Built Environment and Green Infrastructure

AY2021G20C- “COOL VIEW”

miguel333 Abstracts, AY 2020/21, Built Environment and Green Infrastructure

Wang Hanxiao (SDE), Miguel Lim (FOE), Chen Xiayu (FOE), Liu Danfeng (FOE)

Academic Advisor: Ms. Sadaf Ansari

Building construction and operation contributes to 39% of global carbon emissions (IEA, 2019). Active control measures to reduce these emissions tend to have a higher carbon footprint than passive design solutions. Our project examined the impact of 3M solar films in enhancing occupants’ thermal comfort and lighting conditions in RVRC tower block. We selected four pairs of rooms with clear variation in direct sunlight exposure, to conduct a comparative test. Quantitative data for parameters affecting thermal comfort (temperature, radiant temperature, relative humidity, air velocity) and light illuminance level was collected. We also conducted interviews with occupants (n=8) to understand their perceived thermal comfort. Data indicated that the treatment rooms had lower Wet Bulb Globe Temperature than control rooms, with a difference of up to 0.94°C. Based on our interview results and data analysis, we concluded that the installation of 3M solar film was effective in enhancing occupant’s thermal comfort and lighting conditions.

AY1819G36 – “Vegetation: a buffer against anthropogenic influences”

rvrnjy Abstracts, AY 2018/19, Built Environment and Green Infrastructure

Elizabeth Chia Kai Lun, Kee Cheow Yan, Lee Saehae, Ong Bai Quan

Academic Advisor: Dr. Chua Siew Chin

While landscape designers often try to incorporate green spaces in urban landscapes, they are usually done with the intention to green the area for human benefits, and often neglect the habitability of wildlife. Research has shown that sound and light pollution can harm the wildlife ecosystem psychologically, mentally and physically. It is important to consider the anthropogenic effects (light and sound) because of human activities from these urban landscapes to figure out the best conditions for wildlife survivability in nearby vegetation. Our project focused on the NUS campus, and measured the damping effect of vegetation with incremental distances from nearby buildings to vegetation. We researched on the acceptable range of anthropogenic effects that wildlife can tolerate, and juxtaposed it against the data we have collected to find an association between foliage density and its damping ability. With these information, future campus infrastructure designers can better plan their project such that buildings are placed at a comfortable distance from the vegetation with minimal impacts on wildlife. Foliage density was classified into sparse, normal and dense using a Secchi Disc, a method modified from aquatic sampling. Light and sound data were measured with incremental distances of 5 meters up to 25 meters away from buildings using a REED environmental meter and datalogger. Our results concluded an overall decrease in light and sound data with incremental distance. A more comprehensive research can be incorporated with our project findings for landscape designers to plan their future projects.

Keywords: Green Landscape, Light and Sound Pollution, Damping Effect, Built Environment and Green Infrastructure

AY1819G29 – “Enhancing the use of Rooftop Greenery in UTown Residences”

rvrnjy Abstracts, AY 2018/19, Built Environment and Green Infrastructure

Fong Hok Shing Anson, Jelicia Lim Xin Yu, Spencer Kwan Junhui, Vaarsha Nair

Academic Advisor: Ms. Sadaf Ansari

With the rapid increase in Singapore’s urban density, greenery on walls and roofs is incentivized by the Building Construction Authority for the following reasons – it provides aesthetic relief, creates usable green spaces, and reduces Urban Heat Island effect by cooling ambient temperature (URA, 2017). New projects on the NUS campus incorporate such greenery to promote a sustainable campus. Our project assessed and raised awareness about the use of integrated greenery by NUS students who live on campus, with a focus on University Town residences. Our research identified three factors that impact greenery use by students; 1) awareness of location, 2) perception of these spaces, and 3) design preferences for these spaces.

The project adopted a three step strategy for primary data collection. The first was conducting field trips to measure current use – including observation and user interviews. Preliminary results indicated that green spaces, with the exception of Utown Green, primarily function as transit zones. The second step was to interview staff from the Office of Facilities Management (OFM) to understand operational costs and challenges of maintaining green areas. Our final step was to conduct a workshop with the target users in UTown.

The results from our workshop indicate that students are not aware about the location of these spaces, and that they would be willing to use the spaces if improvements were made such as the installation of lights or better landscaping. Our project concludes with specific recommendations to OFM to enhance greenery use in Utown.

Keywords: Built Environment , campus greenery, landscape,

AY1819G09 – “Enhancing wildlife co-existence in campus”

rvrnjy Abstracts, AY 2018/19, Built Environment and Green Infrastructure, Natural Environment and Ecosystem

Clarissa Laurent Yee Qi Xuan, Desmond Lim Zong Wei, Phua Jun Yuan Ryan, Sherman Dang Xi Heng, Tan Zhi Wen Ivan

Academic Advisor: Mr. Lim Cheng Puay

Many human-wildlife interactions in Singapore usually shows public ignorance in proper behavior and action when encountering wildlife. This conflict exemplifies a deeper problem of a lack of proper environmental education: people meet animals with improper behavior because of a lack of awareness of what they are, and how to deal with them.

