Singapore government agency JTC Corporation on Tuesday launched a series of sustainability programmes aimed at providing businesses with creative solutions and best practices in addressing urban challenges.
The industrial landlord - known for industrial areas such as the eco-business zone called CleanTech Park – will double its JTC Innovation Fund to S$50 million; partner with government agency Spring Singapore for a joint grant test-bedding sustainable technologies; and work with the Sustainable Energy Association of Singapore (SEAS) to use energy efficient solutions in JTC industrial estates.
These initiatives, announced on the sidelines of the World Cities Summit (WCS) held in Singapore this week, is set to drive innovation, especially in delivering solutions to corporate clients, said David Tan, JTC assistant CEO for the technical and professional services group.
The JTC-Spring Joint Grant Call, in particular, which he announced during the WCS thematic track on “Innovative Urban Solutions for Liveable and Future-Ready Cities”, will provide funds to firms and start-ups that propose solutions matching at least one of three sustainability themes: resource efficiency, sustainable urban solutions, and building efficiency.
Submissions will be assessed based on cost effectiveness, innovativeness and scaleability. The grant will be funded through JTC’s new Industrial Infrastructure Innovation Partnership Programme or Spring Singapore’s existing Capability Development Grant, which is a financial assistance programme for small and medium enterprises.
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We aim to explore and implement smart and sustainable solutions in our new and existing developments, and in turn, our tenants can stand to benefit from energy savings and a greener environment
Heah Soon Poh, JTC assistant CEO for the cluster development group
Tan said it was “timely to launch this grant call at WCS where city leaders and infrastructure experts are gathered”. He added, “We hope this grant call will spur more parties to come forward with ideas that we can help support by providing funding and an environment conducive for test-bedding.”
The JTC Innovation Fund similarly champions worthwhile projects but these do not have to be emerging technologies or fit the theme. The Fund, established in 2010 and has since provided S$20 million to over 40 projects, will be increased to S$50 million over five years. According to the firm, projects funded include optimising land use in industrial parks and accelerating construction time.
In addition, JTC’s collaboration with SEAS will focus on improving eight of JTC’s industrial estates such as the Blocks 15 Woodlands Loop and 20 and 22 Woodlands Link. Under this three-year memorandum of understanding, signed on Tuesday, both JTC and SEAS will review and provide recommendations for these buildings to adopt energy efficiency solutions like the use of solar energy, converting manufacturing waste to energy, and having an energy management and control system.
Through this process, JTC will eventually implement these solutions to the rest of its real estate properties, which will drive down operational costs not only for JTC, but also for the tenants.
JTC assistant CEO for the cluster development group, Heah Soon Poh, said: “We aim to explore and implement smart and sustainable solutions in our new and existing developments, and in turn, our tenants can stand to benefit from energy savings and a greener environment.”
