Innovation Challenges

1. How might we achieve on-site clean energy solutions for our buildings, significantly reduce the energy consumption in existing buildings, or reduce the embodied carbon in our new construction / asset enhancement of our existing buildings?

2. How might we retrofit existing buildings with retail tenants such that energy is reduced, carbon is reduced, life is supported everywhere, the community is better off, and the world is better?

On-Site Clean Energy

On-site clean energy presents an opportunity for building owners to diversify its energy source and minimise its carbon emission. Clean energy can be generated from waste heat recovery, solar thermal collector, photovoltaic panels, wind turbines, hydrogen fuel cell etc.

While technological advancements have raised standards on safety and performance, not all solutions can be cost effectively deployed at all locations due to varying reasons (e.g., minimum system size for deployment, low solar irradiance).

Reduced Energy Consumption

Low-energy buildings are characterised by energy-efficient design and systems that provide high standards of occupant comfort at low energy consumption. A combination of passive strategies (e.g., solar shading, natural ventilation, daylighting), active strategies (e.g., energy efficient HVAC, energy efficient artificial lighting), and energy management (e.g., building automation, smart control, and plug-load management) can be adopted to significantly reduce an existing building energy consumption. However, not all solutions can be effectively deployed at an existing building given its site constraints.

CapitaLand seeks innovations and technologies that can push the boundaries of on-site clean energy generation or energy efficiency in buildings as we strive towards super-low energy beyond highest rating in national green building standards across the globe in an efficient, effective commercially viable, and safe manner considering the limited space for deployment within our existing assets.

Embodied Carbon

The lifecycle carbon of a building is typically 30% embodied vs. 70% operational. In areas with shorter building lifespans, this can shift to 40% vs 60%. To reduce the overall carbon footprint of during construction or asset enhancement, CapitaLand would like to explore technologies resulting for reducing embodied carbon. As a developer and asset owner there are opportunities to incorporate new, low embodied carbon materials in construction of new assets and during the enhancement of existing assets.

What We Are Looking For

We seek solutions for on-site clean energy generation, reduced energy consumption, and reduced embodied carbon for the portfolio of CapitaLand's assets that meet the relevant following requirements:

• Occupant experience - occupants' comfort and experience in the building are not compromised
• Small installation footprint - suitable for installation within limited space available in our existing properties
• Carbon reduction - measurable reduction in carbon emission
• Cost efficient - strong financial benefits relative to its cost
• Measurable and trackable - clear calculation methods of energy consumption and auditable data
• Relative ease of implementation - implemented with minimal disruption to business operations
• Ready to pilot - at least Technological Readiness Level 8 with proof of implementation

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3. How can we adopt new technology to reduce water usage within our assets?

Water scarcity and poor access to potable water have driven building owners to search for alternate sustainable source of water. Greywater can be reclaimed for reuse. Rainwater can also be harvested and treated for higher value usage. However, integration of such alternate water supplies into existing properties typically require significant retrofitting of pipes and storage systems.

CapitaLand would like to explore innovative solutions and technologies to optimize the use of water, use alternative sources of water, or reduce leakage while taking into consideration the existing piping and infrastructure in our existing buildings.

What We Are Looking For

We seek solutions to detect changes in water usage patterns and/or leakage for the portfolio of CapitaLand's properties that meet the following requirements:

• Ease of integration in existing buildings - collection, piping, and treatment of water without major retrofit works
• Small installation footprint - suitable for installation within limited space available in our existing properties
• Cost efficient - strong financial benefits relative to its cost
• Energy efficient/low carbon - low carbon footprint and consume reasonable amount of energy
• Ready to pilot - at least Technological Readiness Level 8 with proof of implementation

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Waste segregation is an integral part of proper waste management that requires cooperation from multiple stakeholders along the value chain. Waste from building occupants and users such as guests in serviced apartments, shoppers and tenants in shopping malls, and tenants in office buildings present an untapped potential for reuse and circularity.

