Growing through smarter innovation

Built environment firms are banking on robots, digital tools and eco-friendly building methods to grow and stay resilient for the future

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An autonomous robot assisting with intricate paint work may sound like a movie scene. But at The Gear, it is just another day at the office where employees trial construction innovations in real settings before they reach the market.

Opened in 2023, The Gear (short for the Kajima Lab for Global Engineering, Architecture & Real Estate) is Kajima's flagship research and development (R&D) and innovation hub in Singapore. Situated in Changi Business Park, it houses the Kajima Technical Research Institute Singapore (KaTRIS).

With multiple R&D labs, KaTRIS is where new technologies robotics to digital platforms and automation tools are co-created and trialled, helping to speed up their adoption across the construction industry.

Past innovations include a concrete finishing robot jointly developed with JTC and Nanyang Polytechnic, and alternative cooling systems trialled in collaboration with the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) and the Singapore Green Building Council.

Recognising Kajima Overseas Asia (Singapore) (KOAS)'s transformative efforts, BCA chief executive officer Kelvin Wong notes: "Innovation is at the heart of KOAS vision, as exemplified in its initiatives. To stay competitive and develop long-term capabilities, built environment firms must transform how they build and operate." KOAS was named Company of the Year in the large firms category at the BCA Awards 2025, an accolade reserved for businesses with the greatest commitment to transforming Singapore's built environment sector.