CapitaLand rolls out tech solutions to safeguard business parks, offices amid phase 2 of reopening

Companies can conduct pre-check-in of staff for up to five days in advance via the CapitaStar@Work app. PHOTO: CAPITALAND
Facial recognition or QR-activated turnstiles enhance contactless access and reduce touch points. PHOTO: CAPITALAND

SINGAPORE (THE BUSINESS TIMES) - Property giant CapitaLand on Thursday (June 25) said it is rolling out digital solutions at its business parks and offices in Singapore to help tenants cope with the "new normal" as their staff return to work in Phase Two's reopening.

New features on the CapitaStar @ Work app allow tenants to conduct staff and visitor contact tracing within their premises, and access near real-time data retrieval and analysis. The app lets workers check in up to five days in advance, helping tenants gauge staff load ahead of time.

Businesses can also use the app to conduct health and wellness surveys customised for staff.

The company added that it is currently onboarding over 60 food and beverage (F&B) tenants at its business parks and offices onto its food ordering platform, Capita3Eats. Working professionals in the vicinity can place orders for dine-in meals, takeaway or deliveries from these places through the platform.

The property giant has also stepped up cleaning and disinfection procedures at all its business parks and offices. Contactless access technology including facial recognition or QR-activated turnstiles is also being used at locations such as 79 Robinson Road, Ascent, Capital Tower, Funan's office blocks, Galaxis and One @ Changi.

Given the scale of its network, CapitaLand said that it can offer business park and office tenants "attractive rates" for the bulk purchase of work area sanitisation services, thermal scanners, and workplace sensors.

It is currently trialling disinfection technology at certain business parks and office properties, such as automated ultra-UV escalator handrail disinfection devices, air decontamination systems in lift cars, and air-handling units to purify air entering offices.

Tenant feedback will be taken into consideration before these technologies are introduced more widely.

Apart from technology solutions, CapitaLand also converted Capital Tower's Level 9 flexible event space into a temporary workspace, which companies can now lease on a short-term basis.

Organisations under split-team arrangements can rent a workspace at "competitive prices" with no minimum contract.

Tan Yew Chin, chief executive of business park & commercial for CapitaLand Singapore, Malaysia & Indonesia, said the company had been reviewing and conducting building drills with tenants to handle pandemic situations, even before Covid-19 hit.

"Given CapitaLand's portfolio size and digital capabilities as a real estate developer, owner and operator, we are uniquely positioned to extend technology solutions and value-added services into tenants' work premises with better seamlessness and economies of scale than if the tenants were to do it on their own," he added.

CapitaLand shares were trading at $2.86 as at 9.20am on Thursday, down 4 cents or 1.4 per cent.

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