Enhancing Safety across the Built Environment

In everything we do, upholding the safety of all remains our primary concern. Working hand in glove with industry partners, we enhance regulatory standards and harness the latest technologies, as we engineer a quality environment that secures lives and livelihoods.

Using Building Information Modelling (BIM) on a tablet and mobile phone for on-site inspections.

Harnessing Technology for Virtual Inspections

A key initiative under BCA’s Smart Inspection Plan is virtual inspection, which leverages technologies such as LiDAR and 360 captures. Beyond enhancing the inspection process by providing an audit trail of the observations made, virtual inspections facilitate more flexible scheduling and quicker processing of Temporary Occupation Permits (TOPs). For the industry, accurate virtual inspections enable a multiplier effect, allowing Qualified Persons (QPs) and builders to efficiently identify areas for rectification.

Pilot of Virtual Site Inspection

Partnering with JTC Corporation (JTC), BCA conducted the first-of-its-kind pilot trial of a TOP inspection of JTC’s Jurong Logistic Hub and semiconSpace via a virtual “walk through” without being physically present on-site. Subsequently, more pilots of this technology were conducted at the new BCA Academy building and a Housing & Development Board (HDB) project.

These trials pave the way for the industry to leverage inspection technologies to digitalise their work processes for use-cases such as progress tracking and quality control.

BCA officers conducted a virtual TOP site inspection using 360 captures.

Propelling Smart Façade Inspections

The utilisation of drones has revolutionised the inspection process, enabling comprehensive visual assessments and façade defects to be detected faster and more accurately, as compared to conventional methods that employ binoculars and handheld cameras.

As part of our ongoing efforts to enhance the capabilities of Drone Service Providers (DSPs), BCA and Singapore Accreditation Council (SAC) would launch an accreditation programme to verify the DSPs’ AI defect detection capabilities and data management systems. In line with this, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between BCA and the Institution of Engineers (IES) for the latter to train and keep a registrar of technical assessors to provide third-party technical and AI capability assessment of the DSPs. The accreditation programme will help ensure high standards, while instilling confidence in the quality of façade inspections conducted by DSPs.

Since the Periodic Façade Inspection (PFI) programme was rolled out in January 2022, more than 75% of local buildings which have been inspected to date have deployed drones for façade inspection.

As of March 2023, there are more than 20 DSPs that can offer PFI services, of which 11 had developed AI defect detection capabilities.

Signing of MoU between BCA and IES for the latter to provide a third-party technical and AI capability assessment of DSPs.

Improving Guidelines for Structural Inspections

BCA enhanced its “Guidelines for Structural Engineers” to address the increasing importance for inspection and maintenance of Singapore’s ageing buildings stock.

Apart from enhancing the competency of structural engineers, these guidelines ensure that inspections are carried out effectively and thoroughly. One of the key enhancements focuses on providing clarity and establishing consistency in inspection coverage. Taking a pre-emptive approach, we made sure that engineers assess all critical areas, and identify and rectify potential risk areas before they escalate into major issues. Collectively, these guidelines will significantly improve the competency of structural engineers and ultimately contribute to a safer built environment for all.

BCA and JTC collaborated on a two-year pilot on different Remote Monitoring and Diagnostics solutions to monitor lift operations.

Deploying AI for Predictive Lift Maintenance

On 29 July 2022, BCA announced a new regulatory sandbox regime allowing lifts which are connected to Remote Monitoring and Diagnostics (RM&D) solutions to be subjected to a longer maintenance interval. A RM&D solution deploys sensors and AI to monitor and diagnose lift operations, thereby enabling predictive capabilities in lift maintenance. The solution deployed must meet the “Code of Practice (COP) for Design and Performance of RM&D Solution for Lifts” – the world’s first COP for RM&D solutions in lift maintenance which was officially released by BCA in 2022.

These are the fruits of BCA’s two-year collaboration with JTC, which piloted close to 200 lifts with different RM&D solutions and achieved an accuracy rate of at least 85% in predicting lift faults.

The pilot of lifts with RM&D solutions attained an accuracy rate of at least 85% in predicting lift faults.

Elevating Lift Safety Through Training

Type-testing of lift safety components and lift assemblies will be an essential requirement for the approval of plan submissions for new lifts and escalators (L&E). This is an important step in ensuring compliance and quality, given that a lift has over 1,000 parts.

To prepare our Specialist Professional Engineers (SPEs) for this new regime, BCA led a delegation in November 2022 comprising SPEs and engineers from BCA, JTC, HDB and Land Transport Authority (LTA) to undergo a one-week training in type-testing of lift safety components and lift assembly, conducted by TUV SUD in Germany. Moving forward, BCA will organise more of such training to benefit additional SPEs to enhance the safety and quality of lifts.

Leading the Industry to Enhance Construction Productivity with Better Materials

BCA was awarded the Public Sector Pro-Enterprise Initiative (PEI) Award (Bronze) in recognition of our efforts to develop the BC4 Design Guide. This accolade is a culmination of our efforts from 2014 to 2021 to develop a series of guides to champion the use of high strength concrete and steel for composite columns to improve construction productivity and structural efficiency, especially in high-rise buildings. On top of this, the initiative helped the sector to strengthen environmental sustainability through savings in construction materials.

Since its maiden publication, the BC4 Design Guide has benefitted several high-rise developments. These include the 305m-tall 8 Shenton Way building, which will be the tallest building in Singapore when completed, as well as completed projects such as the Outram Community Hospital and Afro-Asia building (left).

Cover of BC4:2021 “Design Guide for Steel-Concrete Composite Columns with High Strength Materials - An Extension of Eurocode 4 Method to C90/105 Concrete and S550 Steel”. Find out more here.

The team involved in developing the BC4 Design Guide, including BCA officers and an NUS representative, receiving the Public Sector Pro-Enterprise Initiative (PEI) 2022 Award (Bronze) together with one of the judges.

Ensuring the Safety of Major and Complex Projects

BCA remained vigilant in upholding safety as we processed the plans for several major projects, while monitoring ongoing projects with complex structures and deep underground works.

Among the completed projects were high-rise complex developments such as Avenue South Residence, the world’s tallest high-rise Prefabricated Prefinished Volumetric Construction project as of February 2022, as well as deep underground projects that include the Thomson-East Coast Line (Stage 3) and Deep Tunnel Sewerage System Phase 2. Meanwhile, ongoing major projects include high-rise mixed-use projects with long span structures and inter-terminal tunnels at Changi Airport.

BCA monitored major projects with deep underground construction works, such as the Thomson-East Coast Line (Stage 3).

Evolving Together as One

Ensuring Liveability for All

The Building and Construction Authority (BCA) champions the development and transformation of the built environment sector, in order to improve Singapore’s living environment. BCA oversees areas such as safety, quality, inclusiveness, sustainability and productivity, all of which, together with our stakeholders and partners, help to achieve our mission to transform the Built Environment sector and shape a liveable and smart built environment for Singapore.