A fleet of 12 Potain tower cranes is currently working on a public housing project in Singapore, the Punggol Northshore Residences. The development is said to be the country’s first ‘smart’ housing block, which incorporates a number of eco-friendly design features such as energy-efficient elevators and waste chutes for recyclable materials.

For the project, contractor Ken-Pal has rented 10 MCT 385 topless tower cranes and two MC 310 tower cranes (one each of the K12 and K16 varieties) from Potain dealer Manta Equipment. With excellent load charts, the Potain cranes are ideal for tackling the demands of the jobsite.

The Potain MCT 385 cranes are at the centre of the work. With a maximum capacity of 20 t and maximum radius of 75 m, they can comfortably lift the heavy precast components and steel reinforcement used in the project. Loads weigh between 1 t and 10 t, and the precast concrete blocks come in a range of shapes and sizes, forming the walls, facades, shelters, ledges and more in the housing blocks’ design.

Some smart technologies in the new development have been reported to include a parking area that monitors demand; a pneumatic waste conveyance system that tracks disposal and recycling; sensor-controlled lighting with predictive data analytics to understand human traffic patterns; and fans that automatically adjust to changes in wind speed, temperature or numbers of people.

When completed in 2020 the project will have 12 blocks: five of 25 stories, two of 24 stories and five of 20 stories.

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