A smart and sustainable forest town in Singapore

Tengah will consist of smart buildings, an abundance of greenery, and a prioritisation of walking and cycling

Spotted: In an area of Singapore that was once home to brickworks and military training, the city-state is its first smart and sustainable town. The development, known as Tengah, promises 42,000 homes in an environment where residents can be “at home with nature”. Built on a 700-hectare site in Singapore’s Western region, the project will consist of five residential districts that are designed to improve residents’ health and wellbeing, and better their quality of life.

Tengah will be the first development in Singapore to have a car-free town centre. Residents will be able to travel to other areas by bus or the planned Jurong Region Line, with vehicles running underground to free up space above ground. This will encourage walking, cycling, and other recreational activities. The “forest town” will include an abundance of green space, including areas for community farming, and a 100-metre wide forest corridor running through the town centre.

While preserving the natural forest nature of Tengah, the government has also put in place the smart infrastructure to ensure the town meets its technological needs. Computer simulations have been used to design buildings and precincts to optimise wind flow and minimise heat, while smart lights will automatically switch off in unoccupied areas to reduce energy consumption. Tengah will also feature a centralised cooling system in some areas, which will regulate the temperature in homes. Finally, an automated waste collection will see household rubbish transported down a conveyance system.

The Housing Development Board is currently working with a power company to examine the possibility of Tengah becoming a smart energy town. The company hopes to develop a software system that optimises energy use through an app that residents can use to monitor their usage.

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