Creating the best possible living environment through excellence in nature conservation, greenery, and recreation
Leveraging strategies across the planning and development life cycle to pursue sustainability, and harnessing opportunities across NParks’ wide-ranging operations to inculcate sustainability
Propelling collaboration with partners, industry, and the community to work towards a liveable and sustainable future for Singapore
Driving internal efforts to achieve business excellence and cultivate a strong organisational culture in sustainability
NParks is responsible for maintaining and enhancing Singapore’s greenery for future generations. Our nature reserves safeguard primary and secondary rainforests which are core habitats for our native biodiversity. They are also primary providers of ecosystem services like clean air and water. Forested areas surrounding nature reserves have been converted into nature parks, serving as buffers against the impact of urbanisation and human activities. These buffers also provide complementary habitats for our native flora and fauna to thrive beyond the nature reserves, along with alternative spaces for nature-based recreation.
Photo credit: Andrew Tau
NParks will continue to expand our island-wide connectivity networks so that Singaporeans will have greater access to green spaces. Today, over 380 km of park connectors have been established — more than seven times the length of Singapore from east to west.
To sustain a healthy ecosystem, we will also continue building our network of ecological corridors, to connect the habitats in our nature reserves and nature parks to those in gardens and parks. For example, corridors along our streetscapes, known as Nature Ways, mimic the multi-tiered structure of a natural forest to facilitate the movement of native animals such as birds and butterflies, while keeping our streets cool and comfortable for pedestrians. To date, NParks has established 210 km of Nature Ways.
More than 40% of Singapore is covered in greenery, in the form of Nature Reserves, parks, gardens, roadside greenery, skyrise greenery, and vacant state land. NParks is enhancing existing parks to feature more natural landscapes to recreate the look and feel of natural habitats, for Singaporeans to benefit from more immersive experiences with nature.
NParks is also pressing on with efforts to strengthen the conservation of Singapore’s native flora and fauna. To date, we have restored and enhanced over 40 ha of forest, coastal, and marine habitats, and aim to bring this figure to 80 ha by 2030.
Ongoing habitat restoration and species recovery efforts have enabled Singaporeans to encounter and enjoy once-rare species of native plants and animals in our green spaces, such as the Singapore Kopsia (Kopsia singapurensis) and the Sunda Slow Loris (Nycticebus coucang). Today, species recovery plans are being implemented for over 80 plant species and over 40 animal species.
NParks is seeking to further restore nature into the built environment, to cool the urban environment and bring the therapeutic effects of greenery directly to homes and workplaces. To do so, we are promoting the implementation of skyrise greenery in Singapore’s buildings and infrastructure. For example, vertical green walls, green roofs, and rooftop gardens help cool our buildings and make them more comfortable to live, work, and play in, while further beautifying our city and advancing Singapore’s status as a world leader in vertical greening. To date, around 193 ha of skyrise greenery has been implemented across Singapore.
We are also working with various stakeholders to intensify our greening efforts in industrial estates, which are currently among the hotter areas in Singapore. We aim to plant 170,000 more trees in industrial estates, including Jurong Island, from 2020 to 2030 — nearly a threefold increase. In FY2023, NParks planted an additional 20,000 trees in industrial estates, bringing the total number of trees planted in industrial estates since 2020 to over 115,000.
Another important thread in our City in Nature narrative is the need to safeguard the well-being of our community animals and wildlife while helping Singaporeans understand what it means to live alongside nature. To this end, NParks takes a science- and community-based approach to community animals and wildlife management.
To raise the standards of the veterinary and pet sector in Singapore, NParks is working with industry stakeholders to establish new guidelines and regulations, in areas such as veterinary telehealth, novel therapeutics, animal shelters, ornamental bird trade, dog breeding, and dog training. We are also developing the legislative and operational framework for the Veterinary Council.
On the wildlife management front, to achieve a balanced ecosystem and safeguard public health and safety, we adopt a multi-pronged strategy of studying the population ecology of target species to understand factors affecting population growth and persistence, managing their populations through a combination of measures, and conducting public education and outreach to foster community stewardship.
In a land-scarce city-state like Singapore, careful planning is needed to optimise land use and balance nature conservation with urban development for Singapore’s long-term liveability. Upstream at the strategic and master planning level, NParks seeks to ensure that nature areas and green spaces are catered for upfront in Singapore’s land use planning, so that we can not only conserve our natural heritage but also reap the benefits of nature on our health and well-being. NParks has set park provision targets to cater 0.8 ha of green space per 1,000 population, and to have all households within a 10-minute walk to a park by 2030. To this end, we are safeguarding existing green spaces and creating parks and park connectors in areas with accessibility gaps, to increase Singaporeans’ access to greenery and recreational opportunities.
NParks is also working with other developing agencies — Housing and Development Board (HDB), Land Transport Authority (LTA), and JTC Corporation (JTC) — to identify areas of ecological significance where conservation efforts should be prioritised, and developments done sensitively to safeguard ecological connectivity. The findings of NParks’ Ecological Profiling Exercise (EPE), which mapped the ecological profile of green and blue spaces across Singapore, have directly guided Singapore’s master planning considerations through the Long-Term Plan Review. For instance, through the EPE, Clementi and Khatib Nature Corridors were identified for establishment, to serve as important ecological connections between areas rich in biodiversity.
At the development planning stage, NParks also ensures that greenery is sufficiently provided for through working closely with other agencies to incorporate greenery into various development projects across Singapore. Some examples include the North-South Corridor and new housing estates such as Bidadari and Tampines North.
NParks also plays a critical role in evaluating and mitigating the potential impact of new developments on the environment. For Nature Park development projects, NParks undertakes Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), which comprises an environmental baseline survey, assessment of potential environmental impact, and formulation of mitigation measures under the Environmental Management and Monitoring Plan. This rigorous process ensures that development works take place sensitively with minimal impact to surrounding habitats and biodiversity.
