$150 Million R&D Programme Announced
The Minister for National Development, Lawrence Wong, announced that the Singapore government will spend SG$150 million on the Cities of Tomorrow R&D Programme, which aims to create a liveable and people-centric city with a sustainable urban ecosystem.
The project will focus on three main R&D areas of national concern: construction and infrastructure, space and living environment.
Better productivity in construction will be achieved through technology and ensuring well-maintained infrastructure and creating new spaces and freeing up space will be achieved by moving storage facilities and other services underground. A high-quality and sustainable living environment for all Singaporeans will be provided through measures like reducing ambient noise.
Minister Wong commented that, “We must have a more highly productive, integrated and technologically advanced construction sector that can build faster, that can build with fewer manpower resources. This can include making use of robots, or automated equipment to increase site productivity, or advanced construction materials with enhanced performance.
“In the past, we could learn from the experience of others and adapt overseas solutions to our own circumstances… Nowadays, we must invest in our own research to push the boundaries ourselves… and find cutting-edge solutions to address new and increasingly complex urban challenges.”
Minister Wong mentioned the importance of addressing climate change and make the most of limited resources. The Cities of Tomorrow programme will focus on ensuring there is adequate capacity for long-term development by researching energy-efficiency, reducing reliance on cars and encouraging residents to become more involved with nature.
Also announced was a $5.3 million research programme by the Housing Board, to explore questions like, ‘Could weather be a factor in elevator performance?’
The $150 million is part of $900 million in funds for the Urban Solutions and Sustainability Domain under the Research, Innovation and Enterprise 2020 plan.
