Municipalika 2018: Smart and Sustainable Cities Green Cities: A Comparision of Hong Kong and Singapore

Dr. Sujata S. Govada – Sep. 20, 2018, Mumbai

Institute for Sustainable Urbanisation, Founding Director

UDP International, Founding and Managing Director

Adjunct Associate Professor, Chinese University of Hong Kong

Global Trustee, Urban Land Institute

Overview

1. Introduction

2. Background - Hong Kong and Singapore

3. Smart and Sustainable City Framework

4. Comparison of Hong Kong and Singapore

5. Key Takeaways

UDP International

Our mission is to integrate socially and environmentally sustainable design rooted

in place-making, to unlock urban vibrancy and long-term economic value to shape

better cities.

Our process starts with the Client and Community, and includes all stakeholders

that stretches beyond the site area. This collaborative process is utilised throughout each

project, no matter what scale, the scope, to ensure the highest degree of a win-win for

all.

The Institute for Sustainable Urbanisation promotes sustainable urbanization both in

emerging countries and the developed world and to help develop new and effective ways to

ensure more liveable, walkable and sustainable communities and cities worldwide.

Platform for planning, design and development professionals

Development of compact, healthier and more sustainable and liveable communities

To influence a good balance between urban, peri-urban and rural areas

Rely less on motorised traffic

Focus on urban areas in the developed world as well as cities in developing countries.

Working with various stakeholders to find practical and viable solutions to make both

kinds of urban area more resilient to economic, demographic and natural environment

changes

Provide opportunities for cities and communities to share experience, knowledge and

successes

Publications of key research findings

The Institute for Sustainable Urbanisation

Smart City Research

Back Ground - Hong Kong

• Population: 7.4 million

• Area: 2754 km2

• Density: 6729 persons/km2

Hong Kong

Sources: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hong_Kong_Night_Skyline2.jpg

Hong Kong History

Trading Port Financial Centre Industrial Centre

1900s 1950s Now

Hong Kong Today

Word’s 8th Largest Economy Cash-free living (Octopus) World Class Transit Services

World-class City Skyline Vibrant Streets

Hong Kong Today

Walkability and Accessibility Preserved natural resources Mixed-use Developments

Safety Multi Cultural

Background – Singapore

• Population: 5.6 million

• Area: 721.5 km2

• Density: 7,796 persons/km2

Singapore

Sources: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Singapore_skyline_at_sunset_viewed_from_Gardens_by_the_Bay_East_-_20120426.jpg

Singapore History

Trading Port Business Centre Industrial Centre

1819 1970s Now

Singapore Today

High-quality public housing Tropical Weather Asia’s Business Centre

Clean Safe neighbourhoods

Singapore Today

High-quality public housing Transit Oriented Development Minimal unemployment

Efficient public transport Green

Smart and Sustainable City Framework

• Current concepts have too much focus

on technology

• People, Place and Planet as core

values

• Planning, design, and ‘Smart

Thinking’ as key priorities

• A “Smart City” enables technology in

order to fully unlock the potential of a

place and its people

Smart City Framework

Hong Kong and Singapore Comparison

Smart Living

• High quality of life

• Quality affordable housing

• Civic society and social cohesion

• Promote social equity and equality

• Security and sense of safety

• Accessible and affordable health and

education facilities

• Abundant green and open spaces

• Civic culture and engagement between

public and government

Smart Living Initiatives – Hong Kong

Hong Kong 2030+

• Spatial structure

• 1 Metropolitan Business Core

• 2 Key Strategic Growth Areas

• 3 Emerging Development Axes

• Compact City, High density developments

• Green and Blue System

• Accessible open spaces and transportation nodes

Hong Kong Smart City Blueprint

• Emphasis on setting up a Big Data Analytic Platform

• Improve the convenience of daily life

• Digital payments

• Electronic identity authentication

• Health care provisions

• Facilitate electronic services

• Improving the accessibility of public Wi-Fi

Smart Living Initiatives – Hong Kong

Public Open Space in Private Development (POSPD)

Design and Management Guideline

• Provide standards and guidance on:

• Better quality design

• Optimisation of land use

• Better site planning

• Synchronising the availability of open space

• Community needs arising from

developments

Public rental housing and home ownership schemes

• Public Rental Housing (PRH)

