SINGAPORE – A robot goes around a flat applying coats of paint to the walls, after a separate scanner has mapped out the housing unit, automating what would have been a two-worker job.

Contractors here have been increasingly embracing robots.

Robotics and automation help to make work sites safer and more productive, said Senior Minister of State for National Development and Digital Development and Information Tan Kiat How at the Building and Construction Authority’s (BCA) Robotics Technology Exchange on Aug 30.

The robot used to paint walls was one of 15 used in construction that were showcased at the technology exchange held at BCA Academy in Braddell Road, which takes place once every two months.

The technology exchange is an event showcasing innovative technologies, and allows people in the industry to network and stay up to date with solutions in the market.

Mr Tan said he was “very encouraged” that many contractors have adopted the use of such robots, noting that they were being used in public housing projects to do the painting.

“Instead of two workers, you just need one operator (for the robot),” he said.

BCA chief executive Kelvin Wong said the adoption of robotics and automation is important for the construction industry to remain resilient against a declining labour force.

The 15 robots that were showcased at the exchange on Aug 30 have been deployed across 30 different construction sites in Singapore, he added.

The painting robot by Shenzhen-based tech firm Legend Robot takes about 90 minutes to paint a four-room flat, said Mr Delsen Toh, general manager of local company TOT Construction. The firm is the distributor for the robot in Singapore.

In comparison, three workers typically take 70 minutes to paint a four-room flat.

“One worker can operate up to three robots, and they just have to top up paint, change its battery, and wash it. Using the robot frees up workers to do other tasks,” Mr Toh said.

He added that the painting robot, which costs $120,000, has been deployed to three Housing Board projects and two condominium developments since January, completing nearly 5,000 units at present.

JH Construction is one firm that bought two such robots and deployed them in two condo projects – the 24-unit Baywind Residences in Marine Parade and 137-unit Mori in Guillemard Road.

Mr Jason Lin, director of JH Construction, said although the robot was a costly investment, productivity has increased by 80 per cent.

“Spray-painting manually may be quicker, but it takes two workers,” he said, noting that the robot is more reliable and reduces the risk of health issues caused by inhaling paint chemicals.

He added that he faced some teething issues with the robot in the early stages as it would miss some areas, but it was resolved within two weeks.

“At this point, the tech is not yet so advanced that we can replace the human workforce, but it can be complementary,” Mr Lin said.

Mr Tan said that robots are deployed to protect workers from risk, such as working from a height, minimising cases of injuries and deaths. He pointed to a drilling and anchoring robot by Hong Kong firm CSC Robo, which can drill on walls and ceilings.

A tile grouting robot by Singapore start-up Fabrica AI was also showcased at the event.

The robot automatically applies grouting and cleans tile gaps at the press of a button, and can cover more than 90 per cent of unobstructed floor space.

It takes about 20 minutes to 25 minutes to cover a four-room flat, compared with two hours to five hours if done manually by a worker, said chief operating officer Keefe Wayne Teo.

The robot costs $90,000, including warranty, site support and maintenance.

Construction firms have been receptive to the tech as it is fairly simple for workers to use, Mr Teo said, adding that it is being used in condo and HDB projects.

A robot that can lay concrete and tiles automatically is also being used in a public housing project here.

Nanjing Zhuling Technology’s chief operating officer George Liu said the robot takes 1½ minutes to lay a tile, compared with four minutes to five minutes a tile if done manually.

The robot costs $100,000 and has four cameras to ensure a gap of 0.5mm between tiles, he added.

However, workers have to manually tile the edges of a room due to the use of tiles of different sizes.

There are schemes in place to encourage the adoption of such technology.

BCA’s Productivity Innovation Project scheme co-funds up to 70 per cent of the costs for adopting technology that improves productivity at construction sites.

The authority’s Built Environment Accelerate to Market programme also provides funding to local start-ups, and small and medium-sized enterprises to quicken the progress of innovative solutions to commercialisation.