TMR - Real Reserve 23/11/2012 by it tmr

A L L

P R O P E R T Y

F O R T N I G H T L Y

W I T H

To own the best get to know the best. And they're here ...

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 23 , 2012

HBA presses on for the ultimate P19

DEVELOPMENTS Gita Bayu

Symphony Hills

Kuala Lumpur Sentral CBD PERSONALITIES & COMPANIES

VERITAS Design Group

Dato’ Neoh Soo Keat

Dato’ Foo Wan Kien M City at Jalan Ampang

Sky Park @ Cyberjaya Datum Jelatek

GREEN ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN Platinum Sentral is published by SYED HUSSAIN PUBLICATIONS SDN BHD (25343-K) of Redberry City, Lot 2A, Jln 13/2, 46200 Petaling Jaya, Selangor. Tel: 03-7495 3000 Fax: 03-7495 3200 and Printed by KHL Printing Co Sdn Bhd (235060-A) Lot 10&12, Jalan Modal 23/2, Seksyen 23 Kawasan Miel Phase 8, 40000 Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia Tel: 03-5541 3695 Fax: 03-5541 3712

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2012

Message from Datuk Seri Chor Chee Heung, Minister of Housing and Local Government

’d like to congratulate the recipients of this

lence, it is equally important for the government to

and the effects of ecological change, developers

Editors Choice® Property Awards 2012 for

bring to task those individuals and companies that

must focus on providing green, sustainable devel-

being selected as outstanding projects, com-

have not had the interest of their buyers at heart.

opments while at the same time trying to mitigate

panies or individuals by the property editors of

Indeed, newspapers are still occasionally plagued

the high cost of providing such technology.

Real Reserve in The Malaysian Reserve, Get Real

by reports of abandoned residential and commer-

To the recipients of this year’s Editors Choice®

in The Malay Mail and PropertyTimes.my.

cial projects, and the resulting distress and heart-

Property Awards, I encourage you to continue de-

ache they cause to Malaysians who have invested

veloping at the high level that has won you your

their hard-earned money.

awards tonight, because it is only through your

My ministry acknowledges the critical work that newspapers and media agencies do to disseminate information and highlight issues in the property

On a more positive note, newspapers also play

continuous effort and the positive example you set

development and construction arenas, be it hous-

a significant role in highlighting and celebrating

that the notion of a robust and progressively dy-

ing affordability and delivery, development con-

successes. They serve as heralds to the nation, the

namic property market can be realised.

cepts, bank lending and yes, even shortcomings.

region, and even the world, when we build the

Putting property under intense media spotlight

tallest towers, the most exciting shopping centres,

is vital to the industry’s growth and evolution as

the most beautiful beachside resorts and the most

its players must constantly mould and refine its

inviting residential investment prospects.

products and services to cater to public demand,

It is the desire of the government to see that all

and constantly strive to achieve higher standards.

Malaysians have a home of their own and in this

Through newspaper reports, new ideas and con-

respect, I encourage developers to strike a balance

cepts can also be gleaned – not just so develop-

between providing affordable houses and creating

ment companies can keep up with the competition,

beautiful high-end ones.

but so new benchmarks can be set and surpassed.

In the same vein, as the world becomes more and

In our collective endeavour to strive for excel-

more exposed to the hazards of global warming

Thank you.

Datuk Seri Chor Chee Heung Minister of Housing and Local Government

Winners

2012

Circle

DEVELOPMENTS

Circle

GREEN ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN Most Iconic Design of the Year Datum Jelatek by Perbadanan Kemajuan Negeri Selangor (PKNS)

Best Luxury Residential Development Symphony Hills by UEM Land Berhad

Most Iconic Green Development M City @ Jalan Ampang (Embassy Row) by Mah Sing Group Berhad

Best Bespoke Address Gita Bayu by Yee Seng Heights Sdn Bhd

Most Iconic Integrated Development SkyPark @ Cyberjaya by MCT Consortium Berhad

Best Integrated Development Kuala Lumpur Sentral CBD by Malaysian Resources Corporation Berhad

Best Multi-Disciplinary Design Practice VERITAS Design Group Best Green Office Development Platinum Sentral by Malaysian Resources Corporation Berhad

Circle

PERSONALITIES & COMPANIES Emerging Property Entrepreneur Dato' Neoh Soo Keat of Trinity Group Sdn Bhd Most Philanthropic Developer Dato' Foo Wan Kien of Sri Seltra Sdn Bhd (a member of the City Motors Group of Companies) Best New Developer Trinity Group Sdn Bhd Best Perak Developer The Haven Sdn Bhd Best Township Developer UEM Land Berhad Best Green Initiative Malaysian Resources Corporation Berhad Best Property Investment Plan Guaranteed Rental Returns by Andaman Property Management Sdn Bhd

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2012

Chosen for excellence W

hat you’re holding in your hands is a unique property Awards special. It is the only endeavour of its kind to be conferred by editors whose primary focus is on keeping watch over the country’s real estate industry. Unlike those annual award presentations conferred by industry peers (which make them sort of like a back-patting exercise) or property professionals (who I presume wouldn’t mind if some of the winners pointed work their way), the Editors Choice® PropertyAwards is given to projects, services, companies or personalities which the editors feel have contributed significantly to the betterment of the industry over the year. These editors form the backbone of the property sections published in The Malaysian Reserve, Get Real in The Malay Mail and the independent PropertyTimes.my. Very few read as much or write and edit as much property related news and reviews as these editors, who are involved daily in directing and presenting news, views and reviews. Their perspective is also not one-sided – indeed, they look at both sides of the fence, at what the industry and its personalities are doing, and what the general public made up of housebuyers, investors and occupiers, think of them. Furthermore, they also invite constructive criticisms and contributions from NGOs such as the National House Buyers Association as they see their views as being beneficial for the shaping of a better housing industry. Beyond what the editors prepare for their publications, they also base their decisions on news reports, focus reviews, corporate analyses and opinions as well as feedback and letters from members of the public that are published in the major dailies. Perched in such a position gives them the depth of field to assess the movers and shakers … as well as the followers and laggards, the latter being those with no greater aspiration other than to jump on the bandwagon and make hay while the sun shines. The basis of the Editors Choice® Property Awards

was born from the belief that a respected newspaper and its editorial team are often regarded as the conscience and soul of the nation. When there are issues and challenges that need to be addressed, they are the ones exposing them. When there are causes to champion, they are the ones that pick up the gauntlet. And now, through the Awards, when there are champions to celebrate, they are the ones recognising them. The Awards are divided into four categories: Developments; Green design and architecture; Property support; and Personalities and companies. Within these categories are currently 26 areas of recognition, but the editors are not compelled to select recipients of any area if no project, service or company impresses them or if they have not been sufficiently exposed in print. This year, working with The Malaysian Reserve, the Editors Choice® Property Awards celebrates achievements in three categories and recognise 15 recipients, with the editors explaining the reasons for their choices in this Awards Special – something not done in any other industry tribute. They were nominated by two means: Either they were selected by the editors based on the volumes of past and present articles written about them which provided the editors with insight; or the candidates submitted themselves for consideration complete with their background information which enabled them to be evaluated against others in the category. In the evaluation process, the editors considered aspects that included whether the project, service, personality or company had: Set new benchmarks and standards; Challenged market conventions through innovation, new technologies and/or market studies; Invested in research & development; Offered products or services that the market desires or requires; Elevates the standards of the industry as a whole;

• • • • •

• Gave back to community through endeavours such as education and CSR; • Proven track records of delivering on promises; • A vision for future corporate growth and expansion; and • A well-knit corporate team of directors, managers

and executors. The editors were also watchful of whether members of the public raised any negative comments or complaints about the nominees in the year under review. Moving forward, they also made the stand that if any recipient is convicted of falling foul of the law or not delivering on promises made to the market in the future, they would unwaveringly highlight these reports in their media. The intention behind the Awards is clear: It is not to prevent the editors from doing their duty of reporting the news – rather, it is to shine the spotlight on and draw attention to the inspirational role models and positive examples that are shaping our property landscape. To the recipients of this year’s Editors Choice® Property Awards, on behalf of the editorial committee, I offer our heartiest congratulations.

Andrew Wong Chairman Editors Choice® Property Awards evaluation panel

Seeing, touching, feeling YOU know how some judges presiding over a case insist on visiting the scene in order to feel the full impact of what transpired? The editors evaluating the nominees of The Malaysian Reserve Editors Choice®

Property Awards did the same thing, carving time from their hectic work schedules to visit them in order to fully understand their merits … and sometimes to find issues that had been overlooked. In some cases, the first-

hand inspection was held unknown to the nominees lest they “dressed up” their submissions; at other times, a guided walkthrough was essential due to the complex nature of the project. Such was the case of Plati-

The editorial evaluators, Gunaprasath Bupalan, Zoe Phoon and S.Sivselvam (group on the right) at Platinum Sentral listening to some points raised

num Sentral, the office campus component of the mammoth Kuala Lumpur Sentral CBD development. Here are some pictures to show we tried to be as meticulous with our choices as possible …

Real Reserve’s Geraldine Lim (centre) and S. Sivaselvam (to her right) being briefed on the project

In the Platinum Sentral command centre, the editors and MRCB executives interact to understand what goes on under the project’s skin

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2012

BEST LUXURY RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT

Symphony Hills by UEM Land Berhad

CITATION A symphony of luxury, nature, space, comfort and reassurance as well as of smart community living. This spiel for UEM Land Bhd’s Symphony Hills development in Cyberjaya promises stately homes in spacious surroundings with an away-from-the-city ambience yet within easy reach of the urban landscape. It’s a tough line to market and even tougher to actually make sales. But with Phase 1 almost fully sold when there are eight more years to go for the development to be fully completed does indicate that dreams can be bought. Remember the halcyon days when houses were spacious, they all had compounds for children to play in and to have vegetable plots, when traffic congestion was unheard of, when neighbours can pop over with never-empty hands, when only low hedges separated the houses? This is the image that Symphony Hills recreates. It is obviously one that still strikes a chord with people. And not just Malaysians. Increasing numbers of foreigners seeking this seemingly idyllic lifestyle are taking a serious look at what’s available in this country, which is acknowledged for its free-andeasy lifestyle even as it turns out millionaires who are getting younger by the day. UEM Land has tapped a rich lode, as have several other developers, but the ace up its sleeve is that it promises to deliver what people with means really seek. A shoo-in for this award. by S. SIVASELVAM

he local sales director for a brand of luxury saloons once remarked that he never fears a recession. That’s because his clientele are those who are so wealthy that an economic downturn never has an impact on their lifestyle. That brand sells well in Malaysia. As do luxury residential properties. This sector of the property market has become so lucrative in this country that there is now even a Top Ten list of luxury property developers. According to the Jones Lang La Salle Q2 2012 Residential Index, average capital values for luxury residential markets in Asia remained largely stable, with an increase of 0.8% quarter-on-quarter in Q2. This is similar to the 1.1% quarter-onquarter increase in the previous quarter.

In Malaysia, top of the market residential developments include resortstyle gated-and-guarded residential estates, and this is where Symphony Hills in Cyberjaya stand apart from the others. UEM Land Bhd, whose subsidiary Symphony Hills Sdn Bhd is the developer, says its formula is creating dignified homes that merge seamlessly into Nature’s landscape while being easily accessible. The project is adjacent to Cyberjaya’s central business district. And Kuala Lumpur is just 20 minutes away. The range of residential options named after eternally remembered musicians Beethoven; Mozart, Schumann and Schubert – all have the high-tech conveniences of today amidst a green natural environment yet boasting of top-notch security and state-of-the-art infrastructure. Comprising luxury residential and neighbourhood commercial units, Symphony Hills is a mixed strata project that forms part of a larger 98-acre boutique development. UEM Land says that as a mixed strata development – with an average density of seven residential units per acre for landed residences – the sophisticated image of Symphony Hills will be preserved, creating the potential to appreciate in value and excellent investment opportunities. The freehold gated-and-guarded enclave will form the country’s first residential “Connected Intelligent Community” (CIC) as the units will be wired up with smart home systems and protected by a three-tier security infrastructure operating at the development perimeter, precinct and individual residence levels. The CIC concept is said to combine comfort, convenience, community and security within the enclave, with highspeed fibre optic infrastructure. Also, each house is equipped with a standalone security system that is connected to the Precinct Command Centre. Residents are able to activate and disarm the security system at their convenience – from home and even from abroad. Symphony Hills will incorporate green technology features such as rainwater harvesting to help sustain water features and greenery, thus making it compliant to the Green Building Index. Cyberjaya, created 15 years ago to complement the new administrative centre of Putrajaya, is touted to be

the most wired city in Malaysia and is designed to be a global hub for worldclass multimedia and IT firms. With more than 600 companies and a growing population which currently numbers about 50,000, developers are said to be now focusing on building high-end landed residential units. It is reported that up to 27% of Cyberjaya has been developed, while over 40% of the landbank is under development and in the planning stage. UEM Land has read well the demand for more top-end housing in Cyberjaya and its response is Symphony Hills, a landed strata development with cluster housing comprising terraced, semidetached, super-linked and possibly bungalows in future. There are also plans to have two condominium blocks comprising 800 units. What is significant is that about a third of the development will be landscaped. UEM Land says the greenery will be nearly four times more than other residential areas and will cover an average 35% of the landed residential precincts. Precincts will be distinguished by landscaped gardens that feature swathes of tropical trees. Junctions and roundabouts will be landscaped and green spaces will complement the surroundings. Community gardens will feature fountains and cascading waters. Symphony Hills, launched in August 2010, will be fully completed in 10 years. With a gross development value (GDV) topping RM1 billion, four types of residences will be available: Beethoven (garden twin villas), Schubert (parklink terrace), Schumann (parklink townhouses, with superlink homes in Schumann 2) and Mozart (garden terrace). Every type comes with two different layouts to choose from. There are a total of 416 landed residences in Phase 1. Future developments in Phase 2 will comprise condominiums, SoHos (small office home office), bungalows and commercial properties. To complement the luxury lifestyle, there will be a resort-style floating clubhouse along a waterway. It will house a recreational area for parties and gatherings, and boast of convenience stores, laundry services, concierge office, multi-purpose hall, swimming pool as well as a poolside cabana, tennis and basketball courts, gymnasium, playground and a maintenance office. The built-up areas for the residences are 5,661sq ft (5+1 bedrooms) and 4,620sq ft (4+1) for Beethoven; 3,132sq ft (4+1) and 3,208sq ft (4+1) for Schubert; 1,421sq ft (3) and 1,884sq ft (1) for Schu-

mann; 4,143sq ft (4+1) to 4,430sq ft (4+1) for Schumann 2; and Mozart 3,338sq ft (4+1), 3,224sq ft (3+1) and 3,713sq ft). The homes are priced from RM1 million to RM2.8 million. According to UEM Land, “intelligent planning and conception has greatly influenced Symphony Hills’ cuttingedge design and architecture. “Homes adopt Crime Prevention through Environmental Design (CPTED) principles where state-ofthe-art security features are infused into building designs, landscaping and traffic control. Smart features also extend to residences where homes can be automated via a touch screen.” UEM Land says it took into consideration land profile, traffic paths and scenic views in designing Symphony Hills; hence it conforms with the existing contours of land to present homes of luxury that it says will be in complete harmony with nature. “Residences are designed as clusters with gardens set along cul-de-sac. Textured streets with wide corners facilitate safe driving for a residential area that is conducive to residents and children. The entire landscape and layout is designed to converge at a dramatic point: a spectacular floating clubhouse in the heart of the development,” it adds. It says that this Cyberjaya development is part of its long-term strategy of diversifying the geographical location of its developments as well as its source of income and to expand into the Klang Valley. UEM Land says it is focused on creating world-class luxury residential developments of architectural and design pedigree. Its portfolio of stateof-the-art luxury blueprints includes Puteri Harbour, dubbed the jewel of Nusajaya, and East Ledang, a high-end resort-style residential development. UEM Land says it adopts a greenconscious philosophy in every aspect of design, architecture and construction. As such, Symphony Hills is developed in accordance with the Green Building Index guidelines. In constantly raising benchmarks to achieve higher workmanship standards and better quality buildings in line with green initiatives, Symphony Hills will be assessed by Construction Quality Assessment System (CONQUAS). Since the Symphony Hills project was launched, the take-up has been very encouraging – solid evidence that UEM Land has indeed come up with the best luxury residential development.

