CPG Corp preserves Singapore’s heritage and shapes its future

[This article was originally published in The Edge on Jan 2026 by Douglas Toh.]

For nearly two centuries, CPG Corporation has been a key pillar in shaping Singapore’s modern landscape, having transformed from its roots in the Public Works Department to one of Asia’s most respected infrastructure and urban solutions firms. Today, under the leadership of group CEO Tan Shao Yen, the group continues to evolve, blending sustainability, resilience, and technology to shape cities that endure.

“Sustainability today is a given,” Tan begins. “Everyone acknowledges that we can’t go on the way we have — the world will go to destruction. But understanding that is one thing: really doing it is another.”

To Tan, sustainability is not a corporate slogan but a systemic discipline that demands tangible design, engineering, and operational outcomes. And for CPG, it goes hand in hand with another essential idea: resilience.

“Before Covid-19, the world’s value was efficiency. We relied heavily on a few sources of supply, often the cheapest or fastest,” Tan explains. “But the pandemic revealed how fragile that approach was. The world learned that resilience — not just efficiency — is what keeps systems and cities alive.

While already a foundation of CPG Corporation’s philosophy, the pandemic further reinforced the importance of this thinking. “We’ve embraced the idea that resilience and sustainability are interrelated, and technology is the tool we use to deliver those outcomes,” he says.

Technology is a tool, not an end

In an era defined by digital transformation, CPG Corporation’s approach to technology is pragmatic. Tan sees it not as an end in itself, but as an enabler of sustainable progress. “Technology has always been there,” he says. “The world progresses and sometimes creates problems because of it. But our ability to harness it determines whether it helps or hurts us.”

He adds: “Technology is not an outcome. It’s a tool. The ability to apply it depends on our ability to understand and use it well. If we don’t, it will pass us by.”

Artificial intelligence (AI) and data-driven processes are being embraced throughout CPG’s design and engineering evolution. “Some of the laborious, time-consuming processes that used to take weeks can now be compressed with AI,” Tan explains. “For example, when analysing large data sets — in the past, you’d do it manually. Now, younger engineers use AI to identify patterns, helping us accelerate insight and improve precision.”

Yet, for the group, digitalisation goes beyond operational convenience. It is embedded in the entire lifecycle of the built environment. “We look at everything through a lifecycle approach,” Tan shares. “For example, when we look at decarbonisation from a life cycle approach, from material production to construction, use, maintenance and eventual demolition — every step contributes to carbon emissions. Decarbonisation is about minimising impact at every stage.”

To achieve this, CPG deploys technologies such as Building Information Modelling (BIM) and Integrated Digital Delivery (IDD), which enable stakeholders to collaborate on a unified digital model of a project. “In the past, people drew on paper and met to coordinate,” says Tan. “Now, we have a digital replica of the building, a shared model that everyone can view in real time. It allows us to track progress, visualise data, and respond quickly if something is jammed or delayed.”

One striking example lies in foundation design, a process that traditionally demanded weeks of manual geological analysis. “Now, AI can analyse ground data and optimize designs much faster,” Tan notes. “It shortens the time engineers spend on repetitive tasks and lets them focus on higher-level design thinking.”

During the Covid-19 pandemic, CPG Corporation’s embrace of innovation accelerated. “When we couldn’t physically visit construction sites, we pioneered remote monitoring using 360-degree cameras linked to digital reporting tools,” Tan recalls. “That allowed real-time inspections and reduced physical contact. What began as a necessity has now become a standard practice.”

Even in facilities management (FM), CPG has moved from conventional maintenance to predictive systems powered by the Internet of Things (IoT). “We’ve embedded sensors in our buildings to extract real-time data,” says Tan. “It supports predictive maintenance, optimizes energy efficiency, and ensures occupant comfort.”

To sustain this momentum, CPG established dedicated centres of excellence. “We set up a sustainability office to coordinate our group-wide green efforts, and an innovation management office to drive digital transformation across subsidiaries,” Tan shares. “These ensure that innovation is not incidental but institutionalised.”

