A tripartite agreement is intended to transform Kuala Lumpur Sentral’s Lot E, known as KL Sentral Park, into a smart and connected urban centre.
In October, MRCB Land, the property division of Malaysian Resources Corporation Berhad (MRCB) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with technology firms Cisco and Datacraft Advanced Network Services to collaborate on the project that takes advantage of Cisco’s Connected Real Estate solution.
“Today’s MoU cements MRCB Land’s commitment to develop sustainable, high-tech built environments that are operationally efficient and attract best-in-class tenants and visitors,” said MRCB group managing director, Shahril Ridza Ridzuan. “By building and operating our properties with cutting-edge information technology, we will not only improve efficiency, public safety and security, but also drive new revenue streams and more importantly, benefit our consumers.”
“The success of this model will determine adoption of a similar concept in MRCB Land’s future developments and we look forward to continuing collaborations with Cisco and Datacraft in our drive to be a world-class developer,” said Shahril.
Cisco and Gold Certified Partner Datacraft identified innovative service portfolios and replicable ICT solutions that promote sustainable, green and smart urban development practices, he said.
“As a result, MRCB Land’s building services portfolio and last mile services will be managed internally by a new organisational entity, resulting in greater efficiency and revenue returns.”
Shahril said KL Sentral Park, which is a RM720 million (US$214 million) development within Kuala Lumpur Sentral scheduled for completion by 2011, will be a state-of-the-art, green office campus, offering connectivity, creative working environment and contemporary business lifestyle.
Using the power of the network
“Cisco’s Smart+Connected Communities solution elevates the network as a platform for sustainability for integrated building management,” said Cisco Malaysia managing director, Anne Abraham. “Together with Datacraft, we explored the best way MRCB Land could use the power of the network to accelerate and multiply its infrastructure investments and differentiate itself from the rest of the market.”
Abraham said the solutions deployed under this initiative would raise the value of KL Sentral Park and deliver significant savings on MRCB Land’s operational and capital expenses while increasing service revenues between 30 and 40 per cent. “The implementation of Cisco Connected Real Estate solutions in KL Sentral Park is projected to provide a return-on-investment in less than 36 months.”
“MRCB is pioneering the use of the network to bring financial and operational advantages to key stakeholders in the construction, real estate and property services industry,” she said. “By embracing the network as the fourth utility, MRCB Land is transforming its developments—moving away from traditional real estate to focus on providing smarter, connected and greener buildings with world class services. This collaboration marks a key milestone in Cisco’s longer term ambition to transform the way buildings are developed, operated and experienced in Malaysia.”
Datacraft Asia chief executive officer, Bill Padfield, said as the prime systems integrator, Datacraft would lead the project management and deployment of comprehensive solutions for KL Sentral Park which includes a core multi-service IP [Internet protocol] platform to allow for easy integration of IT and building automation networks.
“Datacraft’s role is critical in ensuring that the deployment meets the collaborative objectives of each party,” said Padfield. “Our core expertise in implementing and managing IP network infrastructure, and strong service capabilities make us a unique partner of choice to transform KL Sentral Park into a smart and connected development.”
