New Initiatives to Strengthen Singapore's Built Environment Capabilities and Professions unveiled amidst Celebration of Sector Excellence

At the International Built Environment Week (IBEW) 2026 Industry & Awards Dinner today, Second Minister for Finance and National Development Indranee Rajah announced a series of new initiatives to strengthen Singapore's Built Environment (BE) capabilities and support BE professionals to deliver on Singapore’s ambitious development plans.

2        These initiatives are aligned with the efforts of the Action Team to Improve BE Productivity, which brings Government and industry together to identify practical ways to save time, cost and manpower.

Recommendations from the Quantity Surveyors (QS) Workgroup

3        Building on the momentum of the Taskforce for Architectural and Engineering Consultants, the Quantity Surveyors (QS) Workgroup was established in February 2026 to study how the Quantity Surveying profession can be strengthened and future-proofed, given the critical role QSes play in helping clients manage contractual and commercial risks, safeguard costs, and make better project decisions.

4        Over the past six months, the Workgroup engaged over 80 industry stakeholders including service buyers, firms, industry associations, Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs) and Government agencies

5        “What struck me from the engagements was the strong sense of purpose among Quantity Surveyors. As one description aptly put it, a good Quantity Surveyor is part lawyer, part accountant, and part project adviser — yet the value they bring is not always well understood. As projects become larger and more complex, the future of Quantity Surveying must be about creating greater value and taking on more strategic roles in project delivery. We thank all the industry stakeholders who contributed to the workgroup recommendations, and we look forward to working closer together to ensure that the Quantity Surveying profession remains relevant and well-positioned to support the transformation of our BE sector,” said Ms Indranee.

6        Following the engagements, the QS Workgroup developed recommendations structured around three priorities.

Priority 1: Attracting talent into the Quantity Surveying profession

7        The Workgroup has recommended a package of initiatives targeted at students through stronger outreach and clearer pathways:

a.      To increase students’ awareness of the profession earlier, the Workgroup recommends introducing new Quantity Surveying content in IHLs. For example, (i) the National University of Singapore has introduced a new Specialisation in Contract Management and Cost Engineering within the Bachelor of Engineering (Infrastructure and Project Management) undergraduate programme in the Department of the Built Environment under the College of Design and Engineering, and (ii) stakeholders are exploring the introduction of QS elective modules at Polytechnics, possibly starting with Singapore Polytechnic. Together with the current Bachelor of Building and Project Management (BBPM) programme offered by the Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS), which provides training relevant to Quantity Surveying, these efforts will broaden talent outreach and the talent pipeline.   

b.      To support students keen on pursuing Quantity Surveying as a career, the Workgroup recommends onboarding Quantity Surveying firms onto INSPIRE, an enhanced internship programme that gives students structured exposure to industry projects, dedicated mentorship and a clearer pathway into the BE sector. INSPIRE interns may also receive higher starting salaries when they join their firms full-time after graduation.  

c.       The Workgroup also recommends efforts to strengthen the profession’s identity and visibility among the wider community, including parents and educators.

Priority 2: Developing and Retaining Quantity Surveying Professionals

8        The Workgroup also recommends raising the professional standing and uplifting capabilities of QSes through recognition and accreditation:

a.      The Workgroup recommends the wider use of professional accreditation, such as the Accredited Professional Quantity Surveyor (APQS) scheme. Accreditation provides QSes a clearer pathway to demonstrate their competencies and progress in their careers, and also gives service buyers greater confidence when engaging QSes for more complex projects. Over time, wider adoption of accreditation can strengthen professional standards, support better career progression, and make it more worthwhile for QSes to stay and grow in the profession. Several government agencies including HDB and JTC are already referencing the APQS scheme in their procurement. The Workgroup recommends more agencies and private developers to consider doing so.

b.      The Workgroup also recommends for the roles and responsibilities of QSes to be formally recognised in standard construction contracts, such as the Public Sector Standard Conditions of Contract (PSSCOC) and other industry contract forms where applicable.

c.       To support career progression, the Workgroup recommends adopting competency-based remuneration.

Priority 3: Enhancing the Business Sustainability of Quantity Surveying Firms

9        To support an expansion beyond traditional services to higher-value areas such as collaborative contracting, early-stage cost advice, risk management, and other strategic procurement advisory services, the Workgroup recommends leveraging technology and AI to streamline workflows and processes.

10    The Workgroup also recommends the industry to develop a Value Articulation Framework (VAF) to define the various Quantity Surveying services delivered at each project stage. This could support Quantity Surveying firms in developing fee proposals commensurate with the scope, complexity and resources required, while enabling service buyers to make more informed evaluations of submitted bids, fostering a more transparent and equitable procurement environment.

11    Please see Annex A for more details on the QS Workgroup Recommendations.

Strengthening Regulatory Competency of Qualified Persons (QPs)

12    QPs carry important responsibilities in ensuring that building plans and submissions comply with regulatory requirements, and that projects are delivered safely, on time and within budget. As our building infrastructure ages and projects become more complex, the roles and responsibilities of QPs will become increasingly important. As such, it is crucial for them to continually upgrade their capabilities to maintain high standards of regulatory competency, and uphold regulatory outcomes and professional standards.

13    The Board of Architects (BOA) and Professional Engineers Board (PEB), together with regulatory agencies, are exploring a more systematic approach to support QPs in keeping pace with evolving regulatory requirements.

14    This could include closer monitoring of the quality of QP submissions made to regulatory agencies to identify areas where QPs may benefit from additional support, as well as efforts to develop QPs’ competencies such as relevant competency bridging programmes. More details will be provided to the industry at a later date.

15    Together, these initiatives reflect the Government's commitment to support BE professionals and firms in keeping pace with a more complex operating environment and support the next wave of transformation for the sector.

Celebrating Excellence in our Built Environment (BE)

16    At the same event, five BE projects and two BE companies were also conferred the prestigious BCA "Project of the Year" (PoY) and "Company of the Year" (CoY) awards respectively. Their achievements embody the spirit of transformation in the BE sector and are a testament to the high standards and deep capabilities that will continue to drive Singapore's BE forward.

17    The PoY awards have been accorded to the following projects, from the respective categories:

(i)                 Residential: Tembusu Grand
(ii)               Mixed-use: Pasir Ris Mixed Use Development
(iii)             Industrial: Bulim Square
(iv)              Institutional: Outram Secondary School (Sengkang Campus)
(v)                Infrastructure: Subsea Water Pipeline Tunnel Connecting Tuas and Jurong Island –     Contract 1

18    The CoY award winners, from the respective categories, are as follows:
(i)                 Large Firms:
a.      Arup
b.      Woh Hup (Private) Limited

(ii)               Small Firms: DP Architects Pte Ltd 

Please see Annex B for more details on the PoY and CoY award winners.

19    The Quality Excellence Award (QEA) was also presented today to recognise developers and builders for their commitment to delivering high-quality private residential buildings and implementing world-class industry standards. The QEA highlights exemplary developers and builders who have embraced workmanship excellence, and aims to encourage the broader industry to set high quality standards for their projects.

20    The following winners from the respective categories were awarded the QEA:
(i)                 Developer: City Developments Limited
(ii)               Builder:

a.      China Construction (South Pacific) Development Co. Pte. Ltd. (CCDC)
b.      Woh Hup (Private) Limited

Please see Annex C for more details on the QEA award winners.

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Factsheets

ANNEX A – Quantity Surveyors (QS) Workgroup Recommendations
ANNEX B – Project of the Year and Company of the Year 2026 Award Winners
ANNEX C – Quality Excellence Award (QEA) 2026 Award Winners