Mapletree Investments and Mapletree Pan Asia Commercial Trust (MPACT) have selected SP Group to design, construct, and manage a new distributed district cooling (DDC) system within the HarbourFront precinct. This initiative aligns with Mapletree's overarching goal to achieve net-zero emissions by the year 2050.
The project represents one of Singapore's most extensive brownfield district cooling deployments, linking five key buildings—Bank of America HarbourFront, the new HarbourFront Centre, the existing HarbourFront Towers 1 & 2, and VivoCity. The system will deliver chilled water via three separate injection nodes.
This centralized approach replaces the conventional model where each building operates its own chiller. By tapping into a shared system that consolidates cooling demand, the project achieves significant economies of scale and enhances overall cooling efficiency. Mapletree emphasized in a January 20 announcement that this strategy not only reduces operating expenses and carbon emissions but also liberates valuable space previously dedicated to individual cooling plants for other operational or commercial uses.
The implementation of the DDC network will be carried out in two distinct phases, with construction commencing in 2027 and full operational status targeted for 2031.
Boasting an installed cooling capacity of 17,150 refrigeration tonnes, the DDC system is projected to yield annual savings exceeding 5% on cooling-related expenditures. These savings will be realized through enhanced operational efficiency and the benefits of scale.
Once fully operational, the system is anticipated to be 8% more energy-efficient than the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards set by Singapore's National Environment Agency for water-cooled chilled water systems in industrial facilities.
According to Mapletree, the DDC system will also lead to a substantial reduction in carbon emissions—approximately 13,700 tonnes over a 20-year operational lifespan. This equates to roughly 685 tonnes of carbon emissions avoided annually, an amount comparable to the annual emissions from powering 550 three-room HDB households.
This project signifies Singapore's second brownfield DDC deployment, following SP Group's successful implementation of a similar system at Tampines Central in March 2025.
The Tampines Central network interconnects seven buildings: Century Square, CPF Tampines Building, Income at Tampines Junction, OCBC Tampines Centre 2, Our Tampines Hub, Tampines Mall, and Tampines 1.
As per SP Group's announcement in March 2025, the Tampines Central network is expected to help the town center reduce its carbon emissions by 1,000 tonnes each year. The transition to DDC also freed up approximately 25,000 square feet of space that was previously occupied by several individual chiller plants.
Mapletree has not disclosed the exact amount of space currently used by individual cooling plants within the five HarbourFront buildings.
Given that over 80% of Singapore's landscape consists of brownfield sites, the expansion of DDC systems in mature districts can significantly curtail energy consumption and carbon emissions. This strategy strongly supports Singapore's national climate objectives, Mapletree noted.
Mapletree and SP Group have a history of collaboration on other sustainability projects. SP's Utilities Management System is already deployed across the Mapletree Group, utilizing more than 2,000 smart meters to enable real-time tracking of utilities consumption for carbon reporting and energy efficiency enhancements. Furthermore, SP has supplied electric vehicle charging solutions to bolster Mapletree's commitment to promoting green mobility.
