Singapore is known as a tech- and ecological hub in the region because of its initiatives that promote modern green living, from infrastructures to app technologies for citizens.
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With this, the direction is quite clear, and now, the government in partnership with industry stakeholders is looking into other innovative ventures in relevant fields, such as transportation, to help improve costs and processes while at the same time keeping with the country’s efforts to realizing a green society that would set it apart in the region.
Rooftop Gardens Part of SBS Transit Buses’ Green Initiative
Ten SBS Transit Buses are expected to have mini gardens on their rooftops for at least the next three months, as part of an initiative to explore possible energy and cost savings for bus operators, as shared in a report by Yahoo! News Singapore.
The “Gardens on the Move” initiative, which was first introduced at the inaugural Singapore Gardens Festival Horticultural Show at the newly-opened Lakeside Garden last Sunday (May 5), will see the buses carrying a specially designed soil-less roof system.
The design showcases the idea of instead of using conventional soil, plants are secured onto the buses’ roofs via a lightweight mat used for sky-rise greenery.
The 10 buses will be under a pilot research study, which will look into the effect of having a green roof that aims to lead to a drop in temperature within the interior of the buses, and a reduction in the fuel consumption used for air-conditioning, leading to possible cost savings.
Dr. Tan Chun Liang from the National University of Singapore’s School of Design and Environment will be working with the team responsible for the design of the study, and provide feedback as to its effectiveness.
According to Dr. Tan, “To increase green coverage on our roads in this manner is an exciting prospect and we certainly hope that our study can provide the hard figures for mobile gardens as well as other innovations to improve our built environment.”
At present, the impact of greenery on buildings has been well documented in Singapore, but much less is known about the effects of greenery on moving vehicles, and this initiative will hopefully shed more light into its positive effect, not only on the environment, but also to related fields in society, including public transportation, among others.
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