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AUG-SEP/2015
MOVING FORWARD WITH QUALIT Y AND EXCELLENCE
SETTING THE
STANDARD FOR
A SMART NATION
OPINION
SHOWCASE
COVER
DR ZHANG XIAOGANG
HAN’S (F&B) PTE LTD
PAVING THE WAY FOR SMART
CITIES THROUGH STANDARDS
SERVING UP A TASTY SLICE OF
TECHNOLOGICAL SUCCESS
MR KHOONG HOCK YUN
IT-BIO PTE LTD
STANDARDS THE BUILDING
BLOCKS OF A
SMART NATION
DEMYSTIFYING THE HAZE
BEHIND CLOUD SERVICES
STANDARDS OPEN
DOORS TO GLOBAL MARKETS
1
ARE YOU GOOD TO GO?
AUG-SEP/2015
1
2
Getting Connected
for a Smarter Tomorrow
As Singapore celebrates her jubilee year, we recount how she has flourished
from humble beginnings into a leading hub in Asia and ranked as one of
the region’s most economically competitive and liveable cities. In the next
phase of developments, we need to harness technology to develop solutions
that overcome urban challenges and enhance citizens’ quality of life. This
embodies Singapore’s vision of becoming the world’s first smart nation.
In this issue, learn about how standards remain an essential foundation for
the nation in our next phase of developement. We focus on Singapore’s
smart nation plans- find out how sensor networks and on-the-go information
enhance the quality and delivery of infrastructure services in healthcare,
homes, transport and buildings. Also, how green solutions reduce resource
consumption and optimises resources; and how smart policy-making to help
governments engage their citizens more effectively. In this bumper issue, we
zoom in on best practices and innovations from other smart cities across the
globe in our special segment- Smart Cities. Our experts from the International
Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) and the Infocomm Development
Authority expound on the latest standards developed to fortify smart city
infrastructures by ensuring interoperability, users’ safety and data security.
Home-grown companies, Han’s Pte Ltd and iT-Bio Pte Ltd share insights on
how quality and standards support technological systems improve efficiency
and help deliver trusted products, widening market access.
Good to Go keeps you informed of the ways you can give your business that
added advantage to thrive and stay ahead of the times.
Enjoy this special edition and learn how your business can tap on standards
as the bedrock for budding smart products and services.
Loh Soi Min
Director, Policy and Promotion (Quality & Standards)
SPRING Singapore
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UPDATES LOCAL INNOVATIONS
GLOBAL
DEVELOPEMENTS
AROUND THE WORLD
OPINION
PAVING THE WAY FOR
SMART CITIES THROUGH
STANDARDS
DEMYSTIFYING THE HAZE
BEHIND CLOUD SERVICES
6
7
8
COVER
STANDARDS THE BUILDING BLOCKS
OF A SMART NATION
SMART CITIES
DESIGNING SMART CITIES
SHOWCASE
HAN’S (F&B) PTE LTD
IT-BIO PTE LTD
EDITORIAL TEAM
Veron Huang
Crystal Neo
Joy Tan
Allan Koh
Mak May Yoke
Ong Yao Min
Joy Wang
GOOD TO GO IS A BI-MONTHLY PUBLICATION OF SPRING SINGAPORE THAT IS DEDICATED TO QUALITY AND EXCELLENCE.
To subscribe, visit www.spring.gov.sg/GoodtoGo
For comments and feedback, email [email protected]
SPRING Singapore is an agency under the Ministry of Trade and Industry responsible for helping Singapore enterprises grow
and building trust in Singapore products and services. As the enterprise development agency, SPRING works with partners to
help enterprises in financing, capability and management development, technology and innovation, and access to markets. As
the national standardsand accreditation body, SPRING develops and promotes an internationally-recognised standards and
quality assurance infrastructure. SPRING also oversees the safety of general consumer goods in Singapore.
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UPDATES
Smart solutions
for a smart nation
As Singapore journeys
towards a Smart Nation,
the Infocomm Authority of
Singapore and Information
Te c h n o l o g y S t a n d a r d s
Committee jointly organised
Hackathon@SG held on 25 and
26 July 2015. Over 1,000 students,
academia and working professionals
gathered to co-create smart solutions
to solve Singapore’s urban challenges. The
inaugural Standards Awards for Student
and Open categories are introduced by
SPRING this year to recognise the teams
who best demonstrated how standards
support sustainability, security and
interoperability in their solutions designed
to improve citizens’ quality of life.
Customer sentiments analysis tool
launched at Service Symposium
Upcoming
events
Launch of TR 39 :
2015 Freight Container
Equipment Interchange
Receipt
Date: 14 August 2015
Venue:M Hotel Singapore
Time: 2pm - 5pm
Who should attend:
Stakeholders in the freight container supply chain,
shipping lines, freight forwarders, port/terminal
operators, hauliers, consignees/shippers, container
depot operators, logistics service providers and
surveying firms
Programme Highlights:
• How container’s custody is tracked throughout
the supply chain
• How reporting criteria can facilitate container
interchange
• The benefits & implications of TR 39 : 2015 from
the perspectives of container operators, hauliers
& depot operators
Themed “Creating the Future of Service”, the symposium held on 22 July 2015
attracted some 200 representatives from the services sector to hear from industry
experts and the recent Medallion winners.
To register, please visit www.pfevents.sg/
tr39launch
To help companies better understand their customer needs and preferences, SPRING
Singapore, in collaboration with Singtel, has developed a prototype customer
sentiment analysis tool called the Customer Review Dashboard which was launched
by Senior Minister of State for Trade and Industry and National Development,
Mr Lee Yi Shyan at the event. The Dashboard provides companies a single
platform to access insights into how customers perceive service and product
quality, through analysing customer sentiments from online sources such as
Facebook, Instagram and food and restaurant review website HungryGoWhere.
