THE National Environment Agency (NEA) will soon start prohibiting construction activities from 10pm on the night before a Sunday or a public holiday to 10am on the day itself. This new prohibition will apply to construction sites within 150 metres of residential areas and noise-sensitive developments that start work from Sept 1 this year.

‘We will implement the changes progressively to give the construction industry sufficient time to adjust,’ said Yaacob Ibrahim, Minister for the Environment and Water Resources, while announcing the ministry’s latest measures in Parliament yesterday. ‘NEA will extend this prohibition to the rest of the day on Sundays and public holidays for sites starting work from Sept 1, 2011,’ Dr Yaacob added.

According to the minister, NEA received 14,000 and 12,000 complaints about construction noise in 2008 and 2009 respectively, compared to 9,000 and 6,000 such complaints in 2007 and 2006 respectively.

This change in policy will create a need for construction firms to rejig their work schedules, CSC Holdings Ltd CEO See Yen Tarn noted.

‘There are certain activities that have to be carried out continuously, one process after another. You cannot excavate something and then let it sit there for 24 hours, for example,’ said Mr See.

Tan Wey Pin, executive director of Lum Chang Building Contractors, also noted that almost all construction sites in Singapore will be situated within 150 metres of a residential area. Currently, his firm’s workers end work any time between 7pm and midnight on Saturday and work from 8am to 5pm on Sunday, excluding overtime.

NEA will also tighten noise standards for new and in-use vehicles, from Oct 1, 2010 and April 1, 2011, respectively. The new-vehicle standards will be based on those currently used in Japan and the European Union.

On the industrial front, there will be a mandatory requirement for companies in the industry sector using more than 15 gigawatt- hours of energy each year to appoint an energy manager that will monitor and report energy use to NEA from 2013, as part of the Energy Conservation Act that will come into force in the same year.

‘NEA will introduce the Energy Efficiency National Partnership, or EENP, in April to help companies build up the necessary capabilities before the mandatory energy management practices come into effect,’ said Dr Yaacob.

Several companies that fall in this category appear to be ahead of the curve.

‘We do more than an energy manager’s job. We have monitored the consumption of energy from Day 1,’ said CV Jagadish, CEO of Systems on Silicon Manufacturing Co Pte Ltd. This year, the company aims to reduce energy usage by almost 4 million kilowatt-hours.

STMicroelectronics will also have no trouble complying with the requirement. ‘Our site electrical manager is our resident Energy Conservation Champion, who constantly drives energy reduction opportunities at our wafer fab,’ said Renato Sirtori, group vice-president and chief financial officer of Asia STMicroelectronics.

Source: Business Times, 9 Mar 2010

Buildability score, energy efficiency certification being revised upwards

THE Building & Construction Authority (BCA) is set to make changes to some of its regulations to push the construction industry towards green building and greater productivity.

The mandatory minimum energy efficiency standard that must be met before a new building can receive a Green Mark certification will be raised by 10 per cent from today’s standard. The energy efficiency standards for other Green Mark levels – Gold, GoldPlus, and Platinum – will also be upped.

BCA will also increase the regulated minimum buildability score so that firms will have to use labour-efficient construction technologies. The industry regulator said that it has not yet decided on the new minimum score, which now stands at 75 – a significant climb from 61 in 2001.

‘The industry can seek government funding to build capability in areas such as prefabrication, precast technology and other construction technology to meet the new buildability requirements,’ said Grace Fu, Senior Minister of State at the Ministry of National Development. She announced the changes in Parliament yesterday.

During the Budget announcement on Feb 22, the government said that it will set aside $250 million to steer the construction sector towards higher productivity. This followed the Economic Strategies Committee last month highlighting the need for strong measures to boost Singapore’s productivity level.

Giving more details yesterday, BCA said that the funds will be used to cover three broad aspects: to co-fund manpower development; to provide funding support to encourage companies to adopt technology and equipment that could lead to significant productivity improvement; and to provide financial support to builders to help them develop capability in more complicated civil engineering projects and building projects.

BCA hopes to get the construction sector to raise the quality of its workforce, design buildings that are easier to construct and adopt more advanced construction technologies. The government has said that it will raise its foreign worker levies from July this year. Yesterday, Ms Fu said that it is estimated that the higher levies could result in 1-2 per cent rise in construction costs for the industry – although the actual cost impact will vary from firm to firm. On the other hand, the $250 million fund will work as a carrot and support the construction firms as they try to adopt productivity improvement measures.

