Broadsight Issue 7 November 2013
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Transcript of Broadsight Issue 7 November 2013
July 2013—BROADSIGHT by
1 Broadgate Financial
BROADSIGHT by
November 2013—Issue 7
November 2013—BROADSIGHT by
Foreword
Dear Readers,
I am pleased to present the 7th edition of Broadsight, our corporate monthly magazine. We consistently try and improve
the content we publish which we hope readers find both interesting and informative.
Ever since inception, many things around us have changed to meet people’s rapidly changing needs. When
industrialization and subsequent human development occurred, our natural resources have suffered and have
continued to deplete at an alarming rate. Sustainable development means the ability to meet today’s needs without
compromising the ability for future generations to obtain theirs. The Broadgate Financial Group and its divisons have
made many efforts to understand and stay committed to the concept of sustainability and the challenges surrounding
this.
Therefore, we have focused on the development of environmental friendly products. Our three core divisions are all
focused on sustainability. Firstly, Broadgate Construction has just launched LiteCast, a lightweight precast concrete
panel incorporating the Easy Panel™ technology at it’s core. Please turn to the mid section of this magazine for more
information on LiteCast and the projects currently underway. Secondly, Broadgate Energy looks at projects related to
renewable energy which provides an excellent alternative to standard energy. Thirdly, Broadgate Plantations and its
partners have extensive expertise in sustainable plantation development and funding. Our core values define the
projects we undertake.
Finally, in order to enhance your readership experience we kindly request you to fill in this short feedback questionnaire
on Broadsight, which will only take a few minutes to complete.
Jenjira Praneet
Head of Administration
November 2013—BROADSIGHT by
News Feed
Industry News Energy
Industry News Plantations
Industry News Construction
Project News Q&A
ISR Precast Concrete Contact Information
All of us at Broadgate Financial are pleased to
present you the seventh issue of our Corporate
Magazine: BROADSIGHT. We wanted to make it clear, comfortable to
read and enjoyable. That’s why in each of the
future issues you will find the same guidelines
with:
The hottest news from the previous
month along with upcoming important
issues relating to the business world in
ASEAN and beyond ;
Industry news related to our services in
Plantations, Construction and Energy ;
A project update relating to one of our
divisions ;
An insightful Q&A with an industry
leading expert ;
And finally a presentation of an
Individual Social Responsibility project;
We do hope you will enjoy this magazine as
much as we did compiling it. If you have any
questions or requests, please feel free to
contactus at
In this issue of BROADSIGHT,
November 2013—BROADSIGHT by
News Feed
News Feed
News Feed
Market News Cambodia again near bottom in survey of business start-ups
Higher fees and new registration requirements have made starting a business in Cambodia more difficult over the past year, according to a report released by the World Bank yesterday. Cambodia ranked 137th out of the 189 countries surveyed in the report, titled Doing Business 2014: Understanding Regulations for Small and Medium-Size Enterprises. Cambodia slid two positions from 135th last year. In the annual report that investigates rules and regulations that enhance and constrain business activity, the US-based World Bank outlined a number of new bureaucratic hurdles that caused Cambodia’s rank to dip. Despite the rising fees, the report
showed that in terms of “getting
credit”, Cambodia ranked 52nd out
of all 189 countries, a 10-place
jump.
http://www.phnompenhpost.com
China's service sector growth hits one-year high China's service sector grew at its fastest pace in a year in October, the latest sign of a recovery in the world's second-largest economy. The non-manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) rose to 56.3 in October from 55.4 in September. The report comes just days after data showed that China's manufacturing PMI rose to an 18-month high October. The PMI is a key gauge of the sector's health and a reading above 50 indicates expansion. "The non-manufacturing sector should continue to develop" said Cai Jin, vice-president of the China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing. After years of rocketing growth, China
saw its pace of growth slow in the first
two quarters of this year. There have
been concerns that its growth may dip
further. not least because of a
slowdown in demand for its exports
from key markets. However, data
released over the past few weeks has
helped allay those fears.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/
Thai Amnesty Effect Thailand's baht was set for its worst week in a month and bonds fell as foreigners cut holdings of the nation’s assets amid concern a bill granting amnesty for political offenses will lead to instability. The lower house passed the amnesty bill in its third reading in a parliamentary session that closed at 4:25 a.m., House Speaker Somsak Kiatsuranont told reporters today. About 20,000 people joined a protest in Bangkok last night against the law. “The political risk in Thailand, which has been a lingering issue, is beginning to get attention again with the amnesty bill issue,” said Tohru Nishihama. The law would give amnesty to people and groups affected by organizations set up after the military coup in 2006 and those who took part in political demonstrations. The opposition party claims it would annul legal cases against former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, brother of the current premier Yingluck Shinawatra. The bill will be debated in the Senate.
