The solar-ready roofs have essential block services such as water tanks and lift motor rooms strategically located to optimise available space for the installation of solar panels. (Photo: HDB)

SINGAPORE: All public housing blocks from May this year will be designed with "solar-ready" roofs, the Housing and Development Board (HDB) said on Thursday (Aug 31).

The blocks will come with features that enable solar panels to be easily mounted and maintained, in a move to harness solar energy to power common estate services in HDB developments, the agency said in a press release.

The initiative will apply to public housing blocks with at least 400 sqm of open roof space after setting aside space needed for essential services such as water tanks, water pumps and lift rooms. 

This will enable more productive and efficient installation of solar panels on HDB rooftops, it added.

According to HDB, it takes 25 days to install solar panels on a solar-ready roof, compared to 40 days to retrofit existing blocks.

The manpower costs for installation are also more than 40 per cent lower for these solar-ready roofs, it said.

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