Landscape Operations Management System

Landscape Operations Management System Road Shows

The Landscape Operations Management System (LOAMS) is part of the Green Knowledge Enterprise Architecture initiative. LOAMS aims to enhance productivity in daily landscaping operations through the adoption and use of various Information Technology (IT) systems and mobile tools. Two LOAMS roadshows were successfully conducted in February where service buyers and providers came together to share insights and feedback on the proposed LOAMS pilot to be launched in the fourth quarter of 2012.

More than 50 service buyers and providers from various industries, including petrochemical, facilities management, waste management, etc, participated in the half-day road shows at HortPark. One of the highlights of the roadshows was the showcasing of similar operations management systems already utilised in other industries, such as the marine industry and cleaning services industry.

Participants also got a chance to try their hands on various handheld computing hardware options and close-ups of the mock ups of LOAMS pilot modules and its potential capabilities. Most importantly, , participants were able to provide valuable insight and feedback based on their actual experiences on the proposed LOAMS system . These ideas will go a long way in the shaping the development of LOAMS for a successful implementation.

In line with the technology uptake theme, the Information and Communications Development Authority (IDA) was also present to share details of various funding schemes available for qualifying small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to adopt various IT systems in their daily operations.

We would like to thank all participants for their contributions and also to those who have signed up for the pilot phase targeted to commence in the fourth quarter of 2012.

Participants viewing LOAMS capabilities.

Hands-on demonstration of similar operation management systems

Participants voting on LOAMS functionalities

Design for Sustainable Landscape Maintenance Guidelines

Singapore is changing the way its landscape is being managed, with an increasing emphasis on productive maintenance. Additionally, there is a greater reliance on mechanised maintenance methods to ensure an investment effective outcome, labour efficiency and more sustainable practices. This requires modifications to landscape design and construction. The Design for Sustainable landscape Maintenance Guidelines aims to assist landscape designers and constructors in understanding how their decisions affect the way landscape is maintained and the ramifications on whole-of-life investment and maintenance productivity. In particular, the guidelines encourage an active consideration of the productive maintenance implications of landscape design and construction. The productivity implications can be substantial, and if applied fully, will lead to possible costs savings of hundreds of millions of dollars over a landscape's lifetime.

Landscape Machinery Trade Fair

4th Guangzhou International Garden Machinery Fair March 2012

An international garden machinery fair was held from 9 – 11 March 2012 in Guangzhou, China. This is the fourth in a series of garden machinery trade fairs showcasing landscaping machinery and equipment designed and manufactured by Chinese companies.

For more details about the Guangzhou event, please click here.

Spotted at this fair were representatives from Singapore's landscape industry, such as Mao Sheng Quanji Pte Ltd, Candy Floriculture Pte Ltd and Toh Kim Bock Pte Ltd

Representatives from Mao Sheng Quanji Pte Ltd checking out the power unit of a knapsack cutter.

Please also look out for details of this year's 2012 European Study Tour in the weeks ahead. Possible destination countries in the month of September include Germany and the United Kingdom, where international horticulture trade events are currently being organised. This study trip is jointly organised by CUGE and the Landscape Industry Association (Singapore).

Enterprise Architecture – Knowledge is Power!

As part of the Landscape Industry Productivity Roadmap, and to support the professional development of the industry and the various projects and initiatives being undertaken across the landscape industry, CUGE requires an overall web-based system platform, to be known as Green Knowledge.

Green Knowledge consists of Landscape Operations Management System (LOAMS) and Landscape Knowledge Community (LaKC):

LOAMS supports the landscape operations among landscape contractors and service buyers. LOAMS will also be the platform for the propagation of landscape quality standards and productivity benchmarking.

LaKC facilitates knowledge collaboration among landscape professionals.

These two programmes are part of an overall Enterprise Architecture initiative that is a new and exciting project. This project aims to build and maintain an online database of industry statistics and skills knowledge that can be monitored and analysed to efficiently pinpoint and target areas within the landscape industry that require improvements in productivity. As a first step, a feasibility study was conducted of the landscape industry to determine current practices and identify issues within the industry regarding the adoption rates of IT infrastructure.