http://www.bloomberg.com
Newton was right about thai economy The law of gravity dictates that what goes up must come down. This is also true for an economy: When it has been expanding quickly, growth is bound to fall unless it is further supported by some gravity-defying force. Thailand's gross domestic product (GDP) advanced 2.8% in the second quarter compared with the same quarter last year, slowing further from the 5.4% rate in the previous quarter. The closing figure for the final quarter last year was a much more impressive 19.1% rate, albeit from the flood-soaked base of late 2011. All in all, the latest official release suggests, as the Bank of Thailand put it, that "normalisation" of the economy to its potential level is taking place following a period of extraordinary growth. On a quarterly basis, however, GDP has declined for two consecutive quarters. Therefore, we have entered a technical recession. This prompted many research houses to cut their growth projections for 2013, from around 5% or higher to below 4%.
http://www.bangkokpost.com
News feed
November 2013—BROADSIGHT by
With the recent economic downturn, financial
institutions have felt the need to reduce the overall risk
of their investment portfolios. One way to achieve this
goal is to enhance their selection criteria. Regarding
plantation financing, this criteria should focus on
highlighting projects that are able to produce steady
and long-term cash flows. It seems obvious that these
projects should avoid any negative environmental or
social impacts.
According to Knight (2010), plantations that adopt
sustainable practises are less exposed to a certain
number of risks. First, the compliance risk of violating
local regulations is lower. Then, the social risk of
entering in to conflict with local communities, NGO’s
and labourers is low. Moreover, the marketing risk of
loosing customers is lower as the demand for
sustainable products rises.
Finally, the reputation risk of damaging its brand image
is lower. Reducing these risks strengthen the position
of companies that financial institutions invest in. By
doing so the institution itself is exposed to fewer risks.
In addition, the burning of forests to clear land for
plantations has been a major source of haze in
Southeast Asia posing serious health problems.
Finally, indiscriminate use of fertilizersand insecticides
by some producers is polluting surface and
groundwater sources. The following graph illustrates
what cash flows could be expected from a sustainable
plantation in comparision with non-sustainable ones,
taking into account their risk profile.
In contrast with these bad practises, plantations run by
responsible growers need fewer inputs, which results
in less pollution and soil degradation. If best practices
are applied in selecting and acquiring land for new
plantations, plantations can operate without further
destruction of natural forests and associated
greenhouse gas emissions. It pays more attention to
the rights and livelihoods of forest dependent
populations and species. Sustainable production can
help to meet the world’s growing demand and
generate income and employment for local rural
economies in tropical regions.
Jason Campbell and Bénédicte Ciotti
Why Promote Sustainable
Plantations? Industry News
Plantations
Founded In the plantation industry, downstream companies - traders, food companies
and financial institutions – often have significant bargaining power that gives them an
influence over the whole supply chain. These downstream companies can therefore set
conditions on the environmental and social practices of plantation businesses.
Even if inducing higher operating costs, numerous
plantations have shown that sustainable production
methods are feasible, available and compatible with a
profitable bottom line. However, bad practices
adopted by some producers have caused serious
impact.From a social standpoint, the rights and
interests of local communities are ignored. Such poor
practices have generated disputes and land rights
conflicts that have hampered the ability of the
companies to expand as planned.
From an ecological point of view, plantation developers
have cleared large areas of natural forests and other
ecosystems with high conservation values to create
space for plantations. .Such practices result in the
destruction of habitats containing rare and endangered
species. In addition, forest conversion by plantation
companies contributes to climate change with
deforestation causing around 20 % of all human
induced greenhouse gas emissions. This practise in
tropical areas is especiallydamaging to climate
mitigation efforts, as these green areas store more
carbon per unitarea than any other ecosystem in the
world.
November 2013—BROADSIGHT by
Socially Responsible Investment is gaining recognition as a solution to manage
investment risk. Financial institutions are able to operate this practice by adopting
sustainable policies that exclude the possibility of investing directly (e.g. credit lines
and loans) or indirectly (e.g. commodity training) in unsustainable projects. These
policies should cover the area of labour rights, environmental impact, and human
rights.
