{"data":{"news":{"items":[{"title":"How robotics and automation will redefine Singapore’s construction sector: Lessons from Japan","date":"2026-02-04 00:02:18","id":6182,"author":"","blurb":"","blurb_image_uid":"https://dxfpracgmlczp.cloudfront.net/2026/02/1770098638923_IMG_1452 copy.jpg","blurb_expanded_image_uid":null,"article":"\n\t\n\n\n

The use of robotics and automation (R&A) technologies in Singapore, such as the painting robots and autonomous tower crane for public housing projects, shows how far the local construction industry has come. These advanced solutions are changing the way contractors build, significantly improving productivity, safety and sustainability on the jobsite.

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This year, Singapore’s construction demand is projected to stay strong, reaching S$47-53 billion, and an average of S$39-46 billion is expected over the medium term. “It’s a pretty high number for us, which means there’s going to be a lot of activities going on, but also many opportunities for us to raise productivity, drive sustainability, digitalisation, etc,” said Jonathan Cheng, chief technological officer at the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) during the Construction Innovation Forum 2026.

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The Forum, held on 23 January at the BCA Academy Braddell Campus, was organised by BCA in partnership with Takenaka Corporation, Aktio Corporation and the RX Consortium. Besides attending the seminar, participants were also able to see a variety of Japanese construction innovations and R&A technologies, including a tower crane remote control system, curtain wall installation machine, material handling equipment, cleaning and marking robots, and indoor drones, to name a few.

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“There will be some support for companies to adopt these solutions,” said Mr Chen, referring to the new tranche of Productivity Solutions Grant (PSG) that was recently announced by Singapore’s Minister for National Development. The grant has been expanded to incorporate advanced equipment such as R&A, and will be available from 1 April 2026.

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At the Forum, a number of Japanese companies shared their experiences and insights on adopting R&A solutions and discussed the future of the technologies. (Scroll down to the bottom to view a quick video and more photos of the event).

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Industry transformation through collaboration

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Like Singapore, Japan’s construction industry is currently facing critical challenges. Among them are severe labour shortages and ageing workforce demographics, high physical demands and safety risks in construction work, increasing project complexity and quality requirements, pressure for faster delivery and cost efficiency, and the need for sustainable and environmentally responsible construction, shared Kotaro Nara, senior manager for construction planning at Takenaka’s Asia regional headquarters.

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To help solve these challenges, “the construction industry needs to move away from the ‘3D’s’ – demanding, dirty and dangerous – and transform into a workplace that offers highly productive, attractive and rewarding work,” said Rikuta Murakami, senior executive managing officer and chief technology and digital officer at Takenaka, who is also chairman of RX Consortium.

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Mr Murakami stressed that “to enhance the attractiveness of the construction industry, it is important for everyone to collaborate and work together in a co-creative manner.”

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“Transforming the construction industry cannot be achieved alone,” added Mr Nara. “Designers, builders, robot manufacturers, and startups must come together to form a powerful ecosystem.”

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The collaboration among Japanese construction industry stakeholders is evident in the establishment of RX Consortium, which already has over 300 member companies. These comprise contractors and sub-contractors, rental and machinery companies, trading businesses, and more. They work together to revolutionise the industry through the development of construction robots and digital technologies.

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One innovation from the consortium is the tower crane remote control system ‘TawaRemo’, developed by Takenaka in partnership with Aktio and Kajima Corporation. It aims to provide a better, more comfortable working environment for the crane operators, as they don’t need to climb up to the high-altitude cab.

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By installing the system on compatible tower cranes, the operators can control all functions from a remote cab on the ground. For a short-distance remote operation within the jobsite, it is possible to use a local network such as a wired or Wi-Fi line.

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Mr Nara said the future vision is to operate cranes from outside the construction site, and for this, collaboration with relevant authorities and establishment of regulations (e.g. safety regulation) are important.

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Another innovation is the ‘Advanced Wall Lifter’, introduced Mr Nara. The machine streamlines the installation of curtain walls and other exterior panels. It requires “less workspace, less preparation and less workload” compared to the traditional method.