At Ridge View Residential College (RVRC), which is located near a secondary forest, opportunities for human-wildlife conflict abound, making this problem more pertinent. Hence, our project aims to ​elevate the awareness of RVRC residents on what to do when an animal enters their living space​ and establish a college-wide ​Standard Operating Procedure for this.

Our initial survey findings highlighted that more than 75% of the respondents were not aware of how to safely manage an encounter with an animal visitor in their living area. Over 90% of respondents also indicated that they were interested in learning about the biodiversity in Kent Ridge and the protocols they should observe in these situations. Thus, we recommend providing an Animal Response Toolkit (ART) for RVRC, as the foundation for a new standard operating procedure. We propose holding workshops in conjunction with the ART, to better educate them on this knowledge. The workshops will be held in partnership with Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (ACRES). 2 such workshops had been conducted with promising outcomes.

Keywords: Ecosystems; Human-wildlife conflict; Workshops; Biodiversity; Natural Heritage; Built environment

AY1718G18.3 – “A Nudge Theory – A Step Closer Towards a Sustainable Landscape”

rvrnjy Abstracts, AY 2017/18, Built Environment and Green Infrastructure

Melisa Lukito, Ng Kai Cong, Ong Yan Zhi, Ooi Jun Wei

Academic Advisor: Ms. Sadaf Ansari
Industry Advisor: UCI

Empowering campus communities to participate in and influence decision-making processes that ultimately affect their lives is critical for sustainability (Cervoni et al. 2008). As NUS is at a strategic phase in setting up a sustainable campus, student input can and should be incorporated in meaningful ways. Our project explored stakeholders’ perception and awareness of ‘WaterSmart’ and sustainable landscapes to test a systematic approach for participatory design solutions on campus. Using the RVRC landscape as our case study, we conducted a quantitative survey to examine residents’ perception and awareness of ‘water smart landscapes’ as a sustainable alternative. Our results highlighted that staff prioritised functionality while students prioritised aesthetics. Sustainability was not a high priority for either stakeholder group. The respondents also scored low on awareness of sustainable alternatives. We recommend information sharing as a key component of the participatory design process for the successful implementation of campus infrastructure improvements.

Keywords: Built Environment & Green Infrastructure, Green design, Green Spaces

AY1718G18.1 – “Walk The Ridge”

rvrnjy Abstracts, AY 2017/18, Built Environment and Green Infrastructure

Chua Wei Ting, Hung Ding Liang, Javis Liu, Leong Jin Kai, Pu Ren Wei

Academic Advisor: Ms. Sadaf Ansari
Industry Advisor: UCI

Travelling on the NUS campus can involve riding shuttle buses, walking, cycling etc. However, these options are coupled with the challenges of long distances, uneven terrain and tropical climate variability. Our project aims to study the feasibility of an alternative walking option, an elevated Forest Canopy Walk, around the ridge to promote walking and reduce transportation burden. In particular, our project focuses on determining the most viable access points for such a pedestrian link. Our methodology included field work to measure existing pedestrian travel times, analysis of campus topography and a visual inspection of the proposed access points for the loop. Student willingness to walk was a key criteria that we assessed, and substantiated from the work of our collaborating teams. Our feasibility study ended with positive results and we propose Science Building 4 (S4), Computing Centre 1 (Com 1), Central Library (CLB) and Ridge View Residential College (RVRC) as the four most viable access points for the elevated pedestrian loop.

Keywords: Built Environment & Green Infrastructure, Urban Design, Car-lite, Walking

AY1718G12.3 – “Bridge Across the Ridge”

rvrnjy Abstracts, AY 2017/18, Built Environment and Green Infrastructure, Mobility and Air Quality

Chen Juan, Hubert Halim, James Yong Jun Wei, Melina Jingting Binti Laimon

Academic Advisor: Ms. Sadaf Ansari

The sprawling NUS campus can be traversed using a combination of internal shuttle buses, bicycles and covered walkways. However, the steep forested ridge cutting lengthwise across the NUS campus increases travel time for pedestrian movement. Our project explored this limitation as an opportunity for a creative pedestrian solution by proposing a Canopy Walk across the ridge. Of the many variables that needed to be evaluated, we chose to focus on three – existing terrain, tree distribution and minimising disturbance to the ecology. We began work with generating a detailed terrain map for the campus using the Quantum Geographic Information System (QGIS). This was coupled with field visits to confirm the accuracy of the topography model as well as the tree locations and sizes. Using secondary data to extrapolate our findings, we finalised one potential route for the elevated pathway, and represented it using a physical model. Our design also assessed inevitable ecological/practical challenges, which would benefit from a more detailed study.