NParks is the Technical Agency for biodiversity conservation within Singapore’s EIA Framework, which requires proposed development projects near sensitive nature areas to conduct more in-depth consultations and studies before they are permitted to proceed. Together with other Technical Agencies, NParks assesses the potential impact of such development projects, and recommends and approves mitigation measures to minimise impact on biodiversity.
In addition, the management of EIA consultancy services has been centralised under NParks, with this approach being piloted for new HDB and JTC development projects requiring EIAs starting from 2023. This seeks to further strengthen the EIA framework by enhancing industry standards and consolidating information on Singapore’s biodiversity. In FY2023, NParks also undertook a review of the Biodiversity Impact Assessment guidelines with domain experts and the nature community, to continue building up technical capabilities within the industry and allow developers to have a better understanding of the biodiversity impact of their projects.
The Sembcorp Cool House in the National Orchid Garden has been specially designed to minimise its ecological footprint. Despite being four times larger than the original Cool House it replaced, the energy consumption of this 1,100 m2 facility is estimated to be 30% lower than that of its predecessor, made possible through the following design features:
Cooling requirements are minimised through focusing on cooling only the occupancy zone (i.e. the lower third of the Cool House) and leveraging passive energy systems. Chilled water pipes within the concrete flooring cool the ground level, while chillers supply cool air at the lowest levels through vents hidden in the rock walls, creating a convective air current. When hot air rises and accumulates at the top such that the temperature exceeds the ambient temperatures outside, louvres automatically open to release the hot air.
The Cool House is fitted with spectrally selective glass that maximises light penetration to promote plant growth while reflecting most of the infrared radiation to minimise solar heat gain.
Existing steel frames from the original Cool House structure were retained, retrofitted, and integrated into the new Cool House, preventing waste.
Photovoltaic cells deployed on the Cool House’s vestibule roofing and back-of-house facilities generate nearly 90,000 kWh per year, helping to offset around 15% of the Cool House’s energy requirements.
In designing our green spaces and infrastructure, our strategies are underpinned by multi-faceted considerations centred around sustainability.
To minimise energy and resource consumption while enhancing visitor experience, the design of our buildings and park amenity nodes are optimised to maximise natural ventilation and lighting. For instance, site elements are intentionally oriented to increase wind flow, ceilings are raised to allow more sunlight and air in, and skylights and solar tubes are introduced into toilets and offices.
NParks is also increasingly harnessing renewable energy to offset electricity use and reduce reliance on fossil fuels. Solar panels are installed on the roofs of many of our buildings, and the structures in our Nature Parks are often designed to be net zero or even net positive. For example, the Visitor Pavilion and Community Nursery in Rifle Range Nature Park are equipped with photovoltaic cells on the roofs to harvest solar energy to power the lights and fans in the Nature Park, contributing to Rifle Range Nature Park's status as Singapore’s first net-positive Nature Park. On Pulau Ubin, NParks has an ongoing partnership with Energy Market Authority to enhance the island’s existing micro-grid, through the installation of a solar green roof connected to an advanced energy storage system.
NParks is also tapping on off-grid solar power, especially in more remote areas with high biodiversity such as the Rail Corridor. Off-grid solar not only minimises habitat loss arising from machinery access for service installation, but also promotes energy independence, builds resilience against power disruptions, and generates cost savings. NParks is additionally trialling hydro panels — an infrastructure-free off-grid technology that harnesses solar power to convert water vapour into high-quality potable water — at Jurong Lake Gardens, to test their functionality within green spaces.
As we grapple with the impact of climate change, it is crucial that we build climate resilience into our green and blue spaces through careful and creative design strategies.
To adapt to rising sea levels and more intense rainfalls, NParks aims to design and develop all upcoming and redeveloped coastal and riverine parks to enhance flood resilience, through leveraging nature-based solutions. For instance, we are restoring mangroves in parks along Singapore’s coasts, such as Kranji Coastal Nature Park, and have embarked on a mangrove restoration project at Sungei Durian on Pulau Ubin, where we aim to naturally restore around 8,000 mangrove plants over time. These mangroves will work in tandem with engineering solutions to mitigate the effects of erosion brought about by storm surges and rising sea levels.
In our parks and gardens, we are adopting Water Sensitive Urban Design where possible — an approach that seeks to integrate water cycle management with the built environment through planning and design principles, to mitigate the effects of urbanisation on the natural functioning of the water cycle. For example, at Jurong Lake Gardens, to overcome the site’s high water table and resultant waterlogging issues, the existing 300 m concrete canal was transformed into a series of naturalised, vegetated streams which reduce the velocity of surface runoff and cleanse the stormwater before being discharged into Jurong Lake, one of Singapore’s 17 reservoirs.
Greenery continues to be our key strategy in mitigating the urban heat island effect, through lowering ambient temperatures and improving thermal comfort. We actively incorporate vegetation into heat-absorbing urban structures, such as by installing green roofs on shelters and bus stops, and integrating vertical greenery into buildings and MRT stations.
Landscaping also plays an important role in climate adaptation. NParks curates our planting palettes to reduce maintenance requirements while strengthening ecological resilience. Strategies include planting more native species adapted to our local climate, as well as species suited to the habitat type and site conditions they are planted in.
NParks also intentionally seizes opportunities to create, restore, enhance, and connect habitats as part of our development projects. We have formulated a framework — the Naturalising our Parks Framework — to enhance the naturalisation of our parks and gardens, and are actively applying it to guide our development projects through the planning, implementation, and programmatic phases to realise the projects’ restoration goals. Each project’s restoration goal is first identified based on the landscape type — natural (largely intact), novel (largely degraded), or hybrid (largely degraded but with the potential to partially restore ecological processes). Strategies to restore and/or create the habitats and restore ecological processes are subsequently determined, such as modifying the hydrology, topography, and soil composition of the area, planting suitable native species, as well as conducting species recovery programmes for key floral and faunal species. Design considerations to incorporate biophilic elements are then layered on, to create immersive experiences that would enhance visitors’ sense of connection to nature.
