Design awards for HDB estates

Design awards for HDB estates 
 
Sengkang, Ghim Moh estates score well for innovative design, user-friendly features
By Ong Bi Hui 
HOUSING Board estates are not known for their innovative designs, but two cutting-edge ones are starting to change all that.
They have just become the first HDB estates to win design awards for both their [...]

No gold award winner at universal design awards as BCA raises benchmark

No gold award winner at universal design awards as BCA raises benchmark
 
SINGAPORE: Several buildings have won silver and bronze in the Building and Construction Authority’s (BCA’s) annual Universal Design (UD) Awards 2008.
 
The office housing Xilinx’s Asia Pacific headquarters which boasts natural sunlight, wide passageways and employee-friendly facilities clinched the silver award.
 
However, the competition [...]

CapitaLand goes green

CapitaLand goes green 
 
Real estate company kicks off campaign encouraging use of re-usable bags
By Nicholas Fang 
PROPERTY giant CapitaLand has launched a new campaign to encourage users of its malls, offices and serviced apartments here to adopt a green lifestyle.
 
It is starting the initiative with 100,000 re-usable shopping bags that come with a [...]

Sales in private residential market dip in April

Sales in private residential market dip in April
 
SINGAPORE: Sales in the private residential market have dipped in April after a mild recovery in March.
 
According to the numbers of private home sales released by the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA), only 274 units were sold last month – down from 301 units in March.
 
Developers were [...]

Banyan Tree reports 38% increase in Q1 earnings to S$15.4m

Banyan Tree reports 38% increase in Q1 earnings to S$15.4m
 
SINGAPORE: Mainboard listed Banyan Tree Holdings on Thursday announced it has booked a 38 per cent increase in first quarter earnings.
 
Its net income for the three months ended March 31 came in at S$15.4 million, largely driven by growth in its hotel investment and hotel [...]

Yong Nam Holdings reports 267% jump in Q1 profit to S$6m

Yong Nam Holdings reports 267% jump in Q1 profit to S$6m
 
SINGAPORE: The building boom in Singapore and the Middle East is proving to be a boon for engineering and construction company Yong Nam Holdings.
 
Its net profit for the first quarter rose 267 percent to about S$6 million. Revenues increased 56 percent to S$47.4 million. [...]

GIC says sub-prime crisis beginning to hurt Asian property markets

GIC says sub-prime crisis beginning to hurt Asian property markets
 
SINGAPORE: The US sub-prime crisis has begun to hurt Asian property markets, the real estate investment arm of the Government of Singapore Investment Corporation (GIC) said at the FT Asia Property Summit on Thursday.
 
While Wall Street starts picking up the pieces from the sub-prime crisis, [...]

Frasers Centrepoint Trust plans to refurbish suburban malls

Frasers Centrepoint Trust plans to refurbish suburban malls
 
SINGAPORE: Following the S$13 million makeover of Anchorpoint Shopping Centre, Frasers Centrepoint Trust has plans to turn its attention to other suburban malls under its stable.
 
Anchorpoint’s new look appears to be getting the thumbs up from retailers.
 
Lee Hsien Yang, chairman of Fraser & Neave, said: “Anchorpoint [...]

IMF chief says worst of financial crisis is over

IMF chief says worst of financial crisis is over
 
BRUSSELS - The worst of the financial sector crisis is over although the impact on the broader economy will likely drag on in coming months, IMF managing director Dominique Strauss-Kahn said on Thursday.
 
‘There are good reasons to believe that the largest part of disclosure in financial institutions [...]

S’pore hotel rates will rise further: CityDev

S’pore hotel rates will rise further: CityDev
 
SINGAPORE - Singapore hotel rates will continue to rise this year despite the slowing global economy due to a shortage of rooms, the head of the city state’s largest hotel operator said on Thursday.
 
‘Because of the sub-prime crisis, the higher-end … hotels have less ability to increase their rates. [...]