Further upstream, developers and architects will have to design for greater buildability. BCA also wants to raise the energy efficiency standard for new buildings by 10 per cent – which means that the power consumption for new buildings that are Green Mark-certified will be about 10 per cent lower as compared to their older counterparts.

Developers said that they welcomed the move and added that the new target is within reach.

‘The revised standards will definitely improve the long-term sustainability of Singapore and contribute towards our overall energy efficiency goal of 35 per cent savings by 2030,’ said Tan Swee Yiow, Keppel Land’s chief executive for its Singapore commercial business unit.

Added a City Developments spokesman: ‘While the development of green buildings may cost more, by adopting the low-energy passive facade design, we do not foresee the need to increase our present green building investment of between 2 per cent and 5 per cent of our construction cost.’

Source: Business Times, 9 Mar 2010

THE noise from construction projects has long been the bane of residents hoping to sleep in on Sundays.

But there is hope for some peace soon.

From Sept 1, all new projects will have to stop work from 10pm on Saturday to 10am on Sunday.

This ban applies to any building project within 150m of a residential area. It also applies to the eve of public holidays and public holidays.

The duration of the ban will be further extended next year, with the stop-work rule stretching from 10pm on Saturday till Monday morning.

It will start from Sept 1 next year and apply to new projects that begin work then.

These measures, announced by Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Yaacob Ibrahim in Parliament yesterday, were greeted with equanimity by contractors.

Mr Andrew Khng, president of the Singapore Contractors Association, told The Straits Times: ‘I don’t think it’s a huge burden. Contractors and workers also need time at the weekend to rest.

‘We will probably work harder during weekdays.’

Currently, contractors can bang away on Sundays as long as the noise level from 7am to 7pm stays under 75 decibels, which is close to the sound of a car travelling on a road.

After 7pm, the noise level has to go down to 65 decibels till 10pm, when all work must stop.

But, said MP Hri Kumar Nair, ‘there will be instances where the work will from time to time exceed the limit but not break the regulations because it is sustained’.

Added the Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC MP: ‘This is of little comfort to those who have had their rest disturbed.’

Dr Yaacob admitted as much when he disclosed that 12,000 complaints were received last year. That is around 33 a day.

It was worse in 2008, when the National Environment Agency (NEA) received 14,000 complaints, up from 9,000 in 2007 and 6,000 in 2006.

MP Lim Biow Chuan (Marine Parade GRC) noted that construction noise in the middle of the night seems louder, as there is no other background noise to drown it out.

The NEA estimates that the new measures will raise construction costs by 2 to 2.5 per cent, and projects will take 10 to 17 per cent longer to finish.

While residents interviewed welcomed the move, they felt more could be done.

Mr David Seah, 54, whose Farrer Road home is a stone’s throw from the construction site of a Circle Line MRT station, suggested that the Government plant more trees and shrubs in his estate to act as a sound buffer.

Mr Seah, who works the evening shift in the food business, said: ‘They should consider people who do shift work.’

To reduce noise from cars and other vehicles, the NEA will introduce standards to match those of Japan and the European Union.

These will take effect from Oct 1 this year.

Source: Straits Times, 9 Mar 2010

FOLLOWING feedback from some Eunos residents about external lift shafts blocking their flats, the Housing Board (HDB) has formed a working group comprising some of them, as well as representatives from the residents’ committee, town council and the board.

Formed this year, the group was seen by some residents as a positive step forward. Others remain sceptical that the problem will be resolved.

The issue at Blocks 411, 415 and 417 at Eunos Road 5 came about in 2006, when affected residents found out that the new shafts would be sited in front of their units, which they say blocks off some light and air.

Over the years, the residents have had numerous meetings with their precinct’s Member of Parliament and the HDB.

But an HDB bid to solve the problem was dismissed last November by affected residents, who said the designs still did not address their concerns.

Affected resident Chew Keng Woh, a 64-year-old retiree in Block 415, is one of those who has volunteered to be part of the committee.

Commenting on his new role, he said: ‘If they can give us 60 per cent (of what we want), let them finish the work.’

It is understood that the feedback process is still under way.