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Mr Nara also mentioned that deploying digital construction technologies will involve having a new job category on-site, construction robot platform and collaboration with global technology providers.

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“It is our mission to advance robotics technologies in harmony with digital platforms and improve productivity and safety across construction sites,” affirmed Mr Nara.

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Meanwhile, the semi-automated robotic transport dolly ‘Movilo’ has been jointly developed by Aktio, Obayashi Corporation and Sakai Denki. It is available for use in Singapore.

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This robotic dolly features a load capacity of up to 1,000 kg and is easy to control, shared Shigeru Oishi, head of overseas department at Aktio, a global equipment rental company that offers rental and consulting (‘rensulting’) services.

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According to Hajime Onojima, executive officer and head of Technology Research Institute (TRI) at Obayashi, Movilo is “simple to implement, making it an ideal first step towards site robotisation.” The unit is compact and lightweight (270 kg), “allowing it to slide under loads for easy loading. Plus, it is easy to operate with a game-like controller, and can overcome steps on-site and move freely in all directions (360°).”

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Mr Onojima further highlighted Obayashi’s PLiBOT (pliability robotics platform) business, which provides multiple autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) for tasks such as transportation, cleaning and security. In addition, it offers a service that centrally manages these robots through a single integrated control platform.

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Obayashi set up its Construction-Tech Lab in Singapore in 2024, serving as the company’s overseas R&D base for the Asian region. It focuses on advanced technologies like 3D printing and R&A, through partnerships with regional industry players and educational institutions.

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Reiterating the importance of collaboration, Mr Onojima said, “To transform the construction industry, we must first transform ourselves – shifting from competition to co-creation (collaborative harmony).”

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Challenges and opportunities

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As R&A technologies are relatively a new area in construction, their application still poses many challenges for contractors. Mr Onojima revealed the gaps found during Obayashi’s robot deployment practices. “It is unclear what checks are considered necessary and sufficient when implementing robots,” he said.

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“Even if certification is not required, the lack of explicit confirmation creates concern at the operational level. Also, design principles suitable for construction robotics are not yet consolidated.”

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With that in mind, Mr Onojima believes a technical reference is needed for construction robot deployment. “We propose forming a working group for the technical reference.”

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During the panel discussion, Xu Xuping, managing director of CTR Holdings Ltd – a Singapore contractor specialising in structural engineering and wet architectural works – talked about challenges and opportunities in the local market.

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Approximately 50% of new BTO (build-to-order) public housing projects in Singapore now utilise automated finishing systems, noted Mr Xu. Examples of such solutions include robots for painting, skimming, tiling and grouting. Semi-autonomous excavators and ‘machine guidance’ cranes are also deployed on some major sites.

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However, several obstacles remain. “Robots are perfectionist, but construction sites are not,” said Mr Xu, calling it a “precision gap”. Bringing robots into a lift is another difficulty. “Think about how hard it is for people to squeeze into a crowded lift; now imagine robots try to do it autonomously.”

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“Robots are also a massive investment and smaller companies feel the financial pinch the most.” For this, Mr Xu shared that CTR has tapped on the BCA grant to help reduce the cost of its robots.

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He added that “we have the robots, but not the ‘pilots’ – there is a massive skills gap in the current workforce. We need to have a trained robot supervisor. Moving forward, I think we need a more digitalised workforce.”

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Lastly, Mr Xu pointed out “the risk of getting hacked. Now that the building sites are connected to the cloud, they have become cybersecurity targets.”

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For Aktio, safety training courses are necessary to ensure proper use of the equipment and prevent site accidents. As robotic technologies increase and their adoption becomes widespread, Mr Oishi encouraged the industry to address laws and regulations in this field.

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“For example, in the case of TawaRemo [tower crane remote control system], it would be very dangerous to simply allow operators with just a tower crane operating licence [to carry out the operation],” said Mr Oishi. “I think we need to discuss initiatives for new qualifications based on systematic training.”

