Applications In Singapore Research Articles

An enhanced transit accessibility evaluation framework by integrating Public Transport Accessibility Levels (PTAL) and transit gap

Rapid urbanization has presented many challenges, notably spatial imbalances between the transit supply and demand within cities. The inequitable distribution of transit supply, which include the transit infrastructure and services, may lead to formation of areas where transit is under provisioned. This work aims to develop an enhanced framework for measuring spatial disparities in accessing transit systems by combining established concepts of Public Transport Accessibility Levels (PTAL) and transit gap. The proposed framework incorporates PTAL as a supply indicator and transit dependent population as the demand indicator while estimating the transit gap. PTAL takes into account the intricate relationship between transit infrastructure and transit services, an aspect that was overlooked by the previous studies on transit gap. Inclusion of PTAL enhances the transit gap evaluation method by offering a deeper understanding and a holistic perspective on the transit system. We demonstrate the proposed approach with an application in Singapore. Additionally, we propose a new classification system based on PTAL and transit gap to distinguish areas where high transit gap is a result of very high demand rather than poor supply. Results show that 44.82 % of the transit dependent population in Singapore lives in high transit gap area out of which 4.69 % population stays in transit desert zones, where supply is poor, and 40.13 % lives in transit stressed zone, where demand is very high. The study also developed a simple decision framework based on PTAL and transit gap scores to suggest effective policy measures for reducing the spatial disparity in transit system accessibility. The findings from the work can aid policymakers and transport planners in land-use and transport planning of cities.

Recycling Wastewater with Membrane Technology and The Case of Singapore

In this review study, as an alternative to rapidly depleting water resources as a result of increased use of water over the world, it has been discussed how wastewater can be treated and reused by membrane technology and reuse of wastewater as drinking water by using NEWater application in Singapore.

Guiding manufacturers’ environmental sustainability transformation: Findings from Green CompassTM applications in Singapore

Guiding manufacturers’ environmental sustainability transformation: Findings from Green CompassTM applications in Singapore

The TraceTogether Matrix Has You – Surveillance, Rationalisation and Tactics of Governance in Singapore’s COVID-19 App

In the heat of the COVID-19 pandemic, Singapore rolled out TraceTogether; a contact-tracing mobile app that uses proximity sensing to track the movements of its population. TraceTogether was initially voluntary, and used solely for contact tracing. By December 2020, the system became mandatory. This sparked a mass adoption that made TraceTogether possibly the most successful application in Singapore’s Smart Nation initiative. When it emerged in January 2021 that the data had been used by the police for criminal investigation, images of a totalitarianism sprang to mind, where technology permits the state an invasive awareness of the movement of individuals. In this paper, we defer from common arguments that Singaporeans are intrinsically trusting of the government or have been conditioned to accept ‘Big Brother’ modes of surveillance. Instead, we argue that the success of TraceTogether reflects a Singapore society that, through the rationalisation of surveillance, willingly participates in their own surveillance. In uncovering the genealogy of media discourse that surrounds TraceTogether, we highlight that it is the regular practice of voluntary surveillance, of subscribing oneself to the apparatuses of state control, rather than specific technologies, that characterises the Singapore surveillance state. We describe a matrix of reason, layered-on and normalised through media discourse, that exemplifies what Foucault has termed ‘governmentality’, which asserts a government’s power of control not over, but within, citizens.

Urgency of Indonesia to Establish a Comprehensive COVID-19 Pandemic Law: Lesson Learned from Singapore

Indonesia, during the second wave of COVID-19 has become one of the country that was deemed to have had the highest COVID-19 cases and death rate similar to India, Iran, and Italy in 2020. Despite the low number of cases Indonesia currently have, the dismissive approach of the Indonesian government and the late response towards COVID-19 on the early days was some of the root of the issues. This tragedy could have been avoided if the Indonesian government act in a serious and efficient manner. This study seeks to create a solution or as a mirror for the Indonesian government in creating a comprehensive pandemic laws. Singapore, arguably have been successfully implementing the “living with COVID-19” Indonesia wished to achieve in mid-2020 during the “new normal” attempt. This study concludes that Indonesia could attain that standard under the condition that Indonesia have a strategic plan such as implemented by Singapore at the moment through gradual exit strategy and high vaccination rates. In preparing for the third wave, Indonesia could also mirror the pandemic laws application in Singapore in the early days where lockdown was stricter and penalty was not lax. This study hopes that if in the worst scenario Indonesia is attacked by third wave of COVID-19 cases, Indonesia will be ready to tackle such challenges by learning some measures implemented by the Singapore government.

