Gaia, the largest wooden building in Asia, launched

Image: (L-R) Mr Seah Chee Kien, Project Qualified Person, Senior Managing Director, RSP Architects Planners & Engineers, Ms Jennie Chua, Pro-Chancellor, Mr Chan Chun Sing, Minister for Education, Prof Ho Teck Hua, NTU President, Ms Goh Swee Chen, Chair, NTU Board of Trustees, and Mr Toyo Ito, Design Architect of Project Gaia, President, Toyo Ito & Associates, Architects, at the launch of Gaia on Wednesday.

NTU Singapore, has officially launched its eighth zero energy building on Wednesday (17 May), adding to its list of green developments as part of the university’s commitment to sustainability.

Named Gaia after the Greek goddess of Earth, the 6-storey development is the largest wooden building in Asia, and is a space for learning, research and innovation, where NTU students, faculty and staff can meet and connect to uncover new opportunities for collaboration and discovery.

Gaia is the eighth building project on the NTU campus that has received the Green Mark Platinum (Zero Energy) – the highest award issued by the Building and Construction Authority of Singapore to recognise buildings that consume as much energy as they produce. Presently, there are 16 certified zero energy buildings in the country, of which half are located on NTU grounds. This makes NTU the greenest campus in Singapore. 

The launch ceremony on Wednesday was attended by Minister for Education, Mr Chan Chun Sing and NTU President Professor Ho Teck Hua. Among those present were NTU Pro-Chancellor Ms Jennie Chua, Chair, NTU Board of Trustees, Ms Goh Swee Chen, other board members, university partners and industry collaborators.