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2012

BEST BESPOKE ADDRESS

Gita Bayu

by Yee Seng Heights Sdn Bhd

CITATION TO explain this winner and category, let me quote Lapo Elkann who once worked with Ferrari Centro Style to create the Ferrari’s tailormade customisation programme: “People are bored of mass luxury, bespoke and unique is growing faster every day. Not just in cars but in planes, boats, watches, eyewear, made-to-measure clothes as well as housing. People want things tailored to their tastes and their way of life.” Didn’t they always? Sure it wasn’t cars and private jets, but the wealthy always had their stately homes and gardens, absurdly expensive furniture, clothes and heaps of jewellery custom designed just for them. However, according to Elkann, in many places, personalisation is growing even faster than the number of wealthy individuals, namely in places like China, Brazil, Russia, India, Thailand, Malaysia and even the small Eastern European countries. Maybe not much in Europe, with the current financial crisis, but that’s the place where these things have always been produced. Where does Gita Bayu stand in all this bespoke talk? Offering a unique gated and guarded development that is isolated from the biz and buzz of the city, with a highly appreciated resort theme within a community based environment – this probably sums up the bespoke address that Yee Seng Heights Sdn Bhd envisioned back in 1996.

Andre Keller, CEO of Yee Seng Heights Sdn Bhd, is proud to be a resident at Gita Bayu The award-winning clubhouse “Kebun Mimpi” has set industry standards in resort living

by GUNAPRASATH BUPALAN

ita Bayu was a new concept made available to the discerning few in 1996. Like a sorority, only a few had a chance to own land in this unique and friendly community that offers tranquility and secured living by embracing nature. “We realised that many who travel around a lot, love staying at resorts that offer lots of green, pampering facilities and an environment that is extremely welcoming. This is what we mimicked Gita Bayu to be. This way, they could experience these elements everyday… right at home,” says Andre Keller, CEO of Yee Seng Heights Sdn Bhd. Living up to its of tagline “coming home”, Gita Bayu delivers a “home” furnished with top-quality materials, complemented with a full range of facilities, services, and a verdant environment where residents can relax and have peace of mind and soul when they come home. The developer builds, operates and takes care of the security, privacy, landscape and the community facilities so residents can experience a peaceful and relax-

One of the Quintet models – Gita Bayu’s new addition

ing lifestyle without worries. “Our family chose Gita Bayu as our home because of the tree-lined streets and open space, and a clubhouse and pool area that would rival many resorts. We also enjoy the use of the other facilities on offer, such as tennis court, gymnasium and reading room. It makes it hard to go away for a holiday when you have it so good at home,” says Andrew Colbey. He and his wife Cheryl are teachers and reside at Gita Bayu. Gita Bayu exudes luxury even along the drive leading to the development’s guard house, with its arched trees that radiate a sense of belonging. Upon reaching the guard house, one is attended to by friendly yet attentive security. This is to ensure safety measures are taken at all times making sure that exclusivity is maintained for its residents. “As soon as we drive into Gita Bayu you feel the stress ebbing, the families that live here are friendly and there is nothing like Friday night dinners at the clubhouse where we all get together. It’s hard to describe but it’s more than coming home. It’s a sense of family,” says relocation consultant Rhonda and John Kortum, who reside at Gita Bayu. Once you’re in, you would notice that the development has been moulded around many of the original rubber trees as the land was once a rubber estate. “Instead of tearing down the beauty of the land to make way for development, Gita Bayu emphasises harmonious living with nature where much preparation was done to identify and maintain as many trees as possible and keeping earthworks to a minimum,” Keller explains. Entering the 118-acre development, one would be greeted by its iconic lakeside clubhouse, the Bali- and Thai-inspired Kebun Mimpi, designed by renowned architects Lek Bunnag and Bill Bensley, which was completed in 2002. It has a dining pavilion with an open-air verandah surrounded by water features, a gymnasium, a reading room on the top floor, an infinity swimming pool and Jacuzzi. Gita Bayu was the first to have such club facilities built within a gated and guarded community 10 years ago; and it set the trend for many later developments in the Klang Valley. “We feel fortunate to be living in Gita Bayu. It's a very safe and green paradise. It has outstanding security. We enjoy the club house, the friendly staff and the proximity to town. We are happy here!” declares another resident couple, Jayasri and Rainer Tischler. Initially, Gita Bayu offered 206 bungalow lots of between 5,812sq ft and 19,117sq ft selling at only RM35psf to RM45psf for buyers to build on. Then three years later, the developer

introduced the limited 100 units of 1,270sq ft and 1,860sq ft walk-up apartments known as Town Villas at about RM200psf. Three years after, 31 cluster bungalows were offered at about RM300psf for 3,187sq ft to 4,381sq ft units. Yee Seng Heights didn’t stop there. In 2005, three years after the launch of the cluster bungalows, it introduced 54 units of two- and three-storey Hill Villas with built-ups of between 2,960sq ft and 3,950sq ft. After the Hill Villas’ construction, Gita Bayu became quiet for the next few years. “Well, we are unlike other developers. Since Yee Seng Heights is a premium boutique developer, we saw no rush in developing it further. Instead, we decided to maintain Gita Bayu with its current owners and occupiers and strengthen the community spirit within. “We organise events all year round to garner participations from our residents. For instance, we held a run, transformed the dining pavilion into a beer haven during October Fest and will be organising a fishing competition at our lake,” Keller adds. Now in 2012, the developer has decided that it is time once again to invite more people to experience the lifestyle at Gita Bayu, hence the launch of the RM40 million Quintet – five individually designed modern tropical bungalows with an open living concept that is in harmony with the lush green landscape preserved in Gita Bayu. The five units at the Quintet range between 7,556sq ft and 9,214sq ft across two acres of land and selling from RM7.8million. “The open concept is rare but not new. If we look back at the traditional Malay architecture, there is openness everywhere – open spaces, open verandahs, open kitchens and more. We would like to attract homebuyers who appreciate these elements of tropical living,” said Keller. In the future, Yee Seng Heights will be introducing more individually designed bungalows, a condominium as well as shoplots. With its overall concept and scenic environment, Gita Bayu has won some of the most prestigious awards in Malaysia – Fiabci’s Award for Best Residential Development and the Best Landscaping in the Hotel/Resort/Tourism Complex Category. It was also nominated for the 2004 Aga Khan Award for Architecture (Residential Category) and today, it bags the Best Bespoke Address category in the 2012 Editors Choice® Property Awards.

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2012

BEST INTEGRATED DEVELOPMENT

Kuala Lumpur Sentral CBD by Malaysian Resources Corporation Berhad

CITATION MALAYSIAN Resources Corporation Bhd’s (MRCB) Kuala Lumpur Sentral CBD is the country’s next-generation central business district that’s thinking global thanks to its worldly strengths. It is an exclusive urban centre built around Malaysia’s largest transportation hub – offering global connectivity, excellent investment opportunities, business convenience and an international lifestyle. A transportation hub is a vital component. Around the world, cities with transportation hubs have shown that such hubs do make a difference compared to hubless ones as it is quick to get in and out of these cities. Kuala Lumpur Sentral CBD is a self-contained city-within-acity comprising a world-class transportation hub, premium corporate office towers and business suites, four-, five- and six-star international hotels, luxury condominiums and serviced apartments, office campus and a retail mall. These are the “live, work and play” components that indeed make it a next-generation CBD. It is accessibility- and connectivity-ready, being well served by eight rail systems: KL Monorail, Rapid KL’s Kelana Jaya Line and Ampang Line, KLIA Express Rail Link, KLIA Transit, KTM Komuter, KTM Intercity, and MRT which is expected to be completed in 2016. It is also connected by the Mahameru Highway, New Pantai Expressway, Federal Highway, Sprint Highway and Sungai Besi Highway. Above all, Kuala Lumpur Sentral CBD’s future-ready infrastructure enables it to fulfil all the requirements of large MNCs that operate around the globe: They need to be connected to their many offices, have high data service requirements, operate round the clock and utilise cutting-edge technology. Going forward, businesses and the CBD lifestyle at Kuala Lumpur Sentral CBD should thrive as the MRCB management continues to cement its position as the CBD of choice and as the ongoing developments complete. All this should bring a bigger population to the place.

Kuala Lumpur Sentral CBD’s future-ready infrastructure enables the urban centre to fulfil all the requirements of MNCs that operate around the globe

by ZOE PHOON

uala Lumpur Sentral CBD’s 10G data backbone makes it future-ready for upgrades. “Future-ready refers to the ever growing requirements by businesses, especially MNCs, for bandwidth. More data are being stored, sent and accessed by businesses using applications that demand international quality infrastructure,” says Zuraimi Mustapha, vice president operations, property division, MRCB. “Kuala Lumpur Sentral CBD, the first MSC Cybercentre in Malaysia, has a fully fibre (FTTH or Fibre-to-theHome) infrastructure that will enable its tenants to upgrade their systems easily,” he adds, noting the 10GB data backbone is scalable to 120GB but that is dependent on offerings of telecom operators. “How we have made it different is the fact that in the Platinum Sentral office campus, we have not only invested in the data backbone, we are also offering services that make use of the bandwidth. “The services offered are in the three main areas of intelligent building services, information and communication services, and safety and security services.” In addition, Kuala Lumpur Sentral CBD is built to MDeC (Multimedia Development Corporation) regulations. What this means for the place as a next-generation CBD is that it is recognised as a cyber centre (the first in Malaysia) and that the development is built to the quality required for international IT companies to operate in, Zuraimi explains. And for the tenants, it means that they meet the location criteria to apply for MSC Malaysia incentives. Dubbed “Malaysia’s No. 1 business and lifestyle address”, the existing office towers here are Plaza Sentral (completed in 2001); One Sentral (2007); Mercu UEM, MIDA Sentral, Menara SSM and Quill 7 (2009); and Platinum Sentral (2012). Their rental rates range from RM7psf to RM9psf. The other existing components are residential developments Suasana Sentral (completed in 2002) and Suasana Sentral Loft (2008); Hilton Kuala Lumpur and Le Meridian hotels (2003); Sooka Sentral lifestyle

Zuraimi says Kuala Lumpur Sentral CBD compares quite favourably with London’s Canary Wharf and Singapore’s Marina Bay in terms of direct connectivity to the international airport, high concentration of Grade A office buildings and MNCs, international hotel Serving as the gateway to the world, the KL City Air Terminal is brands, and retail and situated at the Stesen Sentral Kuala Lumpur integrated rail F&B offerings transportation hub, Malaysia’s largest

centre with F&B offerings (2007); and banks and financial institutions including Bank Islam, CIMB Bank, RHB Bank, Kuwait Finance House, Maybank, AmBank and SME Bank.

New world-class product offerings

The buildings expected to be completed in 2013 are Menara CIMB (gross floor area of 834,000sq ft), Menara Shell and Ascott Sentral (one million square feet), Aloft Hotel and Nu Towers (350,000sq ft, 840,000sq ft), as well as Nu Sentral and Menara 1 Sentrum (1.3 million square feet, 641,000sq ft). Targeted for completion in the subsequent years are St Regis Hotel & Residences (one million square feet, 2014), Q Sentral (1.4 million square feet, Q1 2015) and The Sentral Residences (1.4 million square feet, Q4 2016). When they open their door to business, St Regis Hotel & Residences, Ascott Sentral, Aloft Hotel and the Nu Sentral retail mall should further boost the lifestyle and retail offerings at Kuala Lumpur Sentral CBD. Zuraimi says MRCB is projecting 100 million commuters passing through the Stesen Sentral Kuala Lumpur integrated rail transportation centre – which is Malaysia’s largest transportation hub – by year 2020. Currently, 150,000 commuters pass through the transportation hub on an average day, or an estimated 55 million commuters a year.

Growing international presence

As a vibrant destination, MRCB’s Kuala Lumpur Sentral CBD attracts a significant number of world-class MNCs to set up their offices, thus contributing to foreign direct investment inflow into the country. In terms of contribution to the real estate and construction industries, MRCB is the leader in smart and green development through its state-of-the-art buildings. What MRCB wants for Kuala Lumpur Sentral CBD on the world map is for it to be positioned on par with other global CBDs such as Canary Wharf in London, reveals Zuraimi. It compares quite favourably with Canary Wharf and Singapore’s Marina Bay at present in terms of direct connectivity to the international airport, high concentration of Grade A office buildings and MNCs, international-class hotel brands as well as complementary retail and F&B offerings, he says. “In fact, MNCs and companies looking to relocate or start up business should regard Kuala Lumpur Sentral CBD as a preferred business-and-lifestyle-address destination due to the high concentration of premier office space and MNCs, integration and connectivity.”

