Designs for a new aerospace industry hub in Malaysia have recently been released. Asia Aerospace City will feature research and development facilities, office suites, academic campuses, a convention center and residential areas. Its estimated worth to Malaysia will be US$1.1 billion by 2020.
The designs for the Aerospace City have been produced by engineering firm Atkins, the firm behind the 125-storey Anara Tower in Dubai. This new project holds more significance for its locality, however.
"This is an important project for Malaysia’s Economic Transformation Plan," says Atkins CEO for Asia Pacific, Chris Birdsong. "We believe that it will play an important role in achieving the national vision of a self-sufficient industrialized Malaysia by 2020."
Asia Aerospace City is claimed to be the only aerospace hub that has full government support. It is proposed as one of the Malaysian government's Entry Point Projects aimed at transforming Malaysia into a high-income economy by 2020. In order to help achieve this goal, the project seeks to provide a world-class "complete business ecosystem" that will attract global engineering services.
The development will span 328,000 sq m (3,530,000 sq ft) and will be connected to Kuala Lumpur and Subang Airport with a newly built light railway station. Electric buses will also run through the development. It will be 20 minutes from Kuala Lumpur city center, 40 minutes from Kuala Lumpur International Airport and 5 minutes from Subang Airport.
The site will host an academic cluster that includes the Malaysian Institute of Aviation Technology and a professional development center for about 2,000 students. There will also be a research and training center for aerospace testing and validation activities.
Asia Aerospace City has MSC status, meaning the development receives benefits from the Malaysian government to help stimulate growth in the digital industries. MSC formerly stood for Multimedia Super Corridor and is a specially designated zone within the country.
Offices will benefit from high-speed fiber-optic broadband and back-up power provision to ensure that businesses are kept online. Businesses can also benefit from professional event spaces, a convention center and a hotel. There will additionally be a variety of amenities for residents, workers, students and visitors, including a restaurant, cafe and sports facilities.
Atkins says that it has employed computational fluid dynamics (the use of software to analyze fluid flows) to work out how the development should be built to allow for cooling breezes through the outdoor areas. Shade will be provided by canopies covering 36,000 sq m (387,500 sq ft), and those canopies will also have built-in photovoltaic panels to contribute towards the energy requirements.
In addition to generating solar power, the development is said to be designed according the the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) green building rating system for new construction. It will also utilize energy efficiency and rainwater harvesting features.
Sources: Asia Aerospace City, Atkins
