HDB Introduces New Beamless Flat Design & Other Changes In Upcoming Tengah BTO Project
On Tuesday (11 Oct), the Housing and Development Board (HDB) announced that they would be piloting new designs and construction technologies for the upcoming Tengah Build-to-Order (BTO) project.
This means the BTO project in the upcoming Garden Waterfront I & II @ Tengah will feature a new beamless flat design.
Source: Housing and Development Board
HDB will also be improving the design process by modelling flats virtually instead, bringing an end to the life-size timber mock-ups they have been using.
These changes are part of HDB’s Construction Transformation Project (CTP), which aims to transform how HDB designs and constructs flats.
New HDB beamless design allows higher headroom
HDB is now implementing the CTP, which pilots various innovations and technologies to realise a 25% improvement in construction productivity.
Among these innovations is a change in the systems used during fabrication.
Currently, full 3D Prefabricated Prefinished Volumetric Construction (PPVC) components are used in most HDB projects.
For the upcoming Tengah BTO project, HDB will use a hybrid precast system instead. This allows for a beamless design.
Source: Housing and Development Board
The beamless flat plate system allows for higher headroom compared to BTO projects with beams.
This translates to greater flexibility for residents when configuring the layout of the flat.
Virtual mock-ups to replace timber mock-ups
Under CTP, changes are also underway in the design of HDB flats. From 2022, all new HDB projects launched will use virtual mock-ups.
This will replace the current timber mock-up, which takes time, effort, and resources to build.
Source: Housing and Development Board
HDB will now use Virtual Design and Construction (VDC) to simulate the design and construction activities virtually.
This allows for further refinement before the actual construction on site.
VDC also allows for a high level of detail, including the position of pipes, sanitary fixtures, power points, switches, and furniture.
Source: Housing and Development Board
It gives the team “X-ray vision” to better identify and resolve potential design and construction issues.
Hopes to reach 40% construction productivity improvements by 2030
These changes and many more will be implemented to design and build the upcoming Garden Waterfront I & II @ Tengah Build-To-Order (BTO) project.
Source: Housing and Development Board
The Tengah BTO will be launched next month in the November 2022 sales exercise.
In HDB’s press release, Chief Executive Officer, Mr Tan Meng Dui, said the pandemic had posed tremendous challenges to the building industry. This is both due to worker shortage and supply chain resilience.
As the largest housing developer in Singapore, HDB is a catalyst and market mover in driving construction productivity and transformation.
HDB has continued improving productivity over more than two decades.
With the CTP, the board hopes to raise the bar further and find new ways to construct quality homes faster, safer, and with less manpower.
HDB aims to achieve construction productivity improvements of 40% by 2030 eventually.
To learn more about the changes HDB will make under the CTP, visit their website here.
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Featured image adapted from Housing and Development Board.