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2012

BEST GREEN INITIATIVE

Malaysian Resources Corporation Berhad

CITATION MALAYSIAN Resources Corporation Bhd’s (MRCB) Green Initiative spells the difference in environmental protection and conservation of resources. As one of the country’s premier construction and property players, its primary goal is to establish itself as an outstanding leader in sustainable development. It is also intent on creating a sustainable environment emphasising value creation for its investors, workers and the community within the vicinity of its development projects in terms of being human- and environment-friendly, technology-driven and maintenance-efficient. The Green Initiative – which covers its development, construction, environment and engineering management projects – is part of its key performance indicators, reflecting its commitment to contributing to Malaysia’s Green Agenda. MRCB leads the country’s Green Building Index (GBI) for its existing and future development projects through green building initiatives and best practices such as the United States’ Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), Singapore’s Building and Construction Authority (BCA) Green Mark and GBI. Its green development strategy is being implemented in all new projects at its iconic integrated development, Kuala Lumpur Sentral CBD, a new-generation central business district. In the environmental engineering field, MRCB is a leader in works involving beach, river and coastline restoration. It has worked with the government to help avert environmental crises and successfully completed projects involving Kuala Sungai Pahang, Sungai Kuantan and Pulau Tioman in Pahang and Sungai Perai in Penang. It is also active in mitigating floods, rehabilitating projects, managing drainage and combating other environmental issues. Its Green Initiative embraces best-inclass practices in sustainable management, energy and water efficiency, indoor environmental quality, greenery services, environment management and protection, design excellence (features and innovations), technology innovation (use of smart technology), materials and resources, regulatory compliance and waste management. MRCB recognises that short-term progress and profit cannot be at the expense of long-term environmental sustainability, balancing progress with preserving nature to ensure its developments are eco-friendly in design, usage, efficiency and longevity. It adopts the green development strategy for all its future developments in Kuala Lumpur Sentral CBD and wants to achieve excellence in green development.

by ZOE PHOON

eal Reserve finds out more about the Green Initiative (GI) from MRCB’s vice president operations, property division, Zuraimi Mustapha RR: How did the GI come about? ZM: MRCB’s board of directors has always been sensitive to the environment and the community with a view to conduct business responsibly. This is in support of the government’s Green Agenda. MRCB’s Kuala Lumpur Sentral CBD serves the green environment agenda. In 2008, the sustainable development strategy was incorporated into our core business divisions, including property, making development of green buildings a key performance indicator for our property projects. That translated into our green building initiative which is also supported by our suppliers, the relevant authorities and surrounding community. We want to ensure our effort create value for our stakeholders while we take a lead role in sustainable development. RR: What has happened since? ZM: MRCB’s latest projects (Menara CIMB, Q Sentral, Sentral Residences, Platinum Sentral, Nu Sentral retail mall, 1 Sentrum, Menara Shell and Ascott Sentral) are planned as green sustainable developments with each building undergoing both international and local green building best practices and certifications. That makes MRCB the developer with the highest number of green buildings, evident in Kuala Lumpur Sentral CBD. MRCB adopts the GBI, LEED and BCA Green Mark. Our basic guideline is, ensure that all our future developments comply with at least one green certification body, local or international. We take pride that our initiatives have been recognised by many parties including the Editors Choice® Property Awards 2012 for Best Green Initiative and Best Green Office Development. RR: Where does MRCB’s GI stand vis-à-vis similar initiatives elsewhere? ZM: We have the highest number of green developments in the country – in our Kuala Lumpur Sentral CBD. (See table.) RR: How would MRCB want to be known for its GI? ZM: A leading urban developer committed to sustainable developments as demonstrated in its next-generation CBD, Kuala Lumpur Sentral CBD. RR: From a ringgit-and-sen viewpoint, what does it mean for MRCB? ZM: MRCB believes in creating a sustainable environment with emphasis on value creation for our investors, workers and the community in the vicinity of the development. Our GI encompasses efficient operational costs in the long run. Simply put, to make for better value and appreciation rate in terms of value creation for the investors/building owners. Ultimately, we trust that protecting the environment is priceless. RR: Challenges faced. ZM: Our green building initiatives started with our quest to achieve Platinum rating for the BCA Green Mark in 2009. The greatest challenge was to import expertise and materials;

1 Sentrum office tower

Nu Sentral retail mall

at that point in time we didn’t have them locally and our Malaysian GBI was not available yet. We worked very hard to overcome these challenges to meet the highest rating for the BCA Green Mark. RR: How do you want people to relate the GI to the MRCB brand and its future developments? ZM: Green development relates to MRCB being a premier property player dedicated to building greenand-smart connected developments that are energy efficient. We are also a major construction and infrastructure player with expertise in river rehabilitation works, hospitals, energy related activities, roads and highways. Yes, we want MRCB to be synonymous with sustainability; when people think of sustainable developments, MRCB will be at the top of their mind. RR: What does the GI mean for stakeholders? ZM: For investors, it would imply higher rental yield, tax incentives as an owner of a green building, shorter timeframe for return on investment due to premium rental, higher appreciation value and branding. For tenants/occupiers, it would be

better environmental air quality, better working environment due to use of human-friendly features and smart technology, lower maintenance/operating cost and adherence to corporate social responsibility. RR: Tell us about MRCB the conventional developer and now being smart and green. ZM: MRCB is and has always been committed to sustainable development standards for its stakeholders. We used to develop Grade A buildings and becoming smart and green is a natural progression for MRCB as a leader in urban development. And we do pride ourselves as one. Green buildings are designed to save energy and resources, recycle materials and minimise emission of toxic substances throughout their life cycle; they harmonise with the local climate, traditions, cultures and the surrounding environment; and improve the quality of life while maintaining the capacity of the ecosystem at local and global levels. They also make better use of building resources, enable significant operational savings and increase workplace productivity.

GREEN BUILDINGS COMPLIANCE STATUS Nu Sentral BCA Green Mark compliance Construction commenced in 2009 (retail mall) GBI certification (To be completed in 2013) 1 Sentrum Silver rating for LEED Construction commenced in 2009 (office tower) GBI certification (To be completed in 2013) Platinum Sentral (office campus)

Platinum rating for BCA Green Mark GBI certification

Construction commenced in 2009 (To be Completed in 2012)

Menara Shell (office tower)

Platinum rating for LEED Gold rating for GBI

Construction commenced in 2009 (To be completed in 2012)

Ascott Sentral (serviced residences)

Certified rating for LEED Gold rating for GBI

Construction commenced in 2009 (To be completed in 2012)

Menara CIMB (office tower)

Gold rating for BCA Green Mark Construction commenced in 2009 GBI certification (To be completed in 2012)

Q Sentral GBI Standard (office tower)

Construction commenced in 2011 (To be completed in 2014)

The Sentral Residences GBI Standard (luxury apartments)

Construction commenced in 2011 (To be completed in 2014)

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2012

BEST PERAK DEVELOPER

The Haven Sdn Bhd by S. SIVASELVAM

CITATION PERAK is now a hive of activity in the property market. Developments are taking place not just in the major urban centres but also in the outlying areas where potential is being gleaned by industry players who are taking a new look at the state. Most of them are looking beyond the acutely congested Klang Valley and some even regard Perak’s Kinta Valley as the next growth centre, especially with the rise of the new state administrative centre at Meru Raya. Why this recent change in perception? Just one development – the luxury resort condominium project named The Haven Lakeside Residences at Tambun on the outskirts of Ipoh. How come? It shows up the best of Ipoh and Perak in lifestyle and economic opportunities. It lifted the lid on the novel attractions of the state, from food (Ipoh kuay teow and salt-baked chicken) to new areas of business potentials, so much so that developers are beginning to create townships in largely rural areas. The Haven has also shown that a quality lifestyle is better attained outside the hustle and bustle of the Klang Valley and the over-congested Penang island. This award is in recognition of the farsightedness of Peter Chan, CEO of Superboom Projects Sdn Bhd and The Haven Sdn Bhd, that has resulted in outsized gains for the state way beyond the project.

erak was once one of the richest states in the country, its mainstay being the tin mining industry, backed up by the number one agricultural commodity at that time, rubber. Ipoh once boasted that it was home to the most number of Mercedes-Benz cars. That was then. As the tin market dwindled and palm oil became the commodity of the day, the state receded into economic stagnation. Ipoh became just a place to pass through en route to Penang from Kuala Lumpur. However, the past couple of years have seen a resurgence. While Ipoh was known only for bread and butter properties, it is no longer a surprise to see a rise in demand for lifestyle and upmarket products. Established property market players are moving in. The biggest surprise is that this turnaround is due principally to just a single residential project. The mover of this project has been actively promoting the state in an effective multi-pronged manner. For one, this single project has created a huge and unprecedented impact on Perak’s tourism map by highlighting the state’s natural assets – limestone hills – and homegrown uniqueness. It has brought attention to Ipoh’s food and has lifted significantly the lifestyle standard in Perak. The project: The Haven Lakeside Residences in Tambun – nestled among the picturesque limestone hills of the Kinta Valley and home to a variety of flora and fauna – on the outskirts of Ipoh. Fresh from successfully developing and selling out his Permai Lake View apartments, also in Tambun, as well as the Subang Galaxy link houses in Subang 2, Selangor, Peter Chan, CEO of both Superboom Projects Sdn Bhd and its wholly owned subsidiary, The Haven Sdn Bhd, embarked on a quest to elevate lifestyle choices in Ipoh by developing a luxury resort condominium called The Haven. Chan recognised Perak in general and Ipoh in particular as a resort destination that had been glossed over in favour of other more popular, expensive and highly congested getaway spots such as Cameron Highlands and Penang. To give the lustre it deserves, Chan wanted to build a project that would

The development has created a huge and unprecedented impact on Perak's tourism by highlighting the state's natural beauty

The three-tower condo complex is situated on 13.6 acres fronting another 10-acre slope and a lake that has a 280-million-year-old limestone outcrop as its centrepiece

meet the expectations of astute local and foreign investors. “I’ve been all over the world, seen all kinds of projects, but never a site that is to become The Haven,” says Chan. The site is unique because it is nestled among limestone cliffs, in surroundings where Nature beckons yet within easy access to an established city complete with all facilities and conveniences. “With such an environment, we simply had to up the standard – bring lifestyle to Ipoh and deliver five-star finishing and facilities to match the fivestar setting.” What he came up with was a threetower condo complex situated on 13.6 acres fronting another 10-acre slope and a four-acre lake that has as its centrepiece a 280-million-year-old limestone outcrop dubbed Rockhaven. For the project itself, Chan specified a raft of lavish facilities such as a five-level, 60m-long infinity swimming pool, fully equipped gym, squash, tennis and badminton courts and children’s playground. To that, he added highspeed broadband with fibreoptic connectivity, five-tier security, green features and a class of finishing that will stand the test of time. Turning the concept into reality was the responsibility of top-class construction firms Bina Puri and Beijing Construction Engineering while Best Western International has been appointed to manage it as a condotel. Bankers and real estate valuers were initially sceptical about a luxury development of this kind in Ipoh. However, Chan soldiered on and eventually, except for a few murmurings, the sceptics have disappeared. Many local buyers as well as those from the United States, Europe, the Middle East, Australia, China, Hong Kong, Thailand and Indonesia have recognised the project as a potentially rewarding investment. “They appreciated our location, concept, design, material selection quality and effort even before many so-called professionals did!” exclaims Chan. His belief system and insistence on sticking to his guns have paid off handsomely as some independent professional valuers in written reports have now recognised the full worth of The Haven, which carries a gross development value (GDV) of RM350 million. In the latest in its string of awards, The Haven has been notified of being conferred The Best (Malaysian) Condo Development Award by South East Asia Property Awards in Singapore. It has also been judged the best in Malaysia for Residential Architectural Design

and is highly recommended in the Best Developer category together with just two other major Malaysian names. The effects of these awards on this Ipoh developer will indeed send ripples throughout the country and, together with the recognition of Ipoh as a resort destination, surely will raise the value and demand for this development even more. But more importantly, The Haven is spurring what can only be described as a revolution in Perak’s property market: the development of upmarket properties, or at least with much higher GDV than previously regarded as feasible. Chan points to a significant factor in the development of The Haven Residences: Focusing also on the finer details. “Like good art, appreciation lies in the details,” he insists. So much effort has been given to making The Haven’s quality finishings, luxury settings and facilities “just right” that Chan foresees that when it is finally ready to be experienced, the resort condominiums would “easily gain another 20% in value” and even exceed RM800psf. “The building’s footprint is also small, taking up just 5% of the entire land area … we want to conserve the existing natural environment, promote biodiversity and live up to our tagline, which is ‘In the city, yet by the fringe of the virgin forest’,” he adds. The development of The Haven has undoubtedly become a catalyst for the economic revival of Ipoh and Perak. The state and city are now in a position to draw tourists who are being put off by the increasingly congested and much more expensive destinations such as Penang and Cameron Highlands. The merits of Chan’s persistent message of Ipoh as an ideal vacation and retirement destination is just now being recognised and indeed the government, both federal and the state, should develop this potential for Perak. The arrival of a luxury condominium project in the suburbs of Ipoh has also become an incentive for other property market players to take a good, second look at Ipoh and Perak. The result is the growth of upmarket commercial developments in and around Ipoh, such as at the new Perak administrative centre, Meru Raya, and just as significantly the growth of what used to be outbacks – like Air Tawar and Sungai Siput – into larger townships. The project, with 497 units, is set for completion in mid-2013.

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2012

BEST TOWNSHIP DEVELOPER

East Ledang by UEM Land Berhad

CITATION PROPERTY development has been and will always be a driving force of the economy, and at the forefront of the industry is a select group of the most bankable developers to deliver on quantitative attributes such as shareholders’ funds, revenue and pre-tax profits, and qualitative attributes like innovation, creativity and brand image. As a leading-edge developer, UEM Land is focused on creating world-class luxury residential developments of architectural and design pedigree. These include the high-end resort-style residential project in Nusajaya, called East Ledang, which showcases UEM Land's expertise in township development. The company received the Best Architecture Multiple Residence award for Malaysia and Asia-Pacific at the International Property Awards 2012/2013. Its overall development of Nusajaya in Iskandar Malaysia has also garnered international recognition as the winner in the Master Plan category at the Fiabci Prix d’Excellence Awards 2012 held in St Petersburg, Russia. Fiabci is the International Real Estate Federation. East Ledang best epitomises UEM Land’s impressive track record in turning concept into reality. That 80% of the residences were bought on the first day of the development’s Phase 1 launch, and that many buyers are streaming in from property-astute Singapore certainly validates this award. by S. SIVASELVAM

ast Ledang is UEM Land Bhd's most prestigious offering and a number of property market analysts deem it to be a sound investment prospect. East Ledang is a resort-themed urban residential precinct within a gated and guarded community located in Nusajaya. Developed by UEM Land Bhd, it is all about nature being intimate with modern smart homes. East Ledang is a mixed residential development that comprises landed and highrise units. So, of course one would find a variety of residences blended seamlessly with landscaped parks and gardens with lake, forest, wetland and canal themes. East Ledang is one of the residential areas being developed in Nusajaya at a gross development value (GDV) of RM1.2 billion. East Ledang comprises seven residential parks – Serenity Park, Tranquility Park, Melody Park, Noble Park, Harmony Park, Inspiration Park and Signature Park – and 31 themed gardens. The entire residential development spans over 275 acres with a total of 871 landed units. Each unit at East Ledang comes with fibre-to-the-home service, delivering 20 mbps high speed internet access and ELSiS Security, one of the most advanced security systems in the country. East Ledang is strategically located in Nusajaya, between Singapore and Johor Bahru city centre via the Second Link. It takes only 8 to 10 minutes to reach the new Johor state government administrative offices in Kota Iskandar from

