FIRST FACILITIES MANAGEMENT COHORT FROM BCA AND UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDON POSTGRADUATE MASTER S PROGRAMME GRADUATES

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1 MEDIA RELEASE FIRST FACILITIES MANAGEMENT COHORT FROM BCA AND UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDON POSTGRADUATE MASTER S PROGRAMME GRADUATES - UCL s first global postgraduate Master of Science degree in Facility and Environment Management (FEM) in Singapore - Rising trend towards sustainability and energy efficiency creates job opportunities and demand for well-trained facility managers 25 January 2013 (Friday) The BCA Academy, together with UCL, University College London, announced the first batch of graduates today from the UCL Master of Science in Facility and Environment Management Programme taught at the BCA Academy in Singapore. 2 Dr. John Keung, Chief Executive Officer of BCA commented, The rising trend towards sustainability and energy efficiency in our built environment will create job opportunities and a demand for well-trained facility managers to manage the operations and maintenance of green buildings equipped with modern facilities and green features. 4 The Master of Science in Facility and Environment Management Programme was initiated by the BCA Academy in 2010, in partnership with one of the world s leading universities, University College London (UCL), to deliver its global postgraduate Master of Science degree in Facility and Environment Management (FEM) in Singapore.

2 5 Programme leader Professor Alexi Marmot, Head of the UCL Bartlett School of Graduate Studies, and Bartlett Vice-Dean for Teaching and Learning, said: We have been running this MSc programme at UCL in London since 1992, and it was logical for us to consider expanding it into Singapore, given that the government of Singapore has calculated that it needs to train 6,000 green specialists in the operation and management of buildings over the next ten years. We look forward to many more students graduating out of Singapore in the future. 6. The programme received encouraging support from the built environment industry. The inaugural cohort from the facility management industry, commenced in September 2010 and underwent a two-year part-time course taught by UCL lecturers through face-to-face teaching, small group discussions and practical site visits to leading facilities in Singapore. To date, a total of 62 students from three cohorts has embarked on this MSc programme, including 20 graduates from the first cohort. 7 The Master s programme has received accreditation by the International Facility Management Association (IFMA). This is a further affirmation that the knowledge and expertise that the graduands will gain through the programme and their skill sets will be highly valued by employers both locally and internationally. 8 In addition, the programme was also recently accredited by BCA as having fulfilled the course requirements for its Certified Green Mark Facility Manager. 9 The graduates will work primarily as Facility Managers (FM) as they step into the industry in the face of a growing need to incorporate sustainable practices and technologies to enhance productivity. Hence, having a ready pool of FM professionals is crucial to support the rapid growth expected in the Asia Pacific region experiencing a boom in construction. 10 The BCA-UCL Master of Science in Facility and Environment Management programme has equipped me with a broader and deeper understanding of the knowledge and operational skill set required for the proper management of buildings and the environment. In particular, I have acquired the right managerial tools to identify problems; analyze situations and formulate appropriate strategies to meet

3 stakeholder requirements whilst supporting Singapore s sustainability agenda for the built environment, said Mr Lincoln Teo, a Project Director with Times Properties Pte Ltd. 11 This programme offers an excellent upgrading platform for built environment professionals seeking to expand their capabilities in facility and environmental management. The curriculum is rigorous and provides a solid foundation on the various core aspects of subject, with a choice of electives to cater to specific interests, continued Lincoln, who is the recipient of the IFMA Gold Prize and a Distinction graduate of the first cohort. 12 Another graduate Mr Loh Long Chiang, an Operations Manager from AsiaMalls Management Pte Ltd, said that the programme has given him a deeper grasp of what sustainability means in the broadest sense. It also helped bring together a group of like-minded individuals to tap into each others specialties and knowledge for work-related questions. 13 He would strongly recommend the programme to those who are able to commit to the intensive two year programme, as it combines best practice in Facility Management with a special focus on environmental sustainability. 14 Since 2009, the BCA Academy has trained more than 1,500 green FM practitioners, under academic programmes from Diploma to postgraduate courses, as well as professional development and certification programmes such as the Green Mark for Facilities Manager. These training programmes for the FM sector are part of BCA s Green Building Masterplan to nurture a pool of 20,000 green building professionals, including architects and engineers, and achieve the national target of greening 80% of buildings in Singapore by As for the enhanced $100 million Green Mark Incentive Scheme for existing buildings, which gives the initial support to encourage building owners to green existing buildings, Dr Keung highlighted that the funding is expected to be fully committed by the first half of this year. About 62 green building projects would have

