Shell Expresses Continued Confidence In Malaysia
Apr 09, 2015
Menara Shell Offices A Landmark For Enhanced Collaboration, Eco-Friendliness, and Continued Confidence In Malaysia
KUALA LUMPUR, 9 April 2015: Shell Malaysia Limited expressed its continued confidence in Malaysia as an important market to the company, noting the investment and growth potential of the country despite the current challenging global economic landscape as well as lower crude oil prices. The company reiterated this at the officiating ceremony of its Kuala Lumpur offices in Menara Shell, which was also the Shell Group’s first project in the Asia Pacific region completed under its Connect Programme for new ways of working and enhanced collaboration.
“Malaysia is an important market to Shell and we continue to have confidence in the country. Shell has been in Malaysia for over 120 years and there are still many opportunities for Shell to contribute to the nation. Our investments, innovation, and local impact continue to support the country’s aspiration to become a developed, high-income nation,” said Iain Lo, Country Chairman of Shell Malaysia Limited.
He continued, “Much of what Shell has achieved could not have happened without the help of the government, our partners, and other stakeholders. We are grateful for the support we have received so far and look forward to a continued positive relationship.”
Speaking at the ceremony, Guest-of-Honour Datuk Dr. Rebecca Fatima Sta Maria, Secretary-General of the Ministry of International Trade and Industry said, “Shell Malaysia is one of Malaysia’s long-standing corporate citizens with a legacy of over 120 years in the country. I am delighted that it continues to demonstrate its confidence in Malaysia by establishing its new offices here in Menara Shell.”
She continued, “Shell is among thousands of multinational companies from around the world attracted to the business environment here in Malaysia. The Government is committed to maintaining a dynamic and progressive business environment for attracting more potential investors. We will continue to develop and implement initiatives that will bring us higher up the value chain in key areas such as business performance, finance and operation management, marketing capability, management and talent development, and innovation.”
The new Kuala Lumpur offices in Menara Shell are the latest by the company to demonstrate its confidence in Malaysia through longer-term investments, innovation-sharing, and local impact. Earlier this month, Shell broke ground for a new production support building in Sarawak, which will include one of the largest laboratories for upstream oil and gas in Malaysia. The state-of-the-art lab in Miri will be built to the industry’s best practices for lab design and will house cutting-edge analytical instruments to accommodate the growing number of both equipment and staff.
Malaysia is also home to the Gumusut-Kakap platform. Built 100% in Malaysia, it is the Shell Group’s first deep-water platform in Malaysia. The project has allowed Shell to share deep-water expertise with Malaysian energy companies, assisting in the Malaysian government’s goal to create an offshore industry hub.
Shell is currently working on its second deep-water venture the Malikai oil field, 100km offshore Sabah, Malaysia. The Malikai development will require 17 wells drilled from a 23,500 tonne Tension Leg Platform (TLP) production facility, which will be the first of its kind to be fabricated and installed in Malaysia.
Malaysia has also been an important innovation hub for Shell. The Shell Helix Ultra PurePlus technology that benefits motorists worldwide today is the result of research and development into a revolutionary Gas-to-Liquid (GTL) process that converts natural gas into a crystal-clear base oil with virtually none of the impurities which are found in crude oil. This revolutionary process was pioneered by Shell MDS, the world’s first commercial-scale GTL plant of its type in Bintulu, Malaysia.
In 2014, Shell played a key role in establishing the Piasau Nature Reserve in Miri. Shell contributed towards infrastructure and biodiversity enhancement to repurpose land formerly used for staff housing into a nature reserve within the city’s limits.
Menara Shell A Landmark For Enhanced Collaboration and Eco-Friendliness
Menara Shell brings together 10 formerly-disparate facilities across the Klang Valley into 17 floors with over 300,000 sq ft for approximately 1,700 employees, in a centrally accessible location designed to accommodate future growth and new business requirements. Architecturally, Menara Shell enriches the diversity of the Kuala Lumpur city skyline with a unique façade designed to resemble a honeycomb.
Shell Malaysia sees tremendous benefits in moving to its headquarters in KL Sentral. Lo explained, “Menara Shell is a landmark that is modern, vibrant, and reflective of our care for our employees. It allows us to concentrate our resources in a central location to unlock better efficiencies, gain greater collaboration, and respond faster to the needs of the customers in the region. Being centrally located, it is easily accessible by our employees, customers and business partners. Besides amenities such as childcare, recreation, and dining options, it is also eco-friendly and helps reduce our carbon footprint. Most significantly, employees benefit from newer, better ways of working and collaborating.”