Keywords: Built Environment & Green Infrastructure, Green Design, Walking, Car-lite

AY1718G12.2 – “Meta-Analysis of Student-Implemented Sustainability Projects”

rvrnjy Abstracts, AY 2017/18, Built Environment and Green Infrastructure

Andrew Tan Jin Shen, Cao Jiahui, Kang Yuxing, Lim Li Ting, Teo Wei Zheng

Academic Advisor: Ms. Sadaf Ansari
Industry Advisor: UCI

Recent research (Cairo, A. 2011; Mcmillin, J., & Dyball, R. 2009) shows that student-participation in driving campus sustainability endeavours leads to dynamic projects and increases overall campus commitment towards sustainability. Our team decided to verify if these findings were applicable to the context of the RVRC module GEQ1917. We explored past and current student projects for the module to identify key advantages and constraints faced by the students in the implementation of their sustainability projects. We constructed survey questions based on research literature regarding this topic, and deployed them to both students and industry advisors involved in GEQ1917 projects. We analyzed the results to obtain an overview of these projects, as well as chart trends in student commitment towards sustainability and key benefits and constraints within student implemented sustainability projects. Overall, our secondary research and primary data both corroborated that the main advantage of student involvement in sustainability projects is increased awareness towards sustainability, while the constraints of these projects ranged from a lack of interest to time limitations. We also noted that most projects led to an increase in overall student sustainable behaviour and commitment.

Keywords: Built Environment & Green Infrastructure, Sustainability projects

AY1718G12.1 – “Make Walking Cool Again: Measuring thermal comfort across NUS campus walking routes”

rvrnjy Abstracts, AY 2017/18, Built Environment and Green Infrastructure, Transport

Marcia Lee Tjie Yi, Ong Jing Xiang, Tan Jia Yih Tiffany, Yeo Guo Hong, Zhang Ruichun

Academic Advisor: Ms. Sadaf Ansari

For thousands of pedestrians, undulating topography and less than ideal thermal conditions make walking along the roadside and sheltered walkways at NUS undesirable. Considering that the university is at a strategic phase in setting up a sustainable campus, increasing walkability would contribute significantly to that goal. Our project investigated thermal comfort on a variety of existing campus pathways. We measured airflow, temperature and humidity along the vehicle route and the ‘yellow corridor’. We mapped and compared this data to conditions in the Kent Ridge Forest to ascertain if the tree canopy significantly mitigates/changes the pedestrian experience with respect to thermal comfort. In our assessment, the forested ridge located lengthwise across the campus could provide a viable alternative walking solution, allowing users to travel on a route that significantly reduces walking distance and commute time. Based on our findings, we recommend that campus improvements for walkability should explore this potential solution in greater detail.

Keywords: Built Environment & Green Infrastructure, Walking, Car-lite, Green transport, Thermal comfort

AY1718G10.1 – “Impacts of canopy cover density on regeneration of secondary forest plants”

rvrnjy Abstracts, AY 2017/18, Built Environment and Green Infrastructure

Tan Yong Hao, Ju Yuting, Wang Yibo, Yoon Ki Hyun, Zhang Ziyu

Academic Advisor: Dr. Chua Siew Chin
Industry Advisor: Nparks

Our research investigated the relationship between the density of the canopy cover and the recruitment of three secondary forest species in Singapore. We propose that the density of the canopy cover and the growth of secondary forest species is likely to be related, as the density of the canopy cover would affect the microclimatic variables of temperature and relative humidity, which in turn would affect the growth of the secondary forest species that we are interested in. We hypothesize that a denser canopy cover would result in a weaker understory regeneration of the secondary species. A better understanding of this research topic could be of significance to Singapore’s urban planners planning to incorporate natural growth and regeneration of secondary forest in new development and conservation plans.

Keywords: Built Environment & Green Infrastructure, Singapore Botanic Gardens, natural regeneration, canopy foliage, plant survey

AY1718G06.3 – “Sustainability and Walkability: A case study of thermal comfort”

rvrnjy Abstracts, AY 2017/18, Built Environment and Green Infrastructure

Eng Keng Yu Ivan, Liu Jiawen, Tan Junjie, Yong Xin Shen, Zhou Kai Jing

Academic Advisor: Ms. Sadaf Ansari

For a tropical setting such as NUS, ‘Thermal Comfort’ is the most important criteria that impacts student behaviour and perception of walking on campus. Adopting a quantitative framework of assessment, we measured trends in the airflow, temperature and humidity for three different ‘design conditions’. Two of these conditions exist currently – the uncovered pedestrian pathways along roads and the sheltered Yellow Corridor. This data was compared to conditions along an elevated forested setting – measured at the Kent Ridge Forest on campus and at the Hort Park Tree Top Walk. We analysed the data to determine trends – with a focus to ascertain if the tree canopy significantly mitigates/changes the pedestrian experience with respect to thermal comfort. Our results indicate some meaningful trends for temperature, while there were mixed results for humidity and wind speeds. Based on this, we recommend the undertaking of a broader study with greater variation in weather patterns to confirm our initial findings.

