We thank Mr Peh Chwee Hoe for his letter, "Consider liveability and environment when giving out awards" (Feb 9).
The BCA (Building and Construction Authority) Awards recognise the contributions and achievements of industry stakeholders in various areas, including construction quality and environmental sustainability.
The BCA Quality Excellence Award is awarded to firms based on their track records in BCA's Construction Quality Assessment System and Quality Mark for Good Workmanship, which reflect the condition/quality of works of the projects at the stage when these assessments were conducted.
We continuously review and improve these assessment systems to reflect the higher expectations of home owners over time.
At the same time, we urge developers and builders to remain committed towards keeping up workmanship quality standards for future projects and upholding their reputation as a quality developer/builder.
Under the sale and purchase agreement, developers are obliged to repair and make good any defects that appear during the defects liability period. This requirement is consistent with what is practised in other countries such as the United States, Australia, Canada and Britain.
After taking possession of the new unit, home owners should inspect the unit thoroughly and highlight defects to the developer.
Developers which want to pursue higher environmental sustainability standards are encouraged to do so under the BCA Green Mark certification scheme, which is a voluntary green building rating system that evaluates a building's environmental sustainability and energy performance.
On the concerns about a building facade made entirely of glass, developers tend to adopt such designs due to home owners' preference for better views.
For such designs, there are ways to limit heat transfer and achieve thermal comfort for building occupants.
For example, developers could consider a combination of design strategies including orientating the building to minimise direct sun exposure on living spaces, putting in sun-shading devices and/or having higher performance glass to provide shade.
Tan Boon Kee
Director, Quality and Certification Department
Building and Construction Authority