More than 70 F&B establishments took part in this pilot phase.
Launch of SS 601 :
2014 Code of Practice for
Maintenance of Grid-tied
Solar Photovoltaic (PV)
Power Supply System
Date: 26 August 2015
Venue:TUV SUD PSB Auditorium
Time: 1.30pm – 5pm
Who should attend:
Building owners, engineers, consultants, developers,
facility managers, manufacturers, cleantech companies
and relevant government agencies
Programme Highlights:
•
•
•
•
Overview of the new SS 601
Updates on the industry plan for Solar PV
deployment in Singapore
Update on the Solar PV Module Testing according
to IEC Certification
Highlights of some key challenges and users’
experience on the implementation of Solar PV
systems in Singapore
To register, please email yenshan@
eurekacampaign.com
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GLOBAL
Facilitating market access in Asia Pacific
Sri Lanka Accreditation Board (SLAB) hosted the recent Asia Pacific
Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (APLAC) - Pacific Accreditation
Cooperation (PAC) Annual Joint Technical Meetings in Sri Lanka from 12
to 21 June 2015. As a full member of both APLAC and PAC, Singapore
Accreditation Council (SAC) participated to achieve mutual acceptance of
accreditation in the Asia Pacific region, thus facilitating market access of
Singapore goods and services to overseas market.
APLAC members that expanded their recognition scope were Thailand for
reference material producers (RMP), New Zealand for RMP and proficiency
testing providers, and Standards Malaysia for inspection. PAC members
that expanded their recognition scope are India for Information Security
Management System, Hong Kong for Greenhouse Gas verification and
United States for quality and environmental management system.
WTO Committee seeks to
lower barriers to trade
Genetically-modified organisms, toy safety and food
labelling were at the top of the agenda for the WTO
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT),
during the meetings held from 16 to 18 June 2015.
In total, 50 specific trade concerns were raised at
the meeting, including those related to alcoholic
beverages, tobacco, cosmetics and medical devices.
Members also raised 11 new proposals to improve
the committee’s work and reduce trade barriers as
part of the 7th triennial review of the TBT agreement.
Singapore seals partnership
with Australia on standards
cooperation
SPRING Singapore and Standards Australia inked a
Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Standards
Cooperation on 29 June 2015 at the Istana, Singapore.
The MOU aims to deepen economic ties through the
development and promotion of standards of mutual
interest in potential priority sectors, and capacity
building of emerging countries through adoption
of business-friendly international standards and
conformance infrastructure to encourage investments
and market access in the region. Witnessed by Prime
Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Australia Prime Minister
Tony Abbott, the MOU is one of the trade initiatives in
support of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership
Agreement established between the two countries.
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OPINION
Paving the
way for Smart
Cities through
Standards
Dr Zhang Xiaogang is President of the International
Organisation for Standardization (ISO), an independent
body that develops and publishes international standards.
ISO is made up of 162 member countries and has
published more than 19,500 international standards
spanning all industries till date. He discusses standards’
critical role in the evolution of smart cities.
What are some of the challenges for city planners and
policy makers as cities evolve to become ‘smarter’?
The first overarching issue planners and policy makers face
is a lack of standardised data. To make cities smarter, improve
infrastructure and secure targeted investment, it is imperative
to have access to reliable data to benchmark and plan for
the future.
Another key challenge is moving away from the traditional
understanding of smart cities – which focuses on information
and communication technology – to the more general
objective of improving quality of life in a resource-efficient and
sustainable way.
How does ISO support smart city developments?
International standards bring together some of the world’s
foremost experts to develop guidelines and best practices
accessible to all. This knowledge and guidance makes standards
powerful tools to help cities become smarter.
Standards are … key
to implementing new
technologies globally,
as they are the best
way to ensure the
compatibility of new
developments.
Dr Zhang Xiaogang
ISO President
The committee on sustainable communities is trying to address
the lack of international standards for city data. We are working on
standards for smart community infrastructures like transportation,
and water, and has recently published ISO/TS 37151 on metrics
to help measure performance.
What was some of the feedback received on the launch of
ISO 37120? How does this standard help policy makers?
We have received overwhelmingly positive feedback from a
pilot led by the World Council on City Data (WCCD). ISO 37120
was piloted with 20 different cities around the world, ranging in
size, density and location. Cities such as Rotterdam (Netherlands)
have used ISO 37120 to map the city on a neighbourhood level –
looking at issues like electricity consumption and housing.
The standard helps policy makers evaluate how their city is doing
and what areas need further attention. ISO 37120 is also useful
when measuring progress. It provides harmonised indicators that
help cities compare progress and share best practices.
Smart cities also need standardised metrics like those in ISO/
TS 37151: Smart City Infrastructure to monitor performance and
measure the progress of their infrastructure.
How does the future landscape for Smart City services look?
Recent analysis suggests that the worldwide market for smart
city services will soon be more than US$1 trillion a year. We
expect this to become a global phenomenon as Organisation
for Economic Co-operation and Development cities increasingly
see smart solutions as an efficient way of getting the most out of
ageing infrastructure, reducing the investment gap and promoting
a digital economy.
What are some milestones achieved and future plans in
standards development for Smart Cities?
We have developed ISO 37120: Sustainable development of
communities – Indicators for city services and quality of life, and
the next step is to develop indicators for smart cities and to put
together an inventory of indicators for sustainable development
and resilience. The committee is also working on ISO 37101,
management system standard for resilient and smart sustainable
communities.
Businesses – from the leading global technology firms to small
start-ups – are positioning themselves to service these major
markets. At the same time, cities are realising that smart projects
are not about buying hardware and software. Rather, becoming
smart is using technology to achieve a city’s numerous objectives.
