Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, 21 September 2012 – Keppel Land Limited (Keppel Land) has garnered several awards in recognition of its efforts towards corporate excellence and sustainability. These international accolades include the Euromoney Real Estate Awards, Green Mark Awards by the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) of Singapore, Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark (GRESB) as well as being part of the Dow Jones Sustainability Asia Pacific and World Indices 2012/2013.
Mr Kevin Wong, Group CEO of Keppel Land, said, "These awards reflect Keppel Land's commitment to create hallmark quality properties of enduring value for the community. Looking ahead, we will continue to differentiate ourselves through driving excellence in our businesses and being steadfast in our sustainability journey with the aim of achieving higher returns for our shareholders."
Keppel Land clinched five awards at the prestigious Euromoney Real Estate Awards 2012. It was named the Best Developer, Best Residential Developer and Best Mixed-use Developer in Vietnam as well as the Best Office Developer in Singapore for the fifth consecutive year. The Company also came in third in the Office Developer category in Vietnam and second in the Overall Developer category in Singapore.
The Euromoney awards recognise the best in the global real estate industry. The results were based on an annual real estate survey among real estate developers, advisors, financial institutions, investors and corporate end users worldwide.
Meanwhile, Keppel Land's mixed-use development, Saigon Centre (Phase 2) and condominium development, Riviera Point, were conferred the Green Mark Gold (Provisional) Award by the BCA. This brings the total number of Green Mark Awards garnered by Keppel Land to 30.
Saigon Centre comprises a mix of retail and office spaces as well as serviced residences. Phase 2, which is currently under construction, will feature amongst others, low-emissivity double-glazed glass façade, energy efficient air-conditioning, integration of Variable Speed Drive technology into pumps and cooling tower for modulating water usage as well as the installation of water-saving fittings that meet Singapore Public Utilities Board's Water Efficient Labeling System Excellent Rating. Dedicated "green" corners will also be set up to educate and raise awareness of sustainability among staff, tenants and shoppers. Saigon Centre Phase 2 which will see Takashimaya come onboard as an anchor tenant, is expected to be completed in 2015.
The 2,400-unit waterfront development, Riviera Point, will feature the latest eco-friendly technology including low-emissivity glass for solar heat reduction, photovoltaic panels as a renewable energy source and extensive use of recycled contents during the course of construction. To be developed in phases over several years, Phase 1A of Riviera Point is expected to be completed in 2015.
Keppel Land continues to be at the forefront of sustainable practices. The Company is once again listed on both the Dow Jones Sustainability Asia Pacific and World Indices 2012/2013. This means that Keppel Land now ranks among the top 154 sustainable companies in the Asia Pacific region and is also among the top 340 sustainable companies globally. The Dow Jones Sustainable Asia Pacific Indices follow a best-in-class approach, including companies across all industries that outperform their peers in numerous sustainability metrics.
The Company is also named Regional Sector Leader (Office) in the GRESB 2012. The GRESB evaluates the sustainability performance of real estate portfolios based on data gathered from almost 450 property companies and funds globally.
For its continuous efforts and commitment towards CSR and sustainability, the Company has also received a Special Mention under the Green Champion category at the Singapore Compact CSR Award 2012.