high amount of sulphur content (2.8%) and generate high<br />
particulates. Therefore, a Flue Gas Desulphurising system (FGD) has to be installed to<br />
remove the sulphur-dioxide from the exhaust flue gas stream. In addition, electrostatic<br />
precipitators (ESP) will be required for removal of the particulates produced by the<br />
combustion of Orimulsion. As a fuel for electricity generation, Orimulsion has a number<br />
of attractive characteristics:<br />
• The known reserves of bitumen are very large;<br />
• It is currently priced to be competitive with internationally traded coal;<br />
• It is easy to ignite and has good combustion characteristics;<br />
Annual consumption of Orimulsion amounts to more than 5 million tons in year<br />
2000. Power plants in Canada, Japan, China, Lithuania and Germany have since switched<br />
Bitumen sand pit<br />
Asphalt is a common bitumen product.<br />
8 <strong>ICA</strong> Volume 1 Issue 1 2007
Energy<br />
the fuel source to Orimulsion with positive results. Estimated fuel cost saving of an<br />
existing conventional power plant is about 25% (compared to using fuel oil), after<br />
necessary modifications to the base unit to meet environmental discharge limits.<br />
For fast-developing countries, like China (PRC), energy needs and developments<br />
are increasing at very steep rates, so their growth will be dependent on their ability to<br />
cope with ever-increasing electrical demands. In order to satisfy such increasing power<br />
demand, a country such as China (PRC) will need to import vast amounts of relatively<br />
cheap alternative fuel to meet power-generation requirements. Though China has an<br />
abundant supply of coal, the extraction rate could not cope with the raising demand and<br />
safety of the coal mining industry remain as a major concern. Orimulsion seems to be<br />
a viable solution to their energy needs.<br />
However, two recent developments have somehow disrupted the production and<br />
export of Orimulsion. First, the invasion of US army into Iraq and the subsequent<br />
unrest caused the crude oil prices to shoot up beyond US$60 per barrel. It is believed<br />
that the selling price of Orimulsion to the Chinese oil firms is approximately US$200<br />
per ton. This makes Orimulsion, which is pegged to the price of coal, extremely<br />
attractive, and the Venezuelan suppliers are quickly realising that they are subsidising<br />
foreign power generation. Second, the recent internal labour unrest in Venezuela has led<br />
to a major strike in PDVSA. Most of the engineers were fired as punishment, and so<br />
Orimulsion fell out of favour with the key political leaders. As a result, the government<br />
of Venezuela is trying to ‘wind down’ to the Orimulsion programme.<br />
In fact, one of the production sites has already been shut, while the other remaining<br />
site will likely follow suit by the end of December 2007. Most Orimulsion supply<br />
agreement contracts have been terminated, and no new supply contracts of Orimulsion<br />
will be signed. The only exception is the continuation of the supply of the emulsion fuel<br />
to two of China’s (PRC) oil firms. This is due to the strong political ties among China,<br />
Cuba, and Venezuela. The government of Venezuela explains their abrupt action by<br />
indicating that the reserved used for Orimulsion production is actually identified as<br />
‘extra-heavy crude oil’, not bitumen. Hence, it is not deemed a ‘precious reserve’. In the<br />
coming years, it is not expected that the use of Orimulsion in Asia will re-surface,<br />
unless there will be moderate adjustment to the pricing of the bitumen-based emulsion<br />
fuel and the labour relationship between PDVSA and the government has improved.<br />
Multiphase Superfine Atomised Residue (MSAR)<br />
MSAR is a new stable oil-in-water emulsion fuel system developed by Akzo Nobel<br />
Surface Chemistry AB of Sweden. MSAR has only less than two years of marketing<br />
history, and it is not clear if there are confirmed customers outside Canada yet. This<br />
product is protected by license agreements and patents held by Akzo Nobel and Colt<br />
Technologies Inc. of Canada. Quadrise Canada has the exclusive rights for the use of<br />
MSAR emulsion fuel technology in Canada.<br />
The composition, stability and burning efficiency of MSAR are very similar to that<br />
of Orimulsion. Both are expected to be practical and cost-effective alternative fuels<br />