For example, as Rifle Range Nature Park serves as an important buffer to the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, the protection and enhancement of ecological habitats within were a priority. Native trees were planted using a combination of forest restoration techniques to assist the natural regeneration of the forest, and a freshwater habitat for marsh birds and aquatic animals was created out of the former backfilled quarry.
NParks also creates artificial habitats that mimic natural environments where needed. For instance, during the development of Changi Bay Park Connector, marine tiles were installed on coastal protection structures to encourage the proliferation of marine life. These tiles come in different shapes and forms and are designed to trap water when hit by waves, providing habitat niches for marine biodiversity including crustaceans, bivalves, and gastropods, during high tide and low tide.
At the construction stage, we consciously seek to reduce carbon emissions and waste generation, minimise impact on the environment, and promote durability, while reaping productivity and cost savings. Carrying out construction in our nature areas and green spaces poses a unique set of challenges — construction must be carried out in a sensitive manner to avoid adverse impact to biodiversity, site access and machinery use can be challenging due to existing trees and difficult terrain, and wear and tear can quickly result from the constant exposure to the forces of nature in an outdoor environment. Yet, these challenges also present us with opportunities to experiment with materials that would not only lead to better sustainability and maintainability outcomes, but which would also benefit biodiversity and enhance the visitor experience.
NParks intentionally opts for materials with lower carbon footprint and that can withstand outdoor elements. We frequently source for sustainable wood sources and wood alternatives for use in our park development projects. The use of Mass Engineered Timber (MET) in the construction of structures in Jurong Lake Gardens proved to reduce overall carbon footprint as well as construction time, as all building components were prefabricated off site and assembled on site. In the construction of boardwalks, we are shifting to more sustainable materials such as reconstituted timber and CELLwood, which have advantages over regular timber.
In the making of trails and footpaths requiring a natural finish, binded gravel and polymer-binded soil are used in place of loose gravel or soil, reducing the need for constant topping up of natural materials while improving trail stability. CarbonCure concrete has also been adopted in footpath construction, such as at Jurong Lake Gardens. This innovative technology permanently stores carbon dioxide in the concrete during the curing process and lowers the required cement content, reducing carbon footprint without compromising the concrete’s strength or durability.
We also actively make use of recycled materials where possible. For example, recycled construction debris is used to form the hard core for new footpaths and shelters, and decommissioned firehoses donated by the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) went into the construction of a fence at Coney Island Park.
In 2023, NParks collaborated with the National Environment Agency (NEA) to use geobags filled with NEWSandTM, a by-product from slagging gasification of municipal solid waste from the Nanyang Technological University’s Waste-to-Energy Research Facility, to protect a segment of the East Coast Park coastline from erosion. Geobags containing a collective 67 tonnes of NEWSandTM were placed along a 14 m coastal stretch — the first time NEWSandTM has been used to replace conventional sand in geobags. Close monitoring over six months revealed that the NEWSandTM geobags retained their structural soundness and had no negative impact on water quality or surrounding flora and fauna. This successful trial represents a step forward in our bid to develop proactive and innovative approaches to sustainable coastal and marine management.
NParks ensures that the construction methods and processes utilised have minimal impact on surrounding habitats and biodiversity, particularly for development works within or in close proximity to sensitive nature areas. General principles include keeping vegetation clearance and pollution to surrounding habitats, and impact to fauna on a minimum. Environmental Mitigation and Monitoring Plans are put in place for all development projects within our Nature Reserves and Nature Parks to proactively manage construction impact and ensure that stipulated Environmental Quality Objectives for the project are not breached.
NParks also adopts lean construction techniques and productive construction technologies to promote resource optimisation. For example, the use of just-in-time construction methods to align construction schedules with material transportation schedules leads to streamlined processes, reduction in abortive work and construction waste, and cost savings, while the use of CCTVs with AI capabilities for remote monitoring of construction works enhances project efficiency and promotes worksite safety. NParks is also using Building Information Modelling (BIM) for infrastructure-intensive development projects, for better interdisciplinary design and construction coordination. BIM promotes the development of energy-efficient designs, supports lifecycle management, enhances collaboration and harmonisation of work processes, and facilitates environmental impact assessment, ultimately enabling improved building performance.
NParks’ Plant Science and Health branch is developing solutions to promote soil health and sustainable pest and disease management, several of which are featured below:
Trichoderma is a naturally occurring fungi that can act as a biological control agent to enhance plant vitality and combat plant disease. This project trialled the efficacy of local Trichoderma strains, with the aim of equipping community gardeners with solutions that are effective in fostering long-term garden health and yet be gentle on the environment.
Glucosinolates are natural compounds existing in many pungent plants such as mustard and horseradish. They can be broken down into isothiocyanates, a class of active compounds that help control fungal diseases, by the enzyme myrosinase which naturally occurs in the same plants. This collaboration between NParks and multiple Institutes of Higher Learning seeks to produce and formulate glucosinolates for more sustainable control of fungal pathogens in the field.
A collaboration between NParks and Living Soil from Foodscape Collective, this project aims to develop a community-focused initiative to bolster soil regeneration within urban environments to encourage the cultivation of edibles while promoting community resilience and well-being. Efforts include educating residents and community gardeners on practices that enhance soil aggregation.
Our commitment to sustainability follows through to the operations stage, where we consciously seek to incorporate sustainability into processes and practices spanning park and greenery management, infrastructure and facilities management, and events management.
