Did you ever wonder how buildings could help us live more sustainably in the tropics? Here at the National University of Singapore, stands the Tropical Technologies Laboratory, or T2 Lab for short. This remarkable facility, a partnership between NUS and City Developments Limited (CDL), serves as a testbed for groundbreaking research on smart green building technologies specifically designed for tropical environments. The T2 Lab isn’t just a building; it’s a living laboratory. It’s a place where researchers explore how to integrate building facade design with Singapore’s climate. They experiment with things like incorporating solar panels onto roofs and walls, even testing the efficiency of combining sun-shading shutters with solar membranes and panels. The T2 Lab isn’t just about energy; it also plays a role in exploring innovative urban farming solutions. Researchers are investigating the possibility of growing food right on the building’s facade, a concept called “productive facades.” Imagine a future where your apartment building generates its own electricity and provides fresh produce, right outside your window. The T2 Lab embodies that vision, tackling challenges like food security and sustainable living head-on. By pushing the boundaries of technology and design, the Tropical Technologies Laboratory strives to create a smarter, greener, and more resilient future for urban living in the tropics and beyond.
Seah Eu Chin
Consider this a rags-to-riches story. Seah Eu Chin’s life is a morality tale. It is economic history. Seah Eu Chin