based on bitumen to replace fuel oil and natural gas. Both required FGD facilities to<br />
remove the sulphur oxides formed when burning. However, MSAR technology offers<br />
two major differences of production and operation aspects compared to Orimulsion.<br />
Two advantages of using MSAR over Orimulsion include:<br />
• The fuel can be customised from various feed stock, ranging from bitumen to heavy<br />
hydrocarbons, offering an ideal disposal method for refinery heavy residue.<br />
• It is manufactured on site, thereby avoiding transportation risks involved in shipping<br />
the emulsion fuel to end users’ locations.<br />
Basically the MSAR process involved setting up a compact production module at<br />
customers’ site to generate the emulsion fuel via mixing local bitumen feed, water and<br />
Petroleum distillation towers<br />
surfactant. The product can then be stored away for power generation later. In the<br />
MSAR process, the heavy oil residue / bitumen particles are milled to approximately<br />
3 - 5 microns in diameter. This is somewhat smaller than the typical atomised droplets of<br />
50 microns in fuel oil. It is also smaller to those produced in Orimulsion technology.<br />
Currently, Quadrise Canada is marketing MSAR with an added advantage to potential<br />
customers, and identifying security in supply is a consideration that must be pondered<br />
when selecting bitumen-based emulsion fuels.<br />
While this new option of bitumen-based fuels may not solve the availability of energysource<br />
problems, it does look attractive for countries that operate huge refineries and<br />
already have experience handling heavy residue and also have on-site FGD facilities. It<br />
is no surprise that two state-owned refineries in India are believed to be interested in<br />
such a model to reduce fuel cost. For the smaller power stations, this technology may<br />
prove to offer no advantages due to the lack of adequate economical supply of bitumen/<br />
heavy residue, or the savings may not be attractive compared to the required initial<br />
capital investment.<br />
Summary<br />
Orimulsion production and sales to China and Japan was gaining very strong<br />
momentum in since early 2000. However, this program was halted abruptly elsewhere,<br />
and China is currently the only customer that will have the supply agreement contract<br />
honoured till end 2007. The continued supply of Orimulsion looks unlikely unless the<br />
price is adjusted to reflect its true value currently. MSAR is another option for big<br />
refineries in Asia. It is manufactured on-site and does not have as many supply or<br />
transportation problems and restrictions. However, this technology is costly at initial<br />
stages as a process hardware unit (capital investment) is required to be installed before<br />
benefits can be realised. Indian refineries are keen on taking up such options because of<br />
the advantage via economy-of-scale.<br />
The use of bitumen as alternate energy source in Asia has begun, and its usage will<br />
definitely grow as it provides an option to fight increasing fuel costs. As it turns out, the<br />
most-likely users willing to make the switch are also the biggest fuel consumers. ❏<br />
This article was submitted by Mr. Goh Hong Hoo, Senior Lecturer, Nangyang Polytechnic, School<br />
of Chemical and Life Sciences who is an expert in bitumen and petroleum-related products.<br />
A Bit About Bitumen<br />
NATURAL Bitumen is a mixture of organic liquids that consists of very large<br />
hydrocarbon molecules, mainly comprising of multiple cyclic aromatics. It is<br />
black, highly viscous and sticky. In other words, it is basically thick oil that does<br />
not flow at moderate temperatures or cannot be pumped without being heated<br />
or diluted. Many geologists believe that the natural bitumen deposits are formed<br />
from the remains of ancient, microscopic algae and other prehistoric once-living<br />
plants. These organisms died, and their remains were deposited in the mud on<br />
the bottom of oceans or lakes where they once thrived. Under the pressure and<br />
heat of burial deep in the earth, the remains were transformed over time into<br />
crude petroleum materials and bitumen.<br />
Geographically, bitumen is found throughout the world. The greatest<br />
potential resources are identified mainly in Venezuela, Canada and Russia.<br />
However, the actual available sources could be much larger. It is believed that<br />
many possible bitumen deposit occurring locations are not documented, unless<br />
