HDB inks S$10m agreement to develop digital masterplan for Punggol Town

The Housing and Development Board (HDB) on Monday (Jul 11) inked an agreement with a NCS-led consortium to develop a digital masterplan for Punggol Town.(ChannelNewsAsia)

HDB said the S$10 million agreement will see the two entities working together for four years to develop a Smart Urban Habitat Master Plan (SUHMP) for Punggol Town. The plan will map out an approach for the deployment of smart initiatives in HDB towns, in line with Singapore’s move towards becoming a Smart Nation, HDB said.

“It will also identify ground challenges for the introduction of smart solutions, highlight areas where more research efforts are needed, and explore potential viable business models that can be adopted,” the release said. The consortium includes Singtel subsidiary NCS, design consultants Arup Singapore, Samsung SDS and infrastructure consultants AECOM Singapore, it added.

As part of the collaboration, a Smart Hub will be developed to collect multiple sources of information – such as real-time data from sensors around estates – into a central repository, HDB said, adding that data collected can be used in planning, design and maintenance of residents’ living environments. “For instance, dashboards can be created to monitor and analyse the performance of key services, such as lighting, pumps and waste collection. This will enable HDB to better monitor estate operations and optimise maintenance cycles. The data can also be used to identify patterns, predict potential maintenance issues, allowing for proactive upgrading and replacement of systems,” HDB said.

HDB also signed two other agreements on Monday. These include a one-year research collaboration agreement with 3M Singapore to look into ways to soften the impact of noise, such as those from traffic or human activities, in Singapore’s high-rise, high-density environment. The study will include studying suitable materials for walls, floors and windows that can absorb, reflect or reduce the transmission of noise within flats, the agency said. The third agreement is a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the International Federation for Housing and Planning (IFHP), Eastern Regional Organisation for Planning and Human Settlement (EAROPH), Singapore Institute of Planners (SIP) and Centre for Liveable Cities (CLC) to organise an International Planning and Housing Conference in Singapore in 2017.

The conference will bring a network of housing and planning experts and professionals together to foster learning and exchange information and ideas, HDB said. “We are living in a fast-changing urban landscape, with new planning issues to tackle and new housing needs to meet. The signing of the three new collaborations today will enable HDB to tap on new ideas and expertise in the industry and exchange good practices with others, so as to create better homes and provide a quality living environment for our residents,” said HDB CEO Dr Cheong Koon Hean.