Singapore – Johnson Controls, a global leader for smart, healthy and sustainable buildings, has announced a partnership with Ngee Ann Polytechnic (NP) to establish the NP Built Environment Ecosystem (BEE) initiative, together with other industry partners. Through this programme, Johnson Controls will equip NP students with practical learning and experience in smart facilities management.
The partnership comes at a critical time when jobs in the ESG sector have surged by 257 percent in the last three years. With the partnership, Johnson Controls and other industry leaders will provide students access to invaluable training and insights. Under the BEE initiative, NP aims to upskill up to 1,000 professionals in the industry over three years, underscoring the importance of public-private partnerships in elevating industry standards and equipping future talent with the necessary skills.
“Through this collaboration, we aim to upskill professionals and nurture a future generation who can lead the change toward a more sustainable built environment,” said Peter Ferguson, General Manager, Southeast Asia, Johnson Controls. “Our collaboration takes on even greater significance, in today’s landscape where sustainability-related roles are increasingly in demand and sustainable practices have become top priority for businesses. We’re committed to advancing both innovation and education within the industry in Singapore and Southeast Asia, empowering students to excel in facilities management to drive smart cities in the region.”
In addition to updated education courses, the initiative will provide NP students with practice-based training and internship opportunities across Project Delivery and Services teams. These roles offer real-world experience in various aspects of the built environment sector, aligning with the broader goals of sustainability in the industry.
“At Ngee Ann Polytechnic, we are committed to forging strategic partnerships with industry leaders like Johnson Controls to drive sustainability innovation and talent development for the built environment sector. We believe that the synergy through this partnership will benefit the industry. The alliance also reflects our shared aspiration to play an instrumental role in Singapore’s vision for a more sustainable future," said Mr Lim Kok Kiang, Principal and CEO of Ngee Ann Polytechnic.
Transforming Campus Development with Integrated Buildings Technology
Johnson Controls has been helping Singapore’s educational sector accelerate its built environment transformation. It recently completed a project for a technical institution in Singapore that integrates facility management and security systems into an innovative command platform. This integration optimises manpower resources, enhances task assignments, and streamlines operations, setting a benchmark for efficiency and effectiveness.
Another local university is partnering with Johnson Controls to establish an Integrated Operations Centre (IOC) for its campus. The IOC elevates campus management by seamlessly integrating all technologies into OpenBlue Enterprise Manager, the unified platform enabling proactive event alarms, precise energy consumption analysis, and accurate maintenance predictions. This has significantly improved operational efficiency and guarantees an optimised system performance for a safer, greener campus environment.
Commitment to Education and Enabling Future Talents in the Built Environment Sector
As part of its dedication to developing a skilled workforce in the built environment sector, Johnson Controls was awarded with the SkillsFuture Employer Award (Gold) in 2023.
As a SkillsFuture Queen Bee in Built Environment Facilities Management, Johnson Controls empowers small and medium-size enterprises (SMEs) through digital literacy workshops, aiding their decarbonization efforts and energy efficiency solutions in building management. This support is crucial for SMEs starting their sustainability journeys, addressing the lack of knowledge and awareness amidst growing sustainability concerns.
