Few takers for HDB's roof upgrade plan

SINGAPORE - An ambitious plan to upgrade the roofs of all Housing Board blocks has stalled due to a lack of local companies stepping forward to submit ideas.

Only two companies have put forth plans for the revamp - which could mean solar panels being fitted on rooftops across the island.

Neither of them met the requirements. Now, the HDB is once again calling for Singapore companies to bid for the project, which is expected to be test-bedded within a year.

Documents on the Next Generation Roofing System for Public Housing were first released last October.

Although no details of the two companies were available, industry watchers said the low take-up rate could be due to a lack of resources and local firms' fears over the potential risks involved.

The call for proposals was launched as part of the Public-Private Co-Innovation Partnership. This scheme seeks ideas from local companies in order to help the Government deal with the "many challenges and needs that do not have existing solutions".

The HDB needs to find a cost-effective way to upgrade the roofs of its 9,300 HDB blocks.

It wants to make sure they can shield residents from heat, prevent water from seeping in and possibly generate solar power.

There are no "off-the-shelf" solutions on the market to replace the current designs, some of which are outdated.

For example, the 6,000 blocks built before 1998 have two parts to the roof. There is a main waterproofing portion - which has components that need to be replaced every decade - and a secondary part above it that has an air pocket and acts as the heat insulator.

This means the HDB and town councils have to carry out regular waterproofing works, which cause inconvenience to residents.

Viable solutions will be test-bedded in two HDB blocks within a year, and may later be introduced across the island. Approved ideas will receive up to $1.75 million in government funding.

Only local companies can take part, and at least 30 per cent of their shareholders must be Singaporeans or permanent residents.

Scientist Nilesh Jadhav of Nanyang Technological University's Energy Research Institute said the individual technologies for the various requirements already exist in the marketplace. But local companies, especially the smaller ones, may not have the resources or will to take advantage of them.

He said the winning proposal would be a unique product for the Singapore market.

Companies might be held back by fears that it might not adapt well if used abroad, limiting the potential profits. Mr Chan Chong Beng, president of the Association of Small and Medium Enterprises, said that the work might be beyond the scope of smaller companies.

Some of them might also think it too much of a risk, even with funding, he said.

"There is also this perception that a company might not be able to retain as much of the intellectual property as it might like," said Mr Chan.

According to the Co-Innovation Partnership website, the Government has the right to use the intellectual property for the roofs.

It could also grant licences to not-for-profit organisations and other third parties if need be. The tender closes on Aug 14.

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