[SINGAPORE] More than a decade since forming its sustainability steering committee, UOL Group’s sustainability efforts have matured from pioneering “biophilic” building design – addressing the innate love for nature and living things – to a data-driven strategic imperative.
“Sustainability is not static – it’s a living, evolving journey,” said Yeong Sien Seu, UOL’s chief legal and sustainability officer.
The company’s strategy “has matured from green building certification to holistic climate resilience planning, inclusive design and stakeholder engagement”, he told The Business Times. “We now integrate sustainability into every aspect of our business, from architecture and operations to community partnerships and employee engagement.”
UOL and its subsidiary Pan Pacific Hotels Group’s (PPHG) comprehensive approach to sustainability netted them the Impact Enterprise Excellence Award in the large enterprise category at the 2025 Sustainability Awards, jointly presented by BT and UOB, for the second year running.
Take, for example, the growth of PPHG’s “hotel-in-a-garden” concept, which aims to create “vibrant ecosystems that support biodiversity while reducing environmental impact”, and enrich the guest experience. It began with Parkroyal Collection Pickering in 2013, which has 15,000 square metres of sky gardens, waterfalls and planter terraces.
“It was a bold statement, proving that large-scale vertical greenery could be functional, not just decorative,” said Yeong.
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When it came to retrofitting Parkroyal Collection Marina Bay in 2020, a 60,000-square-foot indoor garden atrium was designed. This included an urban farm, for “farm-to-table” experiences at the hotel. This showed that biophilic sustainability could be scaled within a major asset transformation, Yeong said.
In 2023, Pan Pacific Orchard launched with four thematic terraces – forest, beach, garden and cloud – stacked vertically, integrating greenery, water features and open-air social spaces. The property “takes the vision further”.
“The intent has evolved: from proof of concept (Pickering) to transformation (Marina Bay), to next-generation biophilic urban luxury (Orchard),” Yeong said. “These distinctions highlight that while the philosophy is consistent, the execution is always contextual.”
When it opens in 2027, the NoMad Hotel in Singapore is expected to extend the hotel-in-a-garden concept with a cascading water terrace, which will use plants’ abilities to clean contaminated soil, water and air.
The hotel-in-a-garden ethos has also been expanded to some of PPHG’s properties in Kuala Lumpur and China.
The initiative builds on UOL’s broader commitment to integrate sustainability across PPHG hotels’ operations, from eliminating single-use plastics to sourcing local produce.
Sustainability is part of all stages in UOL’s property business, from design and construction to operations and tenant engagement.
UOL has a target of at least Building and Construction Authority (BCA) Green Mark Gold Plus certification in all its new commercial projects. The group also includes in its projects energy-efficient features – such as efficient lighting and heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems – and adopts sustainable construction practices, such as using prefabricated components and environmentally friendly materials.
Sustainability is also a priority when it comes to building management.
Retail property lease agreements, for instance, include Green Mark clauses. Tenants must comply with UOL’s and authorities’ guidelines on energy consumption, participate in sustainability initiatives, and cooperate in energy audits or reviews.
It has introduced green elements at commercial properties at Singapore Land Tower and Odeon Towers, ranging from electric hybrid car parking lots to water-saving fixtures.
Much to measure
PPHG is the first Singapore-based hospitality group to receive Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) Multi-Site certification for all eight of its Singapore properties. It was also awarded this recognition in its six Australian properties, making it the first in Oceania to achieve this standard.
The group identified GSTC accreditation “as a strong business value proposition at the onset”. The certifications demonstrate credibility to guests, investors and partners that its practices meet rigorous global benchmarks, rather than self-declared claims, said Yeong.
UOL similarly uses benchmarks such as International Organization for Standardization certifications and BCA Green Mark ratings to track its sustainability metrics.
But beyond external validation, it also tracks its performance internally.
In 2024, UOL achieved a 15 per cent cut in Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions since 2019, across its owned commercial and hospitality properties. This was even as occupancy rates rose and new properties were added – demonstrating that sustainability targets can coexist with business growth, Yeong said.
UOL is on track to meet its target of a 46 per cent reduction by 2030.
The group also monitors its renewable energy transition. It has equipped six Singapore properties with solar panels that generate 1,086 megawatt hours of solar energy annually, accounting for 1.2 per cent of its total energy consumption. More installations at Pan Pacific Singapore are scheduled to be completed this year.
Keep moving forward
And it continues to plan ahead. In 2024, UOL conducted its first quantitative climate scenario analysis, covering 27 properties representing its largest markets of Singapore, Australia and the UK.
This highlighted several priorities: flood risk assessments and mitigation for low-lying assets; accelerating energy efficiency upgrades; and increasing procurement of renewable energy. It also quantified and provided a clearer picture of climate-risk related financial impacts, affecting asset performance and value.
Most importantly, it allowed UOL to embed climate considerations directly into its enterprise risk management and operations.
“It provides a forward-looking framework that not only guides adaptation today, but also ensures we remain resilient and competitive across different climate futures,” Yeong said. “The studies reinforced that many of our existing initiatives are on the right track, while also sharpening our focus on areas of greatest impact.”
For example, it is installing solar panels and upgrading HVAC systems to accelerate energy efficiency measures; and using retrofitting measures, conservation programmes and rainwater harvesting systems as some properties to address water stress.
In addition to the internal commitment to improve, external pressures also push UOL to do better, Yeong said, pointing to increasing regulatory and stakeholder expectations where it operates.
For example, the push for mandatory climate disclosures and green building targets has accelerated its efforts in Singapore, and in the UK, rental properties must have a minimum C rating for the Energy Performance Certificate by 2030.
UOL’s sustainability mission enhances brand equity, attracts conscious consumers, reduces energy costs and drives operational efficiency, Yeong said, calling it a “key differentiator” that contributes to its reputation and long-term profitability.
UOL and PPHG’s brand equity is “on a level which is much higher than, say, 10 years ago”.
Even as he acknowledged the longer timeline for some benefits to emerge, “requiring patience and perseverance”, Yeong called on companies to treat sustainability as an investment, not a cost.
As he sees it: “UOL is evidence that sustainability is an evolving journey, not a destination.”
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