Water quality impacts of young green roofs in a tropical city: a case study from Singapore

Abstract This study examined the effects of two substrates (SOIL and COMMERCIAL) and grass on the green roof runoff quality in Singapore. Ten events were sampled over a 9-month period. Rainfall and green roof runoff from grass and bare experimental configurations were tested for total organic carbon (TOC), nitrogen and phosphorus nutrients (NO3−-N and PO43−-P), cations/anions and trace metals (Fe, Cu, Zn, Cd and Pb). All configuration units neutralised acid rainfall and removed metals except Fe despite their proximity to an industrial area. Concentrations decrease over the monitoring period for most water quality variables. The COMMERCIAL (COM) configurations elevated Cl− (3.8–10.8 ppm), SO42− (1.5–32.4 ppm), NO3−-N (7.8–75.6 ppm) and NH4+-N (22.0–53.1 ppm) concentrations in the runoff. Concentrations of NO3−-N (4.5–67.7 ppm) and NH4+-N (14.7–53.0 ppm) remained high at the end of the monitoring period for the COMgrass configuration, even with dilution from monsoon rainfall, making it suitable as an irrigation water source and a fertiliser substitute. The SOIL substrate retained N-nutrients, TOC and trace metals with concentrations comparable or below rainfall inputs. This substrate is suitable for widespread green roof applications in Singapore and other tropical cities. We recommend substrate testing before their approval for use on green roofs and encourage the long-term monitoring of these systems.

Implementing Islamic law to protect the environment: insights from Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia

Religious codes possess social control effects that can potentially change the behaviour of their adherents towards becoming pro-environment. In the case of Islam, Muslim-majority states since the time of the Prophet Muhammad have implemented Islamic environmental law to this effect. Unfortunately, accounts of its implementation today in the legal literature are scant, thereby requiring fresh insights that consider changes in the application of Islamic law in modern states. Generally, this article observes that the implementation of Islamic environmental law today takes two forms: first, implementation through constitutions; and, second, implementation through non-binding religio-legal instruments. Focusing on the second form, application in Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia is analysed and evaluated. In these three Southeast Asian states non-binding religious rulings (fatwa) and mosque sermons (khutbah) have been used to implement Islamic environmental law. There are two key factors which contribute to ensuring that these non-binding instruments achieve their social control objectives: first, local legal and political contexts shaped by religion-state relations that help their implementation and legitimation; and, second, the pursuit of post-fatwa/khutbah follow-up action by religious authorities to put Islamic environmental law into actual practice.

Performance analysis of a biomass gasification based CCHP system with variable-effect LiBr-H2O absorption cooling and desiccant dehumidification

A biomass gasification based combined cooling, heat and power (CCHP) system, with an internal combustion engine (ICE), a variable-effect LiBr-H2O absorption chiller (VEAC), and a dehumidification air-conditioning with desiccant coated heat exchangers (DDAC), was evaluated for its performance in energy supply to a representative data center located in Singapore. The VEAC and DDAC were driven by the exhaust heat and jacket heat of the gas ICE, respectively. The operation strategy follows the electric load. Validated by experimental data, a 0-D code of the gasifier with Gibbs free energy minimization, an artificial neural network model of the VEAC, and a 1-D dynamic model of the DDAC, were built via considering reasonable deviation. In terms of the performance criterion, the energy supply and demand, and techno-economic of the system were evaluated. This work enables to contribute valuable data to the limited research on the biomass gasification-based CCHP application in Singapore’s building sector.

