DPM Jayakumar says innovation is key to solving problems brought by climate change

Imelda Saad, Channel NewsAsia 21 Oct 08;

SINGAPORE: Deputy Prime Minister S Jayakumar says climate change has made it necessary for Singapore to think out of the box to anticipate future problems in sustainable living.

One way researchers here are harnessing technology lies in a real-time monitoring system that can detect the health of high-rise buildings, bridges and roads. Led by the A*Star Institute for Infocomm Research, the Fibre Bragg Grating technology will be used in Sengkang HDB estate.

"With this technology, we will be offered some degree of comfort and a sense of security in the future that the buildings we live in, the bridges we cross, and the roads we travel on, will not collapse on us unawares even as they age with time - provided, of course, that the people monitoring the sensors remain vigilant and dedicated to their job," said Professor Jayakumar.

Also being studied - a 3D urban planning software that can simulate airflow in urban areas. The programme is able to analyse how dangerous contaminants in the air are dispersed in an urban environment.

Professor Jayakumar said: "This technology, developed by the researchers at the A*STAR Institute of High-Performance Computing, can be leveraged on to enhance security in the cities, and will also go far in assisting countries and cities in their defence planning in this time of uncertainty where threats of global terrorism are ever-present."

Professor Jayakumar, who is also Coordinating Minister for National Security, was speaking at Futuropolis 2058, a conference on urban planning.