Broadgate Plantations aim to adhere to RSPO and industry standards for sustainable
developments. We strongly believe that any type of investor has the power of
influencing the behaviour of investee companies. These parties should commit to
invest only in sustainable projects. Such practises would benefit not only the investors
but all related parties. In conclusion, investors should be aware that they have the
opportunity to promote and lead the plantation industry to a more sustainable future.
Guillaume Wissocq
$-
$500.00
$1,000.00
$1,500.00
$2,000.00
1Y 2Y 3Y 4Y 5Y 6Y
Green Vs. others plantation financial projection: illustration
Green project -Forecasted revenues ($)
Others - Forecasted revenues ($)
Green project -Forecasted costs ($)
Others - Forecasted costs ($)
Green project - Expected profit ($)
Industry News
Plantations
November 2013—BROADSIGHT by
Saving Phnom Penh
Cambodia wants to develop, and it wants to do so quickly. A quick walk in the streets of
Phnom Penh and this fact becomes obvious. Looking north, the skyline is dominated by two
formidable buildings: the 32 story OCIC Tower, opened in 2010, and the nearly complete 39
story Vattanac Capital Tower. These two modern buildings represent the direction towards
which Cambodia is heading: modernity, economic prosperity, and a high quality of life.
อ
Industry News
Construction
But as you shift your eyes away from the northern
horizon and focus on your immediate surroundings, the
present challenges to Cambodia's bright future are
unfortunately too apparent. Traffic on the six lane
boulevard that is a main artery of the city is desperately
crippled by poor road conditions, lack of organized
parking and sporadic road repair closures. The buildings
that hug both sides of the avenue bear obvious marks
of decrepitude and overcrowding.
And behind the scenes it doesn't get any rosier. The
value of land in desirable parts of the city is remarkably
high, with prices per square meter that are comparable
to some of the more desirable parts of Bangkok. Adding
to the problem is the fact that land in the city was
divided into oddly shaped plots, making it difficult for
big development projects. Add lack of public
transportation, risk of flooding and high levels of air
pollution and you quickly begin to feel just how many
roadblocks stand between the present situation and
the vision of a developed, modern Cambodia.
With such an extensive list of challenges, it's no wonder
that some Cambodians are thinking about alternatives
to Phnom Penh. One particularly ambitious alternative
was proposed earlier this year by Phoeung Sophoan, a
secretary of state at the Ministry of Land Management,
Urban Planning and Construction.
According to Mr. Sophoan's plan, Cambodia will build a
new capital city directly north of Phnom Penh called
“SamdechTecho Hun Sen Dragon City.” To insure that
this city will perfectly mirror the face of modern
Cambodia, this 80 billion USD city is planned to be built
in the shape of the head of a dragon.
While this idea is not entirely fantastical (look at
Myanmar and Malaysia for precedence), this specific
plan seems to be over ambitious—with funding of the
mega-city being the main issue. Stephen Higgins, the
former CEO of Cambodian's ANZ Royal Bank
commented that “to get $80 billion when the country’s
GDP is $12-13 billion…the idea is laughable.”
But that may not necessarily have to be the case;
developers are finding ways to deal with the city's
various challenges. By developing large complexes
within the city and by constructing modern satellite
cities, developers are hoping to modernize the city and
thus maintain its status as Cambodia's centre of
gravity.
One such development is the $250m Olympia City
zone, set to finish its first stage of construction in 2016.
With 13 large buildings planned in total, the zone will
introduce much needed modern residential and
commercial units, as well as a world-class shopping
mall and a 500 room hotel. In an attempt to avoid one
of the main issues that currently plague the city, the
development is also planned to include parking
capacity for nearly 3000 cars.
Also, development projects like Olympia City are
continuing to pop up around the city. Earlier this year,
South Korean conglomerate Booyoung Group broke
November 2013—BROADSIGHT by
ground on Booyoung Town, a $1.2bn project set to transform another 2.7 square
kilometer section of Phnom Penh.
These grand projects, along with a number of more modest developments
around the city, are all attempting to, despite the challenges, transform the city
into the modern vision that many Cambodians have for their capital.
But these city complexes have one obvious flaw; while they do contain much of
what its residents will require for daily living, their location in the heart of Phnom
Penh means that traffic congestion, air pollution, and other endemic problems of
the city will also plague these new developments. And that is exactly the reason
for the surge in plans to build satellite cities – smaller metropolitan areas that are
close to, but largely independent from, a large metropolitan area – around the
edges of Phonm Penh.
