The Van Kleef Centre @ Sungei Ulu Pandan, an Aquatic Science Centre, is an innovative cutting edge research facility located along the banks of Sungei Ulu Pandan. It is dedicated to understanding fundamental processes so as to adopt intelligent strategies for sustainable solutions to urban freshwater management. It goes beyond a research being facility. It is also used for training, sharing knowledge and public outreach.

Unique Features

The Van Kleef Centre is one of its kind in Singapore as it advocates an open research facility concept, built strategically along a park connector enabling the public to get a clear view of all research activities carried out in the facility.  It has several unique features including a 95-m long wave-like transparent roof, rain water collection and in-house waste water treatment capabilities. It is one of the eco-friendly buildings in Singapore and has been awarded the Green Mark GoldPlus by BCA.

Research Facilities

The Van Kleef Centre houses a well-equipped indoor laboratory for environmental sample analyses  and a cutting-edge outdoor work area. The outdoor area comprises of the following laboratories:

• State-of-the-art bioflume equipped with high precision scanning devices for accurate measurements;
• Flow tanks for small scale mesocosm studies;
• Plant nursery to propagate and house plants for research;
• Biosorption columns for efficient water treatment;
• Meteorological station  for continuously monitoring weather conditions including rainfall, temperature and wind speed.
  
  

Research at Van Kleef Centre

Working in partnership with the Public Utilities Board (PUB), the Van Kleef Centre @ Sungei Ulu Pandan will serve as a physical site for in-depth scientific investigations and facilitate the translation of the research activities into real world applications.

Van Kleef Centre will focus on bioremediation, biosorption, ecotoxicological studies, as well as other fundamental and applied aspects of water management. Sediments and suspended solids, which transport  pollutants such as nutrients, heavy metals and organic contaminants as well as chemical fluxes at sediment-water interfaces will be investigated. In addition, water  improvement efficiencies of  plants  including their growth characteristics, physiological processes, uptake rates and exudation properties that can stimulate microbial and planktonic growth will be studied. Improving water quality and managing quantity of runoff, surface water, and groundwater will be another aspect of research at Van Kleef Centre.

Name and location

The Van Kleef Centre @ Sungei Ulu Pandan is located at 3 Albert Winsemius Lane, close to the crossing of the Ulu Pandan canal with Clementi Road. The Albert Winsemius Lane is named after the former Dutch economist and advisor to Singapore. The name was unveiled by the Prime Minister of the Netherlands, Prof. Jan-Peter Balkenende, during the ground breaking ceremony of the Van Kleef Centre on 23 October 2010.

The Van Kleef Centre was renamed from Aquatic Science Centre on 25 January 2013 by His Royal Highness Prince Willem-Alexander from The Netherlands to honour the Dutchman Karl Willem Benjamin Van Kleef, a Dutch philanthropist, who resided in Singapore in the 19th and early 20th century, donated the proceeds of his whole estate to the country.

Click here for a map of the location of Van Kleef Centre.