Focusing on the creation, mobilisation, and realisation of innovative engineering solutions to tackle the challenges arising from the global crisis, Shaping Tomorrow: Engineering Smart Sustainable Cities at WES 2025 aims to forge new economic frontiers and unlock unprecedented opportunities in sustainability. The summit will explore critical areas where engineering can drive transformative change for a more sustainable future. Below are the key areas of focus for this conference.
TRACKS
Advancements in these areas are crucial for mitigating climate change, reducing environmental degradation, and creating a more sustainable future.
Chair: Dr Pearl Li
Deputy Chairs: Dr Kelven Koh and Mr Eugene Khoo
Keynote Speakers
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22 October 2025 (Wed)
2.00pm – 2.30pm
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Er. Tham Wai Wah
Senior Director (Engineering & Project Management) / Chief Engineer
Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore
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Navigating Climate Change for Singapore’s Maritime Sector: Setting Sail for a Climate-Resilient Future
| Synopsis |
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Climate change is a complex global challenge that calls for concerted global action. All stakeholders must work together to address this existential threat. As one of the world’s busiest transshipment hub ports, it is in the interest of Singapore’s maritime sector to pull our weight as a responsible member of the international maritime community, and act swiftly and decisively to address the existential threat of climate change. This keynote will delve into how Maritime Singapore is navigating the challenges of climate change, through mitigation measures to decarbonise the maritime sector while adapting against the impacts of climate change.
| Date / Time |
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23 October 2025 (Thu)
9.00am – 9.20am
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Mr Robert Chan
Vice President, Water, Asia
AECOM
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Adapting to Climate-Ready Mindset – Building a Climate-Resilient Future
| Synopsis |
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Climate change is a global challenge that demands a multifaceted approach, combining technological innovation with shifts in societal attitudes and behaviors. By bridging the gap between transformative mindset and innovative approaches, attendees will gain insights into strategies for fostering resilience, mitigating climate impacts, and creating a sustainable future. Whether through innovative approaches or behavioral evolution, this session highlights the importance of climate resilience and forward-thinking solutions in addressing the pressing challenges of climate change and will include real life case examples.
These topics highlight the multi-faceted nature of building a resilient future against climate change. They require a combination of scientific knowledge, policy frameworks, technological advancements, community engagement, and international cooperation to effectively address the challenges posed by climate change.
Chair: Mr Lew Yii Der
Deputy Chair: Dr Zheng Jianxin
Keynote Speakers
| Date / Time |
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22 October 2025 (Wed)
2.00pm – 2.35pm
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Mr Lam Wee Shann
Deputy Chief Executive (Technology)
Land Transport Authority
| Presentation Title |
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Building the Roads of Tomorrow
| Synopsis |
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Singapore’s growing urban mobility infrastructure presents increasing complexity and resource challenges that traditional management approaches cannot sustainably address. LTA is embracing innovative technologies and digital solutions to transform how we manage and maintain our transport assets, enabling more efficient operations with limited resources. This presentation explores the role of technology and innovation in creating sustainable urban mobility systems that support Singapore’s smart city vision.
| Date / Time |
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23 October 2025 (Thu)
9.00am – 9.35am
| Spekaer |
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Mr Jeffrey Sim Vee Ming
Group Chief Executive Officer
SBS Transit Ltd
| Presentation Title |
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Sustaining a World Class Metro Network in Singapore
| Synponis |
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His presentation, Sustaining a World Class Metro Network in Singapore, reveals the fundamental principles that underpin SBS Transit Rail’s ability to sustain two decades of operational excellence, in the areas of safety, reliability, customer experience, sustainability, and innovation. He will also share insights of how the team at SBS Transit continues to push boundaries and incubate innovative solutions for Urban Mobility Systems, including a glimpse into recently implemented technologies to deliver safe, reliable, and inclusive journeys for all.
These topics highlight the diverse aspects of industry sustainability, with a focus on reducing environmental impact, optimizing resource use, and fostering social responsibility within industrial sectors. By addressing these topics, industries can contribute to a more sustainable and resilient future.