Ledang Heights. A drive to Singapore only takes 30 to 45 minutes. East Ledang’s “East meets West” philosophy combines contemporary designs from the West and the East’s tropical garden as it features seven parks with 31 gardens with themes such as the Green Lawn Garden, Sacred Garden and Valley Garden. Of course, there are play gardens, recreational parks, walking and jogging paths and a clubhouse, The Ledang Urban Retreat, with dining, recreational, sports and spa facilities, retail lots and a business centre. The residences in Serenity Park, under Phase 1 of East Ledang, have been lauded as “inspired pieces of handicraft that combine urban comforts with natural surroundings”. These villas and duplexes feature premiumquality fixtures/fittings and boast high ceilings, tall doorways, spacious lanais and interior courtyards. Launched in 2008, the residences comprise 52 twin villas that have a built-up area of between 3,700sq ft and 4,300sq ft and 87 link duplexes with built-up area ranging between 2,600sq ft and 3,000sq ft. Tranquility Park has resort bungalows and twin villas. These luxurious homes all boast generous spaces that can easily house three generations under one roof. The built-ups for the resort bungalows range from 4,800sq ft to 5,200sq ft on land sizes from 7,500sq ft. The twin villas are all built on 45ft by 90ft lots and have built-up spaces starting from 3,700sq ft. The entire freehold development is expected to be completed in 2015. Besides landed residences, East Ledang developments include highrise and commercial components to ensure a balanced lifestyle for the residents. Within East Ledang, there are several condominiums. In 2009, Ujana Executive Apart-

ments was launched and all the units were sold in less than a year. Following this success, Impiana Resort Apartments was launched in 2011 and to date 85% is sold. Impiana is a 23-storey tower that houses 168 units and four penthouses with built-ups start from 911sq ft. The latest launch prices: Impiana apartment at RM453,000 to RM3,782,000; Melody Park Pavilion Villas from RM2,915,888 to RM3,542,888; Noble Park Grand Pool Villas from RM2,976,605 to RM4,099,885; and Inspiration Park Lakeside Twin Villas from RM1,819,888 to RM2,359,888. According to a report, a growing number of expatriates employed in Singapore are choosing to live in southern Johor, particularly East Ledang, attracted by the relatively lower cost of living and the prospect of sending their children to the newly-opened foreign campus of one of Britain’s most sought-after private schools. Marlborough College, one of the premier independent co-educational boarding schools in the United Kingdom, has opened its first international venture, Marlborough College Malaysia, on a 90-acre estate in Iskandar Malaysia, offering both the GCSE and International Baccalaureate programmes. According to Singapore’s Straits Times, cheaper and bigger houses across the causeway draw expats who commute to work. It added, “UEM Land, the major developer in the area for projects including East Ledang, said about half of the buyers for its properties are foreigners, including Singaporeans.” Other attractions in the area include the newly-opened Legoland amusement park, Pinewood Studios complex, and a number of hospitals and universities that are either newly

opened or nearing completion. A 350-acre university campus is being built as part of the Iskandar development that, when completed, will be shared by eight international universities, including three from the UK. Singaporeans are snapping up houses in Johor for less than half of what they would cost in the republic. Even a daily commute to work or faraway schools is not a deterrent - as long as they go home to a mansion. About 5,000 Singaporeans are estimated to now call Johor home. And one of their areas of choice is East Ledang. The main pull for them is the fact that it is located just 20 minutes from the Tuas checkpoint. "The quality of the houses is good and the security systems are sufficiently effective, and because of this, more Singaporeans are looking to buy property in the area," a property agent has been quoted as saying. Hussain Sayeed, 49, an assistant account director with HewlettPackard in Singapore, bought a four-bedroom, 4,200sq ft semidetached house in East Ledang for RM1.7 million. "We wanted to try out living here and I am just happy with the quality of life here – life moves slowly and the open spaces are something my children enjoy," he was quoted as saying in a report. “I moved here because I can get a bigger space for less money as it is cheaper than landed property in Singapore. It is not exactly cheap, but it is the quality of life that attracts me." It is no surprise therefore that when East Ledang launched Harmony Park comprising 81 units of double-storey link duplexes in January 2011, approximately 80% of them were sold on the launch day. With Nusajaya, the key driver of Iskandar Malaysia, poised to be Asia's new regional city, the landscape of southwest Johor is now accentuated by its signature developments. This is further cemented by the rapid take-up of the residences at East Ledang. Residential property values in Nusajaya have been strong with upward movements of between 30% and 40% over the past four years. Home owners are landbanking in Nusajaya as they see the potential that awaits Asia's first regional city in southern Malaysia. UEM Land is the master developer of Nusajaya – Malaysia's most ambitious property development project. At 23,875 acres, it is also the largest urban integrated development in Southeast Asia. This new city is a greenfield development and is designed and planned against the world's best. Nusajaya is backed by eight catalyst developments, among them being Nusajaya Residences which includes East Ledang. Due to its expertise in high-end residential development such as East Ledang, UEM Land has now been tapped to develop a high-end residential resort in Desaru, also in Johor, with an estimated GDV of RM5.4 billion. It will entail residential components comprising bungalows, semi-detached houses, link houses, townhouses and serviced apartments/condominiums as well as a beach club.

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2012

BEST NEW DEVELOPER

Trinity Group Sdn Bhd CITATION PROPERTY development is a dynamic and intensely competitive industry and Trinity Group Sdn Bhd, which has a strong foothold in the Klang Valley, stays ahead of the game by delivering quality and high value projects. To deliver real value to its customers, it strives for excellence through the highest standards it expects from its consultants, contractors and suppliers. In addressing competition, it recognises that excellent companies take an outside-inside view of their business and that the marketing environment is constantly spinning out new opportunities and threats. To do well in the industry, it continuously monitors the ever changing environment and adapt accordingly by aligning its people, structure and processes to keep up with the changes in the marketplace. Its formula of success: It is very much aware that buyers in general have evolved in the last few years. Today, they are better educated, well read, well travelled, better exposed and thus are more discerning in their choice of products and services. So it believes that to build a strong brand name in the industry, it must be able to continuously deliver on its promises because pricing and location may not be the only key considerations when people make buying decisions. Other factors such as strength of a developer’s brand and its track record are becoming important purchase considerations. Since its inception in 2004, Trinity Group has been delivering projects ahead of schedule without compromising on the quality. Examples include The Heron Residency condominium (eight months ahead of schedule), 19 Residency semi-dees (10 months) and The Zest @ Kinrara 9 mixuse development (three months), all located in Puchong, Selangor. Another instance of Trinity Group’s commitment to delivering on its promises is the RM7 million access ramp it built for The Zest @ Kinrara 9: It was completed and opened for public use just before the serviced apartment component was due to be handed over to buyers. Last but not least, its innovative thinking is clearly seen in many ways, from the quality of its products and services to its consistently progressive attitude including its people talents who keep abreast by creating fresh products or innovating unmatched ones while others play catch-up. Such new thinking should ultimately put Trinity Group on top of the league in planning, designing and building projects that are functional, contemporary and alluring.

An innovative idea implemented at Zeva @ Equine South is the sky deck

by ZOE PHOON

“O

ne of the most common challenges we face is to be able to plan, design and develop product concepts that will appeal to our target audience,” says Dato’ Neoh Soo Keat, founder and managing director of boutique developer Trinity Group Sdn Bhd. “For us to achieve a strong market position, we need to be aware of the marketing opportunities and emerging trends in the industry in order to design and develop products that are practical, up-to-date and desirable. “We have a specialised team that conducts and analyse market research to uncover new and unmet needs and emerging trends. We recognise that as Malaysians become more affluent, their housing requirements will evolve to become more sophisticated.” He notes Trinity Group makes sure that its new product offerings not only provide basic accommodation but also lifestyle experiences with facilities for self-indulgence as well as for family and community bonding. “This approach is evident in all our product offerings from condominium projects (Z Residence @ Bukit Jalil) to our latest mix-use development (Zeva @ Equine South).”

Enriching communities

The Z Residence @ Bukit Jalil, launched in mid-2011 and planned for completion by mid-2014, is Trinity Group’s most ambitious undertaking to date. With a gross development value of RM520 million and offering “premier living experience at down-to-earth pricing”, it is located at Bukit Jalil, a popular place with working professionals due to its proximity to Kuala Lumpur and emerging city centres. The 1,136 units come in built-ups between 1,032sq ft and 1,407sq ft priced from RM347,888. Some 90% of the units in the first two blocks were snapped up within 72 hours. All elements of its design are crafted to enhance the lives of its residents and the greater community it serves, says Neoh, citing the floating garden, infinity pool, sky lounges with stunning views,

The swimming pool and jogging track at Zest @ Kinrara 9, a development which the Housing and Local Government Ministry commended Trinity Group’s leadership role in raising the industry bar for private developers

and lush greenery that covers 50% of the development. It is also eco-friendly with an efficient waste disposal system and double-glazed windows to reflect heat and insulate the units from sound, as well as safe with state-ofthe-art three–tier security system.

Breaking new ground

Trinity Group’s latest undertaking is the RM260 million Zeva @ Equine South located in Bandar Putra Permai, Seri Kembangan. Comprising 766 units of serviced apartments to be housed in three blocks as well as 12 units of shops and retail spaces, it is poised to enliven the neighbourhood. “We hope to set a new benchmark for ourselves in introducing a unique lifestyle concept to the fast growing Seri Kembangan area,” says Neoh. Facilities for residents at the development include a 50m Olympic length swimming pool, three-tier sky terrace, sauna, floating gym and sky club with a garden café and WiFi hotspot. Recently opened for sale, Neoh says 30% of the buyers are repeat customers, “a testament of its customers’ confidence in the Trinity Group brand”. Meanwhile, The Zest @ Kinrara 9 mix-use development is Trinity

Group’s “most notable campaign” as it was unveiled during the 2009 economic slowdown, yet was sold out within six months of launch attributed to good products pegged at very competitive price points and effective marketing, Neoh notes. The serviced apartment units with built-ups of 1,100sq ft to 1,419sq ft, for instance, were priced at RM270,000 for a 1,205sq ft unit. The sub-sale price of the same unit in 2011 was RM510,000, 89% higher than the developer price.

Unconventional industrial units

Trinity Group branched out into industrial development in 2010 with its first low-density, gated-and-guarded project called Latitude @ USJ 19 comprising 15 factory-warehouse units located in Petaling Jaya and targeted at end-product manufacturers and high-tech businesses. The Latitude design is a breakaway from conventional industrial building designs as the units feature floor-to-ceiling windows that allow in natural light, trailer-accessible entrance, additional land for business expansion or storage and two upper levels that can be used for operations, office space or storage area.

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2012

EMERGING PROPERTY ENTREPRENEUR

Dato’ Neoh Soo Keat Founder and managing director of Trinity Group Sdn Bhd

CITATION DALE Carnegie used to say, “I know men in the ranks who will not stay in the ranks. Why? Because they have the ability to get things done.” In any enterprise, it’s not how many ideas you have but how many you make it happen; leaders seem able to identify ideas which are practical and aren’t, and push beyond boundaries. Trinity Group Sdn Bhd’s founder and managing director Dato’ Neoh Soo Keat, 42, has created an impelling vision that takes people to new levels and translated that vision into action. Always thinking about better ways to do things and aspires to be one of Malaysia’s top 10 developers, he has successfully built the company from scratch in 2004 and been delivering quality and high value projects in all the communities it builds and pricing them at levels the market can appreciate, introducing fresh lifestyle concepts and enhancing infrastructures to benefit its residents. He believes Trinity Group’s business can grow only by giving back what it has received from the communities in which it operates such as the Zest @ Kinrara 9 located along the Bukit Jalil Highway in Klang Valley. When the mix-use development was completed three months ahead of schedule early this year, Minister of Housing and Local Government Datuk Seri Chor Chee Heung, who officiated the Zest Key Handover on Jan 9, commended Trinity Group for taking a leadership role in raising the industry bar for private developers and employing the six thrusts under the National Housing Policy as its guiding principles to achieving conducive and liveable environments and shared community infrastructure and foundation. Fast gaining a reputation among the next-generation property players, Trinity Group under Neoh’s nimble stewardship has managed to attract senior professionals from diverse experience and background in urban planning and development, construction and site management, marketing and brand management, professional accounting and property management. They work together to create a strong work culture whereby every employee subscribes to team operating principles to achieve the company’s objectives for long-term growth. People are beginning to take notice of its projects and presence while talents of the country’s top public listed developers are looking at it as a potential employer. That says a lot for Neoh’s dynamism and Trinity Group’s brand transformation.

by ZOE PHOON

he Universiti Teknologi Malaysia graduate in urban regional planning honed his entrepreneurial skills at age 13, starting a plastic bag business with RM9 capital, selling them at prices lower than those at supermarkets and shops, his first attempt at offering quality products at “superb value for price”, which remains a Trinity Group trademark. Dato’ Neoh Soo Keat’s entrepreneurship journey continued with the setting up of Trinity Group in 2004. It chalked up RM50 million sales in its first year of operation when it completed eight months ahead of schedule its maiden project, The Heron Residency. Today, the 290-unit serviced apartment located in Bandar Bukit Puchong enjoys the highest rental rate compared to that of similar properties in Puchong and about 30% higher returns, giving the units good resale value. Not born into wealth and privilege inspires him to achieve more: Following The Heron Residency, he embarked on 19 Residency in the same township. The 24 units of three-storey luxury semidees were completed in May 2010, 10 months ahead of schedule and achieved a 79% score in the Construction Industry Development Board’s Quality Assessment System in Construction (Qlassic).

We believe our business can only grow by giving back what we have received from the communities we build in, says Neoh

Threats and opportunities

His major breakthrough as an entrepreneur was his third project, the Zest @ Kinrara 9, launched in April 2009 when the local economy was sluggish. People were reluctant to buy due to uncertain market conditions, dampened partly by the 2008 global financial crisis, and some developers had not sold a single unit for almost a year. But Neoh was optimistic “as the project has all the right ingredients for success” such as a good product at a very competitive price point, track record of delivering ahead of schedule, and use of marketing strategies that include traditional media, social media and SMSes to reach out to a wider audience. To add value to the project, Trinity Group invested RM7 million in an access ramp to connect it to the Bukit Jalil Highway to ease the heavy traffic flow and reduce travel time. It also built an air-conditioned bus stop to serve its residents and the community. With all that, the RM250 million mix-use development of 720 units of serviced apartments, 20 shop-offices and 24 retail lots were sold out within six months of launch. However, Neoh’s Z Residence @ Bukit Jalil condominium project was not smooth sailing. Despite obtaining approval for development and meeting regulatory requirements for safety and environmental sustainability, it faced anti-development protests from the neighbourhoods. He initiated talks with them including his plans to minimise inconveniences. The project was finally rolled out in June 2011 with the first two blocks featuring 590 units snapped up on the first day. It is slated for completion by mid-2014. His other projects are Latitude @ USJ 19 factory-warehouse units in Petaling Jaya and Zeva @ Equine South mixed development in Bandar Putra Permai, Seri Kembangan.

Trinity Group's CSR initiatives include providing additional amenities at its developments such as a bus route or CCTV-fitted bus stop for passenger safety, which would in a small way help its residents in their daily activities. Its employees are also encouraged to participate in CSR programmes. Neoh (blindfolded) being led by Tune Money CEO Peter Miller at the Blind Leading the Blind Charity Walk with Lions Club in April this year. The company donated RM20,000 towards preservation and restoration of eyesight of the underprivileged.

Human capital management

As Trinity Group is a relatively new player and rising fast, Neoh says that as an employer, heavy investments are made to equip its staff with the knowledge and experience to grow the company. These include its brand transformation initiative to raise the relevance of the Trinity brand among customers, communities and staff and exposing the leadership team to best practices in design and concepts around the world via attending international property conferences and expositions such as the World Expo in Shanghai, China, and field trips to metropolitan cities to learn about the latest global property market and design trends.

Innovation, bottom line, direction

Innovation is the driving force that differentiates Trinity Group products from those of its competitors, he notes, and its employees are always challenged to come out with fresh ideas for products, design, lifestyle, marketing and business process. Among the innovative ideas imple-

mented are the floating garden and sky lounges at Z Residences @ Bukit Jalil, Malaysia’s first air-conditioned bus stop at Zest @ Kinrara 9 and the sky deck at Zeva @ Equine South. Meanwhile, Trinity Group’s sales have jumped from RM50 million in 2005 to RM500 million today, a 900% growth over the last eight years. For FY2011, it posted a 197.7% year-onyear increase in net profit to RM13.4 million while revenue soared 79.4% to RM118.7 million from RM66.2 million previously, driven mainly by strong demand for its projects in Klang Valley. Going forward, Neoh says it plans to launch five new projects with a combined gross development value of RM1.86 billion in Kuala Lumpur, Selangor and Johor over the next three years. These will likely be mix-use developments with residential, commercial and boutique retail components to meet the rising demand for balanced work-live-play lifestyles. It also intends to expand its property development business overseas, mainly in Asia.

