Assessment of green retrofit of existing mature residential estates in Singapore

Abstract

While the authorities in many countries around the world launched green retrofit programs to upgrade the existing mature buildings during the past decade, limited was known about the residents' perceptions of those programs. As a result, this study aimed to investigate the residents' perceptions of the green retrofit programs in Singapore, which is one of the leading countries for green development, and to explore their willingness in extending green retrofit into their individual houses. A questionnaire was administered to 90 residents from a mature public residential estate in Singapore that just underwent a pilot green retrofit program. The results reported that 86 percent of the respondents were satisfied with the green retrofit program, and their most favourite green feature installed was the outdoor light emitting diode lighting. In addition, over 50 percent of the respondents were supportive of having their individual houses undergo green retrofit and were willing to bear an upfront cost up to SGD 5,000 (approximately USD 3,540). This study also found that achieving cost savings from lower utility bills in the long run was the top motivation that drives the residents to retrofit their houses. This study contributes to the body of knowledge by conducting a thorough investigation of residents’ perceptions of green retrofit programs. Furthermore, the findings from this study provide the industry and the authorities running green retrofit programs with the opportunities to reveal respondents’ preferences on different green features, and to upgrade their green retrofit programs accordingly, creating more sustainable benefits for the residents.