Vision
In an era defined by complex urban challenges — from climate change and ageing infrastructure to shifting mobility patterns and digital disruption — AESS envisions a future-ready city in which multiple infrastructure systems (transport, utilities, built environment, public services) are seamlessly connected and intelligently orchestrated. The Urban Data Fusion & Infrastructure Convergence initiative will position Singapore as a global exemplar of integrated urban engineering, where engineering innovation, data intelligence and infrastructure convergence deliver resilient, sustainable, human-centred urban systems.
Core Mission
1.Systemic Integration – Engineer infrastructure systems to operate not in silos but as a unified ecosystem, enabling real-time coordination across transport, energy, water, waste, built environment and public services.
2.Data-Driven Intelligence – Leverage IoT, edge sensors, digital twin modelling and AI analytics to capture, integrate and derive actionable insights from multiple urban system data streams.
3.Engineering–Policy Nexus – Establish frameworks where engineers, data scientists, urban planners and public-policy makers co-design and implement converged infrastructure systems.
4.User-Centred & Sustainable Outcomes – Ensure that convergence delivers greater quality of life for residents, increased service-resilience, improved resource-efficiency, and better responsiveness to evolving needs.
Key Programme Modules
1. Converged Infrastructure Pilot Zones
Establish two demonstration districts in Singapore (e.g., one newly-developed precinct, one mature urban estate) where infrastructure systems are instrumented and connected: transport nodes, energy/water/utility networks, buildings, urban services.
Within each zone: install sensors across utilities, transport, buildings; implement data-sharing standards; create infrastructure orchestration platform.
Expected outcomes: improved system responsiveness (e.g., power usage shifts, demand management across systems), predictive maintenance across interdependent infrastructure, and cross-system optimisation (e.g., using building cooling demand to manage grid load).
2. Urban System Digital Twin Platform
Develop a multi-domain digital twin that fuses data from transport, energy, water, building, environment systems for the pilot zones.
Use platform to simulate scenarios (peak demand events, extreme weather, service interruption) and optimise infrastructure operations and planning.
Enable stakeholders (engineers, planners, agencies) to visualise system inter-dependencies, assess resilience, and test new engineering/operation strategies.
3. Engineer Convergence Leadership Fellowship
A 12-month leadership cohort programme targeted at mid-career engineers (5-12 years’ experience) who will serve as “Convergence Engineers”.
Programme curriculum: systems engineering for urban infrastructure, data analytics for engineers, collaboration frameworks, urban resilience, public-private ecosystem building.
Fellows work in multidisciplinary teams on real-zone challenges in pilot districts, culminating in a “Convergence Project” portfolio for industry/government.
4. Industry-Academia Convergence Accelerator
A joint accelerator platform co-sponsored by AESS, industry partners (utilities, infrastructure firms, tech companies) and academic institutions.
Focus: innovations that enable convergence of infrastructure systems — e.g., modular sensor networks usable across utility/transport domains; orchestration software for multi-system service routing; predictive analytics crossing domain boundaries.
Innovations progress via: proof-of-concept → pilot deployment in one of the zones → integrated system demonstration.
Target Metrics & Outcomes
Within 5 years, deliver 2 fully-instrumented pilot zones, each with converged operations across at least 3 infrastructure systems.
Train at least 80 Convergence Engineers, of whom 50% assume leadership roles in infrastructure integration projects or roles in multiple-system domains.
Launch at least 12 accelerator innovations, of which 4 are scaled for deployment in larger city-scale infrastructure.
Deliver 30 peer-reviewed publications and 15 patented technologies arising from the zones and accelerator.
Quantifiable service improvements: e.g., 15% reduction in peak-event response time across instrumented systems; 10% energy/water efficiency gain in pilot zones; 20% increased infrastructure service resilience (less downtime/events).
Partnerships & Enablers
Strategic collaboration with Singapore government agencies (e.g., Urban Redevelopment Authority, Land Transport Authority, Public Utilities Board), major utilities and infrastructure firms, and leading universities (e.g., National University of Singapore, Nanyang Technological University).
Funding model: public-private partnership with matched funding from AESS, industry partners and national innovation grants.
Governance: AESS will oversee programme strategy, atrisk/ethics review of data-use, cross-sector integration standards, reporting and open-data dissemination.
Knowledge-sharing: annual “Convergence Forum” to bring together academia, industry and government to disseminate results, replicate models, enable international uptake.