Source, Straits Times 9 February 2010

The construction sector around the world is likely to pick up in 2010 in tandem with the recovering global economy.

Accoring to KPMG’s 2009 Global Construction Survey, 64 per cent of respondents expect to either increase or maintain profits by next year.

The survey sought the view of top management of more than 100 of the world’s leading engineering and construction companies.

The outlook for the construction industry is optimistic despite falling demand and shortage of funding experienced in the wake of the financial crisis.

Construction companies surveyed said they view the financial crisis as an opportunity to get leaner, so that when recovery finally occurs, they will be prepared to succeed.

Meanwhile, 53 per cent of global survey respondents state that their backlog volume of jobs has either gone up or stayed the same in the past year.

The survey also said that government stimulus packages will further help the industry.

Of those surveyed, 82 per cent of contractors in Asia Pacific expect at least a moderate or significant increase in opportunities over the next two years.

Another indicator of the industry’s optimism is its ability to retain its workforce despite the economic crisis.

Some 35 per cent of global respondents have not reduced their workforce at all, and 28 per cent have taken no action with regards to their workforce numbers.

When it comes to competing in a tougher marketplace, the majority of respondents said that a focus on sustainability is a “must-have” to satisfy clients and regulators.

56 per cent of respondents say that sustainability helps position their companies as being innovative and environmentally aware.

Source: Channel News Asia, 28 Dec 2009

Fall takes nation’s index close to Dubai’s; most cities showing a rise are in China, including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen

CONSTRUCTION costs in Singapore have dropped more than those in other cities, a study by Rider Levett Bucknall (RLB) found.

The construction cost consultancy gathered data from more than 30 markets to construct indexed measures of cost. In its International Construction Cost Relativities ranking, the Singapore index fell to 93 in October from 112 in January – a 17.3 per cent decrease.

The decline took Singapore’s index close to that of Dubai. The Dubai index slipped to 93 from 110 over the same period – the second-largest percentage decline of 15.5 per cent.

‘Construction costs have been reduced by up to 30 per cent with major slowdowns and renegotiations for projects under construction, regardless of contractual arrangements,’ RLB said of the situation in Dubai, in its October international report.

Construction costs in Macau also fell considerably – the Macau index slid 12 per cent to 92 from 104.

With the big fall in construction costs in Singapore, it has become slightly cheaper to build here than in Hong Kong. The Hong Kong index dropped to 99 in October from 107 in January, down 7.9 per cent.

Most of the cities that displayed a rise in construction costs in RLB’s study are in China – Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen. But on the whole, these cities remained some of the cheapest for building.

Construction costs in Singapore rose steadily during the boom years as more projects – ranging from residential developments to civil engineering works – streamed into the market. The increased demand coincided with spikes in material and commodity prices to drive up costs.

The value of private and public sector contracts awarded for new works grew from $16.8 billion in 2006 to $24.5 billion in 2007 and $34.6 billion in 2008. Also trending up was the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) Tender Price Index, from 103.2 points in 2006 to 122.5 in 2007 and 137.3 in 2008.

But with the onset of the financial crisis and economic slowdown from end-2008, developers held back plans. BCA’s forecasts up to October point to construction demand of just $17.3 billion this year – a potential 50 per cent drop from last year.

Fewer projects will lead to lower construction costs. The BCA Tender Price Index as at the third quarter was 113.6 points – down 17.3 per cent from 2008.

‘Building tender prices continued their downward trend for the first six months of 2009, as the reduced volume of available building tenders in contrast with the 2008 peak, resulted in greater competition among contractors,’ RLB says in its report.

It estimates that it would cost between $195 and $344 per square foot of gross floor area to build a multistorey residential development for owner-occupation in Singapore. When it comes to a retail mall, the equivalent cost would be between $181 and $274.

Source: Business Times, 12 Dec 2009

IT IS centrally located and has won international architectural design accolades. But the iconic Modern Moma estate in downtown Beijing has another trump card: It is ‘green’.

Equipped with waste-water recycling, an elaborate natural ventilation system and geothermal heating instead of traditional air-conditioning, the eight-tower residential and commercial property – which achieves the comfort level of a five-star hotel using about one-third as much energy – is a standing symbol of China’s newfound pursuit of green buildings.

Green is the new colour for cool for some Chinese property developers – in a country better known for having the world’s most polluted cities and its breakneck pace of construction.

