Technology & Innovation

Raj. Thampuran Managing Director Technology and Research Group R&D A “pretty large bang” was heard by the crew of Apollo 13 two days after their launch from the Kennedy Space Centre on 11th April 1970. This was followed by the immortal words “Okay, Houston, we’ve had a problem here”. The ignition and blast from an […]

This slideshow was adapted from an earlier article.

By Eugene Seah Senior Director, Special Projects Surbana Jurong Group The COVID-19 outbreak is global, and increasing in intensity. Stringent measures have been adopted around the world to contain the virus, severely limiting economic activity. This has put a strain on many industries including the built environment industry, disrupting operations and forcing delays. In trying […]

In the beginning of 2019, the Robert Bird Group (RBG) embarked on an ambitious journey within our Engineering and Technology (E&T) Platform. The aim was to increase the uptake of engineering and technological initiatives and upskill our staff within the confines of our core business, which is engineering. Building Information Modelling (BIM) as part of […]

2018 was a year of unprecedented global weather events. In Asia, Super Typhoon Mangkhut brought close to $50 billion in damages to Hong Kong and China, on top of $16 to $20 billion it exacted from the Philippines (Yap et al., 2018), while extreme precipitation-induced flooding in Kerala state killed at least 350 people and […]

Returning from London in October 2018 as the sole winner of the United Nations’ (UN) World Federation of Engineering Organizations (WFEO) Young Engineers competition, I found it to be somewhat a déjà vu experience. Back in 2015, I went to California, proudly flying the Singapore flag, to receive my American Water Works Association’s PhD prize […]

Flowing and Taking Form, Digitally Universally, the Water Sector has embarked on a journey towards digital transformation, in tandem with the technology shifts happening in other infrastructure industries. Smart technology has crept into our lives, in ways we do our work as designers, and how various infrastructure owners operate and maintain their assets. It is […]

Introduction Drones are now one of several technologies that are transforming every stage of the engineering and construction process. Its use does not only constitute to productivity boost, but every advancement in drone technology provides for better airspace awareness, transformative designs and more intelligent piloting modes. Surbana Jurong (SJ) is no stranger to drones which […]

The Business of the Future It’s an exciting time to be in the world. Humankind is dipping its toe into an expanding ocean of transformative technological innovation. The popular media is full of headlines claiming that technological innovations in medicine, transportation, finance, manufacturing and service industries are about to transform our lives. Social media is […]

Building Information Modelling (BIM) is a digital representation of physical and functional characteristics of a facility. It is about information that is built up starting from the phase of design, to construction, and finally operations and maintenance, in both geometry and non-geometrical form describing building elements. It is gaining traction around the world, presenting new […]

The old paradigm of Facilities Management (FM) is viewed primarily as a maintenance focused field, with FM team running on regular team schedule, and the use of nuts and bolts to rectify faults and breakdowns. This model has since evolved with technological advancements making great strides, having the ability to aid the facilities manager in […]

Transforming the construction sector to take advantage of the opportunities presented by digital technologies is a global challenge. Singapore has a vision to meet this challenge, but is the industry prepared for the scale of change required? Introduction The use of digital technologies is transforming the global construction industry. New data-led tools and processes are […]

There is not a single aspect of the human experience that has not been touched by technology. Everything from industry, to construction and transportation, to how we work has been fundamentally reshaped by the technologies which emerged in the second half of the 20th century.

Digital technologies such as Building Information Modeling (BIM), Machine Learning and Mixed Reality are set to disrupt the global construction sector over the next few years, raising productivity, boosting efficiency and providing better outcomes for clients. Businesses like Surbana Jurong (SJ) recognize that to succeed, industry must go beyond just introducing new technologies, and focus […]

Modern cities are embracing new digital technologies, the power of data and artificial intelligence to wane populations off the car and onto a new range of more sustainable transport modes. Singapore is leading the way in this challenge with its new strategy to become “car-lite” by 2030.