they can meet economical extraction/market conditions. Hence, it will not be a<br />
surprise if more bitumen / heavy oils reserves are declared later. The bitumen<br />
deposits in Orinoco Oil Belt, a part of the Eastern Venezuela basin, represent<br />
nearly 50% of the world documented and extractable bitumen reserves at 1.2<br />
trillion barrels. In Alberta, Canada natural bitumen deposits represent up to about<br />
35% of the world reserves. Logically, these two countries have the most active<br />
research programmes to extract bitumen, and they also to make full use of their<br />
reserves potential.<br />
Bitumen is primarily used for paving roads. Other conventional uses include<br />
general waterproofing products (including boats), roofing felt and for sealing<br />
flat roofs. Bitumen emulsions are two-phase systems consisting of bitumen, water<br />
and one or more additives to assist in the formation and stabilisation of the<br />
emulsion. Such emulsions help to avoid the requirement of heating since they<br />
are ready to use products. As a result, there is less atmosphere pollution and less<br />
heating energy used for laying and maintenance of roads. Recent technological<br />
development also allow bitumen emulsions to be used as a commercial boiler<br />
fuel in power plants in Canada, China, Japan and Germany. Such bitumen-based<br />
fuel is formed via mixing bitumen with fresh water and an alcohol-based<br />
surfactant. The resulting mixture has properties very similar to the conventional<br />
fuel oil or natural gas, thus making it easier to be transported and combusting<br />
fully in air.<br />
Raw bitumen has proportionally more carbon atoms than hydrogen atoms.<br />
Elemental analysis of bitumen shows that most contain 82 to 88% Carbon; 8 to<br />
11% hydrogen; 1 to 6% sulphur and 0 to 2 % of oxygen and nitrogen. This heavy<br />
carbon weightage property makes bitumen having a tendency to generate heavy<br />
particulates in the effluent when burned. Bitumen may be waxy, and also contains<br />
several heavy metals such as vanadium, nickel, chromium, mercury, lead and<br />
arsenic, selenium and other toxic elements. It is whole soluble in carbon disulfide.<br />
The chemical composition of bitumen is extremely complex. A complete analysis<br />
of bitumen would be very laborious and also impractical, if not possible. In<br />
general, however, it is possible to separate bitumen into saturates, aromatics and<br />
resins.<br />
Bitumen is also produced in bottom-residue fraction of the fractional<br />
distillation of crude oil in the refineries. It appears as the heaviest fraction and<br />
with the highest boiling point. From the properties described above, it is not<br />
difficult to imagine that there will be an array of problems compared to other<br />
petroleum-based energy sources with respect to exploitation, transportation,<br />
storage and refining of bitumen. This is reflected in the relatively high cost<br />
involved in extraction and processing bitumen, as well as the physical limitations<br />
of production capacity. ❏<br />
<strong>ICA</strong> Volume 1 Issue 1 2007 9
Energy<br />
MBIPV: Malaysia Building<br />
Integrated Photovoltaics<br />
WITH the Malaysian economy out of the economic downturn of 1997-2000<br />
that hit the ASEAN region, coupled with an optimistic medium-term outlook<br />
of the Malaysian economy, future demand for electricity is expected to increase<br />
significantly. In future, demand is forecasted to grow at an average rate of 6<br />
to 8% per annum. System peak demand is forecasted to increase from 10 GW<br />
in 2000 to 15 GW in 2005 and 22 GW in 2010 for the peninsula. A total of 10<br />
GW of new generation capacity will be planted up and commissioned between<br />
2003 until the year 2010, 6 GW will be coal fired power plants and the<br />
remaining 4 GW will be natural gas-fired power plants. This additional coal<br />
and gas-fired generators (10 GW in total) will emit from 2010, additional 34<br />
million tons CO 2<br />
(coal) and 8 million tons CO 2<br />
(gas) per year. This will lead to<br />
a tremendous increase in GHG emissions, thus causing more serious problem<br />
to the global environment.<br />
To mitigate the problem, Malaysia is increasing its efforts to promote<br />
renewable energy and energy efficiency, especially in buildings. Malaysia has<br />
one of the fastest growing building industries<br />
worldwide, where the corresponding energy<br />
