Singapore is developing a new industry standard aimed at enhancing the design, safety, and maintenance of rooftop and vertical greenery as the city-state’s skyrise greenery continues to expand markedly. The forthcoming Singapore Standard on the Design for Safety and Maintainability of Skyrise Greenery will encompass a range of installations, including rooftop gardens, landscaped balconies, and green walls.
Minister of State for National Development Alvin Tan announced the initiative on October 17, highlighting that a unified set of guidelines will help practitioners, businesses, and clients better understand the benchmarks for quality skyrise greenery. The move coincides with Singapore surpassing its original goal of 200 hectares of skyrise greenery by 2030, reaching over 255 hectares by the end of 2025.
The announcement occurred during Green Thumbs 2026, a three-day event marking the 25th anniversary of the Landscape Industry Association (Singapore), held at Temasek Polytechnic. Since launching its Skyrise Greenery Programme in 2009, Singapore has promoted urban greenery to mitigate the city’s concrete landscape, fostering a growing sector that includes landscape architects, developers, horticultural specialists, and maintenance professionals.
The new standard aims to provide a comprehensive framework for the design, installation, and ongoing upkeep of greenery on buildings, addressing critical aspects such as long-term maintenance, safe access, and secure work practices. It will also guide the selection of suitable plants and structural supports to ensure the sustainability and safety of skyrise vegetation.
Development of the standard will be led jointly by the National Parks Board (NParks) and the Singapore Institute of Landscape Architects, with Enterprise Singapore managing the process under the Singapore Standards Council. The working group—comprising building owners, academic institutions, and various government agencies—is set to convene for the first time in the fourth quarter of 2026, targeting publication of the finalized standard by the end of 2027.
Separately, Tan announced a new Temporary Occupation Licence (TOL) scheme beginning January 2, 2027, designed to assist landscape businesses by providing short-term access to vacant nursery land. This initiative responds to challenges faced by companies that require land for plant and tree storage but find long-term leases impractical due to the transient and unpredictable nature of these needs.
Eligible businesses—those registered on the Landscape Company Register for at least two years and holding existing contracts valued at a minimum of S$1 million—can apply to use designated nursery plots without committing to extended leases. Two pilot plots of approximately 0.6 hectares each at Neo Tiew Road in Lim Chu Kang will be available under this scheme, with licences granted for an initial one-year term subject to renewal based on land availability and NParks’ operational requirements.
Currently, longer-term nursery tenancies offered by NParks range from six to ten years, often requiring substantial development time before use. The new TOL option is intended to fill a gap for businesses needing more flexible arrangements. NParks will monitor uptake and gather industry feedback before deciding on additional land releases, and further details will be shared on the board’s website in the future.