Menara Shell is the first Shell office in Asia Pacific to implement the new guidelines and design principles for workplace planning and design under the Shell Group’s “Connect Programme”. The Programme brings together the very best practices of Shell’s Real Estate, Human Resources and Information Technology departments to connect people, places and technology, to deliver a vibrant, energetic, engaging and ultimately productive workplace.
The design principles have resulted in open spaces that are focused on facilitating more staff collaboration with enhanced support areas such as meeting and huddle rooms, phone booths, telepresence rooms, as well as other state-of-the-art technology capabilities. Menara Shell also takes into consideration staff wellbeing with rooms for wellness and nursing mothers, recreational facilities, meditation rooms, a multipurpose studio, as well as dining options within the building.
Open concept work stations designed under the Connect Programme principles for enhanced collaboration
The Energy Hub on each floor is a breakout area for staff to meet and discuss over drinks or to have meals together.
The Connect Programme brings Shell’s vision for our workplaces to life. It links places, people and technology to create vibrant, energetic, engaging and productive working environments.
Front view of Menara Shell
Various seating and meeting options for staff for enhanced collaboration under the Connect Programme
Menara Shell boasts dining options that include cafés and restaurants within the building
Another view of Menara Shell
A recreational area for staff
or further Media Enquiries, please contact:
Mr. Leigh Wong, Head of Media Relations & Issues Management
Email: leigh.wong@shell.com
About Shell
Shell is a global leader in power, energy, and gas technology and is working to meet increasing energy demand and supply challenges by delivering smarter products and cleaner energy, infrastructure, and by developing new energy sources while addressing the impact on the environment. Malaysia is one of Shell’s heartlands. The history of Royal Dutch Shell in Malaysia started more than 120 years in Miri, Sarawak. Shell currently has a strong market presence in the upstream and downstream sector in Malaysia.
| APPENDIX 1: MENARA SHELL FACT SHEET | |
|---|---|
| Shell Offices: | ~1,700 staff occupying 17 floors, approximately 300,000 sq. ft. |
| Facilities/amenities: | Light recreational area with facilities (ping-pong table, pool table), meditation room, wellness rooms, nursing mothers’ room, crèche and daycare centre, Shell Shop, WiFi (on all floors), café and other dining options in the building |
| Office design features: | “Energy hubs” with digital signages, informal breakout areas, open team collaboration areas, special resource areas, personal staff storage lockers, touchdown desks, phone booths, huddle rooms, meeting rooms, video wall |
| IT facilities: | Telepresence studio and room, video conference room, USB speakerphones |
| Environmental Impact: | Menara Shell has achieved Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) platinum standard pre-certification, a US-based green building rating system. Key green building features at Menara Shell:
For the air-conditioning system utilizes an under-floor air distribution system which distributes air through air outlets on the floor. As the cool air is denser, it displaces the warmer room air which rises to the ceiling, which is re-cycled through the system. Less energy is used as only the lower half of the room, up to 2 meters from the bottom, needs to be cooled. Further energy efficiency is gained because lower temperatures (requiring more power to produce) are not needed to achieve the same level of comfort. The air distribution system employed also reduces fan power consumption.
To avoid unnecessary cooling of excessive outdoor air, carbon dioxide (CO2) monitoring and control systems are installed. CO2 sensors at main return air streams to the air handling units on each floor facilitate continuous monitoring and adjustment of outside air ventilation rates to each floor, ensuring independent control of ventilation rates to maintain CO2 levels to less than 1,000 ppm (parts per million). Motorised volume dampers are installed at outdoor air grilles in each AHU Room to vary the amount of outdoor air in accordance with the level of CO2 measured.
The building façade uses double-glazed glass with low E-coating to minimize heat gain. This is expected to reduce the energy required to cool the building by half; from approximately 120 to 60 kWH/sq. m./year (kilowatt-hour per square-metre per year).
Clean and natural agents comprising carbon dioxide, nitrogen, argon or other non-synthetic compounds will be used for fire extinguishing systems. These are natural compounds with zero global warming potential and therefore do not contribute to global warming. |