demand would significantly increase in the next<br />
coming years. Conducive conditions such as<br />
forecast increase in electricity demand, available<br />
building spaces and the huge untapped solar<br />
energy potential point clearly towards an<br />
implementation of the BIPV (Building Integrated<br />
Photovoltaic) technology in Malaysia. Considering<br />
the synergies and benefits of BIPV application, the<br />
technology will have an important and sustainable<br />
impact to the buildings market and is able to<br />
substitute part of the conventional fossil-fired<br />
electricity generators.<br />
There is a growing awareness and concern in<br />
the supply of energy particularly on the issue of<br />
carbon emissions and global warming. Under the<br />
Third Outline Perspective Plan (OPP3), the<br />
government is undertaking efforts to manage both<br />
non-renewable and renewable energy (RE)<br />
resources to cater for the demand of the rapidly<br />
growing economy. Furthermore, to supplement the<br />
conventional supply of energy, new sources of<br />
energy such as renewable energy (RE) are being<br />
encouraged. Thus, the OPP3 has adopted RE as Photovoltaic Architecture<br />
Malaysia’s fifth fuel resource, in addition to oil,<br />
gas, coal and hydro-power.<br />
The baseline scenario shows that currently, biomass is being actively<br />
developed as RE resource due to its availability. Other RE resource such as<br />
solar energy, in general, and solar energy applications like grid-connected<br />
BIPV, in particular, has remained in the sidelines mainly due to its relatively<br />
high cost. In the case of grid-connected BIPV, there is a perception that the<br />
technology is ‘exotic’ and ‘unproven’ in Malaysia. Initial assessment indicated<br />
that the current business environment does not support widespread adoption<br />
of grid-connected BIPV technology as a commercially viable RE technology<br />
in Malaysia, despite the fact that the BIPV performance is better and the<br />
absolute energy cost is lower that those systems installed in Europe and Japan.<br />
Due to the present high initial price and lack of the enabling environment,<br />
the economics of the BIPV technology is unattractive. However, the technology<br />
price can only be reduced when there is a sustainable BIPV market.<br />
Unfortunately, a sustainable market cannot be established for as long as the<br />
economics of the technology is unfavorable. Thus, it is a ‘chicken and egg’<br />
situation.<br />
Without appropriate activities in the<br />
establishment of an enabling environment for BIPV<br />
– both for the public and private sectors – the<br />
current state-of-affairs will undoubtedly lead to<br />
uncoordinated efforts, characterised by no<br />
improvement in quality issues, policy and<br />
institutional deficiencies, inadequate investment in<br />
improving the technical skills and no cost<br />
reduction for the technology. A sustainable market<br />
and thus cost reduction achieved through<br />
improvement of technical skills, better<br />
procurement and lower transaction costs, scale of<br />
volume and local manufacturing cannot be<br />
established without the appropriate activities.<br />
Project Rationale, Objective, Outputs<br />
and Activities<br />
The Malaysia Building Integrated Photovoltaic<br />
(BIPV) Technology Application Project, MBIPV, is<br />
intended to induce the long-term cost reduction of<br />
the non-emitting GHG technology (i.e. the<br />
Net-Metering<br />
photovoltaic or PV) via integration of the PV technology within building designs<br />
and envelopes. It is aimed at creating a sustainable BIPV market in Malaysia<br />
that will generate widespread BIPV applications. Over the lifetime of the expected<br />
installed BIPV capacity from the project, the energy generated will avoid 65,100<br />
tons of CO 2<br />
emissions from the country’s power sector, in addition to contributing<br />
towards the national energy policy objectives.<br />
The MBIPV project will specifically focus on the market development for BIPV<br />
technology, and building the national capacities on three major areas: (a) policy<br />
and education; (b) technical skill and market implementation; (c) technology<br />
development support. The project will catalyse BIPV technology acceptance<br />
among the public, policy makers, financiers and building industry, which will<br />
lead towards a sustainable BIPV market beyond the completion of the project.<br />