4 been supported by this fund so far. Out of the $100 million, about $70 million have been committed to date. Issued by the Building and Construction Authority on 25 January 2013 About Building and Construction Authority The Building and Construction Authority (BCA) of Singapore champions the development of an excellent built environment for Singapore. At BCA, our mission is to shape a safe, high quality, sustainable and friendly built environment, as these are four key elements where BCA has a significant influence. In doing so, we aim to differentiate Singapore s built environment from those of other cities and contribute to a better quality of life for everyone in Singapore. Hence, our vision is to have "the best built environment for Singapore, our distinctive global city". BCA works closely with its education hub, the BCA Academy of the Built Environment, and industry partners to develop skills and expertise that help shape the best built environment for Singapore. For more information, visit About BCA Academy The BCA Academy of the Built Environment is the education and research arm of the Building and Construction Authority, Singapore. It is the leading institution in Singapore that provides a comprehensive range of training and education programs tailored to the needs of the building and construction industry. In support of the national effort to develop Singapore into a green and sustainable city, the BCA Academy is pioneering several initiatives in training and research on renewable energy, green building design and technology, and sustainable development. To enable our industry leaders and practitioners to learn from the experience and knowledge of leading experts in this field, the Academy collaborates with global leaders and institutions in running executive courses, academic programmes, seminars and workshops on sustainable development and green buildings. About University College London The University College London (UCL) was established in 1826 to open up education in England for the first time to students of any race, class or religion. UCL was also the first university to welcome female students on equal terms with men. In the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise (RAE), UCL was rated the best research university in London, and third in the UK overall, for the number of its submissions which were considered of worldleading quality saw UCL placed fourth in the world's top universities by the QS World University Rankings. UCL has the highest number of professors of any university in the UK, with 705 established and personal chairs, as well as the joint highest number of female professors with 135. One of the world's leading multidisciplinary universities, UCL is a true academic powerhouse - as reflected by performance in a range of international rankings and tables - with no fewer than 21 Nobel prize winners coming from the UCL community. The most recent addition in

5 October 2009 was Professor Charles Kao who was awarded a Nobel prize for Physics. Professor Kao undertook his PhD at UCL under the supervision of Professor Harold Barlow. Today, an ever-expanding worldwide network of more than 140,000 UCL alumni, helps to maintain the university s international reputation for access, innovation and excellence. UCL s students hail from a total of 150 countries, making up more than one-third of the student body. Annex A - Names of Graduates 1. Teo Soon Piang Lincoln (Distinction Award) Project Director, Times Properties Pte Ltd 2. Challa Venu Kumar (Merits Award) General Manager, Comfort Management Pte Ltd 3. Chen Nam Hin Terence (Merits Award) Senior Manager, Projects, Technology and Research, Micronclean Singapore Pte Ltd 4. Chew King Mun (Merits Award) Senior Manager (Facilities), CPG Facilities Management Pte Ltd 5. Loh Wai Meng (Merits Award) Manager, Singapore Management University 6. Yun Lu (Merits Award) Coordinator, BHP Billion Marketing Asia Pte Ltd 7. Ng Kuan Hwee (Merits Award) Senior Manager, Facility Management, BP Singapore Pte Ltd 8. Pok Tuck Wai (Merits Award) Senior Systems Manager, DSTA 9. Sng Jin Soon (Merits Award) Deputy Director, National University of Singapore 10. Tan Hwa Seng Vincent (Merits Award) Head Facilities Management, DSTA 11. Ang Seow Ping Linda FM Engineer, Jurong Health - Alexandra Hospital

6 12. Ang Siew Lin Senior Manager, National University of Singapore 13. Eddy Nai Hai Earn Engineer, Jurong General Hospital 14. Kanakasabai Kunasekaran Facilities Manager, Singapore Institute of Manufacturing Technology 15. Lim Seng Huat Bensen Business Owner, D'gital Design 16. Loh Long Chiang Operations Manager, Asiamalls Management (South East Asia) Pte Ltd 17. Maung Naing Win Assistant Chief Engineer, Amara Hotel Properties Pte Ltd 18. Ong Poh Lee Eric Senior Manager, Epcos Pte Ltd 19. Tay Chin Liang Senior Engineer, DSTA 20. Wee Chong Hong Rayner Manager, SMM Pte Ltd