Keywords: Built Environment & Green Infrastructure, Urban Design, Green Spaces, Walking, Car-lite

AY1718G06.2 – “Lovers’ Park, Useful Park”

rvrnjy Abstracts, AY 2017/18, Built Environment and Green Infrastructure

Alyson Michelle Lee Zi-ying, Ho Mun Yee, Mindy, Lau Seow Boon Damien, Sia Chi Hon, Tan Ying Ling Cheryl Ann

Academic Advisor: Ms. Sadaf Ansari
Industry Advisor: UCI

The NUS campus has several high maintenance low-use landscaped areas. Our project, a case study of Lovers Park (CLB, NUS), was aimed at identifying key design elements that can assist in transforming such spaces to high-value landscapes that are more relevant to user needs. Our field work used timelapse videos, to identify and evaluate space use patterns. Our initial results indicated that the park is under-utilised, possibly due to location and limited flexibility in its use. This was corroborated in an interview with a long-serving staff in CLB. Next, we quantitatively measured and analysed user perception of the park, and their receptiveness to alternative design solutions, through a survey. Results indicated weather variability, poor maintenance, and pests as key deterrents in the existing design. Our analysis also indicated that value-added functionality plays the determining role in the use of open spaces from a student perspective. We recommend that the design and purpose of outdoor spaces on campus should be re-directed flexibly to cater to evolving stakeholders needs.

Keywords: Built Environment & Green Infrastructure, Green spaces, Urban Design

AY1718G06.1 – “What Makes a Campus Walkable? A NUS Student Perspective”

rvrnjy Abstracts, AY 2017/18, Built Environment and Green Infrastructure

Muhammad Redha Bin Ahmad Razif, Tan Chun Boon, V R Chandra, Valavan Rajarajan, Voleti Vyshnavi

Academic Advisor: Ms. Sadaf Ansari

Student requests for increased frequency of NUS shuttle-buses have been common in recent years, as evidenced in previously conducted GEQ projects. In line with NUS’s plans to create a sustainable campus, it is crucial to explore ‘greener’ alternatives to transportation, such as walking. Our project assessed the potential impact of improved connectivity and access to nature on increasing campus walkability. Our research identified three key criteria; 1) student perception towards walking on campus, 2) key determinants for campus walkability, and 3) students’ preferences for walking in nature as compared to built spaces. Data was collated through an online survey targeted at a convenience sample of NUS students. The survey also mapped students’ preference for transport around campus, current walking habits and willingness to increase walking on campus. This data provided a comprehensive overview and one of our key findings was that improved pedestrian network connectivity predicted longer walking distances and an increased likelihood of walking as a means of transportation.

Keywords: Built Environment & Green Infrastructure, Green Transport, Car-lite, Walking

AY1718G03.3 – “Investigating Student Perceptions and Use of Landscaped Spaces in NUS”

rvrnjy Abstracts, AY 2017/18, Built Environment and Green Infrastructure

Jeevan Neralakere Somashekhar, Kong Zijin, Lee Wei Hao, Joel, Lin Xingting, Zhao Zichao

Academic Advisor: Ms. Sadaf Ansari
Industry Advisor: UCI

Research has established that campus landscapes can have significant psychological appeal and health benefits for students (Mascarelli 2009). The NUS Kent Ridge Campus is located amidst a dense urban setting and faces severe land constraints. Our project evaluated stakeholder use and values about the existing campus landscape to identify potential improvements. Using a literature survey, we narrowed the assessment criteria to three main factors: convenience of use, natural elements in the landscape and user-designer mismatch. Primary data was collected from a convenience sample of students in a two-step user survey, with a selection of campus photographs for three case studies. The first survey gathered insights on students’ attitudes and use patterns. The second survey gathered targeted feedback on improvement options using results of the first survey and are framed as recommendations for campus planning. Future research could explore differences across age, gender and field of study to develop a stratified understanding of stakeholder values.

Keywords: Built Environment & Green Infrastructure, Green Spaces, Urban design, Urban planning

 

AY1718G03.2 – “Impact of the Built Environment on Campus Walkability”

rvrnjy Abstracts, AY 2017/18, Built Environment and Green Infrastructure

Charmaine Wee Shimin, Gerald Yap Jie Ge, Gong Chaeeun, Pearlyn Ee Su Yen, Wang An Jie

Academic Advisor: Ms. Sadaf Ansari

The relationship between the built environment and walking behavior is well-researched through several empirical studies (Erwing R, 2010), especially due to its significance for creating sustainable urban solutions. Our project assessed built-environment criteria such as amenities, shelter, connectivity, distance and aesthetics with students as the target group. This is because they have higher walking needs and frequencies than staff, and form the largest fraction of stakeholders on campus. We identified two routes for our study based on their student traffic numbers. Both quantitative and qualitative responses were obtained by means of online and on-site surveys. Our results indicated that shelter was the most significant determinant, followed by the duration of walking and the presence of stairs. Among students who preferred the unsheltered routes, terrain and shorter travel distance were key criteria. Based on our findings, future campus improvements should assess student preference for shelter, level terrain and shorter walking distances for more impactful solutions.

