SINGAPORE - Have you ever watched futuristic movies where robots are integrated into society to help with everyday tasks and help humans build cities? Well, those science fiction scenes are becoming reality in Singapore.
Starting from 2025, the Housing and Development Board (HDB) will start using robots to handle the most hazardous and repetitive tasks in building Build-To-Order (BTO) flats.
The goal is not just to build homes, but to build them in a safer way for the construction workers who make it all happen.
The construction sector has long been known for its high risks, and the sector has consistently ranked as one of the most hazardous workplaces in Singapore for decades.
According to the 2024 Workplace Safety and Health Report by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM), the number of workplace deaths in Singapore increased by 19 per cent in 2024 compared to 2023.
The majority of these deaths in 2024 occurred in the construction sector, and the top three causes were falls from height (44 incidents), slips, trips, and falls (29 incidents), and being struck by falling objects (19 incidents), according to the same source.
Every year, lives are being taken away in incidents that could be prevented by a simple touch of innovation.
Moreover, the report shows that construction workers are nearly three times more likely to get hurt on the job compared to those in other industries.
These are not just numbers; they are human beings with families, livelihoods, and futures abruptly changed by avoidable accidents.
Ms Zin Taryar Win, 35, a construction project manager at Springview Enterprise, said that it is very challenging to monitor workers closely in construction sites.
“Accidents can happen because workers always take shortcuts,” she said.
“Many workers simply climb ladders or scaffolding without a proper setup
“Even a fall from seemingly harmless heights of just 1 or 2 meters can be dangerous.”
The MOM also shared in their Facebook post that they inspected nearly 350 worksites between January and February this year and found more than 800 safety violations.
Yet despite the risks, the pace of innovation has been slow due to the concerns about disruption to established practices, lack of awareness regarding the benefits of new tools and technologies.
Today’s Singapore is putting workers’ safety first, and robotics and automation are stepping in, not to replace the traditional construction workers, but to protect them.
“Using robots is part of HDB efforts to improve productivity and safety at construction sites,” said Mr Tan Kiat How, Senior Minister of State for National Development, speaking at the Housing Board’s professional engagement and knowledge-sharing forum at HDB Hub.
These initiatives are also part of HDB’s plan to increase productivity at BTO construction sites by 40 per cent by 2030.
Singapore’s approach is rooted not just in ideas, but in action, as demonstrated by the deployment of 10 trial robots in several BTO sites since 2023.
The initial state of testing these robots at multiple BTO sites comes with success rates, including a robot designed for architectural finishing, tested at the Yishun North site, which increased productivity by up to 30 per cent.
An architectural finishing robot in action at the Yishun North Site. Photo Credit: Dafang Intelligent Technology Co., Ltd
HDB is now using various types of robots in the construction sector, and most of them are primarily designed to do repetitive tasks such as painting, plastering, and bricklaying.
Mr Delsen Toh, the general manager of TOT Construction, said in an interview with The Straits Times that one robot takes around 90 minutes to paint a four-room flat, compared to three construction workers taking 70 minutes to paint.
Not only does the worker’s safety improve, but the productivity also increases.
In an interview with The Independent Singapore, Mr Toh Chee Boon, deputy managing director of Hi-Tek Construction, mentioned that two painting robots deployed by his company tripled output compared to manual labor at a Macpherson BTO site.
“One worker can manage up to four robots using a tablet, allowing more time for other tasks,” he also added.
Where digital tools meet manual expertise, representing the future of construction in Singapore. Photo Credit: HDB
This not only reduces physical strain but also addresses manpower shortages.
As the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) has reduced the Dependency Ratio Ceiling (DRC) for the construction sector, companies can now employ only five workers, down from seven previously, effective from 1 January last year.
Since Singapore’s construction industry relies heavily on foreign labor, the tightening of the DRC made the companies rethink how they build to complete projects on time.
For this change, robotics and automation have also become a practical way to address this shortfall.
In a March 2025 interview with CNA (Channel NewsAsia), Mr Kelvin Wong, the CEO of Building and Construction Authority (BCA), said automation helps the construction industry to remain resilient with declining manpower resources.
As of now, 15 robots shown at last year’s BCA Robotics Technology Exchange event are being used across more than 50 different construction sites in Singapore.
HDB Construction Productivity Over Time
|
Year |
Manday Output (m²/worker/day) |
Change in Output (%) ¹ |
HDB Productivity’s Target ² |
|
2010 |
7 |
- |
Baseline |
|
2020 |
10 |
(+) 43% |
(+) 25.9% achieved |
|
2030* |
17 (projected) |
(+) 70% from 2020 |
(+) 40% target from 20210 |
*2030 figure is based on HDB’s productivity targets.
¹Based on HDB’s productivity benchmarks and projections outlined in a LinkedIn post from their official page
²From HDB’s BTO, Together Annual Report 2022/2023, outlining productivity targets.
On-site, they neither wear helmets nor take lunch breaks, but they are part of the team.
These robots are not just machines; they have become coworkers who are precise, fast, and increasingly indispensable.
In trials conducted by the HDB, the use of these robots on-site has improved productivity by up to 30 per cent, which is equivalent to the workers being able to produce 30 per cent more physical output per hour.
While robots are increasingly visible on construction sites, it is undeniable that robots are addressing the most common issues of the construction sector, but concerns are rising among human workers.
Not in the way many are worried about.
Mr Wong explained that the sector is not trying to replace workers with robots, “Because no single robot can actually replace any one job entirely,” he added.
However, the nature of work is changing.
Ms Zin pointed out that if workers only know how to do a specific task, they risk being replaced.
“Even repetitive tasks like painting and plastering are increasingly done by robots, there are areas where detailed and decorative work requires human skills, not only to manage the robots,” she added.
“In those cases, workers who only have basic skills will become harder to find jobs,
“Workers need to upgrade their skills to stay relevant in a fast-evolving world, not only in construction but in all fields.”
This shift does not mean that robots will completely replace human workers.
But she believes that workers need to adapt by upgrading their skills to move beyond basic labor and develop skills that cannot easily be replaced.
As the use of robots becomes more widespread, it sends a message to everyone that this is more than a technological upgrade.
It is a shift in how the industry protects workers and delivers projects.
Robots take over the responsibility for the most dangerous and repetitive tasks to reduce risks, while humans provide the creativity and craftsmanship that machines cannot match.
These innovations are here to assist and make humans’ jobs safer and more efficient.
The future is not about competition between robots and human workers.
It is about collaboration to build something better, safer, and smarter.
As more companies start widely using robotics and automation, another challenge will arise that all workers have the training and opportunities to learn new technology.
The best approach is not to invest only in machines, but also in the human workers who manage them.
Human workers will always be a key player in making sure that these technological enhancements succeed.
If each one is in harmony, Singapore could become a role model for a safer, more productive environment for construction workers.
This collaboration, not competition, is key to unlocking the full potential of the construction industry, not just in Singapore, but worldwide.
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