Over S$10.5 million in secured and potential deals at Asia's largest urban greenery trade show - GreenUrbanScape Asia 2013

-       Inaugural exhibition drew 4,000 visitors from 37 countries.

-       Second International Skyrise Greenery Conference attracted close to 650 industry delegates from 27 countries.

-       The next GreenUrbanScape Asia and the International Skyrise Greenery Conference will be held from 5 to 7 November 2015 in Singapore.

Singapore, 5 December 2013 - GreenUrbanScape Asia, the first dedicated urban greenery exhibition in Asia, drew to a successful close on 9 November with secured and potential deals totaling in excess of S$10.5 million. The three-day exhibition drew more than 4,000 visitors from 37 countries. It was held alongside the second edition of the International Skyrise Greenery Conference, which attracted close to 650 industry delegates from 27 countries. The next GreenUrbanScape Asia and the International Skyrise Greenery Conference will be held from 5 to 7 November 2015 in Singapore.

GreenUrbanScape Asia was the region’s first dedicated platform for urban greenery players, successfully uniting key luminaries from across the specialist architectural, technological, academic, developmental, and governmental sectors that make up the fast growing industry. The event is jointly organised by the Landscape Industry Association Singapore (LIAS), National Parks Board (NParks), Singapore Institute of Architects (SILA), and Singex Group.

“As our world becomes more and moreurbanised, the role of the urban greening industry will become increasingly prevalent in ensuring the sustainability and livability of our towns and cities. Together with our industry partners, LIAS, NParks and SILA, Singex is proud to help further fuel the engines of change in the region’s urban centres with the first-ever GreenUrbanScape Asia,” said Aloysius Arlando, Chief Executive Officer of Singex Group. “Our rich experience in managing of a vast portfolio of exhibitions and conferences, combined with our strong governmental and industry partnerships, enabled us to contribute to the successful launch of this milestone event.”

Highlights from the Second International Skyrise Greenery Conference

Key global trends concerning urban greenery were discussed during the event as part of the second International Skyrise Greenery Conference as well as in companion conferences, workshops and public forums. Themed Density & Greenery: Evolving into Collaborative Cities, renowned international experts covered a broad range of industry-critical topics in keynote speeches and multiple plenary sessions, including Singapore’s greening efforts from the government’s perspective, greenery from the developer’s perspective, and the growing market premium placed on property that incorporates different elements of living architecture. The multiple advances in modern technology that drive safe construction and maintenance of increasingly ambitious green projects were also at the forefront of discussion.

The plenary session kicked off with CEOs of Housing Development Board, NParks and Urban Redevelopment Authority sharing their efforts and visions in greening of Singapore. Highlighting prime examples of urban greenery from around the world, keynote speaker and architect Stefano Boeri spoke about his latest project, Bosco Verticale, a development that is poised to become the world’s first-ever vertical forest with some 730 trees, 11,000 groundcover plants and 5,000 shrubs. Kathryn Gustafson from the USA, best known for award-winning projects, such as the Princess Diana Memorial at Kensington Palace Gardens, delivered an enthusiastic address to a packed audience of delegates. Local industry leading lights also featured strongly in the conference programme with Dr Liu Thai Ker, noted for his instrumental influence on Singapore’s urban landscape, and Wong Mun Summ, a leading local architect and founder of WOHA, giving keynote addresses on the first and second days of the conference, respectively.

Biodiversity was another key issue at the conference, with delegate dialogue focused on ways that greenery enhances biodiversity of towns and cities, specifically the way urban greening trends allow for re-population of urban environments by insects, vegetation, birds and other animal life.

Mr Poon Hong Yuen, Chief Executive Officer, National Parks Board, said, “The inaugural GreenUrbanScape Asia, held alongside the Second International Skyrise Greenery Conference, presented our international and local participants with many opportunities to share best practices and to work together. This is a testament of Singapore’sgrowing importance as a global hub for landscape and urban design solutions. It also augurs well for the continued expansion of the local landscape industry, which is key to achieving Singapore’s vision of a City in a Garden.”

Damian Tang, President, SILA said, “With presentations by 43 speakers from across the world, the ISGC conference provided an international perspective, highlighting the values that landscape architecture brings to the world’s towns and cities, urban communities, and global economy, as a whole. In addition, Singapore’s progress and role as the Asian ‘hub’ for skyrise greenery was exceptionally showcased in the conference’s technical tour component.”

Highlights from the trade exhibition

Over 4,000 visitors from 37 countries discovered the latest products and solutions from 135 top innovators and international brands represented on the exhibition floor. Renowned firms exhibiting at the event included CT-Art, Gale Pacific, Galmon, Greenology, Nature Landscapes, Playpoint, Syngenta, Uniseal, Vermeer, and XeroFlor.

John Tan, Chairman, LIAS was enthusiastic about the impact of the exhibition on the urban greening sector, saying, “The GreenUrbanScape Asia exhibition has been a wonderful way for the region to showcase and exchange the latest in industry innovations, techniques and equipment in our dynamic industry.  I am heartened with the level of enthusiasm and participation in the first-ever GreenUrbanScape Asia.  I look forward to building on the success of the foundations laid by the inaugural event in future editions”.

Additionally, the event hosted several buyers, including representatives from Ministry of Public Works Republic of Indonesia and Twenty-One Development from Indonesia, Ho Chi Minh City Architecture and Planning Department (Vietnam), Filinvest Land, Inc. and Jewel Resort and Property from Philippines, Kasetsart University (Thailand).

For more information on GreenUrbanScape Asia, please visit www.greenurbanscapeasia.com.