Design My Place

Group 5

School: Dunman High School

Members: Chan Wing Yue, Justin Teng Jia Ding, Lee Jia Yin Daphne, Quek Ya Si,

Zhang Ziruo

Proposal: Sustainable Hub @ Lorong Halus

Our vision is to form a sustainable closed system within Lorong Halus that anchors on the key industry of recycling. Recycling will encompass three different aspects: maximizing the efficient use of resources, reducing waste and unnecessary output, and finally, developing easily recyclable materials that facilitate the recycling process. There will be research and development facilities that look into the different aspects. In addition, the hub will create a self-sufficient closed loop system that will leverage on the output from one sector as the input of another.

Moving onto the concept of integration, we will incorporate the hardware, software and also the ‘heartware’. The hardware will be a system of infrastructure and transportation within the facility, integrating the facilities within the hub. Software integration engages the community through various campaigns and projects to raise awareness towards recycling activities, coupled with recycling skills training programs for people of all ages. There will also be a farming facility to allow the community to put their skills into practice. Finally, the ‘heartware’ will instill a sense of ownership and belonging to the place by means of the unique landscape and activities within the hub that attaches people not only to one another, but also to the place. In addition to these three aspects, the site will also be strongly integrated with regards to the industry. This is because the industries are closely linked via their operational processes whereby wasteful output from one industry forms the input of our core recycling plants. This also leverages on the neighboring Defu Lane LogisPark and the Hougang Estate as well.

The Sustainable Hub @ Lorong Halus will include various innovations that help achieve our vision. Firstly, we will have an energy production system focusing on anaerobic digestion. This process is the first of its kind in Singapore, where waste and sewage are decomposed to produce energy and agricultural fertilizers for use in the various sectors (R&D, farming) within the hub. The other innovation is that it is often rare that industries are so closely integrated into the heartland and so closely serve the needs of the public in a neighborhood. Also, activities and facilities within the hub are also aligned to the needs of the Hougang residents, where the hub retains the natural feel, which the elderly love, while adding vibrancy to cater to the youths.

Finally, our vision for Sustainable Hub @ Lorong Halus is a place that will be the model for other industries to emulate. This will be a “test-pilot” location that will illustrate how the key concept of recycling can effectively and efficiently fuel the activities in Singapore hopefully fuelling further efforts in a similar way.