HDB Annual Report 2020/2021

Driving Construction Productivity With continued application of innovative technology and initiatives, HDB achieved an overall productivity improvement of 25.9% for projects completed in 2020, compared to the base year of 2010. For flats launched in 2020, 30% of flats adopted Prefabricated Prefinished Volumetric Construction, while 68% of the flats adopted Advanced Precast Concrete System, resulting in 98% of flats adopting Design for Manufacturing and Assembly technology. Virtual Design & Construction (VDC) methodology was applied to 50% of flats launched in 2020. Using 3D modelling tools to create virtual reality mock-ups, VDC helps the team map out and review design plans and coordinate construction activities holistically. HDB and the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) inked a research collaboration agreement to develop and adopt 5G-enabled smart construction technologies, and a memorandum of understanding to facilitate partnerships and commercialisation of the research outcomes. The research collaboration will include the research and development of a system that will capture videos, images and data through the use of sensors on robots and drones. The system, leveraging the 5G network, could progressively develop 3D rendering of a construction project as it is built, while remotely monitoring the activities at construction worksites when the robots and drones are deployed. The system could also tap on Artificial Intelligence and machine learning technologies to automatically identify safety lapses and detect potentially unsafe behaviours and conditions at construction sites. 25 HDB ANNUAL REPORT 2020/21 Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning technologies will be applied to video feeds captured on drones and robotic systems to automatically identify safety lapses in real time