With NParks managing over 400 parks and around six million trees across Singapore, examining and enhancing our landscape management practices through the lens of sustainability enables us to do our part to reduce energy and material consumption, lower carbon emissions and pollution, and minimise waste.
i. Water conservation strategies
To reduce the use of potable water, we are increasingly tapping on non-potable water for irrigation. In the Singapore Botanic Gardens, the system has been progressively enhanced to switch the irrigation source for many landscape areas to lake water, cutting potable water usage. Rifle Range Nature Park’s community nursery is also equipped with a swale and rainwater harvesting tank to store and filter rainwater for watering the nursery’s plants. NParks dovetails the planting of tree saplings with the monsoon season where possible to leverage natural rainfall for irrigation, reducing the need for manual irrigation while increasing survival rates.
ii. Emissions reduction strategies
Our park and greenery maintenance operations entail the frequent use of machinery and vehicles, most of which are traditionally diesel-powered. In seeking to lower carbon emissions as well as environmental and noise pollution, NParks is gradually transitioning to battery-operated equipment and buggies where feasible. This also eliminates the risk of fuel spillage and exposure of park users and residents from nearby estates to exhaust fumes. Since April 2023, all NParks landscape contractors have been required to replace fuel-powered leaf blowers with electric leaf blowers.
We are making deliberate efforts to streamline and optimise our operations to reduce their cumulative carbon footprint. For instance, material transportation is properly planned to maximise load and minimise number of trips, and arboriculture operations such as pruning and epiphyte removal are streamlined for more works to be conducted within the same locality at one time. Certain operations such as jet-washing and roof cleansing are also only carried out when required.
iii. Chemical reduction strategies
NParks champions the sustainable use of synthetic chemicals and prioritises the use of cultural treatments as the primary means of pest and disease management. These strategies minimise negative impact on soil health, water quality, and non-target organisms, while preventing the build-up of pesticide resistance in pest populations. For example, HortPark adopts sustainable pest management practices, including employing pheromone traps and opting for organic solutions such as white summer oil and neem oil. The Singapore Botanic Gardens focuses on applying leaf litter, organic fertilisers, and biological control measures to promote plant health, without using herbicides.
iv. Waste reduction strategies
To promote resource circularity, NParks actively recycles and upcycles horticultural debris, repurposing it into useful materials that contribute to enhancing the physical environment and ecology of our green spaces. Debris from tree pruning and removal operations is converted into mulch or compost to enrich the soil and enhance plant growth. In HortPark alone, 2,000 litres of compost are produced every three months from the horticultural debris collected from the park’s routine maintenance, and are fed back into the park’s landscapes to form a closed loop system. In the Singapore Botanic Gardens, leaf litter is collected from across the Gardens and applied to landscape areas as mulch. Felled wood is also creatively upcycled to form a diversity of park furniture, from benches and wood cookies for footpath maintenance, to play equipment in Nature Playgardens. At the Wood Sculpture Symposium 2023, logs provided by NParks were carved by the Sculpture Society (Singapore) and displayed in Pasir Ris Park.
We also make use of other types of recycled materials where possible in our operations. For example, bamboo removed as part of the Singapore Botanic Gardens’ routine horticultural maintenance is reused as cladding material for the multipurpose shelter at the Jacob Ballas Children’s Garden, and unwanted jute bags from cafes used to store coffee beans are reused at the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve to dispose of unwanted plant material during Invasive Species Management sessions.
Another noteworthy measure is the deployment of fewer rubbish bins in our parks and gardens, strategically positioned where they are most needed. In the Singapore Botanic Gardens alone, the reduction in bin numbers from over 200 to under 50, coupled with the introduction of smart bins which are plastic liner-free, has led to a 90% reduction in plastic liner use and a halving of dumper trips for trash removal.
The Singapore Botanic Gardens has cut energy consumption per ha by 10% from 2019 to 2023. This has been achieved through various changes to the facilities, such as turning off floodlights which are highly energy-intensive, converting 90% of lights across the Gardens to LED lighting, and most notably, upgrading the Air-Conditioning and Mechanical Ventilation (ACMV) systems — the largest contributor to energy consumption. For example, the upgraded ACMV system at Holttum Hall has reduced energy by 50%, and the Gardens is working with a partner to turn Holttum Hall into a net-zero energy heritage building through the installation of solar panels and a hydrogen fuel cell-based battery system.
Recently, the Gardens has also implemented a newly developed hybrid ACMV system powered by a combination of solar and grid energy. It has a built-in inverter that allows for the integration of solar power with grid supply in its condensing units, bypassing the typical requirement of installing intermediary systems to perform the integration. By eliminating the need for a major overhaul to the existing electrical infrastructure or regulatory submissions to authorities, installation and commission were possible within two weeks of material delivery. This innovative system has successfully slashed energy consumption of the Nassim office by 38%, spelling potential for the technology to be rolled out to other NParks offices.
NParks adopts a range of energy- and water-saving infrastructure and practices across our managed premises, in new park developments as well as through cyclical upgrading of existing facilities. We have also installed private meters for our offices situated within parkland to segregate office consumption from other uses, allowing close monitoring of our electricity and water consumption and swift implementation of rectification measures where needed. In addition, sustainability messages are put up in public-facing locations within our parks and gardens, such as at visitor centres and toilets, to encourage the public to adopt eco-friendly practices during their visit as well as raise awareness of NParks’ ongoing sustainability measures.
i. Energy conservation measures
In the area of cooling, we are upgrading our Air-Conditioning and Mechanical Ventilation (ACMV) and chillers to higher-efficiency systems, as well as reducing operational hours where possible and presetting temperatures. For instance, some offices also practise hybrid cooling, using wall fans to reduce the amount of energy needed to power the air-conditioning to cool the entire office.
