Green HDB Renovation

It may seem possible to "go green" while living in a crowded, mass produced Housing and Development Board (HDB) unit. Yet, it is possible to live a happier and healthier lifestyle with an earth-friendly, ecologically sound HDB renovation. Those who have more money to spare cash go for green launches such as The Oceanfront @ Sentosa Cove which is the first private residential project to be awarded the Building & Construction Authority's (BCA) Green Mark Platinum award. The Oceanfront @ Sentosa Cove has been designed for both energy and water efficiency. What does The Oceanfront have that you can incorporate into your own HDB renovation? For one, it utilizes sunpath analysis which simulates sunpaths, solar insulation and daylight studies to determine the effectiveness of interior layouts. It also has a twin chute pneumatic waste collection system, one chute for domestic waste and another for recyclable items. You can work around the twin chute system by adding a seamless, two bin design for your home. One leads directly to the domestic waste chute, while the other one stores recyclable items. You can also tweak your HDB renovation to be more energy saving by making sure you use natural sunlight for heating and lighting purposes. If you can, it would be great to add in a device which can gather rainwater to water your outdoor plants. In HDB renovations, it is advisable to go for showers instead of bath tubs. Showers save more energy than bath tubs and with the smaller HDB spaces, it is more rational to install one. For your HDB renovation, choose paints that have low levels of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). Formaldehyde, a VOC, can irritate the mucous membranes and cause discomfort when emitted by building materials such as paints and adhesives. VOCs contribute to the depletion of the ozone layer and smog formation. Chronic exposure to VOCs can lead to illnesses such as damage to the liver, kidney and central nervous system at high enough levels.