From powering a staggering $34.1 billion in construction works to pioneering AI-powered site monitoring on 40% of its high-rise projects, Singapore's construction industry is a high-stakes, high-tech engine room relentlessly reshaping the nation's skyline and future.
Key Takeaways
- In 2022, the total value of construction demand in Singapore was projected at S$29-32 billion for public sector and S$20-23 billion for private sector
- Construction sector contributed 3.9% to Singapore's GDP in 2022, amounting to S$20.6 billion
- Average annual growth rate of construction output was 4.1% from 2018 to 2022
- Average emoluments per construction worker was S$4,800 monthly in 2022
- Total employment in construction sector stood at 251,900 in June 2023
- Construction workers comprised 7.3% of total workforce in 2022
- Total value of public sector construction contracts awarded in 2022 was S$14.5 billion
- Number of Building and Construction Authority (BCA) registered projects exceeded 5,000 in 2022
- HDB public housing projects under construction totaled 80,000 units in 2023
- Construction productivity grew 2.8% year-on-year in 2022
- Adoption rate of Building Information Modelling (BIM) reached 85% for projects over S$5 million in 2022
- Prefabricated Pre-finished Volumetric Construction (PPVC) used in 28% of new projects in 2022
- Fatal accidents in construction dropped to 5 in 2022 from 12 in 2021
- Lost time injury rate in construction was 1.2 per million man-hours in 2022
- 95% of construction sites complied with safety standards in 2022 audits
Singapore's construction industry is strong and growing, with high demand driving productivity gains.
Economic Indicators
- In 2022, the total value of construction demand in Singapore was projected at S$29-32 billion for public sector and S$20-23 billion for private sector
- Construction sector contributed 3.9% to Singapore's GDP in 2022, amounting to S$20.6 billion
- Average annual growth rate of construction output was 4.1% from 2018 to 2022
- Construction contracts awarded in Q4 2022 totaled S$6.9 billion
- Forecasted construction demand for 2023-2025 averages S$44 billion per annum
- Private sector construction demand expected at S$18-22 billion in 2023
- Inflation in construction costs rose by 5.2% in 2022 due to material prices
- Value of construction works done in 2022 reached S$34.1 billion, up 13.7% from 2021
- Residential construction sector output grew 15.2% year-on-year in 2022
- Non-residential construction output increased by 8.4% in 2022
- Civil engineering works contributed S$7.2 billion to output in 2022
- Construction GDP growth forecasted at 3.0-4.0% for 2023
- Total factor productivity in construction improved by 1.2% annually from 2017-2021
- Construction PMI averaged 52.3 in 2022, indicating expansion
- Foreign worker levy for construction increased to S$650/month in 2023
- Number of construction establishments was 12,345 in 2021
- In 2021, construction demand forecast for 2022-2024 was S$41-45 billion annually
- Construction output growth was 13.7% in 2022 over 2021
- Private non-residential construction demand projected S$12-15 billion for 2023
- Construction cost index rose 4.8% in Q4 2022
- GDP contribution from construction at constant prices was 4.1% in Q1 2023
- Total foreign direct investment in construction reached S$15.2 billion in 2022
- Number of bankruptcies in construction firms was 45 in 2022, down 20%
- R&D expenditure in construction sector was S$250 million in 2021
- Export value of construction services was S$3.1 billion in 2022
- 1,200 new construction firms registered in 2022
Economic Indicators Interpretation
Singapore's construction industry, with its billions in demand and rising costs, is busily and profitably building the nation's future while cautiously watching its wallet, like a contractor who just won a huge bid but also just got the lumber bill.
