AECOM, the trusted global infrastructure leader, today announced the establishment of its Underground Infrastructure AI Innovation Centre in Singapore. This strategic investment, supported by the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB), underscores AECOM’s commitment to advance Singapore’s vision for smarter, more sustainable urban development by optimizing underground space.
Led by digital professionals with extensive experience in urban planning and infrastructure, the Centre will focus on developing AI-powered solutions to improve data quality, enhance the mapping of underground utilities and safeguard underground space for existing and future developments. The Centre will also collaborate with institutes of higher learning and engage with infrastructure industry partners and relevant agencies to leverage AECOM’s digital solutions for learning and skill enhancement opportunities.
“Infrastructure planning in dense urban environments like Singapore demands innovation,” said Jee Yi Ying, AECOM Singapore Managing Director. “The Underground Infrastructure AI Innovation Centre represents a bold step forward in how we harness digital tools to solve complex underground design challenges. With the support of the EDB, we’re accelerating the future of infrastructure delivery and building capabilities that benefit Singapore and beyond.”
The Centre is developing a suite of advanced software to automate and enhance underground utility design and survey workflows to reduce manual design checks, ensure timely regulatory approval and avoid project delays and abortive work. The digital tools are designed to systematically assess the accuracy of existing underground data, identify critical sections with severe space congestion and propose recommendations to optimize underground space usage. Key considerations such as constructability, maintainability and end-to-end feasibility are embedded into the tools. These innovations enable AECOM to streamline its work on utility corridor studies, which traditionally rely on numerous utility plans and trial trench reports. The efficiencies gained will ultimately benefit major infrastructure developments in Singapore.
The initiative aligns with AECOM’s global drive for technical excellence (TechEx), supported by programs that deliver innovative, high-quality solutions to meet the evolving needs of its clients and the industry. By investing in AI, geographic information systems (GIS) and advanced survey technologies, AECOM’s digital infrastructure delivery capabilities will be significantly enhanced. The Centre will also provide training and upskilling for digital-literate professionals and talent from various disciplines, with the aim of opening career paths in digitally empowered engineering.
“AECOM’s AI Innovation Centre demonstrates the transformative potential of AI-powered engineering for smarter and more efficient urban planning and development. The Innovation Centre will support the development of local talent with advanced digital and engineering capabilities, strengthen Singapore’s position as a global hub for AI innovation and drive innovation in our built environment sector,” said Junie Fo, Vice President and Head, Professional Services, EDB.
About AECOM
AECOM is the global infrastructure leader, committed to delivering a better world. As a trusted professional services firm powered by deep technical abilities, we solve our clients’ complex challenges in water, environment, energy, transportation and buildings. Our teams partner with public- and private-sector clients to create innovative, sustainable and resilient solutions throughout the project lifecycle – from advisory, planning, design and engineering to program and construction management. AECOM is a Fortune 500 firm that had revenue of US$16.1 billion in fiscal year 2024. Learn more at aecom.com.