This is where the ISO standards like ISO 37120 can play a critical
role. Companies can use them to show how their products and
services can deliver real benefits to cities in a reliable and globally
recognised manner.
Standards are also key to implementing new technologies globally,
as they are the best way to ensure the compatibility of new
developments. For example, smart grids and connected cars
need standards to be rapidly and easily implemented worldwide.
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OPINION
Demystifying the haze
behind cloud services
Cloud computing is increasingly entering the mainstream,
but what exactly is the technology’s impact on SME
users’ working practices, data availability and IT security?
Good to Go asked Mr Khoong Hock Yun, Assistant Chief
Executive (Development) of Singapore’s Infocomm
Development Authority for his insights and to explain
how the new Multi-Tier Cloud Security (MTCS) Singapore
Standard (SS) 584 can allay security concerns.
By demonstrating compliance
to the MTCS SS 584 standard,
cloud service providers can
increase the level of trust
in their services and assure
customers that they are well
placed to keep their data
private and secure.
What is cloud computing, and what are some of its key
concepts?
Simply put, cloud computing is a way to store and/or process
data online, as opposed to storing it on hard drives for example.
Think Google Drive or Apple iCloud. These do not require any effort
on your part to maintain or manage your data. They’re effectively
infinite in size, so you don’t need to worry about running low on
capacity. You can also access applications and services from
just about anywhere – all you need is a device with an Internet
connection. What’s more, most providers offer a metered service,
so you only pay for what you use.
Mr Khoong Hock Yun
Assistant Chief Executive
(Development) of Singapore’s
Infocomm Development Authority
Cloud-based services have developed rapidly and the
number of providers has also proliferated. Under these
circumstances, it’s almost impossible to ascertain the
quality and security of services offered. How can we
address this concern?
Previously, cloud service providers spoke in different
“languages”, with each using different ways of addressing
what security features were offered are, even if it was exactly
the same service they were offering. That made it difficult for
customers to compare and contrast the levels of data protection
and security they were getting – or even to know whether those
standards of protection were any good. This created confusion for
customers, who would often end up choosing the wrong service or
overprovisioning and leaving with a negative impression of the cloud
service industry. Drawing on the knowledge of industry experts,
the MTCS SS 584 standard lays down the basic terminology and
architectural framework for this expanding industry, in an attempt
to put some order to the chaos for cloud users.
Tracing the standards development journey of MTCS SS
584: how was the need identified?
In almost every survey conducted since 2006, results reveal
that there is still a fair amount of scepticism among users over
the validity and security of cloud storage. Worse, there are some
businesses who refuse to use any cloud-based applications at all,
citing security and privacy concerns, or their inability to control
information once it leaves their corporate networks. That’s why
we decided to come up with the MTCS SS 584 standard – to
ensure a consistent level of protection for sensitive customer
information stored in the cloud.
How were the benchmarks of security chosen, and what
are the differences in the usage of the cloud security tiers?
In 2012, together with industry experts, we identified a need
for a cloud service that was secure, transparent, reliable and highly
flexible with enterprise-grade performance guarantees. We also
realised that not all users have the same cloud computing needs.
So, we came up with three different levels of security, with Level
1 being the base level.
Level 1 is designed to deal with security risks and threats in low
impact IT systems, like an online store or blog shop; while Level
2 lays down a more stringent set of security controls to address
security threats in moderate impact IT systems, such as customer
relationship management systems. Level 3 is designed for the
‘big boys’, such as banks and hospitals that deal with highly
confidential financial and medical records, and have the most
stringent security requirements.
How does the standard build trust with cloud users?
The MTCS SS 584 specifies the minimum security measures
that cloud service providers should adopt, including encryption and
access controls. In a nutshell, the standard provides a practical
basis to induce confidence and trust in the cloud industry, as cloud
service providers now have to take more security precautions to
safeguard their clients’ data.
What advice do you have for companies looking to adopt
cloud services?
Cloud computing is very much the answer to the growing
data-storage needs of businesses, especially SMEs, as it provides
more flexible, cost-effective access to technology and information.
It’s a fairly inexpensive solution as well, as opposed to purchasing
additional infrastructure such as servers, application programs
and operating systems. And as we journey towards becoming
the world’s first Smart Nation, more companies should embrace
this technology – otherwise, you risk being left behind as the rest
of the world becomes more ‘virtualised’.
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COVER
Standards The Building Blocks
of a Smart Nation
As Singapore gears up to be the world’s
first Smart Nation, it’s relying on standards
to create a common framework for good
practice and enable innovation.
T
opping global league tables isn’t exactly a new state of
affairs for Singapore. For the past eight years, the country
has been ranked first in the World Bank’s Ease of Doing
Business index. It’s also been recognised as the world’s fastest
broadband nation by Ookla and the top and fastest-changing
digital economy, according to Tufts University. Now, however,
there’s a new label to add to the country’s impressive list of
accolades and that’s ‘Smart Nation.’
While various cities around the world are experimenting with
‘smart city’ technologies to tackle issues such as street lighting,
waste collection and traffic light management, Singapore has a
much more ambitious and whole-of-nation vision.
Its unique ‘Smart Nation’ plan involves pulling together its worldranked universities, multi-billion annual research and development
(R&D) investments, a fast-growing community of tech start-ups
and large pools of investment capital. It also centres on how the
government and private sectors are using technology holistically
to bring about better lives and bigger business opportunities.
Tackling tomorrow’s problems today
What’s the drive behind this new direction? The answer is the
need to be forward-looking to anticipate the megatrends that will
impact Singapore and the world, and to take action right now to
ensure the nation is well-positioned for the future.