In terms of lighting, energy-efficient LED lights are implemented as the norm. For example, during the re-lamping exercise at East Coast Park, incandescent bulbs were replaced with LED bulbs. Other measures include the use of motion-activated lights in toilets and corridors, installation of photocell sensors to automatically adjust lighting based on ambient light levels, and limiting the use of artificial lighting during the daytime in offices designed to let natural light in.
ii. Water conservation measures
Our water conservation measures include utilising water fittings with three-tick Water Efficiency Labelling Scheme ratings, such as low-flow toilets, and installing rainwater harvesting systems in our buildings to collect water for storage and irrigation. Minimal water wastage is also ensured by our rigorous inspection and maintenance regime, where preventive checks on all toilets are conducted at least once a month on top of routine toilet inspections, and utility bills are reviewed monthly.
iii. Waste management measures
On the waste management front, on top of ongoing digitisation measures to go paperless, recycling bins are deployed in several offices, such as at the Animal and Plant Health Centre where there are separate recycling bins for paper, plastic, metal, and e-waste disposal. Some offices have also cut the number of bins from one per cubicle to one central bin, to reduce bin liner use.
| Guiding principles | Examples of measures taken |
|---|---|
| Reduce waste |
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| Reuse and recycle |
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| Minimise carbon footprint |
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With many of our events underpinned by conservation and environmental stewardship narratives, NParks places strong emphasis on organising events with sustainability in mind. The range of green events management practices adopted by NParks is summarised in Table 1.
NParks is increasingly transitioning to digital collaterals, platforms, and systems, to not only reduce paper use and transport-associated carbon emissions arising from manual inspections, but also enable greater productivity and improved outcomes for both staff and stakeholders.
One key area of our digitalisation efforts is in licensing and inspection, which has traditionally been time- and resource-intensive. For example, NParks uses GovTech’s OpenAttestation digital tool to automatically generate animal quarantine and vaccination certificates, which are sent to customers upon quarantine completion — a marked improvement from the time-consuming process of manually signing and issuing hardcopy certificates. Similarly, for phytosanitary certificate applications, inspections are now conducted virtually rather than in person for low-risk and highly processed plant products, leading to savings in cost, manhours, and fuel use.
Many administrative processes have also been digitised, including HR processes such as softcopy interview transcripts and online resignation submission and certification of service, and finance and procurement processes such as e-invoicing and e-payment. NParks has also onboarded the eGuarantee@Gov initiative, where security deposit in the form of guarantees is provided by contractors in digital copy instead of hardcopy.
The support and involvement of the community is key to the success of our City in Nature vision. NParks builds understanding of, and appreciation for, our natural heritage through conducting numerous outreach and educational programmes targeted at various stakeholders. The annually held Festival of Biodiversity, for instance, caters to people of all ages through interactive booths and activities, reaching out to thousands at every edition to raise awareness about our native biodiversity.
We also actively involve the community in our greening and nature conservation efforts, such as through our citizen science initiatives which enlist the help of the community in collecting valuable data on animal populations and ecosystems in Singapore, and in turn allow them to learn more about our biodiversity.
Indeed, NParks is seeking to go beyond encouraging passive participation to nurturing active stewardship, by equipping and empowering the community to increasingly take on the mantle of building our City in Nature. In May 2023, NParks launched the Nature Kakis Network to further drive such a model of citizen engagement.
NParks collaborates with other organisations and institutions to widen our City in Nature outreach, deepen and expand our expertise, explore synergies, and develop novel solutions to further our sustainability agenda.
i. Partnerships with agencies, institutions, and committees
Cognisant of the interconnections between climate change, animal health, and human health, NParks has been collaborating with One Health agencies (Ministry of Health, Singapore Food Agency, NEA and PUB) on biosurveillance efforts, to proactively monitor and manage upstream climate-sensitive biorisks in the natural and urban environments. To further these efforts, NParks launched the S$15 million Biosurveillance Research Programme in March 2024 to advance our understanding of zoonotic disease prevention and develop effective mitigation strategies.
To strengthen our fight against illegal wildlife trade, we leverage partnerships with local and international agencies to support law enforcement and prosecution, as well as research collaborations with local and overseas institutions to build up our capabilities in wildlife forensics. One such research collaboration is the study published in Conservation Biology in August 2023 on the enabling of provenance tracing by extensive nanopore genotyping of seized pangolin scales.1
We also work closely with many committees and working groups to realise our City in Nature vision. For example, the Advisory Panel for NParks’ Ecological Profiling Exercise (EPE) and Straw-headed Bulbul Working Group both bring together academics, subject matter experts, and NParks staff to safeguard our natural heritage.
1 https://doi.org/10.1111/cobi.14162
ii. Partnerships with industry partners and corporate organisations
Under the Social Enterprise Community Urban Farm (SECUF) initiative, NParks provides social enterprises with grants to support them in bringing edible gardening and other City in Nature programmes to seniors, low-income families, people with special needs, and other disadvantaged communities. As of March 2024, six social enterprises are supported under the SECUF programming grant, reaching out to nearly 500 participants. We are also working closely with City Sprouts to establish the first SECUF site at West Coast Park as a community hub, by bringing together active grassroots in the region and Nature Kakis chapters.
To enhance industry capabilities in skyrise greenery, NParks has a Skyrise Greenery Incentive Scheme which provides funding support for new rooftop greenery and vertical greenery installations in developments. NParks also publishes the Skyrise Greenery e-bulletin, which showcases innovative skyrise greenery projects across different building types and highlights unique design considerations that enhance their maintainability and sustainability. Now in its fourth edition, the e-bulletin has featured 54 projects to date.
Within NParks' premises, NParks encourages tenants to incorporate environmentally sustainable practices through the tender/contract specifications, such as adopting environmentally sustainable methods and materials when renovating or fitting out their premises, as well as encouraging practices such as sustainable food sourcing, minimising use of plastics in handling and packaging, and opting for reusable packaging solutions wherever possible.
