SINGAPORE: Heat-reflective paint will be applied to all existing Housing and Development Board (HDB) estates as part of efforts to reduce urban heat and enhance residents’ comfort.
The S$60 million (US$43.8 million) initiative will be rolled out by 2030, building on a successful pilot in Tampines.
During the Tampines trial, which began in October 2022, the special paint – which contains additives that reflect the sun’s heat – has been applied to 88 out of 130 blocks. Painting for the remaining blocks are set to be completed by the end of this year, HDB told CNA.
Findings from the trial showed that ambient temperatures were reduced by up to 2 degrees Celsius. Residents in blocks painted with cool coatings also saw a reduction in electricity consumption, as reduced heat absorption decreased the need for air-conditioning, HDB said.
“We will be scaling up the cool coatings pilot to the rest of Singapore estates by 2030,” said Senior Minister of State for National Development Tan Kiat How during a visit to an HDB block in Woodlands on Feb 3 (Monday). “It’ll cost the government an additional S$60 million, so there’s no cost to our residents.,”
The heat-reflective paint initiative is part of the 10-year Green Towns Programme that began in 2020, which aims to implement more large-scale eco-friendly features in all existing HDB towns to promote sustainable living.
The programme focused on five key areas: Reducing energy consumption, recycling rainwater, reducing waste, promoting green commute and cooling HDB towns.
“We are reinforcing our commitment to make our estates greener, more sustainable and more livable, and we are making good progress on all fronts,” Mr Tan said.
NEW INITIATIVES ANNOUNCED
HDB also announced additional sustainability measures under the Green Towns Programme.
From the second quarter of this year, smart electrical sub-meters will be installed in the consumer switch rooms of HDB blocks.
“These will allow the town council and HDB to better collect data on the common services, for example, water pumps (and) lifts, so we can better optimise the maintenance regime and also reduce energy consumption,” Mr Tan said.
It will also allow town councils to compare energy usage across HDB blocks to better plan maintenance cycles of common services and detect equipment failures.
Additionally, 38 HDB-managed complexes will be upgraded to incorporate solar panels and water-efficient fittings, which will reduce energy and water usage – both by 10 per cent. Machines that convert food waste to compost will also be installed to reduce waste by 30 per cent.
These improvements will be progressively rolled out at an average of eight complexes a year and completed by 2030.
From April 2026, HDB will also add more than 1,000 beverage container return points islandwide to encourage recycling.
STATUS OF EXISTING INITIATIVES
Asked if upcoming BTO projects will have piloted programmes such as the cool coatings initiative, Mr Tan said that they could be deployed in the future if deemed successful.
For example, the Elevator Energy Regeneration System (EERS), which saves 20 per cent of the energy used by lifts without affecting operations, will continue to be implemented at some blocks and BTO projects. More than 500 lifts have been retrofitted with the system.
“Lifts are selected based on their expected lifespan and the height of the building, as energy generation is more significant in taller blocks,” HDB said.
At the end of January 2025, over 4,300 blocks have had solar panels installed to power common services such as lifts, lights, and water pumps in HDB estates.
“Solar panels for the remaining committed HDB blocks will progressively be installed in batches over the next two years, where feasible,” the Housing Board said.
To encourage residents to choose more sustainable commuting options, more than 26,500 dual bicycle racks have been installed, with a target of 30,000 islandwide by the end of the year.
Singapore is also on track to have EV chargers installed in approximately 2,000 HDB car parks by the end of 2025.
Other initiatives include implementing smart LED lighting to reduce energy consumption and installing more UrbanWater Harvesting Systems in Jurong and Yishun to aid in rainwater collection.