With the hope that relieving the congestion and crowding problems, the
Cambodian government has authorized plans for six satellite cities in the next 20
years. Of the six approved plans, only two have made significant progress: South
Korean funded Camko City north of the city and Cambodia's OCIC funded
Diamond Island City to the east. While these developments certainly face a new
set of challenges, they appear to slowly catch traction.
Due to its good infrastructure connection to the city, as well as the
entertainment facilities planned, Diamond City has been recently reviewed by
global real estate firm CBRE as “extremely successful.” And with each satellite
city project learning from successes and shortcomings of its fellow developments,
Phnom Penh's future outskirts may ultimately prove to be the solution that the
city needs moving forward.
Whether or not all of these new developments will ultimately be able to save Phnom
Penh is presently only a matter of speculation; many other variables, such as political
factors and international influences will ultimately guide Cambodia to its version of a
modern capital. But traveling around Phnom Penh and seeing these developments take
shape one cannot help but speculate that perhaps Phnom Penh should be the face of
modern Cambodia, and not an overpriced metropolitan dragon.
With the rapid rate at which Cambodia is developing, now is a critical time for
Cambodia to shape its future. With the vision of more sustainable projects in
Cambodia, Broadgate Construction has teamed up with Cambodian conglomerate 7NG
and regional investment bank CLMV to construct a factory of its innovative LiteCast
panel in a new industrial park on the outskirts of Phnom Penh. Thus, Cambodia's future
can be not just modern, but also clean and environmentally sustainable.
Ophir Moser
Industry News
Construction
Industry News
Construction
November 2013—BROADSIGHT by
Industry News
Energy
Industry News
Energy
How To Go Green With Your Car
The aim of these generators is to convert stored
energy from fossil fuels or renewable resources to
electric current, which is then disseminated through a
distribution grid where it can eventually, among many
other things, charge your mobile phone.
The second, slightly less obvious major energy
conversion system takes place in our light vehicles:
petrochemical energy is converted into rotational
motion, enabling the vehicles to travel. According to a
1995 study, there are 176 million light vehicles in the
United States. Kempton and Tomic point out that with
a shaft power capacity averaging 111 kWm per
vehicle, a vehicle fleet of 176 million produces a
combined power of 19,500 Gwm.
This calculation implies that the power capacity of the
vehicle fleet in the United States is 24 times that of
the entire electric utility generation system. This fact
is quite compelling and highlights to the reader the
enormous potential of Electric Drive Vehicules (EDV’s).
While the idea of vehicles supplying electricity to the
grid is not new, it is only in recent times that it has
gained enough momentum to appear more of a reality
than just a sci-fi element. Amory Lovins, an American
physicist first proposed the V2G concept in 1995, but
it was the 2005 study by Willett Kempton and Jasna
Tomićat the University of Delaware, coupled with the
advancements in technology that enabled V2G not
just to be vision but a reality.
In order to highlight the tremendous potential of
Electric Drive Vehicles, Kempton and Tomic sought to
quantify the enormous power that the United States
vehicle market produces. To do so the authors first
contrasted the two main energy conversion systems:
the electric utility system, and the light vehicle fleet.
In 2002, the United States Energy Information
Administration stated that there are over 9,351
electric utility generators in the United States, with a
total power of 602 GW.
In attempting to project the future of energy
production, Kempton and Tomic's study highlights
three forms of energy market convergence that will
take place in the first half of the 21st century:
The vehicle fleet will provide quick reliable storage for
the electric grid.
•Electricity will replace traditional liquid fuel as a
means to power vehicles.
• Technology and information system advances will
allow for improved optimization of two way transfers
between the vehicle and grid.
These trends, with one leading to the next, make a
clear conclusion that V2G is not only efficient and
important, but is actually essential to the
development of an optimized electrical generation
system.
One important factor that must be included in the
discussion comparing the two electrical generation
system is the cost.
Imagine a world where cars give you back money. By driving your car you can actually earn
money. This is not a dream but in the near future will become a reality. By embracing the
way of Vehicle-to-Grid, car owners will be able to plug their vehicles into the power grid and
receive payment for supplying electricity back to the system.
November 2013—BROADSIGHT by
Industry News
Energy
While the capital costs in having vehicle electricity is a great deal lower than building
power plants, it can also be seen that the average per kWh cost of vehicle electricity
is considerably higher. So even though the economics argument goes partially
against EDVs , the main insight is that vehicle electricity is competitive in specific
electricity markets, in particular the spinning reserve and regulation market.