NParks also works with sponsors in supporting environmental sustainability in our work, through programmes such as the Garden City Fund’s Plant-A-Tree Programme and Plant-A-Coral, Seed-A-Reef Programme. NParks also works with corporate partners on various collaborations, including volunteering for invasive management and nursery work.
In September 2023, three Nature Kakis chapters (Pasir Ris Central, Punggol Coast, and Punggol West) collectively supported Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC’s Green Wave event — the GRC’s first environmental protection event to promote sustainable practices, involving over 1,000 residents in environmental activities such as kayaking, waterway cleanup, and tree planting. They subsequently also co-organised a mangrove walk at Pasir Ris Park and a nature walk at Coney Island Park.
Cultivating awareness of and interest in the City in Nature vision in our next generation is an important part of our work in advancing the sustainability agenda.
i. Seeding messages through school curriculum and programmes
NParks is working with the Ministry of Education to incorporate City in Nature messages into every student's formal education through the syllabus and educational materials incorporating Singapore's sustainability and conservation efforts. In addition, NParks also engages students through school plays, talks, learning journeys on these messages, as well as other programmes such as Community in Nature school programmes, Greening Schools for Biodiversity, and Biodiversity Week for Schools.
ii. Empowering and enabling youths to step up as stewards
We have been involving youths in biodiversity conservation efforts through avenues such as the Youth@SGNature initiative, which includes the Youth Stewards for Nature programme, where youths are given the opportunity to lead and implement real-world projects in several fields including greenery management and biodiversity conservation.
NParks represents Singapore at various global and regional forums and biodiversity-related conventions. As a small, highly-urbanised island city-state, Singapore’s interests lie in the field of urban biodiversity conservation and greening, and we often adopt best practices concerning urban biodiversity and greenery and nature-based solutions for climate change. NParks is committed to staying connected with international negotiations and initiatives to address these environmental concerns.
i. Promoting urban biodiversity and greenery in the global and regional agenda
As a city-state, Singapore works with relevant partners such as the Global Partnership on Local and Subnational Action for Biodiversity to promote the interests of cities as a state Party to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), particularly in the development and implementation of the CBD’s Plan of Action on Subnational Governments, Cities and Other Local Authorities for Biodiversity. The Plan of Action recognises the Singapore Index on Cities’ Biodiversity as a useful monitoring tool for cities to evaluate their biodiversity conservation efforts, and invites its use by cities. The development of the Singapore Index was led by Singapore in collaboration with the CBD Secretariat and the Global Partnership on Local and Subnational Action for Biodiversity.
At the regional level, Singapore (NParks) is the leading country in urban biodiversity and greenery under the ASEAN Working Group on Nature Conservation and Biodiversity within the ASEAN Cooperation on Environment. NParks is working with the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity, the ASEAN Secretariat, ASEAN member states, ASEAN dialogue partners, and other relevant partners to develop and implement activities in various areas including: (i) Local Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan, (ii) Nature-based Solutions, and (iii) Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting. Other initiatives and projects that NParks has initiated or led in include the establishment of the ASEAN Flyway Network, the ASEAN Urban Wetlands Network, and ASEAN Workshops on Therapeutic Horticulture.
ii. Supporting whole-of-government interests in climate change
As a Party to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Singapore is committed to addressing climate change and contributing towards international efforts to mitigate its impacts. NParks contributes to the technical discussions related to forests and land use at the meetings of the Conference of the Parties and subsidiary bodies to the UNFCCC. NParks also provides greenhouse gas emissions and removals estimates for the Land Use, Land-Use Change and Forestry sector to Singapore’s reporting obligations under this convention.
Recognising that effective pursuit of sustainability requires shifts in mindsets and values to embrace sustainability, NParks endeavours to bring all staff on board our sustainability journey and create a conducive environment for sustainability considerations to permeate all domains of our work.
NParks has identified Sustainability and Circularity as a strategic growth area to strengthen organisational capabilities in. Officers are scheduled to attend relevant external courses, including Sustainability for the Built Environment 201 conducted by the National University of Singapore and the Green Mark Accredited Professional administered by the Singapore Green Building Council. NParks’ Centre for Urban Greenery and Ecology (CUGE) also runs sustainability-related training courses and programmes that staff can sign up for, such as the Skyrise Greenery Speaker Series and the annual Green Thumbs conference.
Knowledge exchange is further facilitated through talks and workshops organised by various NParks divisions, where staff and external speakers are invited to share their expertise on a wide range of subjects relevant to NParks’ operational and research work, including sustainability-related topics. The Science & Technology Research Colloquium, Hort Colloquium and Hort Champs are platforms in NParks for staff to learn about sustainability-related topics such as innovative technology projects to enhance sustainability and landscaping strategies for sustainable maintenance.
NParks also contributes to her parent Ministry, Ministry of National Development (MND)’s Family Green Group’s efforts in organising sustainability initiatives for the MND Family, such as repurposing food waste into compost, holding food donation drives, and conducting learning journeys for staff to gain insights into the sustainability solutions implemented by different organisations.
NParks’ focus on research and innovation has enabled the organisation to harness Science and Technology to advance our understanding of sustainability challenges and formulate science-based approaches to address them. For example, NParks’ Marine Climate Change Science programme aims to develop solutions to help tackle the challenges faced by our coastal and marine environment arising from climate change, such as sustainable engineering measures to protect our coasts against sea level rise and extreme storm events, and nature-based solutions to enhance our marine environment and create new habitats.
We also conduct research to guide the planning, design, development, and management of sustainable landscapes in Singapore. A recently completed study showed that the co-location of solar photovoltaic cells with green roofs can increase solar energy generation, improve survivability and growth of shade-tolerant plant species, and lower the outdoor roof surface and indoor ceiling surface temperature of buildings.