In the past two years, Beijing has rolled out green building codes, even as more and more Chinese building owners jump, on their own accord, on the bandwagon of getting international certification.

Since 2007, there has been phenomenal growth in the number of Chinese projects trying for green certification, Mr Robert Watson, a veteran scientist who advises the Chinese government on green construction, told The Straits Times.

Many are gunning for the stringent internationally recognised Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (Leed) certification conferred by the non-governmental United States Green Building Council.

The certification system rates properties by measuring their environmental footprint with a range of indicators, including energy savings, reduction of air and noise pollution, smart water usage, carbon dioxide emissions and its impact on the surroundings.

While there were just a handful of Chinese projects trying for Leed certification two or three years ago, there are close to 300 today, said Mr Watson, the ‘Founding Father of Leed’.

The number of Chinese projects applying for that recognition has been doubling every year, putting China alongside the US, India, the United Arab Emirates and South Korea as being the most active in pursuing green building standards now, said Mr Watson, who heads his own consultancy working on green building projects in China and the US.

About 45 projects in China – several designed by foreign architects – have already been stamped with Leed approval, including Modern Moma.

China introduced its own certification two years ago, giving building owners the option to get their property rated one, two or three stars based on how good their site planning, land use, water conservation and internal air quality are.

China’s Construction Ministry data show that 15 Chinese properties have star status so far.

In 2006, Beijing issued building design regulations that mandate new buildings to adopt energy-saving technologies for cooling, heating, ventilating and lighting.

Beijing’s stated target is to cut building energy use in all cities by 50 per cent by next year and 65 per cent by 2020, compared with buildings constructed in the 1980s.

Rapidly urbanising China builds 2 billion sq m of floor space every year – almost half of the world’s annual total in construction floor area.

That means energy consumption by China’s buildings is no sneezing matter. From 10 per cent of the national total in the 1970s, it shot up to 20 per cent by 2006 and is about 30 per cent today.

Ahead of the Copenhagen climate talks this week, Beijing made its inaugural pledge last month to cut China’s carbon intensity – the amount of carbon dioxide produced per unit of gross domestic product growth – by 40 per cent to 45 per cent by 2020 from 2005 levels.

Praised by many, that figure has also been criticised for being a mere continuation of what China could already achieve before 2020.

Still, some industry players say that greening China’s buildings will be a key part of the puzzle and the ‘construction industry will have a huge responsibility’, as Mr Chen Yin, chief engineer of the Modern Green Development group that built Modern Moma, put it.

Qinghua University architecture professor Li Dexiang thinks one key way to further reduce Chinese buildings’ carbon footprints will be to use more renewable energy like solar, wind or geothermal power.

That might mean higher costs for property developers and home buyers, with building green estimated to add at least 10 per cent to the bill, said Prof Li.

The green features of Modern Moma – named by Time magazine in 2007 as one of the world’s ‘10 best new and upcoming architectural marvels’ – cost about 1,000 yuan (S$203) more per sq m, said Mr Chen.

With the sales accent on luxury and style, the estate has seen 80 per cent of its 670 units sold – even at a high average price tag of 49,000 yuan per sq m – to mostly mainland Chinese buyers.

‘Some home buyers might like that the estate is ‘green’, but that is not the decisive factor. It still comes down to geographical location, size and layout,’ said Mr Chen.

The engineer declined to provide data on the energy savings of Modern Moma in the 15 months since its first tenant moved in, but said it is ‘running close to how we planned it’.

While the Modern group and China’s largest property developer Vanke – both working on green projects – now see going green as part of a good branding strategy, many others are still put off by costs.

Ms Li Fei, of green construction consultant EMSI, pointed out: ‘Many in China’s construction industry still feel that green buildings need to be high-tech or expensive, but it may be a matter of making better use of sunlight or natural ventilation.’

There is a growing body of Chinese architects, contractors and suppliers schooled in green ways, but currently, many projects are designed first and then greened later, noted Mr Watson.

And that is often what drives costs up: ‘They’re taking a brown branch and hanging lots of green ornaments on it, which costs more, when actually, the cost of designing a green branch is the same as designing a brown one.’

Mr Chen said: ‘There’s still a gap between us and developed countries with good building standards, like Germany. But you know, once China decides to change, it catches up very fast.’

