Opening remarks by 2M Indranee Rajah at the BuildSG LEAD Summit 2025

Wednesday, 28 May 2025

Good morning. I am pleased to join all of you at the BuildSG LEAD Summit 2025.

This year is SG60.  Over the last 60 years of nation building, our Built Environment (BE) has changed dramatically as well.

Now we are poised for the next phase of building Singapore.

Major projects are currently underway that will transform our city.

In housing, we will develop new homes at Paya Lebar when the existing air base vacates, the Greater Southern Waterfront, and Long Island – creating new liveable precincts that integrate homes with amenities, green spaces and public transport nodes.

We will strengthen Singapore’s economic gateways, by developing key job centres like the Woodlands Gateway, which will be supported by the new Johor-Singapore RTS link.

In healthcare, we will build new integrated general and community hospitals at Tengah and Bedok North, and redevelop Alexandra Hospital to meet our growing healthcare demands, including that of an ageing population.

In transport, we will expand our connectivity through projects like Changi Airport Terminal 5 and upcoming MRT lines such as the Jurong Region Line and the Cross Island Line. These initiatives will cement our position as a regional air hub, enhance accessibility, and support long-term growth.

These projects underscore the Government’s commitment to developing infrastructure that meets the evolving needs of our people.

Navigating a Changing Global Environment

Construction demand is expected to remain strong, driven by both the public and private sectors. This will create opportunities.

However, we must be mindful of challenges coming over the horizon.  

First, a shifting global economic order, geopolitical tensions and rising protectionism are giving rise to increasingly fragile supply chains. We may see disruptions to the flow of construction material. Cross-border investments and partnerships will become more complicated.

Second, a rapidly changing workplace and an evolving job market – where rapid technological shifts and changing workforce expectations may lead to skills mismatches or labour shortages.

Third, climate change and environmental concerns. Rising temperatures, and more extreme weather events globally are reshaping how cities are designed and built, putting pressure on our sector to innovate and decarbonise quickly.

To achieve our building aspirations, we need a strong and dynamic sector that can deliver effectively and sustainably. To do that, we must remain vigilant and agile as we continue to adapt and transform.

The Government is watching these developments closely and we will work with you to navigate these challenges.

Collaboration is increasingly the defining driver of progress, and our sector must embrace a collaborative mindset to remain resilient and competitive.

Hence the theme of this year’s Summit – “Shaping Collaborative Horizons, Forging Shared Opportunities.”

It emphasises collaboration as a catalyst for transformation.

More than ever, we need to leverage our collective strengths, to seize new opportunities.

That is how we can gain a competitive edge in this uncertain landscape.

Let me highlight two key enablers for transformation, and how collaboration will allow us to deliver more impactful outcomes. 

First, embracing innovation and technology.

Second, strengthening our talent pipeline and developing our workforce.

Innovating and Embracing Technology

Let me begin with innovation and technology.

Advancements in science and technology are transforming how we plan, design, construct and manage our Built Environment.

Take CORENET X:

It is a prime example of how we can streamline regulatory processes through digitalisation.

Through this one-stop digital platform, project teams can now make coordinated digital submissions, and receive consolidated responses from agencies for building works.

This upfront coordination minimises costly abortive works downstream. Under CORENET X, projects above 5,000 square metres will use an open, common Building Information Model (BIM) submission format. Our BE professionals can collaborate on the same digital building model throughout the project lifecycle. We estimate that approval times can be reduced by 20 to 25 percent for projects submitted in BIM.

Used properly, technology helps us serve you better.

47 public and private sectors projects have come onboard to test out CORENET X during this voluntary submission phase. Thank you to the project teams for the strong support.

We understand this technological transition requires adjustment, and that is why we adopted a phased approach in implementing CORENET X regulatory submissions:

CORENET X was soft launched in December 2023 with selected industry partners, and expanded to all firms for voluntary submissions from 1 June 2024. This has given firms time to adjust and get used to the system.

From 1 October 2025, CORENET X submissions will be mandatory for all new projects with GFA of at least 30,000 square metres.

Subsequently, submissions will be mandatory for all new projects regardless of project size, and all ongoing projects, from 1 October 2026, and 1 October 2027, respectively.

On the Government’s part, we will continue to share learning points and support the industry as we move towards mandatory submission over the next two years.

For example, BCA’s Productivity Solutions Grant (PSG) provides SMEs with co-funding of up to 50 percent of the qualifying costs of BIM software purchased, to support their transition to adopt BIM, and reap the benefits of BIM under CORENET X.

Additionally, firms can utilise SkillsFuture funding for CORENET X training programmes.

However, while training materials, workshops and sharing sessions are useful, they cannot fully substitute the value of experiencing the platform through actual use.

I therefore encourage firms to come onboard early and try it out now. By starting early, you will be better prepared before it becomes mandatory.