The project objectives will be achieved via a multi-pronged approach: (1) BIPV<br />
information services, awareness and capacity building programs; (2) BIPV market<br />
enhancement and infrastructure development; (3) BIPV policies and financing<br />
mechanisms program; (4) BIPV Industry<br />
Development and R&D enhancement program.<br />
Key Indicators, Assumption and Risks<br />
The project’s key success indicators are: (1) Total<br />
GHG emissions avoided from the power sector is<br />
about 65,100 tons CO 2<br />
over the lifetime of the<br />
installed BIPV capacity by the year 2010, relative to<br />
the baseline in the year 2005; (2) Increased installed<br />
BIPV capacity by about 330% over the project<br />
implementation period, resulting from 1.5 MWp of<br />
new BIPV capacity by the year 2010; (3) Reduced cost<br />
of BIPV technology by about 20% by the year 2010,<br />
relative to the baseline in the year 2005; (4) About<br />
30% annual growth of BIPV capacity and average 30%<br />
BIPV cost reduction, from year 2010 to 2020, made<br />
possible by the integration and implementation of<br />
National BIPV programs in the 10 th Malaysia Plan<br />
(2011-2015).<br />
The major assumptions in achieving the project<br />
goal and purpose are: (1) International BIPV markets<br />
and industries grow according to business as usual;<br />
(2) The owners of the BIPV installations comply with<br />
the monitoring and reporting requirements of the<br />
project; (3) Estimation of GHG emissions reduction<br />
from various sources are consistent and reliable; (4)<br />
Strong interest, support and commitment from the Government and industry.<br />
The overall project risk is moderate. The different levels of risks that were<br />
identified during the project formulation are as follows: (1) Lack of competency,<br />
awareness and interest from the government sector – moderate risk; (2) Lack of<br />
cooperation by the private sector – moderate risk; (3) Technology risk – low risk;<br />
(4) Market risk – moderate risk. In terms of country eligibility, Malaysia has<br />
ratified the UNFCCC on 13 July 1994.<br />
The Third Outline Perspective Plan (OPP3) and the Eighth Malaysia Plan (8 th<br />
MP) are the two main policy references for the promotion and development of<br />
renewable energy (RE) in Malaysia. The main thrusts of OPP3 are: (a) To ensure<br />
adequate, secure, quality and cost-effective supply of energy; (b) To promote<br />
efficient energy utilisation and minimise negative impacts on the environment;<br />
(c) To encourage utilisation of renewable energy (RE) to supplement the<br />
conventional energy supply. The Fifth Fuel Policy introduced in the year 2000<br />
under the 8 th MP, identified RE as Malaysia’s fifth fuel in addition to gas, oil,<br />
coal and hydro. The Malaysian Government has also set a target to achieve 5%<br />
of the national electricity production (about 600 MW)<br />
from RE by 2005. The UNDP-GEF supported MIEEIP<br />
and Biogen projects are clear manifestations of<br />
Malaysia’s commitment to reduce GHG emissions<br />
from energy-related development and economic<br />
activities.<br />
Building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) provides<br />
opportunity to utilise RE in urban areas where the<br />
bulk of the nation’s electricity is consumed. BIPV<br />
involves integration of PV systems into building<br />
envelopes and also promotes demand-side<br />
management. BIPV can technically generate 11 GWp<br />
of electricity, based on the available roof spaces from<br />
the Malaysia’s residential and commercial building<br />
sectors. This technical potential capacity could<br />
produce more than 12,000 GWh of peak electricity<br />
and cover 20% of the current national electricity<br />
demand. As part of the RE development under the<br />
Fifth Fuel Policy, the Ministry of Energy,<br />
Communications and Multimedia (MECM)<br />
recognises the long-term potential of solar energy,<br />
especially for PV in buildings, which will require<br />
10 <strong>ICA</strong> Volume 1 Issue 1 2007
Energy<br />
different institutional supports in comparison to the<br />
Biomass application. The GOM, through the MECM<br />
is committed to implement the MBIPV project with<br />
the support and assistance from the GEF in order<br />
to realize this long-term solar energy potential in<br />
Malaysia.<br />
A PV system, either a stand-alone or a gridconnected,<br />
is classified as a BIPV system whenever<br />
