Memorandum of Understanding between Obayashi and JTC—the Singapore Government's Industrial Development Agency—for Collaboration on Construction Robotics

Technologies

Obayashi Corporation and JTC Corporation (*1) have signed a memorandum of understanding to collaborate on the development and adoption of technologies in the construction industry with a focus on construction robotics.

Japan and Singapore face a common and critical challenge: improving productivity in the construction industry, against the backdrop of shared social issues such as declining birthrates and aging populations, labor shortages, and increasingly sophisticated construction demands. To address this, both countries are making progress in introducing and utilizing advanced technologies, including construction robotics, such as the automation and autonomy of robots and construction machinery operating on construction sites, as well as digital transformation.

Technologies such as construction robotics are expected to contribute to increased efficiency and safety in construction, and to addressing labor shortages. Further advancements in sophistication and cost reduction are anticipated, leading to a wider range of applications in the future. However, many challenges remain to be overcome before construction robotics can be fully implemented, including the costs associated with introduction and operation, adaptability to on-site environments, training of operational personnel, and the development of standardization and regulatory frameworks.

As one of the basic strategies of its Medium-Term Management Plan 2022, Obayashi Corporation set the goal of "Strengthening and deepening the foundation of its construction business" and is working to improve productivity by "realizing innovative construction production systems." In 2024, it established Obayashi Construction-Tech Lab Singapore (OCLS) (*2), a research and development base in Singapore, to promote collaborative R&D with local universities, research institutions, and companies.

In this collaboration, while sharing and aligning with JTC's vision and goals, Obayashi will leverage its extensive construction experience, expertise, and R&D capabilities in testbed environments provided by JTC to accelerate technology development, including construction robotics, and drive the social implementation of these innovations.

Three initial areas identified for collaboration are:

• Understanding the factors that make construction sites challenging for robots and how to address them
• Trials and development of robotics solutions, such as autonomous site inspection and monitoring robots
• Feasibility studies on autonomous and tele-operated heavy construction equipment

Through this initiative, both parties aim to help drive wider adoption across the construction industry and expect Singapore to further strengthen its position as a leader in innovation and industrial transformation.

Singapore and Japan share the same challenges of an aging construction workforce and the need to raise productivity through automation. Our collaboration with Obayashi brings together their strong expertise in robotics and automation and JTC's strong pipeline of projects to work through the practical barriers to robotics and technology adoption, from site conditions to operational standards.

If we can establish what 'robot-ready' benchmarks look like, it gives developers and contractors a clear path to adoption in Singapore's built environment.

Leveraging the milestone of 60 years since commencing operations in Singapore, and building on the establishment of OCLS in 2024, Obayashi is not only expanding its business locally but also further strengthening collaboration with JTC and the Singapore government to promote the introduction of robotics and other advanced technologies in the construction sector.

Moreover, by combining Obayashi's extensive experience in robotics and automation with JTC and the Building and Construction Authority (BCA)'s forward-looking initiatives, active investment in R&D, and strong societal demand for productivity improvements, we are confident that Singapore can become a global leader in the adoption of construction automation technologies.

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