HDB completes Tengah BTO project using new technologies
The technologies include a device that made lifting operations safer and 3D concrete printing.
Singapore's Housing Board (HDB) has finished two Build-To-Order (BTO) projects in Tengah, employing new technologies and construction methods to revolutionize public housing development. The Garden Waterfront I and II @ Tengah developments mark HDB's inaugural Construction Transformation Project, showcasing innovations aimed at increasing productivity.
By June, the projects had achieved a 25% boost in site productivity compared to a baseline of 0.6 sq m per man-day. Site productivity is calculated by dividing the total constructed floor area by the total number of workers on site (man-days), where a man-day represents the work one worker completes in a single day.
HDB and Obayashi Singapore, a building firm, initiated the project in 2022. The goal was to investigate ways to reduce reliance on manpower while maintaining the design quality of HDB flats. Key productivity improvements included increased standardization and prefabrication. By moving structural work to off-site fabrication facilities, the projects required less crane usage and manpower on-site.
This strategy also streamlined coordination and reduced congestion, leading to more efficient operations. Standardized, prefabricated building components were also introduced, enabling contractors to source common precast parts from various suppliers, thereby enhancing supply resilience.
A notable innovation in these projects is the use of a device that controls the rotation and stabilization of heavy, crane-lifted precast components during installation. This eliminates the need for multiple workers to manually guide and adjust these components, thus reducing the manpower required. Additionally, HDB collaborated with the National University of Singapore and A*STAR to develop an intelligent lifting frame with a tower crane.
This frame monitors imbalances and allows remote adjustments of lifting points, keeping heavy loads level and minimizing swaying. Trials of this technology at a BTO project in Jurong West have shown potential for reducing hoisting and installation labor hours by 30%.
An example of the project's creative approach to sustainability is a 3D-printed concrete arbour in the common green area between Garden Waterfront I and II @ Tengah. This structure required approximately half the concrete volume of a traditionally built arbour. The design was optimized through modeling and structural analysis, allowing for the production of 22 uniquely shaped, curved concrete segments.
The largest 3D-printed freestanding structure in an HDB development to date, it measures up to 13.6m in length, 3.7m in width, and 3.6m in height. Beyond construction advancements, these projects are the first to feature smart adapters, enabling residents to monitor their household electricity consumption in real-time through a mobile application.
Developed in partnership with M1 Net and AI services company STARSG Technology, these adapters are free for residents and will be installed in over 2,000 flats in the two Tengah developments, as well as about 5,600 flats in four additional projects.
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