• Subsidised for-sale housing

• Growing wait list

• No incentives for current residents to move on to

private housing units

• No requirement for private sector to provide

affordable housing units within their developments

Smart Living Initiatives – Hong Kong

2014 Long-term housing strategy

• Increases supply of Public Rental Housing and

Home Ownership Scheme housing units

• Maintains development of the private housing

market

• Give access to adequate and affordable housing

• Planned for the construction of public housing and

provision of land supply for private housing

Micro-apartments & Co-living

• Private residential developers have been

constructing smaller and smaller flats, to counter

high prices

• Micro-apartments – Tiny studio or one-bedroom

apartments (around 150 – 350 ft2)

• Co-living apartment – Spacious communal areas

and resources with individual rooms

• Excess demand continuously pushing up the prices

Smart Living Initiatives – Singapore

Land Acquisition Act

• Prevents landowners making unreasonable profits

• Empowered the government to acquire land at low

cost

• 90% of land is owned by the government

• Smooth clearance of squatters and slum areas

• Made space to build public housing units

• Allowed better urban planning

Housing & Development Act

• Gave the Housing and Development Board (HDB)

legal authority on public housing matters

• 82% of Singaporeans live in public housing

provided by the HDD

Smart Living Initiatives – Singapore

The National Electronic Health Record

• Accessible by public institutes and selected

private clinics

• Easier access of patient’s medical info

• Leads to fewer duplicate or unnecessary

tests

• Reduced medication errors

The Smart Elderly Monitoring and Alert System

• Motion sensor system

• Tracks the living habits of the elderly in the

homes

• Alerts caregivers when irregular patterns are

detected

• Enhances the safety of elderly residents

• Facilitating “smart homes”

Smart Mobility

• TPOD

• Building upwards rather than outwards to

increase density

• Intelligent Transport System and Traffic

management

• Public Transport Interchanges/Bus Stops

and Parking

• Encouraging environmentally friendly

transports

• Increasing walkability and wayfinding system

Sources: https://pixabay.com/en/hong-kong-mtr-train-transport-2300308/ , https://www.flickr.com/photos/volvob12b/8657120528

Smart Mobility – Hong Kong

Public Transport in Hong Kong

• The Mass Transit Railway (MTR)

• Light rail

• Tram

• Buses and mini-buses

• Ferries

• Average of 12.7 million passenger journeys per day

HK eMobility

• Integration 3 existing mobile applications

1. HK eTransport

2. HK eRouting

3. eTraffic

• Route search for public transport, walking, driving

• Route Information

• Real Time Traffic Information

Smart Mobility – Hong Kong

Hong Kong Smart City Blueprint – Smart Mobility

• Implementing ePayments replacing tunnel toll booths

• Intelligent traffic signals with sensors for pedestrians

and vehicles

• Provide real-time private and public parking vacancy

information

• Bicycle friendly developments

• Improving the experience of walking

Expanding The Charging Network

• Expanding the charging network for electric vehicles

throughout Hong Kong

• Response to the increase in electric vehicle use

• Infrastructural support for the anticipation of the

• growth of electric vehicles

Smart Mobility – Singapore

Public Transport in Singapore

• Mass Rail Transit (MRT)

• Light Rail Transit (LRT)

• Bus

• Taxis

• Average of 7.2 million passenger journeys

per day

Controlled Mobility-on-demand Services

• Encourages the number of ridesharing apps

• Spearheading development of Self Driving

Vehicles (SDV)

• Smartphone data driven shuttle bus/car

service.

• Encourage crowd sourcing new routes to

match demand

Smart Mobility – Singapore

Expansion of MRT and Active Mobility Services by 2030

• Encourages the use of non motorised transport

• Planned expansion of active mobility pathways,

creating a seamless experience

New Onemap

• Real-time transit information

• Land ownership and lot information

• Real-time traffic information

• Nearby amenities search

• Driving, cycling, public transport navigation

Vehicle Entry Permit Fees and Certificate of Entitlement

• Buying of the legal right to register, own and use

• Reduce traffic congestion

• Reduce the demand for private cars

• Reduce car emission

Smart Environment

Sources: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hong_kong_haze_comparison.jpg , https://celebrationscakedecorating.com/galleries/mark-wahlberg-beverly-hills-mansion.html

• Environmental protection

• Pollution control and management

• Green buildings and neighbourhoods

• Low carbon and resource efficiency

• Sustainable resource management

Smart Environment – Hong Kong

A Clean Air Plan for Hong Kong

• Major challenges identified:

• poor roadside air quality

• emissions from local power plants

• regional pollution

• Scaling up the existing measures

• Adopts cross-boundary approach

• Cooperate with regional stakeholders

Zero Carbon Building

• Innovative green and sustainable practices

in building design, construction, and living

• Providing public open green space

• Increasing quality of life

Smart Environment – Hong Kong

Noise Pollution Control

• Innovation building materials and designs

• Window Design at Polytechnic University

• “Double Layer Ventilation Window”

