The Housing and Development Board (HDB) will explore the use of smart planning tools in existing as well as upcoming towns and estates, reported Channel NewsAsia.
It has already used modelling tools to visualise shade, wind flow and heat to plan and design building forms and precincts in Punggol town, Singapore’s first eco-precinct.
Under the Smart HDB Town Framework, the Housing Board uses two types of smart planning tools to improve the planning and design of HDB towns.
The Urban Environmental Modelling (UEM), for instance, simulates environmental conditions like wind flow and solar irradiance, or the amount of energy generated by the sun per unit area.
HDB revealed that this was used at the Treelodge @ Punggol project (pictured), where simulations enabled town planners to design blocks to maximise wind flow as well as identify areas that will receive large amounts of heat from the sun so that they can introduce more greenery to reduce heat build-up.
The modelling tool also highlights shaded areas, allowing planners to site community facilities such as childcare centres and playgrounds in places that get more shade.
The Complex Systems Modelling (CSM), on the other hand, is a decision-making tool which simulates the impact of green initiatives.
This enables architects, engineers and town planners to more accurately assess the trade-offs in introducing new sustainable features in towns and choose the most effective combination of solutions.
Planners for the Yuhua precinct in Jurong used the CSM to weigh the energy savings of smart lighting, which adjusts the lighting’s intensity based on footfall, against the higher costs of installing it compared to using LED lights for corridors. It was also used by HDB in the urban planning for Punggol Northshore.
HDB said it plans to use the tool in existing towns in order to assess the feasibility of introducing the HDB Greenprint programme.
It added that it will progressively leverage the said modelling tools to complement town planning efforts to deliver well-designed homes in self-sufficient, green and sustainable towns.
Romesh Navaratnarajah, Senior Editor at PropertyGuru, edited this story. To contact him about this or other stories email romesh@propertyguru.com.sg