To address the urban heat island effect, NParks collaborated with the Singapore University of Technology and Design on a study to identify strategies and interventions for improving thermal comfort in Singapore’s green spaces. We have also embarked on a new project from July 2023 to deploy microclimatic sensors in the Jurong region to collect data on the cooling potential of greenery across various land use contexts. Additionally, we have an upcoming study planned to develop microclimate models and establish best practices on greenery modelling for microclimate simulation.
NParks is also proactively trialling and developing ops tech to optimise operational efficiency and thereby enhance resource utilisation. The Jurong Lake Gardens, NParks’ designated living lab for sustainability and technology, is a prime example of this. Its Integrated Garden Management System, for instance, integrates environmental monitoring and facilities management sensors into a central monitoring system for smarter operations management and enhanced visitor experience. The Gardens also conducts testbeds on ops robots and deploys them if proven successful, such as autonomous lawn mowers and road sweepers as well as surveillance and concierge robots equipped with video analytics capabilities. The digital transformation of NParks’ urban greenery management has also been made possible by the development of novel ops-tech tools, such as the Remote Tree Management System which leverages LiDAR technology coupled with AI and machine learning to enable virtual tree inspection, raising the efficiency of landscape operations.
To further encourage ground-up innovation to enhance work processes and outcomes, NParks has also implemented the Grow Every New Idea (GENI) initiative — a platform for officers to pitch their work innovation ideas for seed funding support. Through GENI, a centralised energy usage tracking platform was developed to facilitate the consolidation and analysis of NParks’ energy consumption data through robotic process automation (RPA), eliminating the need for manual scanning of utility bills and data entry. This innovation has translated into over 90% time savings, on top of allowing for improved oversight and evaluation of our energy consumption patterns.
i. Incorporating sustainability into procurement practices
NParks has established a green procurement guide to urge users to incorporate specifications into their tender requirement specifications where applicable, such as for the provision of ICT equipment, electrical appliances, water equipment, and building products. Divisions are also encouraged to accord evaluation points when tenderers include environmentally-friendly materials or practices in their tender proposals.
ii. Upholding integrity and accountability
As part of NParks’ efforts to foster strong corporate governance and instil public and stakeholder trust, NParks has an internal Code of Conduct addressing the prevention of corruption and fraud. This is communicated to all employees through induction programmes for new hires and HR employee engagement sessions.
NParks also provides whistleblowing channels for staff to report improper behaviour or misconduct, which are managed independently and followed up upon accordingly.
iii. Ensuring robust risk management
NParks’ Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) Framework lays out a systematic approach to identifying and managing risks and opportunities across the organisation, facilitating decision-making and the achievement of NParks’ strategic objectives.
The framework is built around four core components: (a) ERM objectives and strategy; (b) ERM governance; (c) Risk Assessment; and (d) Risk Monitoring and Reporting (see Figure 1).
iv. Promoting workplace safety and health
Dedicated to prioritising the safety of our employees and contractors, NParks strives for the highest standards of Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) that are consistent with industry best practices. NParks’ WSH Committee works with divisions and contractors to create and maintain a safe work environment for employees and workers.
Standard Operating Procedures for high-risk work processes are documented by the respective process owners within NParks and communicated to staff.
To ensure compliance with NParks’ WSH measures and regulations, monthly inspections are conducted on contractors. In the event of a safety infringement or incident occurrence, demerit points and/or administrative charges will be imposed on the contractor. Contractors will be penalised under the safety evaluation criteria for future tenders for NParks contracts, should they accrue a certain number of demerit points.
Figure 1.
i. Supporting staff development
NParks officers are encouraged to grow their professionalism, build capabilities, and provide service excellence. NParks develops employees through a competency development framework focusing on business, operational, and people excellence. Operational staff undergo in-depth training by CUGE and professional certification bodies, with tailored roadmaps formulated to grow their professional competencies in arboriculture and other specialist fields. Corporate staff can get certified by industry-recognised agencies such as the Institute of Singapore Chartered Accountants and Institute for Human Resource (HR) Professionals. In late 2023, NParks updated its Competency Framework, which identifies suitable development opportunities for upskilling and reskilling, to include strategic growth areas such as Sustainability and Circularity.
To deepen officers’ professional expertise in NParks’ core work areas and enhance deployability of staff, officers who possess certifications recognised under NParks’ Vocational and Skills Allowance Framework are eligible for a monthly allowance. 45.5% of NParks officers have obtained at least one professional certification, and officers are encouraged to continually upskill by picking up additional competencies relevant to NParks’ work.
138 |
Certified Practicing Horticulturists |
269 |
ISA Certified Arborists |
78 |
Certified Playground Inspectors |
17 |
Project Management Professionals |
26 |
Certificate in Animal Health |
34 |
Certificate in Animal Welfare and Behaviour |
We will continue to professionalise the role of an NParks officer and improve the attractiveness of a career in NParks. Officers’ skills and competencies will be recognised by appropriate progression opportunities and commensurate remuneration. We will also continue to support and encourage continuous movement of officers — horizontal as well as vertical — throughout their career. To further strengthen staff development, HR has upcoming initiatives planned for FY2024, including increasing the training budget allocation across NParks as well as establishing a Capacity Building and Innovation Fund to advance staff knowledge and skillsets through overseas trips, scholarships, sponsorships, and learning opportunities.
2 The list of qualifying certifications is not exhaustive. There are other certifications such as Field Epidemiology (Veterinary and Animal Health) and Advanced Animal Welfare and Behaviour (Cat and Dog).
ii. Prioritising staff well-being
NParks has put in place several good practices and initiatives to support staff well-being, and these are regularly communicated to supervisors and staff. Examples include active hour every Friday afternoon for staff to engage in healthy lifestyle activities (protected time that starts two hours before the end of the work day), guidelines for meetings to be scheduled before 3pm every Friday, and for staff to minimise sending out emails on weekends.