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2012

MOST PHILANTHROPIC DEVELOPER

Datoʼ Foo Wan Kien

of Sri Seltra Sdn Bhd (a member of the City Motors Group of Companies) in Ipoh and outsold the quantity in Kuala Lumpur”. In 1965, he got the mega break when Italian carmaker Alfa Romeo appointed him sole agent for Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei. His flagship company, City Motors, flourished for 20 years, 15 years of which Malaysia was the only country other than Italy where the police force used Alfa Romeos as patrol cars. The same year, his wife gave birth to their first son whom he welcomed home on Aug 13, 1965, in a new Alfa Romeo GT, no less! He also started off motor racing in which he was heavily involved.

CITATION FROM information on the father that I gathered, and recently having spoken at length to the son, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. Inspired by his late father’s (Foo Yet Kai) humanitarianism, Dato’ Foo Wan Kien, 71, is glad that he is now an inspiration to his children and grandchildren to do good works. For example, his son, Foo Hon Lim, an active member in the Lions Club who has contributed to society through the Lions and played his part in charity work. It is fitting that Dato’ Foo’s gift of time (since his teens, which makes it 55 years now), financial assistance and talent in helping people to help themselves is to be revered. His leadership in resourcefulness, volunteerism, promoting positive changes and improving the quality of life of needy persons either directly or indirectly – through foundations that he and his family have created – is to be appreciated. Above all, his enkindling of the spirit of philanthropy in the younger generation – thereby continuing the circle of charitable giving – is to be admired. His City Motors Group of Companies (he is currently executive chairman and is the only surviving motor trade pioneer in the country since he struck out as a used-car dealer in 1964) has been highly successful as holder of the Alfa Romeo franchise for Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei from 1965 to 1985. With the money made, he diversified into other business activities including property development in the 1980s. At present, City Motors’ members Sri Seltra Sdn Bhd, Ken City Development Sdn Bhd, Ken City Penang Sdn Bhd, Ken City Ipoh Sdn Bhd and Ken City Bidor Sdn Bhd have ongoing and future projects with a combined gross development value exceeding RM4 billion. Dato’ Foo pursues his inborn business sense and motivation to give from his schooldays and carries on to this day (he will be 72 come Sept 11, 2013) – locally and abroad in China and Hong Kong where the sprightly entrepreneur still flies there on business and philanthropy matters. Education and healthcare are close to his heart. Looking at the dedicated Lion during the recent interview at the Sri Seltra office in Ampang, Selangor, he is not about to call it a day anytime soon: He believes in Confucius’ “Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” His family members are also active in the Lions Movement. He is married to Datin Chen Toong Moy and they have two sons, two daughters and nine grandchildren.

A new chapter unfolds

“In 1984, Alfa Romeo insisted that I assemble the car locally but I refused and it sacked me. I refused because I was anticipating the launch of the Proton Saga and foresee the national car’s market penetration,” he recalls. “However, I think the time was right then as it’s the start of the recession in Malaysia. I managed to clear all the 3,000 cars, paid off bank loans and invested the surplus cash in the property development business including buying into Hong Kong.” According to him, he started out as a small shareholder in Sri Seltra (developer of Taman Nirwana in Ampang, Selangor) which it later took over when the former management got into trouble. Before that, he was Dato’ Foo Wan Kien, inspired by his late father’s (Foo Yet Kai) humanitarianism, feels already involved in small real estate blessed that he is now an inspiration to his children and grandchildren to do good projects mostly in Ipoh with one of works. His charitable giving is also stirred by Greek philosopher Archimedes of Syra- his sisters. He also bought land in cuse’s words, “Give me a place to stand and I can move the world.” Sungkai, Perak, to plant oil palm, cocoa and fruits. In 2011, his oil palm plantation father’s money to set up my first venby ZOE PHOON ture, poultry farming. I was prepared business accounted for 50% of the profit of City Motors Group of for the challenges and was hands-on self-made man (he confides he Companies and this year property … I even swept chicken droppings.” has always “avoided riding on development is expected to be the That’s in 1962. his father’s wealth”), Dato’ Foo main earnings contributor thanks to The “country boy” comes from a Wan Kien has been active in community the successful launch of D’Pines@ big family; he’s the eighth (he has a and public services since young when Ampang condominium, now under twin sister) of 19 siblings. “I didn’t he led his alma mater’s Photographic want to try my hand at mining. I was construction in Taman Nirwana. Society as an official school photograThe group is also looking to deinterested in agriculture and had just pher to raise about 10,000 dollars (bevelop its landbanks (including prime returned from Ireland after completfore our legal tender was known as the sites of car showrooms and motor ringgit), via his photographic activities, ing my matriculation,” he relates his workshops) in the Klang Valley – in experience in his chicken enterprise for the school’s building fund. before he formed Shoon Sen Sdn Bhd Bukit Bintang, Bangsar, Cheras and Born in Chenderiang village (now a Ampang. in 1964 to offer hire purchase financtown) in Perak on Sept 11, 1941, three It also owns land in Ipoh, Penang ing for used cars. months before the Japanese Occupaand Bukit Timah, Singapore. tion of Malaya, he hails from a family of But he reveals “my dream is not Good luck comes in more than philanthropists. about money alone … I’ve two pieces threes His tin-miner father, the late Foo Yet It’s also the year he tied the knot and of land which I’m not selling as I’ve Kai who owned and operated many other plans for them”. got his big break in the motor trade mines in Perak, donated millions of And he’s still “a motor man” at when Asia Motors appointed him to dollars during his lifetime to charity heart and zips about in his Jaguar, sell BMW and Mazda cars, the first including schools, hospitals and other BMW or Toyota Hybrid and, of time the vehicles were imported into deserving institutions – notable ones course, his 1980s Alfa Romeo Spider. the country. He “did extremely well being Shen Jai School in Ipoh named after his father; and Our Lady Hospital, also in Ipoh. The tin miner also built a hospital in China and was a big donor to Nanyang University in Singapore. Dato’ Foo’s brother, Foo Wan Thot, is a respected educationist. In 1974, Dato’ Foo joined the Lions Movement and was elected as President of the Club for 1978/79 and subsequently elected as District Governor for D308 B2 for 1999/2000. He established an education fund that has since assisted thousands of students. As a Lion, he is stirred by Greek philosopher Archimedes of Syracuse’s words, “Give me a place to stand and I can move the world.” In business, he says he’s proud to be Like his father who contributed by building roads and bridges in Yunting province, a self-starter: “I did not use any of my China, Dato’ Foo is also chipping in to this hospital extension in Yunting

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2012

BEST PROPERTY INVESTMENT PLAN

Guaranteed rental returns by Andaman Property Management Sdn Bhd

CITATION THE Andaman Group’s guaranteed rental returns (GRR) projects offer secured, recurring, high rental yield whilst enjoying property capital appreciation. A key factor in its success is that it prices its property at every geographical location to be amongst the lowest in order to offer a “fair today pricing” unlike some other premium developers which price their properties at after-completion value which is of a purely speculative nature. It is also adamant in ensuring that the term guarantee does mean exactly that. This is a very important assurance for buyers of its properties. Ensuring that in every instance is what sets Andaman’s GRR apart from the others. Andaman is also credited for turning the GRR scheme into a genuine and viable investment instrument that is hassle-free for the property buyer as well as superior to many others, such as fixed deposits, bonds and mutual funds. A bonus that comes in the wake of Andaman’s diligent management of the GRR scheme is that the properties are well-managed, leading to consistent capital appreciation. As Andaman sales and marketing director Dato’ Vincent Tiew puts it, “We’re a strategist in property investment. Rather than sell expensive square footage, we price our projects so that investors can enjoy good rental yield and substantial capital appreciation in later years should they decide to sell.” That’s a winning mentality worthy of this award.

by S. SIVASELVAM

aking money from money, or rather making money work for you, has become a challenging effort over the years, especially with the most common wealth enhancer, the fixed deposit rates of banks, hovering at only around 3% a year. Hence, guaranteed rental returns (GRR) schemes have been introduced, where one buys property on the basis that the developer or its subsidiary assures a certain percentage in returns every month when that property is rented out. However, in most cases, the guarantee is no guarantee, with all the ifs, ands or buts integrated into the conditions of the agreement. The scheme is promoted as being risk-averse and a safe nest to grow the investment. But there have been too many cases of investors having their fingers burnt. In many instances, the developer simply adds the total rental amount for the duration promised under the GRR into the price of the property or the additional furnishing cost. Or both. The buyer therefore ends up paying an inflated price that is beyond the property’s true worth. It means the developer has taken the buyer’s money, rolls it and gives it back to him in regular instalments. Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Seri Chor Chee Heung has also warned of irresponsible developers who trick housebuyers with empty promises of GRR. He said these “fly-by-night developers” disappear after luring buyers into paying up by assuring them of securing tenants who will pay high rental for the property. It is in such an environment that the Andaman Group has introduced its GRR scheme where it ensures that the term guarantee is really what it means. And it has done this in a masterful manner by focusing on a sector where demand for accommodation is never-ending: college and university students. It has therefore built residential blocks in the vicinity of institutions of higher education, with Andaman Property Management Sdn Bhd (APM) managing them. What’s unique is that APM signs a master tenancy agreement with the institution itself, while the institution allocates the accommodation to its students. This has resulted in a win-win situation for all the parties involved. The students are assured of accommodation, the educational institutions are spared the burden

The Arc @ Cyberjaya comprising 1,000 fully furnished units is expected to be completed by end-2013

Buyers of units in The Academia @ South City Plaza in Seri Kembangan, Selangor, can start to enjoy a minimum 8% p.a. GRR for up to 10 years

of investing in constructing hostels, and Andaman’s buyers are assured of regular rental returns. Andaman as the developer becomes a tenant to the buyers and earns operational revenue by leasing the properties at a higher rental rate to the students and institutions. Hence, the better the properties are managed, the better the rental rate that Andaman yields from the property. Education is becoming an increasingly global marketplace as students are more willing to travel abroad for the best educational opportunities unhampered by short-term economic turbulence. “Recognising the increasingly global nature of the knowledge economy is an investment opportunity for student accommodation providers,” notes consultancy Knight Frank. It says that in the UK, student property has performed exceptionally well as an asset class compared to traditional investments over the last year. “In fact, it has outperformed every other commercial property class and delivered consistent returns throughout the economic downturn,” says James Pullan, its head of the student property division. A UK report says that this asset class provides “a guaranteed long term income stream and is generating attractive yields of between 5.25% and 7% depending on location and the leasing agreement”. The reasons why investors must consider getting into student accommodation, it says, include the fact that it has been a strong investment in the past; it can be a good yield for long term investment; there has traditionally been high demand and undersupply; and it is generally a resilient investment sector. Andaman penetrated this market even before its potential became apparent in the UK. It began its GRR scheme five years ago and is presently managing over 1,000 units of properties under GRR basis, with another 700 units slated to be completed by end-2012 year plus 850 more GRR units ready by end2013. Exactly another 228 units will be completed on GRR basis by end-2014. In other words, Andaman would be managing about 3,000 units of properties under the GRR scheme. Its sales and marketing director Dato’ Vincent Tiew points out that “property ownership is not just about providing a permanent roof over one’s head … it is also about owning a safe haven for wealth to attract yields as well as capital gains”. “Property is in an asset class of its own, and is unlike other investment tools such as fixed deposits, bonds and unit trusts that do not let investors enjoy the benefits in the first five years or so,” he says.

In the case of the projects Andaman is marketing, he says investors can profit from the GRR scheme that are tied to them, which in the long term provides an attractive annual yield even as they enjoy capital appreciation. “It’s also noteworthy that our investors will receive full 36 months of rental for a typical tenancy term of three years … for self-managed properties, very seldom can owners enjoy receiving income for the whole duration due to factors such as change of tenants, agent’s commission, bad debts as well as repair and maintenance costs,” he points out. “With Andaman’s GRR scheme, none of these issues come into play, making it hassle-free.” Tiew explains that Andaman signs agreements for the units to be tenanted by reputable institutions before a project begins. This ensures that demand exists for the project. When a buyer signs the sale and purchase agreement for a GRR unit, a lease agreement is also executed that clearly states the rental amount, rental commencement date, period of lease and that the developer is the tenant. Some of the sub-tenants and partners in the GRR scheme include SEGI University College, Sunway College, Taylor’s College, Cilantro College, Pantai College, Monash University, International University College of Arts and Science, Universiti Putra Malaysia and Multimedia University. “Unlike other developers, Andaman builds to meet demand, not to create supply … our GRR plan comes with secure contracts in hand, unlike 90% of other plans that offer GRR without a concrete plan or contract,” says Tiew. “Unlike developers that build to create supply, we build to meet demand as we are already assured of tenants, having secured collaborative/tenancy agreements with institutions of higher education.” Andaman’s GRR scheme offers packages for buyers to choose from: GRR up to six years, 10 years or even up to 25 years. Tiew attributes strict observance of three principles for Andaman’s success in implementing its GRR scheme: securing the tenants; ensuring that the tenancies are recurring, that is, long term in nature; and the GRR is at an attractive percentage. Without doubt, the Andaman Group is poised to become the GRR king in Malaysia with its track record, experience and contractual agreements with institutions of higher education to provide student accommodation, all key to success in ensuring its buyers’ investments are safeguarded.

