Media Release
UAE, Apr 19: KEF Infra, the infrastructure subsidiary of KEF Holdings, a multinational diversified group that specializes in innovative offsite construction technology, in collaboration with the Embassy Group, India’s leading property developer, today announced the completion of the first construction milestone of the Embassy 7B project that is currently being developed in Bengaluru. This project is the first of its kind in Asia, as it is a fully-offsite manufactured project.
The Rs 375 crore commercial building, which spans across 1.5 million sq ft, is scheduled to be completed in just 13.5 months, transferring up to 50 per cent time saving and consequent cost economy to the developer. Capitalizing on offsite construction technology, KEF Infra is well on track to meet this extraordinary delivery target having completed two basement floors of 206,800 sq feet in two months, compared to the average six months that traditional construction methods would require.
Embassy 7B features 10 floors of office space, a well-appointed ground floor with lobby space, two basements floors and multi-level car parking. KEF Infra brings the unique double-wall technology, which is widely used in Europe, for the first time to India through this project. This global best practice in precast technology reduces construction time and increases quality and structural stability by uniquely combining prefabrication and in-situ technology; its use also allows for simple and efficient onsite concreting. Improvement of energy efficiency by incorporation of thermal insulation is also made possible through this technology.
Speaking at a media briefing, Sumesh Sachar, CEO of KEF Infra, said: “We are very excited to work with the Embassy Group, and thank the chairman and managing director Jitu Virwani and the management for their confidence in KEF Infra. This move positions Embassy as a forward-thinker in India in ushering in the latest construction technology in their project that would advance the quality of buildings.”
He added: “The KEF Infra Industrial Park in Krishnagiri is the world’s largest fully integrated one-stop offsite construction destination. By manufacturing each part of a building offsite, which includes using robotics for prefab rooms, joinery and glazing, as well as the concrete elements, we are able to deliver highly complex structures in half the time and provide better ROI when compared to conventional construction. This is the way forward for the realty sector in India where cost, quality and energy efficiency are becoming a growing concern. At KEF Infra, we believe such innovation-driven technology can transform the Indian construction and infrastructure landscape.”
Mike Holland, CEO, Embassy Office Parks, added: “KEF Infra’s approach to technology-based development is ground breaking, and we are pleased to have them on board as a valued partner for the Embassy 7B project. While KEF Infra is relatively new to the India market, their achievements so far, especially the advancements they offer through their facility at Krishnagiri are truly remarkable. We look forward to continuing to work with them, and are confident of their ability to deliver this project within record time. This development further cements Embassy Office Parks position as the leading private owner and operator of world-class business parks in India."
KEF Infra brings a number of other efficiencies to the Embassy 7B project, including resource efficiency and a bespoke approach to building. The building materials and modules are produced in highly controlled manufacturing environments making it possible to build according to scale, reducing error and cost of wastage of time and materials. The energy efficiency and lack of wastage in the manufacturing and building process contributes towards a better environment and reduction in pollution.
Andre Dienst- general manager, KEF Infra Industrial Park, said: “At KEF Infra, we use best-in-class technology not only to offer incomparable benefits to our clients, but also to make sure that we employ sustainable processes to bring benefit to the community at large. This translates into transfer of skills to the people we employ at our factories, a large number of who are from nearby communities, as well as environmental efficiencies through the use of custom-built construction elements that reduces debris and disruptions on-site and through integrating advanced technology to enrich end results and minimize error. For example, the time cycle for laying a floor slab in traditional construction would be 7 days, while for us there is no wait time; similarly while the time taken to install a column in Precast is 1 hour, it takes about 10 days in in-situ.”
The KEF Infra One Industrial Park at Krishnagiri, Tamil Nadu is currently being developed at a total investment of Rs 650 crore across an expanse of 42 acres, making it the world’s largest fully integrated one-stop ‘offsite construction’ destination. The Park houses 10 factories across five distinct construction disciplines: precast unit, prefabricated and modular unit, joinery and fit out, aluminum and glazing unit and a stone processing unit. The glazing and façade units for the Embassy 7B Project will be produced at KEF’s Krishnagiri facility.
Installed with the state-of-the-art equipment, KEF’s fully automated precast unit can produce a range of products including hollow core slabs, beams, columns, wall panels and staircases. The prefabricated pod and modular unit is capable of producing prefabricated rooms, bathrooms and kitchens featuring modular MEP. Special efforts have been taken to ensure that the entire facility adheres to the environmental standards prescribed by the Ministry of Environment & Forests.
About KEF Holdings (www.kefholdings.com)
Established in 2007, KEF Holdings is a new era social enterprise registered in Singapore. Founded by Faizal E Kottikollon, the company operates across India, the Middle East and Singapore. The company has five business verticals – KEF Infra, KEF Health, KEF Education, KEF Metals and KEF Investments – that focus on infrastructure, healthcare, education, metals and investment sectors respectively. KEF’s industrial forte lies in its ability to create integrated business processes and deliver cutting-edge off-site construction technology and solutions, including precast, prefabricated bathrooms, joinery and aluminium glazing. The company applies this expertise to the creation and upgrades for essential infrastructure, such as educational, healthcare, commercial and residential facilities.
KEF Holdings is guided by the philanthropic vision of its founder and chairman Faizal E Kottikollon and his wife Shabana Faizal, co-chairperson. The company, in close collaboration with stakeholders in the public and private sectors, actively drives, funds and supports high-impact social activities undertaken by the Faizal and Shabana Foundation. KEF Holdings does this through providing innovative industrial technologies, products and processes designed to create shared value by increasing productivity, quality and sustainability.
About Embassy Office Parks (www.embassyofficeparks.com)
Embassy Office Parks is the leading private owner and operator of world-class business parks in India. Embassy Office Parks is a joint venture between Bengaluru based Embassy Group, India’s leading commercial property developer and the Blackstone Group L P ('Blackstone'). Embassy Office Parks provides a business ecosystem that is people-focused and enhances productivity through a vibrant and emotionally involved workforce following the best of global standards. Embassy Office Parks are designed to achieve superior productivity levels across all core audiences. With over 175 clients, and several large multinationals situated at these parks, Embassy Office Parks is a pioneer in the leasing model for commercial space as well as developing integrated office parks across the country. Comprising more than 21 million sq ft of commercial space, the Embassy Office Parks portfolio includes business parks in Bengaluru such as Embassy TechVillage, Embassy GolfLinks and Embassy Manyata Business Park, as well as Embassy TechZone in Pune.