Texlon® ETFE Becomes Part of the Sustainable Workplace of the Future
The Surbana Jurong Campus in Singapore is the new headquarters of the Surbana Jurong Group, a consultancy company focusing on infrastructure and urban development. On 69,000 m², the complex sets new standards for sustainable office design worldwide. The Surbana Jurong Campus includes large indoor garden areas. In two climatically controlled courtyards, our transparent and lightweight Texlon® ETFE roofs shelter lush greenery. Vector Foiltec also designed and installed the unique and complex cable structure supporting the ETFE cushions.
What a Truly Sustainable Workplace Should Look Like
In essence, the new headquarters carries on Singapore’s embodiment of the garden city. Lying within the Jurong Innovation District, the campus consists of ten towers and extensive outdoor spaces. A 24/7 central pedestrian “street” connects all exterior and interior landscapes of the campus.
The development demonstrates what a sustainable, future-oriented, and people-centric workplace should look like. It includes dedicated facilities to encourage innovation and collaboration and a variety of amenities. For example, you’ll find many lounge areas, an open-air cinema, several rooftop terraces, an urban farm, and much more.
ETFE Makes the Integration of Indoor Gardens Possible
The most important part of the campus is its connection to the surrounding vegetation. The renowned team at Safdie Architects designed the project with as much respect for the site’s flora as possible. Thus, the area was not completely cleared, but many of the trees were integrated into the building. As a result, over half of the sites existing green area has been maintained.
Being in nature has a lot of benefits for cognitive function, physical health, and psychological well-being. Hence, the campus features two climatically controlled courtyards full of greenery. An ultra-lightweight Texlon® ETFE system covers both of them, allowing for natural light to enter the space. Because of its high light transmission, ETFE is a perfect choice for indoor gardens. Under the transparent cushions, flora and fauna flourish. To avoid heat gain in these indoor oases, the upper foil of the ETFE cushions is printed with a silver-colored pigment. This reflects solar radiation, which results in a comfortable environment for plants and humans alike.
Information
| Date | 2023 |
|---|---|
| Lieu | Singapore, Singapore |
| Secteur | Offices |
| Taille | 3,050 m² |
| Structure | Steel/Cable |
| Type | Atrium |
| Architectes | Safdie Architect Pte Ltd |
Picture Copyright: Top row + header © Darren Soh, bottom row: © Vector Foiltec
A Sustainable Future: ETFE Minimizes Energy Demand and Carbon Footprint
The high transparency and light transmission and the reduced need for artificial lighting make Texlon® ETFE a real long-term energy- and cost-saver. Additionally, the thermal performance of the system leads to lower demand for heating and cooling systems.
Not only does the choice of ETFE have a great impact on energy savings, but also on carbon footprint. In fact, the light weight of the material allows for a minimal steel structure, resulting in material savings and lower embodied energy. Therefore, the choice of ETFE for the atrium roofs supports Surbana Jurong’s commitment to a net zero carbon policy in their collective offices until 2030.
On top of that, an ETFE roof minimizes your maintenance expense in comparison to other comparable transparent materials. Due to its self-cleaning characteristics and resistance to damage, the maintenance cost stays low.
The First Cable-Supported ETFE Roofs in Singapore
This project is the first one in the region featuring a complex cable structure supporting the 48 transparent ETFE cushions. At Vector Foiltec, a large design and engineering department works on the biggest ETFE projects in the world. For the Surbana Jurong Campus, we designed, engineered, supplied, and installed not only the Texlon® ETFE system, but also the steel and cable structure.
Vector Foiltec’s global team of experts has over four decades of experience and can conquer any challenge. With its lightweight, innovative design, long life cycle, and full recyclability, our system is the sustainable solution for offices and mixed-use developments like Surbana Jurong. Many of our projects are LEED and BREEAM certified. If you want to push the boundaries of modern architecture and put sustainability first, contact our team now and learn more about ETFE.