BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

THE Anggerek Desa Technology Park will be fully operational this October, providing a space that encourages innovation and entrepreneurship.

The Technology Park, which consists of the iCentre (Phase 1), the Knowledge Hub (Phase 2) and a new building under construction (phase 3), will be the centre which develops innovation and entrepreneurship in the high-tech high growth industry.

The $19 million Brunei Economic Development Board (BEDB) project involves the construction of an eight-storey ‘green’ office building and a multi-level car park.

With construction nearing completion, Phase 3 will complement the iCentre and the Knowledge Hub by providing spaces for new SME development programmes, services and offices for local SMEs and foreign businesses, particularly those related to multimedia, healthcare, food security and material science.

“This office building will be the first of its kind in Brunei and will attract businesses that are looking for a very modern and high-tech working environment,” said Hj Ideris Hj Ali, BEDB’s senior marketing and corporate communications manager.

“For technology startups looking for office space, this will be better suited for them as opposed to renting space at shophouses.

“They will benefit from the shared facilities such as the auditorium and meeting rooms, and their offices will be much more presentable to their guests and clients,” he added.

In addition to providing space, the building will also function as an information centre for job opportunities and customer service, as well as to provide a platform for companies to conduct research and development activities to support local SMEs and multinational companies.

One of the supporting agencies to be accommodated at the new building is the Brunei Intellectual Property Office (BruIPO), which administers patent registration, advises on patents policies, as well as assists in the commercialisation of patents.

The new building will incorporate ‘green’ features to achieve a target Green Mark (Gold) Certification from Singapore’s Building and Construction Authority.

Among the ‘green’ features include natural day lighting and rainwater harvesting system for landscape irrigation.

It was previously reported that there will also be high-speed WiFi coverage throughout the premises. Construction of the technology park began last June, and is carried out by local contractor Haji Adinin and Sons (B) Sdn Bhd.

The Brunei Times