Residents at Punggol Waterway can look forward to more freshwater-tolerant mangroves and floating wetlands in the near future. Currently HDB has test-bedded about 160sq m of freshwater-tolerant mangroves along the waterway. It plans to ramp this up to about 6000sq m over the next three to five years. It is also looking at adding approximately another 500sq m of floating wetlands in the same period.

This was after successfully test-bedding it with an existing 50 sq m, said Senior Principal Architect Alan Tan.These two projects will cost $1.8 million and $850,000 respectively.

HDB's Punggol Waterway project was given the Minister for National Development R&D distinguished award for being a living laboratory for green innovation.

A project that turns waste concrete into high value construction material was given the merit award. This was jointly done by the Building and Construction Authority and construction firm SamWoh Corporation.

"Our project will ensure sustainability in construction and improve Singapore's resilience in sourcing for construction material supplies," said SamWoh's Chief Operating Officer Dr Ho Nyok Wong. Another project by researchers at the Nanyang Technological University was given the merit award for developing an energy efficient approach to water reclamation.