Context & Purpose

This was a multi-year (2016–2020) consultancy project to create Smart Town Masterplans, plus Smart Hub infrastructure to support the implementation of the ideas. The goal was to integrate technology into urban planning and operations across the residential areas of the city which are largely developed and managed by the government.

The scope of the project spanned three phases:

·        Stage A – Smart Urban Habitat Master Plan (our focus)

·        Stage B – Design, build, and operate a “Smart Hub” 

·        Stage C – Deployment of smart initiatives.

Strategy

• Methodology/Framework: Vision → Goals → Strategies → Initiatives → Projects.

• Insights drawn from:

  • Baseline research (Singapore/HDB frameworks),

  • Top-down inputs (agencies, government departments, and local stakeholders),

  • Bottom-up inputs (resident surveys, interviews, ethnographic studies),

  • Global benchmarking of s international smart city plans, best practices, and technologies

Vision & Goals

Smart HDB towns will use technology appropriately to deliver more vibrant, inclusive places that empower residents and strengthen communities.

7 Vision Outcomes:

• Liveable

• Efficient

• Sustainable

• Safe

• Inclusive

• Empowering

• Resilient

11 Goals:

• Greater Space Utilization

• Better Resource Utilization

• Enhanced Mobility

• Improved Maintenance & Maintainability

• Better Built Environment

• Better Living Experience

• Foster Enterprise & Innovation

• Support Behaviour Change

• Promote Resource Sharing

• Improve Adaptability

• Enhance Community Bonding

Example Strategies

• Promote Transport Modal Shift – reduce car dependency, promote walking, cycling, shared mobility.

• Enable Flexible Use of Space – multi-use spaces, adaptable infrastructure, temporary/popup uses.

• Optimize Asset & Town Management – predictive maintenance, energy management, IoT monitoring.

• Encourage Eco-conscious & Sharing Behaviour – resource sharing, waste reduction, sustainability awareness.

• Engage with Citizens to Shape Built Environment – participatory planning, citizen sensing.

• Make Business Easier & Enable the Data-driven Economy – digital tools for SMEs, data sharing, co-working spaces.

• Create More Attractive, Dynamic Spaces – integrate art, interactivity, tech to enliven public places.

• Enhance the Relationship Between People – social platforms, intergenerational bonding, dispute resolution tools.

• Make Services Available & Accessible to All – universal design, training, inclusive service delivery.

 Tactics & Initiatives

• Generated ~100 potential initiatives

• Initiatives scored by Ease of Implementation (stakeholder complexity, technology maturity, infrastructure complexity, financial sustainability) and Depth of Impact (breadth, human impact, operational/experiential depth, time-to-impact, stakeholder impact).

• Selection involved narrowing from ~100 to a medium list of 22 high-priority initiatives.

• Each initiative analyzed for:

Functionalities (physical / tech / analytics)

Value & cost drivers

Relevant technology projects

Social, physical & policy considerations

Stakeholder ecosystems

Business models

Cost estimation