Source: Straits Times, 7 Dec 2009

THE offer was laid on the negotiation tables by the HDB. But a group of Eunos residents who have been unhappy for years over external lift shafts which block their homes are refusing to budge

Some of the 42 affected flat owners in Blocks 411, 415 and 417 in Eunos Road 5 refused to accept any of the four options offered over the weekend by the HDB in its latest bid to solve the problem.

Some of them crossed out all the options with marker pens and wrote on the form that they were still not happy with the olive branches offered.

Some want the offending lift shafts totally torn down instead.

These Eunos residents face a rather unique problem because of the way the three blocks were constructed. Each block is in a U-shape and the two staircases are located at both ends of the U while existing lifts are located in the middle.

Because odd-numbered floors do not share a common corridor – the building combines double-storey maisonettes with single-storey corner units – just upgrading the existing lift shafts was not sufficient to give all units lift access.

When the estate went through a lift upgrading programme which started in early last year, the two additional lift shafts per block could not be built facing a staircase like how it is done with most other blocks.

The new shafts ended up blocking residents’ flats from sunlight and wind, making their homes dark and hot. They have had to switch on lights and air-conditioning during the day, increasing their utility bills. One resident even reported mildew growing on his walls.

Since 2006, some of the 42 flat owners have been taking on the HDB since they found out where the new lifts would be positioned. They have had numerous meetings with the HDB and the area’s Member of Parliament Ong Seh Hong.

At a discussion last month, it was agreed that the project consultants to the lift upgrading works would come up with several options on tweaking the designs of the lift shafts. But at a survey conducted over the weekend on residents’ preferred options, most residents who came by to look at the mock-ups were still unhappy.

Some of them surrounded HDB’s deputy director of upgrading programmes management Chee Kheng Chye last Saturday morning, firing questions at him. The questions included why the lift shaft was built blocking most of the front door and one bedroom unit, when in a brochure given out to residents, the lift shaft had appeared different on the floor plan. The diagram, explained Mr Chee, is schematic and not drawn to scale.

Residents said the suggested changes were too minor to make a real difference.

One design suggested replacing part of a newly constructed wall linking the lift shaft to the corridor with aluminium fins to improve the ventilation and lighting. But as the fins are tilted at an angle to prevent people from looking into affected homes, residents said it did not make much difference. Yet, not doing so would compromise their privacy – the windows would expose their homes, including the bedroom, to the full view of anyone using the lifts.

Retiree Chew Keng Woh, 64, who rejected all the options, said: ‘They have to give us an alternative, then we can make suggestions.’

Corporate planner Khng Hwee Peng, 40, who also said no to all the options, said: ‘I wouldn’t go to the extreme of tearing down the whole thing but we’re still hoping that they will come up with a solution to add ventilation and light.’

Others, like retiree Eng Ah Hee, 63, suggested the HDB buy back their flats so they can relocate elsewhere. They said the value of their flats have been affected.

While the HDB had earlier said it would proceed with only options picked by a majority of the affected residents, it said yesterday that it would be referring the survey results to the working committee and the area’s MP to decide what to do next.

Dr Ong said he hoped residents would consider the choices offered, saying that the project had been delayed for six months while solutions were explored. ‘You cannot say the HDB has been short of trying,’ he said.

The lift upgrading was scheduled to be completed by the first quarter of next year but now, it is likely to be done in the last quarter instead.

But at least one affected resident will be choosing from existing options. Madam Asia Mahwan, 44, said that if the project continues to be delayed and left as a construction site, the dust and debris would be a continuing inconvenience. ‘We have no choice. We have to compromise…I don’t think HDB will pull down the lift shafts.’

Source, Straits Times 30 November 2009

THE Housing Board expects to offer between 10,000 and 12,000 flats every year over the next five years to meet growing demand, National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan said yesterday.

That will serve as a guide for HDB’s build-to-order (BTO) scheme, with the actual number made available depending on market conditions.

‘What actually happens a few years down the road is unknown. Also, demand is not constant – it varies from year to year, depending on economic and other factors,’ he told Parliament.

Taking questions from members on housing issues, he noted that HDB had responded swiftly to this year’s spike in demand, by raising its planned supply of 6,000 flats for the year to 13,500.

‘If the take-up of BTO flats remains strong, we will continue to push out more flats under BTO next year – at least one (project) every month if necessary,’ said Mr Mah.

