Integrated delivery methods are key to Singapore’s urban transformation
With a population of more than 6 million, contained within a land area less than half the size of Fraser Island (K’gari), Singapore is actively transforming its built environment to align with sustainability, digitalisation, and productivity goals and make it more resilient and future-ready.
The nation’s high profile infrastructure and urban development projects include Changi T5 (the fifth passenger terminal at Changi Airport), the Long Island reclamation initiative (which will create a new island off the island’s southern coast), and the Greater Southern Waterfront, an urban development project which will transform 30 kilometres of coastline into a vibrant mixed-use district.
In early October 2024, Minister Desmond Lee, Singapore’s Minister for National Development, addressed the Singapore Contractors Association – the peak body for the country’s construction and allied businesses.
Robotics and automation will enable faster, better construction
Like Australia, Singapore’s construction sector is exposed to the global skills shortage. With the “manpower crunch” expected to intensify, the government is promoting and investing in initiatives and technologies—with a strong focus on robotics and automation—which will enable it to “build faster, better, and with less manual labour”.
Simultaneously, Singapore is heavily committed to redesigning the project delivery process. Its CORENET X project aims to streamline the regulatory and approval process, reducing the touchpoints from more than 20 to 3. However, Minister Lee noted that while the government’s efforts will reduce the time needed to obtain approvals, and avoid costly abortive work downstream, to fully realise the benefit from CORENET X, “project teams will need to work together at the design stage to resolve potential design or planning conflicts, upstream”.
Integrated delivery frameworks will drive efficiency and effectiveness
This statement reflects the government’s commitment to integrated project delivery methods that can enhance efficiency and effectiveness in construction and development projects.
Effective collaboration among project teams is essential for addressing issues early in the design process and aligns with the principles of collaborative contracting.
To facilitate the adoption of collaborative contracting, the Singaporean government has developed an option module for collaborative contracting within the Public Sector Standard Conditions of Contract, as well as localised clauses for the international NEC4 contract.
CapitaLand Development and Nakano Singapore will be the first private sector entities to adopt the NEC4 contract on the Science Park project – a 55 hectare hub for life sciences innovation, research and development.
For one of the smallest countries in the world, Singapore has big plans to accelerate the transformation of its built environment. Integrated delivery frameworks will be a catalyst for fostering effective collaboration throughout the project value chain.
