Long-term Maintenance Plans for Heat-reflective Coatings on HDB Blocks

Mr Yip Hon Weng asked the Minister for National Development in light of HDB's initiative to apply heat-reflective paint to HDB blocks in all estates by 2030 (a) what are the long-term maintenance plans for the heat-reflective coatings; (b) how does the Ministry intend to ensure the sustainability and effectiveness of this initiative over time; and (c) how does the heat-reflective paint initiative align with other ongoing efforts to mitigate urban heat and enhance sustainability in HDB estates.

Mr Desmond Lee: Under the Green Towns Programme, the Housing and Development Board (HDB) will be expanding the cool coatings initiative to residential blocks in all existing HDB estates island-wide. Cool coatings contain additives that reflect the sun’s heat, thus reducing surface heat absorption and emission. For a start, the Government will cover the cost difference incurred by the Town Councils (TCs) from using cool coatings instead of conventional paint.

Similar to conventional paint, cool coatings will need to be applied and maintained in compliance with the performance requirements stipulated in the relevant Singapore Standards to ensure optimal functionality. HDB will share more details with the TCs to guide the long-term maintenance of cool coatings, such as when the HDB blocks undergo cyclical repair and redecoration (R&R) works. With the proper application and regular repainting of cool coatings as part of R&R works, cool coatings will remain effective in reducing surface heat absorption and emission.

The cool coatings initiative, together with the greenery intensification initiative, is part of HDB’s ongoing efforts to cool HDB towns and mitigate the urban heat island effect. These initiatives contribute to the broader goal of moderating the rise in urban heat under the Resilient Future pillar of the Singapore Green Plan 2030.