Built Environment

In the development of communication networks, various challenges emerge in achieving wireless signal coverage in certain areas, while the cost of deploying traditional wired Ethernet remains prohibitive in specific locations. Industries accustomed to slower wired communications now seek high-speed alternatives to facilitate IoT integration and enhance operational efficiency, yet they are hesitant to undertake extensive rewiring efforts. Building networks across diverse settings, including buildings, condominiums, and factories, often encounters significant cost hurdles. This is primarily due to the need for multiple Wi-Fi repeaters to cover areas with poor signal reach, as well as the requirement for numerous network switches and construction work involving cable installation under floors and above ceilings. A solution lies in technology that facilitates data communication over existing wires within facilities, such as flat cables, twisted pair wires, coaxial cables, and power lines. The effective communication speed varies from several Mbps to several tens of Mbps, depending on the type of cable and the wiring environment. Moreover, this technology seamlessly integrates with Wi-Fi, Ethernet, and other existing infrastructures, providing a cost-effective approach to network construction. By leveraging these technologies, it becomes feasible to establish society's network infrastructure at a reduced cost, particularly in challenging environments such as concrete structures, underground areas, tunnels, and spaces with metal walls.

Reducing heat transfer across surfaces within built environments and transportation units is critical for optimising energy efficiency in thermal comfort systems and mitigating associated costs and carbon emissions. Implementing measures to minimise heat transfer help maintain liveable thermal conditions and promote environmental sustainability. Some of the efficient methods for reducing heat transfer from the surrounding environment include reflecting solar radiation and providing thermal insulation to minimise heat conduction through surfaces. The technology offered here is a nano-engineered aerogel paint designed to reduce heat transfer across surfaces in the built environment. Unlike traditional solar reflectance paint that merely reflects sunlight, this paint actively minimises solar heat absorption, reducing the reliance on cooling and air conditioning systems and resulting in significant energy savings. Additionally, the paint provides excellent weather resistance and reduces maintenance costs by shielding against ultraviolet (UV) and infrared (IR) emissions, moisture, algae, and fungal growth. Its superior coverage capabilities of up to 3 square meter per liter per coat further contribute to cost savings and ensure long-lasting protection for various surfaces. With a proven track record in increasing energy efficiency for containerised offices and refrigeration trucks, the technology owner is now seeking to expand into other applications through on-site testbedding and performance trials. These include warehouses and building rooftop insulation, enhancing data center energy efficiency, and numerous other potential applications.

Driving sustainability, efficiency and carbon reduction in data centres is a complex and increasingly challenging requirement. The increased global use of high-definition video streaming, conversational AI modelling technologies and online meeting platforms puts increasing strain on data centres.  To meet these complex challenges, an AI, data-driven solution is required. The proprietary solution proposed herein is a data acquisition and analytics system designed for deployment in data centres.  The solution employs non-intrusive clip-on current transformers which are easily installed at electrical distribution boards, which continuously gather current signatures information at a high sampling rate. This enables AI algorithms to detect subtle changes and patterns in the electrical signature of each connected asset or device. Monitoring electrical assets has traditionally been complex and costly, requiring multiple sensors and expensive systems, and often requires deployment near to the asset or device to be monitored. This has led to widespread under-monitoring, resulting in expensive maintenance and significant energy inefficiencies. The solution extracts a proprietary set of deep energy data from electrical devices such as, uninterrupted power supplies (UPSs), Chillers, power distribution units (PDUs) and air conditioning and can be easily installed on both new and existing infrastructure. It offers real-time monitoring and reporting on important metrics such as real-time power usage effectiveness (PUE) and enables automation of sustainability reporting. This technology offers an industry-changing solution: a non-intrusive cost efficient AI-powered monitoring system that is easy to install. It generates a proprietary data set that fuels machine learning algorithms, enhancing efficiency and reducing total cost of ownership for data centre managers and owners.  The technology owner is seeking opportunities to demonstrate the capabilities in the data centre environment, preferably based in Singapore.

Urban pipeline systems are vital, large, long-lived, complex, largely inaccessible, and aging, fraught with deficiencies and inefficiencies that result in massive losses of water resources and energy use. Thus, they present an enormous challenge to making cities sustainable, adaptive, and carbon neutral. This pipeline condition assessment technology is pioneered by experts who have leveraged advances in research and engineering science to deliver unique and optimal performances. The technology introduced the use of Time Reversal (TR) for defect detection and condition assessment of pipelines. In fact, TR technology is reliable, cost-effective, and has a long-range capability. It possesses the unique feature of providing high resolution while being non-intrusive and non-disruptive. The TR technology can detect existing leaks, bursts, blockages, malfunctioning devices (e.g., air valve), pipe wall strength condition, and harmful transient. The software provides the following functionality: Active testing: Actively probing the system to control the resolution of localization Passive testing: To detect bursts and harmful transients Real time monitoring: To assesses system dynamics and demand patterns On-demand and automatically generated reports On demand sensor control and sensor expansion Flexible & High sampling rate

Anti-corrosion is important for piping systems because corrosion can lead to several problems including reduced flow capacity, leaks and ruptures, contamination, increased maintenance costs and reduced lifespan. While there are several approaches to mitigate these problems, a possible approach is to utilise thermoplastic materials which are lightweight, durable, and resistant to corrosion. This technology is a thermoplastic piping system lined with HDPE/LDPE linings that is corrosion-resistant, do not generate any waste (waste material can be recycled) and has a reduced carbon footprint. The piping system is easy to assemble and install, providing long service lives due to the high-quality thermoplastic materials being deployed in the system. By laying these thermoplastic pipes underground using native soil without sand-bedding, a reduction in CO2 is achieved and offers users a sustainable piping solution against conventional piping materials. In combination with proprietary welding technologies, the technology has the lowest rate of leakages with high guarantee of preservation of drinking water quality when used in water piping systems. The technology owner is seeking for co-development and test-bedding opportunities with asset owners to integrate the technology into their infrastructure, particularly with hydrogen producing and transporting companies.

Effective tracking and management of Work-In-Progress (WIP) and inventory across a manufacturing facility are key to maintaining productivity and operational efficiency. Despite this, misplaced inventory and inefficient tracking remain common problems within the sector, leading to time wasted on locating items, losses due to unaccounted inventory, and ultimately, a reduction in productivity.  To tackle these challenges, an innovative solution has been developed that integrates advanced technologies, sophisticated hardware, and robust software features to optimize manufacturing operations. This solution provides real-time traceability of WIP and inventory throughout a factory, thereby reducing time wasted in locating items and preventing losses due to unaccounted inventory.  The solution seamlessly integrates with various systems including Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES), Preventive Maintenance (PM) systems, and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems. This integration capability allows it to trigger alerts, visualize processes, and reduce waste, thereby streamlining operations and minimizing inefficiencies. 

Offshore land reclamation has been an important strategy for Singapore to meet its land needs. However, the ultra-soft soil in the surrounding waters makes land reclamation extremely difficult. Besides, many infrastructure projects (i.e., tunnelling, deep excavation, etc.) are also challenging when encountering soft marine clay due to its poor engineering properties, such as high water content, high compressibility, and low shear strength. Currently, ordinary Portland cement (OPC) is the most common binder used for soft clay stabilisation through deep mixing or jet grouting. However, OPC is not very effective for the stabilisation of marine soft clay with high water content. In addition, the production of OPC leads to negative environmental impacts such as non-renewable resources, high energy consumption, and high carbon emissions. The technology owner has developed a sustainable novel binder, entirely from industrial by-products, that has high stabilisation efficiency for marine soft clay. Using the same binder content, the 28-day strength of the novel binder-stabilised soft clay can be 2–3 times higher than that of the OPC-stabilised clay. In addition, the novel binder has a lower cost and less environmental impact, making it an economical and sustainable alternative to OPC. This technology is available for R&D collaboration, IP licensing, and test-bedding with industrial partners in the construction and infrastructure sectors.

An improvised LoRaWAN has been developed to enhance data transmission efficiency between LoRa trackers and LoRaWAN gateways addressing the prevalent issue of mid-air data loss due to collisions. This improved protocol enhances the data transmission rate from its current range of 10-30% to 65%. This substantial improvement leads to power savings for IoT end nodes, particularly those powered by batteries, by eliminating the need for data re-transmission. Moreover, the improved protocol also significantly increases gateway capacity, thereby reducing the capital expenditure associated with IT infrastructure.

Wireless monitoring solutions are gaining traction worldwide due to their added benefits of continuous monitoring capability 24/7. An innovative technology has been devised that has a way of converting variations in the reflected wavelength from fiber grating based sensors into intensity variations that can be easily processed through the electronic circuits and transmitted wirelessly. Conventional fiber grating based sensors measure the wavelength shift of the reflected light to determine the mechanical strain experienced by the medium in which the grating is embedded.  This is conventionally done through a Fabre Perot interferometer which is referred to as the Interrogator but is a costly solution. The innovative circuitry eliminates the need of the costly, and typically more bulky interferometer, replacing them with cost effective and compact fiber components configured in such a way that converts mechanical strain into intensity changes.