Branded

ATWATER the next urban hub in Petaling Jaya

By Branded / theedgemarkets.com 17 Apr 2023, 10:50 am

Following the completion of the serviced apartments, Paramount Property aims to complete the commercial component by 3Q2023

Once an industrial zone with old and dated factories, Section 13 in Petaling Jaya is now a
flourishing commercial enclave comprising modern offices, retail spaces and residences following a
land rezoning exercise a decade ago.

Tapping into the transformation and renewed vigour of Section 13 is ATWATER by Paramount
Property Development Sdn Bhd. It offers residential, commercial and retail components that have
been carefully planned to seamlessly integrate and complement the vibrant surroundings as well as
add value to the already-thriving hub of Petaling Jaya.

Fronting the vibrant thoroughfare of Jalan Profesor Diraja Ungku Aziz (previously Jalan Universiti),
the 5.09-acre integrated leasehold mixed-use development with a gross development value of
RM760 million comprises two serviced apartment towers, two corporate office towers with two
levels of retail space and a sales gallery.

Paramount Property CEO Chee Siew Pin says ATWATER’s strategic and convenient Petaling Jaya
address makes it an ideal place for one to work, live and indulge in. “Petaling Jaya has undergone
significant transformation over the years, from being a rubber estate in the 1950s when Kuala
Lumpur was expanding, to becoming an established city that is ideal for both living and business.
Today, PJ is surrounded by affluent, mature neighbourhoods, providing ready customer catchment
and established businesses. In addition, there is a large talent pool of professionals in PJ, making it
an attractive destination for businesses looking to set up operations.”

Strategically connected, surrounded by a host of

conveniences
In terms of connectivity, the area enjoys easy access to major highways, namely the Damansara-
Puchong Expressway (LDP), Sprint Expressway, Federal Highway, Kerinchi Link and New Klang
Valley Expressway (NKVE); as well as public transport, namely the LRT Kelana Jaya Line and MRT
Kajang Line.

ATWATER also offers the convenience of

having a bus stop right at its doorstep. It is
also surrounded by a wide range of amenities
including shopping malls and dining options,
with the nearest being Jaya One, PJ33 Mall,
Jaya Shopping Centre and The Hub SS2;
reputable medical centres such as Columbia
Asia Hospital, Tun Hussein Onn National Eye
Hospital, University Malaya Medical Centre
and UM Specialist Centre; educational
institutions like University Malaya, Open
University Malaysia, Saito University College,
Veritas University and Mahsa Avenue
International College; and recreational parks
and sports centres such as Taman Jaya Park,
Bukit Gasing, The Challenger Sports Centre
PJ and District 13.

“Overall, PJ’s combination of amenities and

accessibility makes it an excellent choice for

“
At ATWATER, the office towers have been
both living and running a business,” Chee thoughtfully planned and designed with green
remarks. and sustainable features, which are in line with
ESG requirements."
- Chee Siew Pin, CEO of Paramount Property
Following the completion of the serviced
apartments, of which all 493 units were fully
sold and handed over in December last year,
the developer aims to complete the commercial component by 3Q2023.

Versatile workspaces for thriving businesses

Standing at 8 and 16 storeys respectively, Tower A and Tower B are Grade A, MSC-compliant
buildings with green accreditation.

The stratified offices are designed to be versatile workspaces with a variety of practical floor plates.
Tower A offers a total sellable area of 169,301 sq ft whereas Tower B has 197,548 sq ft. The towers,
each serviced by dedicated private lift lobbies and dual direct drop-off lobbies, share 36,409 sq ft of
retail space and 885 car parking bays.

With maximum road-front exposure, the corporate towers are also designed to have a street-
friendly concept with green open spaces.

The open courtyards, water features, concourse sitting areas and green landscape park will benefit
employees working at ATWATER, says Chee. “These are communal areas for them to hang out, chill
out, have lunch or simply rest. We believe these features will add vibrancy to the entire retail and
corporate office tower setting.”

Meeting ESG needs with smart, sustainable buildings

Now more than ever, there are benefits of moving into green buildings such as the ATWATER
corporate office towers as Bursa Malaysia requires public-listed companies (PLCs) to include
carbon emissions in their new enhanced sustainability disclosures starting from FYE2023 and to
adopt a full task force for climate-related financial disclosures (TCFD) framework by FYE2027,
among other programmes, says Chee. “This follows the United Nations Framework Convention on
Climate Change’s Paris Agreement and our country’s 12th Malaysia Plan.”

At ATWATER, the office towers have been thoughtfully planned and designed with green and
sustainable features, which are in line with ESG requirements. Everyone is talking about ESG these
days, especially PLCs and multinational companies.

The office towers are designed with a north-south orientation and a lower window-to-wall ratio on
the east and west to help reduce heat coming into the building and, in turn, lowering energy
consumption. “We mainly use Low-E glass to control heat and UV rays as well as a thermostat-
controlled air-cooled VRF, or variable-refrigerant flow air-conditioning system.

“While the conventional central air-


conditioning system using a cooling tower
has to run for the entire building, the VRF
system allows users to operate it on certain
floors, sections or zones, allowing flexibility
for those who want to go into the office on a
Saturday, for example. This provides energy
savings of up to 29%,” Chee explains.

