Debated in Parliament on 20 Feb 2017.
Assoc Prof Fatimah Lateef asked the Minister for National Development (a) whether there are updates on new and innovative technologies that can offer HDB residents, whose units are located in infrastructurally challenging positions for lift access to their dwelling units; and (b) what is the proportion of such units within our HDB catchment.
The Lift Upgrading Programme (LUP) was launched in 2001 to provide direct lift access to flats and enhance convenience for residents, especially the elderly and less mobile. At the start of the programme, there were more than 5,300 HDB blocks without 100% lift access. Among them, more than 1,000 blocks were initially found to be unfeasible for LUP due to cost or technical constraints.
Over the years, the Housing and Development Board (HDB) has adopted innovative technical solutions and conducted some lift pilot trials to help such blocks with lift access. Some examples of these solutions that have been successfully implemented include lifts that do not have a machine room at the top of the shafts, that is, machine room-less elevators and bubble lifts. In some blocks, HDB has also successfully reconfigured lift access with new entry points to residents’ homes. More recently, HDB piloted the Pneumatic Vacuum Elevator and the Vertical Platform Lift in an effort to offer LUP to more blocks. However, both solutions have been assessed to be unfeasible for heavy residential use and will not be implemented in HDB estates.
Through the various innovative solutions, the vast majority of the 5,300 blocks are now able to benefit from LUP. There remain only about 150 blocks where HDB has not found any solutions to overcome the existing constraints. On a flat basis, less than 1% of our sold flats do not have direct lift access. Singaporeans who are in urgent need of direct lift access due to medical conditions or disability may approach HDB for housing and financing assistance. HDB assesses each request on a case-by-case basis to see how best to render help.
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