Environmental community station

• Pilot project for “Reduction first” waste-

management strategy

• Promotion of green living and collection of

recyclables

• Was once a garbage-collection point

• Now the area consists of:

• Education center

• Work area for handling recyclables

• An office

• Ancillary facilities

• Landscape area

Smart Environment – Hong Kong

Hong Kong Smart City Blueprint – Smart Environment

• Promote energy efficiency

• Reduce carbon emission

• Enforce green and intelligent buildings

• Reduce waste production through a charging

• scheme

• Remote sensing devices to monitor pollution

Climate Action Plan 2030+

• Reduce carbon intensity

• Replace coal-fired electricity generation with

• natural gas and non-fossil fuel sources

• Promote renewable energy

• Promote energy efficiency and conservation in

• communities

• Innovative measures to reduce carbon emission

Smart Environment – Singapore

Singapore Green Plan 2012

• Collaborative plan between the People, the Public

and the Private Sectors

• 5 Practice Focus Areas:

1. Air and Climate Change

2. Water for all

3. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

4. Conserving Nature

5. Improving Public Health

“BCA Green Mark” for Existing Non-Residential Buildings

• “Smart” control systems to operate and improve

indoor air quality

• “Green” buildings are identified to have less indoor

bacteria and pollutant build-up as a result.

• This provides a healthier living space and avoid the

“sick building syndrome”

Smart Environment – Singapore

Housing and Development Board’s Greenprint 2015

• Brings sustainable and green living into existing

public housing estates

• Construction of an automated waste collection

system

• Installation of solar panels on roof tops

• Enhancement of pedestrian paths and cycling

• tracks

• Installation of secured bicycle facilities

• Intensification of greenery

ABC (Active, Beautiful, Clean) Water

• Harness full potential of waterbodies

• Aim for Self-sufficiency:

• 40% of water from Recycling

• 30% from Desalinisation

• 20% from Rainwater Collection

• Holistic: Drains, Canals and Reservoirs

Smart Economy

Sources: https://gr.usembassy.gov/economist-eu-eurasia-china-business-summit/

• Economic competitiveness of a city

• Entrepreneurship and Innovation

• Productivity

• Local, regional, and global interconnectedness

• Labour market flexibility

Smart Economy – Hong Kong

Hong Kong Smart City Blue Print – Smart Economy

• Promote Fintech initiatives

• Facilitate virtual banking

• Enhance tourist experience through smart

technologies

• Ensure provisions expedite I&T development

• Set up international technology collaborative

platforms

• Tax deduction for enterprises on research and

• developments

The Digital 21 Strategy

• Enhance technological innovation and infrastructure

• Promote Hong Kong as a platform for technological

• cooperation and trade

• Facilitate the upgrade of ICT workforce

• Drive development of cloud computing

Smart Economy – Hong Kong

Hong Kong/Shenzhen Innovation & Technology Park

• Attract cross-border research and development

collaboration

• Provides higher education, cultural & creative

workspace

• Better connection to the supply chain,

manufacturing capabilities and talent pool across

the border

• Promoting Hong Kong as a global leading

innovation hub

Towards Greater Interaction between HK & GBA

• Increase in cross-boundary workers

• Encourage social interactions between people in

• Hong Kong and Mainland China

• Increase cross border students between Hong

• Kong and Mainland China

Startup SG Initiative

• Support for first-time entrepreneurs

• Mentorship support

• Capital grant

• Government will co-invest in deep-technology

start-ups

• E.g. Medical and clean technology

• Platform for global connections and access to

local support initiatives

ASEAN Leadership Programme

• Help Singapore’s business leaders better

understand Southeast Asian markets

• Encourage cross-border business

interactions in the Southeast Asian region

Smart Economy – Singapore

Double Tax Deduction for Internationalisation Scheme

• Encourage business internationalisation

• Double tax deduction on qualifying expenses

• Qualified expenses:

• Overseas business development trips

• Overseas investment study trips

• Participation in overseas trade fairs

• Participation in approved local trade fairs

Singapore Week of Innovation & Technology

• Platform for innovative tech companies to interact

• Connects the public and private sector

• Aims to open up a new genre of events that

showcase the intersections of technology and

lifestyle

Smart Economy – Singapore

Smart Infrastructure

Sources: http://english.seoul.go.kr/smart-bus-stops-in-seoul/ , https://www.trustedreviews.com/news/wireless-charging-smart-benches-hit-the-high-street-2952202

