HDB develops new modelling tool

SINGAPORE — Future residents in new towns such as Punggol, Bidadari, Tampines North and Tengah could benefit from a new modelling tool that will help the Housing and Development Board (HDB) decide how best to site flats to optimise wind flow, or where to locate solar panels to generate energy most efficiently.

The tool is being developed by the HDB in collaboration with two leading European companies: Electricite de France (EDF) and Veolia Environnement Recherche et Innovation (VERI).

It will be designed to simulate various built environments and recommend an optimal scenario to create the desired living environment.

“The tool will reduce the risk of physical trial and error by providing a virtual platform for testing a planned environment before developments are actually implemented,” the HDB said in a statement yesterday.

The HDB will be able to simulate the various new urban solutions introduced to drive energy efficiency, effective waste management, water recycling, rainwater collection, thermal comfort and efficient transportation networks.

“Planners can then choose the optimal combination of solutions to achieve the desired sustainability targets,” the HDB said.

It will also be able to determine how best to site and orientate flats to minimise heat and glare.

The collaboration will also look into understanding the behaviour of residents, which “can have a significant impact on the sustainability performance of the ‘hardware’ initiatives and therefore also needs to be taken into account”, the HDB said.

The collaboration agreement will be signed in Bilbao, Spain, tomorrow during the World Cities Summit Mayors Forum. The forum, co-organised by Singapore’s Centre for Liveable Cities and the Urban Redevelopment Authority, will be held from today until Saturday.