Using LED lighting and sensors in the

common areas further helps to reduce energy
costs. “In the common areas, lights, elevators
and escalators are powered by renewable
energy from the solar panel on the rooftop of
the office towers. We also use sleep mode for
the elevators and escalators.”

To conserve water, a rainwater harvesting

The open courtyards, water features and green landscape park will
system for landscape irrigation as well as
benefit those working at ATWATER
aerated water taps in all toilets have been included. “This is one of the easiest ways to conserve
water, and this helps to save about 10% on water bills for landscaping,” he adds.

The office towers are designed with good indoor environments and biophilic designs in mind.
“Using low volatile organic compound (VOC) paint helps to reduce the risk of poor indoor air quality,
while the green park connecting both office towers acts as a green buffer along the main road and
reduces noise, dust and heat gain,” says Chee.

E-hailing stations and EV charging stations will also be available. “This is to encourage people to
use fewer cars or use EV cars, in line with the national agenda to become carbon-neutral by 2050.”

Other sustainability strategies at ATWATER include a cashless, ticketless car plate recognition
system as well as a proposed sheltered walkway linking ATWATER to Jaya One along Jalan
Profesor Diraja Ungku Aziz. To cater for those with disabilities, convenient ramps and designated
OKU parking bays and toilets have also been thoughtfully included.

In terms of security and privacy, both Tower A and Tower B will have their individual private lift
lobbies and security checkpoints, 24-hour CCTV surveillance, card access to destination floors and
separate lift access from the basement car park levels to the ground level. The car parking bays for
the commercial hub are separate from the residential component.

The office towers are designed with a north-south orientation and a lower window-to-wall ratio on the east and west to help reduce heat
coming into the building

Prime workspaces in a prime location

Meanwhile, Chee says there is a growing trend of businesses moving from older office buildings
into Grade A, MSC-status and green-certified office buildings. “Office buildings like the ATWATER
corporate office towers provide lower and more efficient operating costs compared to ageing
buildings, which are unable to provide the latest office requirements such as high-speed internet,
environment-friendly features, and proper ventilation and lighting.”

Another notable trend is tenants moving out of KL city and into new addresses in Greater KL such
as Petaling Jaya, he adds. “Previously, all the prime offices used to be in KL but we are starting to
see more of them in PJ. There’s definitely a trend for offices moving out from the KL city and over to
Greater KL, where rental is cheaper on average and the operating cost is lower. The cost of living is
also higher in KL, hence there is a wider talent pool staying outside KL and in areas like PJ.”

Highly in demand, Grade A, green-accredited and MSC-compliant offices can also fetch higher
rental rates, with asking gross rentals ranging from RM5 to RM6 psf monthly. In comparison, the
average monthly rent for offices in PJ in general is around RM4.30 psf,” says Chee.

Paramount Property — The People’s Developer

Says Chee, “Paramount Property is a people’s developer, and we build what the people and even
businesses need, and ATWATER has all the elements of a good development.”

From ATWATER, one can find financial institutions, food and beverage establishments, convenience
shops, service providers, shopping malls, medical services and sports facilities, all within a 3km
radius. “All these are fundamentals that we’ve studied before choosing a place to build offices. For
offices, we had to make sure there are adequate entertainment offerings to bring in customers, as
well as good restaurants and recreational facilities for employees.”

To support the residents and office tenants at ATWATER with even more conveniences, and also to
serve the surrounding neighbourhoods, the developer plans to turn the two-level retail space on the
ground level and Level 1 of the corporate office towers into a premium retail space, offering a
variety of lifestyle and F&B options as well as grab-and-go conveniences.

“We plan to hold on to the retail component because we want to bring in the right tenants. We are
mainly looking at more F&B options for the retail space and we want to invite more high-end F&B
tenants to come in. This is part of our strategy for placemaking and in making the place more
vibrant,” says Chee.

The well-ventilated retail space is connected to the serviced apartments via a link bridge.

Paramount Property has plans to sell both of the corporate office towers. “As they are not very big
assets, naming rights and ownership is easier, so these office towers are suitable for those who
want to name their own towers. At the same time, the offices are very visible fronting Jalan Profesor
Diraja Ungku Aziz,” says Chee.

Meanwhile, Paramount Property has a designated leasing team that takes care of the commercial
component. “As most commercial and retail tenants start looking at a property six months before its
completion, it is now time for us to start looking for tenants,” he says.

Chee is positive the ATWATER development will do well. “Take, for example, our ATWATER serviced
apartments, which bagged quite a high Qlassic score of 82%. Of the total 493 units, 85% were
taken up within nine months of its launch in March 2018, and, today, it is fully sold. We believe that
in good locations, you don’t have to worry about capital appreciation.”
He is confident that a mixed-use development such as ATWATER will benefit Petaling Jaya, in
particular Section 13. “The area is really transforming, and we currently don’t see many similar
integrated developments here.

“We want to build something that is near the community and, at the same time, provides the space
for businesses to grow. We believe an integrated mixed-use development such as ATWATER will
add value for our purchasers as well as the surrounding community,” Chee concludes.

For further enquiries, please contact:

(016) 687 3223

or visit

paramountproperty.my/atwater/commercial/