Keywords: Built Environment & Green Infrastructure, Green Transport, Walking, Car-Lite, Urban transport

AY1617G20A – “Feasibility of installing solar panels within RVRC”

rvrnjy Abstracts, AY 2016/17, Built Environment and Green Infrastructure, Energy

Loi Chae Han (FoE), Nicolette Chua Shwu Shyan (FASS), Sakhardande Pradnya Govind (FASS), Sng Jia Long, Benjamin (FoE), Soh Wei Siang Jonathan (FoE)

Academic Advisor: Dr. Chua Siew Chin
Industry Advisor: Dr. Tay En Rong, Stephen (SERIS) & Mr. Loi Jiew Liang (Third Wave Power)

Fossil fuels such as oil and natural gases are finite resources that are not only rapidly depleted, but burning fossil fuels is also detrimental to the environment. As such, there is urgency to switch from fossil fuels to renewable alternative energies. Among the various renewable energies, solar energy is deemed the most promising solution in Singapore, given the island’s tropical climate and small land space. However, renewable energy usage in Singapore is not widespread due the perception of high cost and greater inconvenience. In line with RVRC’s theme of environmental sustainability, our group intends to test these perceptions by studying the actual feasibility, in terms of cost and site’s suitability, of using solar energy within the college. Our project will evaluate the cost and site suitability of replacing existing conventional halogen light bulbs along RVRC walkways with solar-powered light-emitting diode (LED) light bulbs. Given cost limitations, our team will focus on small-scale implementations, targeting the replacement of a single light bulb with solar lamps, and measure the savings in cost and energy. We would then extrapolate the results to college-scale implementation. To evaluate the site suitability for solar panel installations, we intend to model the amount of sunlight exposure in different areas of RVRC using SketchUp, a software widely used in electrical industries and recommended by our industry advisor from SERIS.

Keywords: Energy, Built Environment and Green Infrastructure, solar energy, renewable energy, SketchUp modelling, sensors

AY1617G11A – “Are Bioswales Effective?”

rvrnjy Abstracts, AY 2016/17, Built Environment and Green Infrastructure

Goh Wei Tjin (FASS), Jessica Cecilia Bose (FASS), Khoo Jun Hao Desmond (FoE), Lee Wenxin (FASS), Tay Wei Hern (FoE)

Academic Advisor: Dr. Chua Siew Chin
Industry Advisor: Mr. Ang Chee Wee (OFM, NUS)

Today two-thirds of Singapore’s land areas serve as water catchment areas, meaning that much of our urban surface water runoff ultimately is captured and recycled for our usage. Bioswales are green landscapes that could improve the quality of the surface water runoff, as they are designed to reduce the amounts of toxic pollutants in storm water. Bioswales are increasingly popular in recent years as part of Singapore’s green landscapes but not many people know about them, their purposes, nor their effectiveness. Our group aim to test the effectiveness of bioswales in cleansing the storm water. We will mainly be testing for pH as well as the presence of heavy metals like Lead, Aluminium and Copper, as a measure of water quality. Since testing the water collected after having gone through an actual bioswale is unfeasible due to safety precautions, our group is modelling 3 miniature bioswales to carry out the experiment. By planting rosemary, basil and mint respectively in a layering of gravel and different types of soil, we will be filtering storm water through these bioswales and testing the water quality before and after the process to check for improvement.

Keywords: Built Environment and Green Infrastructure, water pollution, water quality, experiment planting

AY1617G04C – “Ridge HaUS: Co-creating public spaces for social interaction”

rvrnjy Abstracts, AY 2016/17, Built Environment and Green Infrastructure

Law Kai Xiang (SDE), S Lawanya (FoE), Soh Xian Hui (SDE), Tan Zheng Kang (FoE), Yeoh Wan Qing (FASS), Zhu Victor (FoS)

Academic Advisor: Prof. Adekunle Adeyeye
Industry Advisor: Dr. Trivic Zdravko (SDE, NUS)

Public spaces provide the platform for social activities and are crucial for social interaction in a community. Our project aims to explore ways to maximize the utilization of public spaces in Ridge View Residential College (RVRC). Currently, public open spaces around Old Kent Ridge Blocks are largely underutilized. The few built facilities present, such as the BBQ Pit and the Amphitheater, are inadequate in attracting student use. We conducted a literature review to identify the factors influencing human interactions as well as possible features that could be adopted to construct attractive and socially conducive public spaces. Our project incorporates participatory design by the residents at RVRC as our methodological framework to accurately reflect the needs and preferences of the users while simultaneously instilling a greater sense of ownership for the communal spaces. The college population was first surveyed to identify the spaces of greatest interest and to gather information on factors influencing the use of public spaces. This will be followed by a focus group discussion to streamline data into concrete co-created designs and finalize implementation details for the construction of a feasible prototype. We will conclude our project with the submission of a set of recommendations to the RVRC Management for adoption consideration.