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Exploring the future of R&A technologies, Mr Oishi emphasised that “it is very important to think and nurture this sector from a longer-term perspective. We will continue to work with government agencies, BCA, and the consortium companies to solve any problems and move forward together.”

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“I think the future isn’t being built by robots alone, but it’s being built by firms and companies that know how to use robots, and lead them,” said Mr Xu.

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Note: The new tranche of BCA’s Productivity Solutions Grant (PSG) will be available from 1 April 2026. It has been expanded to include advanced equipment such as robotics & automation (R&A). More details here.

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Singapore’s Building and Construction Authority (BCA) has announced winners of the Company of the Year Award 2025 during the International Built Environment Week (IBEW) 2025 event, which took place on 3-5 September.

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This award recognises companies that have demonstrated the greatest commitment and efforts to transform. It seeks to spur companies to go beyond project-level initiatives and achieve business and workforce transformation at the enterprise level.

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Revealed at the IBEW Industry and Awards Dinner on 3 September, this year’s winners are Kimly Construction (Small & Mid-Sized Firms category) and Kajima Asia Overseas (Singapore) (Large Firms category).

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Kimly: creating a future-ready company

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Kimly Construction Pte Ltd is a homegrown contractor, founded in 1965 and incorporated in 1975. The company started out by carrying out alteration & addition (A&A) works managed by the Singapore Public Works Department (PWD) in the 1970s and quickly built a reputation for good quality works. In the 1990s, Kimly was at the forefront of undertaking design & build (D&B) projects adopted by private developers and government agencies.

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Today, Kimly is one of the most progressive builders in Singapore. It constantly invests in the latest innovations and the best talents to ensure every project is delivered successfully. Kimly continues to build upon its track record by constantly striving to ensure high standards of quality and safety. The company works closely with its clients and partners to establish strong lasting relationships.

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Kimly has actively and intentionally moved towards becoming a future-ready construction company. This has been done through the adoption of advanced technologies and continuous improvement of its construction and management capabilities. The company has made it a priority to create a digital ecosystem that enhances the operational efficiency of its staff while strengthening collaboration across all project teams. As part of its digital strategy, Kimly has integrated BIM across multiple dimensions, from 2D to 8D, which transforms how the company plans, coordinates and executes projects.

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Apart from being recognised as one of ST’s Best Employer 2025, Kimly was also awarded the Tripartite Alliance Award 2023 for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices. The company values its employees and provides a clear structured career path for its staff – besides customised skill development roadmaps for all levels of the organisation. In addition, Kimly supports its staff to mentor other talents in the ecosystem via the Singapore Contractors Association Limited (SCAL) Young Leaders Programme and through collaboration with other tertiary institutions. As a forward-looking organisation, Kimly recognises that the business is not just about fulfilling the orders of today but also about developing the future construction workforce.

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Kajima: investing in technology and people

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Kajima Overseas Asia (Singapore) (KOAS) is a Grade A1 contractor and has been involved in several iconic projects, such as the UE Square, Marina Bay Financial Centre and Resort World Sentosa, to name a few. Since 2020, KOAS has focused heavily on utilising digitalisation and advanced technology in its projects, including The GEAR, The Woodleigh Residences & the Woodleigh Mall, and MOHH’s Integrated Care Hub. As a member of Kajima Corporation, KOAS is part of an established worldwide network and supported by the Kajima Technical Research Institute.

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In addition to implementing integrated digital delivery (IDD) in its construction projects, KOAS has adopted a common data environment (CDE) within the organisation to consolidate processes and assets including document management, site progress and safety, project scheduling and BIM models. Through these efforts, the company developed a robust and accurate knowledge bank to be more accurate and efficient across project teams.

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Together with The GEAR, KOAS tests and pilots new solutions, such as AI software to improve the efficiency in its company and during construction. One example is the use of AI and robotic process automation to automate repetitive tasks in areas like finance and administration, human resources, project management and document management. On site, KOAS has adopted tools including AI-enabled video surveillance systems and AI-powered image processors to transform site photos and videos into comprehensive 3D digital twins.