Performance Study of CO2 Heat Pump under Tropical Conditions of Singapore

Abstract In tackling the rising energy consumption incurred in residential water heating applications in Singapore, alternatives to traditional water-heating systems, which account for one-fifth the energy consumption of an average household, are being explored. One such alternative is heat-pump water heaters, which have been gaining ground in Singapore market. However, most conventional heat-pump water heaters using traditional refrigerants such as R22 or R134a, which could not reach temperatures high enough for comfortable use for showering and baths without compromising efficiency. In this study, a commercial heat-pump water using Carbon Dioxide as the refrigerant in a transcritical cycle was experimentally studied at heating temperature of 65oC and 80oC to evaluate the impacts of tropical climate on its performance. Average coefficient of performance (COP) of CO2 heat pump for tank heating temperature of 65oC and 80oC was found to be 5.4 and 3.8, respectively.

Life‐Cycle Assessment of High‐Strength Concrete Mixtures with Copper Slag as Sand Replacement

Aggregate consumption rates have now exceeded natural renewal rates, signaling shortages both locally and globally. Even more concerning is that the worldwide markets for construction aggregates are projected to grow at an annual rate of 5.2% in the near future. This increase is attributed to rapid population growth coupled with the economic development worldwide. In terms of material availability, one of the most vulnerable regions is the Asia‐Pacific region specifically, Singapore, where there is higher demand but limited availability of natural sand and gravel for use as aggregates in concrete construction projects. This paper focuses mainly on the environmental impacts of fine aggregate alternatives used in high‐strength concrete applications in Singapore, which is one of the major global importers of natural sand following China. Singapore has been experiencing political and environmental challenges linked to the shortage of natural sand use as aggregates, even while the demand is increasing in the construction sector. Copper slag, a readily available waste material from shipyards in Singapore, is a possible replacement material for a portion of the natural sand in concrete mixtures, thus sustaining the projected growth in the region. A life‐cycle assessment approach is applied to investigate the environmental impacts of copper slag and its alternative use as natural sand in high‐strength concrete applications in Singapore. The system boundary consists of the major production processes of concrete constituents (including Portland cement and fine and coarse aggregates, with CS considered as fine aggregate) from a cradle‐to‐gate perspective, consisting of relevant life‐cycle phases of raw materials extraction, transportation, and production processes at the relevant facility where the production occurs. Output from the assessment is provided in terms of embodied energy use and air emissions of concrete mixes with varying percentages of copper slag as fine aggregate. Results show that environmental impacts of aggregates decrease with the increasing substitution rate of natural sand with copper slag when calculated on the basis per unit volume of the concrete mix. For example, 40% and 100% sand replacements with copper slag result in a reduction of 8% and 40% in embodied energy, 12% and 30% in global warming potential, 8% and 41% in acidification, and 7% and 35% in particulate matter formation, respectively. Normalized impacts (i.e., normalized with respect to compressive strength) are observed to remain at almost similar levels for concrete mixes with up to 40% natural sand having been replaced with copper slag. Therefore, it is recommended that replacement of fine aggregates by 40–50% of copper slag (by weight) will produce concrete mixtures with comparable environmental impacts while maintaining feasible durability and strength properties.

Urban Seismic Loss Estimation by Incorporating Ground‐Motion Simulation, Site Effect, and Kriging Techniques: An Application in Singapore

Urban Seismic Loss Estimation by Incorporating Ground‐Motion Simulation, Site Effect, and Kriging Techniques: An Application in Singapore

Comparing patient and healthcare worker experiences during a dengue outbreak in Singapore: understanding the patient journey and the introduction of a point-of-care test (POCT) toward better care delivery

