The Singapore Sports Hub is more than just a world-class venue for sports and entertainment—it’s also a shinning example of how green innovation can reshape urban environments. With its integrated green features and sustainable operations, it’s setting a new standard for how urban spaces can prioritise both human well-being and environmental stewardship.
In our “Let’s Go Talk” series, Lam Shiu Tong, Managing Director of Defence and Sports Facilities at C&W Services, who oversees the facilities at Singapore Sports Hub, shares how the iconic venue integrates technology and green innovation to create a sustainable, enjoyable experience for all.
Q: Why are green spaces important in Singapore?
In Singapore, a growing city where construction and development are ongoing to accommodate housing and other demands, green spaces are vital. Unfortunately, green spaces and natural habitats are often disrupted by this progress. By including green spaces in urban development, these disturbances can be lessened and Singapore’s greenery can be preserved even as it becomes more urbanised.
The monotony of concrete structures is broken up by green spaces, which provide more than simply aesthetic value. They offer useful advantages including shade, which improves outdoor comfort. For instance, the green areas at the Sports Hub are crucial to provide guests who might be waiting outside during events with a comfortable experience. Natural shade from trees and other greenery makes these areas more welcoming to all.
Also, green spaces contribute significantly to sustainability. They help reduce the urban heat island effect, where manmade structures generate and trap heat. By absorbing and dissipating this heat, trees and greenery help combat rising temperatures and contribute to global warming mitigation efforts. Green spaces benefit not just wildlife, such as birds and insects, but also improve the overall livability of urban environments for all of us.
Q: What are the lesser-known green features of Sports Hub?
The Sports Hub has a number of green elements that improve its sustainability beyond its visible green areas and landscaping. These include vertical green walls, renewable solar photovoltaic (PV) panels, and a rainwater harvesting system.
One of the lesser-known features is the rainwater harvester, which is less noticeable compared to the solar panels. The system uses the National Stadium’s dome as a massive catchment area. Rainwater collected from the dome is stored and repurposed for irrigation, making it an efficient and sustainable way to maintain the greenery around the Sports Hub.
This innovative approach to resource management is an example of how green features can be seamlessly integrated into urban infrastructure, even when they are not immediately visible to the public.
Q: What makes the Sports Hub green and how does technology help it be a sustainable venue?
Beyond just the design and building phase, a green event venue incorporates sustainability into all stages of operation and maintenance. Green building components are included in to the design and construction process to encourage environmental friendliness and energy efficiency. Maintaining these elements and looking for methods to improve sustainability are equally important after the facility is up and running.
Technology plays a significant role in this process. For example, areas where technology can replace or reduce the reliance on manpower contribute to more efficient and sustainable operations. From energy-efficient systems to resource management tools, tech helps improve the liveability, maintainability, and overall sustainability of the venue, ensuring that it remains environmentally responsible throughout its lifecycle.
Q: How do the green features at the Sports Hub impact the visitor and retail experience?
When shoppers visit the Kallang Wave Mall, it’s about the entire experience, not just dining at F&B outlets or shopping at retail stores. Families often look for spaces where they can spend quality time together, allowing children to explore and interact with the surroundings, including green spaces.
At the Sports Hub, it’s about offering a comprehensive experience. Visitors can enjoy scenic views like sunsets and sunrises while spending time in the green spaces, which add to the appeal beyond the typical retail and dining options.
Green spaces and buildings enhance the overall atmosphere by bringing people closer to nature. While the Sports Hub and Kallang Wave Mall feature many manmade structures, the inclusion of green spaces interspersed throughout creates a more balanced and enjoyable experience for visitors.
Q: How different are the challenges in maintaining a green building compared to a conventional one?
Although green buildings’ sustainability characteristics have many advantages, they can occasionally raise costs for maintenance. For example, issues may arise if vertical green walls are included in the design stage without future maintenance in mind. Higher maintenance expenditures may result from inadequately planned access to maintain these walls. Furthermore, choosing the incorrect plants for these features can result in additional maintenance hassles.
Another example is mass-engineered timbre (MET), a sustainable substitute for steel and concrete. Nevertheless, MET may be vulnerable to organic development, such as mould, which makes maintenance difficult.
When designing green buildings, it’s important to be careful and pragmatic when integrating sustainable elements, considering both the overall environmental advantages and the long-term maintenance needs. Despite these potential maintenance challenges, the advantages of green buildings still outweigh the concerns.
Q: A lot of effort has gone into maintaining the clean and green aspect of the Sports Hub. What are some measures that helped achieve this?
The Singapore Sports Hub spans 42 hectares, so maintaining it and keeping it green and clean requires significant resources. Instead of solely relying on manual labour, our team embraces an innovative mindset, focusing on sustainable and efficient solutions.
For cleaning, we use robotic scrubbers and vacuums to assist our cleaning staff, boosting productivity while supporting a cleaner environment. These robots act as valuable assistants to our cleaning team, making their work more efficient.
In terms of keeping the space green, our landscape team also uses technology to improve our operations. For instance, our arborists use IoT tree sensors—specifically tree tube sensors—on selected trees. These sensors monitor any changes in the tree’s physical condition, sending alerts to our arborists. This allows us to address any issues promptly before they affect the health of the tree.
These sensors are installed on larger trees, particularly those near public areas, where tree health is crucial for safety. The sensors help us detect potential problems such as termites, moisture imbalance, or decay. By using this technology, we can ensure the ongoing health and safety of our trees, helping us maintain the greenery of the Sports Hub throughout the year.
