LEED and WELL Buildings Improving Air Quality for Bangkok As Pollution Concerns Increase

• Environmentally friendly developments, such as The PARQ, can help reduce pollution levels, while positioning Bangkok as an attractive business hub for SE Asia

Bangkok's awareness of the importance of clean air has massively increased over the last 3 months, as Thailand has suffered from an unprecedented level of air pollution. Elevated levels of microscopic particulate matter (PM2.5) can cause significant health issues, and the city is now focused on long-term solutions for improving air quality.

Public awareness of the importance of clean air was highlighted in the recent Nielsen survey commissioned by The PARQ development, revealing bad indoor air quality as office workers' main concern. Respondents rated 'good indoor air quality' (64%), 'access to natural light and views' (45%) and 'plants and green spaces' on premises (40%) as key factors in driving productivity and wellbeing.

With more than 90% of people's time spent indoors, buildings need to provide indoor surroundings that ensure a healthy living and working environment. To protect employees and tenants from poor air quality and harmful particles, leading developers in Thailand's capital are turning towards greener buildings and embracing international certification standards like LEED and WELL.

"Our purpose as a responsible developer is to enrich the lives of those who spend time in our buildings, whether through its human-centric and sustainable design, energy efficiency, resource efficacy, or seamless operational practices. Sustainability is as much about the environment as well as human sustainability, as in making it a priority to ensure people's sustainable wellbeing." said Ms. Su Lin Soon, CEO - Development, The PARQ.

Urban Development Driving Sustainability Through LEED & WELL

Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is a framework for creating green buildings and achieving LEED certification is a globally recognised standard for sustainable buildings. As on the world's most popular green building rating systems, LEED aims to lower a building's impact on the surrounding environment and people by using sustainable building materials and processes, resource optimization and low carbon emissions, as companies are seeking for higher quality office spaces, capable of boosting productivity and promoting employee wellbeing.

WELL is a set of building standards aimed at delivering improved human health through design, rethinking buildings from materials to air ventilation to lighting, integrating best practices in design and construction with evidence-based medical and scientific research to support human health and wellbeing. The total global footprint of WELL registered projects is in excess of 224 million sq. ft., with wellness real estate representing $134b globally, according to the Global Wellness Institute.

Issued by the US Green Building Council and International Well Building Institutes respectively, LEED and WELL have multiple levels, with truly sustainable world-class developments awarded the highest levels of certification. So far just 20 projects in Thailand have been awarded LEED's highest certification, LEED Platinum, despite a 70% increase in registrations in 2018.

Bangkok's Green Building Trend Now Underway

A LEED and WELL-certified development in Thailand can not only drive new standards for quality of living, but also seamlessly integrate other smart and convenient features: from purified drinkable water provided throughout the building to extensive natural light and glare-free environment proven to boost energy levels and reduce fatigue. LEED and WELL requires a variety of wellness facilities, including healthy food choices, spa and gym facilities, art installations and access to green spaces.

The PARQ aims to be Thailand's first development to achieve both LEED and WELL certifications. Located on the next to Benjakitti Park on the fast-growing Rama IV innovation corridor connected to QSNCC MRT Station, The PARQ will set a new benchmark for office buildings, where the concept of sustainability has driven a design and features where work-life balance is promoted throughout.

High-performance air filtration, microbe and mould control will provide occupants with unparalleled indoor air quality, while The PARQ's 'healthy entrances' feature will see the utilization of a pressure differential system that will ensure no harmful agents can enter the building. Drawing on LEED and WELL principles, the building will also contain sensors performing continuous monitoring, allowing for adjustment of indoor air pressure to control the air flow at all its six entrances. Through a focus on energy efficiency in every aspect, the benefits also drive better air quality for the rest of the city, as emissions, heat and even impact during construction phase are minimised in line with LEED requirements. For office tenants, the better air quality plus increased utilities efficiency combined with innovation in Smart technology and staff friendly features such as EV chargers, drinking water, green areas can pay off, with ongoing cost savings and improved staff retention.

"The PARQ is an innovative wellness-focused workplace development as it sets new standards for quality of life for the people who work here. LEED and WELL building standards work symbiotically to ensure that buildings and communities preserve precious resources for a brighter future. It was important for us to aim to pioneer this for Thailand, to present the best manifestation of work-life spaces." concluded Ms. Su Lin Soon, CEO - Development, The PARQ.

With sustainable buildings such as The PARQ, LEED and WELL initiatives can help to attract global standard businesses where their workforce can enjoy a high quality of life, driving Bangkok forward as ASEAN's major business hub.

Notes to Editor:

• LEED: Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is a rating system devised by the United States Green Building Council (USGBC) to evaluate the environmental performance of a building and encourage market transformation towards sustainable design.

** WELL: WELL Building Standard is the premier standard for buildings, interior spaces and communities seeking to implement, validate and measure features that support and advance human health and wellness, devised by buildings from the International WELL Building Institute based in Washington D.C

The PARQ, a THB 20 billion mixed-use office and retail development on Rama IV, is the first development in Thailand aiming for LEED Gold and WELL Gold certifications. Comprised of The PARQ Workplace; Grade A commercial office offering Bangkok's largest lettable office spaces at 5,000 square meters - column-free, and The PARQ Life, curated retail space where visitors will enjoy world-class healthy dining options, socially and environmentally responsible retail stores plus on-site wellness services. The development unites innovative architecture, sustainable design and integrated smart services under the 'Life Well Balanced' concept to create mixed-use spaces that enhance people's quality of life and redefine what it means to work well, live well in Bangkok.

The PARQ is being developed by TCC Assets with Frasers Property Holdings (Thailand) Co., Ltd. as the project's development manager.

For more information on The PARQ, please visit www.theparq.com

TCC Assets (Thailand) Company Limited ("TCC Assets") is an investment holding and fully integrated real estate company with a registered capital of THB 10 billion. Incorporated in 2013, it is part of the TCC Group, one of Thailand's most prominent conglomerates.

TCC Assets' investment themes focus on enhancing asset value through insightful development of products and services. Together with its subsidiaries and affiliated companies, TCC Assets maintains a portfolio of residential, commercial, and retail properties, along with hospitality and technology-related services.

For more information on TCC Assets, please visit tccassets.com

Frasers Property Limited ("Frasers Property" and together with its subsidiaries, the "Group"), is a multi-national company that owns, develops and manages a diverse, integrated portfolio of properties. Listed on the Main Board of the Singapore Exchange Securities Trading Limited ("SGX-ST") and headquartered in Singapore, the Group has total assets of approximately S$33 billion as at 31 December 2018.

Frasers Property's assets range from residential, retail, commercial and business parks, to logistics and industrial in Australia, Europe, China and Southeast Asia. Its well-established hospitality business owns and/or operates serviced apartments and hotels in over 80 cities across Asia, Australia, Europe, the Middle East and Africa. The Group is unified by its commitment to deliver enriching and memorable experiences to customers and stakeholders, leveraging its knowledge and capabilities from across markets and property sectors, to deliver value in its multiple asset classes.

Frasers Property is also the sponsor of three real estate investment trusts and one stapled trust listed on the SGX-ST. Frasers Centrepoint Trust, Frasers Commercial Trust, and Frasers Logistics & Industrial Trust are focused on retail, commercial, and logistics and industrial properties respectively. Frasers Hospitality Trust (comprising Frasers Hospitality Real Estate Investment Trust and Frasers Hospitality Business Trust) is a stapled trust focused on hospitality properties.

For more information on Frasers Property, please visit frasersproperty.com.

• ข่าว TCC Assets