BCA has also been working closely with the industry to leverage technology in regulatory inspections.

One example is the use of 360-degree capture technology to conduct Temporary Occupation Permit (TOP) inspections virtually.  

360 Capture uses 360-degree photos and videos to create a virtual representation of project sites. Regulatory officers can then use these virtual scans to conduct their regulatory inspections before approvals are issued.

It is an alternative to the conventional, physical site inspections, which are much more labour and time intensive.

BCA has worked closely with the industry to develop this new approach. This included industry consultations to gather feedback, conducting pilot projects with partners, and co-creating and publishing a guidebook on the requirements, step-by-step process, and best practices.

It was the close collaboration with the industry, that enabled us to develop this more productive and efficient inspection process.

This has been welcomed by the industry. Teambuild, one of the early adopters of this new virtual TOP process, has shared that its Grove Spring @ Yishun HDB project saw up to 60 percent productivity improvements, compared to inspections done using the conventional method.

We must continue to innovate, and develop such new solutions to unlock greater productivity, and achieve greater sustainability.

We are heartened to see strong momentum from the private sector.

For example, the Singapore Institute of Technology, Woh Hup, ConcreteAI, and Cardiff University are jointly developing a concrete solution that utilises recycled aggregates and sequesters carbon dioxide, and aims to reduce up to 60 percent of its carbon footprint, compared to conventional concrete.

If successful, this new product would be a low-carbon alternative to conventional concrete, and help us meet our longer-term sustainability goals.  

This project recently received the 2024 Institution of Engineers Singapore (IES) Prestigious Engineering Achievement award, and the first prize at the 2024 Annual Cement and Concrete Science Conference – a testament to what we can achieve when researchers and industry come together.

It also demonstrates how partnerships can deliver practical, scalable solutions to real-world challenges, such as reducing embodied carbon in construction, and building a circular economy by reusing waste products.

Such partnerships are invaluable.

Firms provide live projects, operational insights and practical considerations, which shape research towards more impactful outcomes.

Researchers bring deep expertise, new knowledge and novel approaches, which firms can leverage to solve challenging problems.

By co-developing solutions, we ensure that innovation is grounded in real needs and can be translated into practical outcomes that benefit both the industry and our society.

The Government will continue to support such collaborations.

We will help the industry to innovate through programmes and grants such as under the Cities of Tomorrow Research and Development (R&D) Programme and the Built Environment Technology Alliance (BETA) Catalyst Funding Programme.

We also support the scaling and adoption of proven technologies.

For example, we recently announced the $100 million Built Environment and Capability (BETC) grant.

The BETC provides up to 70 percent co-funding to help firms build long-term capabilities.

I encourage you to tap on these schemes, and work together to develop and deploy innovative solutions.

Building a Future Ready Workforce

The second key enabler is our people.

Technology alone cannot build a city; we need people with the right skills, experience, and sense of purpose.

For our transformation journey to succeed, we need a strong, competent, and future-ready workforce.

 First and foremost, we must secure a steady, quality pipeline for our architectural, engineering, QS and other BE professional services. We are aware of the concerns about the current trajectory.

These include challenges in attracting young Singapore talent to pursue careers in these fields, modernising firm practices, improving HR and remuneration standards, and ensuring long-term career growth.

To tackle these concerns, we must double down on our efforts in the following areas: attracting and nurturing local talent,  ensuring they are work ready in terms of substantive knowledge, training and internship programmes,  improving retention of professionals through better career progression and workplace practices, and  getting firms to play an active role in building strong capabilities.

The Taskforce for Architectural and Engineering Consultants, co-chaired by Mr Chaly Mah and myself was set up to address these issues.

It will take the collective effort of all stakeholders in the BE sector to make our sector more attractive and progressive.

Since September last year, the Taskforce brought together Trade Associations and Chambers (TACs), consultancy firms, major service buyers, Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs), public agencies and young professionals, to identify and discuss solutions to address areas of concern.

The Taskforce work is still in progress.  But even as we work on the full suite of recommendations, there are some which we can already implement.

Today, I am happy to share that BCA has published its One-Stop Resource Guide, which was one of the recommendations by the Taskforce.

The guide provides essential information on business and workforce transformation.

It also lists useful upskilling and training resources, such as accreditation and funding support.

It will be available on the BCA website from today, and I encourage all firms and professionals to make use of it.

The Taskforce will share its full recommendations later this year.

In the meantime, I welcome all of you to share your feedback and suggestions to the Taskforce members or via my BCA colleagues.

Conclusion

Today’s Summit is an important platform to spark new ideas and partnerships.

I hope it will inspire you to think creatively, and consider new ways of working together to shape the future of our sector.

Thank you, and I wish everyone a fruitful and rewarding BuildSG LEAD Summit 2025.