CPG Inks MoU with Nanyang Polytechnic to advance Built Environment workforce

7th September 2023 marked a new milestone for CPG Corporation and Nanyang Polytechnic’s partnership as both parties signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at BEX Asia 2023, solidifying our commitment to advance the built environment workforce in a sustainable manner.

Collaborating with educational institutes such as NYP allows CPG to refine our approach in undertaking future sustainability challenges through experimentation. Our existing partnership with NYP provided the students with knowledge and insights on promoting eco-friendly practices in the industry, such as the reduction of embodied carbon through better use of construction materials. With this MoU, students can look forward to exciting initiatives such as Pre-Employment Training (PET) modules, Continuing Education and Training (CET) courses, applied innovation projects, industry attachments, and internships.

Here is a speech by CPG Corporation’s Chief Innovation Officer Ar. Tan Shao Yen, shared during the MoU Signing Ceremony at BEX Asia.  

CPG and Nanyang Polytechnic's School of Design & Media inked the MoU at BEX Asia 2023 (Image Credit: Nanyang Polytechnic)

Good morning, everyone!

It is with great pleasure that we announce a Memorandum of Understanding between CPG Corporation Pte Ltd and Nanyang Polytechnic.

We at CPG, have continuously sought new ways to promote sustainable practices in all aspects of our services and operations. It is crystal clear that we need to step up our efforts in addressing the challenge of climate change and decarbonising all sectors. Notably, in Greenmark 2021, a new section on Whole Life Carbon has been introduced in the built environment. 

Singapore has been promoting, legislating, and raising the standards for green buildings for many years, since 2005. However, to address the 2030 goal of peaking carbon emission and the 2050 goal of net zero carbon, we need to do a lot more, and there are many more frontiers to tackle. For example, the knowledge and practice of how to tackle embodied carbon, and to account for whole life carbon emission, is still at its infancy. We need to develop effective methods, processes, tools, and to dovetail them into our day-to-day practices, which is already confronted with many current demands and challenges. In recognising such needs, CPG has set up an Innovation Management Office and Sustainability Office, dedicated to developing such practice-friendly methods, processes, and tools. 

For example, we have developed a BIM-based building (B-cube tool) embodied carbon assessment tool, CPG developed the B-cube tool to evaluate a building's embodied carbon value.

I am glad that Nanyang Polytechnics has recognised our efforts and commitment in advancing sustainability practice. A few months ago, they have invited us to share such emerging knowledge in the industry with their students through an elective module. We agreed to the collaboration, as we are convinced by their commitment to equip the students not only with textbook knowledge, which is important, but also current industry knowledge, so that the students acquire knowledge and skills that very relevant and applicable in the industry.

We engaged students in using the B-cube tool to measure existing buildings. The study yielded insights into the embodied carbon levels of construction materials, marking an important step toward comprehending the environmental impact of these materials and promoting eco-friendly practices within the industry.

In return, we also found that such a collaboration is of great help to us, as we could involve Nanyang Polytechnics’ faculty and students to help us experiment and refine our methods, processes, and tools.

Based on such earlier and successful experience, we are entering the collaboration MoU today, with confidence, ready to step up our collaboration through a more comprehensive framework and programming, including:

  1. Co-creation and/or co-delivery and/or co-certification of Competency Modules as part of SDM’s Pre-Employment Training (PET) curriculum using Nanyang Polytechnic’s Professional Competency Model.
  2. Co-creation and/or co-delivery and/or co-certification of SDM’s Continuing Education and Training (CET) courses.
  3. Collaboration on projects.
  4. Industry attachments for SDM teaching staff.
  5. Internships for SDM students.

We believe this collaborative approach ensures that our young talents receive the necessary skills and knowledge to excel in their respective fields and contribute to Singapore's built environment workforce. CPG and NYP will continue to nurture and empower the next generation of professionals through these collaborations.

Thank you!