Sigfox-owner UnaBiz is refurbishing Suntec City Office Towers, an iconic integrated commercial development in the Marina Bay area of Singapore.

The large-scale project includes the replacement of existing equipment to enhance the reliability of the air-conditioning and mechanical ventilation (ACMV) system, and the installation of indoor air quality (IAQ) monitoring to improve air quality standards and enhance the comfort of tenants in the office environment.

Suntec City (www.sunteccityoffice.com) is a landmark development which comprises five Grade A office towers, a convention and exhibition centre, and one of Singapore’s largest shopping malls, all of which are interlinked by street-level plazas and underground walkways.

Over the next six months, UnaBiz will work with ACMV expert D-Team Engineering (www.dteam.sg) to replace the air handling unit (AHU) at the plant room next to the service corridor, replace the variable volume air (VAV) controller sets in the office areas, and deploy close to 800 wireless IAQ monitoring sensors and 50 LoRaWan gateways to monitor the IAQ levels of all five towers to ensure consistent IAQ standards and monitor the performance of the ACMV systems.

“Suntec City is dedicated to enhancing workspace comfort and upholding a commitment to environmental sustainability through the use of more energy-efficient equipment,” said Steven Kong, senior manager of operations at APM Property Management (www.apm-asia.com). “The main purpose of the rejuvenation plan is to help maintain comfort and a stable temperature in all five office towers. A data-driven ACMV system ensures good air quality for shoppers and tenants, while a high energy-efficiency system helps optimise energy consumption and reduce carbon emissions.”

The office towers comprise five buildings named Towers One to Five with four containing 45 stories and one 18 stories. The smallest has 2600 square metres of net lettable floor area on each floor while the 45-storey towers consist of floor plates ranging from 1000 to 1300 square metres.

UnaBiz will be installing Milesight IAQ sensors and gateways, with Actility ThingPark Enterprise on-premises IoT platform on a LoRaWan for this project. The deployment will be carried out in phases. In total, there are about 200,000 square metres of office space.

The IAQ sensor integrates nine types of sensors to measure various ambience conditions – CO₂ concentration, temperature, humidity, light, TVOC, barometric pressure, PM2.5, PM10, formaldehyde and motion. This energy-efficient sensor is designed for real-time monitoring and collecting IAQ data round the clock.

“As an IoT service provider and integrator, we are pleased to work with D-Team Engineering, Actility and Milesight to help bring this project to life,” said Jonathan Tan, managing director of UnaBiz in Singapore. “The Covid-19 pandemic has demonstrated to us the importance of IAQ monitoring as the majority of us spend our time indoors. By integrating indoor IAQ monitoring with the new ACMV system, Suntec City can prioritise tenant well-being, and optimise airflow and energy consumption through data-driven ventilation. This integration can help Suntec City achieve both their social and environmental goals.”

Alban Médici, Apac managing director of Actility (www.actility.com), added: “Actility is thrilled to provide its QoS-based LoRaWan IoT mediation that will ensure reliable wireless communication towards the whole Suntec complex. Helping to solve real problems with improved air quality and reduced carbon emission is the goal of our communications and part of Actility core values.”

And Leon Jiang, vice president of Milesight (www.milesight.com), said: “Milesight is dedicated to promoting greener buildings and enhancing the comfort of its tenants. Utilising our advanced nine-in-one IAQ sensors and LoRaWan gateways, building managers can enable optimised, data-driven air quality and streamlined operations for Suntec City Office Towers, effectively elevating its air quality standards and enhancing its tenant’s comfort and well-being.”

Founded in 2016, UnaBiz (www.unabiz.com) is headquartered in Singapore, with R&D centres in Taipei and France, and operates regional sales offices in Tokyo, Paris, Toulouse and Madrid.