Keywords: Built Environment and Green Infrastructure, Participatory design, Space utility, Green spaces

AY1617G04B – “Coolcon: Green is the new Red”

rvrnjy Abstracts, AY 2016/17, Built Environment and Green Infrastructure, Energy

Chin De Zhi (F0S), Lin Yuqi Eunice (SDE), Nur Atiqah Bte Ahmad Suhairi (FoS), Theng Poh Ying (FoS), Yellore Gaurav (FoE), Yiow Zhi Yun, Jermaine (SDE)

Academic Advisor: Prof. Adekunle Adeyeye
Industry Advisor: Prof. Peter Ho (FoS, NUS)

In the absence of air-conditioning in residents’ rooms, year-round high humidity in Singapore is the chief cause for Ridge View Residential College (RVRC) students experiencing discomfort. Our project will be focusing on a specific design solution to combat humidity and improve thermal comfort of residents in RVRC using environmentally friendly methods. We propose to design a cheap and low-maintenance DIY air-cooling device made of readily available recycled materials – cardboard and plastic bottles. These materials are ideal for a sustainable solution as as they are insufficiently recycled in Singapore. Our idea is inspired by the project ‘The Eco Cooler’™ that debuted in Bangladesh as the world’s first ‘zero-electricity™ air conditioner’. It eliminates the need for energy to run the cooling system, thus producing zero waste products. The mechanism adopts the Joule-Thomson Effect where a change in temperature occurs when air is forced through a narrow opening. For data collection, we conducted a trial in the high rise RVRC Tower and Old KR blocks for a week each, using our neighbour’s room as the control while testing it out in our own rooms. Results were analyzed when fans in both rooms were either operating or not operating concurrently to reduce confounders. After receiving feedback on our results from our Industry Advisor, we modified our design to tackle humidity instead and will be conducting further tests to measure and assess the impact of the device.

Keywords: Built Environment and Green Infrastructure, Energy, Air-conditioning, Room cooling

AY1617G03B – “Light Siew Dai”

rvrnjy Abstracts, AY 2016/17, Built Environment and Green Infrastructure, Energy

Chua Bok Woon (CEG), Lee Jing Wen, Alicia (FASS), Ng Jun Sheng (FASS), Oon Chong Sheng Ryan (FoE), Ryan Sim Wei Jie (FASS), Tham You Wai (FoE)

Academic Advisor: Mr. Lim Cheng Puay
Industry Advisor: Mr. Chin Ting Kwang Noel (BCA)

Day-lighting systems, which capture sun rays and reflect them into buildings, can complement existing lighting installations in buildings to reduce energy consumption. Our group will examine light pipes as such a day-lighting system to reduce electrical dependency, specifically on cheaper alternative materials compared to current commercial models. This will be achieved with qualitative analysis and research by consulting experts from the Building & Construction Authority and NUS. A quantitative study by creating an experimental prototype light tube system using a cheaper, reflective material, “Mylar” will be carried out. We will then compare various lighting systems (e.g., LED, ambient lighting, etc.) and evaluate of the efficiency of the alternative material proposed as well as consider possible sites of integration and implementation. We will also engage RVRC students about our product to understand end-user receptivity and response towards light pipes, and the feasibility of light pipes lined with the alternative material we have proposed. This is done through a visual engagement and recording their experience with the prototype we have constructed. Through these various approaches, we will determine the feasibility and potential of light pipes as a complement to existing lighting systems.

Keywords: Built Environment and Green Infrastructure, Energy, Lighting, Light pipes

AY1617G02B – “Fifty shades of Green: Study on the efficacy of green walls in NUS”

rvrnjy Abstracts, AY 2016/17, Built Environment and Green Infrastructure

Agnes Gan (FoS), Deric Khoo Jia Wei (CEG), Ezbon Sio Jia Jun (FoE), Gan Cai Zhi Wilson (FASS), Jia Hao Jeffrey (FoE)

Academic Advisor: Ms. Sadaf Ansari
Industry Advisor: Ms. Henrietta Woo (NParks)

With expanding urban development, forests and agricultural land all across the globe are rapidly being replaced by buildings and skyscrapers. The density of urban development in cities with scarce land, such as Singapore, compounded by high rise buildings, leaves limited opportunity for greenery and landscape. This carries a wide range of negative environmental impacts, key among which is the Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect that changes the urban micro-climate with intense pockets of higher temperature and disturbs ecosystems in the immediate vicinity. The simplest method to combat this phenomenon is the reintroduction of plants and trees. Increasingly, this is being achieved in cities by the use of green walls, which are said to mitigate the UHI effect by decreasing ambient temperatures in the surroundings, while simultaneously improving biodiversity and user perception of urban spaces. Our project examines these attributed benefits of green walls as effective replacements of natural landscapes on the NUS campus, especially when considering their high installation and maintenance costs. We chose to test the efficacy of 5 different green walls at 4 locations around the NUS campus – VENTUS, FoE, SDE and Kent Vale Residences. We aim to assess the performance of these green walls with respect to their key projected benefits; reduction of ambient temperature around the walls, increased biodiversity on and around the wall, and positive human perception of the green walls as effective replacements of natural landscapes. We will be using a combination of fieldwork and surveys to collect our data for analysis.

