New large buildings in Singapore to provide lactation rooms for mothers under planned BCA code revision

SINGAPORE: Nursing mothers in Singapore will soon find it easier to breastfeed their babies and express milk outside their homes, as new buildings—including offices, schools, and small shopping malls—will be required to provide at least one lactation room under a planned revision to the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) code.

According to The New Paper, the changes, expected in the second quarter of 2025, will apply to buildings with a gross floor area of 5,000 square metres (sq m) or more. Existing buildings undergoing major refurbishments will also need to comply, as announced by the BCA on Feb 12.

The BCA’s Code on Accessibility in the Built Environment is updated every five years to ensure spaces meet the needs of people with disabilities, the elderly, and young families.

Currently, under the 2019 version, buildings like malls and offices must provide a lactation room only if they have a gross floor area of 10,000 sq m. Schools are not required to have lactation rooms, and larger buildings need to provide more lactation rooms based on their size.

Meanwhile, community clubs, hospitals, polyclinics, and transport stations, must add one lactation room for every additional 20,000 sq m.

While the 2019 version does not specify compulsory features for lactation rooms, the 2025 version will require them to be private, with a lockable door, a comfortable seat, sockets at table height, and a fixed mirror for mothers to adjust their attire.

The room must also be separate from toilets and be at least 1.2 by 1.5 metres in size.

Buildings that are not being renovated won’t need to follow these rules but are encouraged to apply for funding from the BCA’s S$40 million Accessibility Fund, which helps pay for features like lactation rooms.

As of January, 160 building owners have used the fund, with about S$20 million still available.

Second Minister for National Development Indranee Rajah said the revised code should be released by the second quarter of 2025, after reviewing public feedback. /TISG