CDL Clinches Inaugural Company of the Year Award at the BCA Awards 2024
Cementing its leadership in the built environment sector, City Developments Limited (CDL) was conferred the pinnacle Company of the Year Award at the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) Awards 2024, in recognition of its long-standing commitment and contributions to driving enterprise and value-chain transformation. Introduced this year, the Award seeks to spur firms in the sector to go beyond project-level initiatives towards outstanding achievements in their business operations and value chain, as well as workforce transformation at the enterprise level.
Embracing its ethos of ‘Conserving as We Construct’ since 1995, CDL has built a strong track record in sustainable development, pioneering green building innovation and game-changing construction methodology at its developments, while also implementing active asset management strategies to manage the carbon footprint of its commercial portfolio, in addition to stakeholder engagement initiatives to drive mindset and behavioural change within its value chain, from builders and consultants to tenants and end users, as well as the wider community.
Mr Chia Ngiang Hong, CDL’s Group General Manager, said, “As a homegrown developer, we have contributed to shaping Singapore’s skyline and the built environment for over six decades. It is a tremendous honour to be an inaugural recipient of the prestigious Company of the Year Award, which affirms our unwavering commitment towards quality and excellence. Through our continued focus on digitalisation and innovation, we will chart new growth pathways, drive transformation within our value chain and support the shared vision of a future-ready built environment for Singapore.”
In addition to the prestigious Company of the Year accolade, CDL received the Quality Excellence Award, marking its 12th consecutive win since 2013. This award recognises leading progressive developers and builders for their commitment and achievement in delivering high-quality homes through workmanship excellence and quality assurance programmes.
Driving Business and Value Chain Transformation through Digitalisation and Innovation
Innovation has been a key driver in CDL’s business and decarbonisation journey and consistently remains one of the Group’s top-voted material environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues since 2017. In the move towards a low-carbon world, CDL continues to leverage innovation and digitalisation to support business growth and transformation.
Through the implementation of digital tools such as the Common Data Environment (CDE), it has boosted project outcomes by enhancing collaboration and communication in its property development workflow, which involves multiple stakeholders. For its Union Square redevelopment project, CDL has embarked on the CDE pilot and expects to achieve productivity improvements and other beneficial outcomes during the development process.
Since 2022, CDL has also started introducing the use of robots at its worksites, making a significant step forward in the construction process by enhancing precision, safety and efficiency, enabling the completion of complex tasks such as tile grouting and rebar tying with greater accuracy and consistency.
In July 2022, the use of robots for tile grouting was first trialled at its Executive Condominium (EC) project Piermont Grand, and will be implemented at its other EC projects, Lumina Grand and Copen Grand. These robots are utilised by tiling sub-contractors and streamline the process of marking grout lines, which allows for speed and ensures uniformity and accuracy in tile placement.
As an extension of its commitment to enterprise and value chain transformation, the Group has also focused on aligning its major subsidiaries with its decarbonisation and sustainability goals. The Group’s wholly-owned hospitality subsidiary, Millennium & Copthorne Hotels Limited (M&C), recently achieved the esteemed Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) certification for its six hotels in Singapore: Copthorne King’s Hotel, Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel Singapore, M Hotel Singapore, M Social Singapore, Orchard Hotel Singapore and Studio M Singapore.
Securing GSTC certification is aligned with Singapore’s Green Plan 2030 and the Singapore Tourism Board’s Sustainability Roadmap. Some key features implemented by M&C include innovative in-room technology, zero single-use plastic by 2050 and several social impact initiatives.
Asset Portfolio Decarbonisation through Innovative Stakeholder Engagement
To enhance a building’s overall energy efficiency, influencing user behaviour through engagement initiatives is vital. In 2014, the CDL Green Lease Partnership Programme was introduced to support and encourage its commercial tenants to reduce their energy consumption and environmental footprint. Under the programme, tenants are provided support in greening their offices to obtain the BCA Green Mark Office Interior certifications.
Piloted City Green Tenant Bonus Programme at Republic Plaza
In July 2024, CDL piloted its City Green Tenant Bonus Programme, a first-of-its-kind decarbonisation initiative for tenants at its flagship Grade A office building – Republic Plaza. As an extension of CDL’s Green Lease initiative, this programme aims to promote, encourage and incentivise tenants to adopt sustainable practices and effectively reduce energy consumption. Participating tenants will receive energy savings and dollar-for-dollar rebate incentives in the form of CDL vouchers at the end of the 12-month programme, as well as sustainability knowledge and resource support.
Through this initiative, if all qualified tenants collectively achieve a 10 percent energy reduction, Republic Plaza can reduce its annual Scope 3 carbon emissions by up to 264,000 kgCO2e – equivalent to the energy needed to power 150 4-room HDB flats for an entire year. Reducing tenants’ carbon emissions will also help address CDL’s Scope 3 GHG emission source.
Building on its core value of collaboration, CDL is committed to providing resources and knowledge to help tenants reduce energy costs and advance their journey towards sustainability. CDL’s credibility in sustainability will provide a first-in-industry experience to CDL’s tenants, further strengthening the close landlord-tenant relationship.