Survey on the social acceptance of the productive façade concept integrating photovoltaic and farming systems in high-rise public housing blocks in Singapore

Abstract

Productive façades (PFs) that integrate photovoltaic (PV) panels and vertical farming (VF) planters are designed to act as sustainable, multi-functional, modular building envelope systems. Singapore is the second most densely populated country in the world and its high-rise buildings play a critical role in the urban context offering a significantly larger surface area of walls than roofs. PFs represent an appropriate, novel technological response to a number of issues Singapore is facing such as a high dependence on imported energy and food, scarcity of land, planned reduction of greenhouse gases (GHGs) and the increase of high-rise greenery coverage. The potential of PFs in harvesting solar energy, which is currently the most viable renewable energy source (RES), and in utilizing the characteristics of the urban context, is promising. The study analyses the acceptance of the developed PF concept by its potential future users—residents of high-rise public housing blocks. A door-to-door survey was conducted among the residents of the Housing & Development Board (HDB) buildings (consisting of apartments or flats) with two main purposes: examining whether the residents accept or are positively inclined towards the PF concept and its implementation and secondly, identifying their preferences related to aesthetical qualities, use and maintenance of PF designs. The results indicate a highly affirmative response among a very high percentage of respondents towards gardening. They also indicate that PF concepts promoting small-scale VF adequately fit the needs of HDB residents. The preferences of the potential future users regarding PF types are further presented and discussed. The insights obtained will help further the knowledge on PFs and directly assist planners, architects, contractors and decision makers (DMs) as guidelines in the design of PFs in the tropics, enabling such systems to meet the needs, expectations and preferences of users and to address their concerns.