New HDB Units Might be Cooler by 2°C So We Won’t Need to Turn on the Air-Con

Last Updated on 2023-03-05 , 11:13 am

Here’s a simple reason why you’re not slimming down.

Singapore is too hot.

Or at least that’s the reason why I’m fat, cause I always resort to eating ice cream when it’s too hot.

Or is that just an excuse to eat ice cream?

What I mean by that is…

Temperature is expected to rise between 1.4^oC and 4.6^oC by 2100.

2100? Chey, so long I die already la.

It’s a relatively cool estimate considering I’ll be about 100 years old then until you realise that estimates usually count for shit. Like, the world’s largest ice shelf melting 10 times faster than expected.

Either way, if you’re among the 100% of the people who find Singapore too hot, you’ll be rejoicing at what you read from the headline…

Except, there’s a huge emphasis on the might.

So yeah, nothing to play-play about here. The 2^oC reduction basically just offsets the temperature that would increase in the future.

And this doesn’t include the temperature we have rose compared to the past. 

FYI, S’pore temperature basically rose by 2^oC since 1965, which means we’re basically just doing patchwork.

And when is this patchwork going to be done? 2025 under the Cities of Tomorrow Programme.

And oh, the 1.4^oC and 4.6^oC estimate by 2100? I guess that depends on how you ask, since a senior research scientist says we can have regular 40°C days in 2045.

Anyway, let’s see what this 2-degree cooler is about.

HDB research collaboration to combat climate change and limited resources

The 2 collabs were signed on 23 July 2019, at the Ministry of National Development’s (MND) 5th Urban Sustainability R&D Congress:

1. With Evonik to mitigate the effects of climate change
2. With V-Key for smart-enabled flats

But that’s a bit vague, so let’s unpack that a little.

Evonik – thermal insulation material study in HDB and 3D printing

Ice cream not melting despite the heat?

Photoshop! is what you’re probably screaming. You might be right in the picture, but we can dream of technology. What’s shown here is Evonik’s CALOSTAT®, which is a silicone-based insulation material that is sustainable, non-combustible, hydrophobic (able to repel water) and pressure resistant.

What they are doing with HDB is studying how to best use it in HDB when they install it into the second roof panel.

This started in 1Q 2020.

If successful, they will explore applying this to other parts of the HDB. So, still quite long before HDB gets cooler from this.

They’re also studying 3D concrete printing, which commences 4Q 2019.

So this is how they target to achieve a reduction of 2^oC, in line with the national target of reducing the ambient temperature by 2^oC by 2025 under the Cities of Tomorrow programme.

Smart homes study collaboration

Ok, they actually called this smart-enabled flats instead of a smart home, but it’s the same thing.

This study is done with V-Keys, which on the surface seems to be just installing what they call Smart Sockets and Smart Distribution Boards (DB).

Which is cooler than it sounds, because this allows us to do things like walking into the room and the lights will auto on while the curtains automatically draw.

There’s also an elder-monitoring system, where they can learn their behaviours like what time they wake up or leave the house. If something is wrong with their behaviour, an alert will be sent to their next-of-kin or caregiver.

Smart technology can do all that.

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Or it could be potentially used for more useless things like how the movie villains usually turn around in their armchair saying “I’ve been expecting you”.

And yes, I did scare you about climate change without providing much of a solution.

But to conclude? Even if the 2^oC reduction works, it’s to offset climate change…which is almost a certainty.

Featured Image: Propertyguru & Aircon.com