JTC makes open call for innovative ideas for building management

JTC has launched an open call seeking innovative ideas to increase the productivity and efficiency of managing industrial buildings and developments.

For the first time, it will be casting its net wider to reach out to enterprises, startups and research institutions through crowdsourcing platforms such as IPI Singapore to garner ideas from enterprises and startups.

Selected proposals will be test-bedded or piloted in selected JTC developments. JTC will also help defray the cost of development and test-bedding, up to S$500,000 per proposal. Solutions that are successfully developed and test-bedded may be adopted subsequently by JTC in its various developments.

JTC said on Monday that it hopes that innovative solutions that tap the latest sensor technologies, drones, robotics, automation technology and intelligent building management solutions can be developed to address current challenges in building management, in particular the shortage of manpower for cleaning, maintenance, security and surveillance.

This is part of its efforts to spearhead innovation in managing its suite of innovative industrial infrastructure to support industries and enterprises.

David Tan, assistant CEO of JTC's Development Group, said: "JTC's call for innovation is our way to boost industry research and support companies, especially start-ups, to develop new innovative ideas on infrastructure solutions and bring them to market faster.

"By allowing companies to test the feasibility of their ideas in the real-life environment of our estates and developments, it helps companies to reduce their business risk. We hope to take the lead in the pursuit of sustainability for our industrial estates and buildings."

All proposals will be assessed based on their innovativeness, ease of implementation, scalability, cost effectiveness and economic value-add, and will be completed within a time-frame of two years.