The Staff Well-Being Committee (SWC) works with NParks HR and Staff Union to launch and implement initiatives to promote staff well-being and make NParks a great workplace. It is supported by three sub-committees:
The SWC organises events to bring the organisation together and foster a greater sense of belonging and bonding among staff, such as the Year-End Get-Together and activities by the various sports interest groups. It has also organised several sustainability-related activities, including annual food donation drives with Food Bank Singapore, and collection of toiletries and household appliances for donation to migrant workers at ItsRainingRaincoats.
iii. Recognising staff achievements and contributions
Each year, deserving staff are recognised for their exemplary service and work via the Excellent Service Award and Divisional Star Award presented at the annual Y.E.O.P! Service Excellence Forum organised by the Y.E.O.P! Committee, a cross-divisional team that engages our officers to contribute to NParks’ service vision. In 2023, 40 staff were commended for providing excellent service to internal and external customers.
This year, 226 staff received their Long Service Award for their contributions towards building and caring for our City in Nature.
Please refer to Facts & Figures for more information on these awards.
NParks has set sustainability targets aligned with the whole-of-government targets set out under the GreenGov.SG initiative, and is committed to stepping up existing efforts and exploring new measures to achieve these targets. The reporting boundary for the data presented here is aligned with the GreenGov.SG scope.
Target: Peak emissions around 2025 and achieve net zero emissions around 2045
Performance
| fy2021 | fy2022 | fy2023 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fuel consumption from corporate vehicle usage (L) | NA3 | Diesel: 23,423 Petrol: 11,633 |
|
| Direct Scope 1 emissions (t CO2e) [calculated from fuel consumption from corporate vehicle usage] |
91.17 | ||
| Indirect Scope 2 emissions (t CO2e) [calculated from NParks’ electricity consumption] |
10,807 | 11,111 | 11,756 |
| Total emissions intensity from Scope 2 emissions (t CO2e/sqm) |
0.08 | 0.09 | 0.08 |
3 Data not available for FY2021 and FY2022, as NParks only began tracking fuel consumption from corporate vehicle usage in FY2023
Target: 10% reduction in Energy Utilisation Index (EUI) by 2030, compared to average of 2018–2020 levels
Performance
| 2030 target | Baseline (average of 2018 to 2020) | fy2021 | fy2022 | fy2023 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EUI (kWh/sqm)4 | 134.09 | 148.99 | 149.57 | 148.58 | 135.86 |
| Total electricity consumption (kWh) | NA | 23,642,552 | 26,486,899 | 27,231,838 | 28,813,474 |
| Total building electricity consumption (kWh)5 | 18,425,989 | 19,085,650 | 18,791,814 | 17,056,051 |
NParks’ total energy consumption and hence Scope 2 emissions have been on the rise in recent years, as a direct result of larger operational spaces and more comprehensive service offerings as we continue to develop new parks and infrastructure. Over the same period, however, our total building electricity consumption and EUI have fallen steadily since FY21, indicating that our efforts in lowering the carbon footprint of our facilities and operations are bearing fruit. Going forward, we are committed to increasing our investment in energy-efficient systems and renewable energy sources to pursue decarbonisation such as the deployment of solar photovoltaics for our buildings, and in research and innovation to develop new and enhanced sustainability solutions.
4 EUI is calculated for NParks’ standard infrastructure with meaningful gross floor area (GFA), which includes offices and facilities but excludes open public spaces such as parks
5 Total building electricity consumption is similarly calculated for NParks’ standard infrastructure with meaningful GFA
Target: 10% reduction in Water Efficiency Index (WEI) by 2030, compared to average of 2018–2020 levels
Performance
| 2030 target | Baseline (average of 2018 to 2020) | fy2021 | fy2022 | fy2023 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WEI (L/person/day)6 | 116.27 | 129.19 | 133.38 | 124.93 | 150.36 |
| Total water consumption (L) | NA | 787,026 | 911,053 | 1,014,198 | 1,008,194 |
| Total building water consumption (L)7 | 300,766 | 290,041 | 292,324 | 318,807 |
NParks’ water consumption is mainly from our operational activities, including the maintenance of our greenery and premises as well as public consumption within NParks’ facilities. The rise in visitorship to our parks and gardens over the past few years, coupled with the development of new green spaces and infrastructure, has led to an increase in NParks’ total water consumption. Our total building water consumption has also shown an upward trend from FY2021 to FY2023, attributable to the return of more employees to the workplace post Covid-19. Consequently, our WEI has increased, due to the increase in the number of staff and visitors to our premises. As we continue to expand and enhance our green spaces, we endeavour to better steward our water resources by rolling out more water conservation measures, including equipping newly developed infrastructure with rainwater harvesting systems and exploring the use of smart water monitoring systems.
6 WEI is calculated by dividing water consumption per day by the total number of staff and visitors to the premises. Similar to EUI, WEI is calculated for NParks’ standard infrastructure with meaningful GFA (i.e. our offices, laboratories and centres) and excludes green spaces
7 Total building water consumption is similarly calculated for NParks’ standard infrastructure with meaningful GFA
Target: 30% reduction in Waste Disposal Index (WDI) by 2030, compared to 2022 levels
Performance
| 2030 target | baseline (2022) | fy2023 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| WDI (kg/person/day) | 0.256 | 0.365 | 0.399 |
| Total waste (kg)8 | NA | 847,197 | 850,740 |
NParks’ total waste has increased slightly from FY2022 to FY2023, due to the increased number of staff and visitors to our premises. To reduce our waste generation, we will continue to focus on optimising our operations, digitising paper-based processes, and recycling horticultural and other types of waste.
8 NParks’ total waste and WDI are calculated based on only the amount of waste generated by NParks’ non-parkland offices and facilities, as NParks does not have data on the amount of waste generated within parkland, for which disposal is carried out by NEA’s Division of Public Cleanliness (DPC) instead of NParks