The statutory boards under the Ministry of National Development are well known by their front-line work. Whether it is the sale of HDB flats, providing parks and greenery, ensuring building and construction safety, undertaking urban development, or assuring food safety, MND is always there.
What is perhaps less noticed by the public, but not any less important, are the research facilities under the MND agencies. In this fast-moving global landscape, organisations need to maintain a long-term strategic vision, and leverage on their research arms to spearhead innovations and technological breakthroughs. Furthermore, these research facilities function as important networks for industry players to share new and useful knowledge.
In recent years, the theme of “sustainable development” has garnered much attention and prominence. At the unveiling of the Singapore Sustainable Blueprint in April 2009, Minister for National Development Mah Bow Tan said that given the country’s resource constraints and the demands of the growing city, “sustainable development must remain a national priority, in good times and bad.”
To achieve the goal of establishing Singapore as a hub for sustainable development solutions in the decade and beyond, one way to do so was to develop key capabilities and technologies, especially in resource efficiency and urban planning and design. The Urban and Redevelopment Authority (URA), in collaboration with the Housing & Development Board (HDB), Land Transport Authority (LTA) and National Parks Board (NParks) inked agreements with the National University of Singapore (NUS) in September 2009 to embark on a series of seven research projects to study issues on sustainable urban development.
Funded by a total of $7 million from the Ministry of National Development Research Fund, the seven research projects will examine critical aspects of city living from a multi-disciplinary perspective, and will seek to improve city efficiency, functionality, liveability and quality of life. It will be conducted over a period of three years. URA’s CEO, Mrs Cheong Koon Hean, said: “Research adds breadth and depth to our planning expertise, and paves the way for us to continually improve and transform ourselves as we actively shape our city in a sustainable manner.”
