Quantora Singapore authority approvals for building systems
Singapore runs approvals through one channel: a Qualified Person submits through CORENET and each agency clears its own part. Here is who governs what, and what it does to your quantities.
In Singapore, building plans are submitted through CORENET by a Qualified Person (QP), and each agency clears its own part: the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) for fire safety under the Fire Code, the Energy Market Authority (EMA) through Licensed Electrical Workers for electrical installations, PUB for water and drainage, and IMDA for telecommunication facilities.
Who governs what
| System | Authority | Approval / standard |
|---|---|---|
| Fire alarm | Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) | Fire Safety Plan approval via CORENET; Fire Code 2023; SS 645 |
| Sprinklers and fire pumps | Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) | Fire Safety Plan approval; SS CP 52 |
| Hydrants and hose reels | Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) | Fire Safety Plan approval; SS 575 |
| Power distribution, DB panels, earthing | Energy Market Authority (EMA); SP Group for supply | Licensed Electrical Worker sign-off; SS 638 |
| Lightning protection | Building and Construction Authority (BCA), through the QP | SS 555 |
| Mechanical ventilation and smoke control | SCDF for smoke control; NEA for general ventilation | Fire Code Chapter 7; SS CP 13 |
| Water supply and drainage | PUB, Singapore's National Water Agency | Water supply application by a licensed plumber; sanitary plan approval |
| Structured cabling | Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) | COPIF clearance in the CORENET submission |
| CCTV | Singapore Police Force guidance; PDPC for data | No approval; SPF video surveillance standard; PDPA |
What this actually does to your BOQ
Telecom facilities are an approval, not an extra
IMDA's Code of Practice for Info-communication Facilities in Buildings (COPIF) sets the telecom rooms, risers and lead-in pipes the building must provide. Those are civil and containment quantities that belong in the BOQ from the start, not a late addition from the telecom contractor.
Testing and certification are line items
- SCDF fire safety certificate inspection and system acceptance tests
- Licensed Electrical Worker testing and certification before turn-on
- Pressure testing and PUB inspection for water services
- Link certification for structured cabling
These belong in the BOQ as priced items, not absorbed into preliminaries.
Named professionals carry the sign-off
The QP, the Licensed Electrical Worker and the licensed plumber each sign for their part. Their fees and their availability affect the price and the programme.
Requirements change. The table above reflects the position as generally applied, but codes, approval routes and approved lists are updated, and local practice varies. Confirm current requirements with the relevant authority or your compliance consultant for any project you are pricing — this guide is a starting map, not a substitute for that check.
Building compliance into the BOQ rather than bolting it on
The practical habit worth adopting is to record, against each system in your BOQ, the governing authority, the required approval and the required test. It takes a few minutes per system and it prevents the two expensive failures: pricing equipment that cannot be used, and omitting testing that must be done.
Quantora attaches these requirements to each system automatically, based on the project's country and city, so the compliance position sits next to the quantities rather than in a separate document nobody opens.
Let Quantora do this from your drawings
Choose the project's country and city, upload a floor plan, and Quantora returns a complete bill of quantities in minutes — every item counted and located, with the governing authority, approval and test shown against each system.
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