Getting ready for Singapore Construction Productivity Week

SOUTHEAST ASIA CONSTRUCTION04 Oct 2017

The Singapore Construction Productivity Week (SCPW) will return for its seventh year running, with the theme ‘Embracing Innovation, Building Our Future’. Organised by the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) together with Sphere Exhibits Pte Ltd, the SCPW will be held at the Singapore Expo Max Atria from 24 to 26 October 2017.

This year’s theme reflects the critical role that technology plays in paving the future of construction in Singapore. There is huge potential for the built environment sector to improve its productivity and resource efficiency, streamline project management and processes, and enhance construction quality and safety through innovation.

SCPW 2017 will focus on two key areas: through the adoption of Design for Manufacturing and Assembly (DfMA), and Integrated Digital Delivery (IDD).

“We have seen technology disruption occurring across many sectors in recent times. Some might view it as a threat but for our sector, it presents opportunities for firms to build up their competitive edge and attract more Singaporeans to join their workforce,” said Hugh Lim, CEO of BCA. “SCPW brings together various stakeholders including technology solution providers, industry experts, as well as public sector agencies to help provide a platform for firms to learn more about the support and resources available for business growth and innovation. This will help firms to start embarking on their transformation journey.”

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Highlights of this year’s SCPW include anchor events such as BuildTech Asia, the Build Smart Conference, an experiential workshop with site visits to projects adopting game-changing technologies as well as student competitions. There are also new line-ups including:

1. ProTech Demonstration, where industry players can learn about the latest mechanical, electrical and plumbing (MEP) technologies in the market and witness a live demonstration of construction building services with prefabricated MEP modules.

2. A showcase of productive and high quality architectural finishes as well as industry sharing on best practices and experiences in producing top quality construction work with the use of prefabricated prefinished volumetric construction (PPVC) at the inaugural Achieving High Quality PPVC Projects workshop.

3. The Regional Perspective to DfMA Construction workshop, which provides a platform for Singapore firms and international delegates to learn about the latest developments of DfMA technologies in the region. It also serves as a networking platform for firms to make new connections and explore overseas business opportunities.  

BuildTech Asia 2017

BuildTech Asia 2017 will feature smart building and construction solutions to help industry practitioners achieve greater efficiencies and contribute to the development of smarter cities. The show is expected to attract the biggest gathering since its inception, with about 120 exhibiting companies and more than 8,000 trade visitors from over 30 countries across Asia Pacific and Europe. 

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The global smart building market is forecast to reach S$31.74 billion by 2022 from S$7.42 billion in 2017 driven by the growing need for integrated security and safety systems in buildings and adoption of Internet of Things (IoT) in building automation technology. Asia Pacific is expected to witness higher growth in the smart building market during this period. Reflecting this is an increase in international exhibitor participation at BuildTech Asia, which has been on a steady incline over the years, said the organiser. Austria, China, Germany, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Korea, Malaysia, Singapore and the UK have confirmed their participation in this year’s show.

Visitors can also look forward to exciting instalments this year, such as a bigger Singapore Public Sector Built Environment Leadership Pavilion showcasing 10 public agencies’ projects on construction productivity. The pavilion will feature productive technologies and innovations focusing on DfMA, IDD, as well as research and development. BCA will collaborate with other government agencies to host the pavilion, with interactive exhibits on off-site construction, 3D immersive visualisation, showcases of innovative solutions and government agencies’ productivity journeys.

Ten finalists of the Singapore Contractors Association Ltd’s (SCAL) Productivity and Innovation Awards (PIA) 2017 will also showcase their projects for public voting at BuildTech Asia, from 24 to 25 October. Into its second year, the PIA is an industry initiative to raise productivity in the construction sector through a ground-up approach for innovative ideas. It creates a climate and culture of innovation by encouraging employees at all levels to propose projects, products or process changes that will result in significant productivity improvements at their workplaces.

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SCAL Summit, SMART Women conference

This year, two new co-located activities – the SCAL Built Environment Summit and SMART Women in Built Environment conference - will take place on 26 October in conjunction with BuildTech Asia 2017.

The SCAL Built Environment Summit addresses global and local issues in promoting innovation, productivity and calls for closer integration and effective collaboration among stakeholders across the construction value chain. Key topics at the Summit will include the report ‘The Future of Construction’ by the World Economic Forum and the ‘Construction Industry Transformation Map’ developed as part of recommendations by Singapore’s Committee on the Future Economy. The Summit also provides a platform for dialogues between government and industry representatives from the built environment sector.

The inaugural SMART Women in Built Environment conference, organised by the Prestressed and Precast Concrete Society, Structural Engineering World Congress and Sphere Exhibits, will address the current progression and empowerment of women professionals in the built environment sector within the region. The conference features discussions by leading women professionals from Australia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand as well as female representatives from various government agencies. It will examine roles, responsibilities, challenges and personal journeys of women professionals in the industry, as well as various national initiatives to empower them to excel in the built environment sector. The event is supported by the Australian Trade and Investment Commission (Austrade), BCA and the National Association of Women In Construction (NAWIC).

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