09 December 2024
Alanod’s Reflective Material Contributes to Award-Winning Retrofit of SDE3 Building for Sustainability
The 45-year-old School of Design and Environment 3 (SDE3) building at the National University of Singapore (NUS) has undergone a transformative retrofit, significantly improving energy efficiency, occupant comfort, and sustainability. The project, which featured Alanod MIRO® 20 reflective material for the building’s redesigned West-facing facade, recently won "Project of the Year 2024" in the "International, Sustainability" category by the Society of Facade Engineers (SFE) at an award ceremony in London, November 2024.
NUS opted for a retrofit instead of demolition, incorporating a three-meter light shelf made from Alanod’s MIRO® 20 material, which boasts 95% light reflectance. This feature reflects daylight into the ceiling, transforming direct sunlight into soft, diffuse light while minimizing glare.
Other key upgrades included hybrid ventilation, a district cooling system, and occupancy sensors, leading to a five-fold reduction in energy consumption. The retrofit also reduced the building’s embodied carbon by seven times compared to new construction, and occupant satisfaction jumped from 40% to 90%. With plans for solar panels, the building is set to become a zero-energy space.
The success of the SDE3 retrofit underscores the power of sustainable retrofitting, delivering impressive environmental and occupant well-being results.
