Environmental Sustainability & Decarbonisation
A future-proof built environment
As governments around the world chase net-zero targets, built environment players will come under intensifying pressure to reduce their carbon footprint. The sector’s current focus on energy efficiency has been successful in lowering operational carbon emissions to a certain degree, but will be inadequate to meet future requirements.
What is needed is the decarbonisation of the entire building lifecycle. This holistic perspective looks beyond carbon emissions created from the operations of a building to tackle the embodied emissions created from the construction and demolition of a building.
Sustainable and attainable
At CPG, we have developed an integrated decarbonisation approach that leverages our multidisciplinary expertise — from architecture and engineering consultancy, to management of projects, construction supervision and facilities operations.
This affords us a holistic view of carbon across the entire value chain and enables us to thoroughly assess and effectively address a building’s emissions across all major lifecycle stages.
Carbon Emissions Assessment & Calculation
While the built environment traditionally outcomes against gross floor area (GFA), at CPG, we believe that Carbon Emissions Intensity (kgCO2e/m2) is an essential and more comprehensive assessment of a building’s total carbon footprint.
We conduct accurate carbon assessments guided by the EN15978 standard for Sustainability of Construction Works and using our proprietary BIM-Based-Building carbon calculation tool, B3. This in-house technology supports carbon calculation, assessment, materials-optioneering and more.
Decarbonisation Strategy & Roadmap
Operational Carbon Strategies
- Passive design strategies like site orientation, façade modelling and solar shading to minimise the need for energy.
- Active design strategies like energy modelling, mechanical ventilation, and underfloor cooling to reduce reliance on energy.
- Energy management strategies like building automation, IoT sensors and smart facilities management to optimise energy use.
- Renewable energy strategies like roof and façade optimisation and the deployment of photovoltaic technologies.
- Offsite strategies like offsite renewable energy sources and carbon credits to offset footprint.
Embodied Carbon Strategies
- Conduct embodied carbon assessments using our proprietary BIM-Based-Building carbon calculation tool, B3 and guidance from the EN15978 standard for Sustainability of Construction Works.
- Develop an embodied carbon baseline model for the project.
- Propose a decarbonised and green design using strategies such as material quantity reduction, material alternatives, and product alternatives.
- Apply for international embodied carbon certifications such as BCA Green Mark 2021 Carbon Badge, Living Building Challenge's PETAL, and Zero Carbon Certification.
Sustainable Facilities Management
Our comprehensive approach to sustainability combines cutting-edge technology with expert knowledge and strategic partnerships. We offer our Sustainability as a Service (SaaS) platform, which integrates Building Management Systems (BMS) and Computerised Maintenance Management Systems (CMMS) with AI-driven monitoring and IoT sensors, to provide real-time data and actionable insights.
This integration enables us to provide advanced energy optimisation, predictive maintenance, and automated reporting, ensuring substantial cost savings and reduced environmental impact.
Featured Projects
NUS School of Design and Environment 1 & 3
CPG implemented an intelligent adaptive reuse of the school’s existing structure to mitigate embodied carbon emissions. The facade design screens out heat while driving daylight into the building for natural lighting and ventilation. The interiors were retrofitted with smart sensors to monitor and control building electrical consumption. Air-conditioners were replaced with ceiling fans that work with a hybrid cooling system.
State Courts
CPG’s sustainable design solution for Singapore’s 35-storey State Courts involves a highly efficient water-cooled chiller plant system that serves the Courts’ two towers separately. Main air-conditioned zones were placed in the centre of the buildings to minimise heat exchange with the external environment, and individual air-conditioning units on each floor allow for better energy control when zoning is not used. This project was awarded Singapore’s Building and Construction Authority’s Green Mark Platinum certification.
Limbang Shopping Centre
CPG undertook the rejuvenation of Limbang Shopping Centre in Singapore, with community wellness and sustainability in mind. The outdoor area was transformed into an intensive landscape with over 40 species of flora and fauna, which improves thermal comfort and enhances biodiversity with fauna-attracting plant species.



