Paya Lebar Green (PLG), the newest addition to the Paya Lebar commercial precinct, marks a significant step forward in sustainable urban development.
The newly completed office project is a 50:50 joint venture between Australian real estate giant Lendlease and Singapore’s integrated services firm, Certis. It received its Temporary Occupation Permit (TOP) in February, with the official handover on April 1.
Richard Paine, head of development at Lendlease Singapore, describes PLG as “an extension of the Paya Lebar Quarter (PLQ) precinct” but one that pushes the boundaries of green commercial development.
The eight-storey building has been retrofitted, including major upgrades to both building systems and interior spaces. It is now known as PLG North Tower (Photo: Albert Chua/EdgeProp Singapore)
Adaptive reuse, green innovation
PLG comprises two office blocks linked by covered walkways and an overhead bridge. One is the original Certis headquarters, built in 1986. The eight-storey building has undergone a comprehensive retrofit, including major upgrades to both its building systems and interior spaces. It is now known as PLG North Tower. The second block, built in the 1990s, was demolished and redeveloped into a modern 12-storey office tower known as PLG South Tower.
The hybrid development approach, which combines retrofitting and redevelopment, reflects a broader shift toward adaptive reuse in real estate. “The first question we asked was: Can we reuse what’s already there?” says Paine. “Concrete and foundations carry a heavy embodied carbon footprint, so retaining them makes a big environmental difference.”
While the older tower has structural limitations such as lower ceiling heights and no raised floors, the retrofit was completed in under a year, delivering substantial time and carbon savings.
PLG is already 30% leased and projected to hit 50%-60% occupancy in the coming months. According to Corporate Locations office leasing specialists, the asking rent at PLG North Tower, which has floor plates of 11,000 sq ft to 12,000 sq ft, is listed at $8.25 psf per month. Meanwhile, the monthly asking rents for PLG South Tower range from $8.50 psf to $8.75 psf. As a new build, it features efficient floor plates with 150mm raised flooring and units for rent ranging in size from 4,917 sq ft to 27,733 sq ft.
Solar panels on the rooftops of both blocks at Paya Lebar Green (Photo: Albert Chua/EdgeProp Singapore)
Smart, sustainable systems
PLG integrates energy-efficient building technologies throughout. Both towers use split-unit air conditioning and chilled beam systems — ceiling-mounted diffusers that circulate cooled water to reduce energy consumption without compromising occupant comfort. The rooftops are fitted with solar panels: the retrofitted block alone has 252 panels. These further improve green building credentials.
Each office unit is equipped with its own Building Management System (BMS) reader, allowing tenants to monitor room temperature and air quality in real-time. PLG’s fire command centre serves as the operational hub, housing security cameras, fan systems, supervisory control panels and the building management system.
The deployment of Certis’ proprietary Mozart platform has further enhanced building operations. It provides real-time alerts and data across various services, including facilities management, guest services and security, enabling predictive maintenance and streamlined operations.
PLG promotes sustainable commuting with end-of-trip (EOT) facilities, including bicycle racks, showers and changing rooms for both men and women. It is located a five-minute walk from the Paya Lebar MRT Interchange Station, which serves both the Circle and East-West Lines. A bus stop is also situated right outside the development.
The project has earned the BCA Green Mark Platinum (Super Low Energy) certification — Singapore’s highest accolade for green buildings. Its design prioritises solar heat reduction and acoustic insulation through high-performance double-glazed windows.
Paya Lebar Quarter, a mixed-use development built on a site which Lendlease won in a government land sales tender a decade ago (Photo: Albert Chua/EdgeProp Singapore)
PLQ: The blueprint for PLG
PLG builds on the success of its neighbour, Paya Lebar Quarter (PLQ), which is Lendlease’s $3.7 billion flagship mixed-use development in Singapore.
Developed a decade ago through a 30:70 joint venture with the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, PLQ was completed in phases in 2018 and 2019. The integrated development features three Grade-A office towers offering a total of 870,000 sq ft, PLQ Mall with 340,000 sq ft of retail space across 200 shops and Park Place Residences comprising 429 units in three towers.
The central feature is the 100,000 sq ft of green space and a 20,000 sq ft covered plaza. The development has a direct underground link to Paya Lebar MRT Interchange Station.
The 100,000 sq ft green space, situated above a canal, features landscaped rain gardens. During wet weather, water collected in these gardens is channelled into the ABC VersiTank — a stormwater detention system that filters runoff before discharging it into the canal. “It’s not just a rainwater harvesting tank; it’s also flood-resistant,” says Paine.
The 100,000 sq ft green space, situated above a canal, features landscaped rain gardens (Photo: Albert Chua/EdgeProp Singapore)
In 2016, PLQ became the first commercial project in Singapore to receive ABC Waters certification from the Public Utilities Board (PUB).
Lendlease pledged to replace every tree removed during construction with three new ones, achieving a 300% green replacement ratio. This vision has translated into strong commercial results.
Today, PLQ’s three office towers boast a 99% occupancy rate, and its 200-unit retail mall is fully leased. “We’ve got a very high level of tenant retention,” says Paine. “It’s virtually full.”
Only a 2,770 sq ft unit at PLQ 1 is available on Corporate Locations’ website, with an asking rent of $9.80 psf per month.
