More than 300 cooling centres to open if S’pore faces heatwave: New heat office
The new office is also looking at heat thresholds for vulnerable groups and heat's impact on critical infrastructure.
Singapore plans to deploy over 300 air-conditioned cooling centres islandwide if a heatwave hits, as part of its response to combat higher temperatures. These centres will be located in community hubs, selected Residents' Committee or Residents' Network centres, and indoor sports facilities. The public will be notified of the impending heatwave at least four days in advance through the myENV national weather app. Priority will be given to vulnerable groups such as the elderly when a centre is nearly full.
The country is currently facing a "double whammy" of hot weather drivers: the dry southwest monsoon season and an intensifying El Nino weather phenomenon. According to the National Environment Agency, there were 17 days of high heat stress this year, compared to five days for the same period in 2025. Scientists warn that the El Nino event could intensify into a "Godzilla" event, potentially causing extreme temperatures between March and May 2027, coinciding with the hottest part of the year.
The last heatwave in Singapore occurred in April 2016 during a powerful El Nino episode. In early 2025, Singapore launched its first national heatwave response plan, which outlines the steps various sectors must take when a heatwave is declared. This includes schools going on partial or full home-based learning, pre-schools and nursing homes avoiding outdoor activities between 11am and 4pm, and pre-recorded programs being delayed or canceled on television and radio.
Calvin Chong, the divisional director of the energy and climate policy division at the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment (MSE), oversees the new Heat Resilience Policy Office. Chong said that previously, the heat office was part of the MSE's climate adaptation division, but it has now been spun off as its own division.
The office is staffed by five employees and is working to ensure that the heatwave response plan can be implemented smoothly, including identifying vulnerable groups and coordinating with community partners for outreach and support.
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