the PV is aesthetically integrated into the building<br />
architecture and envelope. Most of the BIPV<br />
applications today are grid-connected systems that<br />
are applied in urban areas. The stand-alone PV is a<br />
system installation that requires a battery to operate<br />
and is mostly applied in remote areas. A standalone<br />
PV only produces electricity for the intended<br />
use (e.g., household electricity consumption,<br />
telecommunication systems and navigational<br />
systems).<br />
A building integrated PV (BIPV) system will not<br />
only produce electricity, but will also be an integral<br />
part of the building envelope, with a specific<br />
function (e.g. window shading device, roof,<br />
decorative building façade). Hence, the substituted<br />
building materials will partially offset the BIPV<br />
technology cost. Also, land space for the technology<br />
application will not be an issue. BIPV systems, in<br />
almost all cases, will also improve the aesthetic<br />
exterior appearance of the building.<br />
The most important benefits of BIPV, especially<br />
in urban areas, will be the opportunity to utilize<br />
PV technology without the need of land-use. As the Solar Panels on Residential Building<br />
cost of land is significant in urban areas, BIPV will<br />
allow the utilization of PV technology to generate electricity without incurring<br />
the additional cost of the land-use.<br />
BIPV is a different technology approach compared to a stand-alone PV<br />
application. It is well accepted among the PV industry that BIPV offers greater<br />
benefits in comparison to stand-alone PV application. A sustainable BIPV market<br />
means that the prospective users of the technology can afford and will continue<br />
to apply the technology. Such customers are available in the urban areas. Thus,<br />
urban BIPV application will provide greater chances of success in comparison to<br />
stand-alone PV, which are mainly applied in remote locations.<br />
The MBIPV project will catalyse the wider adoption of grid-connected BIPV<br />
applications. The project strategies focus on implementation of cost-reduction<br />
and capacity building activities, which include showcases of BIPV to demonstrate<br />
various possibilities and essential references in utilising BIPV technology. In<br />
parallel, information dissemination and promotion activities will be carried out.<br />
The various project components are designed specifically to achieve the longterm<br />
cost reduction of grid-connected BIPV applications in Malaysia. The<br />
activities are intended to build on the existing capacity already available in<br />
Malaysia. The combined effects of the MBIPV project activities are expected to<br />
‘jump-start’ BIPV applications and BIPV market in Malaysia.<br />
The goal of the project is to reduce the annual growth rate of GHG emissions<br />
from fossil fuel-fired power generators, via the widespread implementation of<br />
BIPV application to replace part of the current fossil fuel use, and via the cost<br />
reduction of the BIPV technology. The project purpose is to significantly improve<br />
the overall capacity of government and private sectors, to develop, design and<br />
utilise BIPV energy potential, as well as to develop local BIPV industry. It will<br />
address the GEF strategic priority on market aggregation, product innovation<br />
and capacity building specifically for<br />
BIPV technology. The proposed project<br />
is made up of four components that will<br />
address in an integrated manner the<br />
long-term cost reduction of BIPV<br />
technology, and the adoption of<br />
supportive regulatory frameworks for<br />
BIPV sustainability and replicability.<br />
Financial Modality and Cost<br />
Effectiveness<br />
Sustainability is an integral element of<br />
the MBIPV project, and it is ensured<br />
through the outputs of the project<br />
components. The National PV Council<br />
(NPVC), which will be industry driven,<br />
will continue to spearhead and sustain<br />
the activities after the project life. The<br />
Malaysia Energy Center (PTM), as the<br />
government’s think-tank on energy<br />
related issues, will become the advocate<br />
and catalyst for BIPV development<br />
within the national framework. The<br />
improved capacity of the local industry<br />
– together with the availability of<br />
standards, training modules and<br />
resource center – will ensure that the<br />
local players can continue to design and<br />
