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Advancing smart construction technologies: HDB and A*STAR inked collaborations

Singapore, 29 March 2021 – The Housing and Development Board (HDB) and Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) have inked two collaborations aimed to transform the built environment sector by developing more productive ways to design, build and maintain the city.

They are:

  • A research collaboration agreement (RCA) between HDB and A*STAR’s Institute for Infocomm Research (I2R) to enable smarter construction, by developing and adopting 5G-enabled robotic, drone and artificial intelligence technologies to help raise productivity and improve safety at construction sites.
  • A memorandum of understanding (MoU) between HDB and A*STAR to bring together the research community, agencies and industry partners to facilitate partnerships in technology transfer and translate R&D outcomes into commercially ready products.

HDB’s CEO, Tan Meng Dui, said, “As the master developer of public housing in Singapore, HDB constantly seeks to leverage innovative technologies and smart solutions that can help us deliver quality homes for Singaporeans. Through relentless research and innovation over the years, we have built up a wealth of knowledge in urban solutions for the built environment. We will continue to work closely with industry partners to accelerate technology transfer, so that the built environment sector can benefit from our R&D outcomes.”

The collaboration between HDB and A*STAR’s I2R seeks to research and develop a system that will capture videos, images and data through the use of sensors on drones as well as legged and wheeled robots. Using light detection and ranging (LiDAR) technology, the scanning and mapping of the construction environment will help develop an up-to-date as-built model (i.e., exact rendering of the construction project as it is built). This will enhance the safety of the construction site through real-time video-streaming and surveillance of construction activities.

To allow the drones and robots to function smoothly, HDB will leverage 5G technology for its high data transmission rate and increased network capacity. A*STAR will develop a 5G modem prototype module with low latency and robust communication link.

Over the years, HDB has also pioneered new and innovative solutions to provide Singaporeans with a quality living environment. To safeguard these solutions for continued use in HDB projects, HDB has filed over 30 patents for its inhouse developed innovations. Examples of such solutions include the prefabricated extensive Green (PEG) roof tray system and the floating solar system (FSS).

The PEG roof tray system was developed to intensify HDB’s Greening efforts on rooftops. Besides deploying the system in HDB’s housing projects, HDB has also tied up with local firms, Eng Seng Tech Pte Ltd and Plantwerkz Pte Ltd, to commercialise the product in countries and cities such as China, Hong Kong and Malaysia.

Building on the R&D efforts, the MoU between HDB and A*STAR seeks to forge closer partnerships among the research community, government agencies and industry partners over the next three years. This is to facilitate technology transfer and translate R&D outcomes into impactful solutions for Singapore, and potentially for cities around the world.

– Construction+ Online

Source: HDB