Singapore’s National Environment Agency (NEA) has announced that it will launch a $2 million Quieter Construction Innovation Fund (QCIF), which aims to incentivise the local construction industry to adopt innovative quieter construction equipment and methods. This initiative is expected to further reduce noise impact and achieve a quieter living environment.

NEA said the QCIF will be disbursed over two years, from 1 April 2019 to 31 March 2021. It will replace the previous Quieter Construction Fund (QCF) that is expiring on 31 March 2019.

The new QCIF will provide higher incentives to contractors that adopt quieter construction equipment and methods, summarised as follows:

1. The maximum grant amount per project has been increased by up to S$100,000 depending on project value.

2. Quieter piling and demolition equipment – considered the noisiest construction equipment in a project - which meet the higher noise reduction standard of 10 dBA, can receive funding of up to S$300,000 (compared to S$150,000 under QCF).

3. Contractors can receive increased funding support of up to S$50,000 when leasing or sub-contracting specialist contractors to carry out piling and demolition works using quieter equipment (compared to S$20,000 under QCF).

4. The minimum cost of innovative construction methods to qualify for funding support is lowered from S$5,000 (under QCF) to S$3,000

5. The minimum cost of localised noise enclosures/curtains to qualify for funding support is lowered from S$5,000 (under QCF) to S$1,000.

“In a dense and urbanised city state like Singapore, construction noise is often an issue. The Quieter Construction Innovation Fund targets the noisier construction phases, such as demolition and piling, by providing higher funding for such equipment,” said Tan Meng Dui, CEO of NEA. “I would like to encourage industry players to make use of this available funding in their projects, to help create a quieter and more liveable environment for all.”

Construction companies can apply for the QCIF starting from 1 April 2019 onwards.

For detailed requirements for the QCIF: https://www.nea.gov.sg/programmes-grants/grants-and-awards/quieter-construction-innovation-fund