Long-term Building Maintenance Cost Consideration in HDB Design Planning

Dr Tan Wu Meng asked the Minister for National Development (a) whether HDB design planning considers factors that affect the long-term cost of building exterior upkeep, including (i) accessibility of building features such as beams and ledges where high-rise litter may accumulate (ii) the number of such features in any given HDB block; and (b) whether such features have been incorporated for cosmetic versus structural integrity considerations.

Mr Lawrence Wong: The accessibility and ease of maintenance of common areas, including exterior features, are key aspects that HDB considers in the design of its buildings.

External features such as ledges and beams are provided for a functional purpose. Concrete ledges or canopies are provided above windows to provide shade and protect flats from rain. For instance, without such canopies, rain water flowing down the building faأ§ade may enter the flats if the windows are open or not closed tightly. As for beams, external tie beams are required in some projects to ensure the structural robustness and stability of the building.

Design-wise, HDB generally ensures that canopies are gently sloped to allow water discharge. In addition, the use of tie beams is minimised, and these are only deployed where necessary.

If a lot of high-rise litter is thrown by residents, it will inevitably accumulate on external ledges and beams. We hope residents can play their part in maintaining the cleanliness of the common areas and refrain from throwing litter out of their windows.