HDB Annual Report 2020/2021

Greener Towns on the Horizon The HDB Green Towns Programme, announced in March 2020, aims to improve residents’ quality of life and make all HDB towns more sustainable by 2030. The programme focuses on 3 key areas—reducing energy consumption by adopting solar energy and smart LED lighting solutions; recycling rainwater for non-potable uses; and cooling HDB towns via cool coatings applied to buildings, and intensifying greenery around HDB estates. These aim to reduce annual energy consumption in HDB towns by 15% from 2020 levels. Tengah, HDB’s newest town, will o er green living amidst nature. All 5 housing districts in Tengah will feature biophilic landscapes to connect residents more closely to nature, enhance biodiversity, and mitigate the environmental impact of climate change. One of the housing districts, Park District, is being progressively developed. In August 2020, HDB launched Parc Residences @ Tengah, a BTO project which will be seamlessly integrated with a neighbourhood centre and a polyclinic. Residents can expect to enjoy smart infrastructure that can make their living experience more sustainable and convenient. In Bidadari estate, which is envisioned to be a tranquil urban oasis, quality homes are set within verdant greenery and convenient amenities. Within the developments, rooftop gardens, courtyard gardens, and common greens with playgrounds and fitness stations are strategically located so Bidadari residents can enjoy nature at their doorsteps. All 12 planned public housing developments within Bidadari have been launched, with the last 3 projects launched in the February 2021 sales exercise. As the largest driver for installation of solar photovoltaic (PV) systems in Singapore, HDB remains committed to accelerating usage of green energy. In FY2020, the fifth SolarNova tender was awarded to install solar PV systems at 1,154 HDB blocks and 46 government sites, with a solar PV capacity of 60 MWp to be reaped islandwide – the equivalent of powering 16,000 4-room flats with clean energy for a year. The sixth tender, called in March 2021, will see both solar panels and smart electrical sub-meters installed at HDB blocks. The latter can monitor and analyse energy consumption patterns and the 21 HDB ANNUAL REPORT 2020/21