Chitra Kumar Channel NewsAsia 20 Feb 14;
SINGAPORE: A new S$10 million fund will be launched on April 1 this year to encourage construction firms to buy quieter machines and noise control equipment.
The National Environment Agency (NEA) gave details of the fund on Thursday morning at the Quieter Construction Seminar, saying that it aims to reduce noise pollution from construction sites, which would hopefully lead to a quieter living environment.
The NEA said the number of complaints on construction noise has been on the rise -- averaging over 16,000 a year due to more projects.
The Quieter Construction Fund (QCF) will offset up to 50 per cent of the cost of purchasing or leasing of noise reducing machines and is subject to individual equipment caps. The maximum grant that will be disbursed to each project site is capped at S$100,000 or five per cent of the project contract value, whichever is lower.
The targeted recipients are construction companies operating at construction sites located close to residential or noise sensitive premises.
The supported categories of equipment are quieter construction machines, noise control equipment and other innovative solutions.
An example of quieter construction machines is jack-in piling machines, which generates about 20 dB(A) less noise than bore piling machines.
Noise control equipment includes perimeter noise barriers, which can reduce noise by 5 dB(A) to 10 dB(A). When used as part of a good noise management system, the equipment will be effective in reducing construction noise.
Firms can start applying from 1 April 2014 to 31 March 2016. The funds will be disbursed from 1 April 2014 to the end of 2017.
Dominic Choy, Secretary-General of Singapore Contractors Association Limited, said: "For the construction companies, this fund will help companies to consider, or motivate them to consider adopting quieter equipment and processes.
"The bigger companies, by and large, they are already using much of this technology, but with the aid of the fund, they can do more or perhaps even consider getting better equipment than they have.
"The fund also helps mostly the small companies which usually have fewer cash resources. With this fund, I think it will definitely help them to be able to afford quieter equipment and processes."
The QCF is the latest initiative in NEA's measures to mitigate construction noise and build up the industry's expertise in the implementation of quieter construction.
It will also encourage construction companies to use innovative solutions to mitigate noise.
- CNA/xq/fa