Keywords: Built Environment and Green Infrastructure, Sustainable Urban Design, Urban Heat ISland, Green Wall, Energy Consumption

AY1516G24 –“Can we encourage NUS students to opt for a more sustainable transport alternative?”

rvrnjy Abstracts, AY 2015/16, Built Environment and Green Infrastructure, Mobility and Air Quality, Transport

Ang Yong Quan (FoE/MLE1), Kirthana D/O Ganeson (FASS/ARS1), Koh Shing Yee (FoE/MPE1), Ravi Shwetha (MDP/CEG1), Won Jia Min (FASS/ARS1)

Academic Advisor: Adekunle Adeyeye | Student Fellow: Sin Kah Fai

In 2015, the NUS Office of Campus Amenities recorded that it transports an average of 50,000 people around campus per day. Even with this efficiency, buses are overflowing with students. While increasing the number of bus trips seems to be a straight-forward solution, it might only worsen the problem due to the narrow roads and heavy traffic on campus. It also further contributes to NUS’s carbon emissions. With this in mind, we searched for a more sustainable transport alternative and collected the feedback on the willingness of NUS students and staff to walk as a mode of transport. Discovering that many are willing to go the distance if real-time information and a mix of modes of transport are offered, we focused on building a mobile application that will help NUS students to navigate their way around the campus, through the best permutation required by the student on each unique scenario.

Keywords: Built Environment and Green Infrastructure, Transport, Mobility, Mobile application, Walking

AY1516G15 – “Repurposing surface run-off around NUS using Bioswales?”

rvrnjy Abstracts, AY 2015/16, Built Environment and Green Infrastructure, Natural Environment and Ecosystem

Chin Jun Tian (FoE/CHE1), Khoo Chong Wee (FASS/ARS1), Leong Jia Qi Elsa (FoE/CHE1), Tran Thuy Linh (FoS/PMC1)

Academic Advisor: Sadaf Ansari | Student Fellow: Nicholas Tan

Due to Singapore’s tropical climate, heavy rainfalls occur frequently resulting in flash floods. The implementation of Bioswales would slow down surface runoff to the drainage systems, hence reducing flash floods. Bioswales are suitable for NUS due to its undulating contour. They also contribute to the campus’ green space through functional and aesthetic means considering the campus’ proximity to Kent Ridge and Bukit Timah nature reserves. We aim to produce guidelines for building Bioswales with details such as the structural design, composition of the soil and the types of plants used. We also propose a retention tank to utilize the stored water for irrigation.  Our guidelines will be based on the studies of existing Bioswales in NUS. We would also identify other potential locations such as the area near LT11 at FASS. We envision Office of Facilities Management to build new Bioswales in NUS with our guidelines.

Keywords: Built Environment and Green Infrastructure, Bioswales, Water Filtration, Urban greenspaces

AY1516G14 – “Can user engagement improve the efficiency of green buildings in NUS?”

rvrnjy Abstracts, AY 2015/16, Built Environment and Green Infrastructure, Energy

Low Jo Ann (SDE/ARK1), Neo Jen Kiat (FASS/ARS1), Vivian Lim Wei Wen (FoS/PMC1), Wong Khai Terng (FoS/PMC1)

Academic Advisor: Sadaf Ansari | Student Fellow: Nicholas Tan

A green building is an environmentally sustainable building, designed, constructed and operated to minimize the total environmental impacts. In this project, we seek to investigate plausible solutions from the user’s perspective that can hopefully improve the energy efficiency and performance of green buildings in NUS in the long run. Based on our survey done within the NUS campus and secondary studies, we conclude that NUS users in general are not particularly aware of the concept of green buildings and this might have an implication on the overall energy efficiency and building performance of green buildings in NUS. Given that “significant progress in green buildings can only be sustained by understanding the changes to technology and the resultant user engagement with it”(Cole, 2003), we seek to examine plausible solutions based on existing technology that can sustain user engagement, so as to maximize the energy-saving potential of green buildings in NUS.

