DP Architects (DPA) has voluntarily disclosed its sustainability performance data, including its carbon emissions, despite being a privately held company with no regulatory requirements to do so. The architecture firm began tracking its carbon footprint in 2023 and has published annual reports since then.
DPA reported total greenhouse gas emissions of approximately 3,141 tonnes of carbon dioxide in 2024, an increase from 2,430 tonnes in 2023. This rise was primarily due to a broader reporting scope that now includes its 16 offices worldwide, rather than being limited to Singapore. Purchased goods and services remain the largest single source of emissions, accounting for 43% of the total.
The firm has established ambitious sustainability targets aligned with Singapore’s Green Plan and the United Nations’ goal to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius. These include a 50% reduction in operational carbon emissions by 2030, achieving net-zero operational emissions by 2045, and reaching net-zero whole-life carbon emissions across all projects by 2050.
In addition to monitoring its own operations, DPA integrates sustainability into its client projects through a framework called Attributes of Purposeful Design (APD), introduced in 2015. The framework assesses projects across eight sustainability categories and is implemented firmwide through a digital tool known as the APD toolkit. This system helps guide developments toward Singapore’s Green Mark certification, which is administered by the Building and Construction Authority.
According to DPA, 67% of its completed Singapore projects in 2024 and 2025 attained Green Mark Platinum or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEAF) Platinum ratings. Notably, the Central Manpower Base project, completed in 2025, achieved a 47.6% reduction in energy use when measured against the APD framework.
Looking ahead, DPA plans to publish aggregated findings from the APD toolkit, providing data on carbon, water usage, ecology, and social performance across a decade of building projects in Singapore’s tropical, high-density context. The firm views such transparency as a form of accountability not only for its operations but for its design practices sector-wide.
Recognizing the scale of the global decarbonization challenge—particularly as Southeast Asia’s built environment is expected to double in floor area by 2060—DPA is developing a “sustainability AI agent.” This tool aims to support architects during the design process by suggesting options and predicting their environmental performance, rather than only evaluating finalized designs.
On the community front, DPA established two partnerships in September 2025. One collaboration with Nanyang Polytechnic’s School of Design and Media involves a shared curriculum, co-certification, and internship pathways, with nearly 25% of recent hires coming from the firm’s internship program. The second is a decade-long commitment with Montfort Care, a social service agency operating the Goodlife Studio network for seniors. Since launching in 2025, DPA employees have contributed 61 volunteer sessions at Goodlife Makam, a community kitchen for seniors. To date, DPA has designed six projects in partnership with Montfort Care, including the recently opened Goodlife Studio at Marine Parade.
Seah Chee Huang, DPA’s chief executive officer, emphasized that the firm’s sustainability efforts are driven by a commitment to long-term partnerships and consistent impact rather than one-off initiatives.