THE GREEN BUILDING ENVELOPE: THE NEXT LAP FOR PUBLIC HOUSING IN SINGAPORE
WEE HIANG YEW CARL
WEE HIANG YEW CARL
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Abstract
The public housing of Singapore has been a successful scheme that currently accommodates 85% of our
population of 3.2 million people. After going through several phases of development, from the mere supply
for the housing shortage of the 1950s, to the current emphasis on apartment ownership as viable assets, it
has indeed come a long way. As it arrives at a comfortable pace of construction where the supply may be
even in excess of the demand for public housing, perhaps we should take a step back and re-consider a
possible new direction for the public housing of Singapore. What is the next lap that can be foreseen in the
housing development in Singapore?
In view of the global awareness of global warming caused by the combustion of fossil fuels, which
subsequently leads to the rapid depletion of such energy sources, we need to reduce such dependency
and find alternative energy sources. Perhaps in the field of architecture it is time for Singapore to explore
more intensively into sustainable developments. What other form of building typology can offer as much
breadth and capacity to experiment as public housing?
The emphasis on sustainable design in architecture is gaining recognition and support from various
countries in the world, particularly in the United States and United Kingdom. Is it possible for us to take a
leaf from what other countries have achieved in this field and develop viable applications with respect to the
public housing in Singapore?
This research paper looks at the history of development of public housing in Singapore against the
sustainable measures that have been implemented so far. The various strategies available to us for
environmental control and possible sustainability in the building envelope are examined. Lessons from
relevant foreign and local case studies provide better insight into an integrated approach towards a
sustainable building envelope. Finally, it will attempt to propose integrated sustainable design strategies for
the future residential building envelopes of Singapore.
Keywords
Dissertation (Architecture), 2003/2004 AkiD MArch, Sustainable Architecture, Public Housing, High-rise high density housing, Housing and Development Board, Building Envelope, Singapore, Architecture, Master (Architecture), Tse Swee Ling
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Date
2017-09-19
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Dissertation