What is the takeaway from all this data? Doing all of these comparisons points out
that the most important role for V2G may ultimately be in the merging of power
markets to support renewable energy. Currently, the main two types of renewable
sources are photovoltaic and wind turbines. As various studies on renewable energy
production point out, additional resources are very much needed to match the
fluctuating supply to the already fluctuating load, of renewable energy. This basically
means that due to the unpredictable nature of the amount of solar radiation and
wind that is available at any given moment, these two energy production methods
cannot be fully relied upon to supply the constant need for energy.
The solution for this issue lies in two similar reservation methods: backup or storage.
And this is exactly where V2G can play a huge role in complementing renewable
energy; with V2G. Backup can be provided by fuel cell vehicles, while storage of
renewable energy seems the most likely and feasible solution for battery run EDVs.
So this means that, in essence, our electric vehicles will serve as an important
resource for energy. When EDV is plugged into the grid, the system will be able to
utilize the vehicle's power when the sun, wind, or other renewable resource is at a
point of low production and feed the EDV when the production is high. Thus, the
power that is stored in the vehicles' batteries or fuel cells will insure that any
fluctuations in the production of energy from renewable resources will be mitigated.
The final concluding remark highlights to the reader that society has a choice: keep
the electric system and vehicle fleet separate, or connect the vehicle and electric
power system. The former option will continue to present substantial economic
roadblocks to renewable energy due to the dedicated storage needed to be built to
match the intermittent energy source. The latter will lead to lower costs and a
greater use of renewable resources by using the vast amounts of unused storage of
electric vehicles. And that is why V2G should be a no-brainer.
Broadgate Energy is exploring the various ways in which renewable energy
technologies can be introduced into the ASEAN community. While the region is
perhaps not yet ready for V2G, we hope that by introducing more renewable energy
production such as solar, biomass, and wind, we can help lead the region towards
such possibilities.
Ted FitzPatrick
November 2013—BROADSIGHT by
November 2013—BROADSIGHT by
Broadgate Construction, part of the Broadgate
Financial Group is the global marketing partner for
Easy Panel Construction (EPC). It is a privately
owned Thailand based company established to
develop, manufacture, market and license energy
efficient, low-cost and environmentally friendly
residential and industrial construction materials for
the 21st century. In 2013, Broadgate Construction
revealed its new solution for modern construction,
LiteCast, a green construction material gathering
the benefits of precast concrete panels and 3D
sandwich panel technology. The company is now
responsible for its global distribution and business
development.
LiteCast is a lightweight precast concrete panel
incorporating the Easy Panel™ technology at the
core. This technology consists in polystyrene foam
enclosed
by two high tensile steel wire meshes. Including it
into LiteCast panels make them lightweight, as their
manufacturing process requires less concrete than
traditional solutions. The polystyrene foam provides
them also with outstanding thermal and acoustic
insulating performances. Two high quality precast
concrete panels enclose this core to form the final
product, giving it strength and a high durability.
An innovative and unique building material, LiteCast
is a hybrid between Easy Panel™ sandwich panels
and precast concrete panels. This building material,
acknowledged by major building developers,
presents the same advantages as precast concrete
panels, being quick and easy to install, but only
weighing 50% of solid precast concrete. Even so, it
has to be used with the same constructs methods
as any standard precast panel. Moreover, this
material was developed to be more environmental
friendly than its substitutes. It is thus a high quality,
lightweight alternative to standard precast concrete
panels. LiteCast samples have passed industry tests,
which concluded that the product reached all
British construction standards. Finally its
manufacturing process conforms to IS0-9001
criteria.
We will publish our report on the opportunities
offered by LiteCast. This report will be issued in its
entirety on Monday 2nd December and aims to
highlight the advantages, disadvantages, and
potential challenges of using the LiteCast
technology. Whilst also discussing its technical
characteristics. Finally it attempts to clarify in what
conditions LiteCast panels should be used and to
who their use would be the most suitable.
Product
Report
Please email [email protected] to obtain your free copy of LiteCast - The Genesis Report on Monday 2nd December 2013.
LiteCast – The Genesis Report
On Monday 2nd December, Broadgate Construction will publish a report on the
opportunities offered by LiteCast, its new innovative construction material. The report
will provide information regarding its technical specificities and the advantages in using
it. The following article is a summary of the content covered by the report.
November 2013—BROADSIGHT by
Project News
Broadgate Construction is currently working on its first LiteCast project. This 10,000 SQM project is the
result of a partnership signed with CPN; the most accomplished retail developer in Thailand with 21
extremely successful shopping centres. Khun Poovani Kampong CPN’s Assistant Project Manager
elaborated further “We are proud to be working with Broadgate Construction and their innovative
LiteCast technology. This enhances our vision to develop eco friendly developments across SE Asia".
