Singapore only Asian city in global top 10 for building material reuse

The city ranked 10th in Savills' index, placing ahead of regional peers like Tokyo.

Singapore ranked 10th in the Savills Material Reuse Maturity Index, making it the only Asian city in the global top 10 for building material reuse in office markets.

The city placed ahead of Tokyo, which ranked 15th, whilst London, Amsterdam, and Paris topped the index.

The index assesses cities based on recovery and reuse rates, the presence of companies and facilitators enabling the process, and the strength of local regulations supporting material reuse.

The ranking comes as the government targets having 80% of buildings meet sustainability standards by 2030.

A current example is Robinson Point at 39 Robinson Road, a 1997-built asset undergoing an asset enhancement initiative to meet Grade A office standards.

The mixed-use retrofit project will include upgrades to improve natural light and incorporate green features.

“At a time when cost discipline and sustainability are both front-of-mind, material reuse is becoming a strategic lever rather than a niche initiative,” said Vincent Lau, executive director for project management at Savills Singapore.

“For building owners in Singapore, this means retrofit and redevelopment decisions can now unlock both immediate capex savings and long-term asset value,” Lau added.