BackgroundIn the aftermath of an upsurge in the number of dengue cases in 2013 and 2014, the SD BIOLINE Dengue Duo rapid diagnostic Point-of-Care Test (POCT) kit was introduced in Tan Tock Seng Hospital, Singapore in June 2013. It is known that the success of POCT usage is contingent on its implementation within the health system. We evaluated health services delivery and the Dengue Duo rapid diagnostic test kit application in Singapore from healthcare workers’ perspectives and patient experiences of dengue at surge times.MethodsFocus group discussions were conducted with dengue patients, from before and after the POCT implementation period. In-depth interviews with semi-structured components with healthcare workers were carried out. A patient centred process mapping technique was used for evaluation, which mapped the patient’s journey and was mirrored from the healthcare worker’s perspective.ResultsPatients and healthcare workers confirmed a wide range of symptoms in adults, making it challenging to determine diagnosis. There were multiple routes to help seeking, and no ‘typical patient journey’, with patients either presenting directly to the hospital emergency department, or being referred there by a primary care provider. Patients groups diagnosed before and after POCT implementation expressed some differences between speed of diagnoses and attitudes of doctors, yet shared negative feelings about waiting times and a lack of communication and poor information delivery. However, the POCT did not in its current implementation do much to help waiting times. Healthcare workers expressed that public perceptions of dengue in recent years was a major factor in changing patient management, and that the POCT kit was helpful in improving the speed and accuracy of diagnoses.ConclusionsHealth service delivery for dengue patients in Singapore was overall perceived to be of an acceptable clinical standard, which was enhanced by the introduction of the POCT. However, improvements can be focused on Adapting to outbreaks by reducing and rendering Waiting experiences more comfortable; Advancing education about symptom recognition, while also Recognising better communication strategies; and Expanding follow-up care options. This is presented as the Dengue AWARE model of care delivery.

Student and Community Characteristics

This chapter explores students interacting in their environments, specifically the influence of culture in student learning and development. Cultural applications in Singapore are featured.

Wind resource assessment for urban renewable energy application in Singapore

In highly urbanized and energy intensive countries like Singapore all possible avenues for power generation need attention. In this context, rooftop installations of both solar and wind energy are of particular interest for Singapore, especially because of Singapore's condition of land limitation. Decentralized and distributed energy sources such as rooftop wind and solar installations have numerous advantages. However, the potential for wind energy is not fully understood in built-up areas and thus not fully exploited. Hence it is important to study wind flow patterns in built-up areas and also develop technologies tuned for these conditions. The demand for technologies that deliver energy for low flow wind conditions is of paramount importance to Southeast Asia region and especially to Singapore. In this paper, two measurement systems, namely stationary rooftop wind mast and mobile Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) profiler, have been discussed. Measured wind data from various sites across Singapore using have also been presented. Wind roses, Weibull distribution, roughness lengths and other statistical analyses were carried out to understand the prevailing wind characteristic, which is used for evolving the basic criteria for economic viability of roof top wind turbines in the tropical conditions of Singapore.

Lasers and Their Applications in Singapore

Lasers and Their Applications in Singapore

Living long but living well? Health-related Quality of Life Tools for Singapore's Integrated Care Sector

In Singapore, the national integrated care effort is focused on elderly care services delivered in the intermediate and long term care (ILTC) sector. The elderly often have chronic diseases, multiple comorbidities, and varying levels of social support. The vision of Singapore’s integrated care effort is to enable the elderly to live well and age gracefully in the community. Therefore, good quality of life (QoL) is one of the key targets for such effort. Health related quality of life (HR-QoL) is often assessed in various settings. While a wide range of HR-QoL tools are available, care providers often have difficulty in choosing appropriate ones for the specific setting (e.g. nursing home) or target population (e.g. dementia patient). The QoL literature, although rich, does not specify HRQoL tools appropriate for the ILTC sector. This study aims to fill such a void by conducting a systematic literature review on HR-QoL tools that can be used in Singapore’s integrated care sector. A systematic review of the literature published in English was performed by electronically searching sources such as MEDLINE, PubMed, Web of Science, EBSCO, Cochrane Library and Google Scholar. Main keywords are HR-QoL, tool/measurement, elderly, and integrated care/long term care. CASP (Critical Appraisal Skills Programme) appraisal tools were used to assess the applicability, reliability and validity of the studies. We expect to develop a taxonomy of HR-QoL tools for clients utilizing integrated care services in Singapore. Specifically, we will identify appropriate HR-QoL tools and classify them according to type of services, type of clients, and type of assessors. The taxonomy will contribute to the QoL literature by focusing on integrated care settings such as residential-based, center-based and home-based care. It will enable care providers to select suitable tools to assess their clients’ QoL, cross-sectionally or longitudinally, so as to inform their service planning, delivery and enhancement. One limitation of this study is that the recommended HR-QoL tools might need to be validated before wide application in Singapore. Further research can validate tools in specific settings.

