Singapore’s burgeoning clean technology industry is getting a new business park that will be the city-state’s greenest and will help create 20,000 green collar jobs by 2030.
The park, to be built in three phases for $52 million, will feature cutting-edge technologies such stormwater recycling, solar power generation and buildings with the highest standard of environmental performance set amidst a lush green landscape.
It will also serve as Singapore’s first large-scale integrated development that allows firms to easily test-bed their cleantech products and solutions –especially those catered for the tropics – before it is commercialised for the market.
Industrial landlord JTC Corporation and the Economic Development Board (EDB) unveiled the masterplan for this 50 hectares (ha) Cleantech Park on Thursday at the JTC Summit.
In comparison, the other 2 business parks developed by JTC are the International Business Park (39 ha) and Changi Business Park (71 ha). JTC said the park is a first for the tropical belt region.
This marks the first step towards the fruition of an idea first mooted in 2008 by a high-powered panel of clean energy experts appointed by the EDB. The panel had recommended that Singapore cement its position as a global clean energy hub by setting up just such a cleantech park.
Infrastructure works on the park’s first phase, spanning 17 ha, will begin in July. It will offer 425,000 sq m of built-up space and is due for completion by 2018.
The park is located at Nanyang Avenue, next to the Nanyang Technological University, which will also be the park’s first tenant.
EDB deputy manging director Tan Choon Shian said NTU will be locating some research activities in the park, and that EDB is also in talks with local and international firms to locate there.
JTC chief executive Manohar Khiatani added: “We’re confident at the level of interest we’ve received, so we felt that that we should start this rolling.”
The global cleantech industry is reported to be worth over US$700 billion (S$988 billion) and Singapore has identified this as a key pillar of its economy.
EDB expects the sector to contribute S$3.4 billion to Singapre’s GDP and employ 18,000 people by 2015. To date, the industry has already created some 9,000 jobs, said EDB’s Mr Tan.
Mr Khiatani said that he hopes the park will attract not just cleantech companies, but also those with strong green practices who want to identify with the park’s sustainability theme.
“More companies are looking for eco-friendly environments, so we decided to launch this new park. It will have ecological features that are also economical, and its proximity to NTU will also give it an advantage,” he said.
JTC said the space at the park will be priced competitively to attract tenants. When completed, the park will house some 20,000 jobs on a site that offers 1 million sq m of business space.
JTC will also be preserving the site’s current biodiversity and natural undulating terrain. One of the innovative ideas it will test-bed is called ‘Sky Trellis’ where trellises (interwoven pieces of wood or bamboo) are built between the top of buildings and covered with plants to keep temperatures down, provide shade and encourage walking.
It will soon launch the park’s first building although details are not available yet. The next two phases is scheduled for 2019 and 2026 respectively although this can be accelerated if needed, it added.
EDB’s managing director Beh Swan Gin added that the park will “foster the clustering of like-minded companies in one location… thereby promoting the cross-fertilisation of knowledge and ideas” to develop cleantech solutions.