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KOAS recognises that besides investing in technology, there is a need to invest in its people. The company has set up strong employee development programmes for all levels within its organisation – from interns, to graduates, and up to the leadership level. Furthermore, the company conducts in–house training on a regular basis for all staff to keep up to date with new ways of working. KOAS also taps on its global network to hold a Yearly Japan Exchange Programme to facilitate knowledge transfer.

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Kajima Technical Research Institute Singapore (KaTRIS) is the global R&D hub of Kajima Corporation, a leading construction company in Japan with operations around the world. Established in September 2013, KaTRIS not only promotes Kajima’s technologies but also proposes solutions to create new values for buildings and infrastructures.

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Come 2023, KaTRIS will be part of The GEAR (Kajima Lab for Global Engineering, Architecture & Real Estate) in Singapore – which will serve as the company’s Asia Pacific headquarters. Here, KaTRIS will conduct R&D and open innovation on advanced construction technologies, including robotics, digitalisation and automation, as well as testbed sustainable and wellness technologies.

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The changing landscape of Singapore construction

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In recent years, the Singapore government has been putting emphasis on the integrated digital delivery (IDD) process. “It is one of the key thrusts for the construction industry in empowering the private sector to adopt related technologies,” explained Dr Chae Soungho, chief research engineer at KaTRIS.

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“As a result of such initiatives, Singapore has established one of the most advanced environments for the construction industry, particularly in areas such as infrastructure, solutions, and databases to implement digitalisation. This is evident from the swift adaptation to new requirements around worker management as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic last year.

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“Personally, I would find it difficult to assume that the construction industry will make a quick recovery from the current situation. With border control measures still being enforced and supply chains still recovering from the aftermath of the pandemic, there is a crucial need for companies to invest in innovative digital technologies and processes to mitigate the impact of the pandemic, accelerate productivity, and improve revenue.”

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One of the latest digital technologies that has changed the landscape of the construction industry in Singapore is reality capture, revealed Dr Chae.

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“Reality capture technology has dramatically improved over the years, becoming more affordable and more automated, accessible to everyday users, not just specialists. 3D reality capture enables users to replicate the on-site environment and turn this into virtual 3D models that can be viewed and accessed remotely.

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“This allows for detailed overviews of construction projects, which can be shared with multiple stakeholders such as architects, designers and site engineers to identify design errors before construction starts.”

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According to Dr Chae, KaTRIS was the first in Singapore to invest in Leica’s BLK2GO handheld 3D imaging laser scanner, which is very easy to use with ‘push button’ simplicity to capture detailed point cloud data in tight spaces and areas.

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“In one of our projects, we used Leica BLK2GO to map out interference points of an old heritage tree. Using Leica’s Cyclone Register and Publisher software, we processed the point cloud data to produce a highly accurate BIM model, which allowed us to adapt our design without having to damage or cut the tree,” said Dr Chae, highlighting the benefits of the technology.

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“This provided increased accuracy at significantly shorter survey times as BIM models could now be generated in minutes instead of days. Previously, we would need to get a surveyor to manually take hundreds of reference points to perform verification checks, making it an extremely long and tedious process prone to human error.”

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Another construction method in Singapore that is growing in popularity is prefabricated prefinished volumetric construction (PPVC). “It enables contractors to manage workers off-site despite the pandemic and social distancing measures that needed to be implemented,” noted Dr Chae.

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“Our investments in sensing technologies, such as Leica’s BLK2GO’s GrandSLAM technology, have allowed us to further increase productivity of this construction methodology by checking the assembled PPVC modules for tolerance in a significantly shorter amount of time.”

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KaTRIS acts as a ‘technical bridge’

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With Singapore’s construction industry undergoing digital transformation, accelerated by the pandemic, KaTRIS is set to play an important role in this new era.