While HDB does not have a policy of keeping vacant flats as a buffer, it nonetheless has a supply of flats that are ready for occupation, he disclosed. Such flats make up about 10per cent of all new flats.

He was responding to a query from MP Cynthia Phua (Aljunied GRC), who asked whether HDB could consider keeping a stock of ready flats for families who were in urgent need of a home.

‘Although I have said that we do not plan for a buffer, in actual fact there is a buffer of flats over and above the BTO (flats) which are available and have shorter waiting times,’ said Mr Mah.

These available flats are leftovers from other HDB schemes – such as the Selective En-bloc Redevelopment Scheme and surplus BTO flats – which are sold under HDB’s sales of balance flats exercise.

Ready flats are hugely popular because buyers do not have to wait to move in. This is in contrast to the BTO scheme, under which buyers typically have to wait three to four years.

Touching on the issue of cost, Mr Mah said that the total cost of flats varied according to ‘when we build, where we build and what we build’.

It included the cost of land, construction and ancillary services, and varied from $230,000 for a three-room flat in Punggol to $530,000 for a five-room one in Tiong Bahru.

He reiterated that HDB does not price its flats based on cost plus profit, but on a market price with a generous discount.

The selling price was sometimes more than total development cost and at other times, it was less than the cost – especially when construction costs are high, which has been the case over the past few years.

‘Overall, HDB incurs a large deficit in building and selling flats every year, as reflected in its audited annual accounts. In its financial year from 2008 to 2009, HDB incurred a deficit of $1.5 billion for the home ownership programme alone,’ he added.

First-time buyers were assured that there would be sufficient affordable housing.

HDB recently increased the proportion of flats set aside for first-timers from 90 to 95 per cent. And first-timers are 96 per cent likely to be given a chance to select a flat within two tries, he said.

Mr Mah said he was prepared to look into the cases of those who were unsuccessful after three tries, to see how HDB could help.

Analysts said yesterday the planned flat supply over the next five years would help ease demand.

‘This is a marked increase in planned supply, so it’s good for the market. The question going forward, is how will HDB more accurately gauge demand,’ said Chesterton Suntec International’s research and consultancy director, Mr Colin Tan.

Source, Straits Times, 24 Nov 2009

SAFETY inspections are on the cards for all HDB blocks under the charge of the Bishan-Toa Payoh Town Council that are fitted with external decorative boards.

The town council has engaged a consultant and mass checks are being planned after two such boards, made of calcium silicate – a material often used for fire-proofing purposes – crashed to the ground from the eighth storey of Block 107 in Toa Payoh Lorong 1 on Wednesday.

Although no one was hurt, the checks have been ordered as the impact of such objects falling from a height could cause death or injury.

Each board measured 0.7m wide and 2.8m long, and weighed 3kg.

The loud bangs at about 11am on Wednesday shocked shopkeepers in the usually quiet and sleepy neighbourhood.

‘We heard this really loud crash, followed by another one,’ said Ms Tan Siew Zhu, the owner of a store selling religious items.

‘I was scared and wanted to find out what happened, but could not see anything.’

The area where the incident occurred has been cordoned off.

The Housing Board said the affected block is about 40 years old.

‘The boards are part of the architectural design of the block,’ said an HDB spokesman, who added that the boards fell because the material they were made of had deteriorated over time.

She added: ‘This is a localised and isolated incident, and it does not affect the structural safety of the building.’

The HDB and Bishan-Toa Payoh Town Council are currently working to repair the block’s external facade, which now has a gaping hole.

A contractor who was surveying the site yesterday said such incidents are uncommon, but added that heavy rain and strong winds over the past few days could have caused the already weakened boards to tumble to the ground.

The repairs are scheduled to begin on Monday and will be completed in about a week if the weather is good, said the contractor, who did not want to be named.

Some who frequent the area, like designer Jack Lim who works in the same block, said they were shocked.

‘I am surprised this happened. Luckily no one got hurt,’ said the 26-year-old. ‘Why are the boards on the outside of the building anyway, where they are exposed to rain and sunshine?’

Retiree Wang Xi Tao, 68, who lives in a neighbouring block, said: ‘I am going to walk only along sheltered corridors now.

‘How do you know it won’t happen with the other blocks? They are just as old.’

Source, Straits Times, 6 Nov 2009