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Like many other countries, Singapore faces challenges such as
an ageing population and urban density which require a smart
response. Singapore is the world’s third most densely populated
nation, with nearly 8,000 people per square kilometre. And that’s
only expected to rise: global trends indicate two-thirds of the
world may have migrated into cities by 2030.
Also by 2030, the number of elderly people aged 65 years and
above in Singapore is expected to triple to 900,000 (a one in five
ratio). Those individuals will be supported by a smaller workingage population. These trends will add pressure to the healthcare
system and citizens’ ability to use resources such as energy, food
and water sustainably.
Urban mobility is another area of concern. Today, 64% of all
travel made is within urban environments. Yet the total amount
of urban kilometres travelled worldwide is expected to triple by
2050, with traffic congestion potentially bringing major cities to
a standstill. In Singapore, with a population of 5.4 million, there
are approximately 1 million cars on the roads. At the same time,
roads take up 12% of land space. But with limited land space,
it’s difficult to see how we can increase the number of vehicles
or add more roads.
The Singapore Government’s response to these critical challenges
is to aim to turn the country into the world’s first ’Smart Nation’,
powered by big data and analytics technologies, and nextgeneration sensor networks. It’s adopting a holistic approach
that will see local universities, tech start-ups, R&D institutes
and investment capital firms all working together to achieve its
vision. At the same time, it’s encouraging technology builders
and entrepreneurs from around the world to leverage Singapore’s
smart infrastructure and use the nation as a ‘living lab’ to test
new ideas and solutions with global potential.
This is also why Singapore is focusing on
cultivating a vibrant and conducive technology
start-up ecosystem, and opening up some 9,000
government data sets for the world’s tech community to use to
explore and test new ideas.
Urban Health: telemedicine saves
hospital resources and improves care
The work to build a Smart Nation is well underway. Take the
healthcare system, for instance – to tackle the strain on resources,
Singapore is looking at ways to enable preventative and out-ofhospital care.
Several public hospitals are currently conducting trials, using
a tele-health rehabilitation system where data is transmitted
wirelessly through sensors attached to chronic disease patients’
limbs as they carry out therapy sessions at home. Solutions
like these eliminate the need for patients to travel and wait for
their appointments in hospitals, and empowers them to monitor
their own conditions in the comfort of their own homes. As well
as maximising convenience to patients and their caregivers,
this approach frees up Singapore’s scarce pool of therapists to
give greater care to a larger group of patients – thus improving
productivity.
Urban Living: delivering better
services at lower cost
Another project involves trialling the use of smart devices
and applications in Singapore’s public housing flats to help
elderly residents age safely and with more independence.
This is being achieved through monitoring sensors and alert
systems that can inform family members and neighbours
… Standards have a key role
to play in the construction
and development of the
Smart Nation plan – today
and tomorrow.
Mr Lim Chee Kean
Deputy Chairman
IoTTC
when an individual is in need. Currently, the Housing
Development Board (HDB) is test-running such applications in
12 HDB flats.
HDB is also working closely with government agencies and
industry players to pilot a Smart Enabled Homes initiative. This
aims to test an appropriate ICT infrastructure which could allow
future residents of HDB flats enjoy more convenience and energy
savings when using smart devices and applications from the
comfort of their homes.
At the same time, HDB is test-bedding other smart technologies
in Punggol Northshore District, including smart car parks, smart
street lighting and a smart pneumatic waste conveyance system.
At least 15 trials involving more than 20 companies and various
public agencies are being rolled out at Jurong Lake District, where
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over 1,000 data sensors are being deployed to create a ‘live
environment and living lab’ for Smart Nation projects, including
smart queue monitoring.
Urban Mobility: tackling congestion
An important part of the Smart Nation plan is to implement an
intelligent and adaptable transport system which uses data to
empower commuters and adjusts to their needs.
Driverless vehicles are a major focus so far. The Committee on
Autonomous Road Transport for Singapore (CARTS) was formed
in August 2014 to provide thought leadership and guidance on
the research, development and deployment of driverless – or
autonomous – vehicle (AV) technology and AV-enabled mobility
concepts, and study the associated opportunities and challenges.
The Government has opened more than six kilometres of public
roads this year for AV trials, including sites at Jurong Lake District
and on the NTU and NUS campuses.
Sensors: key for smart nation success
mobile users to switch seamlessly between different types of
wireless networks.
Sharing the pie with tech SMEs
Other smart nation initiatives aim to build Singapore’s tech SMEs.
An industrial estate outside the city centre houses Blocks 71, 73
and 79, Singapore’s vibrant start-up cluster. Here, visitors will
find prototyping labs, start-ups, accelerator boot camps, venture
capital firms and incubators located close to public and private
research institutes and tertiary institutions.
The aim is to help create a close community that generates
opportunities for knowledge sharing, business collaboration and
deal-making. At Block 79, for instance, Infocomm Investments
Pte Ltd (IIPL), the venture capital subsidiary of IDA, recently
launched Singapore’s biggest all-in-one startup facility, Build
Amazing Startups Here. Known as BASH, this has all the hard and
soft infrastructure to grow tech businesses from idea generation
to acceleration to incubation and finally, expansion, all under a
single roof.
Underpinning the feasibility of all trials in all three areas is the
Government’s pioneering Smart Nation Platform (SNP), which is
designed to foster ‘Everyone, Everything, Everywhere, All-theTime Connectivity’ through a nationwide network of more than
1,000 sensors linked to Aggregation Gateway boxes that have
been deployed island-wide.
With BASH established, IIPL is exploring more partnerships
with global accelerators to build on Singapore’s strong investor,
corporate and start-up networks. It is also encouraging global tech
start-ups to explore the huge and growing business opportunities
in Asia through Singapore and the quality tech start-ups operating
in the country.
