Creating a Future-Ready Singapore: Smart, Sustainable and People-Centric

The Urban Sustainability R&D Congress, organised by the Ministry of National Development (MND) with 13 other government agencies, will be held over two days from 9 July 2015 at the Suntec Singapore Convention and Exhibition Centre. Guest of Honour for the Opening Ceremony Minister of State (MOS) for National Development, Mr Desmond Lee announced several funding initiatives in support of R&D efforts at the Congress today. The initiatives include:

a) Second Call for Proposals under the Land and Liveability National Innovation Challenge (L2 NIC) -

The second call for proposals under the L2 NIC will be open from 9 July to 20 August 2015 to seek innovative solutions to meet the challenge targets set in two key areas: (i) improving cost-effectiveness of underground developments, and (ii) improving human comfort and well-being; and enhancing environmental resilience. The call for proposals offers up to S$10 million of funding per project. Principal Investigators (PI) from all Singapore-based institutions of higher learning (IHLs), public sector agencies and not-for-profit research laboratories as well as companies and company affiliated research laboratories/institutions, are eligible to apply. More details on L2 NIC Second Call for Proposals are provided in Annex A( PDF 227.66KB).

b) Inaugural Green Buildings Innovation Cluster (GBIC) R&D Grant Call -

The Building and Construction Authority (BCA) has launched the first smart building technology R&D grant call in Singapore that aims to develop solutions for Smart, Green and Healthy Buildings. It is under the Green Buildings Innovation Cluster (GBIC) programme that was launched in September 2014.

c) 2nd Energy Innovation Research Programme (EIRP) Grant Call for Building Energy Efficiency (BREE) -

BCA has also awarded four R&D projects amounting to $6 million under its 2nd EIRP-BREE grant call. These projects aim to achieve more efficient energy consumption, as well as monitor and enhance indoor environmental quality for buildings.

More than 700 participants from government agencies, research institutes and private companies attended the two-day Congress. The theme “Creating a Future-Ready City: Smart, Sustainable, People-Centric” outlines the aim of the Congress to explore R&D solutions to address national urban sustainability challenges.

Minister for National Development’s R&D Award 2015

MOS Desmond Lee also presented the Minister for National Development’s R&D Award to four outstanding projects that have contributed towards MND’s vision of making Singapore “an endearing home and a distinctive global city”. The winners for the Minister for National Development’s R&D Award are:

a. Distinguished Award

NUS’ project – “A Novel Nano-Woven Membrane Air Dehumidification to Enhance Building Energy Efficiency” was highlighted for its revolutionary membrane technology to remove moisture from air entering a building, resulting in a reduction in energy consumption for air-conditioning as less energy is needed to cool the air. This contributes towards having more energy efficient buildings and reduces carbon emission.

b. Merit Award

HDB’s project – “Development of Urban Environmental and System Modeling tool to drive Greater Sustainability and Liveability in HDB Towns” was commended for its significant impact on improving the planning of new HDB towns to ensure sustainability and liveability. Through simulating microclimatic conditions, the modeling tool enables planners to optimise urban designs, layouts and housing typologies, contributing to a more comfortable living environment.

c. Merit Award

HDB’s project – “Development of Solar PV Projects” was lauded for its new concept model, which significantly lower the set-up and maintenance costs of solar panels. This leads to a wider adoption of solar energy in Singapore and helps to develop industry capabilities.

d. Special Mention

NParks’ project – “Using Agent-Based Modeling to predict habitat and species connectivity within Singapore’s coastal waters” was commended for its contribution towards marine biodiversity conservation efforts. Tapping on modeling tool to predict movement of coral species and their characteristics, areas critical for their survival can be identified for effective and maximum conservation impact. This tool also contributes to the scientific proof leading to the decision to designate Sisters Islands as a marine conservation site.

More details on the Minister’s R&D Award and winning projects are provided in Annex B (PDF 268.34KB)

New Track on “Ageing-in-Place”

Given the challenges of Singapore’s ageing population, an Ageing-in-Place track has been added to the Congress for the first time. The discussion will look at both hardware and software that will help ensure that senior citizens continue to stay active in an elderly-friendly environment. Participants will gain deeper understanding on how R&D is being applied in housing estates and community to support the needs of the elderly, through test bedding and studies carried out by government agencies, hospitals and institutes of higher learning (IHLs).

Engaging our Youths

This year, the Congress welcomes its first batch of about 50 student participants from different educational institutions. These students will be able to glean valuable insights from the researchers, industry experts and government officers and participate in discussions on solutions to address our urban challenges.

For more information on the Urban Sustainability R&D Congress, please visit http://www.mnd.gov.sg/urbansustainability/index.html.