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“We see KaTRIS’ role as being a technical bridge to connect and support both the technology and site team. At KaTRIS, we have the knowledge and know-how to spearhead the use of new technologies for streamlining the workflow processes. This includes clarification of on-site issues, feasibility study, solution planning and designing, on-site testing, training, and supporting workers,” explained Dr Chae.

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“We have worked with industry partners such as Leica Geosystems to pilot and introduce innovative technologies, like light detection and ranging (LiDAR), simultaneous localisation and mapping (SLAM), and Scan-to-BIM technologies to help drive productivity in this sector.”

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In addition, KaTRIS has recently rolled out a zero-energy building design method for one of the construction projects in Singapore. “Using a mix of smart construction technologies and solutions, we supported the implementation of a hybrid cooling system that allowed for sustainable outcomes in the construction industry,” said Dr Chae.

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“We’ve also developed a suite of solutions with our industry partners to improve productivity in PPVC installation. One instance of this is the adoption of Leica’s BLK2GO handheld imaging laser scanner to increase the quality of our PPVC models' installation, such as through the collection of accurate point cloud data for tolerance checks and the scanner’s ease of integration with BIM.”

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Dr Chae shared that KaTRIS plans introduce more new technologies, including construction robots supporting manual processes like concrete finishing, rebar tying and material handling.

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“Traditionally, workers had to use various manual construction tools for concrete finishing, such as polishers, grinders and brooms to achieve the desired results. This resulted in longer project times with added cost to labour. With the concrete finish robot, we hope to automate this process and cut down the time required to execute this process.

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“We are also looking to roll out 5D project control solutions to integrate the entire project life cycles' management through accurate data models to drive smarter and more informed decisions.”

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The construction of The GEAR in Singapore is expected to be the first known application of a comprehensive suite of robotics solutions by Kajima outside Japan. “These robotic solutions are developed alongside our collaboration partners which look to automate the process of working with concrete, finishing and inspection,” said Dr Chae.

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“For example, we are looking to deploy an autonomous laser scanning solution that combines Leica’s reality capture technologies with an agile mobile robot to increase scanning efficiency and productivity.

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“Similarly, by incorporating some of our latest construction developments, such as VR/AR solutions for the remote project control and autonomous material handling robots on site, we hope that this project will demonstrate the practical effectiveness of robotics solutions in supporting the future of construction.”

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Asia calling

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Dr Chae pointed out that when KaTRIS was founded in 2013, Singapore was chosen as the location due to its advanced environment in the construction sector as well as ease of deployment of Kajima’s technologies in the region. “The country also has an advanced pool of talent that can support the drive for digitalisation in the sector.”

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KaTRIS has since extended its footprint in Southeast Asia through collaborations with universities and companies. This is part of a wider effort to expand its presence further in the region.

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In Malaysia, KaTRIS has implemented image analysis technologies to study geological conditions in tropical regions in order to mitigate geological risks before construction. Additionally, in Indonesia, KaTRIS has participated in a governmental research grant with local partners to introduce its methane fermentation technology in order to realise a sustainable waste-to-energy society.

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“Similarly, we are looking towards developing better visualisation of data by harnessing the concept of digital twin technologies. With Leica’s BLK2GO handheld all-in-one imaging LiDAR system, we are leveraging the potential of having up-to-date real-world data for better data-driven decisions to improve the construction process.“

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As digital technologies are making their way across Asia, the future of the construction industry in the region looks promising. KaTRIS is well positioned to ride on this wave.

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“We are currently looking at plans to explore different markets in Asia and the region beyond Singapore and Japan. While no concrete decisions have been made, we are looking at venturing into innovations and technologies in further fields with regional industry partners from a long-term perspective,” said Dr Chae.

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“As a vibrant and diverse region, Southeast Asia provides immense potential for us to share our technical expertise and solutions to meet the different needs of each country. In that same vein, we also take these opportunities to collaborate and learn from our partner countries to drive innovation and sustainability within the industry.”

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Images: Kajima Corporation

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