Latest news with #GreenMark
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Singapore Oceanarium opens 23 Jul with 22 zones
Marine fans, 'what-er' are you waiting for? The Singapore Oceanarium, the expanded version of the former S.E.A. Aquarium, will open its doors on 23 Jul, said Resorts World Sentosa (RWS), which owns and manages the aquarium, in a press statement on 26 May. 3 times larger than its predecessor, the facility reimagines the ocean experience, spanning space (from shallow waters to the deep sea) and time (from prehistoric to the current day). Guests will embark on a journey across 22 purposefully designed zones that guide visitors from curiosity to commitment, forging a powerful emotional bridge with our marine world. Guests will traverse rich thematic environments, including Ocean Wonders, containing one of the world's largest Kreisel aquariums that houses thousands of moon jellies, and Singapore's Coast, where mangrove-inspired landscapes spotlight native biodiversity. Before departing, guests can round off their visit at the Singapore Oceanarium Store, said RWS. This marine-themed retail space offers a curated selection of marine-inspired apparel, educational books, and keepsakes crafted by sustainable brands. The store also serves as a platform for seasonal capsule collections and pop-ups by local brands. Accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and holding membership of both the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums and the Southeast Asian Zoo and Aquarium Association, Singapore Oceanarium has forged partnerships with top academic institutions. These include a 5-year applied research collaboration with the National University of Singapore and a 2-year research collaboration with the Earth Observatory of Singapore at Nanyang Technological University on climate resilience and marine conservation, said RWS. Adjacent to the Singapore Oceanarium is the Research and Learning Centre. The space supports the oceanarium's mission to further education, marine research and conservation. Equipped with learning labs, collaborative workspaces, seminar rooms and a rooftop event space, the centre enhances Singapore Oceanarium's educational offerings and provides advanced facilities for scientists and researchers to conduct valuable research, said RWS. As a certified Green Mark Platinum Zero Energy building that uses solar power and smart design, the centre also reflects the oceanarium's dedication to environmental sustainability. Further details on programmes and ticketing prices will surface soon on the Singapore Oceanarium website, so look out for them (and book your tickets before 23 Jul). We tried Singapore's best-rated fish soup The post Singapore Oceanarium opens 23 Jul with 22 zones appeared first on
Business Times
07-05-2025
- Business
- Business Times
Towards better energy use benchmarks for Singapore's commercial buildings
[SINGAPORE] Singapore's Building and Construction Authority (BCA) launched the Green Mark (GM) certification scheme 20 years ago, a green-building rating system designed to evaluate a building's environmental impact and performance. Subsequently, in 2008, new buildings were required to meet a minimum environmental sustainability standard. Over this time, the government has also introduced the minimum standards for existing buildings to reduce energy use. In September 2024, the Mandatory Energy Improvement (MEI) regime was announced, with the intent to speed up energy efficiency improvements. This programme shifts the emphasis from 'encouraging' improvements in energy efficiency to 'requiring' them if energy use intensity is higher than a stipulated threshold. Properties consistently ranked among the worst 25 per cent of buildings in terms of energy use intensity will be required to undergo energy audits and implement energy efficiency improvement measures. Owners of commercial and institutional buildings report their buildings' information and energy use under the Annual Mandatory Submission of Building Information and Energy Consumption Data (AMS), and this information forms the basis of the building energy benchmarks. The energy use intensity of a building is measured by the Energy Use Intensity (EUI) metric, which is based on total annual electricity consumption per square metre of building gross floor area (GFA). Refining existing benchmarks Up until recently, the BCA's EUI benchmarks grouped commercial buildings into office, retail and hotel if they occupied 60 per cent or more of GFA. With the support of BCA, the Institute of Real Estate and Urban Studies (Ireus) proposed a higher cut-off of GFA usage to 90 per cent or more. This aims to provide purer benchmarks, which can be combined into weighted benchmarks for buildings with a mix of these uses. A NEWSLETTER FOR YOU Tuesday, 12 pm Property Insights Get an exclusive analysis of real estate and property news in Singapore and beyond. Sign Up Sign Up In 2023, the median EUI for pure offices was 164, followed by hotels at 255 and retail properties at 447, clearly showing the substantial differences in energy use intensity between each type of property. In Singapore, it is common for buildings to contain a mix of uses. The pure benchmarks can be factored into any combination of floor area allocated to office, retail and hotel uses, to derive a weighted benchmark specific to a building. As energy use in offices is typically less than that in hotels and retail, the previously used 60 per cent cut-off for benchmarks can be more onerous for office buildings that contain