3 new housing locations to be green havens: Tampines North, Bidadari and Punggol Northshore

By Yeo Sam Jo, The Straits Times, 10 Sep 2014

THE first public housing projects in the upcoming Tampines North, Bidadari and Punggol Northshore areas are set to feature a range of green initiatives.

Aside from heavily landscaped facilities such as roof gardens, the Build-To-Order projects will boast technologically advanced and eco-friendly features such as air-pressure waste systems.

"Intelligent" carpark monitoring systems will also be installed at the four pioneer precincts in Punggol Northshore.

These automatic systems reserve space for residents by adjusting the number of parking spaces available to visitors, depending on the time of day.

The roofs of these seafront blocks of flats, which face the Johor Strait, will be designed to allow installations of solar panels.

Common areas will have sensors that can reduce energy usage by dimming the lights when human traffic is low.

More than 3,000 units in blocks as high as 26 storeys will be launched by the Housing Board next year in Punggol Northshore.

Among other amenities will be a shopping centre, a two-storey walkway connecting the nearby Samudera LRT station to the waterfront, and a dragonfly pond in the middle of the area.

At the first housing precinct in Bidadari, which will also be launched next year, residents in more than 1,000 units can look forward to walkways flanked by greenery, shops and eating houses. They will also get views of a man-made lake and a new park from blocks as tall as 18 storeys.

Those living in the first Tampines North precinct will have a park as an entrance, with resting pavilions shaped like sand piles, drawing inspiration from the area's history of sand quarries.

More than 1,500 units, in blocks spanning 14 to 16 storeys, will be launched in November this year. Every block will come with a "living room" where residents can mingle amid landscaped greenery on the ground floor.

Bridges in Bidadari and Tampines North will connect garden decks and different blocks across roads.

All the new precincts will also come with air-pressure or pneumatic waste systems to reduce the manpower and trucks needed for refuse collection.

Property analysts believe each of these locations will be popular for different reasons.

"Bidadari has been touted to be the next Bishan. It's near to town and is considered city-fringe housing," said ERA Realty key executive officer Eugene Lim. "Tampines North is close to the Tampines regional centre, so it will enjoy the amenities of a mature estate."

Ms Nicole Tan, 23, who is unemployed and plans to apply for a Tampines North flat with her boyfriend, said: "It's a five- minute drive from Tampines Avenue 1, where my parents live. It will be so convenient to visit them."

PropNex Realty chief executive Mohamed Ismail Gafoor said that Punggol Northshore will be a hit with those looking for a waterfront lifestyle and activities.

"It will probably be the cheapest waterfront housing you can get," said Mr Lim, adding that the distance from the city centre will be less of a concern. "Those who buy flats in Punggol see it as a self-contained town. It will be bustling like Tampines in years to come."

'Smart' systems for new HDB towns
Upcoming Punggol Northshore flats to feature energy, motion sensors
By Yeo Sam Jo, The Straits Times, 12 Sep 2014

THE future Housing Board flat could come with energy sensors that monitor consumption as well as motion sensors that sound the alarm if an elderly resident is in trouble.

And the first sneak peek of what such flats could be equipped with in the future will start with upcoming precincts in Punggol Northshore, said HDB chief executive Cheong Koon Hean.

If the features prove to be feasible there, the HDB could roll them out to other projects.

Speaking at the HDB Peak Forum yesterday, Dr Cheong said the use of smart inventions will focus on four areas: the home, estate, environment and planning process.

Homes will be built with digital infrastructure that enables the use of technologies like home energy management systems. Such a system could monitor energy consumption patterns by appliance, and encourage residents to reduce their energy usage.

Another smart feature is an alert system that uses motion sensors to track the movements of elderly people at home. Caregivers will be alerted if there are any irregular movements.

"We want to leverage information and communication technology to make HDB towns and estates more liveable, efficient, sustainable and safe for our residents," said Dr Cheong. These domestic systems, which will be provided by commercial companies, will be made optional.

Beyond the home, such technologies will also be harnessed for town planning, estate management and maintaining environmental conditions. Common areas, for instance, will have smart fans that can regulate their speeds according to the temperature and humidity measured by sensors.

Refuse systems, lights and other amenities will be similarly fitted with sensors to improve maintenance and lower energy usage.

Computer simulation tools will also be used when towns are planned. Together with data analytics, they can assess green installations such as solar panels and LED lighting, and determine how cost-effective they are.

"Such a tool will better inform planners of the optimal solution for towns, balancing the costs involved with the environmental goals set," explained Dr Cheong.

Experts said this push for technology not only provides convenience, but can also lead to savings in the long run.

"Unlike private developments, the volume and homogeneity of HDB projects make these technologies easily replicable and adaptable," said Associate Professor Sing Tien Foo, deputy head of the real estate department at the National University of Singapore.

Operations manager Herman Shah, 26, who lives in a Yishun five-roomer, said: "I don't mind paying more if the energy tracking system can help me save money eventually."