SGHOUSING.COM 新加坡房地产网

The Caribbean is blazing a trail for the launch of more intelligent condos, reports

BESIDES breathtaking sea views and a grand marina, the Caribbean at Keppel Bay has another feature which sets it apart from most other condominiums in Singapore, although the distinction is hardly noticeable from the outside.

At the core of the development is a sophisticated IT infrastructure melded seamlessly with its concrete and steel facade. The result - a ’smart’ home which allows residents to do everything from turning on the air conditioner with a mouse to keeping tabs on their kids from the living room couch as they play in the baby pool.

Hardly a new term, the digital home is a much-bantered concept among major technology players in the last few years, driven largely by the advent in networking technologies and the expanded connectivity options in tech gadgets and consumer appliances.

What is different in the Caribbean’s case is that developer Keppel Land applied IT thinking to the entire project from the onset, and not merely individual units, making it one of the first private residences to be embedded with extensive IT ‘intelligence’.

‘There is huge potential in iBuilding (intelligent building) deployments in the region over the next few years. Some of the key initiatives are the integrated resorts, the setting up of new R&D regional centres and also high-end luxury residential projects,’ said Chew Weng Keng, director of network services, Hewlett-Packard (HP) South-east Asia.

According to Mr Chew, developers of commercial and residential projects are trying more and more to increase the allure of their offerings through technology enhancement so as to cater to more IT-savvy buyers. The Caribbean is one such example. From the conceptualisation stage in 2000, Keppel Land wanted to accentuate the aesthetics and amenities offered by the 969 apartments with a host of technology tools that is bound to set it apart from competing developments.

Gadgets galore

The strategy materialised in the form of implementing an underlying wired and wireless network infrastructure to distribute information and commands around the home and to other parts of the estate. Building on this technology foundation, residents can have access to conveniences in a way that other home owners can only dream about.

For example, proximity sensors throughout the condominium give residents keyless entry into private lifts, apartments and clubhouse facilities. The Caribbean even features a state-of-the-art audio-visual intercom system which utilises technologies such as voice and data over Ethernet. A Webpad located at the lift lobby allows residents to screen visitors before granting them access to their private lifts.

Through an $8.56 million wide-ranging technology deal with HP, Keppel Land also introduced a special condominium portal for residents and each apartment unit is even equipped with the computer maker’s TC1100 tablet PC. In fact, the Caribbean was the largest tablet PC deal HP has ever struck in Singapore.

Customised for the Caribbean’s residents, the computer comes preloaded with applications to allow users to access the intercom unit and Web surveillance system, as well as the condominium portal.

Through the online interface, which mirrors the actual layout of their homes, owners can have central and remote control over functions like lighting and other networked home appliances. This means residents can turn all the lights on with a mere click of a mouse and the central air conditioning and be activated as they make their way home from work. In addition, the condominium portal even allows residents to shop for groceries, book facilities like tennis courts and even send e-mails to neighbours.

Convenience aside, the gadgetry is also used to power a high-tech security system consisting of motion and heat sensors located in the home and throughout the estate. Residents will automatically be alerted through voice messages when incidents like intrusions or fires are detected.

And judging from recent trends in the property industry, the Caribbean is blazing a trail for the launch of more intelligent buildings in our city-state.

The Equatorial, a private development along Stevens Road, is another example of buyers getting more bang for the technology buck.

Touch-screens in the home allows Equatorial residents to control the lift, book facilities, view footage from security cameras and even leave online messages for other family members. High speed wired and wireless connectivity is readily available and an integrated home automation system lets residents control lighting, air-conditioning and windows through a single control or handheld keypad. The control can also be extended to the Web so users can control these functions through the Internet or by phone.

And such perks are not confined solely to condominium owners. As early as 2002, the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore had started trials for high-tech residences under its Connected Homes Programme. More than 400 homes, both private and HDB properties, were involved in the tests, many of which involved the kind of technological conveniences that is now a reality for owners in the Caribbean and the Equatorial.

Source : Business Times - 30 Oct 2006