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2012

MOST ICONIC DESIGN OF THE YEAR

Datum Jelatek by Perbadanan Kemajuan Negeri Selangor

CITATION THIS signature project of PKNS represents more than just a marvel of architecture. It shows how a once government-run entity can remain a GLC even as it competes head-on with hardcore property developers in the private sector with its self-developed profit-making projects. Its profits from the developments in the high-end market go towards funding its socio-economic objectives of providing affordable housing for the masses and catering to the commercial and industrial demands of the state. That its pioneering venture into the high-end market should be of an iconic design demonstrates not only the depth of experience and expertise within PKNS but more importantly, the innovative and creative spirit that it has nurtured among its human capital, not to mention market-savviness. The design of Datum Jelatek takes one’s breath away. One yearns for the project to be completed so that one can be at the Sky Crown to savour the panoramic vista from up above. That instant connectivity with the masses and the market it targets best defines this award. by S. SIVASELVAM

erbadanan Kemajuan Negeri Selangor or Selangor State Development Corporation (PKNS) says it now has a new face: “Much more than just property development. Building communities, enriching lives, realising dreams.” It was set up in 1964 as an agency for development by distributing and spurring socio-economic growth in Selangor as a means of promoting stability, harmony and social justice, and it realises this through the development of new growth centres, housing, industrial, businesses and investments. Describing itself as the premier property developer of Selangor, PKNS says it will continue to develop affordable properties. In this context it comes up with “more attractive and innovative products” for every level of society. Property development also represents its main source of income and profit. Its property development projects include low, medium and high cost housing, shops and commercial centres. It is in this context that PKNS that has announced a stunning highrise development that will surely take the shine off other projects that vie for iconic status. The ace in the development is the halo – a broad circular walkway 300ft above ground that PKNS calls Sky Crown – that will link the four stylish towers. Datum Jelatek in Kuala Lumpur is expected to be the next striking feature on the city’s skyline. But it won’t merely be a visual spectacle. This mixed development by PKNS subsidiary Datumcorp International Sdn Bhd (DCI) will accommodate 674 serviced residences in its four towers, one level of office suites and an exclusive three-level retail podium that is expected

to catalyse developments around it as well as elevate real estate values in the area. The urban regeneration project, with an estimated gross development value (GDV) of RM1 billion, will take shape on a 5.8-acre site along Jalan Jelatek that is just four LRT stops away from the Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC). Being a flagship development, DCI has plans to make it an award winner and will vie to gain Green Building Index certification compliant for sustainability and energy efficiency. Its tallest residential tower with nearpriceless views of the Petronas Twin Towers will be Tower A, which will soar 39 storeys and house 162 units in 154,257sq ft of gross built-up space. Also enjoying similar views will be the 33-storey Tower B and 35-storey Tower C, with the former having 170 units in 202,230sq ft and the latter, 186 units in 219,488sq ft. The 38-storey Tower D will boast 156 units across a gross built-up of 212,436sq ft. PKNS general manager Othman Omar says the units have been designed to cater to a wide-ranging market: homemakers, bachelors, expatriates, top executives and even captains of industry. With sizes of 530sq ft to 7,200sq ft, they will have the option of one-, two-, three-, or four bedroom floorplans. All will be corner units to provide for privacy, cross ventilation and landscape views. Duplex and penthouse suites will also be available. These are expected to be tagged at the RM1,300psf mark, which would put them at between RM600,000 and RM9 million. The centrepiece of the development will be the 16,000sq ft Sky Crown that will connect all four towers on the 25th floor and give residents uninterrupted 360° views of KL and its suburbs. “Sky Crown will be naturally ventilated and will resemble an oasis in the sky with four themes - family, educational, wellness and active,” says Othman. “Among the facilities here, 300ft above street level, will be a state-of-theart-gym and spa, fine dining restaurant, hanging gardens and a viewing deck.” Adding to the Sky Crown’s uniqueness will be special lighting effects at night and top class safety measures. More facilities will be available on level 10, where there will be a landscaped deck featuring a central courtyard, jacuzzi, cantilevered pavilions, wading pool, infinity pool, BBQ area, sanctuary garden, playground, plaza and a basketball half-court. At ground level will be a 481,022sq ft retail podium envisaged to be a neighbourhood mall to serve the development’s occupants population and also the surrounding residential areas. “It will house international fashion labels and local designer brands as well as pockets of niche F&B outlets with local and foreign cuisines,” says Othman, adding that PKNS will be proposing a direct elevated bridge linking the retail podium and the Jelatek LRT Station to promote the use of public transportation and facilitate greater traffic to the mall. On top of the three-level retail podium on the fourth floor will be signature office suites. Designed by Surbana International Consultants, the whole project is slated for completion by 2018. Its marketability is already evident in the en bloc sale

of two of the four towers to investors. Datum Jelatek will be the flagbearer for DCI, which will be a new brand to handle its high-end developments and investment assets. As the PKNS brand is associated more with social housing and bread-and-butter projects, “we formed DCI to penetrate the upper end segment of the market”, says Othman, who is also DCI chairman. It would have six to seven projects under its umbrella and they would be managed by PKNS executives. Besides Datum Jelatek, these will include Datum InCity in Petaling Jaya near the Western Digital plant (GDV: RM3 billion); Datum PJ @ Section 14 (GDV: RM1.2 billion); Datum @ Shah Alam City Centre; Datum Bangi and Datum Edu City. “All the projects will be built to international standards and will be Green Building Index compliant,” says Othman. “The designs are on the drawing board and they should be out by the end of 2012. In total, DCI has some 45.4 acres of land with a total GDV of RM5.8 billion.” Datum Jelatek signifies the new face of PKNS. Although it was established under a state enactment, it no longer receives any government grant but continues to meet its social commitment to enhance quality of life in the state. “We have to continuously find ways to maximise profitability for the greater good,” says Othman. Rather than spend heavily on overhauling the image of PKNS, the agency decided to set up a fresh entity, DCI, to develop and market its higher-end products. “Although many have remarked that PKNS should stay where it is (continuing with providing low- and medium-cost units), we cannot do that and still enhance the quality of life in the state as we do not receive any funding from the state government. “We make profits not for share-

holder to enjoy, but so we can fulfil our social responsibility and mission for the state. As we do not receive any form of grants from the state, we have to undertake medium- and higher-end residential and commercial projects that can make money so that we can to continue building low-cost units, affordable houses and other state projects. Maximising profits is just a means to an end, so we can contribute more,” he emphasises. Under Othman’s watch, the PKNS Group of Companies in 2011 recorded a profit before tax of RM420 million, with its property development arm achieving 76% of the amount. Describing this as the company’s and the group’s best performance yet, he also points out that PKNS is the “most successful GLC with zerogearing” with nett tangible assets as at December 31, 2011, valued at RM5 billion. Why the Datum name? It means a single piece of information but is also a surveying or civil engineering term for a fixed reference point. This is best reflected in the Datum Jelatek mixed development which, with its “daring, organic curvilinear (consisting of or bounded by curved lines) form” is going to be an outstanding highrise reference point that will stand out in Kuala Lumpur city’s busy skyline. It is significant that the Datum brand and the Datum Jelatek project were unveiled in Singapore, which has grown into an international showcase for architects and developers. “This is the first time we are marketing our project in Singapore. We want to attract more international investors and show them that Malaysia, too, has high-value, high-end projects to offer,” says Othman. “We believe that the Singapore and Asean markets will find affinity with our Datum Jelatek project due to its affordability, high connectivity, healthy investment returns and iconic design.”

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2012

MOST ICONIC GREEN DEVELOPMENT

M City at Jalan Ampang by Mah Sing Group Berhad

CITATION “ICONIC” and “green” are arguably among the words most often used when promoting and marketing commercial and residential developments. Hence, it is a chore to separate the wheat from the chaff. For this award, however, this wasn’t a chore at all, for the M City project stands out in terms of both these factors. That both locals and foreigners stream into the M City project showroom at the Icon office building along Jalan Tun Razak in Kuala Lumpur attests to the credibility of this mixed development – boutique retail, designer SoHo, residential suites and sky villas – fronting Jalan Ampang, commonly regarded as Embassy Row. Its unique placement of extensive gardens and parks at various levels lend credence to its claim to be a garden city – like having a home with garden on terra firma even as one basks in the panoramic view of the city from above. Mah Sing Group describes itself as Malaysia’s leading property developer. Currently it has 40 projects – quality homes and prime commercial projects in Kuala Lumpur and the Klang Valley, Johor Bahru (Iskandar Malaysia), Penang and Kota Kinabalu, Sabah. Says Mah Sing’s chief operating officer Teh Heng Chong, “Generous, well maintained central parks are community focal points. “All our products carry hallmarks of innovative designs and quality finishes, majestic grand entrances, security, extensive landscaping and greenstreet concept.” The M City development demonstrates that deeds back Mah Sing’s words.

by S. SIVASELVAM

anded property in the sky. That is the basic concept behind M City, designed to be a garden city community in an upmarket Kuala Lumpur section of Jalan Ampang that is widely known as Embassy Row. The three blocks of 36 floors, set upon a podium comprising shop units and car park lots, were conceptualised from the start to be environmentally friendly while being of international standard and yet achieve architectural excellence. The immediate response of the market: All 401 designer SoHo (small office home office) units in Block 1 have been sold out; all 25 boutique retail units on the threestorey podium have been taken up, with an anchor retailer – The Village Grocer – already signed up; and the For Sale sign for all the six residential units that have their own garden – just like homes on terra firma – have been taken down. Most of the 546 serviced apartment units that make up Block 2 have been booked. The only remaining residences are the 14 Sky Villas (luxury bungalow units atop the three blocks) and the Block 3 serviced apartments. Hence, for the project with a gross development value of RM1.4 billion, Mah Sing has certainly hit the right note among buyers in the market – international standard design and facilities, environmental friendly features that go beyond having shrubs and trees and an architectural style that not only stands out for now but will continue to do so for decades to come. Mah Sing’s Chief Operating Officer Teh Heng Chong says an iconic design, truly “green” engineering aspects and the attainment of international standards formed the basic premise right from the concept stage. It has worked out so well that M City has drawn international demand, with some 20% of the buyers coming from China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore and elsewhere. Its green and sustainable credentials are incorporated in the garden city living concept. The building facade uses high performance glass that cuts down on heat transfer and insulates the building from traffic noise, at the same time allowing good daylight penetration into living spaces. Coupled with energy efficient air-conditioning systems provided in all units, utility bills are kept to a minimum. Besides offering occupant enjoyment, the green roof absorbs heat and acts as insulation for buildings, eventually reducing energy needed to provide cooling and heating. The building also boasts other green features such as high efficacy energy efficient T5 lighting at common areas, lifts with

sleep mode and regenerative functions; lighting regulated by motion sensor at corridors and lift lobbies; and car park ventilation fans controlled by carbon monoxide (CO) sensors. To conserve water resources, residential units are equipped with a full range of water efficient taps, fittings and appliances to reduce water bills for homeowners,. Rainwater is also harvested and used to irrigate landscaped areas. In maintaining a high standard of indoor air quality, all walls and ceilings use only low chemical off-gassing paints, coatings and building materials that do not contain urea formaldehyde. Pneumatic centralised water disposal system also prevents odours and bacteria released during the handling of refuse. The development further reduces its impact on the environment by using a non-chemical water water treatment system for its swimming pool and termite management process. Recycling bins are also provided to allow tenants to take part in sustainable efforts. Also, the building materials used in the project are manufactured in environmentally sustainable ways and contain recycle materials. M City embraces environmental sustainability and excellence by being designed, constructed and maintained towards globally-recognised green building standards of Singapore’s Green Mark and Malaysia’s Green Building Index criteria. What is particularly iconic about M City, according to Teh, is that the project features what Mah Sing claims is the first ever multi-level thematic hanging gardens in Malaysia, where the total landscaping takes up over four acres, which is huge, when the entire project occupies about five acres of land fronting Jalan Ampang. Residents will enjoy 174,000sq ft of green space plus the panoramic view of Kuala Lumpur city from the four cantilevered viewing decks in Block 1 & 2 respectively. Stacked at various levels are parks: Lagoon Park Garden at Level 7, Bamboo Grove Garden at Level 11, Spring Park Garden at Level 17, Sky Garden at Level 23, Tropical Sanctuary at Level 29 and the

Sky Garden on Level 35 which is for the exclusive use of the residents of the luxurious Sky Villa bungalows at the rooftop. Also deemed as contributing to the iconic status of M City is the four-tier private residents clubhouse, Altitude Sky Club, on Levels 23-26, spanning 50,000sq ft and having unique features such as a yoga/meditation room and a child care room in addition to the infinity pools, gym, squash courts and the like. The project was launched in May 2011 and is due for completion in June 2015. Teh says Mah Sing also places emphasis on exemplary customer service “as we believe in the creation of a conducive and safe living environment by providing and maintaining parks and facilities and in ensuring effective security. We will continue to build eco-sensitive and environmentally friendly developments so that our homebuyers can enjoy life amidst greenery, in harmony with nature”. Mah Sing also has a strong commercial presence with Grade A buildings, integrated business parks and mixed commercial developments. The Group was amongst the pioneers of en-bloc sales of Grade A buildings and corporate offices in Kuala Lumpur. It is looking at expanding its footprint regionally, with a vision to be a world-class regional developer, says Teh. Mah Sing has achieved various accolades and recognition for its products. “In line with our status as a premier lifestyle developer, our products w ere recognised globally for their outstanding innovative concepts, designs and high-quality offerings. “Three of our projects won various awards at the Asia Pacific International Property Awards 2011 in association with Bloomberg Television. Our i-Parc 3 @ Bukit Jelutong was named Best International Industrial Development in the International Property Awards in association with Bloomberg Television and Google in London,” says Teh. Teh stresses that Mah Sing’s ultimate objective goes beyond just the structures that it builds; “they incorporate the communities that utilise them”.

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2012

MOST ICONIC INTEGRATED DEVELOPMENT

SkyPark @ Cyberjaya Sky Park @ Cyberjaya by MCT Consortium Berhad

CITATION SKY Park @ Cyberjaya can readily be described as an iconic development because it will become a truly vertical township with an extraordinary landmark − a 346m-long rooftop avenue-wide promenade connecting five of its six tower blocks on the topmost level, where residents and visitors can stroll with the intelligent city at their feet. Such a development needs a huge dose of daring to pull off, especially in a purpose-built city which is the hub of Malaysia’s Multimedia Super Corridor. Developments in the city must match the aspirations of the intelligent city and contribute towards not only its growth but also its sustainability. MCT Consortium Bhd has over the years built up its experience and expertise to back up its confidence in completing this billion-ringgit development and ensuring that its iconic nature stands the test of time. by S. SIVASELVAM

he entire integrated project with a gross development value of RM1.3 billion will also include a 700m long riverfront that will be transformed into a posh waterfront promenade and a three-storey retail podium spanning 470m complete with a cineplex and a food court. Another novel feature is the SoFo (small office flexi office) single-storey studios and SoFo duplex units. These give occupants the option of working in part of the space and using the rest as their personal area, a feature that is becoming more common in Cyberjaya. What sets those in Sky Park apart is that every floor in the two blocks will have green pockets of a size equivalent to two units. Ultimately, they will be annexed to four other components to form a vertical township. These are particularly targeted at the small businesses that support the 500-plus ICT related enterprises in Cyberjaya. The five blocks comprise a corporate office, strata offices, a hotel and two blocks of SoFo, one for the studios and the other for the duplexes, all linked by the Sky Park that will feature a plush dining and drinks area offering a bird’s eye view of both Cyberjaya and Putrajaya. Of the 417 SoFo units, the singlestorey studios will occupy the 23-storey block. These studios will range in size from 542sq ft to 739sq ft. The duplex units, which will be located in the 12-storey block, will take up 544sq ft over two floors. The stand alone serviced apartment tower, Sky Residence, is expected to be one of the tallest buildings in Cyberjaya, soaring 160m. The tower will accommodate 296 units in 37 storeys that will take shape atop three levels of services. All units will be corner lots, come with their own balcony and contain one or two bedrooms ranging

It will be a unique experience to stroll along a promenade in the sky

from 705sq ft to 929sq ft. The 15-storey Sky Park Hotel is designed to cater to the working crowd who may want a weekend getaway and also to tourists as the KL International Airport is less than 30km away. It will have a resort feel with wide corridors and a façade featuring bamboo louvres as well as facilities such as an infinity pool and gym in the courtyard. Of its 390 rooms, several units will boast plunge pools built into their balconies while those on the ground floor will open to the pool, allowing guests to dive straight into the pool from their rooms. The final two towers that will sit above the three-storey retail podium as well as a five-level basement that will hold 5,000 parking bays are office towers called the Strata Office and Corporate Office. At the Strata Office block, each of the 19 floors will house 11 modular office units that will range in size from 773sq ft to 2,390sq ft. The Corporate Office block will have 16 floors accommodating 160,000sq ft of space, a private garden and another 20,000sq ft of facilities. Cantilevered boxes will protrude from certain floors in the Corporate Office to serve as meeting rooms. The top most floor is designed to be a club lounge. MCT has 17 years of experience and expertise. In 1995 MCT started business in civil construction, being a design and build contractor for civil construction work including architectural, structural, mechanical and electrical services and specialising in the pre-cast construction method. Ten years later in 2005, MCT ventured into property development. Since then MCT has made a name for itself acquiring a sizeable land bank of more than 970 acres mainly in the Klang Valley. To date the group has completed projects to the value of RM1.5 billion. Of this value, its own property development accounted for RM703 million spanning 62 acres of its land bank in Subang Jaya, Shah Alam, Bangi, Selayang, Rawang and Port Dickson. Totalling about 2,000 units, these properties are made up of link houses, semi-dees, bungalows, apartments, condos, shop lots and link factories, which have all been handed over with the Certificate of Completion and Compliance (CCC) or Certificate of Fitness for Occupation (CF). MCT Group has seven ongoing projects covering a total of 90 acres in USJ, Putra Heights, Cyberjaya, Bangi, Templer Park and Johor with a GDV of RM3.3 billion. When completed they will have a total of 4,700 units of various types of residential and commercial properties, including a 273,000sq ft corporate office

A breathtaking view awaits visitors to the various facilities and amenities along the Sky Park

The waterfront is designed as a leisure and pleasure zone

tower, 842,000sq ft of retail space and 633 hotel rooms. For the next five years, MCT Group has lined up another 10 projects with a GDV of RM8.3 billion in Selayang, Cyberjaya, USJ, Putra Heights and Shah Alam covering a total area of 218 acres. These developments when completed will have a total of 9,200 units of various types of residential and commercial properties, 1.5 million square feet of nett lettable office space, 1.5 million square feet of nett lettable retail space and 1,000 hotel rooms. What this means is that by 2017, MCT Group expects to have sold and delivered a total of 15,900 units of properties consisting of link houses, semi-dees, bungalows, town houses, apartments, condos, shop lots, link factories, SoFo/SoHo, serviced apartments and office suites while having as assets 1.8 million square feet of nett lettable office space, 2.3 million square

feet of nett lettable retail space and 1,633 hotel rooms. MCT Group says the remaining 600 acres of land bank will be developed in future. Megan Tan, sales and marketing manager of MCT Consortium, describes the development as one of the choicest investments in Cyberjaya as its 11.27-acre site located off Persiaran APEC is nestled among 500 MSC-status companies, multinational corporations and top-notch academic institutions, with the Limkokwing University of Creative Technology 1km away. As Cyberjaya celebrates the 15th anniversary of its founding, Sky Park @ Cyberjaya is set to be positioned as this hi-tech city’s iconic landmark. MCT will aim for Green Building Index certification for Sky Park and expects to complete the development by 2016.

