Since its launch in July 2011, the Cool Ideas for Better HDB Living initiative has received more than 220 ideas from the public.
And now HDB has launched a new Cool Ideas Fund to help winning participants transform their prototype creations into workable ones which can be tested in HDB blocks. There is a possibility the prototypes could be commercialised.
Each feasible proposal will be given a grant capped at $10,000 to help with the cost of developing and test-bedding the prototypes. Awardees will have to match dollar for dollar, the grant received from HDB. The government will set aside $500,000 for this fund to support 50 good ideas over three years.
Senior Minister of State for Trade and Industry & National Development, Lee Yi-Shyan, who has been working closely with the HDB Building Research Institute to crowdsource ideas from residents, said that public participation for the platform has increased by more than 50 percent since its launch.
One of the winning ideas set to be released for sale is the Sustainable Plant Box, which grows vegetables and plants using recycled water and compost from food waste.
Other inventions include the Swing Rack for drying laundry and the Flyer Separation Tray, which helps to separate unsolicited flyers in the mail.
Meanwhile, HDB will look to launch the 2014 Constituency Competition for Cool Ideas for Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC, and the board plans to extend such competitions throughout the island.
The Cool Ideas for Better HDB Living initiative was mooted by National Development Minister Khaw Boon Wan in 2011 and he has invited members of the public to contribute their views on improving liveability.
To find out more about the project, please click here.
Photo: AFP / Getty Images
Story: Muneerah Bee via Property Guru
Since its launch in July 2011, the Cool Ideas for Better HDB Living initiative has received more than 220 ideas from the public.
And now HDB has launched a new Cool Ideas Fund to help winning participants transform their prototype creations into workable ones which can be tested in HDB blocks. There is a possibility the prototypes could be commercialised.
Each feasible proposal will be given a grant capped at $10,000 to help with the cost of developing and test-bedding the prototypes. Awardees will have to match dollar for dollar, the grant received from HDB. The government will set aside $500,000 for this fund to support 50 good ideas over three years.
Senior Minister of State for Trade and Industry & National Development, Lee Yi-Shyan, who has been working closely with the HDB Building Research Institute to crowdsource ideas from residents, said that public participation for the platform has increased by more than 50 percent since its launch.
One of the winning ideas set to be released for sale is the Sustainable Plant Box, which grows vegetables and plants using recycled water and compost from food waste.
Other inventions include the Swing Rack for drying laundry and the Flyer Separation Tray, which helps to separate unsolicited flyers in the mail.
Meanwhile, HDB will look to launch the 2014 Constituency Competition for Cool Ideas for Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC, and the board plans to extend such competitions throughout the island.
The Cool Ideas for Better HDB Living initiative was mooted by National Development Minister Khaw Boon Wan in 2011 and he has invited members of the public to contribute their views on improving liveability.
To find out more about the project, please click here.
Photo: AFP / Getty Images
Story: Muneerah Bee via Property Guru