GreenUrbanScape Asia 2015 defines smarter and greener urban solutions
05 Nov 2015
Inaugural conference on the science of greening, GreenUrbanScape Asia Congress is held in conjunction with the only dedicated urban design, landscape and greenery exhibition in Asia, and the International Skyrise Greenery Conference at the Singapore EXPO Convention and Exhibition Centre from 5 to 7 November 2015
Singapore, 5 November 2015 – GreenUrbanScape Asia, the region’s leading event for urban design, landscape and greenery returns with the largest edition to date this year; with 170 brands and companies from 23 countries at the exhibition, a 25% increase from 2013. Held at MAX Atria, Singapore EXPO Convention and Exhibition Centre from 5 to 7 November, the 2nd edition of GreenUrbanScape Asia was officially opened today by Singapore’s Minister for National Development, Lawrence Wong.
GreenUrbanScape Asia is organised by SingEx Exhibitions (SingEx), in partnership with National Parks Board (NParks), Landscape Industry Association (Singapore) (LIAS) and the Singapore Institute of Landscape Architects (SILA).
Aloysius Arlando, Chief Executive Officer of SingEx Holdings, underscores the significance of GreenUrbanScape Asia, “With the unprecedented growth of urbanisation, regulating and preserving ecosystem services is increasingly a priority on many cities’ urban agenda. GreenUrbanScape Asia is a principal regional crossroad for industry specialists and stakeholders to convene and drive the urban greenery conversation. It continues to be the only event offering a platform for businesses, government, associations and academia to exchange knowledge on the latest urban design, landscape and greenery methods, as well as to evaluate current cutting edge solutions and technology.”
Inaugural GreenUrbanScape Asia Congress, 6 November 2015, MAX Atria
To heighten the quality of the event and drive more focused conversations, a new conference titled the GreenUrbanScape Asia Congress has been added to the programme. Held on 6 November, this inaugural congress provides a unique knowledge-sharing platform on the science of greening and features four industry-specific tracks targeted at a diverse range of industry stakeholders.
Themed, The Science of Greening the City in a Garden, more than 20 international industry speakers will share their insights and facilitate knowledge exchange during the tracks. The tracks are:
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Forensic Arboriculture which will highlight the ongoing research on maintaining tree stability and health;
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Playgrounds and Parks which will discuss the role of playgrounds and parks in the success of nations;
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Turf Management which will uncover how the adaptation of technology and environmental programmes could result in greater turf quality; and
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Urban Biodiversity which will showcase methods and technologies for enhancing and restoring habitats in urban landscape
Dr Leong Chee Chiew, Commissioner of Parks and Recreation, and Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the National Parks Board, Singapore said, “With cities continually facing competing uses for scarce land, the global trend that has gained momentum is for greater environmental awareness in city planning and development. Today, greenery characterises Singapore – a City in a Garden – from the business district to the residential heartlands. In line with our commitment to greenery, we understand the importance of integrating greenery into urban architecture. The two conference programmes, namely the GreenUrbanScape Asia Congress and International Skyrise Greenery Conference, will help further the global and regional drive in urban greenery, with the sharing of successful approaches and technology, thus uncovering opportunities for change and development, for both industry players as well as policy makers.”
GreenUrbanScape Asia exhibition, 5-7 November 2015, Singapore Expo Hall 3
In its second edition, the one-stop trade fair on landscape, leisure and greenery design, construction and technology displays exhibits by industry leading brands, ranging from playgrounds to landscaping equipment to smart greening technologies and solutions.
Plantui Smart Garden, a unique all-in-one indoor automated garden made its debut in Asia at GreenUrbanScape Asia. Originating from Finland, they are soil-free capsules that use intelligent lighting and watering systems to raise plants through the germination, seedling and harvesting stages. Another highlight on the exhibition floor is Singapore based Outboard & Marine, the sole supplier of US based Ferris Mowers, launched Ferris Mowers with patented suspension technology for the first time in Southeast Asia.
International Skyrise Greenery Conference, 5-7 November, MAX Atria
Returning for the third time, the International Skyrise Greenery Conference, themed Living Architecture – Engineering Sustainable Environments sought to elevate the social, ecological and environmental aspects of urban greening to counter the strain urbanisation has on cities’ infrastructure.
Internationally acclaimed industry luminaries speaking at International Skyrise Greenery Conference include Argentinian award-winning architect Emilio Ambasz, renowned for being one of the pioneers of green architecture and recognised for his outstanding design projects such as the Fukuoka Prefectural International Hall in Japan. Similarly, another illustrious keynote speaker at the conference, Adam Greenspan from PWP Landscape Architecture is known for integrating regenerative and sustainable principles in a wide range of projects, including public parks, campuses, mixed use developments, and estates. One of his high-profiled design projects in Singapore is Jewel Changi Airport, a new retail and lifestyle complex that connects the airport’s three terminals.
Skyrise Greenery Awards and Certified-LEAF developments
During the opening ceremony, Minister Wong presented accolades to 22 local developments for their efforts in greenery provision and ecologically friendly landscapes. This includes 12 winners for the Skyrise Greenery Awards (SGA) and 11 developments which have been conferred the Landscape Excellence Assessment Framework (LEAF) certification.
Aimed at encouraging the private sector’s building industry to prioritise greenery provision, the winners of the 2015 Skyrise Greenery Awards include Westgate which bagged the Outstanding Award for its ‘mall in a garden’ concept. SkyTerrace @ Dawson, an estate by the Housing & Development Board (HDB) was the only development which has received both the award and certification.
Minister Wong also launched a new publication titled Greening the Vertical Garden City which is published by NParks and the Urban Redevelopment Authority of Singapore (URA), authored by renowed landscape architect Mr Henry Steed. It offers guidelines and case studies on the tasks and issues in greening our vertical spaces.