Mass engineered timber in the tropics: NTU’s Gaia receives UNESCO’s grand prize

SINGAPORE, 6 DECEMBER 2024 – The largest wooden building in Asia, Nanyang Technological University (NTU)’s Gaia has been awarded by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) in the grand prize of Prix Versailles 2024 under the World’s Most Beautiful Campuses category. The award was bestowed on Monday, 2 December 2024 at UNESCO’s headquarters in Paris.

Secretary General of the Prix Versailles, Jérôme Gouadain, said: “These places that serve to educate people, places where knowledge is shared and learnt, are crucial to the development of a sustainable society where sensitivity and intelligence go hand in hand.”

On receiving the award, Tan Aik Na, NTU Senior Vice President (Administration) said: “This recognition underscores the University’s dedication to pioneering sustainable building solutions, creating an inspiring and environmentally responsible campus. By enhancing the living and learning experience for our community, Gaia serves as both a cornerstone of our campus and a model of sustainable development, especially for the tropical region.”

Climatic advantages and challenges

First launched in 2022 and hosting Nanyang Business School, Gaia incorporates energy-efficient systems and renewable technologies, making it one of the greenest buildings on NTU’s lush 200-hectare campus.

Designed by Toyo Ito & Associates and RSP Architects Planners & Engineers to be a living testbed in advancing the use of mass engineered timber (MET) for tropical climates, Gaia uses MET sourced from sustainably managed forests. The building emits 2,500 fewer tonnes of carbon dioxide annually compared to conventional concrete outfits—equivalent to over 7,000 roundtrip flights between Singapore and Hong Kong. Solar photovoltaic (PV) panels installed on the rooftop churn out 516,000 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of clean energy to power the building annually.

In the humid tropical climate, timber is a natural insulator that traps less heat than concrete. The building’s north-south orientation also encourages natural ventilation, aligned with prevailing winds. Fins on the building’s exterior cast shade to reduce solar heat gain on the façade. Large mechanical fans are positioned throughout the building to improve air circulation, and the air-conditioning system saves energy by utilising passive displacement ventilation (PDV), a method that pushes cold water through coils to chill the surrounding air. These coils work by creating a natural convection cycle, cooling the air as it sinks downwards and displacing the warm air upwards.

Earlier this year, mould problems have been reported to occur on parts of the façade as well as several rooms on the upper floors. Bloomberg highlighted the choice of Austrian spruce wood for the MET, questioning if it is suitable for Singapore’s relative humidity that frequently reaches 80 per cent.

In response, NTU has sought assessments from independent experts, Associate Professor Tham Kwok Wai and Associate Professor Shinya Okuda from National University of Singapore (NUS). They concluded that condensation and exposure to rain were the primary causes of the mould issue, and that the MET did not contribute to the mould growth as it has fulfilled regulatory standards and been treated with protective sealants.

An NTU representative also said that the University is committed to mould remediation efforts and will implement sustainable maintenance approaches recommended by the experts.

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References:

https://www.ntu.edu.sg/business/news-events/news/story-detail/welcome-to-gaia
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-08-16/singapore-s-94-million-eco-friendly-wood-building-has-a-mold-problem
https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/property/ntus-wooden-building-future-has-mould-problem
https://mothership.sg/2024/08/ntu-gaia-building-mould/
https://www.ntu.edu.sg/news/detail/independent-experts-mould-issue-at-gaia-due-to-condensation-and-rain-not-the-timber