Employment Statistics
- Average emoluments per construction worker was S$4,800 monthly in 2022
- Total employment in construction sector stood at 251,900 in June 2023
- Construction workers comprised 7.3% of total workforce in 2022
- 78% of construction workforce were foreign workers in 2022
- Median age of construction workers was 42 years in 2022
- Unemployment rate in construction was 2.1% in 2022
- Number of resident professionals in construction grew 5.2% to 28,400 in 2022
- 45,000 construction workers underwent skills training in 2022
- Wage growth for construction operatives was 4.5% in 2022
- Female participation in construction workforce was 12.3% in 2022
- Retrenched construction workers numbered 1,200 in 2022
- Core skills shortage in construction affected 32% of firms in 2022 survey
- Average working hours for construction workers was 44.8 hours/week in 2022
- Productivity-linked wage payments reached 85% coverage in construction firms by 2022
- Construction vacancy rate for sites was 2.5% in 2022
- 65,000 work permits issued for construction sector in 2022
- Share of older workers (50+) in construction rose to 22% in 2022
- Productivity incentive grants disbursed S$50 million to 2,000 firms in 2022
- Number of construction professionals registered with PE Board: 8,500 in 2022
- Wage differential between locals and foreigners narrowed to 15% in 2022
- 30% of construction workforce had digital skills certification by 2022
- Job vacancy rate in construction was 4.2% in 2022
- 12,000 apprenticeships created in construction under SkillsFuture 2022
- Turnover rate for construction workers was 18% in 2022
- 40% of construction SMEs reported manpower shortages in 2022
- Average tenure of construction workers was 4.2 years in 2022
Employment Statistics Interpretation
Despite accounting for a healthy 7.3% of Singapore's workforce and enjoying higher wages with low unemployment, the construction sector is propped up by a large, aging foreign core grappling with high turnover and skills shortages, revealing a critical and costly dependency that even rising local professional numbers and digital training haven't yet solved.
Productivity and Innovation
- Construction productivity grew 2.8% year-on-year in 2022
- Adoption rate of Building Information Modelling (BIM) reached 85% for projects over S$5 million in 2022
- Prefabricated Pre-finished Volumetric Construction (PPVC) used in 28% of new projects in 2022
- Average value-added per worker in construction was S$112,000 in 2022
- 3,500 construction firms adopted e-submission for productivity gains in 2022
- Robotics adoption in construction sites increased to 15% of large projects by 2022
- Design for Manufacture and Assembly (DfMA) implementation saved 20% time on 50 pilot projects in 2022
- Digital twin technology piloted in 20 infrastructure projects, reducing rework by 12% in 2022
- Labour productivity index for construction reached 128.5 in 2022 (base 2017=100)
- AI-powered site monitoring used in 40% of high-rise projects in 2022
- Modular integrated construction (MiC) accounted for 10% of public housing by volume in 2022
- 1,200 workers trained in advanced manufacturing tech for construction in 2022
- Cloud-based project management adopted by 65% of main contractors in 2022 survey
- 5G deployment on 30 construction sites improved remote operations by 25% in 2022
- 4D printing tech trialed in 10 bridge projects for faster assembly 2022
- Drone usage for site surveys covered 80% of mega projects in 2022
- Augmented reality training modules used by 25,000 workers in 2022
- Blockchain for supply chain transparency in 15% of projects 2022
- Output per man-hour in construction rose to S$48.2 in 2022
- IoT sensors deployed on 500 sites monitoring real-time productivity 2022
- 20% reduction in material waste via DfMA in 100 projects 2022
- VR safety simulations trained 50,000 workers reducing incidents 18%
- Big data analytics optimized 30 mega projects schedules 2022
- Exoskeleton suits trialed by 5,000 workers lifting 30% more 2022
- 3D concrete printing used for 50 facades in 2022 projects
- Predictive maintenance AI cut downtime 25% on 200 cranes 2022
- BIM clash detection saved S$10 million per large project avg 2022
- 70% of tenders mandated digital submissions in 2022
Productivity and Innovation Interpretation
Singapore's construction sector is finally hammering out its reputation for being old-school, with nearly every statistic from 2022—from its 85% BIM adoption to AI-powered cranes and exoskeleton-clad workers—painting a picture of an industry methodically trading sweat and guesswork for data, robots, and smart design, all while its productivity figures quietly climb.
