A new handbook to help architects, property developers and engineers to design more flood-proof buildings was launched by national water agency PUB on Thursday.

The handbook was written by PUB and the Institution of Engineers (IES) and can be found at PUB's website. It includes examples of flood-prevention features such as roof gardens and flood barriers, as well as case studies of buildings which have installed such features, such as Tanglin Mall and Wisma Atria.

From Saturday, new and redeveloped buildings will have to meet more stringent flood-prevention requirements under the PUB's revised Code of Practice on Surface Water Drainage. A new clause which takes effect next January, for example, requires large new developments to have features which retain or slow down rainwater.

The IES, PUB, Singapore Institute of Architects and Singapore Institute of Landscape Architects also launched the Active, Beautiful, Clean (ABC) Waters Professional Registry on Thursday. From next January (2014), developers and owners must get a registered professional to endorse their building designs before they can submit them to the PUB for approval.