Optimal Orientation and Tilt Angle for Maximizing in-Plane Solar Irradiation for PV Applications in Singapore

The performance of photovoltaic (PV) modules and systems is affected by the orientation and tilt angle, as these parameters determine the amount of solar radiation received by the surface of a PV module in a specific region. In this study, three sky models (Liu and Jordan, Klucher, and Perez et al .) are used to estimate the tilted irradiance, which would be received by a PV module at different orientations and tilt angles from the measured global horizontal irradiance (GHI) and diffuse horizontal irradiance (DHI) in Singapore (1.37°N, 103.75°E). Modeled results are compared with measured values from irradiance sensors facing 60° NE, tilted at 10°, 20°, 30°, 40°, and vertically tilted irradiance sensors facing north, south, east, and west in Singapore. Using the Perez model, it is found that a module facing east gives the maximum annual tilted irradiation for Singapore's climatic conditions. These findings are further validated by one-year comprehensive monitoring of four PV systems (tilted at 10° facing north, south, east, and west) deployed in Singapore. The PV system tilted 10° facing east demonstrated the highest specific yield, with the performance ratio close to those of other orientations.

Predicting the Technology Market Index Using Import & Export Trade: A Technology Trade Application in Singapore

In this paper, we investigate whether technology export and import airfreight informat ion can be used to predict the technology stock market index. To better understand the relationships between airfreight trade information, technology stocks and the technology stock market index, a correlation analysis is performed between technology stock information, airfreight trade informat ion and the technology stock market index. Thereafter, a mu ltivariate regression model is built for forecasting the technology stock market index. The performances of our multivariate regression models justify the use of technology import an d export airfreight volumes for the prediction of the technology stock market index.

Investigation on potential applicability of subsurface cooling in Singapore

The potential applicability of subsurface cooling in Singapore’s condition was investigated. Three operation modes with different heat rejection methods were proposed. Mode 1 is an open-loop groundwater cooling system combined with cooling towers; Mode 2 is a pure groundwater cooling system without cooling towers; and Mode 3 is a surface water cooling system. Contrary to previous studies in many other areas around the world, the proposed modes are aimed for tropical areas and suitable for pure cooling purpose. The thermal effects, economic benefits, and water-consumption performances were analyzed theoretically by using the software “EnergyPlus”. A conventional water-cooled air condition system was simulated as the benchmark condition. The results reveal that the proposed three modes have important advantages over the conventional air conditioning system in tropical areas such as Singapore. The amount of urban heat generated and water consumed can be significantly reduced although the electricity cost could only be marginally reduced because of the relatively high ambient temperature. A detailed comparison of the result showed that Mode 1 is a better option for application in Singapore.

Komparasi Destination Branding dalam Official Website Negara Singapura-Malaysia-Indonesia

High profit income has attracted South Asian countries to compete in the fields of tourism marketing. Destination branding as a differentiating factor is an alternative approach in marketing communication. The purpose of this research is to make a comparison study of destination branding application in Singapore's, Malaysia's and Indonesia's tourism official websites. Destination branding in websites as part of promotion campaigns is a strategy used by each country to promote tourism to consumers worldwide. This research uses qualitative method, and involves experts in the fields of Information Technology (IT) and Visual Communication Design. Each website's elements contributes in the success of a country's destination branding and influences its brand image.