End of trip facilities – bicycle storage and shower facilities (Photos: Albert Chua/EdgeProp Singapore)
Creating a people-centric business precinct
Together, PLQ and PLG reflect Lendlease’s long-term commitment to building integrated, sustainable and people-focused business precincts.
“It feels good to have achieved that, and it’s an endorsement when you see people using the space,” says Paine.
While PLQ laid the foundation for active, green public spaces and a vibrant mixed-use community, PLG represents its next phase — a forward-looking evolution that blends adaptive reuse, energy efficiency and digital innovation.
PLQ’s bin centre features compactors for general and paper waste, as well as a food waste digester with a daily capacity of 4.4 tonnes, which serves the needs of the F&B tenants in the precinct (Photo: Albert Chua/EdgeProp Singapore)
Closing the loop on waste
PLQ’s bin centre is a popular stop during site visits by government agencies and industry delegations. It houses compactors for general and paper waste, as well as a food waste digester with a daily capacity of 4.4 tonnes, which serves the precinct’s F&B tenants.
Recycling bins are available throughout both PLQ and PLG, supporting responsible waste management for all tenants.
The new 33-storey Shaw Tower with 450,000 sq ft of Grade-A office space is scheduled for completion in the middle of 2026 (Photo: Shaw Towers Realty)
New icon on Beach Road skyline: Shaw Tower
Construction is currently underway at the redevelopment of Shaw Tower. Originally built in the 1970s, it was once an icon along Beach Road. In December 2020, the Shaw Foundation appointed Lendlease as the development manager for the new Shaw Tower: a 33-storey commercial building with 450,000 sq ft Grade-A office space.
Additional amenities in the building include an outdoor amphitheatre, community spaces and EOT cycling facilities. Beyond F&B outlets on the ground floor, there will also be a rooftop restaurant on the top floor that will offer “stunning water and city views”, notes Paine.
“To build a future legacy, we decided to develop a new state-of-the-art office on the site,” says Paine. “The goal was to create a high-quality building that would enhance the city skyline and contribute to the community through thoughtfully designed public spaces.”
The development will be linked to the neighbouring Guoco Midtown via the communal facilities on the ground floor. It’s a five-minute walk to the Bugis MRT Interchange Station (for the Downtown and East-West Lines).
There will also be a bridge connection to South Beach across the road, as well as another new overhead bridge across the Nicoll Highway to Suntec City. From South Beach, there is an underground connection to the Esplanade MRT Station (Circle Line). From Suntec City, two other stations are accessible: Promenade Station (Circle Line) and City Hall Station (interchange for the North-South and East-West Lines).
Shaw Tower is also designed with sustainability in mind and was awarded BCA’s Green Mark Platinum (Super Low Energy) accreditation in 2021.
Lendlease will also serve as the asset manager for the new Shaw Tower upon its completion, with TOP expected to be sometime in the middle of 2026.
According to Paine, the target is to reach 50% occupancy by mid-next year. “Shaw is very focused on securing quality tenants for the building,” he adds. “We view the tenant-landlord relationship as a partnership and are seeking tenants who share our vision for a low-carbon future.”
Given its location in the CBD, the asking rent at Shaw Tower is $14 psf per month, which is in line with that of Guoco Midtown, based on listings on the Corporate Locations website.
The new Comcentre will feature two 20-storey buildings with a gross floor area of nearly 1.2 million sq ft and is scheduled for completion by end-2028 (Photo: Lendlease)
Transformation of Comcentre into a net-zero energy building
For its latest project — the redevelopment of Comcentre in a joint venture with Singtel — Lendlease aims to deliver a net-zero energy building. “It will be best-in-class and the most energy-efficient office development in Singapore when completed,” says Paine.
The former 32-storey Comcentre, built in 1979, has already been demolished. A groundbreaking ceremony for the new development is scheduled for July 8, with completion targeted for 2028.
Singtel first announced plans to redevelop Comcentre in July 2022, envisioning a $3 billion, world-class sustainable workplace incorporating the latest smart building and digital technologies.
The new Comcentre will comprise two 20-storey towers with a total gross floor area of nearly 1.2 million sq ft. It is being designed by New York-based Kohn Pedersen Fox, the same architectural firm behind One Raffles Quay and Marina Bay Financial Centre.
Lendlease has acquired a 49% stake in the joint venture company, Singtel Somerset, which was incorporated to hold the Comcentre property. Singtel will retain the remaining 51%. Upon completion of the deal, the joint venture will pay Singtel $1.6 billion for the land.
Paine: In every one of our developments, we make sure that we have incremental improvements in sustainability (Photo: Albert Chua/EdgeProp Singapore)
Incremental improvements
“In every one of our developments, we aim for incremental improvements in sustainability,” says Paine. For instance, Paya Lebar Quarter (PLQ) achieved Green Mark Platinum certification, reflecting energy savings of at least 30%.
Paya Lebar Green (PLG) and Shaw Tower have both been awarded Green Mark Platinum (Super Low Energy), which BCA has defined as buildings that have achieved at least 60% energy savings.
“We’re excited about the journey. While we focus on new developments, we’re also revisiting older ones to explore further improvements,” adds Paine.
