Situated in the northern part of Punggol, Singapore’s new digital innovation hub, named the Punggol Digital District, or PDD in short, is poised to commence operations from 2024 onwards. Positioned as a next-generation workspace, the 50-hectare PDD will integrate businesses in key growth sectors, academia, and public spaces.
A Smart And Sustainable District
As one of the projects under Singapore’s Smart City Action Plan, PDD was conceptualised by JTC as a smart and sustainable district.
The car-lite estate will showcase how integrated master planning and technology can help create a liveable and sustainable environment with district-wide infrastructure and services such as the following:
- An open digital platform that will integrate with the management of various buildings within a single estate system, which would enable optimisation for energy usage and reduce waste.
- A district cooling system that centralises cooling needs to reduce carbon emissions.
- The district’s waste would be collected via a pneumatic waste collection system, which eliminates the need for waste collection trucks to ply around and eradicates odour from refuse chutes.
- A smart energy grid that powers the PDD enabling consumers to adopt clean sources of energy for daily use and facilitates greater energy efficiency and savings through smart metering.
- Deployment of autonomous buses to move people around the PDD more efficiently.
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| Legend: | |||
| Business Ecosystem | Amenities | Shop & Dine | Nature |
| #1-United Overseas Bank (UOB) #2-GovTech, Association of Information Security Professionals (AiSP) #3-Wanxiang Blockchain #4-dConstruct, Delteq, Group-IB, Target Media #5-Cybersecurity Agency of Singapore (CSA) | #6-Community Club #7-Childcare Centre #8-Bus Interchange #9-Punggol Coast MRT | #10-Nexus #11-Campus Boulevard #12-Market Village | #13-Hertiage Trail #14-Coney Island |
Home To Companies In Key Growth Sectors
The PDD is expected to create over 28,000 jobs closer to the residents in Punggol and those of the north-east region. As a gateway for digital tech companies, the PDD would host businesses in key growth sectors like Cybersecurity, Blockchain, & Fintech, Robotics & Artificial Intelligence, Cloud Computing and Smart Living.
In 2023, JTC announced the construction of 3 new business park towers as part of its phase two plans, which will provide another 1.2 million sq ft of business park and retail space. This is in addition to the existing 8 business park towers (80/82/84/86/88/90/92/98 Punggol Way) in the PDD.
Some of the businesses that will be anchoring into the district are local banking giant UOB, which will set up its global technology and innovation centre, costing over $500 million. The new centre will employ over 3,000 people across various roles in technology, innovation, and digital to develop new products and features. Other private companies joining UOB are digital media agency Target Media Culcreative (TMCC), as well as local systems integrator Delteq. Other than the private companies, public agencies like GovTech, CSA, and the Association of Information Security Professionals will also be setting up their bases in the PDD.
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Fostering Better Collaboration Between Enterprises And Academia
The future Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT), highlighted as light blue buildings in the image above, will co-exist with JTC’s Business Park at the PDD. The new campus, which will house more than 10,000 students, will enable a full-fledged applied learning environment.
The campus will occupy two plots of land – known as SIT Campus Heart, comprising 4 buildings occupying 49,000 sqm of space, and SIT Campus Cohort, comprising 6 buildings occupying 42,000 sqm of space.
Part of the university campus will be located inside the business park, and conversely, some business activities and businesses will be located inside the SIT campus. Alongside the “PDD Living Lab” programme, this would foster better industry-academia collaboration, leading to better interaction, exchange of ideas and spurring innovation.
Catering To Both Retail And Sporting Recreational Needs
There are a wide range of recreational options for residents, workers and students at the PDD.
Among the retail options are Nexus—a sheltered community plaza—and Market Village—a lifestyle destination that offers retail and dining options by the water.
Similarly, PDD also offers sporting and outdoor recreational options, where one can enjoy cycling and walking trails along Campus Boulevard—a 800m long tree-lined thoroughfare or the heritage trail—a 1.3km pathway of greenery. The PDD is also next to Coney Island Park, which gives workers and students at the PDD an alternative option for a run or cycle.
Additionally, there will be a specialist community club, imPAct@Punggol Digital District at the heart of the estate that would act as a one-stop social space focusing on programmes for youth and working professionals.
Read Also: Guide To Jurong Innovation District – Singapore’s Advanced Manufacturing Hub
Convenient Accessibility From All Parts Of Singapore
PDD will be accessible via the Tampines Expressway (TPE), which will link it to Singapore’s extensive road network. Alongside the bus services that will ply in the PDD, there will also be a new MRT station – the Punggol Coast MRT station – that will be part of the North East Line (NEL).
Additionally, PDD is also conveniently situated between two airports: Changi Airport, which is the country’s main international airport, and Selatar Airport, which caters more to business users, like private flights.
Beyond A Tech Enabler, The Punggol Digital District Is A Model For Singapore As A Smart Nation
The PDD is the first local business district to fully integrate physical infrastructure and smart technologies. It stretches the boundaries of what is possible with smart city technologies and builds upon these experiences to demonstrate what the future Singapore could be as a Smart Nation.
The PDD will also serve as a living lab, for public agencies and private companies to test new concepts of living, working, and delivering services. These experiments leveraging on technology would create good jobs, learning opportunities, and eventually improve the living experiences of the people.
Cover Image Credit: Woh Hup
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