Preserving Singapore

While CPG is often associated with forward-looking projects, it is equally renowned for preserving Singapore’s past. The company has played a central role in some of the nation’s most ambitious conservation and adaptive reuse projects.

“Heritage buildings have meaning beyond their utility,” Tan reflects. “Their historical and architectural significance cannot be measured in monetary terms. Some structures are valuable because of who once occupied them,  others because they reflect the spirit of an era.”

The National Gallery Singapore, housed within the former City Hall and Supreme Court buildings, remains CPG’s defining achievement in this space. “It’s the mother of all conservation projects,” beams Tan. “We had to retain the entire structure while constructing three basement levels beneath it. Imagine the technical challenge — if anything had gone wrong, it would have been a disaster.”

Through meticulous engineering, the project successfully gave the colonial-era building a new lease of life. “By transforming it into the largest art gallery in Southeast Asia, we preserved its soul and gave it a new purpose,” Tan says. “It puts Singapore on the world map.”

The project demonstrates CPG’s expertise in blending preservation with modern functionality. “The front façade of the National Gallery was restored to its original state, while the courtyard behind was enclosed with a new glass roof,” he explains. “That’s adaptive reuse: it keeps the old alive while making space for the new.”

CPG’s portfolio also charts Singapore’s green evolution. “Projects like Khoo Teck Puat Hospital and the NUS School of Design and Environment reflect our journey,” Tan shares. “Khoo Teck Puat Hospital demonstrated how natural environments may be integrated into a healthcare built environment, while NUS SDE demonstrated how an existing student’s learning environment can be upgraded to improve user friendliness and achieve net-zero energy. They showcase how far Singapore has come, from conventional infrastructure to holistic, sustainable architecture.”

Within the area of sustainability, the group is also tackling another problem: rising sea levels. The firm’s subsidiary, CPG Consultants, is leading the National Water Agency PUB’s study on coastal protection and inland flood mitigation for the City-East Coast,  the first of its kind and one of several major projects commissioned by the Singapore Government to develop long-term coastal protection and climate adaptation measures.

The study will go towards the development of Singapore’s Long Island project, a large-scale reclamation project off Singapore’s east coast, consisting of three artificial islands that will be built at a higher elevation to act as a barrier against rising sea levels.

The project, a decades-long initiative with construction expected to commence in the 2030s, also aims to create a new freshwater reservoir, new land for residential and commercial development, and recreational areas like parks.

“This initiative [coastal study] stems from a national commitment to tackle climate change,” Tan explains. “Singapore divided its coastline into six sectors, and our study — covering from Changi Airport down to the East Coast — was the first to be completed.”

The project uses extensive 3D modelling and scenario planning to assess sea-level rise projections and test mitigation strategies. “We take in international data on how sea levels might change under different scenarios,” Tan says. “The challenge is balancing prudence with practicality, we can’t over-invest for the worst-case scenario, but we must be ready if it happens.”

The team’s solution involves flexible, scalable designs. “We propose phased responses,” Tan adds. “There’s a first line of defence, and trigger points to act if sea levels continue to rise. It’s about creating a living system that can evolve, not one fixed in time.”

Beyond this little red dot

Even as it continues to shape the city-state, CPG Corporation is extending its footprint globally. Tan points to Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Central Asia as regions of opportunity. “These are economies in transition,” he says. “They’re urbanising fast, with youthful populations and growing infrastructure needs. That’s where demand for sustainable and resilient design will come from.”

But the group CEO remains clear-eyed about what drives success abroad: partnerships. “Every country has its own local champions,” he notes. “We also want to drive collaboration, and we see ourselves sharing our expertise and beyond that,  to not only bring our expertise, but also to learn from others.”

That humility, paired with its technical depth, may be why the group has endured through waves of change. “The future of urban development is about integration,” Tan concludes. “Sustainability, resilience, and technology — none can stand alone. The real challenge is how we combine them meaningfully.”

From preserving the past to protecting the future, CPG Corporation continues to live up to its legacy: building not just structures, but a more enduring world.