A CONTINUOUS APPROACH TOWARDS STRATEGIC FACILITIES MANAGEMENT : SINGAPORE �S PARK CONNECTOR NETWORK (PCN)

Abstract

It is a known fact that nature is barely surviving in the highly polluted and congested environments of most Asian cities. Between 1960 and the mid 1990’s, the portion of Singapore covered by forests decreased from 6.5% to 4.4%, and mangroves dropped from 7.9% to 2.4%. Singapore’s landscape was transformed from dense tropical forest to an equally dense built-up environment. As Singapore’s natural areas were cleared, they were replaced with other forms of nature “constructed” to satisfy a range of human needs. It is believed that as much as natural areas continue to be destroyed to provide space for the expansion of urban planning and development, policies and actions have been introduced to “green” the city at the same time. A good illustration of a built environment serving as a form of a recreational ecological facility for the human community is the establishment of the specially designed park and open spaces. The implementation and management of the Park Connector Network (PCN) in Singapore is the focal point of this paper’s discussion in view of the government’s efforts to advocate a “Clean & Green City”. The in-depth research of this “green’ strategy is emphasized on the analysis of the PCN’s design in terms of strategic facilities management, and also its promising contributions towards the enhancement of a better quality of life in Singapore. At present, it is noted that the sustainable maintenance of this ecological corridor is a long-term asset worth investing, in that it can lucratively bring about a higher standard of living which thereby leads to a nation-wide consensus towards Singapore’s ultimate ambition of achieving its reputation as the worldwide “Green” activist.