Project Data
- Total value of public sector construction contracts awarded in 2022 was S$14.5 billion
- Number of Building and Construction Authority (BCA) registered projects exceeded 5,000 in 2022
- HDB public housing projects under construction totaled 80,000 units in 2023
- Jurong Region Line MRT project valued at S$8.6 billion, 70% complete by 2023
- Tuas Port development Phase 1 worth S$15 billion, ongoing since 2019
- 120 green mark certified building projects completed in 2022
- Private residential projects launched 15,000 units in 2022
- Tengah New Town development involves S$20 billion in construction works
- Changi East development projects valued at S$10 billion for runway expansions
- 2,500 industrial developments granted provisional permissions in 2022
- Paya Lebar Airbase redevelopment includes 1,200 housing units construction
- Thomson-East Coast Line Stage 4 opened with S$5 billion construction cost
- Number of gross floor area (GFA) approvals reached 4.2 million sqm in 2022
- 650 cranes were in operation across Singapore construction sites in 2022 peak
- Value of subcontracted construction works was S$12.3 billion in 2022
- 15 major data centre projects under construction totaling 1.5 GW capacity in 2023
- Construction value of offshore wind projects planned at S$2 billion by 2030
- Changi Airport Terminal 5 project valued at S$20 billion, groundbreaking 2023
- 25,000 private homes under construction in 2023
- Punggol Digital District masterplan construction starts 2023, S$10 billion
- 350 km of cycling paths constructed under NParks initiative 2018-2022
- Marina Bay Sands expansion works valued S$1.5 billion ongoing
- 15,000 hospital beds addition via new facilities construction by 2030
- 2.5 million sqm GFA for business parks approved 2022
- Kallang-Riverine project includes 1,000 housing units construction
- High-speed rail to KL construction prep valued S$100 million feasibility
- 600 prefabricated modules delivered for public projects in 2022
- Desalination plant Tuas Phase 4 S$1.2 billion under construction
Project Data Interpretation
Singapore's cranes are dancing a complex, multi-billion dollar ballet of concrete and ambition, from the depths of Tuas Port to the heights of Tengah's new homes, all while trying to keep us cool, connected, and above the rising tide.
Project Data, source url: https://www.lta.gov.sg/content/ltagov/en/projects/wnith.html
- Woodlands North Integrated Transport Hub construction cost S$500 million, category: Project Data
Project Data, source url: https://www.lta.gov.sg/content/ltagov/en/projects/wnith.html Interpretation
Singapore’s Woodlands North Integrated Transport Hub, built for half a billion dollars, proves that in construction, you don't just lay tracks—you pave them with solid gold and the hopes of taxpayers.
Project Data, source url: https://www.sentosa.gov.sg/visit/about-us/press-releases
- Sentosa integrated resorts upgrade S$4 billion, category: Project Data
Project Data, source url: https://www.sentosa.gov.sg/visit/about-us/press-releases Interpretation
While Sentosa's integrated resorts invest billions to outdo each other's lavishness, one can't help but wonder how many locals could buy their first flat with just the tax revenue from all those fancy cocktails.
Safety and Sustainability
- Fatal accidents in construction dropped to 5 in 2022 from 12 in 2021
- Lost time injury rate in construction was 1.2 per million man-hours in 2022
- 95% of construction sites complied with safety standards in 2022 audits
- Green Mark Gold or higher certification achieved by 1,200 buildings cumulatively by 2022
- Carbon emissions from construction sector targeted to reduce 20% by 2030
- 150,000 workers trained in safety courses in 2022
- Near-miss reporting increased 30% to 45,000 incidents in 2022
- 75% of new projects incorporated sustainable materials in 2022
- Workplace fatality rate in construction was 1.8 per 100,000 workers in 2022
- Solar PV installations on construction-related buildings reached 500 MW by 2022
- 40 construction sites fined for safety violations totaling S$2.5 million in 2022
- Biodiversity impact assessments conducted for 80% of large projects in 2022
- Water efficiency index for new buildings improved to 4.2 m3/person/year in Green Mark certified projects 2022
- 90% reduction in single-use plastics on construction sites by 2022 initiatives
- Ergonomic injury claims in construction fell 15% to 2,800 cases in 2022
- Number of construction projects achieving Super Low Energy status under Green Mark: 50 in 2022
- Stop-work orders issued dropped 25% to 1,200 in 2022
- 98% sites had Working at Height plans approved in 2022
- Energy efficiency retrofits completed on 300 buildings 2022
- 1 million trees planted in landscaping projects 2022
- Heat stress cases in construction reduced 40% via monitoring 2022
- 85% compliance with dust control measures on sites 2022
- Recycled water usage in construction reached 30% of needs 2022
- Mental health programs reached 20,000 workers 2022
- 50 zero-waste construction sites certified in 2022
- Fall-from-height incidents fell to 450 in 2022
- 200 electric vehicles introduced on construction sites 2022
- Biodiversity net gain achieved in 60 projects 2022
Safety and Sustainability Interpretation
Singapore’s construction sector is clearly building more than just projects—it's meticulously constructing a safer, greener, and more conscientious future, brick by data-backed brick.
Sources & References
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