JTC CleanTech 3 Singapore: Expanded Metal, Perforated Metal, and Solid Stainless Steel
JTC CleanTech 3 is a multi-block research and industrial development in Singapore's Jurong Innovation District, certified BCA Green Mark Platinum and designed by Architects 61. Supply Bay supplied three metal products across the project: Fine expanded mesh M12-30 for stair railing infill panels, horizontal staggered slotted perforated metal for green wall support and functional screening, and solid stainless steel sheet for feature surfaces and architectural detailing.
Finishing comparison: Stainless steel vs Galvanised Steel
About JTC CleanTech 3
JTC CleanTech 3 comprises eight business park laboratory blocks and one office block at CleanTech Park — Singapore's first eco-business park masterplan in the Jurong Innovation District. The development serves as a test bed for clean technology products and solutions, with an integrated work-and-research environment designed around a preserved wildlife corridor. A main corridor loop at lab level links all eight blocks, overlooking a central atrium below.
The facade design by Architects 61 draws on the site's proximity to Singapore's last remaining dragon kiln, employing three GFRC textures — stone, terracotta, and brick — referencing Jurong's brick-making history and industrial context.
JTC CleanTech 3 has received multiple awards including the BCA Green Mark Platinum Award, the SIA Architectural Design Awards 2023 Merit Award for Industrial and Utility Buildings, the Architizer A+Awards 2023 for Sustainable Commercial Building, and the FIABCI Singapore Property Awards 2023 for Sustainable Development and Industrial Manufacturing.
View the JTC CleanTech 3 project gallery
Product 1: Fine Expanded Mesh M12-30 — Stair Railing Infill Panels
Supply Bay supplied fine expanded mesh M12-30 for the stair railing infill panels throughout the development. The M12-30 specification is not commonly stocked in Singapore — its combination of small aperture and high base thickness places it outside the range of most standard catalogue suppliers.
| Parameter | Specification |
|---|---|
| Mesh designation | M12-30 (Medium Mesh) |
| Short way of mesh (SWM) | 9 mm |
| Long way of mesh (LWM) | 29 mm |
| Base material thickness | 3 mm |
| Material | Steel |
| Application | Stair railing infill panels |
Why M12-30 for Railing Infill
The 9 mm short-way opening satisfies the gap size requirements for railing infill panels in occupied buildings under Singapore's BCA structural requirements — the aperture is well within the maximum gap limits for balustrade infill in institutional environments. At 3 mm base thickness, the panel has the structural rigidity to span between railing posts without deflection under lateral load, a practical requirement for any railing infill panel subject to regular physical use.
The fine diamond pattern also reads as a refined surface at close viewing distances. In a professionally managed research and institutional environment with consistent daily footfall, finish quality at close range is a material selection criterion alongside structural performance.
Tip
M12-30 is a non-standard stocked specification in Singapore. Contractors and QS teams nominating this grade should confirm availability before tender, or engage Supply Bay directly. Supply Bay holds M12-30 stock for the Singapore market.
Product 2: Horizontal Staggered Slotted Perforated Metal — Screening Panels
Supply Bay supplied perforated metal sheet in a horizontal staggered slotted pattern for green wall support structures and functional screening panels across the development.
Pattern Description and Specification
The horizontal staggered slotted pattern is a non-standard perforation geometry. Elongated rectangular apertures are arranged in horizontal rows, with each row staggered relative to the adjacent rows above and below. This produces a directional, horizontally oriented open area across the panel face — distinct in visual character from symmetrical round or square hole patterns available as standard catalogue stock.
| Parameter | Specification |
|---|---|
| Pattern type | Horizontal staggered slotted |
| Slot orientation | Horizontal |
| Arrangement | Staggered rows — each row offset from adjacent rows |
| Material | Aluminium |
| Application | Green wall support substrate; functional screening panels |
Why Slotted Perforation for Green Wall Substrate
For green wall substrate applications, the slot geometry provides natural horizontal drainage channels across the panel face, allowing water to move across the substrate surface and drain at the base. This is a functional advantage over round hole perforation, where drainage is omnidirectional and less controlled. Consistent moisture drainage across the substrate is a performance requirement behind a planted wall system in Singapore's high-rainfall conditions.
Tip
Note for specifiers: The horizontal staggered slotted pattern is not a standard catalogue item at most Singapore perforated metal suppliers and requires tooling for the specific slot geometry. Confirm availability and lead time with Supply Bay before nominating this specification.
Product 3: Solid Stainless Steel Sheet — Feature Surfaces and Architectural Detailing
Supply Bay supplied solid stainless steel sheet for feature surfaces and architectural detailing within the development. Solid stainless steel is specified where a continuous, non-perforated metal surface is required — typically for cladding panels, column wraps, feature wall linings, and joinery elements where the material is exposed at close range and surface finish quality is the primary driver.
For JTC CleanTech 3, the stainless steel specification was consistent with the project's overall material standard: a hard-wearing, corrosion-resistant surface suited to an occupied institutional environment with high daily footfall and extended maintenance intervals.
| Parameter | Options Available from Supply Bay |
|---|---|
| Grade | SS304, SS316 |
| Surface finish | 2B mill finish, No. 4 brushed, mirror finish |
| Sheet size | Standard and custom-cut dimensions |
| Application | Cladding panels, column wraps, feature wall linings, joinery elements |
For guidance on grade selection between SS304 and SS316 for Singapore conditions, refer to the Stainless Steel vs Galvanised Steel guide.
Sustainability and BCA Green Mark Relevance
JTC CleanTech 3's BCA Green Mark Platinum certification reflects the project's performance across energy efficiency, indoor environmental quality, and whole life carbon. The metal products supplied by Supply Bay contribute to several of these criteria.
Facade mesh used as an external shading layer reduces the solar heat gain component of the ETTV calculation. Supply Bay can provide material data — including open area percentage and shading coefficient — for inclusion in facade performance documentation for BCA Green Mark submissions.
Expanded metal mesh produced by the slit-and-stretch process generates zero manufacturing offcut waste, giving it a lower embodied carbon profile than alternatives that involve material removal. Steel and aluminium products are 100% recyclable at end of life. For the full sustainability case for expanded metal mesh in Singapore's green building context, refer to the Expanded Metal Mesh Sustainability and Green Mark guide.
Correctly specified expanded metal and perforated metal in Singapore's tropical climate have service lives measured in decades, reducing replacement frequency and the whole life carbon cost associated with repeated material cycles — directly relevant to BCA Green Mark 2021's Maintainability assessment section.
Other Case Studies
Keppel South Central: Expanded Metal Mesh Facade — Expanded metal mesh on a BCA Green Mark Platinum Super Low Energy commercial tower in Tanjong Pagar.
HDB NRP and ROH: Perforated Metal for Public Housing Upgrading — Perforated metal specifications for NRP, ROH, and BTO projects across Singapore.
Supply Bay Pte Ltd supplies expanded metal mesh, perforated metal sheet, laser-cut panels, and solid stainless steel sheet for Singapore construction and architectural projects. Contact us at info@supplybaystore.com or +65 6524 3913.
Supply Bay is Singapore's leading supplier of architectural sheet metal — expanded mesh, perforated panels, laser-cut screens, and solid sheets in aluminum, stainless steel (SS304, SS316), mild steel, and galvanized steel.
