Biophilic Towns

Greenery is present in every HDB estate. It helps to reduce temperatures and mitigate heat while improving air quality and biodiversity, besides being pleasing and attractive. Over the years, through planning, research and innovation, we have studied and developed novel ways of weaving greenery into our estates and towns, reduce temperatures and mitigate heat, while improving air quality and increasing biodiversity.

Building Nature-centric towns

The Biophilic Town Framework we developed in 2013  is inspired by the concept of “biophilia”.  Defined by biologist E.O. Wilson in 1984 as the innate desire for humans to connect with the natural world through 5 key elements of soil, flora and fauna, outdoor comfort, water, and people, it helps our architects to plan the neighbourhood landscape to foster stronger connections with nature so residents can enjoy its intrinsic benefits.

From July 2018, we have progressively applied this framework to new housing projects.

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Planning with the Environment in mind

As part of our master planning process, we conduct environmental studies to better understand the existing conditions of sites which are near sensitive biodiversity areas. We carefully consider the findings from the studies so that we can sensitively plan the land use and make adjustments to the Master Plan if needed to mitigate the potential impact, and establish urban design strategies to provide a quality living environment.

 

Environmental Study Reports

Site Name

Environmental study report

Bukit Batok Hillside Park

Bukit Batok Hillside Park Environmental Impact Studies Report (PDF, 22MB) 

Finalised report after reviewing all public feedback received. 
Ulu Pandan Estate

Ulu Pandan Estate Environmental Baseline Study Report (PDF, 19MB)

Thank you for sharing your feedback. We have carefully considered all feedback received, and would like to share in detail our considerations and plans for the Ulu Pandan site in this report. 

You can access the report here.

 

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Introducing Rooftop and Skyrise Greenery

To overcome limited land space, we have been integrating greenery in unconventional spaces, such as rooftops. Since 2009, all new multi-storey carparks come with roof gardens. A variety of outdoor facilities such as seating corners, fitness stations, and playgrounds decked with lush landscaping make roof gardens a welcoming and tranquil green space for residents. 

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Greening community facilities

An important aspect of landscape design in our estates are facilities encouraging interaction and activity. Lawn spaces for free play, 3-generation playgrounds for multi-generational use, and spaces for community events are examples of spaces where neighbours can bond while immersing in greenery.

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Designing Waterfront Living

Working closely with other agencies, such as NParks and PUB, we integrate blue and green into our public housing landscape for residents to enjoy waterfront living amidst greenery.

 

Along the banks of the Punggol Waterway, you will find 35 specially cultivated freshwater-tolerant mangrove species. Besides creating a more scenic waterway, the mangrove roots help to bind the soil and stabilise the slopes at the riverbanks. Selected species also improve and restore the coverage of endangered native mangroves in Singapore.  

 

HDB’s patented invention of an interlocking hexagonal floating module system is strong enough to support loads of up to 10,400kg. This innovative floating system introduces more greenery on the surface of the waterway. Together, the mangroves and floating wetlands act as natural water cleansers. Using plant species that could effectively absorb excessive nutrients and pollutants from the water, water quality has improved by up to 30%.

Floating Wetland

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