Starting from next year, HDB will progressively expand the use of robots to carry out painting and skimming works across approximately half of new Build-To-Order (BTO) construction sites, to enhance site productivity¹ and deliver better homes for Singaporeans. These plans were announced by Mr Tan Kiat How, Senior Minister of State for the Ministry of National Development, at the HDB Professional Engagement and Knowledge-sharing (PEAK) Forum on 23 October 2024.

2 “While COVID-19 significantly disrupted HDB’s building programme and delayed flat completions, HDB has pushed hard to complete existing Build-to-Order (BTO) projects delayed by the pandemic and remains on track to offer 100,000 flats by the end of 2025. This is made possible through the strong partnership and support of our contractors and consultants as well as HDB’s drive for innovation in research and development. From 2025, approximately 50 per cent of new BTO sites will progressively adopt robotics solutions to improve construction efficiency. For example, HDB will progressively introduce the use of robotics solutions to carry out painting and skimming works in some BTO projects. Automation and robotics are important enablers for the Built Environment Industry Transformation Map and will transform the way we build,” Mr Tan said.

3 With the rise of robotics, automation, and Artificial Intelligence (AI), HDB has been collaborating with global research and industry partners, investing in research and development, and trialling new technologies to push the boundaries of construction productivity in public housing projects. A key focus area is leveraging robotics solutions and automation to streamline construction processes and achieve improvements in time savings, site productivity, and safety.

Leveraging Construction Robots to Optimise Manpower

4 To reduce reliance on manpower and increase construction efficiency amid a tight labour market in construction, HDB has conducted 10 on-site trials, involving construction robots in BTO projects, since 2023. These trials have provided insights on the technical efficacy and suitability of these solutions. For example, HDB piloted an Architectural Finishing Robot at a site in Yishun North to help automate and speed up labour-intensive tasks such as skimming and painting of interior surfaces. The use of this robot on site has improved trade productivity² by up to 30 per cent (i.e. workers are producing up to 30 per cent more physical output per hour). More details of the 2-year trial are in Annex A. 

5 Building on the positive outcomes of these trials, HDB will progressively expand the use of robots to carry out painting and skimming works in selected BTO projects from next year. These robots are equipped with various sensors that enable them to navigate narrow passageways during the construction phase and achieve precise targeting for painting and skimming tasks. 

6 To assist contractors who are new to the adoption of robotics solutions, HDB will partner suppliers to offer robots with painting and skimming functions at competitive prices via a term contract. This will enable contractors to access these advanced technologies more affordably, and help contractors to accelerate the process of identifying, onboarding, and deploying suitable robots at our sites.  

Construction robots with painting and skimming functions will be used to carry out finishing works on interior surfaces at new BTO sites. 
[Photo credit: BES Global, Innovente Asia Pacific, WeiBuild Technology]

7 Robotics and automation have opened new opportunities for HDB to further streamline construction processes and optimise resources to build quality homes with less reliance on manual labour. We are working with industry partners to identify and implement other innovative solutions in our sites, such as floor levelling robots and robots that can carry out remote inspection of completed flats. 

Boosting Productivity with the Construction Transformation Project

8 In 2022, HDB launched the Construction Transformation Project (CTP) to kick-start the next phase of HDB’s productivity transformation journey towards our 2030 target, adopting various advanced technologies in the design and construction of our BTO projects, Garden Waterfront I & II @ Tengah. The CTP, which is a partnership with construction firm Obayashi Singapore Pte Ltd, aims to realise a 25 per cent improvement in site productivity, compared to other BTO projects. 

Artist’s impression of Garden Waterfront I & II @ Tengah [Image credit: HDB]

9 The innovative technologies tested in Garden Waterfront I & II @ Tengah are expected to yield higher productivity through more efficient use of manpower and resources. The innovations, including those below, will be studied for possible wider-scale implementation in future BTO developments.  

Autonomous Tower Crane integrated with Skyjuster® 

10 To enhance the efficiency, safety, and precision of tower crane operations, AI is being used in the Autonomous Tower Crane integrated with Skyjuster®. AI helps to automate the lifting and transportation of precast components, and adjust the orientation of the suspended components mid-air for greater precision, which speeds up installation of precast components. This will enable HDB to build flats faster and safely, compared to traditional construction methods. More details of the Autonomous Tower Crane integrated with Skyjuster® are in Annex B. 

Crane Machine Guidance

11 Another innovation being piloted as part of CTP is the Crane Machine Guidance technology, which is being used in mobile cranes for the construction of a multi-storey car park. The technology incorporates advanced safety features, thereby enabling two adjacent mobile cranes to operate safely and simultaneously within a confined space, with less manpower. 

12 The GPS system on the mobile cranes defines each crane’s specific operational zones to ensure their safe movement, and the sensors on the crane’s boom provide alerts to the crane operator to ensure that safe distances between the cranes are maintained. Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) sensors on the boom also provide the crane operator with feedback on the vertical accuracy of the hoisted components and detect potential obstructions in the object’s path, therefore facilitating precise and safe component installation without the need for an onsite spotter. 

13 The Crane Machine Guidance technology also provides mobile crane operators with a birds’ eye view of the construction area, eliminating the need for traditional walkie-talkie communication with workers to manoeuvre the boom, and enabling tasks to be carried out safely and with greater precision, in a shorter time.

With the Crane Machine Guidance technology, two mobile cranes can be safely deployed side by side within a confined space. [Photo credit: HDB]

Continued Partnerships with Industry to Improve the Design and Construction of HDB Homes

14 HDB values the close collaborations with industry partners to develop joint solutions that can improve the design and construction of public housing. We will continue to invest in research and development, and leverage the advancement of construction technology to deliver quality HDB homes for Singaporeans. 

¹Site productivity is defined as the amount of constructed floor area completed per man day. A project is deemed to be more productive if more square meters of floor area can be constructed with the same man days. Source: BCA (https://www1.bca.gov.sg/buildsg/productivity/site-productivity/measuring-project-productivity)

 ²Trade productivity is defined as the amount of physical output per man hour, at the trade level. A worker is deemed to be more productive if he produces more output within an hour. The indicator is calculated as follows:

Source: BCA (https://www1.bca.gov.sg/docs/default-source/docs-corp-news-and-publications/publications/for-industry/builders_guide_productivity.pdf)