Broadgate Construction is providing CPN with our innovative LiteCast panel for the
construction of its new mall, CentralPlaza Salaya, located on the 10 lane-road of
Baromrachachonanee, Salaya District of Nakorn Pathom Province. CentralPlaza Salaya is
CPN’s first theme-mall whose design is conceptualized under “Contemporary Botanical”.
The project is valued at 3.7bn THB and expected to be complete by Q3 2014.
Broadgate Construction believes LiteCast to be the future of construction within ASEAN.
Developers now have an option of a premium, light weight product that provides superior
thermal and insulation properties at affordable prices.
A giant leap towards Eco friendly developments has began with our LiteCast panels
and by joining hands with CPN we have been able to create a flawless product that
will gain the attention of major developers around the region.
Thailand’s 1st Botanical Shopping Mall
‘Minerva Project’ by
November 2013—BROADSIGHT by
Q&A
World energy consumption has risen 45% since 1980 and it is projected to be 70% higher by 2030!
At the heart of a strategy is a simple and powerful idea: using natural resources much more
productively - efficiently - is both profitable and better for the environment. We can all adapt to
the new energy world! Schneider Electric has made this commitment and we can help you.
Nelson Yeap is the President for Schneider Electric Thailand.
Do you see much desire for improvement in Thailand in
terms of increased efficiency and new technology?
Among individuals, politicians or business leaders?
There has been a lot of improvements in Thailand in the
past few years in the area of increased efficiency and new
technology. Schneider Electric helps increase efficiency by
providing intelligent systems to draw all of the electrical
data together and then the goal is to find the right
solution and then implement it correctly. There are two
approaches to efficiency, passive and Active. Passive
would be your implementation of new efficient bulbs or
better insulation. Active is the process of putting in
controls to monitor energy efficiency to continually
operate efficiently such as a system to automatically shut
off lights when no one is in the room or reducing air
conditioning when no one is in the building. Schneider
Electric has introduced a new intelligent energy
management system called Energy Online that allows
consumers to connect and see the data and analytics of
their energy consumption and performance of different
Nelson gained more than 25 years of experience in
the Power and Automation industries, where he held
sales and senior management positions at Schneider
Electric’s various entities. Most recentlys as the
President for Schneider Electric Singapore & Brunai
and based in Singapore. He holds an Executive MBA
from the Golden Gate University.
Nelson was a Council Member of Singapore
Manufacturers’ Federation term 2006-2008 and also
is a Member of the Board of Directors for Eagles
Communications Singapore.
With his vast challenging experience and background
in Schneider Electric, Nelson will use most of his
energy on reinforcing Schneider Electric’s presence in
Thailand and Laos. He will focus on continuous
growth, building more comprehensive energy efficient
solutions, running a broad customer-centric service
organisation and sustaining strong partnerships.
Meet Nelson Yeap
From
How is Thailand in terms of Energy Efficiency ?
Thailand is very active in improving energy efficiency.
There are two areas of efficiency. Those are Renewables
and Energy Savings. Renewables is categorized as creating
new sources of energy from renewable sources while
Energy savings is instead the focus on using new
technology to improve the use of energy from traditional
energy sources. An example of energy saving techniques
would be motion sensors to turn on the lights when
someone is in the room and off when it is empty to not
waste electricity.
Thailand’s government has a clear policy for pushing
energy efficiency forward and there is good cooperation
between government and private businesses in this area.
One area where Schneider Electric helps businesses
wanting to improve is through energy saving performance
guarantees. These guarantees allow the company to very
easily get bank financing for projects that would improve
efficiency.
November 2013—BROADSIGHT by
Jenjiri Praneet where do you think the best opportunity is?
(continuation of current mix with fossil fuels most
important or real long term opportunities in new
areas like solar for profitability)
I don’t know what particular area would grow most for
the future but right now most companies are focusing
in the area of energy conservation. The one issue of
course for any business is the cost and cost will drive
demand and which technological area grows. Right
now energy conservation technologies have the best
return based on payback periods when compared to
technology like solar or wind. This does not provide a
solution to the energy problem alone though.
Energy saved does mean it can be used in other places
but considering the growth rate in energy consumption
we wont be saving enough to cover that so new energy
production will need to be initiated. This will help drive
renewable technology and people in areas able to take
advantage of renewables like solar or hydro will
produce more than needed to then share to other
regions that don’t have that option. The future will be
largely about collaboration and sharing.
