Built Environment

The growing impacts of global warming and rapid urbanization have amplified the demand for innovative thermal management solutions. Urban areas are particularly vulnerable to rising temperatures due to the urban heat island (UHI) effect, where cities become noticeably warmer than rural regions. This leads to higher energy demands for cooling, resulting in increased electricity consumption, rising energy costs, and a greater carbon footprint. To tackle these challenges, the technology owner has developed an energy-efficient and versatile cooling coating designed to reduce heat absorption on various surfaces. By incorporating uniformly dispersed nanofillers into the coating, this solution effectively maintains cooler interior temperatures, reducing the reliance on energy-intensive cooling systems. Ultimately, it results in a significant energy saving and a lower carbon footprint. The adaptable coating can be applied to buildings, vehicles, greenhouses, and other infrastructure, providing protection against thermal degradation. As sustainability and energy efficiency become increasingly important, this eco-friendly solution aligns with market trends in green building practices, urban heat mitigation, and cost-effective energy management. The technology owner is actively seeking partnerships with relevant industrial partners to explore IP licensing opportunities for this technology.

High-risk industrial sectors, represented by the chemical industries, are prone to experience production safety accidents. When these incidents occur, the consequences can be severe. Traditional risk management methods, often rely on manual processes, have limitations such as insufficient oversight, incomplete management, and ineffective control. These methods also struggle to provide timely pre-incident warnings, active interventions during incidents, and reliable post-incident evidence collection. To address these challenges, the technology owner has developed an intelligent industry solution leveraging cutting-edge artificial intelligence (AI) technologies, such as computer vision, the Internet of Things (IoT), and big data. By integrating enterprise camera systems with algorithms on server platforms, it establishes an advanced risk detection and management platform based on intelligent video analysis. This platform enhances the safety management through comprehensive risk perception and control, proactive hazard identification, predictive warnings, and visual decision-making assistance. Ultimately, it realizes comprehensive safety and intelligent management capabilities for high-risk industrial enterprises. The technology owner seeks collaboration with industrial partners interested in artificial intelligence, such as companies in chemical and energy sectors, as well as hardware providers, such as manufacturers of surveillance cameras, to co-develop and implement this technology to meet specific needs.  

The National Environment Authority (NEA) has highlighted urinal overflow as a common issue in malls and coffee shops, yet effective solutions remain limited. An Intelligent Sanitization Monitoring System is designed to address this challenge while enhancing the performance and reliability of sanitary fixtures. Operates non-intrusively, the system continuously monitors water flow through sanitary fixtures, detecting early signs of blockage. Upon identifying a potential obstruction, it automatically stops water flow to prevent overflows and minimize damage. Additionally, the system tracks and wirelessly transmits usage data to a central gateway, providing more accurate insights than traditional human traffic data. This allows for reduced cleaning frequency and improved water conservation. To further enhance the system, a water meter—whether conventional or non-intrusive—may be installed to monitor potential leakage or abnormal water usage. If there is constant water flow despite the sanitary ware not being in use, it may indicate a leak in the system. Such water monitoring data could be further developed for application in various areas, including but not limited to BTUs, chillers, or even underground pipes. By proactively managing water flow, the system not only protects infrastructure but also conserves water through optimal use. It integrates seamlessly into existing setups, requiring minimal maintenance and offering a cost-effective solution for both residential and commercial environments. This technology reduces maintenance efforts, optimizes manpower, and contributes to a safer, more sustainable environment, providing peace of mind to users and property owners alike.

As global temperatures rise, the increasing demand for cooling has become a critical challenge, particularly in tropical regions. Conventional cooling methods, such as air-conditioning and mechanical ventilation systems, consume significant amounts of electricity and release greenhouse gases, exacerbating global warming. Radiative cooling offers a promising zero-energy alternative by utilizing selective emission of thermal radiation (infrared) to dissipate heat into outer space, effectively lowering the temperature of terrestrial surfaces without heavily relying on air conditioning. The technology offer is a high-performance passive radiative cooling paint (PRCP) with nanoparticles dispersed in a polymeric matrix. Unlike conventional paints, this innovative cooling paint combines high solar reflectivity with high thermal emissivity, reducing surface temperatures below ambient (i.e. below surrounding air temperature). It can reflect incoming solar radiation while simultaneously emit thermal radiation, achieving effective cooling even under direct sunlight. The paint can be applied to buildings and any sky-facing objects to reduce surface temperatures and thereby lower energy consumption and the demand for air-conditioning. When adopted on a large scale, it helps mitigate the urban heat island effect by significantly reducing pedestrian-level air temperatures, improving thermal comfort. In Singapore’s challenging hot and humid climate, this cooling paints has demonstrated the ability to reduce surface temperatures by up to 3⁰C below ambient, providing a proven zero-energy cooling solution. The technology owner is seeking R&D collaboration and test-bedding opportunities with real estate and building owners, developers, architects, facility owners, industrial plant operators, building designers and contractors, and cold chain logistic providers. The technology is also available for licensing to paint developers and manufacturers.

