PROPOSED FUNCTIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR SMART OFFICES IN SINGAPORE � IMPROVING EMPLOYEE PRODUCTIVITY, COMFORT AND WELL-BEING

Abstract

At the recent Smart Nation launch, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong highlighted the need for Singapore to adopt a more coherent and comprehensive approach in its technology adoption process. Applying this to the construction industry, there is thus a need to redefine Singapore’s current definition of Smart Buildings where a paradigm shift from the traditional technology-oriented approach to a user-oriented approach is necessary. This is especially beneficial for Offices in Singapore because key performance factors mainly – Employee Productivity (EP), Employee Comfort (EC) and Employee Well-Being (EWB) – are significantly impacted by the physical office environment.

Unfortunately, there is limited research on the topic of Smart Offices in Singapore hence this study seeks to guide designers by proposing a list of functional requirements tailored with the purpose of improving EP, EC and EWB within Smart Offices in Singapore. Firstly, through an in-depth literature review, currently available Smart Features/Technologies are mapped to address relevant Functional Requirements pertaining to EP, EC and EWB. Quantitative data is then collected through a survey disseminated to a group of office employees in Singapore. A one-tailed t-test is conducted where all functional requirements and smart features, except for elevator infoscreen, were proven to be relevant to Singapore. With the aid of descriptive statistics, the survey responses from different industries were compared and it was observed that certain functional requirements/smart features were not as applicable to some industries. Reasons for such discrepancies include the nature of job, company culture and values etc.

Based on the findings from the survey, a structured list of Functional Requirements is proposed along with suggested Smart Features/Technologies. Three use cases are provided to further demonstrate how a Smart Office environment can improve EP, EC and EWB. Lastly, recommendations, limitations of study and suggestions for future research are elaborated.