Lastly, does Schneider Electric have any innovative
technologies currently being used to increase efficiency?
At our factory we use Energy Online along with various
lighting controls and air controls along with motion
sensors to help boost efficiency. All of these have
increased efficiency by about 20-25%% from 2006 until
today and Schneider Electric could find similar savings for
clients First year usually a company can save 10% and
over a defined period of time, company can save more
than 30%.
The fastest easiest way to immediately increase efficiency
is moving to a new building and designing it in an efficient
way, which is what Schneider Electric works with building
developers to do. Just building new buildings is not viable
for everyone though, which is why Schneider Electric also
helps owners of existing buildings to improve efficiency
through the installation of new technology.
Jason Campbell
Scnheider Electric Thailand : 44/1 Rungrojthanakul Building 13/14 Floor, Rachada Pisek road, Huaikwang District, Bangkok 10310
For further information, please visit their website : http://www.schneider-electric.co.th
Q&A
November 2013—BROADSIGHT by
I S R
Despite a year having gone by since my experience in
Vietnam, I still think about it regularly. Volunteering in
an orphanage with disabled children was definitely an
experience like no other. I took the decision to
volunteer because I knew it would help me appreciate
more what I have and how lucky I am to have my family.
Moreover, I believe if a person has the physical ability
to help others, why not do it?
Originally, I wanted to volunteer in Thailand but I knew
that Vietnam was a less developed country than
Thailand, so I chose an organization called Volunteer for
Peace Vietnam and I am very happy with my decision.
My daily routine was simple, but nevertheless
rewarding. It consisted of helping to feed the children,
playing games with them, taking them for a walk
outside and doing whatever made them happy. What
struck me the most was how much the children
understood what I was saying despite me speaking
English to them.
I could see in their eyes that they knew when I wasn’t
happy with something they had done wrong and they
were quick not to do it again. They are a lot more
competent than people expect them to be and I feel we
should not treat them as ‘’disabled’’ children.
What touched me the most is how little they have,
materialistically speaking, and especially, how they
have lost their parents. However, despite having less,
ironically, they seem happier and full of life. We should
learn from them and see that one does not need a lot
to be content and happy in life.
I must admit that the first few days were hard. The
orphanage was dirty, the children at times aggressive
and the culture completely different. It is also truly
tragic that many children were disabled because they
had been affected by Agent Orange, the chemical
sprayed by the Americans during the Vietnam War. As
the BCC article rightly states, despite the war having
“The greatest gift you can give someone is your time. Because when you give your time, you
are giving a portion of your life that you will never get back” Rick Warren
Time Worth Spending
I could see in their eyes that they knew when I wasn’t
happy with something they had done wrong and they
were quick not to do it again. They are a lot more
competent than people expect them to be and I feel we
should not treat them as ‘’disabled’’ children.
What touched me the most is how little they have,
materialistically speaking, and especially, how they have
lost their parents. However, despite having less,
ironically, they seem happier and full of life. We should
learn from them and see that one does not need a lot to
be content and happy in life.
I must admit that the first few days were hard. The
orphanage was dirty, the children at times aggressive and
the culture completely different. It is also truly tragic that
many children were disabled because they had been
affected by Agent Orange, the chemical sprayed by the
Americans during the Vietnam War. As the BCC article
rightly states, despite the war having
November 2013—BROADSIGHT by
I could see in their eyes that they knew when I wasn’t
happy with something they had done wrong and they
were quick not to do it again. They are a lot more
competent than people expect them to be and I feel we
should not treat them as ‘’disabled’’ children.
What touched me the most is how little they have,
materialistically speaking, and especially, how they have
lost their parents. However, despite having less, ironically,
they seem happier and full of life. We should learn from
them and see that one does not need a lot to be content
and happy in life.
I must admit that the first few days were hard. The
orphanage was dirty, the children at times aggressive and
the culture completely different. It is also truly tragic that
many children were disabled because they had been
affected by Agent Orange, the chemical sprayed by the
Americans during the Vietnam War. As the BCC article
rightly states, despite the war having ended over 40 years
ago, children continue to be born with horrific facial
deformaties.
However, as the days went by, one starts to feel a
connection or bond becoming stronger and stronger
between you and the children. They start feeling more
and more comfortable around you and giving you minor
but rewarding signs that they like you.
If you are intersted in encountering a similar experience, please visit Volounteer For Peace Vietnam’s website :www.vpv.vn
For example, when I arrived in the morning, many of them often greeted me with a lovely smile and
offered me their hand so we could go outside and play in the courtyard.
