GREEN MAKEOVER FOR
38 HDB BLOCKS IN JURONG
The Housing and Development Board (HDB) has unveiled details
of its ‘Greenprint’ scheme that is part of an island-wide effort to ‘green up’
public housing. This programme includes the installation of hi-tech garbage
collection systems, rainwater collection tanks and solar panels.
The scheme aims to make older estates more environmentally
sustainable. At the same time, the housing board has identified 38 HDB blocks
at Jurong East Street 21 that will its first beneficiaries.
The scheme, which is expected to be completed in 2014 will
amount to S$17.7 million and will benefit 3,200 units.
Meanwhile, the estate’s existing garbage collection and
disposal system will be changed to a pneumatic refuse collection system, which
siphons refuse from individual units to the central waste collection
point.
It will reduce the need for workers who transport waste in
HDB estates and also lessen the number of collection points - from five to six
per block to just one or two for all 38 blocks. Overall, it will reduce manpower
requirements by 70 percent, said the housing board.
The blocks at Jurong East will also be fitted with solar
panels and fuel cells, which will generate sufficient power for the estates’
lifts, common lighting and street lamps.
In addition, LED lighting with motion sensors will be
utilised in less-frequented places to cut energy usage, while rainwater
collection tanks will help to reduce water consumption.
The energy-saving features will decrease energy consumption
by around 30 percent or S$144,000 annually.
Info courtesy-
PropertyGuru.com.sg