other commercial uses and less onerous for retail properties. For example, Guoco Tower is a large downtown development of mostly offices, but it also contains hotel and retail components. Its reported 2023 EUI of 231 would place it well above the median for pure office of 164 and even above the 75th percentile of 205. However, against a weighted median benchmark of 214 based on the GFA allocated to each use, its performance would be much better. In its recent online release of 2023 EUI data, the BCA adopted the Ireus approach by using a similar 90 per cent cut-off for its energy use benchmarks. In addition, owners can also estimate weighted benchmarks based on the mix of uses in a building. Offices Among offices, energy use intensities were not substantially different between the subcategories except for laboratories with energy use that was almost double that for offices overall (median EUIs of 309 and 164, respectively). Offices in business parks had the lowest median EUI at 145, possibly due to more buildings within business parks that use district cooling (the energy consumption of which is attributed to the district cooling operator). Retail In Singapore, most retail properties under the BCA's AMS are multi-tenanted shopping centres. The non-strata shopping centres generally represent the best-performing retail properties in Singapore in terms of revenue and patronage. They commonly have long opening hours, high levels of pedestrian traffic and often contain uses with higher energy consumption and/or intensity, such as supermarkets, restaurants and cinemas. As a result, their EUIs are relatively higher, with a median of 483 overall. Those linked to MRT stations had even higher median energy consumption at 511, while those not linked to MRT stations were lower at 472. Strata shopping centres had much lower energy use, with a median EUI of 284. This was probably a result of these centres being less heavily patronised than the non-strata shopping centres. They might also accommodate more service businesses such as tuition or dance studios, which have lower energy footprints or shorter trading hours. As a result, shopping centre energy use is likely to be closely related to financial performance. This presents a conundrum for owners of top-performing malls if their energy use is benchmarked against lesser-performing centres. Hotels Median energy use was slightly higher among five-star hotels at 256 compared with 238 for four-star properties. Hotels were also examined by size, with smaller hotels of under 15,000 square metres having higher energy use than larger hotels. These smaller hotels also had a wider variation in energy use, with the worst 25 per cent having EUIs of at least 344. More effective monitoring The refinement of Singapore's commercial building energy use benchmarks is a vital step for both building owners and the government. They enable more effective monitoring of energy usage and provide valuable reference points, allowing owners to measure their energy use against more efficient peer properties. With this information, targeted energy efficiency improvement strategies can be developed. To further assist building owners, Ireus is currently analysing the costs and benefits of around 100 green retrofitting projects undertaken in commercial buildings across Singapore in recent years. Further refinement of Singapore's commercial building energy use benchmarks is possible. While building typology significantly affects EUI, other factors such as operating hours and tenant composition could also be analysed more closely as potential differentiators for EUI benchmarking categories. As we gather more operational data and deepen our understanding, these benchmarks can be further enhanced, ensuring they remain relevant and insightful for all stakeholders. The Ireus Refining Energy Use Benchmarks report was released in January 2025 and is available through the Ireus website. The BCA's latest Building Energy Benchmark Report is available online in Excel format on its website. David Dickinson is an adjunct senior research fellow at Ireus; Chen Huaying is a research assistant at Ireus; and Joseph Ooi is co-director of Ireus and a professor of real estate at NUS Business School, National University of Singapore
Associated Press
03-04-2025
- Health
- Associated Press
GreenMark Announces NIH Funding for AI-Enabled Early Caries Detection
GreenMark announces it received a Phase I SBIR grant, entitled 'Improving Caries Diagnosis with Targeted Nanoparticle-Enhanced AI-Assisted Intraoral Imaging'. 'Our LumiVision™ camera captures clinical white-light & fluorescent images of caries lesions. The AI-driven software will analyze severity and disease progression, revolutionizing caries management.' — Dr. Nathan A. Jones, MSc, PhD, Vice President Technology at GreenMark ANN ARBOR, MI, UNITED STATES, April 3, 2025 / / -- GreenMark Biomedical Inc., a pioneer in leveraging biomimetic technology for dental health innovations, announces that it has received a Phase I Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant in the amount of US $ 294,632 from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The grant will be supported with $25,000 additional funding from the State of Michigan via its Emerging Technologies Fund. This project, entitled 'Improving Caries Diagnosis with Targeted Nanoparticle-Enhanced AI-Assisted Intraoral Imaging', will support an ongoing collaboration between GreenMark and the University of Michigan (U-M). This project responds to the need identified by