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2012

BEST MULTI-DISCIPLINARY DESIGN PRACTICE

VERITAS Design Group by ZOE PHOON

CITATION VERITAS Design Group’s “truth” in design and practice as well as “spirit of honesty” that emphasises considered and responsible design response to context, culture and climate are held in high regard. Group president and founder David Mizan Hashim believes it has a duty to contribute to “improving the built environment for the pleasure of humanity”. Veritas is not just the name of the design practice formed 25 years ago: 'veritas' in Latin means truth, which is the principle that inspired the firm’s creation and continues to guide its design practice today, he shares. “The duality of truth in design and practice has been central to our design culture from our rise from a small architectural practice in Kuala Lumpur in 1987 to a large multi-disciplinary consulting firm with several offices in Malaysia and overseas.” The government’s recognition of Veritas as Malaysia’s leading exporter of professional design services (integrated architecture, planning, interior design, landscape design, quantity surveying and environment services) also speaks volumes for the recipient of numerous local and international accolades on their innovative design works and commitment to service quality. It is currently one of the fastest growing design practices in its market and one of Malaysia’s forerunners in size of practice and scale of projects. This sustained growth which David Mizan Hashim attributes partly to the natural outcome of providing services to its Malaysian clients as they venture abroad and partly to its response to invitations from foreign parties curious about the capability of Malaysian firms. David Mizan Hashim leads Veritas with senior principals Lillian Tay and Azif Nasaruddin. They are supported by a team of associate principals including Ng Yiek Seng, Azril Jaafar and Zainal Aziz. Supporting disciplines of interior design, landscape, sustainable design, transportation planning, healthcare planning and quantity surveying are led by Shamsuddin Wahap, Zulkefli Ahmed, CK Tang, Ng Yiek Seng, Alton Alers and Richard Raymond. Veritas is backed by over 160 qualified professionals and about 100 support staff. ISO certified since 2003, Veritas will obtain the ISO 14001:2004 and OSHAS 18001:2007 certifications next year. Its staff are trained in Conquas (Singapore’s Construction Quality Assessment System), Qlassic (Malaysia’s Quality Assessment System in Construction), IBS (Industrialised Building System) and the latest aspects of construction technology. Also a leader in energy efficient design in Malaysia, Veritas has completed several green-rated projects with others underway. Many of its key designers are GBI (Green Building Index) and LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified. Combined with a corporate culture emphasising environmental responsibility, this results in innovative and award-winning designs to meet the demands of its increasingly environmentally conscious clients. While most of its work has been in Malaysia, Veritas is also kept busy worldwide. It recently opened its fifth international office, in Portland, Oregon in the United States, to complement its offices in India, Australia, Vietnam and the United Arab Emirates.

s Veritas Design Group celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2012, “it’s time to reflect on where the practice is going and how to get there”, says group president and founder David Mizan Hashim, who wants it to grow and make an impact regionally and globally while maintaining integrity. It is expanding out of Malaysia as well as cultivating an international outlook and a multi-cultural organisation, evident in its staff profile representing 13 nationalities. “Everyone is on first-name terms and empowered to lead. Veritas is not the traditional Asian patriarchal company,” he says. He notes it is proud of what it has achieved but the next project must always be better. “We learnt the painful reality that doing a fantastic job is not enough to earn the next project. We have to build and maintain relationships and people come and go … growing a design practice is about so many other aspects.”

Whither Veritas?

“We are part of a larger world culture,” he says. “It is more profitable to work within Malaysia but we are committed to testing what we do on the world stage.” Evidence of Veritas’ vigorous expansion plans overseas include current projects such as Trump Tower in Mumbai, Icon Condominium in Dubai and masterplans for new townships in Vietnam and retirement communities in Melbourne. Meanwhile, its green commitment and expansion of its sustainable design capability is led by CK Tang, a pioneering expert in sustainability design and energy conservation who contributed to the creation of Malaysia’s GBI rating tool and the national standard regulations on energy efficiency. On Veritas’ works, David Mizan Hashim notes, “We respond to the context. We have to recognise that every culture has its own patterns.” Adds Lillian Tay, senior principal who heads design at Veritas, “We may not pursue a distinctive stylistic signature but our architecture is responsive to culture, site and climate. When working at home, we try to create something that is Malaysian in spirit and celebrates the local climate. The expression of identity, however, becomes an increasing challenge with the scale of large commercial buildings.” Here’s a look at some of the firm’s best and ongoing works …

AirAsia HQ, KLIA: In keeping with the needs of a low-cost airline, the building design is stylish, consistent with AirAsia’s smart, cool and efficient public image, explains Azif Nasaruddin, Veritas’ senior principal who heads the team on the project. The new HQ captures the “can do” spirit and signature identity of the company founded by the baseballcapped and jeans-clad entrepreneur Tan Sri Tony Fernandes in 2001. The energy-efficient building features clean-lined horizontal aluminium sun-shade louvres emulating the sleek dynamics of flight.

David Mizan Hashim, group president and founder Lillian Tay, Veritas senior principal

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment building, Putrajaya: This earlier work of Veritas (completed 2003) shows appropriate design in the context of the tropical city. The leaf-shaped tower “grows” out of the basement, springing from an open-to-sky sunken garden that brings daylight and natural ventilation into the bowels of the car park. External verandahs with suspended slatted screens providing protection from sun and rain, skirt the building at ground level, taking precedence from the traditional serambi, an in-between space

found in the indigenous Malay house. “Our masterplan design is a commentary on the ambitious scale of the new city with its super wide avenues and city blocks, creating an unfriendly pedestrian environment especially in the tropical climate. “The masterplan carves sheltered internal streets that cut through the large blocks, creating a more humanised, walkable pedestrian scale that responds to the local climate and gives some sense of place. It takes four towers together to create a nodal point that can be read at the vast scale of the boulevard and the city,” asserts Tay.

One Sentral, KL: The awardwinning, 31-storey office tower reflects the firm’s well crafted and intelligent response to site constraints and the climate. It is a landmark project that sets the signature for the Veritas brand of highrise buildings. “We aspire to finesse the façade design so we do not simply employ generic profiles from

fabricators,” says Tay. “Especially so on what would otherwise be a standard speculative office tower, we want to create at least one inspired moment or one significant innovation. A first for a tall building in the tropics, One Sentral has a customised 22-storey sun-shading screen of steel and local balau hardwood on the façade facing the main road.”

Menara Binjai, Jalan Ampang, KL: It is a further demonstration of Veritas’ ability in sustainable design on a large scale, sculpting elegant and efficient towers suited to the tropical monsoon climate. It’s the first office tower in Malaysia to be awarded a Green Building Index rating. Its numerous eco-friendly features also earned it a Green Mark Gold rating. Prominent green features are the ascending three-storey

high sky gardens designed to create a sense of community among office workers. At the sky gardens, the slatted glass curtain wall opens up to become a “permeable wall”. The rooftop landscaped plaza, created by stepping back the top five storeys and a timber louvred roof canopy, is planned to be a gathering place for the building and a “destination in the sky” with magnificent views of the surrounding hills.

DiGi HQ, Subang Hi-Tech Industrial Park, Shah Alam: Completed in 2006, it is an outstanding example of a paperless office enabled by modern communications technology. The Veritas design speaks of an innovative workplace that nurtures human resources and connects with the

natural environment. With the open office hot desking concept, each staff has a locker to store a workbox. This they take along with their laptop and cellphone and select a workplace which can be one of the large open plan offices, the cafeteria or in the open-to-sky central atrium. Park City International School, KL: The design has choreographed routes along verandah ways and open courtyards with the occasional breakout areas. The linear school blocks are connected with a central spine that forms the informal gathering space for the whole school. “Education is not just about learning in classrooms. There are things to discover and learning situations along the route,” says Ng Yiek Seng, associate principal who also leads transportation projects at Veritas.

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2012

BEST GREEN OFFICE DEVELOPMENT by Malaysian Resources Corporation Berhad

CITATION PLATINUM Sentral, a project conceived and developed by Malaysian Resources Corporation Bhd (MRCB), is a state-of-the-art development comprising five sustainably built campusstyle office blocks, retail shops, business centres, hospitality zones and green spaces. It features extensive daylight, natural ventilation, solar heating and renewable energy as it has been awarded the Platinum rating, the highest green building rating from Singapore’s Building and Construction Authority. The green features within the development also include many water features designed to maintain a cooler environment and to provide alternative work spaces for informal meetings and leisure activities. Platinum Sentral has created a new benchmark with its office greenscapes and work-and-play environment that include roof and terrace gardens, water features, manicured landscape and the enfolded inclined largest green wall system in the country. In addition, it is Malaysia’s first Connected Real Estate by Cisco for integrated smart office solutions. Embarking on a green building initiative was the natural next step forward for MRCB following its success in developing Grade A office towers in Kuala Lumpur Sentral CBD. These are Plaza Sentral, 1 Sentral, Menara SSM and Menara MIDA. The site’s height limitation has given the MRCB team an opportunity to innovatively break down a highrise office tower into multiple lowrise office components. This gave birth to a lowrise building within a park setting, which MRCB subsequently interpreted this concept into a campus-style development that is environmentally friendly and smartly connected. This spearheaded the company’s green building agenda as the site is considered unique and forms a part of Kuala Lumpur Sentral CBD’s overall smart and connected real estate (S+CRE) development. It wanted the building to be an innovative product that enables it to stay ahead of the competition. With that in mind, MRCB “raises the bar” by engaging top local and international designers in its maiden green project. They were Cox Architects & Planners from Australia, a leader in its class in designing green buildings, which worked in collaboration with Perunding Alam Bina Sdn Bhd and Architect Kumpulan Senireka Sdn Bhd to “establish the design concept which geared towards creating a truly environmentally friendly, smartly connected and sustainable project” in Malaysia.

by GERALDINE LIM

ith no green body established back then in Malaysia, MRCB started its green journey to build sustainably by earmarking its first “second generation building” to be sustainable and green. “We started to do this even it’s in its pre-design stage. It is a call to be ahead of the competition and our management decided to embark on this journey,” says Nooraini Mohamad Rashidi, vice president planning and product development, property division, MRCB. “Platinum Sentral, with a gross development value of RM350 million, is the first ‘second generation building’. It will be a yardstick for other future green developments of MRCB. “The second generation buildings are green buildings with smart and sustainable features. They will undergo green building certifications and will take into consideration people-friendly features and design in terms of usability and building efficiency in areas such as energy- and water-efficiency, indoor environmental quality, greenery, environmental management and protection, design excellence (features and innovations), innovations with use of smart technology, materials and resources, regulatory compliance and minimisation of waste and security system,” Nooraini explains. “The site has height limitations due to its location above the live rail tracks and this has provided us an opportunity to innovatively break down a highrise office tower into multiple lowrise office components. “Hence, a lowrise development within a park setting, which we have subsequently interpreted this into a campusstyle development. “This spearheaded MRCB’s green building agenda as the site is considered unique as it forms a part of Kuala Lumpur Sentral CBD’s overall integrated development of live, work and play in a city-within-a-city environment. “We believe Platinum Sentral should be a testimony of our green agenda in Kuala Lumpur Sentral CBD,” Nooraini remarks.

Platinum Sentral, a testimony of MRCB’s green agenda in the Kuala Lumpur Sentral CBD area

Design and sustainable innovations

“Analogically speaking, it is the change from using a normal handphone to a smart phone. It reflects the changing lifestyle … the green lifestyle and it has become a necessity for KL Sentral CBD. “Thus, Platinum Sentral sets itself apart from other conventional buildings with its responsiveness to the environment and climate, its high level of sustainability and its unique architectural solutions,” Nooraini states. For the five blocks of lowrise office buildings, MRCB used metal panels, glass and environmentally friendly construction materials to give them a “uniquely urban yet natural finish” which could appeal to young working professionals, corporate investors and those visiting the vicinity. “It has sleek edges with modern articulated building forms,” she notes. Additionally, she says there are laid-out parks and gardens within the premises, which provide a soothing environment around the workplace. Attention was also given to create an ambience that fosters live, work, nature and play conditions. “We have employed a sustainable design approach which pays attention to the physical orientation and layout configuration. This includes building orientation and configuration; effective room layout; floor to ceiling height; location of the cores; building façade; internal layouts; fenestration; roof design and colour; and landscaping and shading. Campus-style friendly The building envelope, Nooraini says, environment was installed with “specific selection of “The presence of interstitial spaces creglass with consideration for U-Value, ated in the building provides opportuniSolar Heat Gain Coefficient, and applities for exciting and creative work spaces cation of low-E coating” to enhance the as well as facilities for unique F&B and Envelope Thermal Transfer Value. retail experiences for both office workers Tubular and chequered sun-shading and the general public. louvres (on the east and west facing “To facilitate the creation of a more con- facades) on the external glasses of the dusive working environment, the huge building further reduce excessive heat atrium in Platinum Sentral provides the transfer. connectivitiy to the other buildings in the According to her, the dramatic vicinity such as Stesen Sentral KL, Mecustom designed glass sun-shades on nara CIMB, Q Sentral, Sentral Residences Platinum Sentral are a daring showcase and the up-and-coming St Regis Hotel of innovative use of local materials. and Residences as well as The Sentral For lightings, MRCB uses energyResidences,” Nooraini says. efficient lighting such as LED and T5 She adds, “In Platinum Sentral, we are fittings which come with frequency offering services beyond what is expected electronic ballast. These provide savfrom a normal facility management ings of 36% better than code of practice. arrangement. We expect our tenants to Daylight responsive sensor, demand take advantage of the add-on services to control ventilation for oxygen sensors, improve their productivity. More imporoptimised lightings layout and efficient tantly, we are educating and supporting lighting controls using photo sensors our tenants towards embracing sustainand motion sensors are used in the able work culture and new technology.” building to ensure optimum energy The building, which is the country’s efficiency in Platinum Sentral. first unique concept of campus-style Nooraini says, “For ventilation in the mix-use office development, is curcommon area such as the atrium, we rently fetching the highest rental rate of use Big Ass Fans to provide a coolRM9psf in the Kuala Lumpur Sentral ing effect, via elevated air speed and CBD area. without using any refrigerants … they

increase the occupants’ comfort by destratifying the space, minimising cold and hot areas and providing additional means of occupants’ controls. “In other words, the atrium is naturally ventilated with the aid of a mechanical ventilation system, maintaining the indoor temperature at 22.5 to 25.5 degrees Celsius.” Toilets and staircase are ductless mechanically ventilated, while the corridors and lift lobbies are air-conditioned. An inverter to modulate the exhaust air fan based on carbon dioxide level is used in the car park, making it mechanically ventilated as well. A heat recovery wheel system was designed to pre-cool the fresh air and remove moisture from fresh air entering the building. To power up the building, MRCB uses solar energy harvested from the solar panels which are integrated into the building’s power gridlines. “Regenerative lifts, car park guiding system and automated waste disposal system are some of the green features we have also adopted in Platinum Sentral,” says Nooraini. “We have selected efficient sanitary fittings under ‘Excellent’ Water Efficiency Labelling Scheme and use water sub-meters to monitor water usage for irrigation and domestic water use. All these are connected to our building management system. “We have installed rainwater harvesting system to reduce usage of potable water for landscape irrigation. It is equipped with a good filtration system and rain sensors.”

