Dear members and friends of SCL(S),

We are chuffed to welcome you to a new update for 2026. The past year has seen continued transformation across the construction, energy and built environment sector, and we are delighted to feature two timely articles that speak to the opportunities and challenges shaping our industry.

Our first article, Building for Net Zero in Singapore’s Sustainable Construction Landscape, examines the policy drivers, new standards, and practical considerations influencing Singapore’s transition toward low‑carbon development. The piece highlights how sustainability is no longer a peripheral aspiration but are increasingly embedded within contracts as obligations and performance indicators, becoming a central principle for project delivery, procurement, and risk allocation.

Our second article, Exploring the Construction Industries of Singapore and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), offers a comparative look at two dynamic markets, which are rooted in different legal traditions – common law and civil law. It reflects on the differing project types and regulatory frameworks, and cultural differences in dispute resolution and risk allocation, providing valuable insights for practitioners navigating cross‑border engagements.

We also take this opportunity to highlight discussion and interest in our first SCL(S) Protocol for the Use of Experts’ Joint Statements in Arbitration. It has already been picked up by a number of legal articles discussing it (and praising it). We have had the honour of having a most generous foreword contribution by Justice Philip Jeyaretnam who has also commended the Protocol as being reflective of both international best practice and the distinctive strengths of our construction and arbitration community. In his view, the Protocol will contribute significantly to the quality of expert evidence in Singapore-seated arbitrations and beyond.. It will be further discussed at the inaugural APIEx Seminar in Kuala Lumpur, Reimagining Expert Evidence in Construction Disputes – Protocols, Practice and Perspectives. We look forward to greater exchange and adoption of the Protocol, and contributing more to the thought leadership space.

Thank you for your continued support of the Society and its mission. We look forward to another year of learning, collaboration, and engagement with all of you.

Kelvin Teo
Chair, Thought Leadership Committee & Council Member
SCL (Singapore)