Sustainable city planning can help cut a district's carbon dioxide emissions by as much as half, a project by a global energy firm in Shanghai has shown.

Electricite de France (EDF), the firm involved in the project in Shanghai's Lingang district, will now join hands with the National University of Singapore (NUS) to look into urban planning that leads to better energy use. Both sides signed a memorandum of understanding yesterday.

"We found mutual interest to collaborate and start research projects," said Mr Jacques Sacreste, EDF's R&D vice-president for international partnerships.

This will give undergraduates, and graduate students from NUS' school of design and environment the chance to collaborate with EDF in their research and for industrial attachments.

The EDF hopes that its work with NUS can eventually be applied to cities around the region, and around the world.

Professor Stephen Lau, deputy head of research of NUS' department of architecture, said the partnership is a good start for the school as it will help students relate ideas to industry practices.

The memorandum was signed yesterday at the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) Centre Atrium, at the launch of URA's exhibition on latest energy innovations.

Titled Rethinking Energy In Cities, it will end on Oct 16.

"For the URA, it is clear that a city that is well-planned and designed contributes to the energy efficiency of its communities," said Mr Ng Lang, chief executive officer of the URA, adding that Singapore is already exploring more energy-efficient options.

The Housing Board (HDB), for example, had earlier called a tender for the largest solar leasing project to date, which will see solar panels installed in about 900 HDB blocks.

In a statement yesterday, the URA said the Marina Bay and Jurong Lake district, for example, are being planned and developed to become more energy efficient.

It also plans to develop a modelling tool that helps planners find ways to reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions.