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Singapore

HDB opens first seafront neighbourhood centre in Punggol

02:32 Min
Northshore Plaza, the Housing & Development Board's (HDB) first seafront new generation neighbourhood centre, officially opened on Sunday (Jul 24). Lisha Rodney reports. 

SINGAPORE: Northshore Plaza, the Housing & Development Board's (HDB) first seafront new generation neighbourhood centre, officially opened on Sunday (Jul 24).

Comprising two blocks and three storeys, it is located in Punggol Northshore District - the HDB's "first smart and sustainable district", it said in a factsheet.

The development, which houses 52 shops, is "designed to capitalise on its prime waterfront location and integrate seamlessly with the surrounding developments", said the board.

Northshore Plaza allows for seamless connectivity from Samudera LRT station to the Punggol waterfront and park connector network, as well as to adjacent housing precincts, giving residents convenient and sheltered access to shops, community spaces and the waterfront promenade.

It has also been designed to be eco-friendly, HDB said.

Environmental modelling was involved in the planning and design of the development. With it, the interaction of environmental factors such as wind flow, the amount of sunlight falling on a surface and where shadows are cast were able to be simulated.

The data gathered was used to design and locate the community spaces in a way that capitalised on the wind direction and maximised air flow, said HDB.

"The louvre panels along the building’s facade are designed and placed at an optimal angle to allow sunlight and sea breeze to enter while providing ample shade. The building’s linear design and open concept promotes air flow, allowing the development to be naturally ventilated," said HDB.

"Skylights built into the roof also allow natural light to stream into the interior spaces of the building, while greenery has been planted in potential hotspots to lower the ambient temperature."

These features reduce the need for artificial lighting and air-conditioning, thus lowering energy consumption, said Minister for National Development Desmond Lee at the opening ceremony of Northshore Plaza.

Solar panels have also been installed to harvest clean energy that is used to power common areas.

"I know many people who moved into Punggol are very conscious about the environment," said Mr Lee, noting that hot temperatures, unpredictable weather and heatwaves have been seen in Singapore and abroad.

"Sustainability, the future environment, is very important to many of you. In designing our public housing estates, we also want to make sure that we meet those aspirations and also play our part in tackling climate change."

SMART FEATURES IN NORTHSHORE PLAZA

Among the smart features incorporated into Northshore Plaza's development are fans and lighting at common areas that can adjust their fan speed and lighting levels based on wind flow and human traffic patterns, HDB said.

Its lifts and escalators have also been fitted with sensors that track operation and issues alerts when maintenance is required. This way, issues can be resolved promptly with minimal disruption to services.

Northshore Plaza also utilises the barrier-free smart parking system, Parking@HDB, that is already in use at nearby Northshore HDB residences.

The absence of gantry barriers helps eliminate the bottleneck that sometimes occur at car park entrances and exits, especially during peak hours, HDB said. 

Vehicle plate numbers are registered via cameras and parking charges are automatically calculated. Motorists can pay for their parking via an app, without having to use a CashCard.

Even the shopping experience has been transformed, with a digital shopfront that can be accessed with an app. 

Autonomous robots will also be trialled for the delivery of goods. 

"Under this collaboration with the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA), robots automatically pick up and deliver goods from loading bays to shops, reducing the need for manual deliveries," said HDB. 

"Suppliers can also use HDB’s booking system to indicate their delivery time and book loading bay lots for a more efficient delivery process."

An autonomous mobile robot delivers goods to a retail shop in Northshore Plaza. (Photo: HDB)

Meanwhile, the HDB also said that six of the eight Build-to-Order (BTO) projects in the Punggol Northshore District have been completed. The remaining two are expected to be completed by the third quarter of the year.

It noted that Northshore Plaza is one of five new generation neighbourhood centres completed so far, alongside Oasis Terraces in Punggol, Buangkok Square, Hougang Rivercourt and Canberra Plaza in Sembawang.

Anchorvale Village in Sengkang is estimated to be completed by the end of 2023, said HDB, adding that two neighbourhood centres in Tengah are expected to be ready by the first quarter of 2024 and the third quarter of 2025.

"Even as HDB ramps up the BTO flat supply over the next two years to meet the healthy public housing demand, we will continue to take the approach of going beyond the four walls of the flats, and be guided by our building roadmap to design for life, not just for living, in our HDB towns and estates," the board said.

Source: CNA/nh(gr)

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