the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) division of NIH, to develop improved methods to detect, monitor, and predict progression of dental caries (tooth decay) to improve human health. Worldwide, caries is the most common chronic disease affecting almost everyone. Dental disease is a major cause of economic and social loss and leads to complications including pain, tooth loss, and even death. Dr. Nathan A. Jones, MSc, PhD, Vice President Technology at GreenMark and Principle Investigator on the grant explains 'This project will further develop our LumiVision™ intraoral camera system that captures clinical white-light and fluorescent images of caries lesions illuminated with our LumiCare™ rinse. The AI-driven software will analyze lesion severity, track disease progression, and support medical remineralization treatments, revolutionizing caries detection and management.' 'With prior SBIR funding we successfully developed a clinically validated mouth rinse that uses targeted fluorescent biopolymer nanoparticles to illuminate early active caries lesions, formulated into an FDA-cleared product called LumiCare™ Caries Detection Rinse. While an effective tool for point-of-care caries detection and activity assessment, implementation remains limited because the clinical technique is qualitative and requires training to achieve competency,' adds Dr. Wendy Bloembergen, MD, MS, Vice President Clinical Affairs. Dr. Livia Tenuta, DDS, MS, PhD, Associate Professor, Cariology, Restorative Sciences & Endodontics at U-M School of Dentistry notes 'Dentistry is now embracing Artificial Intelligence, primarily for radiograph analysis, in addition to clinical exams. This new research from GreenMark goes one step further by allowing precise monitoring of caries lesions without the use of X-rays, differentiating those that are actively progressing from those that are not. This is a breakthrough in the old paradigm of caries detection, by allowing the clinical practice of minimally invasive dentistry in a predictable way. This research will help develop a much-needed tool for caries lesion monitoring, allowing better patient education and empowerment over their oral health.' Dr. Steven Bloembergen, Ph.D., Chairman and CEO of GreenMark, points to the clinical implications: 'We are grateful to receive this grant support to empower dental professionals and patients with a non-invasive, objective, and teledentistry friendly solution for improved oral health.' About GreenMark Biomedical Inc. GreenMark continues to innovate in minimally invasive dental care, offering groundbreaking solutions that address unmet needs in oral health. The Company is dedicated to transforming dental care through scientific innovation and technological excellence by developing a systems approach for treatment of dental sensitivity and management of caries (dental decay). GreenMark has developed methods to identify, better assess and monitor caries disease in its earliest stages, before being detected on X-ray radiographs. The company's LumiCare™ Caries Detection Rinse and half-dose LumiKids™ rinse for ages 6 to 11, contain fluorescently labeled particles that target the porous subsurface of caries lesions in enamel and illuminate them using a dental curing light, thereby aiding in their visualization. The identification at early stages before a cavity forms facilitates the use of preventive non-surgical management options, resulting in less discomfort and improved long-term oral health outcomes for patients with its patented products that involve sub-micron particles produced from food-grade starch. This is an ideal carrier since enzymes in saliva degrade starch. Dental sensitivity affects up to 74% of Americans, and current products have limitations. Caries is the most prevalent chronic disease in the world, affecting more than 95% of Americans over their lifetimes. GreenMark's team has demonstrated the ability to load calcium and phosphate, the essential mineral components of dentin and enamel, inside small starch particles, and has been developing treatment products designed to target and restore minerals to the teeth. While fluoride seals the upper surface without restoring the dominant lesion, GreenMark's tiny bioresorbable particles deliver bioactive calcium and phosphate ions directly to the subsurface of teeth where they undergo biomimetic crystallization to form hydroxyapatite. CrystLCare™ Biorestorative dental strips are fluoride-free and empower oral health for dentists and their patients, making checkups a more positive experience for dental clinics in the modern world. Low-dose fluoride efficient products will become available later this year. Visit About the University of Michigan School of Dentistry The U-M School of Dentistry is one of the nation's leading dental schools engaged in oral healthcare education, research, patient care and community service. General dental care clinics and specialty clinics providing advanced treatment enable the school to offer dental services and programs to patients throughout Michigan. Classroom and clinic instruction prepare future dentists, dental specialists and dental hygienists for practice in private offices, hospitals, academia and public agencies. Research seeks to discover and apply new knowledge that can help patients worldwide. More information about the School of Dentistry is available on its website at: NIH, the nation's medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit The National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) part of NIH is the Nation's leading funder of research on oral, dental, and craniofacial health. Visit: Steven Bloembergen, Ph.D. GreenMark Biomedical Inc. Legal Disclaimer:
Korea Herald
02-04-2025
- Business
- Korea Herald
LG supplies high-efficiency HVAC system to massive logistics center in Singapore
LG Electronics said Wednesday it has recently supplied its ultra-high-efficiency heating, ventilation and air conditioning solution to 36 Tuas Road Multi Storey Warehouse, a massive logistics center, in Singapore. The logistics center, located in the Tuas area in western Singapore, covers about 59,800 square meters -- equivalent to the size of nine soccer fields. LG supplied the facility with its high-efficiency commercial system air conditioner, the Multi V i. Designed with sustainability in mind, the logistics center aims to obtain the highest rating, Green Mark Platinum Super Low Energy, under Singapore's Building and Construction Authority Green Mark certification program. LG has enhanced the performance of its HVAC products to help the facility achieve a top-tier efficiency rating. The Multi V i features a high-performance artificial intelligence engine that allows for active energy-saving control tailored to the building's efficiency targets. Additionally, the system is equipped with a high-efficiency inverter compressor and the heat exchanger surface area has been expanded by more than 10 percent to optimize temperature control. These improvements have boosted energy efficiency by up to 33 percent compared to previous models. Leveraging this recent project, LG plans to expand its HVAC business across Southeast Asia. The company aims to capitalize on sustainable urban development policies in key regional markets such as Indonesia and Malaysia, alongside Singapore's Green Mark initiative, by offering customized HVAC solutions. To accelerate growth in the HVAC sector, LG established the ES Company unit last year. It is committed to achieving rapid growth in cleantech, with a focus on AI-powered data center cooling systems, nuclear power solutions and mega-factory projects. 'The success of our HVAC business hinges on localization,' said Lee Jae-sung, president of the LG ES Company at LG Electronics. 'We will continue to refine our tailored solutions to create new business opportunities, enhance competitiveness and drive sustainable growth."
ME Construction
14-02-2025
- Business
- ME Construction
Sobha One awarded Green Mark Platinum Super Low Energy (SLE) certification
Sustainability Sobha One awarded Green Mark Platinum Super Low Energy (SLE) certification By In addition to SLE certification, Sobha One has also been recognised with the Whole Life Carbon badge Sobha Realty has announced that its flagship Dubai project, Sobha One, has been awarded the Green Mark Platinum Super Low Energy (SLE) certification by Singapore's Building and Construction Authority (BCA). This achievement makes Sobha One the first building outside Singapore to earn this certification, highlighting Sobha Realty's commitment to environmentally friendly living experience, said a statement from the developer. In addition to the SLE certification, Sobha One has also been recognised with the Whole Life Carbon badge in testament to the project's dedication to low-impact development and eco-conscious design. The Green Mark certification is a globally recognised benchmark for environmental resourcefulness, assessing projects across five critical categories: Resilience, Whole Life Carbon, Health & Wellbeing, Intelligence, and Maintainability. Sobha One's innovative design delivers best-in-class energy performance, achieving an impressive 60% energy savings compared to 2005 standards, a testament to Sobha Realty's ethos of 'Art of The Detail', said the statement. Francis Alfred, Managing Director of Sobha Realty commented, 'Sustainability is a commitment woven into every aspect of our work. With Sobha One becoming the first building in the Middle East to achieve the Green Mark Platinum SLE certification, we are proud to set new standards in responsible living and low-carbon development. This milestone reflects our dedication to innovation, quality, and environmental responsibility; aligning with global sustainability goals and the UAE's Net Zero vision for 2050.' This achievement reflects attention to quality, climate-friendly leadership, and design that characterises every Sobha Realty development. Backward Integration model by Sobha Realty maintains complete control over the development process, integrating advanced technologies such as CAFM, Common Data Environment (CDE) platforms, digital twins, and predictive maintenance dashboards. Sobha One also aligns with climate risk assessments and the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) framework to mitigate and manage climate risks, the developer pointed out. The project's pre-certification will be verified post-construction to ensure compliance with the international sustainability standards. Sobha Realty's dedication to environmental stewardship likewise aligns with the UAE's Net Zero by 2050 Strategic Initiative and global climate goals, while demonstrating the company's leadership and clear strategy for emissions reduction through ESG reports, Greenhouse Gas (GHG) assessments and GRESB benchmarking assessments. Administered by Singapore's Building and Construction Authority (BCA), the Green Mark Scheme sets a global standard for sustainable design and best practices in construction. These innovations drive energy efficiency, resources optimisation, and long-term operational performance.
