Singapore plans towers around “eco-decks”

Singapore is no stranger to green roofs. Green Roofs for Healthy Australian Cities president Geoff Wilson has written extensively on “food from-the-roof” technologies pioneered in Singapore, and vice-President Sidonie Carpenter has documented many Singapore roofs on her Green Roofs Fellowship blog.

Now, Singapore’s Housing and Development Board has unveiled designs for the first eco-friendly residential projects on the island, reports Inhabitat.

These 16-story towers will be arranged around an “eco-deck” community garden areas. “The eco-deck (which covers the roof of the car park) will act as a green lung to absorb heat and provide shade for the jogging track, exercise station and children’s playground made from recycled materials,” says the report.

“All outdoor and common corridor lights will be powered by solar panels installed on the roofs of the towers, saving up to 80% in energy consumption. Water-recycling systems have also been integrated into the design. A rainwater collection system will provide an estimated 130,000 gallons to be used for cleaning outdoors while all sinks in apartments will channel used water to flush toilets. Each apartment tower will also have centralized chutes for recyclable materials.”