These sensor networks will collect data from busy areas such
as traffic junctions, bus stops and taxi queues, then relay it back
to the relevant agencies for analysis through data analytics and
real-world applications. Ultimately, this will help the country’s
leaders share data more efficiently and develop better insights
about nationwide urban challenges. This in turn will help to build
the kind of seamless services that can make life for Singapore
residents more convenient and less congested.
Why a Smart Nation needs standards
Ensuring these services are seamless will require all devices
and solutions to work together harmoniously. To this end,
the Infocomm Development Authority (IDA) and ITSC formed
a technical committee comprising participants from industry,
research institutes, universities and government agencies
to develop standards. The first of these standards have
been released in the form of ‘Technical References’ 38 and 40
which provide network interface standards for sensors in public
areas and homes, respectively.
As well as enhancing the country’s sensor networks, the IDA is
also piloting a Heterogeneous Network (HetNet), which will enable
The many systems and technologies
that make up a Smart Nation – its
sensors and wireless networks and so
on – will work in harmony only through
strict adherence to common standards.
With the smart nation plan currently in a ‘prototyping’
phase, harmonising the disparate definitions, technical
specifications and best practices surrounding its initiatives is
especially important.
That’s where standards come in. These act as a tool to ensure
government agencies, planners, developers, manufacturers and
start ups use a common language when talking about Smart
Nation and developing new technologies and solutions.
At an international level, the International Organization for
Standardisation (ISO) is currently developing a toolbox of stateof-the-art international standards – the ISO 37120 series – to
provide support for the smart city approach. These include
standards that can contribute to building smart cities by
improving energy efficiency, increasing safety, planning
sustainable urban development, developing reliable road
networks and effective means of transportation, reducing
pollution and dealing with water and wastewater management.
In Singapore, the Information Technology Standards Committee
(ITSC) was formed in 1990 as a neutral and open platform for
interested industry and government parties to come together to
agree on technical standards. It’s an industry-led effort made up of
volunteer members from the industry, but supported by SPRING
Singapore and IDA Singapore.
An industry working group, the Internet of Things Technical
Committee (IoTTC), has been set up within ITSC to identify relevant
open standards and establish a set of technical references for
homes and public areas with regard to the Smart Nation plan.
So far, it has developed and published a first batch of sensor
network technical references. Eventually, a full set of standards
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Without standards, we risk having a
fragmented market, with different
agencies coming up with different
smart solutions, making the
development of … scalable Smart
Nation solutions and policies a
challenge.
Mr Lim Chee Kean
Deputy Chairman
IoTTC
will be developed, to ensure seamless information sharing
across services and devices.
“The many systems and technologies that make up a Smart
Nation – its sensors and wireless networks and so on – will work
in harmony only through strict adherence to common standards,”
says Mr Lim Chee Kean (CK Lim), CEO of Ascent Solutions and
Deputy Chairman of the IoTTC.
“Think of these standards as a ‘Smart Nation vocabulary’
that provides a consistent set of working terms to ensure
efficient collaboration between public and private sectors, and
interoperability of smart devices and systems. Without standards,
we risk having a fragmented market, with different agencies coming
up with different smart solutions, making the development and
distribution of productised, scalable Smart Nation solutions and
policies a challenge for stakeholders who require standardisation
and predictability.”
In other words, standards is that they can help to improve
collaboration and communication, allowing stakeholders
to work together more efficiently towards the common Smart
Nation goal.
Standards with a wide focus
To ensure Smart Nation technology fulfils its potential, a wide
range of different standards will need to be established to address
issues faced at different levels.
“We are currently looking at developing standards that cover
the end-to-end architectural framework of the IoT to enhance
the ability of smart applications and devices to work together,”
says Mr Lim.
This will enable public and private sector agencies to act on
real-time information and deliver improved services to citizens
and businesses.
“With standards, we can integrate and analyse massive amounts
of data to anticipate, mitigate and even prevent problems, for
example, to intelligently reroute traffic, reduce accidents and
identify crime hot spots,” Mr Lim continues.
Data security is also key. Like any other ICT system, the Smart
Nation technological and communication environment – built
on interconnected technology records and private information –
presents vulnerabilities to cyber-attacks. The higher complexity
and diversity of this environment could, in fact, determine an even
higher exposure, and need for more sophisticated protection
strategies.
“Standards can help organisations establish and maintain
a best practice personal information management system
so that they can better comply with data security legislation,”
says Mr Lim.
And that’s not all. The pioneering nature of smart nation products
and services, which cut across city systems and benefit different
groups of end users, makes them harder to assess using
conventional cost-benefit models, for instance. Going forword
new standards covering best practice procurement for Smart
Nation may also be required.
Fit for the future
Looking to the future, how might standards enable further Smart
Nation innovation?
“Most Smart Nation initiatives involve the use of new and disruptive
technologies that allow things to be done that weren’t possible
before. However, many of these initiatives include integrating
different policies and information systems,” Mr Lim explains.
At present, service delivery through Singapore’s various vertical
channels and agencies tends to operate in a ‘siloed’ fashion, where
systems of information, activity and governance are isolated from
each other. This is a challenge, as there are many areas where
information gathered through the country’s infrastructure for one
service is relevant to another service.
“This is an area where Smart Nation standards have a really
important part to play,” Mr Lim continues. “They can help break
down those ‘silos’ between agencies and promote a participatory
approach to setting and delivering new Smart Nation strategies
and initiatives.”
“By providing the basic framework which helps everyone involved
agree what constitutes good practice and how they will follow
it, standards have a key role to play in the construction and
development of the Smart Nation plan – today and tomorrow,”
Mr Lim concluded aptly.
9
SMART CITIES
Designing Smart Cities
What makes a smart city smart? Definitions vary, but one common
denominator is the strategic use of Internet of Things (IoT) to connect
citizens and technologies on a common platform. Smart cities deploy
analytics-driven intelligent tools to help them engage citizens, increase
efficiency, empower sustainability, generate business and improve quality
of life. Good to Go brings you a glimpse of three leading smart cities.
Copenhagen:
data buzzing lab for green solutions
The Danish capital’s quest to become a smart city is developed
from its vision of becoming the world’s first carbon-neutral capital
by 2025. To help it reach this goal, the city implemented innovative
solutions in the areas of transport, waste, water, heating and
alternative energy sources.
Smart data-based investments in lighting, and intelligent traffic
signals and controls have been a particular focus. These, combined
with the analysis of wireless data from phones and public GPS
systems, and IoT sensor data from sewers and garbage facilities,
give city administrators the insights they need to activate plans
for decreasing crowding and pollution.
At the same time, investment in an efficient, reliable and highly
integrated public transport network has reduced congestion and
pollution in Copenhagen. Cycling is integral to urban planning and
design, allowing for a low-expense, quick, safe and convenient
way of getting around.
These smart initiatives emerged from the availability of public data
sources. For decades, the Danish authorities have collected basic
data about individuals, businesses and property to help them
digitalise services across administrations and sectors. Today,
a government programme provides free access to such data
sources, giving tech companies a valuable starting point for the
development of new technologies, such as air pollution sensors
and cloudburst security solutions.
In a further bid to attract innovative companies and drive job
creation, the city’s opening itself up as a test-bed for technologies
that foster eco-friendly living and integrated communities.
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Public authorities and private companies are encouraged to
co-create innovative and holistic solutions for everyone. A
collaborative culture between research institutions, universities,
public authorities and industry associations – coupled with
the Danish tradition of citizen involvement – also concurrently
contributes to the city’s reputation as a breeding ground for smart
city solutions.
Amsterdam:
a buzzing lab for Smart City solutions
Amsterdam’s transition to becoming a smart city began in 2009
when independent organisation Amsterdam Innovation Motor and
grid operator Liander launched the Amsterdam Smart City project
in close collaboration with the Municipality of Amsterdam. It aimed
to reduce carbon emissions and energy use, and create a more
sustainable and efficient city. Amsterdam achieved this through
‘living labs’ – communities acting as ‘petri dishes’ in testing ideas
and initiatives before they’re scaled across the city.
The city is also one of two European pilot sites for City-Zen,
an energy-saving programme using smart, future-proof energy
grids. In the Nieuw West District, for instance, upgrades to a
grid encompassing approximately 10,000 residences has seen
computers and sensors placed at key nodes throughout the grid
to monitor activity, current, voltage and maintenance requirements.
This has reduced power outages and better enabled the grid to
accept energy back from consumers who install electric-generation
technologies such as solar panels.
As a leader in the field of electric vehicles, the city’s Vehicle to Grid
project aims to strike a balance between the use and consumption
of solar energy by using the batteries in electric vehicles to store
energy generated in households during the day, to be used during
peak hours in the evening. This will increase city dwellers’ use of
renewable solar energy from 30% to 60% and enable them to be
entirely self-sustainable, relying on stored solar energy to power
their homes and appliances.
The city is also looking to roll out hydrogen-fuelled cars as part
of its efforts to create more sustainable fuel solutions.
At the same time, Amsterdam has been active in piloting smart
lighting solutions, and is set to launch a street lighting system
equipped with cameras, sensors and Wi-Fi technology. The data
generated from these will be used to monitor public safety, and
environmental and lighting conditions.
The availability of open data gave rise to ‘Apps for Amsterdam’
concept for sharing data on aspects of city life, ranging from
crime rates to refuse collection routes to better assist citizens
and developers in developing their own applications for urban
living. The result is not only economic growth, but new solutions
that can make life in the city smarter.
Songdo: a true city of the future
Purposefully designed to have smart technologies at the heart of
its infrastructure, South Korea’s Songdo is already regarded as
one of the world’s leading Smart Cities even though it will only
be due for completion by the end of this decade.
While smart grids and meters have been used in Europe and the
US, the technology in Songdo is more pervasive than anything
else in the West. Songdo endeavoured to engineer a sustainable
smart city from the start, unlike other smart cities which addressed
sustainability at a later stage. Songdo’s water pipes are designed
to prevent clean potable water from being used in showers
and toilets, and its water source goes through a sophisticated
recycling system.
Beneath the streets, sensors are situated at busy junctions to
monitor traffic conditions and promptly alter signals to redirect
traffic flow. On the road, cars are also fitted with radio identification
tags to report gridlock.
Residents at Songdo’s International Business District enjoy greater
convenience due to the availability of real-time information on
city services. Nearly all aspects of the city are digitally networked
from sensors embedded devices and facilities controlling traffic
and public transportation schedules to the centralised control
systems managing city services such as waste disposal and
energy generation. Data is collected, monitored and managed
through a ubiquitous network infrastructure, providing
public agencies with a rich pipeline of data to support service
delivery planning.
Songdo has also designed a pneumatic waste disposal system
that channels garbage from individual homes into processing
centres that sort the material for recycling. The city has future
plans to harness renewable energy from the waste.
Empowering the people
There is no one-size-fits-all model of success for smart cities. Even
though successful smart cities have several common features,
the same strategy will not work for all.
The cities demonstrate that IoT-driven smart cities are most
successful when they engage citizens in co-creating the very
smart services and technologies that are meant for them and for
improving their overall quality of life.
Ultimately, the goal should be to develop urban spaces where
people can live and carry out their activities within a liveable,
creative and socially responsible environment.