This bonding truly gave me more passion and determination to wake up every morning and go back to
the orphanage. It is also natural to have certain days where you are missing your family, your home and
friends. The culture is also very different and at times it is hard to accept why certain habits are done
differently. However, you need to keep telling yourself that this is an experience like no other…
I would recommend everyone to volunteer at some time in their life. It is a very rewarding experience
that definitely makes you appreciate more of what you have.
Sarah Schade
I S R
November 2013—BROADSIGHT by
Precast concrete is a construction product
produced by casting concretein a reusable mold or
"form"which is then cured in a controlled
environment in the factory, transported to the
construction site and lifted into place.
Parts like door and window frames, electricity and
water networks are also cast before the concrete
dries. Precast concrete is suitable for almost any
type of building, from prefabricated housing units
to shopping malls, factories and warehouses, to
high-rise offices, hotels or condos.
Speed is where precast concrete beats out other
construction methods. While builders generally
take weeks to put up a singlehouse with normal
technologies, they can build five houses per day
using precast, says Phillip Lingwood, Senior Vice-
President of Broadgate Construction, an
international company supplying building products.
Compared to brick, for example, putting up a
precast wall is much quicker, requires less labor
and the end product is stronger, according to
Lingwood. In Cambodia it costs around US$12 to
build a square meter of a brick wall, and around
US$15 to produce one square meter of precast wall
at the factory, excluding the transportation and
labor expenses.
“Although the material cost may be higher than
brick, with precast the total project cost will be
reduced, because there is less labor used, no need
for rendering, and it’s quicker,” Lingwood said.
Precast concrete solutions have better resistance
to earthquakes or fires than brick or other wall
panel technology. It also leaves a substantially
smaller environmental footprint than other
building methods, thanks to increased recycled
content and the production processes.
While precast has almost become old hat in
developed countries, it is new in Cambodia. Fewer
than 10 projects have applied precast concrete
technology here up to now, while there are only
few precast suppliers serving the market, including
Ly Chhuong Construction and CPAC Cambodia.
Touch Somnang, deputy CEO of developer OCIC,
says the company has applied precast technology
for the housing development at the Chroy
Changvar Satellite City and sees it is a good solution
for future construction.
Article Precast Concrete, A Faster Construction Technology
As the speed of construction becomes an increasingly pressing issue for builders in Cambodia, they might want to consider precast concrete technology, rapidly becoming one of the dominant ways to build in the modern world. But while is has a host ofadvantages, there are a few drawbacks as well.
November 2013—BROADSIGHT by
“We apply precast concrete walls to houses to replace brick, and it is very fast.
This kind of precast concrete house needs only three to four weeks to finish,”
Touch said. “If you ask me whether it is strong or not, I’d say yes, because it's a
concrete wall.”
Due to rising labor costs, faster construction methods are important, he added.
“Although it is more expensive in term of materials, precast technology offers
us with cheaper labor expenses and faster construction times,” he said.
While there are several benefits, precast in Cambodia still faces challenges.
Precast products are manufactured at the factory, and there are expenses and
difficulties in transporting large and heavy concrete panels to construction sites
along narrow and pothole-ridden roads. Fuel costs are another concern.
Since carrying a large piece of precast concrete into the building can’t be done
by manpower alone, lifting machinery is needed for assembly and installation.
This is yet another cost for builders and building owners, since such machinery
is expensive in Cambodia, says Chhouk Chhay Horng, head of the civil
engineering department at the Institute of Technology of Cambodia (ITC).
Still, Lingwood of Broadgate Construction believes precast concrete is right for
Cambodia, but his company has looked at the challenges specific to developing
Cambodia as well. So, Broadgate, in a joint venture with local company 7NG
Group under the name 3 Eco City Construction, is building a factory 12 km from
Phnom Penh in Kandal province to produce the Litecast product. It has all
qualities and advantages of precast, but with the additional benefit of being 50
percent lighter. It can reduce transportation issues and the need for heavy
lifting machinery. It also has good thermal and acoustic insulation properties
that can reduce construction material costs, reduce the load on air conditioning
units and save energy in the long run.
The factory and the Litecast product are set to come on line in the middle of
2014. “Precast is good, but Litecast is even better,” Lingwood said.
Tim Vutha
Reporter for Construction and Property Magazine
Article
November 2013—BROADSIGHT by
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Contributing authors :
Jenjira Praneet
Ted Fitzpatrick
Diane Vander
Sarah Schade
Ophir Moser
Guillaume Wissocq
Tim Vutha
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