The greenery

Its total green area of 802,748sq ft in space includes varieties of trees which provide shade and maximise the softscape; wall sheltering with shrubs and vines plants to promote ventilation; and green roofs to cool the building with extra thermal mass and evaporation. To reduce the heat island effect, MRCB made use of pervious paving, natural basalt stone floor finishes, paving and shades.

Working as a smart building

Platinum Sentral also employs Cisco’s S+CRE solution which centralises the building’s network solution. This solution accelerates and multiplies its infrastructure investments. The solution eliminates isolated, disconnected systems within communities, allowing more efficient integration, sharing and use of resources and information as well as serving the community better by using the network as a fourth utility. It also offers integration for energy, building, facility, security, maintenance and IT network managements.

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2012

by CHANG KIM LOONG, AMN

Pressing on for the ultimate goal

e at the National House Buyers Association (HBA) would like to convey our congratulations to the organiser of the Editors Choice® Property Awards and to the team of property editors for picking this year’s winners. We have known this editorial team since HBA was formed 12 years ago in 2000, and have regularly turned to them to help champion our causes, which are to remove weaknesses from the house buying process that has led to project abandonment as well as make the industry more robust and resilient. Our motto is “Striving for buyers’ rights and interest”. HBA started out as a volunteer group made up of members of the public, some of whom had fallen victim to unscrupulous developers. We come from diverse vocations and include lawyers, bankers, architects, surveyors and even retired air force generals and members of the police force – which goes to show that errant developers don’t discriminate and can affect people in all stratum of society. We operate purely on volunteer workers’ benevolence. Our volunteers work hard to pool resources together to strive for the rights and interests of other house buyers. The main purpose then, as it is today, is to create awareness of legal rights and to voice buyers’ interest in legislative proceedings and in the housing arena. Our work is directed towards providing information, advice and support so that house buyers are in a position to act as equal parties in the housing market. The aim is to balance out the currently inferior position of buyers so they do not continue to hold the short end of the stick. In short, we

are striving for fair and equitable treatment of house buyers when dealing with housing developers. We have our work cut out for us: By day, we hold our nine-to-fives; in the evenings and on weekends, we volunteer our time to help make the housing market a more level playing field by conducting our “Meet the public sessions” to advise other victims of their legal rights, acting as a consultative body on matters affecting house buyers, liaising with related ministries and local authorities and crafting proposals that can make the housing industry more buyer-conducive. Of course, we understand that in order to effectively send our message across, we have to make friends with other industries, of which the print medium is one. Being a volunteer group, we don’t have the resources like developers to take out advertisements (which undeniably gives rise to editorial support), but we were delighted that when we initially approached the editorial team that is now judging this Editors Choice® Property Awards 10 years ago, it immediately rose to the occasion and provided us with its backing – not only by dedicating prime space in its publication to highlight our mission and proposals, but also by supporting us behind the scenes. Despite producing a real estate section that is pro-industry, it nevertheless let HBA air its opinions – it is to the credit of this editorial team that it seeks to provide balanced views for the benefit of its readers. It is also to the credit of the newspaper editors throughout the country that the constructive criticisms we have made for the purpose of improving the housing industry have been read and acted upon, and

we are especially thankful to the government, especially the Minister of Housing and Local Government and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, for hearing our cries and engaging us in a consultative manner in the amendment of legislation governing housing development and delivery as well as strata related issues. A defining moment in our country’s transformation from a developing to a developed nation will come five years before 2020. The government has mandated that developers, by 2015, build their housing units before selling them (popularly known as Build Then Sell or BTS) – a stark contrast to the Sell Then Build method of delivery currently employed which has caused thousands of hopeful homeowners ending up as victims of abandoned projects. We are proud of the role we have played in pushing for BTS and its variation, called the BTS 10:90 concept under which buyers only pay 10% upon signing their sale and purchase agreements and nothing more until their houses have been completed and title issuance is imminent. Without the newspapers highlighting this concept and supporting its merits since we proposed it a decade ago in 2002, it might still be in the air. Of course, there are many more things that ought to be done to make the housing environment a safer, better place. Currently, our focus is on the development of af-

fordable housing on government land and we are of the opinion that such units should be non-profit motivated and that PR1MA should not be just an administrative body. As we pursue this and other goals, we hope to press on with the press media by our side. In this Editors Choice® Property Awards, we are happy to see the projects, personalities and companies that have won favour with our editorial friends. As we have been told, their choices came about after they wrote, edited and read the volumes of news reports, reviews, analyses and opinions on these recipients throughout the course of the year, which led them to form positive impressions that they feel should be recognised and appreciated. I’d like to conclude by offering some advice to the winners: Congratulations on being recognised by the editors – now continue striving to be the role models as responsible developers others can draw inspiration from and perhaps you may be honoured once again next year. Like the editors, we’ll also have our eyes on you. Chang Kim Loong is the Honorary Secretary-General of the National House Buyers Association, a non-profit, nongovernmental, non-political organisation manned by volunteers and whose FREE SERVICE is available TO NICE PEOPLE ONLY. Visit its website at www. hba.org.my or e-mail info@hba.org.my

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2012

20 NEWS

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M’sian hotels’ service excellence among Asia’s best World Luxury Hotel Awards' recognition raises their brand profile by Zoe Phoon SEVERAL Malaysian hotels have been recognised as top players at the World Luxury Hotel Awards (WLHA) presentation held at Pan Pacific Kuala Lumpur International Airport Hotel (Pan Pac KLIA) recently. One World Hotel, which adjoins the 1 Utama Shopping Centre in Petaling Jaya, Selangor, received the Asia Luxury Hotel and Conference Centre award while Pan Pac KLIA was named Asia Luxury Airport Hotel. One World Hotel director Datuk Teo Chiang Hong received the award from WLHA director Marinique de Wet.

The 438-room five-star One World Hotel, and its staff with the award Others that made the list are Avillion Port Dickson (for Luxury Boutique Hotel), Palace of the Golden Horses (Luxury Golf Resort),

Shangri-La Kuala Lumpur (Luxury City Hotel), Westin Langkawi Resort and Spa (Asia Luxury Island Resort) and Datai Langkawi (Luxury

Island Resort). The driving force behind the WLHA is a global organisation that unites the luxury hotel industry worldwide

and honours these properties with regards to facilities and service excellence. According to de Wet, service excellence is the most critical factor in a hotel’s measure as a luxury hotel. High-end travellers around the world seeking excellent value, impeccable service and the highest quality now make it a point to check which hotel has won a WLHA before making their own holiday choice. For WLHA, the hotels are recognised on a country, continent or global basis. In the tradition of the Golden Globe and the Academy awards, the WLHA are the world’s exclusive accolades acknowledging the industry’s best facilities and service excellence.

The overall Global World Luxury Hotel award went to five-year-old Harbour Grand Hong Kong which beat the more established hotels. Meanwhile, at the International Hotel Awards 2012 held in London on Nov 4, One World Hotel won the Best International Convention Hotel having secured the Best Convention Hotel for Malaysia and Asia Pacific title in April. Its general manager Ho Hoy Sum said it is known for its MICE (meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions) facilities with over 53,820sq ft of meeting space spanning three levels of the hotel and with 18 meeting rooms fitted with state-of-theart audio visual equipment.

Sandy Island’s design, architecture honoured SANDY Island, YTL Land & Development Bhd’s maiden luxury development across the Causeway, took home Fiabci (International Real Estate Federation) Singapore Property Awards 2012’s Best Residential (Lowrise) award for excellence in design and architecture. With that, Sandy Island qualifies for the Fiabci Prix d’Excellence Awards 2013 to be held in Taichung, Taiwan, in May. The development features 18 luxurious villas amidst a tropical rainforest setting at Sentosa Cove, Singapore’s exclusive gated waterfront community where foreigners are allowed to

buy landed properties. Designed by Italian architectdesigner Claudio Silvestrin, known for his minimalist designs, each Sandy Island villa has four floors of living space, five bedrooms and a waterfront garden with a berth for a yacht. The unit comes in land size of 6,300sq ft to 10,000sq ft priced from S$17.5 million (RM43.8 million). The design is modern contemporary with clean lines, majestic facades and timber screens which function as sun screens. Each villa’s waterfront garden features flowering plants and trees complemented by reflecting pools and moss beds

Nominations underway for bloggers’ awards THE online property bloggers’ community has come out with its own awards organised by real estate blogger Patrick Chay Ing Keong (better known as Patchay), in association with PropertyTalk & Lifestyle Group Malaysia (fully-owned by HAI Sdn Bhd), Patchay Urban Research and Patchay Retail Consulting. Nominations are underway for this year’s awards and particulars are available at www.patchay.com Patchay said the awards are voted for by its group members and winners are based on majority votes. The awards are to inform the public who the top voted developers are and the projects based on popular demand. YTL Land & Development Bhd’s The Capers in Sentul East won the Property of The Year Award last year and Tan Sri Liew Kee Sin, SP Setia Bhd president and CEO, was named Property Personality of the Year. Another winner was Mah Sing Group Bhd for Property Developer of the Year for surpassing its full year sales target of RM2 billion. The Property Deal of the Year went to Sime Darby Bhd and Eastern & Oriental Bhd as Sime Darby bought a 30%

stake in E&O, while Pavilion REIT took the award for Real Estate Investment Trust of the Year. There were also awards for another 25 categories: Location Hotspot, Upcoming Hotspots, Best Green Building, Newcomer, Best Development Masterplan, Best Site Redevelopment, Property Subsale, Best Integrated Development Newcomer, Best Highrise Residential Newcomer, Best Affordable Residential Newcomer, Best Landed/Terrace Residential Newcomer, Best Bungalow Residential Newcomer, Best Concept Gated Community Newcomer, Best Soho/Sovo/ Sofo Newcomer, Best Office Suites Newcomer, Best Shoplot Newcomer, Best Retail Centre/Podium Newcomer, Best Shopping Mall Newcomer, Best Industrial Property Newcomer, Best Hotel Newcomer, Best Showunit/ Show Village, Best Refurbishments & Makeover, Notable Lifestyle Offering, Notable Development Outside the Klang Valley and Notable Overseas Development by Malaysian Developers. Patchay said there will be similar online surveys this year for projects, developers and retail lifestyle for all the categories.

embedded in stone. The basement has a terrace with lush vertical gardens lit by sunlight through a light well. This green feature faces the bedroom and reading room on the same floor, illuminating the living spaces with natural light. Australian landscape designer Jamie Durie crafted Sandy Island’s lush landscape, his first residential project in Southeast Asia. YTL Land executive director Datuk Yeoh Seok Kian said Sandy Island’s recognition by Fiabci Singapore reflects the developer’s dedication to creating masterpieces that will last for generations.

Each villa reflects the signature architecture of Claudio Silvestrin with its modern contemporary design of clean lines, majestic facades and specially designed timber screens that serve as sun screens

Wahab Maskan is Berjaya’s Jeju Airest ‘Property CEO 2012’ City wins Gold Award The RM7 billion integrated resort on Jeju Island, South Korea, will set a new standard in resort development

Wahab’s leadership roles include Sime Darby Property’s expansion overseas, the latest being the Battersea Power Station redevelopment in London DATUK Abd Wahab Maskan, who is Sime Darby Property Bhd managing director as well as Sime Darby Bhd group chief operating officer, received the Property CEO of the Year accolade at the recent Fiabci (International Real Estate Federation) Malaysia Property Award 2012 gala dinner in Kuala Lumpur. In his acceptance speech, Wahab said the recognition is a result of excellent teamwork, loyalty, dedication and hard work of each team member who has supported his management ways over the years. “It is also a call to step up our ideas and actions, maintain the high standards and continue improving to serve our stakeholders and customers. A CEO may have an A Team. He leads the team that delivers the excellence,” he noted. An advocate of sustain-

ability, the focus under his leadership is to continuously upgrade sustainable practices to be applied in townships and developments. His leadership roles in the 1980s include establishment of the Subang Jaya, Taman Tun Dr Ismail, Taman Setiawangsa and Bandar Kinrara townships. He was also instrumental in the successful development of Bukit Jelutong, Denai Alam and Bandar Bukit Raja while the new sizeable ones include Ara Damansara, Oasis Ara Damansara, Elmina East and Bandar Ainsdale. In addition, he has led Sime Darby Property to expand overseas including Singapore, Vietnam, Australia and the United Kingdom, the latest being the Battersea Power Station redevelopment in London together with SP Setia Bhd and the Employees Provident Fund.

JEJU Airest City-Berjaya Jeju Resort, an integrated resort development on Jeju Island, South Korea, won the Gold Award for Best Futura Mega Project at Mipim Asia 2012 held in Hong Kong on Nov 8. Mah Siew Wan, executive director of Berjaya Jeju Resort Ltd which undertakes the development, said it is planned with in-depth attention based on intensive studies on various fields to create an unprecedented resort which will set a new standard in resort development. It is the largest integrated development on the island with a project site of eight million square feet and total investment of US$2.4 billion

(RM7.3 billion). The “creative business leisure city” will comprise hotels, condominiums, shopping mall, medical centre as well as entertainment (including a casino with the largest net gaming area in the country) and sports facilities. The developer has opened its promotion centre in Gangnam, Seoul, for the integrated resort. Project director Tang Vui Woon said the Gold Award is the third international recognition for the development. It is also the finalist at Mipim World 2012 held in France and winner of the 5-Star Award for Best Mix-Use Development at the International Property Awards 2012.

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