install BIPV systems. The developed<br />
BIPV policy and financing mechanisms<br />
(including an attractive buyback tariff)<br />
will ensure continuous and sustainable<br />
follow-up BIPV programs within the<br />
10th Malaysia Plan and subsequent five-<br />
year development plans of the country.<br />
During the PDF-B project activities, a large<br />
number of stakeholders have been consulted in<br />
the formulation of the project. Overall, more<br />
than 120 different stakeholders were involved<br />
during the LFA workshops, in addition to<br />
numerous stakeholders’ meetings and<br />
participation of more than 220 participants<br />
during the national BIPV seminar. These<br />
stakeholders include government agencies,<br />
financial institutions, power utilities, service<br />
providers, PV manufacturers, project<br />
developers, architects, professionals<br />
associations, NGOs and others. To continue with<br />
this broad consulting approach, the MBIPV<br />
project will draw upon the NPVC to induce<br />
participation and represent those stakeholders,<br />
as well as providing links to other national and<br />
international institutions.<br />
Excluding the PDF-B activities, the total<br />
estimated MBIPV project cost is US$ 24,959,160.<br />
From this, a total of US$ 20,259,740 (51% cash<br />
and 30% in-kind) will be used for baseline<br />
activities. The rest (US$ 4,699,420) are for the<br />
incremental activities that will be supported by<br />
the GEF. The Government of Malaysia and the<br />
private sector (national and international) will<br />
co-finance the baseline cost.<br />
The US$ 4,699,420 fund request from GEF<br />
will be utilised as follows: (a) US$ 2,551,000<br />
(54%) for personnel and mission costs to<br />
implement all project component activities; (b)<br />
US$ 764,210 (16%) for various capacity building and training activities; (c)<br />
US$ 1,200,000 (26%) for enhancement of the local market and purchase of the<br />
necessary BIPV equipment and hardware; (d) US$ 184,210 (4%) for subcontract<br />
and sub-consultancy costs to undertake various surveys and business<br />
development models. ❏<br />
PROJECT FACTS:<br />
Agency’s Project ID: 2754<br />
Country: Malaysia<br />
Project Title: Building Integrated Photovoltaic (BiPV) Technology Application<br />
Project<br />
GEF Agency: United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)<br />
Duration: Five Years<br />
GEF Focal Area: Climate Change<br />
GEF Operational Programme: OP-7; Reduction of Long-Term Costs of Low<br />
Greenhouse Gas-Emitting Energy Technologies<br />
GEF Strategic Priority: (S5) Global Market Aggregation and National Innovation<br />
for Emerging Technologies<br />
<strong>ICA</strong> Volume 1 Issue 1 2007 11
E<br />
nergy<br />
Photovoltaic Basics<br />
How it works<br />
Photovoltaic (PV) is the direct conversion of light into<br />
electricity. The term combines the Greek word photon for<br />
light, and the unit for electric tension volt. The photovoltaic<br />
principle was already observed by the French physicist<br />
AE Becquerel as far back as 1839. A solar cell converts<br />
energy from light to electricity without any mechanical<br />
or chemical action; this means it is completely ‘noiseless,<br />
suffers no mechanical wear and tear and releases no<br />
pollutants.<br />
The solar cell is the core of a photovoltaic system. There<br />
are two main types of solar cell – crystalline and<br />
amorphous (thin-film) cells. Each has several sub-types.<br />
So far, crystalline silicon is the dominant cell technology,<br />
with a market share close to 90%, thanks to higher<br />
conversion efficiencies and well-established<br />
manufacturing processes. But thin-film technologies have<br />
the potential to significantly reduce manufacturing costs<br />
in mass production. When exposed to light, solar cells<br />
generate electricity in direct current (DC) form. This can<br />
directly power an electric motor, a light bulb or charge up<br />
a battery. We can also use an inverter to convert the DC to<br />
alternating current (AC) electricity suitable for feeding into<br />
the mains grid.<br />
Applications<br />
Photovoltaics (PV) is modular in nature and can be used<br />
to power almost any electric load. The two main<br />
applications are stand-alone or off-grid and gridconnected.<br />
Off-grid applications include commercial<br />
applications like powering satellites, remote<br />
telecommunication repeater stations, road signs,<br />
