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As the world continues to embrace the concept of sustainable living, the development of smart and sustainable districts has become a focal point for urban planners and developers. Punggol Digital District (PDD), situated in the northeastern region of Singapore, exemplifies this new approach where advanced technologies are integrated with environmentally conscious design principles.
Master planned and developed by JTC, the 50-ha PDD currently holds the distinction of being Singapore’s largest mixed-use Green Mark Platinum District. It comprises a business park, the Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT) Punggol Campus, and houses a wide range of community facilities and green pockets such as the 1.3km-long Heritage Trail.
Opening progressively from 2024, PDD is a showcase of Singapore's Smart Nation efforts.
Conceptualising, designing and building a district that employs at-scale sustainable practices in energy efficiency, water efficiency, material and waste management, environmental planning, green buildings and transport is a complex undertaking. To achieve its vision, JTC enlisted the expertise of multiple collaborators, among them Ramboll.
Founded in Denmark in 1945, Ramboll is a global engineering, design and company known for its work in sustainable urban developments. Focusing on innovative designs and engineering solutions, the firm collaborates with various stakeholders to create sustainable and resilient built environments.
For PDD, Ramboll devised a range of solutions, ranging from “building optimisation to life-centric enhancements.” Jessie Tan, the country market director of Ramboll Asia-Pacific, is part of the team involved in the project since its inception. Here, she shares more insights to Ramboll’s involvement as a sustainability consultant and the various strategies it recommended for PDD.
Jessie Tan, country market director of Ramboll Asia-Pacific, has witnessed the progress of PDD over the past years.
What are the challenges to setting up a Green Mark Platinum Super Low Energy district?
There are several challenges. The first is district infrastructure planning, and that’s because implementing sustainable infrastructure and technologies at the district level often requires the involvement of stakeholders from various sectors. You need to do this at the early design or master plan stage. It also requires substantial upfront investment.
Next, we look at technological complexity. Integrating various renewable energy sources, energy-efficient systems, and smart technologies into a district's infrastructure can be technically challenging. It requires expertise in diverse fields such as engineering, architecture, urban planning and more. How then do you facilitate coordination among the different stakeholders? Aligning their interests can be a complex task.
What’s also important is building resilience. This ensures long-term viability of a sustainable district and its ability to hold up to climate change and other environmental risks. We need to look at incorporating measures such as flood protection, heat island mitigation, and drought-resistant landscaping.
Were there any special considerations given that PDD is an integrated ecosystem for professionals, students and residents?
From a sustainability perspective, seamless connectivity and the creation of thermally comfortable outdoor public spaces that integrate nature and technology are essential for PDD as a Platinum Green Mark district. These spaces cater to a diverse range of users, including professionals working in the district and students from the SIT campus. We are also mindful that PDD is part of a greater community, and that neighbouring residents will visit the district for social gatherings, leisure, learning, and other activities.
District-level developments can attract diverse demographics, making them vibrant destinations. Increasingly, spaces are now designed for multifunctional use. Traditional central business districts are often bustling with professionals by day but often deserted at night and on weekends. With PDD, there was a lot of potential for the teams to create inclusive communal spaces.
What are some of the sustainable design strategies that you’d like to highlight about PDD?
At its core, PDD’s strategy is all about putting people first and creating a welcoming place for everyone, especially to meet the needs of the diverse community. For a district of PDD’s scale, we had to employ various strategies.
We incorporated climate-responsive design methodologies throughout the entire development. This is crucial for mitigating environmental impact and reducing carbon emissions. It involves maximising the use of natural, renewable resources such as daylight and solar energy.
We ran several advanced computational simulations, including studying the orientation of buildings, estimating the solar heat gain, enhancing natural ventilation while mitigating wind driven rain penetration, optimising daylight while minimising glare issue, and conducting Urban Heat Island mitigation study to promote thermal comfort. It is vital to promote unobstructed airflow to enhance natural ventilation and counter the Urban Heat Island effect.
This is done through the provision of shades, integration of green and blue elements, and appropriate materials selection. We also worked with WOHA Architects, who is behind the design of the district, to influence the façade design of the buildings. It’s respecting the architecture, but then finding ways to reduce the heat that gets into the buildings while letting in comfortable amounts of daylight.
Simulations allowed Ramboll to make informed recommendations that enhanced the design of the district.
Our approach also included promoting circularity in waste management, incorporating pneumatic collection systems for recyclable waste, on-site treatment of food and horticultural waste using composters, and utilising the resulting compost as fertiliser for plants. PDD is also a smart district. Naturally, we had to study ways smart technologies can be implemented to control and monitor utilities consumption, conduct data analysis, facilitate preventive maintenance, and provide an open smart platform for researchers and industries to test innovative solutions.
Are there any innovative or emerging technologies that are used at PDD?
While creating thermally comfortable indoor and outdoor spaces is essential for occupants, it is important to minimise reliance on mechanical systems to reduce energy consumption and mitigate environmental impact. PDD's cooling systems and ventilation fans are controlled by weather sensors to operate only when necessary.
For example, high-volume low-speed (HVLS) fans in naturally ventilated spaces are controlled by wind and temperature sensors to operate automatically during periods of poor natural ventilation or high ambient temperature. But did you know these HVLS fans also have a ‘reverse’ mode, which means they can be used to disperse hot air and create more comfortable environments for visitors at PDD? The fans are a solution that can be used economically, and implementing such technology doesn’t require a hefty investment.
What are some of the roadblocks the built environment industry faces when it comes to implementing decarbonisation strategies/technology?
We need the right skills and knowledge to implement decarbonisation strategies, involving various stakeholders from clients to architects, structural consultants, mechanical and electrical consultants, and end users as part of the design and strategies system.
Different stakeholders must grasp a certain level of knowledge on building-related physics. Decarbonisation strategies aren't just about operational carbon but also embodied carbon, which encompasses building materials, systems, and the entire life cycle. There may be resistance to change and adopting new practices and technologies due to concerns about reliability, performance, and so on.
You were involved in PDD from the start. What are you most proud of?
Personally, I think PDD is very beautifully set up. There’s a lot of connectivity on the ground and at an elevated level. There’s something for everyone, and since it is in the Punggol area, I hope many of the young families will be able to enjoy the spaces. PDD is designed to be a car-lite district as well, so a wide range of active mobility facilities have been implemented for pedestrians, cyclists, and more. It is good for walks, not only at the Heritage Trail or the community park. Check out the Campus Boulevard – it’s very conducive for leisurely strolls!