Traditional aluminium production is energy-intensive and increases greenhouse gas emissions. In contrast, recycling aluminium offers a more sustainable alternative, reducing energy consumption and minimising environmental impact. Recycling aluminium can cut carbon emissions by up to 95%, significantly reducing the carbon footprint. This technology aims to promote a circular, sustainable approach by incorporating recycled aluminium into outdoor furniture applications. This technology utilises recycled aluminium pipes of a uniform diameter, reducing material usage and waste. The use of a single angled jig ensures precise and efficient shaping, streamlining the production process without compromising quality. This eco-friendly design is lightweight, weather-resistant, and stackable, making it ideal for both public and private outdoor spaces. With various colours and finishes, it offers long-lasting durability and low maintenance, supporting sustainable manufacturing practices that aligns with modern design standards and promotes a longer product lifecycle. The technology owner is interested to out-license this fabrication technology to furniture companies and further co-develop this sustainable furnishing approach using alternative materials to design eco-friendly furniture.

Clay is a naturally occurring material composed mainly of fine-grained minerals, demonstrating plasticity through a range of water content. Given the low recycling rate of food waste in Singapore (18%), incorporating food waste in existing clay products presents an opportunity to conserve natural resources and develop more sustainable clay materials. This technology involves the development of food waste-incorporated clay, which permits safe biodegradation over time without the use of kiln firing. A selection of food waste is carefully treated and blended into the clay to create sustainable clay with high waste content, high nutrients, great workability, and appropriate shelf-life. Each type of food waste contributes different physical and chemical properties to the clay, affecting its biodegradability and workability. Apart from food waste, a naturally occurring binder is also added to ensure overall biodegradability. By adjusting the formulation of the food waste-incorporated clay, its appearance and other functional properties (such as strength and workability) can be made comparable to conventional clay, with the added benefit of nutrient (calcium, potassium, nitrogen, carbon) leaching capabilities. This creates sustainable, biodegradable clay for various built environment applications. The technology owner is interested in working with companies seeking sustainable clay materials on joint R&D projects, out-licensing and test bedding opportunities .

As global temperatures rise, governments are setting eco-friendly building standards to address concerns about energy consumption and carbon emissions. Improving energy efficiency in buildings, especially in hot climates where cooling demands increase energy use, has become a major challenge. This has driven the need for sustainable and energy-efficient building materials. Aerogels are among the most promising insulation materials due to their large specific surface area (500-1200 m²/g), high porosity (80-99.8%), and ultra-low density (around 0.003 g/cm³). They are amorphous, chemically inert, non-flammable, and exhibit extremely low thermal conductivity (0.01-0.03 W/(m·K)). Silica aerogel (SA) is particularly notable for having the lowest thermal conductivity, making it ideal for building insulation. The technology owner has developed an advanced insulation coating that incorporating in-house fabricated silica aerogel (SA) powders to enhance both thermal and acoustic insulation in buildings. This technology also works with silica aerogel powders purchased externally. Incorporating 20 vol% SA into paint and plaster formulations can reduce surface temperatures by up to 12°C and chamber temperatures by up to 3.3°C, helping to lower air conditioning use and save energy. The coating also improves acoustic insulation, offering a dual benefit. By meeting the growing demand for greener building solutions, this technology offers a competitive edge in reducing energy consumption and improving overall comfort and building performance.   The technology owner is seeking industrial partners for test-bedding and is also open to licensing opportunities for commercialization, especially with construction companies, building material manufacturers, and developers focused on sustainable and energy-efficient construction.

In the construction sector, manual inspections have traditionally been the primary method for detecting water seepage surface defects, a mandatory requirement for construction projects. However, these inspections often suffer from the inherent subjectivity of human judgment, leading to potential inconsistencies and inaccuracies. To overcome these limitations, a handheld water seepage detection system was developed and rigorously tested in collaboration with the Building and Construction Authority (BCA). This innovative system is designed as a portable, intelligent alternative to traditional methods, aiming to enhance the objectivity and reliability of water seepage detection. The system utilizes advanced Long-Wave Infrared (LWIR) thermal sensing technology to accurately detect temperature variations indicative of water seepage. Unlike manual inspections, which can be prone to error, this system offers precise differentiation between genuine water seepage defects and common artifacts found on construction sites, such as glue and paint. By minimizing false alarms, it provides a more dependable and efficient approach to identifying and addressing water-related issues. This advancement not only improves the accuracy of inspections but also ensures that potential water damage is detected early, reducing the risk of costly repairs and enhancing the overall integrity of construction projects.    

Maintaining clean air on ships is crucial for the health and well-being of passengers and crew, as well as for the proper functioning of sensitive equipment. Due to the structural specificity of ships and higher reliance on mechanical air conditioning than natural ventilation, addressing indoor air quality issues is particularly important. Advanced air purification solutions would be able to effectively address a range of airborne contaminants, including particulate matter, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and biological pollutants, ensuring a safer and more pleasant environment on board. A Korean startup has developed an air sterilisation and purification system tailored specifically to the challenges of maritime environments that excels in delivering clean, safe, and compliant air quality solutions. They enhance health and safety, optimise operational efficiency, and contribute to a better overall experience for passengers and crew, while also meeting regulatory requirements and supporting environmental sustainability. The company is seeking collaborators from the maritime and built environment sectors, as well as HVAC and IoT companies, to expand their applications and explore integration of their technologies into existing HVAC systems.