Chairs: Ms Yina Chua
Deputy Chairs: Er. David Ng and Dr Aaron Sham
Keynote Speakers
| Date / Time |
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22 October 2025 (Wed)
2.00pm – 2.30pm
| Speaker |
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Dr Chua Kian Jon Ernest
Associate Professor
National University of Singapore
| Presentation Title |
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Innovative Cooling and Dehumidification Strategies for Sustainable and Resilient Green Buildings
| Synopsis |
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This presentation presents innovative cooling and dehumidification strategies that enhance the sustainability and resilience of green buildings. It highlights the use of membrane-based dehumidification systems for energy-efficient moisture control, and heat-driven chillers that leverage low-grade thermal energy to minimize electrical demand. The integration of high-performance superabsorbent desiccants, offering superior moisture uptake and low regeneration temperatures, is also examined. Collectively, these technologies address both sensible and latent cooling loads with reduced environmental impact, supporting the design of low-carbon, climate-responsive buildings—particularly in warm and humid regions where conventional HVAC systems are energy-intensive and less efficient.
| Date / Time |
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22 October 2025 (Wed)
4.00pm – 4.20pm
| Spekaer |
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Dr Kim Yongmin
Assistant Professor
University of Glasgow
| Presentation Title |
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AI in Geotechnical Engineering: Getting Started with Slope Applications
| Synponis |
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For geotechnical engineers to effectively leverage AI, it is essential to first understand the fundamental workflow: clearly defining the problem, preparing and curating reliable data, selecting appropriate models, and interpreting outputs within a meaningful engineering context. This structured process bridges the gap between raw geotechnical data and actionable insights.
In this presentation, I will take the audience through a step-by-step journey of applying AI to slope engineering problems—beginning with the estimation of effective cohesion (c′) and extending to the direct prediction of factor of safety (FS) in rainfall-induced slope failures. Initial experiments with object detection techniques revealed limitations in capturing multiple spatially distributed failure zones and the varying scales of landslides. These challenges led to the adoption of an instance segmentation approach, which is well suited for pixel-wise segmentation and spatial feature extraction. Results demonstrated that the model delivers reliable predictions while drastically reducing computational time, opening the possibility for near real-time slope stability assessments. This advancement is particularly impactful in data-sparse, landslide-prone regions where rapid decision-making is critical for disaster preparedness and sustainable urban development.
This work offers geotechnical engineers a clear roadmap for integrating AI into practice—emphasizing not only the technical process but also the importance of persistence, experimentation, and model selection in advancing digital geotechnical engineering.
| Date / Time |
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22 October 2025 (Wed)
4.20pm – 4.40pm
| Spekaer |
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Mr David Xu
Director, AI HVAC
Univers
| Presentation Title |
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Reimagining HVAC Optimization in the Agentic Era
| Synponis |
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This presentation introduces how Univers utilizes Agentic AI to help customers optimize the operational capabilities of Chiller Plant and AHU systems. Univers AI HVAC is designed to provide seamless, continuous, and adaptive optimization across both equipment and system levels. By integrating advanced analytics, domain expertise, and autonomous agents, the platform continuously learns from operational data to deliver measurable efficiency and reliability improvements.
In addressing long-standing industry challenges such as multi-source heterogeneous system modeling, low-quality or missing data, and numerous hidden variables that affect system performance, Univers combines deep HVAC domain knowledge with extensive Agentic AI capabilities. This unique approach enables the system to interpret complex patterns, make informed decisions, and recommend or even execute optimization actions in real time.
Ultimately, Univers provides customers with Outcome Driven services—transforming traditional system management into an intelligent, data-validated, and collaborative optimization process that enhances energy efficiency, system stability, and operational transparency.
These topics highlight the key aspects of smart and sustainable urban mobility, aiming to create more efficient, accessible, and environmentally friendly transportation systems in cities. By addressing these topics, cities can improve quality of life, reduce traffic congestion, and mitigate the environmental impact of transportation.
Chairs: Mr Danny Lee
Deputy Chair: Dr Justin Yeoh Ker-Wei
Keynote Speakers
| Date / Time |
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23 October 2025 (Thu)
9.00am – 9.30am
| Speaker |
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Mr Toh Ser Khoon
Senior Director, Engineering
Singapore Polytechnic
| Presentation Title |
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Developing Future-Proof Engineers by Fostering Solution-Mindedness with Human and Digital Skills
| Synopsis |
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SP Engineering cultivates solution-minded engineers through the CDIO (Conceive, Design, Implement, Operate) approach. In partnership with industry and community, SP engineering students solve authentic problems in workplace and community settings throughout their polytechnic education. Students integrate technical expertise with professional, communication and teamwork skills. These experiences foster creativity, empathy and adaptability, preparing future engineers to thrive in a rapidly evolving landscape and contribute meaningfully to society through innovative and sustainable solutions.
| Date / Time |
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23 October 2025 (Thu)
1.30pm – 2.00pm
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Prof Pang Sze Dai
Dean’s Chair, Associate Professor
Deputy Head (UG and Student Life, BTech)
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
National University of Singapore
| Presentation Title |
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Future Proof by Design: Balancing Breadth, Depth, and Industry Relevance in Engineering Education
| Synopsis |
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This keynote explores how to future-proof engineers by balancing broad-based foundations with disciplinary depth at the undergraduate level. It introduces a competency framework emphasizing AI/data fluency, sustainability literacy, digitalization, automation readiness, and professional skills. Engineering accreditation can drive innovation by aligning outcomes, assessments, and experiential learning with industry needs. The talk highlights NUS College of Design and Engineering’s reforms—integrating AI+X, sustainability, and digitalization into flexible, interdisciplinary pathways. It also stresses continuous industry collaboration through advisory panels, capstones, and internships to validate skills, refresh curricula, and ensure graduates remain resilient, adaptable, and ready to create real-world impact.
