Singapore’s first Deepwater Ocean Basin research facility officially opened on 26 July 2022 at the Technology Centre for Offshore and Marine, Singapore (TCOMS)*. The centre plays an important role in strengthening research and development in the marine and offshore engineering industries, as the ocean basin can simulate the changing ocean environments caused by climate change.
CPG Consultants and CPG Signature provided Architectural and Landscape services, Civil & Structural Engineering as well as Environmental Sustainability Design consultancy services for the centre.
Designed with the concept of working and research in a nature reserve, the centre’s facade incorporates biophilic elements to create a green and pleasant work environment for researchers, with office views of lush greenery and landscaped outdoor spaces. This provides a sense of tranquillity for the staff while the greenery also ensures sustainability by reducing the centre’s carbon footprint.
The 60m by 48m ocean basin facility costs $107 million to build and has a variable depth of up to 12m. The centre pit of the basin facility, with a water depth of 50m, is currently one of the deepest in the world. Among its many capabilities, it also features a movable floor that can simulate operating environments in shallow, intermediate and deep waters, allowing technologies to be stress-tested by simulations of harsh weather conditions caused by climate change.
Keeping in line with the push for environmental sustainability and climate change adaptation, CPG Team also installed Photovoltaic (PV) solar panels on the roof to harvest solar energy, further promoting environmental sustainability.
Aerial view of East Coast to the Great Southern Waterfront (Image: CPG Consultants)
Commenting on the centre’s green design, Managing Director of CPG Signature Ar. Kuan Chee Yung, who also served as the Project Director, said: “Beyond the impressive dimensions and mega-equipment of TCOMS, is truly a laboratory in nature. The centre was awarded BCA Green Mark Platinum for various sustainable features; including the largest solar roof in the campus and a reforestation themed landscape that integrates well with Kent Ridge’s verdant environment. Our team is proud to support TCOMS as part of CPG’s ongoing journey in designing world-class technological facilities to support research communities in Singapore and the region.”
More opportunities will arise with the opening of the ocean basin facility, as more can be done to develop capabilities to integrate ocean-atmosphere, coastal waves and tidal-current models with engineering solutions to address marine engineering challenges such as protection against coastal flooding brought about by climate change.
*TCOMS is a national research and development (R&D) centre set up by the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*Star) and the National University of Singapore (NUS), supported by the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB) and the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA).