BT : Underground logistics/data centre in the pipeline

Business Times - 28 Jun 2010

Underground logistics/data centre in the pipeline

JTC Corp appoints NYSE-listed firm to carry out feasibility study

By RONNIE LIM

(SINGAPORE) Singapore is studying the feasibility of building a huge underground warehousing and data centre at Tanjung Kling, near Jurong Bird Park, BT has learnt.

The logistics and data centre will be the third underground facility which Singapore is planning. Construction is already underway on the first phase $1 billion Jurong Rock Cavern to store oil and chemicals on Jurong Island, while a feasibility study is being carried out for an underground science city at Kent Ridge.

The latest project will be carried out with the help of NYSE-listed Aecom Technology Corporation. Aecom, a leading provider of technical and management support, has just been awarded the consultancy for the project, a spokeswoman for JTC Corporation said, adding that it was selected from a group of eight tenderers.

Aecom has been involved in many underground projects globally, from mines in Australia to underground rail terminals in Hong Kong and New York's subway system. In Singapore, it provided building engineering services for the Capital Tower development.

Its study of the Tanjung Kling site - from preliminary geological assessment and market research to concept development - is expected to take at least one year to complete, the JTC spokeswoman said. It follows an earlier five-month 'geological investigation and ground characterisation study' last November.

The site, comprising Tanjung Kling and Jurong Hill, can potentially provide cavern space of over 1.1 million square metres and free up 45 hectares of surface land for other uses. By going underground, the warehousing and data centre facility will enjoy advantages such as shielding from heat and temperature humidity, low background radiation and less disturbance from vibration.

Under the feasibility study, Aecom will need to assess the technical requirements of warehousing and logistics players and developers, as well as of data centre operators, in order to develop the underground facility's conceptual design.

The consultant will also engage specialists, including environmental consultants and ornithologists 'to study the impact of the underground development, during both the construction and operational phases, to existing surface developments, traffic, environment, population working in the area and the residents of the Jurong Bird Park,' according to JTC's earlier tender document.

The preliminary geological assessment will include the consultant's take on the total cavern space and volume that can be constructed.

Next will be the preliminary concepts, with the consultant recommending - from a list of usage possibilities such as general cargo and chemicals logistics to container depot - what would be viable for the underground cavern.

Finally, the study's concept development phase will include its design, method of excavation and even explore the possibility of siting a district cooling system in the cavern complex.

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