SPECIAL SESSION
Keynote Speaker
| Date / Time |
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22 October 2025 (Wed)
2.00pm – 2.20pm
| Speaker |
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Mr Robert Ong
President
INCOSE (Singapore Chapter)
| Presentation Title |
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Digital Standard with SysML and LLMs
| Synopsis |
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The application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Systems Engineering (SE) has gained a significant momentum with the emergence of Large Language Models (LLMs), such as ChatGPT and advancements in SysML 2.0. This intersection has spurred the development of AI for Systems Engineering (AI4SE), where LLMs and prompt engineering are leveraged to automate tasks such as requirements generation and system architecture modelling. Despite its promise, the adoption of generative AI in SE remains constrained by the persistent challenges, including model bias, hallucinations, and security concerns—raising questions about the reliability and verifiability of AI-generated artifacts.
This presentation introduces a novel methodology and AI agent-based architecture to support AI4SE during the certification planning phase. The proposed approach emphasizes the role of AI agents in enhancing traceability and establishing semantic relationships between certification rules, system requirements, and architectural elements. A reference implementation of the conceptual AI-driven architecture is presented, demonstrating its practical applicability in real-world certification planning scenarios.
Keynote Speaker
| Date / Time |
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23 October 2025 (Thu)
1.30pm – 2.00pm
| Speaker |
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A/Prof Ng Bor Kiat
Associate Professor
Singapore Institute of Technology
| Presentation Title |
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Asset Management for Innovation and Sustainability: Building Resilient Value for the Future
| Synopsis |
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In an era defined by rapid technological disruption, climate change, and evolving stakeholder expectations, the traditional view of asset management—focused solely on cost minimization and operational uptime—is no longer sufficient. This speech presents a possible framework that integrates innovation and sustainability into the core of asset management strategy.
The speaker will explore how organizations can leverage advanced technologies like IoT, AI, and digital twins to not only predict system performance and outcomes, but also optimize for energy efficiency, reduce environmental footprint, and extend asset lifecycles. It is the hope of this approach to transform physical assets from cost centers into strategic drivers of value, resilience, and competitive advantage.
The participants will learn how to align asset management with ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) principles, turning regulatory compliance into a source of innovation. Through examples and a clear roadmap, this presentation will hopefully provide leaders with the insights needed to future-proof their operations, meet sustainability targets, and build a legacy of long-term, responsible value creation.
Keynote Speaker
| Date / Time |
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23 October 2025 (Thu)
1.30pm – 2.15pm
| Speaker |
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Prof Liz Varga
Professor of Complex Systems
Dept of Civil, Environmental & Geomatic Engineering
University College London
| Presentation Title |
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Vision Zero: How Infrastructure Resilience achieves Workplace Safety
| Synopsis |
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In 2015 global appreciation of safety management moved from Safety I: ensuring that few things go wrong, toward Safety II: ensuring that many things go right. The desired outcome of Vision Zero: to ensure all things go right, can now be achieved by planned and proactive interventions that prevent, absorb and adapt to hazards and threats. ISO22372 which sets out principles of resilient infrastructure recognises the importance of keeping people safe despite greater interdependencies between organisations and challenges from the environments in which organisations operate. By taking a holistic and collaborative approach, safety performance of organisations and the organisations to which they are connected, including suppliers and customer, is improved. Principle 2 of ISO22372: Proactively protected, supports Safety II and Vision Zero in two ways. First, it builds in higher essential safety requirements. Using risk management, proactive planning, stress testing, and modelling of future scenarios, there is a better understanding of the changing nature of risks and hazards to support organisation adaptation that ensures the resilience of their organisations and ultimately the safety and quality of services they provide to others. Second, it highlights the importance of designing solutions that fail safely. Using approaches such as safe-to-fail, secured by design, and safe by design, it limits (and can avoid) potential harm and disruption arising from operational risks. Digitalisation enables organisations to be proactively protected, providing timely information for early warning, risk assessment, mitigation evaluation and decision support to absorb and contain disruptive incidents and keep people safe.