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Smart homes with built-in smart plugs and sensor-equipped lights in common areas are some of the new features that residents of the upcoming Punggol Northshore district can look forward to.
The owners of these smart homes will be able to control almost any appliance that is connected to a power source (fans, lights and coffee maker) through a mobile application.
Inside the farm, smart lighting will rely on sensors to automatically dim and illuminate based on human traffic, saving energy in the long run.
These features will also be found in new floors in the upcoming “forest city” of Tengah, the first of which will be completed by the end of 2022.
The Housing Board conducts several behind-the-scenes tests of these new technologies prior to their implementation, as part of its drive to improve HDB’s living environment.
The man leading these efforts, Dr. Johnny Wong, told The Straits Times that all new ideas go through stringent testing at HDB’s Woodlands building research facility to ensure they are technically feasible, cost-effective, and comply with current building regulations.
Dr. Wong, group director of the Building and Research Institute, laid out how HDB houses have evolved over the years and embraced new technologies, in an interview last Friday to mark the board’s 60th anniversary this year.
While the first floors built by HDB were simple and utilitarian, their goal now is to provide smart, sustainable homes that are not only functional but also meet the changing aspirations and concerns of the next generation, he said.
“There is one great thing we need to verify. Will the residents accept it and like it?” He noticed.
That’s where “living laboratories” come in, existing farms with residents living in flats.
The Yuhua and Teck Ghee properties are two such examples.
In 2012, HDB piloted the HDB Greenprint program in 38 housing blocks in Yuhua. In 2015, it expanded the program to about 40 housing blocks in Teck Ghee.
Among the systems tested was a pneumatic waste transport system, which uses underground vacuum-type pipes to automatically collect household waste.
In Yuhua, residents complained of smelly garbage dumps shortly after the system was installed, as bulky debris caused clogs.
Following the feedback, Dr. Wong said that the HDB found the root of the problem, corrected it, and further refined the system. The improved system is now among the myriad of sustainable features to be incorporated into new flooring at properties such as Punggol Northshore and Tengah.
He views HDB’s commitment to sustainability as a “social responsibility” as eight out of 10 Singaporeans live in an HDB flat today.
“Singaporeans are very exposed to what is happening around the world. Sustainability is not a buzzword; it is something that worries many of our young people, so I think they feel that agencies like HDB, in a way, should also do your part, “he added.
He noted that HDB developments were planned to be sustainable from the start, even before the term “sustainable” was used to describe them.
For example, HDB floors are designed so that hallways are naturally lit during the day. The houses are designed and positioned to be ventilated and with natural breezes, to minimize the use of air conditioning.
Adding empty covers was particularly successful, he said. “From the beginning, the architects did well because the porosity of the empty roofs allows the wind to flow through our buildings and cities,” he added.
In a Facebook post yesterday, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said “many families were living in crowded and miserable conditions” when the board was established.
“HDB started building houses for Singaporeans,” he said. “Each new generation has brought different needs, lifestyles and aspirations, and HDB has continued to innovate and adapt with them. Today, HDB is focused on building community-centered cities, paying special attention to sustainability.”
Dr Wong said that the first green enclosure in Punggol, Treelodge @ Punggol, was built “very modestly” in 2010, but technology has improved significantly since then.
“Frankly, when we started out, we didn’t expect smart technology to come out in as big a way as it did and we quickly capitalized on it,” he said.
“The end result at the current Punggol property … was more than I bargained for. It is very satisfying, but it is always a work in progress.”
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