11
SHOWCASE
Serving up a tasty slice
of technological success
By investing in ‘smart’ systems and making
innovation a key part of its corporate
strategy, Han’s has improved customer
service and productivity and grown its
business
R
ising operational costs and the tightening labour market
are common challenges for small and medium-sized
enterprises (SMEs) in Singapore’s highly competitive food
and beverage industry.
As a first line of defense, local food company Han’s (F&B) Pte Ltd,
which operates a chain of bakeries, restaurants and cafes across
Singapore, turned to innovation to integrate its systems – from
back-end to frontline.
“We decided to explore the benefits of adopting technology to
help us improve our productivity and efficiency, from the back-ofhouse kitchen systems all the way to the frontline service staff,”
explains Managing Director, Mr Han Choon Fook. “At the same
time, we realised we needed IT solutions that would work well
with the specific needs of our diverse workforce.”
Han’s has long seen hiring older workers as an important part of
its corporate social responsibility strategy, as well as a way to
combat labour shortage. “We believe such employees are valuable
assets thanks to their wealth of work experience,” says Mr Han.
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“That’s why about 10 percent of our workforce is currently aged
62 years and above.”
The company also actively recruits people with disabilities.
Presently, the special needs community constitutes 20 percent
of its 430 employees across 24 outlets.
Building capabilities across platforms
In 2007, Han’s began to roll out a series of technology-related
initiatives to help it remain competitive and nimble.
Leveraging SPRING’s Innovation and Capability Voucher
(ICV) scheme, the company decided to invest in an Enterprise
Resource Planning (ERP) system as a first step. By linking the
company’s frontline Point-of-Sales (POS) system and back
end administration system, the ERP system centralised Han’s
procurement, inventory and sales management processes into
a single database.
“Using an integrated system has helped us become more efficient
and cost-effective in the way we manage our business processes,”
says Mr Han. “It helps us cut costs by reducing errors and
duplication, for example, and streamlines our operations by getting
orders quoted, entered and delivered more quickly.”
Because Han’s automated POS system consists of graphic aids
and a larger font size, even its older staff members can use it with
greater ease and effectiveness.
Ten years ago, we only had to work
hard to stay competitive. Nowadays,
it’s about working smart – reducing
costs and increasing value to gain a
competitive advantage.
Mr Han Choon Fook
Managing Director,
Han’s (F&B) Pte Ltd
Doubling up with
creative solutions and standards
In 2012, the company followed up with a second technological
upgrade to increase efficiencies. Traditionally, its system for
purchasing ingredients for its kitchens had been a labour-intensive,
paper-and-pencil routine requiring a long chain of manual processes
and a detailed set of inventory and audit procedures.
“We worked with a consultant from SPRING’s Singapore
Productivity Centre who helped us understand how our purchasing
process was leading to an unnecessarily long ordering cycle, with
lots of room for human error,” says Mr Han.
“In response, we installed an e-procurement system which gives
us the mechanics to quickly and effectively link our outlets with
suppliers, which helps them run more efficiently.”
Slashing waiting times
and delivering a fuss-free service
By 2013, Han’s realised it had a fresh challenge on its hands.
Feedback showed that customers were waiting a long time for
their orders to be attended to – and complaints were on
the increase.
The company decided to install a new mobile ordering and payment
system to improve customer experience. Here, an auto dispatch of
orders to respective kitchen points has reduced customer waiting
time and helped ensure food is prepared accurately.
As Mr Han notes, service is not only about giving customers what
they want, but also staff the tools and support necessary for
delivering customer satisfaction. “Some elderly workers can be
reluctant to use technological devices. As a result, we’ve organised
special training programmes to challenge them to move beyond
their comfort zone,” he says.
“We also appoint ‘change champions’ to work with teams to
identify pain points and overcome negative preconceptions.”
At the same time, alignment with international standards has
guided Han’s through its technological transformation.
“Adhering to standards such as ISO 9001 on Quality Management
Systems and ISO 22301 on Business Continuity Management
Systems (BCM), has given us a more systematic way to proceed
with our automation journey,” Mr Han reports.
“It has also helped clarify our operational approach. For example,
a few years’ back we had an emergency situation whereby one
of our outlets was forced to suddenly close. Staff were able to
refer back to the contingency measures they had developed in
their BCM plans, which meant that the problem could be dealt
with quickly and efficiently and the outlet could re-open with
minimal downtime.”
Fit for the future
“Some of our staff have hearing difficulties, so this system is
easier for them to operate as well,” Mr Han explains.
By focusing on its people and processes, Han’s has increased
its labour productivity by 40 percent since 2006 and nurtured a
strong customer-oriented service culture. Thanks to the company’s
automated processes, staff better multi-task, manpower can then
be better deployed to new or nearby outlets on an ad-hoc basis.
Last year, the chain also started using tablet computers to
take orders for customers stuck in queues. At the same time, it
invested in equipment such as automatic roasters which can help
to save labour and improve quality, thus increasing productivity.
Together, these latest innovations have helped to push sales up
by an average of 10 percent for each of its outlets, compared
with the previous year.
Mr Han encourages SMEs to brainstorm for productivity
improvement plans as a long-term solution. “Ten years ago, we
only had to work hard to stay competitive. Nowadays, it’s about
working smart – reducing costs and increasing value to gain a
competitive advantage. Thanks to our upgrading projects, we’ve
been able to develop new capabilities, improve productivity and
find new avenues of growth.”
13
SHOWCASE
Standards open
doors to global markets
Local biometrics solutions
provider iT-Bio is using standards
to gain traction in global markets
In a world that increasingly relies on on data, the need for robust
cyber security protocols has never been greater. Similarly,
biometrics solutions such as electronic fingerprinting and facial
recognition software are being used as a way of authenticating
a person’s identity and restricting access to secure sites – from
buildings to computer networks.