navigation warning lights, parking meters and equipment<br />
on off-shore drilling platforms. A lot of infrastructure we<br />
take for granted today is only possible thanks to PV<br />
technology.<br />
Rural PV applications include small-home lighting<br />
systems, remote village electrification, street lights and<br />
water pumping. Recreational PV applications include<br />
camping vans, garden lights, calculators and toys. Most<br />
off-grid applications use PV because it is the most costeffective<br />
source of reliable electricity.<br />
Grid-connected applications range from residential<br />
roof-top systems, to commercial roof-top and buildingintegrated<br />
solar façades, to large solar power plants.<br />
Mid- and Long-Term Market Potential<br />
Most grid-connected applications are not yet cost-effective<br />
without some form of financial incentive if the avoided<br />
cost of mains electricity is only the benefit being<br />
considered. But many governments, notably in Japan,<br />
Germany and California see financial incentives for gridconnected<br />
PV systems as an investment in the future. They<br />
see PV as one of the best long-term alternatives to fossil<br />
and nuclear fuels, particularly since PV systems emit no<br />
greenhouse gases. These incentives drive significant<br />
MANY regional governments are actively<br />
establishing programmes to accelerate the rollout of<br />
PV. Japan is the second biggest market after Germany,<br />
and it produces nearly half the world’s PV cells.<br />
Australia’s Solar Cities Programme and Korea’s<br />
incentive schemes make solar roof-top systems and<br />
power plants commercially attractive. China’s<br />
Brightness Programme supports the installation of PV<br />
infrastructure to bring electricity to rural areas, while<br />
Malaysia is embarking on a national programme to<br />
support roof-top PV installations.<br />
In late 2006, the Singapore government pledged<br />
S$70M for its Green Building Masterplan to encourage<br />
developers to embrace sustainable development in<br />
buildings and for the industry to step up research and<br />
development efforts in this area. Mr. Christophe Inglin<br />
(a photovoltaic specialist since 1996) states, ‘Demand<br />
for electricity is growing much faster in Asia than in<br />
the West, so meeting that demand with fossil or nuclear<br />
fuels alone is not a viable long-term option. As much of<br />
Asia is in the global “sun belt” , solar power is the best<br />
renewable energy source for the region. It is a fantastic<br />
market growth which creates economies of scale. Together<br />
with steady technology improvements, the economies-ofscale<br />
are forecast to drive down the cost of grid-connected<br />
PV systems until they can undercut conventional<br />
electricity tariffs within 10 years.<br />
As costs come down further, and related enabling<br />
technologies mature, PV could supply well over 20<br />
percent of the electricity consumed in most Asian cities.<br />
The worldwide PV industry in 2005 was worth some<br />
US$10-15 billion in installed system prices, and the<br />
market is growing at double-digit rates. It looks set to<br />
contribute a measurable part of the economy within a<br />
few decades. ❏<br />
Phoenix SonnenStrom AG Establishes<br />
Asia Pacific HQ in Singapore<br />
growth industry in which Phoenix Solar will play a<br />
leading role’.<br />
Dr. Murray Cameron, Chief Operating Officer of<br />
Phoenix SonnenStrom AG says, ‘The strategically<br />
favourable central position, excellent infrastructure and<br />
well-trained workforce make Singapore the perfect<br />
choice for expanding our international businesses’.<br />
About the Company<br />
Based in Singapore, Phoenix Solar Pte Ltd will<br />
spearhead the Asia Pacific expansion of Phönix<br />
SonnenStrom AG, a leading European photovoltaic (PV)<br />
solar systems integrator. Phoenix Solar, the regional<br />
subsidiary of Phönix SonnenStrom AG, will focus on<br />
the fast-growing Asia-Pacific markets on which regional<br />
governments are placing increasing priority. Phoenix<br />
Solar designs and installs turn-key roof-top and groundmounted<br />
PV power plants, and the company also<br />
designs and supplies PV systems for village<br />
electrification, commercial and residential buildings,<br />
and industrial applications like telecoms, off-shore<br />
platforms and traffic signals. ❏<br />
Green-friendly solar panels at work.<br />
12 <strong>ICA</strong> Volume 1 Issue 1 2007