With a gamut of strategic projects in the pipeline, such as the upcoming Changi Airport Terminal 5 and future-forward industrial parks designed to support digital economies, advanced manufacturing and clean energy industries, the demand for facilities management (FM) in Singapore is accelerating at a rate that demands a rethink of how the sector operates.
“The growth in FM talent is not keeping pace,” observes Derrick Ong, director of Facilities & Estates Management (Public) Division at JTC. “The private sector is also grappling with manpower shortages, struggling to attract staff for traditional FM tasks.” An ageing workforce further exacerbates the problem, threatening to increase costs while decreasing service standards, safety and operational efficiency.
“To remain viable and future-ready, the FM industry must embrace change. This means leveraging technology, digitalisation, and AI,” he adds. “Not as optional enhancements, but as essential components of our operations.”
AI and data: Pushing the boundaries of FM
AI is already reshaping FM operations today, supporting strategic outcomes in several ways. It can enhance personnel capabilities, optimise productivity, and embed sustainability into building management practices.
As the FM Centre of Excellence (CentEx) for the Singapore Government, JTC works with an ecosystem of partners to chart new directions for the sector. Whether established MNCs or startups, these collaborations have seen AI applied across predictive lift maintenance, smart pest control, facial recognition, vehicle plate recognition, and robotics for cleaning and security.
However, the transformative business potential of AI lies in moving beyond isolated solutions towards a collaborative digital ecosystem. JTC's blueprint for this is the Digital Maturity Map (DMM), developed with the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) for systematic transformation.
Digital Maturity Map: Encouraging integrated, data-driven operations
Built on the principle that data sharing drives transformation, the framework creates structured pathways across three tiers.
“At the foundation, digitally ready vendors provide ground-level data through sensors, robotics, and AI algorithms that support predictive maintenance and smarter decisions,” says Derrick. Facilities management companies (FMCs) then integrate this data into their systems to manage operations across multiple buildings and estates. For digitally ready buildings owners, they can drive positive outcomes through evidence-driven insights.
“To unlock the full value of these efforts, we need a common backbone. This is where the Open Digital Platform, or ODP, comes in,” Derrick shares. Acting as a “system of systems,” ODP allows data from different trades to be shared seamlessly.
Set to power next-generation estates such as the Punggol Digital District, the ODP works with a digital twin and AI to gather insights. How it works is simple: the digital twin turns raw data into a real-time visual model, while AI uncovers patterns, optimises energy use, and supports lifecycle planning. “These insights can be shared back with FMCs and vendors, creating a feedback loop that lifts the performance of the entire ecosystem,” Derrick observes.
Driving industry transformation together
The challenges in FM are not one-dimensional, and they cannot be solved by FM stakeholders alone. “To truly shape FM's future, we must start with the end in mind,” explains Derrick. “This means considering how buildings will be operated and maintained right from the design stage.”
This creates opportunity for the entire built environment sector. Architects, engineers, and contractors must design with the future caretaker in mind, building in sensors, connectivity, and data pipelines for autonomous management.
By forging close partnerships with technology companies and startups, the FM industry can explore innovative R&D solutions that address current challenges whilst building capabilities for future demands. These partnerships create a dynamic ecosystem where established expertise meets cutting-edge innovation.
Lastly, outcome-based contracting such as JTC's FM contracts can be structured to encourage and incentivise successful technology adoption, ensuring that digital transformation delivers tangible benefits to all stakeholders.
“Our vision is ‘Towards Zero Operations’,” explains Derrick. “This vision is ambitious, but it’s the direction we need to take if we want FM to be both effective and sustainable.”
