Soilbuild’s Tai Seng Exchange wins the inaugural Top Industrial Property award

Tai Seng Exchange (TSX), a development by homegrown integrated property company Soilbuild Group Holdings, has been awarded the inaugural Top Industrial Property title at the EdgeProp Singapore Excellence Awards (EPEA) 2024. This year’s awards introduced a new category for industrial projects. Judges assessed developments based on criteria such as architecture and design, flexibility and adaptability, safety and compliance, among others. TSX earned the highest cumulative score, securing the award and marking Soilbuild’s first EPEA title. Established in 1976, the group has built an extensive track record in developing, constructing, and managing residential and industrial properties, including business spaces. This portfolio includes high-specification industrial properties and business parks across Singapore, which are part of Soilbuild Business Space REIT. Read also: The Assembly Place sets high bar for student co-living with Campus Advertisement Advertisement TSX is included in the Soilbuild Business Space REIT portfolio, which was acquired in August by a joint venture between Warburg Pincus and Lendlease from entities associated with Blackstone and Lim Chap Huat, executive chairman of Soilbuild Group Holdings. The purchase price was $1.6 billion, marking one of the largest private transactions of industrial assets in Singapore. TSX is a campus-style industrial development situated along Tai Seng Avenue. Zoned for Business 2, or heavy industrial use, the complex features four towers, each eight to nine storeys tall, set on a plot of 444,283 sq ft. TSX was completed in 2023 and has a total gross floor area of about 1.13 million sq ft, including a 302-lot carpark. It is within walking distance of the Tai Seng MRT Station on the Circle Line.

Impressive architecture

The EPEA judges were impressed with the architecture of TSX, which was conceptualised in collaboration with AC Consortium, a subsidiary of RSP Architects, Planners and Engineers that specialises in industrial park design. The development adopts a radial site plan, with the four tower blocks arranged around a central landscaped garden courtyard on the third floor. The developer says the circular layout is intended to create a welcoming space that fosters a sense of community. Judges also highly rated the project for sustainability. The Green Mark Platinum-certified building has a large allotment of landscaped areas, including planters that line the balconies of each tower and other patches of greenery throughout the entire site. A rainwater recycling system partially offsets the water needed to irrigate the property’s plant life. TSX also features amenities not commonly found in heavy industrial properties, such as end-of-trip facilities and a common lounge equipped with a café, library and multiple meeting rooms. Each tower also has a designated sheltered dropoff area coupled with a double-volume reception area staffed by a concierge. Read also: Village Hotel Sentosa: The crowd favourite Advertisement Advertisement

Fitted out for laboratory use

Three of TSX’s towers (A, B and D) have been outfitted for general business space use, offering units measuring between 1,500 sq ft and 25,930 sq ft. Meanwhile, Tower C has been specifically designed to accommodate laboratory infrastructure. As part of its laboratory space offering, TSX became the first industrial development in Singapore to support SS 641:2019 compliance, a fire safety standard for laboratories using chemicals. The standard applies to research entities, laboratory equipment suppliers, and laboratories in the petrochemical, pharmaceutical, and gas manufacturing industries. “With the necessary infrastructure already in place, tenants can save on renovation costs, as they won’t need to make additional modifications to meet the standards,” says Lim Han Qin, director of Soilbuild Group. “Additionally, this shortens the fit-out period needed by tenants, thereby allowing them to commence operations sooner.” Laboratory spaces in Tower C comprise units ranging from 2,500 sq ft to 24,000 sq ft. TSX’s extensive safety and compliance policies complement the units, as do response plans for emergencies, including bomb threats, gas leakages and power failures. TSX employs a suite of smart systems for various purposes, from ensuring security and surveillance across the property to reducing energy consumption in its common areas. Some of the security features on the property include facial recognition systems integrated with a lift destination control system that directs users to their designated floors. “This system eliminates the need for issuing access cards to tenants, reducing waste,” says Lim. As an added benefit, the facial recognition system is a touchless mode of identification, promoting better hygiene. Read also: Guoco Midtown secures inaugural Top Commercial Property Award Advertisement Advertisement

Smart systems

The property also integrates technology to enhance tenants’ comfort and overall well-being. TSX employs sensors to monitor indoor air quality and temperature, while a separate system uses ultraviolet light to sterilise the air. Furthermore, sensors in the common areas help to improve energy efficiency. Lim adds that the smart systems at TSX not only decrease the reliance on on-site staff but also improve operational efficiency, sustainability, and tenant satisfaction, all of which contribute to the development’s overall effectiveness. Ask Buddy Past Industrial rental transactions Listings for industrial property Past Industrial sale transactions Compare price trend of Commercial vs Industrial properties Price trend for industrial property sales Past Industrial rental transactions Listings for industrial property Past Industrial sale transactions Compare price trend of Commercial vs Industrial properties Price trend for industrial property sales