Professor Chu Jian on a Greener Approach to Coastal Protection
The recent Coastal Protection and Flood Resilience Institute (CFI) Singapore annual symposium held on 18 September brought together close to 300 experts and students.
In an interview with Channel News Asia (CNA), Professor Chu Jian, Chair of NTU School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, spoke about an ongoing project under CFI Singapore.
Professor Chu is the principal investigator of the project, which involves filling tubes made out of natural fibres with industrial waste to form barriers that prevent shore erosion, offering a more environmentally friendly alternative to concrete seawalls.
“When sea levels rise, some of the beach areas will be submerged underwater – this will cause greater erosion of the coastal areas. To prevent coastal erosion, and at the same time to allow the beach to elevate a little bit, we can put a barrier in to allow soil to accumulate,” said Professor Chu.
Watch the interview on CNA (aired on 18 September 2025):
