One of Singapore's highly respected construction professional organisations, Construction Professionals Pte Ltd (CPPL), turns 20 in 2023. Since its founding, CPPL has played a significant role in shaping Singapore's skyline and contributing to the betterment of society. With a focus on creating buildings, infrastructures, and spaces that connect communities, provide jobs, and improve society, CPPL has firmly established itself as the partner of choice for numerous iconic projects.
The company was established in 2003 by CPG Corporation, one of Asia's leading full-service professional development consultancy firms, in response to the Singapore building and construction industry's growing need for agility, flexibility, and better resource management.
"We are incredibly proud to mark CPPL's 20th anniversary and reflect on our journey of achievements," says Mr Tan Cheng Chuah, Managing Director, CPPL. "Over the years, we have been privileged to contribute to the transformation of Singapore's skyline, creating iconic buildings and spaces that connect communities and improve lives."
Journey to Shape the Future of Construction
In its early years, CPPL aimed to help clients turn their concepts and aspirations into spaces and structures that stand the test of time. As such, the company focused on delivering a wide range of site supervision and project management services for various construction projects, including commercial, industrial, infrastructure, and residential.
Over the years, the company has consistently demonstrated its commitment to innovation and progress. CPPL became widely recognised for its continued efforts in preparing for the remote site supervision model, ensuring safe and efficient project execution.
CPPL's highly experienced and skilled professionals, including BIM Modeller, BIM Manager, Resident Engineer (RE), Resident Technical Officer (RTO), and Resident Architect (RA), collaborate closely with various stakeholders in every building and construction project to achieve the best possible outcomes.
In the past decade, CPPL also embarked on a journey to help Singapore's built environment (BE) industry to develop the next generation of professionals for the modern construction industry with industry-leading courses and certification programmes.
"As part of the CPG Corporation, which has its roots in Singapore's Public Works Office established in 1833, we have always believed that CPPL had been instrumental in laying the founding standards and practices for safety and quality in the industry," says Cheng Chuah.
"Building on that heritage, we want CPPL to continue shaping the future of construction by empowering our people, our industry and our communities. As such, CPPL is not only highly participative in construction projects, but it is also helping to develop the next generation of modern construction professionals with the most advanced learning and development courses."
The company has trained over 700 individuals in the BE industry. This is a testament to CPPL's dedication to contributing to the development of skilled and modern professionals who can support the industry's further growth.
20 Years of Successful Construction Projects
Over the past two decades, CPPL has completed over 200 projects, establishing a solid track record of delivering high-quality outcomes. Among the notable projects which continue to have a lasting impact on Singapore’s landscape are:
The National Gallery of Singapore showcases the world's largest public collection of Singapore and Southeast Asian modern art. The National Gallery project took almost five years and involved transforming and restoring two national monuments, the former Supreme Court and City Hall.
CPPL provided site supervision services to help the client throughout the project period to ensure that the preservation, restoration and retrofitting of the former Supreme Court and City Hall were undertaken smoothly, efficiently and at the highest quality. The overall project included the installation of micro piles, shoring frames for preserved façades, diaphragm walls and contiguous bored piles, and constructing a three-storey basement and adding ramps to the existing buildings.
Mr Low Tiang Thong, the Resident Technical Officer and Project Site Supervisor for the National Gallery project, explains the challenges of the role. "It was a job unlike any other - for instance, we had to be the 'artist' on this project because, as restorers, our work is just as complicated and requires absolute attention to detail so that the colour, texture and tonality are accurate."
Working alongside a multicultural team from the world over, Mr Low ensured that the collaboration was smooth, processes were delivered according to tender specifications, and work was completed with quality. "It was a great team effort, and I'm proud to have been on this project - this is my engineering contribution to Singapore. I'm happy that the next generation of Singaporeans can enjoy and appreciate this new National Gallery that came from a big part of Singapore's history," beams Mr Low.
CPPL has delivered many healthcare institutions in Singapore, including the Ng Teng Fong General and Community Hospital and Sengkang General Hospital. The company is also immensely proud of its work for the National Centre of Infectious Diseases (NCID) which took just four years from breaking ground in November 2014 to receiving its first patients in 2019.
Officially opened on 7 September 2019, NCID is a 14-storey, 330-bed purpose-built facility set up by the Ministry of Health of Singapore (MOH) to enhance infectious disease outbreak management and public health preparedness. During the pandemic, NCID was at the forefront of Singapore's COVID-19 outbreak efforts with its integrated functions involved in the nation's response to the coronavirus and supported MOH in making evidence-based policy decisions.
