Global built environment consultancy Arup is among the recipients of the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) Awards 2026, having been named a Company of the Year in the Large Firms category.

Established in Singapore in 1968, Arup brings more than five decades of local experience, combining technical excellence and strategic advisory expertise to plan, design and deliver the future of the built environment (BE). Highlights include:

Using AI to improve design and project delivery

• Uses AI to help design low-carbon, high-performing buildings and infrastructure.

• Uses data to understand how developments can contribute to the urban heat island effect – where built-up areas become hotter – and help planners, architects and engineers design healthier and more resilient environments.

• Integrates AI, satellite imagery, machine learning and digital twin solutions to improve design and project delivery through predictive, data-driven insights that reduce months of manual inspections, accelerate decision-making and strengthen urban governance.

• Adopts AI tools to help employees understand tender requirements, check Singapore engineering requirements, find information faster and automate repetitive work.

• Develops enterprise-scale AI platforms that embed institutional intelligence directly into workflows to streamline research and compliance checks, saving hundreds of man-hours while maintaining technical rigour and quality assurance.

Helping employees use new technology

• Provides funding for employees to experiment, prototype and scale innovative ideas.

• Runs coding clubs and specialised digital design training so employees can become more confident in adopting technology.

Developing and retaining talent

• Runs a structured 20-month development programme that equips graduates with the technical expertise, commercial awareness and collaborative skills needed to navigate the complexities of modern built environment projects.

• Provides dual career pathways, giving employees the choice of progressing as either technical specialists or business and people leaders.

• Developed ‘The Leadership Academy’, which equips all employees across seniority levels and roles with on-demand leadership development content and tools, embedding leadership behaviours alongside technical excellence for career progression.

• Offers flexible working arrangements and internship opportunities through BCA’s INSPIRE internship programme.

Meeting complex challenges

In a separate statement, Arup said the company continues to explore new frontiers in digital innovation by developing in-house AI agents and applying emerging technologies to help its teams address complex built environment challenges, from strengthening urban resilience to supporting lower-carbon design.

One example is UHeat, Arup’s digital tool for assessing the urban heat island effect in Singapore. Integrating satellite imagery and climate data, it helps identify buildings and areas experiencing higher temperatures, enabling planners, designers and engineers to consider targeted interventions, such as nature-based solutions and changes to land use. The tool has been applied in cities across Southeast Asia, facilitating more informed decisions on urban resilience and liveability.

Arup is also leveraging AI-enabled tools to inform lower-carbon design decisions. With its generative design platform, Arup InForm, teams can compare the carbon and performance implications of different structural and building forms early in the design process. In Singapore, the platform is used to identify solutions that balance carbon reduction with wider project requirements.

In terms of investing in its people, Arup provides structured career frameworks, mentoring, technical skills networks and leadership programmes that support development throughout an employee’s career. Employees can pursue different paths across technical expertise, leadership and business development, with opportunities to learn from projects and colleagues in Singapore and across Arup’s global network.

“This recognition reflects the contribution of our people and the care they bring to their work. Their curiosity, technical expertise and adaptability have helped us improve how we design and deliver for our clients. We are also grateful to our clients and partners for the trust they place in us, and we look forward to continuing our partnership in supporting Singapore’s future,” said Michael Chin, Singapore country leader at Arup.

Arup’s contribution was further recognised through the BCA Project of the Year award in the Infrastructure category for the Subsea Water Pipeline Tunnel Connecting Tuas and Jurong Island. Arup provided civil, water, mechanical and electrical engineering services to Shanghai Tunnel Engineering Co (Singapore) Pte Ltd for the 1.6-km subsea water pipeline tunnel and its two associated shafts. More than 95% of the alignment runs beneath the seabed, including sections below existing gas transmission pipelines. Arup developed operating parameters for the tunnelling works to facilitate safe and productive construction while protecting the surrounding infrastructure.

The BCA Company of the Year Award recognises BE firms that have gone beyond project-level initiatives to achieve outstanding business and workforce transformation across their entire operations. In line with the BuildSG movement, the award showcases firms leading the way in transforming Singapore’s BE sector. In addition to Arup, this year’s recipients include Woh Hup in the Large Firms category and DP Architects in the Small Firms category.

Image: International Built Environment Week