• High quality infrastructure including

utilities

• Technology and integration of ICT

infrastructure

• Smart grids, sustainable monitoring and

usage of public utilities

• Open data for applications

• Resiliency and Disaster Management –

security from cyber-attacks and network

outages

• Common evaluation metrics

Smart Infrastructure – Hong Kong

Hong Kong Wetland Park

• Integrated reedbed filter to treat storm water

runoff

• Ensures freshwater entering wetland system

of the Park

• The park is used for conservation, tourism,

education and recreation purposes

T-Park

• Sludge treatment facility

• Public swimming pool built on top

• Contains many sustainable features

• Uses the energy produced from sludge

treatment

• to heat the water for the swimming pool

Smart Infrastructure – Hong Kong

Hong Kong Smart City Blueprint – Smart City Infrastructure

• Preparation for the commercial launch of 5G cellular

services

• Facilitate communications for better implementation of

Internet of Things (IoT)

• Implement smart lampposts to facilitate collection of

real-time city data

• Build a new big data analytic platform to improve e-

government services

Smart Infrastructure – Singapore

Advanced metering for electricity, water and gas

• Real-time information on electric, gas and water

usage

• Controlled and Operated remotely

• Improve energy-saving behaviour

• Common platform of automated utility monitoring

Smart Grid Initiative

• IES (Intelligent Energy Systems) – digital remote

control and automation capabilities to daily

technologies

• Smart sustainable power sources (i.e. solar) and their

efficient storage and distribution

• Expand IoT’s influence (Internet of Things) – rapid

internet and data collection systems

Smart Infrastructure – Singapore

Singapore’s Drainage Network

• Pathway receptor approach

• Two-thirds of the total land area is used for

• water catchment

• harvest urban storm water on a large scale

• for water supply

• New developments are required to

• implement measures to slow down the flow of storm

water discharged

Marina Barrage

• Largest and most urbanised catchment

• Increased Singapore’s water catchment

• Integrated with an urban park

• Increased water supply

• Improved flood control

• A venue for lifestyle attraction

Smart Governance

• Strong leadership

• Public participation in decision making

• Public and social services

• Transparency and Open Data

• Public-private partnerships

• E-governance

Smart Governance – Hong Kong

Greater Bay Area (GBA)

• Strategic Location

• Close social and economic interactions

• Embrace favourable Central Policy

• Strengthen regional and global

• competitiveness

• Enhance Liveability and Sustainability

Belt and Road Initiative

• Establishing free trade agreements with

Georgia

• Establishing closer ties with Vietnam,

Cambodia, UK, and more

• Hosting International conferences

• Establishing cross-border express rail link

Smart Governance – Hong Kong

Hong Kong Policy Address 2017

• Nurturing Talent in the region

• Greater communications between bureaus

• Enhance cooperation with the Mainland

• Develop high-value added and diversified

• economy

• Embrace development of new economic

sectors

• Capitalise on opportunities arising from GBA

• Set up of GBA Development Office

2018 – 19 Budget

• Funding Hong Kong-Shenzhen Innovation

and Technology Park

• Green bond issuance program to promote

green finance

• Encourage local enterprise to participate in

the Belt and Road Initiative and GBA

• Promote development of e-commerce

Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)

• Economic alliance between ten southeast Asian

nations

• A master plan guiding a cohesive establishment

• Cooperation in macroeconomic and financial

policies

• Harmonise standards in capital market regulations

Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC)

• No intervening treaty obligations

• Operate on the basis of dialogue and non-binding

commitments

• Facilitate regional energy, telecommunications,

transportation, and trade cooperation

• Attempting to minimize cross-border barriers

Smart Governance – Singapore

Budget 2018

• This financial year, the Singaporean government

prioritises their financial spending in:

• Foster a vibrant and innovative economy

• Build a smart, green and liveable city

• Foster a caring and cohesive society

• Plan ahead for a fiscally sustainable and

secure future

Indonesia-Malaysia-Singapore Growth Triangle

• To strengthen economic ties between Indonesia,

Malaysia and Singapore

• Improvements on cross-border transport

infrastructure

• Cohesive regional policies

Smart Governance – Singapore

• Bench mark against other cities worldwide

• But adapt best practice for Indian context

• Innovative with technology as a tool

• Sustainability and resiliency

• Strong leadership, transparent and inclusive

• Good 3D urban design and planning

• Better quality of city life

• Regional initiatives for urban and rural

• Smart thinking for a holistic approach

• Educate and empower the people

• People, Place, and Planet

Key Takeaways for India