Project Profile
Project: One Raffles Quay, Singapore
Location: Marina Bay Financial District, Singapore
Building Type: Twin-tower office development comprising the 29-storey North Tower and the 50-storey South Tower, with a total gross floor area of more than 1.3 million square feet
Major Tenants: UBS, Deutsche Bank, HSBC, and other multinational financial institutions
Green Building Certifications: BCA Green Mark Platinum and LEED Gold
Monitoring System: Tongdy MSD professional multiparameter indoor air quality monitoring system, supporting Modbus RTU and BACnet MS/TP communication
Project Overview
Located in the heart of Singapore’s Marina Bay Financial District, One Raffles Quay is a premium commercial complex serving some of the world’s leading financial institutions.
To strengthen indoor environmental management across the property, Tongdy MSD commercial-grade multiparameter IAQ monitors were deployed throughout key occupied areas. Through native BACnet MS/TP communication, the monitoring network was directly integrated with the building’s central Building Management System (BMS).
Real-time data on carbon dioxide (CO₂), PM2.5, TVOC, temperature, and relative humidity is used to support demand-controlled ventilation (DCV). By translating indoor environmental data into ventilation control actions, the system helps the building respond dynamically to changing occupancy levels in trading floors, offices, and meeting spaces.
This approach helps reduce unnecessary cooling and dehumidification associated with excessive outdoor air intake in Singapore’s hot and humid climate, while providing environmental monitoring data to support BCA Green Mark Platinum and LEED certification requirements.
Operational Challenges
Rapidly Changing Occupancy Loads
Financial trading floors and large meeting rooms experience high occupant density and frequent changes in occupancy. During peak periods, carbon dioxide levels can rise rapidly, potentially reducing concentration and alertness while increasing fatigue among employees performing demanding cognitive work.
Traditional fixed-air-volume ventilation systems cannot respond effectively to these short-term occupancy peaks.
The Energy Challenge of a Tropical Climate
Singapore experiences high temperatures and humidity throughout the year. Increasing outdoor airflow through air handling units (AHUs) and primary air units (PAUs) can significantly increase cooling and dehumidification demand.
However, reducing outdoor airflow too aggressively can result in the accumulation of odours and indoor pollutants. Indoor environmental quality and energy efficiency have therefore often been treated as competing operational priorities.
Lifecycle Auditing for Green Building Certifications
BCA Green Mark Platinum and LEED certification frameworks include requirements relating to indoor environmental performance and supporting documentation during building operation. Reliable, continuous, and traceable environmental monitoring records can help demonstrate long-term performance.
A single set of measurements collected during project acceptance is not sufficient to demonstrate ongoing indoor environmental conditions.
Limited Data for Building Operations
Without continuous IAQ data, facility teams cannot objectively determine whether outdoor-air damper positions are appropriate or whether energy is being consumed by unnecessary ventilation loads.
The absence of reliable historical data also makes annual certification reviews and corporate ESG reporting more difficult.
Engineering Solutions
Monitoring at Representative Breathing-Zone Locations
Tongdy MSD monitors were installed in major trading areas, open-plan offices, executive boardrooms, and elevator lobbies.
The devices were wall-mounted at approximately 1.4 to 1.5 metres above floor level, corresponding to a representative human breathing-zone height. Installation points were selected to avoid direct supply-air discharge, stagnant-air locations, and other areas that could distort readings.
This placement strategy allows the system to capture environmental conditions that more accurately reflect occupants’ actual exposure.
Commercial-Grade Multiparameter Sensor Platform
Each Tongdy MSD monitor integrates a high-stability sensor array, including:
An industrial-grade NDIR carbon dioxide sensor
High-precision laser-scattering PM2.5 and PM10 sensing
A dedicated TVOC sensor
Digital temperature and relative humidity sensing elements
The system is designed to provide long-term stability and resistance to measurement drift under hot and humid operating conditions.
Direct BMS Integration and Closed-Loop DCV Control
The MSD monitors communicate directly with the building’s central BMS through native BACnet MS/TP, eliminating the need for an additional third-party protocol gateway.
Environmental data from individual building zones is continuously transmitted to the BMS. When carbon dioxide concentrations increase in a particular area, the system can automatically adjust the corresponding variable air volume (VAV) terminal damper position.
This creates a closed-loop demand-controlled ventilation strategy in which outdoor air is distributed according to occupancy-related indicators and indoor air quality conditions rather than a fixed ventilation schedule.
Key Outcomes and ESG Impact
Continuous IAQ Control
During periods of high occupancy, the ventilation system can automatically increase outdoor-air delivery and air exchange. This helps maintain carbon dioxide concentrations within a healthy and comfortable range throughout the day.
Optimised Ventilation Energy Use
By reducing excessive treatment of hot and humid outdoor air, the system helps minimise unnecessary cooling and dehumidification loads.
Outdoor airflow can be reduced to an energy-efficient baseline when spaces are lightly occupied and increased when occupant density rises, allowing indoor air quality and energy efficiency to be managed together.
Audit-Ready Environmental Data
The continuous and objective data stream supports BCA Green Mark Platinum reviews, LEED-related documentation, annual compliance assessments, and corporate ESG reporting.
Rather than relying on isolated measurements, building operators can use long-term environmental records to demonstrate actual operational performance.
Technical FAQ
How are Tongdy MSD monitors integrated with the central BMS at One Raffles Quay?
Tongdy MSD monitors are equipped with a standard RS-485 communication interface and provide native support for BACnet MS/TP and Modbus RTU.
At One Raffles Quay, the monitors are connected directly to the building’s BACnet field bus. No costly or complex third-party protocol gateway is required. Multiparameter environmental data from each monitored zone is transmitted directly to the BMS control centre.
How does demand-controlled ventilation balance indoor air quality and energy efficiency in Singapore’s tropical climate?
Conventional systems are often designed to supply outdoor air according to maximum occupancy. This can result in large volumes of hot and humid outdoor air being drawn into the building, creating substantial cooling and dehumidification demand.
Tongdy MSD monitors continuously measure occupancy-related indicators and indoor environmental conditions, including carbon dioxide and TVOC.
When occupancy is low, the BMS can reduce the outdoor-air damper position to an energy-efficient baseline. During peak occupancy, the system increases airflow to help maintain a healthy indoor environment. This approach supports occupant well-being while reducing unnecessary ventilation-system energy consumption.
How does Tongdy MSD data support BCA Green Mark Platinum and LEED certification?
BCA Green Mark and LEED certification frameworks include requirements relating to indoor air quality, monitoring performance, and supporting environmental documentation, depending on the applicable standard and version.
Tongdy MSD provides continuous, high-accuracy environmental data that can be retained and exported to support green building reviews, operational compliance assessments, and corporate ESG disclosures.
Tongdy Sensing Technology Corporation
Manufacturer of Air Quality, HVAC Monitoring, and Data Solutions
200+ Products · 100+ Multinational Companies · 30 Countries and Regions · 300+ Projects
Post time: Nov-11-2026