Singapore
Building Taller, Faster and More Sustainably
When in Singapore, look to the skies: Residents typically live in one of this country’s high-rise buildings of 30 floors or more. And there’s good reason why this is so: Singapore is the third most densely populated country in the world. More than eight thousand people live in each of its square kilometers.
Veronica Wong knows this landscape intimately – and she also knows what builders and residents want. Wong, a Singapore resident for more than 40 years and who is also WACKER’s Business Director for Construction Chemicals in Asia, supports builders by providing them with the best quality materials. “Singapore’s buildings are known not only for their height, but for their quality and sustainability,” she says.
Singapore has a very specific climate.
“We enjoy summer all year-round,” she says. And ‘summer’ in Singapore means hot weather with 80-85 percent humidity and temperatures that rarely drop below 30 degrees Celsius. What’s more, there are brief, torrential downpours, which are sometimes even prolonged.
“Building materials must withstand this environment,” she explains. “Paints and construction materials have to repel water immediately and always over the long term to prevent structural damage.” This is only possible with the use of water-repellent impregnating agents, especially for external facades. Mold and fungi pose another hazard in hot and humid regions. Whether in primers, paints, coatings or construction materials, “the polymers must be able to prevent the occurrence of mold in the first place. WACKER is a very much in demand as a partner, because we adapt products to meet these needs and use customer information in the development of new products.”
“The government and urban developers attach great importance to buildings that offer high-quality architecture. At the same time, these buildings must be extremely functional and afford effective protection from dirt and moisture.”
– Veronica Wong
To protect building surfaces from dust and dirt, WACKER has developed silicone-based formulations, for example – which allow water-vapor permeability, thus enabling the masonry to ‘breathe,’ while also repelling contaminants.
WACKER customers particularly appreciate the region’s technical center, which offers them tailored practical training courses about which products to use. This center lets customers familiarize themselves with the product range, giving them an opportunity to discuss their specific needs directly with WACKER experts and try out new approaches. “That gives WACKER a unique selling point.”
Veronica Wong
Veronica Wong studied polymer science. After completing her master’s degree at Loughborough University in the United Kingdom, she joined WACKER, where she is responsible for construction business across Asia-Pacific.