Venturing beyond the existing take-make-waste economic model, a circular economy (also referred to as “circularity”) is a concept aimed at overall limiting waste and promoting the continual use of resources. It employs rethink, reduce, re-use, repair, refurbish, recover, and recycle to create a closed-looped economic system. There could similarly be opportunities for circularity for construction waste.

CapitaLand seeks innovations to reduce pressure on environment, improve security of raw materials supply, and deliver long term economic value. Currently, the challenges faced include forging the right partnerships to create an ecosystem for segregation, circularity, and solutions that can cost effectively minimize or repurpose ones waste into high-value products.

What We Are Looking For

We seek solutions to improve the efficacy of recyclable waste (e.g., food waste, plastic waste) segregation at source for the portfolio of CapitaLand's properties that meet the following requirements:

• Call to action - solutions that include educating and engaging stakeholders in waste segregation
• Measurable and trackable - clear calculation methods and auditability of data
• Cost efficient - strong financial benefits relative to its cost
• Carbon reduction - measurable reduction in carbon emissions
• Enhanced ecosystem for circularity - Partnerships, programs, platforms and/or solutions to close the loop
• Ready to pilot - at least Technological Readiness Level 8 with proof of implementation

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5. How might we enhance the wellness of users in our existing buildings?

6. How might we leverage technology to enhance occupational health and safety?

Health & wellness

Wellness of users is affected by outdoor air quality (e.g., haze, air pollution), building management practices (e.g., selection of building materials, air treatment in air-conditioned space) and occupant behaviour (e.g., preference in keeping doors/windows open). In the post-pandemic world, wellness is top of mind for management and tenants.

Many solutions focus only on the IAQ component of wellness through monitoring and improving IAQ but are mainly effective in small, enclosed areas or neglect further wellness features. CapitaLand owns and manages different types of assets with characteristics such as large indoor space, multiple building entrances and high footfall, making it challenging to monitor and control IAQ. Green building design with extensive naturally ventilated common areas and multiple entrances to air-conditioned tenanted spaces may also increase possibility of polluted outdoor air infiltration.

While CapitaLand has deployed measures like IAQ sensors, high grade air filters, purging system, ultraviolet germicidal irradiation air handling units to monitor and improve IAQ at our properties, CapitaLand continues to look for innovations to enhance the wellness of our building occupants and users.

Occupational Health & Safety

Occupational Health & Safety (OHS) is critical because your first mistake could be your last and all it takes is just 5 seconds. Hence, stringent processes are implemented to assure OHS. Permit processes are established to provide additional protection for hazardous work.  Training is provided to uplift OHS knowledge and skills. Inspections are done to “find the problem before it finds us”. OHS dashboards provide leaders with important indicators to drive performance.  In addition, there is the human element where OHS often needs to be enforced to ensure that OHS is done, is done right, and is done always. How can technology enhance OHS, or help to simplify and improve OHS performance including OHS in operational buildings or construction projects? 

We seek solutions to improve the monitoring, visualisation and/or treatment of IAQ for the portfolio of CapitaLand's properties that meet the following requirements:

• Occupant experience - improve occupant comfort, wellness, and experience in the building
• Ease of integration with existing buildings - no major retrofit works required and able to work in spaces where there is frequent infiltration of outdoor air
• OHS - Solutions to guide robust OHS incident analysis to arrive at the root cause(s) and recommend corrective actions; predictive safety analytics that translates to actionable items; digital training available on-the-go and on-demand; simpler OHS processes (e.g., Permit-To-Work, Lock-Out-Tag-Out assurance); robotics, drones, and the use of sensors and wearables to reduce risk of injury to persons;  Augmented Reality and/or Virtual Reality to enhance safe on-site practices and to bridge expertise to remote locations.
• Small installation footprint - suitable for installation within limited space available in our existing properties
• Energy efficient/low carbon - low carbon footprint and consume reasonable amount of energy
• Measurable and trackable - clear computation of benefits and auditable data
• Cost efficient - strong financial benefits relative to its cost
• Ready to pilot - at least Technological Readiness Level 8 with proof of implementation