Getting his conventional air-conditioners serviced used to be a dreaded task for Muhammad Hairi Ahmad.He would spend hours combing through online platforms just to find a reliable technician. “I even considered taking up an air-conditioner technician course so I could do it myself,” says the 34-year-old outdoor activities instructor.In Tengah, where he now lives with his wife and two children, such inconvenience has become a thing of the past with the estate’s Centralised Cooling System (CCS). Managed by SP Group, the CCS pipes chilled water
from a network of rooftop chillers to individual homes. This removes the need for homes to have individual condenser units and is more energy efficient.“With the CCS, I just need to book a servicing appointment on the SP app, and a technician will come and do it for me,” he says.Management executive Heinrich Lim, who moved to Tengah with his wife and their pet dog in 2025, also appreciates the added convenience and peace of mind that comes with having the system centrally managed.“With the
CCS, you can schedule maintenance or submit feedback through an app. It’s a one-stop service and it’s all managed by SP Group. There’s no need to go searching for a third-party provider,” Lim adds. “I feel more in control, and it’s less troublesome than looking for a reliable repair service.”While the CCS had some teething issues in 2023, these have largely been resolved (see boxed story). With no need for individual condenser units, residents who opted in also benefit from greater peace of mind. For
Hairi, it has also helped with his sleep pattern. He explains that some older models of condensers can be noisy, which disturbed him as he is a light sleeper. In the case of Rajanderan Kanna, 58, who moved to Tengah in 2025, a condenser unit in his previous home was the source of problems that required costly fixes. “I had problems twice with the condenser, and when you have condenser issues, it costs a lot of money to fix. One motherboard will cost you $400
to $500 if you don’t buy the extended warranty. It’s the most expensive part of an air-conditioner and the thing that gives you the most headaches,” says the restaurant supervisor, who lives with his wife. “When I heard that the CCS does not have condensers outside the window, I thought, ‘Why not give it a try?’,” he recalls. “So far, the CCS has been doing great.” An array of benefits Beyond the welcome reliability, Rajanderan has also seen the financial advantages of using the CCS.
He shares that his utilities bill has reduced, even though he uses the air-conditioning as much as he did in his former home. Currently, his monthly utilities bill is under $200, down from the $250 to $270 he was previously paying. The CCS chilled water rate has remained steady at $0.10 per kilowatt-hour refrigeration (before goods and services tax) since July 2024. For 31-year-old Lim, he believes that the CCS has brought some unexpected health benefits as well. “I have very sensitive skin and used
to get flare-ups when I used the air-conditioning at my parents’ place. I haven’t had any flare-ups in my current flat at Tengah, which I think might be due to the use of chilled water. The air feels more moist,” he says. The pro-activeness of SP Group’s staff has also added to the positive experience for Lim. He recounted that during an onsite survey, SP Group’s CCS Resident Engagement Team noticed a water mark on the trunking. They promptly arranged and carried out inspections, repairs
and testing – all within two hours. Rajanderan had a similar experience: a few weeks ago, an SP Group team dropped by to check on his system. “My wife usually makes the servicing arrangements, but even beyond that, you have all these people giving you extra attention.”He notes that, alongside cooling performance equal to that of conventional air-conditioning, and fewer maintenance troubles, having a team looking out for him has been another highlight of being a CCS user: “It’s reassuring to know that if something
comes up, there’s always someone to help.”
Tengah, Centralised Cooling System, CCS, SP Group, chilled water, utilities bill, air-conditioning servicing, rooftop chillers, condenser units