Singaporean company iT-Bio Pte Ltd is a leading provider of
biometrics solutions, such as electronic fingerprint systems and
facial recognition software. Established in 2007, the company now
receives inquiries from all over the world and is fast becoming a
market leader.
Use of international standards
as a necessity
In 2012, iT-Bio decided to adopt the International Organisation
for Standardization (ISO)/International Electrotechnical
Commission (IEC) 19794-5:2005, which defines a set format
to capture facial images, and ISO/IEC 19794-2:2005 standard
that specifies data formats for minutiae-based fingerprint
representation.
“Moving to adopt standards was a no-brainer for us,” says Mr
Victor Chia, iT-Bio’s Director. “The challenge we were facing was
14
how to make our solutions more secure in terms of biometric data
protection, and compatible with the widely disparate computer
applications and systems where they were being applied – it was
a question of interoperability, in other words.”
Due to the vast variety of algorithms and sensors available
on the market, it’s easy for the same person’s fingerprints and
facial images to be recorded using different scanning devices
and formats.
“If our software doesn’t communicate well with all the disparate
systems used by fingerprint and image recognition systems
and databases worldwide, our biometric data may be rejected,”
explains Mr Chia.
The ISO/IEC biometric data interchange standards work by
defining a set format that should be used to capture and store
facial images and fingerprint data.
“Adhering to these clear specifications has improved
interoperability and means our systems can interact and share
or interchange data with other systems globally, and across
organisational boundaries,” says Mr Chia.
Increased market access
Adopting standards has helped iT-Bio in other ways as well. For
instance, it won a project worth millions to supply an airport in
The fact that we are certified has
been a stepping stone to securing
more global contracts, especially from
companies that require ISO-certified
security solutions. It demonstrates
our commitment to providing highperformance biometrics solutions, and
complying with a growing customer
requirement for standards support.
Mr Victor Chia
Director, iT-Bio Pte Ltd
Qatar with eGates. It also secured a contract with a billion-dollar
international engineering and construction company based in
Japan to provide biometric hardware and software solutions for
its onshore industrial park.
That same year, iT-Bio won a Singapore Government tender
to provide biometrics hardware and software solutions, which
include a turnstile system to keep track of entries and exits, for
the Singapore Prison Service.
compliant biometrics hardware and software products can now
be used in any part of the world, including Australia, Japan and
the European Union.”
The global market for biometrics is forecast to post a compound
annual growth rate of 19.6% between 2014 and 2020,
and projected to reach US$30.1 billion by 2020. Mr Chia
believes that his company is well placed to take advantage of
this growth.
“A key requirement of the tender was that these solutions be
ISO-compliant. So if not for our implementation of the ISO/IEC
19794 standards, we would not have been able to take advantage
of this business opportunity,” says Mr Chia.
“Adhering to standards has increased market access for us as
it means our clients are more willing to trust us to supply our
solutions through their global supply chain,” he says.
Another of the company’s biometric solutions – a training
management system integrated with a fingerprint tracking system
– is now being employed by several insurance companies in
Singapore to monitor and ensure insurance agents complete
their Continuous Professional Development training course, as
required by the Monetary Authority of Singapore.
As Singapore moves towards becoming the world’s first Smart
Nation, both public and private sector firms are stepping up efforts
to make smart homes a reality.
“The fact that we are certified has been a stepping stone to
securing more global contracts, especially from companies
that require ISO-certified security solutions,” says Mr Chia. “It
demonstrates our commitment to providing high-performance
biometrics solutions, and complying with a growing customer
requirement for standards support.”
Expanding its overseas footprint
As it starts to gain market share, the company is looking to
expand into new markets in Asia. “Our next step is to set up an
overseas software development centre in Thailand, Myanmar
or Malaysia to help us secure more customers in the Asian market,”
says Mr Chia.
“Prior to 2012, we found it difficult to even win projects and
tenders in Singapore. But with the ISO/IEC 19794 standards,
we’re confident of securing projects overseas, as our ISO-
On path to future growth
For instance, the Housing and Development Board (HDB) –
together with 17 companies including Samsung, LG Electronics
and StarHub – is currently conducting trials for smart-home
solutions, such as refrigerators with sensors to measure
inventory, at the Centre of Building Research in Singapore’s
Woodlands district.
“To this end, we’re looking at developing a fingerprint-secure
smartphone application to control and manage home security
devices and electrical appliances, such as televisions, fridges
and dishwashers,” says Mr Chia.
“This will also alert home owners to faults in such appliances,
and they will be able to keep an eye on their homes even while
they are away.
“Adopting international standards puts us in a strong position
to take advantage of these Smart Nation opportunities.
It builds confidence in us as a reliable company and in
that way it will continue to help us win new business.”
15
Standards Help Your Business Grow
Standards provide specifications,
requirements
and
guidelines
to ensure the performance and
quality of products and services,
as well as the efficiency of
processes and systems across
many industries. Standards build
consumer confidence, promote
innovation and increase market
access and trade. Standards help
your business grow.
Benefits of Standards
• Grow market share
• Raise business efficiency
• Reduce business cost
• Deliver consistent products and service quality
• Increase international competitiveness
For more details about the Singapore Standardisation Programme
and assistance schemes, visit www.spring.gov.sg
To purchase Singapore Standards, visit Singapore Standards
e-shop at www.singaporestandardseshop.sg
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SPRING Singapore is an agency under the Ministry of Trade and Industry responsible for helping Singapore enterprises grow
and building trust in Singapore products and services. As the enterprise development agency, SPRING works with partners to
help enterprises in financing, capability and management development, technology and innovation, and access to markets. As
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