Creative leap to beat the heat

Home-grown company behind CQ @ Clarke Quay's cooler makeover creates urban spaces that are smarter, greener, friendlier

- By Kareyst Lin

You step out for lunch. The heat and humidity hit you immediately. Within minutes, your skin is sticky, your shirt clings to your back, and you long for the cool embrace of air-conditioning. Scientists estimate that Singapore endured 122 extra days of dangerous heat in 2024 due to climate change. These are defined as days when the mean temperatures were higher than the warmest 10 per cent of readings from 1991 to 2020.

Compounding this is the urban heat island effect, says Mr Henry Woon, director of Environment, Buildings + Cities, at Surbana Jurong Group (SJ).

Headquartered in Singapore and wholly owned by investment company Temasek, SJ is a global consultancy specialising in urban development, infrastructure and managed services, with offices in more than 40 countries. It brings together 10 global member brands to design and develop smarter, more sustainable solutions for the future.

Speaking to The Straits Times along the Read Bridge in Clarke Quay, Mr Woon explains that the urban heat island effect is a phenomenon where cities tend to be hotter than rural areas.

"It is more pronounced in areas that are densely built-up and lack sufficient greenery and wind flow," says the 44-year-old, who has over 20 years of experience in environmental and sustainable design.

Familiar urban materials such as concrete, glass and steel are key contributors, Mr Woon explains. They trap heat and raise temperatures in the surroundings.

So what can we do? Use the art and science of design to create cooler, smarter, and friendlier urban spaces, he says.

Designing comfort

Stepping under the shade of the iconic CQ @ Clarke Quay canopies, Mr Woon points out how the temperature immediately feels about 2.5 deg C cooler—even though the actual temperature hasn't changed.