Another notable project is the magnificent State Courts which opened in late 2019, comprising two high-rise towers connected by a series of link bridges. This 35-storey two-tower complex accommodates 53 courtrooms, 54 hearing chambers, and many facilities, including a business centre, heritage gallery, and library.
From 2014 to 2019, CPPL provided site supervision services with a team of highly experienced, highly qualified and well-trained RTO, RE and RA for on-site support throughout the project duration.
CPPL has also helped to shape living spaces and environments in Singapore with many private and public projects. One of its outstanding projects is SkyVille @ Dawson for the Housing and Development Board of Singapore (HDB). As stated by HDB, Skyville @ Dawson is "a new generation of public housing aimed at building a greener living environment, a cohesive and vibrant community, and family-friendly living through good design and fresh architectural ideas."
This remarkable project draws from the concept of "Sky Villages", with a cluster of 80 homes sharing a naturally-ventilated Sky Garden in each "village". In total, there are 12 Sky Villages, offering residents a variety of community spaces to enjoy interactions with neighbours amid greenery and nature. Additionally, SkyVille @ Dawson offers spectacular views of the Queenstown estate.
This residential project includes sustainability elements, such as natural ventilation and sun shading to keep common areas and apartments cool, rooftop solar panels to generate power for common areas, and a system to harvest and filter rainwater for landscaping.
The company has also contributed to the development of prominent landmarks, including Jurong Lake Gardens, one of Singapore's national gardens in the heartlands, Academia, a modern building located in the Singapore General Hospital Campus that is designed to facilitate interconnectivity among clinical scientists, researchers, pathologists, educators and medical students, and Bulim Square, a JTC development located within the vibrant ecosystem of Jurong Innovation District that supports advanced manufacturing and Industry 4.0 and fosters innovation and technological advancements.
Contribution to Our People, Industry, and Communities
Since its founding, CPPL has always been committed to its people, industry, and communities. Through its continued support and engagement with its talented, skilled and highly experienced professionals, CPPL professionals received the prestigious Exemplary Site Supervisor Awards in 2016 and 2018 from the Building and Construction Authority of Singapore. These awards also highlight CPPL's commitment to maintaining high standards of quality and safety.
The company is also focused on pursuing ISO 22301, Security and Resilience – Business Continuity Management Systems to enhance its operational resilience. This certification will be in addition to the stable of certifications, including ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management Systems(QMS), ISO 14001:2015 Environmental Management System (EMS), ISO 45001:2018 Occupational Health and Safety (OHS), and Singapore bizSAFE certification, a programme supported by the Ministry of Manpower and designed to help companies build workplace safety and health capabilities.
One of CPPL's significant milestones for the BE industry was the launch of its Building Information Modeling (BIM) services, a foundation for Integrated Digital Delivery (IDD). The company provided its clients access to BIM services deployment and became an Autodesk Accredited Training Centre to offer industry-leading BIM training courses for AEC professionals keen to enhance their careers.
CPPL's dedication to IDD is further demonstrated through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Specialists Trade Alliance of Singapore (STAS). As one of four registered IDD Specialist Service Providers (SSPs), CPPL upholds the highest standards of quality and service in the construction value chain, as endorsed by STAS.
Beyond its professional endeavours, CPPL actively engages with its local communities through staff activities in support of Singapore's Clean and Green Week, Earth Hour 2023, and Water Month. These social and environmental responsibility activities enhance the lives of the people living, working or studying in the community.
Moving Forward with the Modern Construction Industry
Looking ahead, CPPL acknowledges the importance of being adaptive to disruptions and changes in the industry, such as pandemics and cybersecurity threats. Since 2019, the company has developed an Operational Transformation Roadmap (OTR) as part of its efforts to grow and transform with the changing industry.
One of the key elements of the OTR is technology adoption. CPPL is embracing technology to remain agile and participative in the BE industry. Over time, the company aims to be a technology company that is also the preferred choice for construction supervision and the employer of choice in the growing built environment industry.
"As we look to the future, we are excited to embrace technology, innovate our processes, and continue being a leader in the industry," says Cheng Chuah. "Our commitment to delivering quality, reliability, and integrity remains unwavering. We are confident that CPPL will thrive as a technologically-savvy company which shapes the BE industry's future."
"We extend our gratitude to our clients, partners, and employees for their unwavering support, and we look forward to the next chapter of our journey. Let us leave a lasting positive impact in our industry and beyond together."