Keywords: Built Environment and Green Infrastructure， Green Buildings, Energy Use, User feedback

AY1516G09 – “Can plant climber-green roof bus stops reduce temperatures of hotspots in NUS?”

rvrnjy Abstracts, AY 2015/16, Built Environment and Green Infrastructure, Energy

Lim Yi Fan (FoS/SCI1), Shen Yunni (FASS/ARS1), Siow Zheng Qian (FASS/ARS1), Soo Jia En, Jennifer (FoS/SCI1)

Academic Advisor: Saif Khan | Student Fellow: Lee Juho

Due to global warming, global temperatures are rising. This worsens the urban heat island effect in highly urbanised environment. Due to building developments in NUS, vegetation is removed, creating more hotspots. To complement the roof gardens plan for buildings, we explored using creeper system on the bus stops near hotspots. This will increase greenery distribution, which will lower the temperature of the surroundings. Creeper system is remarkably simple and reduces the overall building and maintenance cost. Large scale deployment of green roof on lightweight structure is made possible. From the surveys conducted, there is a large support. However, awareness has to be raised on the advantages. Although some temperature data was collected from a similar setup, further isolated trials would need to be conducted to confirm the effectiveness of reducing ambient temperature. If successful, there could be an expansion of ideas to other platforms to increase the overall green coverage.

Keywords: Built Environment and Green Infrastructure, Green Buildings, Cooling of buildings, Urban Heat Island Effect

AY1516G08 – “Is the District Cooling Plant (DCP) the future of air-conditioning for commercial developments in Singapore?”

rvrnjy Abstracts, AY 2015/16, Built Environment and Green Infrastructure, Energy

Goh Zong Han (SDE/RST1), Natasha Pearl Low Ming Choo (SDE/RST1), Poh Jia Jun (FoE/EEE1), Sakai Naomi (FoE/EEE2), Teo Geng Hao (FASS/ARS1)

Academic Advisor: Saif Khan | Student Fellow: Lee Juho

The DCP is a system which distributes thermal energy in the form of chilled water from a central source to a large bulk of consumers. It serves as an alternative to current air-conditioning systems in commercial buildings, which consist of individual chiller plants. In this project, we looked into the feasibility of the DCP as a future system of air-conditioning for commercial developments in Singapore, based on factors including economic costs, environmental impact, energy efficiency and government policy. As part of our research methods, we conducted interviews with key stakeholders, participated in site visits to existing DCPs, and surveyed existing literature on the subject over a duration of three months. From our research, we have arrived at three key learning points which can serve as an impetus for further developments in the study and implementation of district energy systems.

Keywords: Built Environment and Green Infrastructure, Energy, Air conditioning, Energy use, Urban living

AY1516G04 –“What are the key economic and policy challenges hampering the industrial adoption of CCHP systems in Singapore?”

rvrnjy Abstracts, AY 2015/16, Built Environment and Green Infrastructure, Energy

Li Yihe (FoE/CHE1), Lian Jun Jie (FoS/NVB1), Tan Heyi Aloysius Harvard (FASS/ARS1), Tan Wei Shao Thaddeus (FASS/ARS1), Teo Ming Yi (SoC/COM1)

Academic Advisor: Sadaf Ansari | Student Fellow: Kerk Jun Gang

Combined Cooling, Heating and Power (CCHP) is a well-established method of power generation that can improve efficiencies from 59% to 88% (Liu et al., 2014). Despite this, CCHP systems are still not widely utilised in Singapore. Hence, this project seeks to examine the issues hampering the uptake of CCHP systems in Singapore. A site visit was initially conducted at GlaxoSmithKline’s CCHP facility. A meeting was also arranged with the National Environment Agency (NEA) and the Economic Development Board to discuss the formulation process of green policies and their current uptake trends. Issues such as high capital investment costs, low current oil prices and the need for high cooling and heating demands, and legal concerns were raised. Upon evaluation of these issues, we question if more efforts can be made to incorporate a push factor in policy-making to encourage greater adoption of CCHP in the long term.

Keywords: Built Environment and Green Infrastructure, Energy Use, Energy, Air Conditioning

AY1516G03 –“Can green roof farming supply fruits and vegetables to NUS canteens?”

rvrnjy Abstracts, AY 2015/16, Built Environment and Green Infrastructure

Claudia Cheng Kai Xin (SDE/ARK1), Danial Adib Bin Sumali (FoE/EEE2), Sung Jian Wei John (FASS/ARS1), Xu Zhi Yue, Julia (FoE/EEE1), Zou Zhou (FoS/SCI1)

Academic Advisor: Sadaf Ansari | Student Fellow: Huang Jianyi

Urbanization is currently increasing on a global scale, with world urbanization levels predicted to increase to almost 70% in 2050, increasing the isolation of agricultural land. This poses the issue of a lack of agricultural self-sustainability, especially in cities that do not produce crops, such as Singapore, which imports 90% of its food. In many cities, urban farming is becoming more popular as a solution, and our project aims to study the feasibility of running an urban farm on a rooftop. Our project will be an investigation in the scope of the NUS campus, assuming it to be a city , with the proposed rooftop sitting on S1 building at the science faculty. We will explore the aspects of the accessibility and safety constraints of the rooftop, green roof types, economic sustainability of the farm, and possible systems of maintenance which will involve students so as to promote social benefits.

Keywords: Built Environment and Green Infrastructure, Food, Rooftop Farming, Urban Farming

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