First research centre for coastal protection and flood management launched by PUB, NUS

SINGAPORE: Singapore's first research centre dedicated to strengthening local capabilities and expertise in coastal protection and flood management was launched on Thursday (Sep 7). 

The Coastal Protection and Flood Resilience Institute (CFI) Singapore was jointly inaugurated by national water agency PUB and the National University of Singapore (NUS), marking Singapore's consolidated effort to tackle the effects of climate change on rising sea levels and the country's coastlines.

The occasion was marked by Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu, who attended the launch at NUS Shaw Foundation Alumni House alongside 200 guests comprising researchers, students and industry professionals. 

As ice caps melt, sea levels are projected to rise by 1m by 2100. However, they could go up to 4m or 5m above the current mean sea level if factors such as daily tidal activity, storm surges and land subsidence are taken into consideration. 

About 30 per cent of Singapore is currently less than 5m above sea level, making the country vulnerable to rising sea levels and at higher risk of floods. 

Since 2021, Singapore has progressively conducted site-specific studies for different segments of its coastlines. 

Director of PUB's Coastal Protection Department, Hazel Khoo said that Singapore faces "a unique confluence of challenges caused by the threat of rising sea levels and extreme weather events such as intense rainfall and storm surges".

"We are a low-lying island with a high population density and limited land. With many competing land uses, our coastal areas are precious to us. Our goal is to ensure our coastlines are not only well-protected but can bring multi-functional value for Singapore.”

Singapore unveiled its S$125 million Coastal Protection and Flood Management Research Programme (CFRP) earlier this year to strengthen coastal protection and inland flood management capabilities by advancing knowledge in these areas. 

CFI Singapore is a key pillar under the CFRP meant to consolidate research and expertise in the fields of coastal protection and flood management. 

The CFRP, funded under the National Research Foundation's Research, Innovation and Enterprise 2025 plan, comprises three components: CFI Singapore, also known as a Centre of Excellence, as well as Applied Research and a Living Lab. 

CFI Singapore will be led by Professor Richard Liew, head of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the NUS College of Design and Engineering.

The research centre will be hosted by NUS, which will work with partner institutes Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD), Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT), the Agency for Science, Technology, and Research (A*STAR), as well as industry partners.

Cross-disciplinary research projects will be carried out to "advance core domain knowledge and innovative solutions", PUB said in a press release on Thursday. 

CFI Singapore's goal will also be to train a new generation of researchers and engineers to tackle the same issues. 

It has already kick-started nine research projects across four key areas: Coastal science research; monitoring, prediction and digitalisation of the coastal environment; innovative engineering solutions, and integrated nature-based solutions. 

Some examples include a project testing the efficacy of hybrid nature-based solutions - such as using mangroves on rock revetments - for coastal protection, or a project focused on developing modular solutions to enhance existing coastal protection infrastructure. 

Each project will have an expert as the principal investigator and several collaborators from local and foreign universities and industry partners.

CFI Singapore and its partner institutes will also offer a range of talent and workforce development courses, including PhD, Master of Science and undergraduate programmes, as well as workforce training and seminar series designed to "highlight new growth areas and drive collaboration across the industry", said PUB. 

New programmes include NUS' graduate certificate in coastal protection and flood management and NTU's undergraduate specialisation in coastal protection.