A DBSS ceiling (video) which Khaw Boon Wan might want to explain

[Confuseous]

As The Online Citizen (TOC) reported on Sunday, the Minister of National Development will be questioned about the poor quality of recent flats, especially those under the Design, Build and Sell Scheme (DBSS), and also those under the Build-To-Order (BTO) programme. (See here.)

The minister in charge, Khaw Boon Wan, has said little about the many complaints which homeowners have raised so far.

Besides the by now infamously narrow corridors at Pasir Ris ONE, for example, buyers were also unhappy over an entire slew of defects found in their flats – including leaking pipes, badly located water heaters, hollow tiles in their bathroom walls, scratched tiles, tiles with different shades of colours, windows which are nor properly installed, and so on.

At Pasir Ris ONE, one of the most obvious and conspicuous anomaly seems to be the ceiling at the ground floors.

The “gas vent” runs through the ceiling along the corridors, together with what looked like gas pipes, all seemingly put together in haste, and left exposed.

The “gas vent” looks like an after-thought thing. The developer seems to have forgotten about the gas vent, and then just plonk it up there, hold it up with a few screws and that’s it.

It is a wonder that such designs have been approved by the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) or the Housing and Development Board (HDB).

TOC visited the DBSS development about a week ago and took a short clip of it.

Perhaps Mr Khaw will explain why such a design is allowed by the authorities.

Watch the mother of all DBSS cock-ups to date here:

http://www.theonlinecitizen.com/2015/07/a-dbss-ceiling-which-khaw-boon-wan-might-want-to-explain/

 

[laksaboy]

It is a wonder that such designs have been approved by the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) or the Housing and Development Board (HDB).

If they could approve such construction standards... imagine the food and drugs they approved and declared safe for consumption. Frightening thought, ain't it?

 

[Confuseous]

This must be the pits?
How much further must our country fall?

 

[virus]

This must be the pits?
How much further must our country fall?

Iif this happens in ancient china the ninister in chargr may have to heed his own advice amd commot suicide

 

[Papsmearer]

Wow, I have never seen that before in so many constructions that I have been too. The vent seems to be venting into the hallway instead of externally on the side or top of the building. And for sure, the gas pipes are not steel sleeved or double wrapped and are not sealed by a firestop system. Any fire in the building and the whole place will blow sky high. Its a fire trap waiting to happen.

 

[Seee3]

After the Ginza plaza (now called West Coast Plaza) gas explosion in the 90's, City Gas is very strict with regard to ventilation for gas pipes. All gas pipes must be exposed to the external. From the video, it appears that a certain section of the gas pipes are in enclosed rooms. So these section of the pipes must be ducted and the duct be vented to external. There is actually no gas pipes in the vent. From the way the vent is run, it is definitely not designed for and they have to put it in after completion to pass commissioning test.

 

[eatshitndie]

very unsightly for a residential building in the 21st century. it's ok for the post-apocalyptic dystopian world of mad max. it will be great for the next movie. if this is north korea, builder would have been shot to smithereens by anti-aircraft fire.

 

[Confuseous]

The video says it all............

http://www.theonlinecitizen.com/2015/07/a-dbss-ceiling-which-khaw-boon-wan-might-want-to-explain/

 

[tonychat]

This is what happen when PAP is in charge.. Who did those homeowners vote for?

 

[soIsee]

Sinkie have nothing to complain and to $8 Cow, they can go eat shit if they don't want to live in $8 DBSS or BTO.

To him, if you want this and that...


GO BUY PRIVATE LAH! LOLOLoLoLoL

 

[Poomer]

Iif this happens in ancient china the ninister in chargr may have to heed his own advice amd commot suicide

If this was ancient China, you would be assured rebellions in 3 different provinces and 2 foreign armies, at least 5 years ago.

 

[Poomer]

Iif this happens in ancient china the ninister in chargr may have to heed his own advice amd commot suicide

If this was ancient China, you would be assured rebellions in 3 different provinces and 2 foreign armies, at least 5 years ago.

The Emperor would have been removed by his ministers and Guan Yee's head hanging from a pike on the Istana main gates.

 

[Confuseous]

The $8 Khaw Dung shit all over Aljunied and Hougang and when it comes to his very own backyard, no sound, no nothing.
Not even a fart.

Aristocracy of the times?

Will he shed crocodile tears again at the next erection?

 

[Papsmearer]

After the Ginza plaza (now called West Coast Plaza) gas explosion in the 90's, City Gas is very strict with regard to ventilation for gas pipes. All gas pipes must be exposed to the external. From the video, it appears that a certain section of the gas pipes are in enclosed rooms. So these section of the pipes must be ducted and the duct be vented to external. There is actually no gas pipes in the vent. From the way the vent is run, it is definitely not designed for and they have to put it in after completion to pass commissioning test.

The fact is if there is a fire in the building and the units themselves are on fire, smoke and heat will pour into these hallways. It will rise and put the pipes under a higher temperature. SInce they are not double wrap or wrapped in steel, I would think there is a high chance they will blow.

 

[Narong Wongwan]

This is to give that fashionable designer industrial look.....
MRT breakdowns, fucked up flats.....still need evidence the cuntry is going in reverse gear under vile pappies?

 

[Seee3]

The fact is if there is a fire in the building and the units themselves are on fire, smoke and heat will pour into these hallways. It will rise and put the pipes under a higher temperature. SInce they are not double wrap or wrapped in steel, I would think there is a high chance they will blow.

I don't recall any requirement for gas pipe to be protected from fire as they presume the fire rating of the pipe is long enough for fire fighter to arrive. Anyway, if a gas pipe does give way to the heat from external fire and leaks, the gas will burn immediately at the point of the leak when it comes into contact with the flame (same as when we light a stove). It will cause the fire to intensify. It is SOP for fire fighters to turn off the gas supply upon reaching the scene.

However, if gas leaks and fill a room unnoticed and there is no ventilation for the gas to escape, a spark will cause the gas-air mixture in the entire room to burn instantaneously. It is this sudden massive expansion of the burning gas that causes an explosion. Therefore, it is for this reason that they require any enclosed space in common area that has gas pipe running through it to be ventilated. Many M&E engineer overlook this requirement and hide gas pipe in such space for aesthetic reason. To ventilate such space becomes a nightmare when the problem surface only after everything is completed. Those ventilation ducts at those blocks look like some make-do last minute solution to a design mistake for not ventilating certain section of the routes of gas pipes. Well, just my guess.

 

[Papsmearer]

I don't recall any requirement for gas pipe to be protected from fire as they presume the fire rating of the pipe is long enough for fire fighter to arrive. Anyway, if a gas pipe does give way to the heat from external fire and leaks, the gas will burn immediately at the point of the leak when it comes into contact with the flame (same as when we light a stove). It will cause the fire to intensify. It is SOP for fire fighters to turn off the gas supply upon reaching the scene.

However, if gas leaks and fill a room unnoticed and there is no ventilation for the gas to escape, a spark will cause the gas-air mixture in the entire room to burn instantaneously. It is this sudden massive expansion of the burning gas that causes an explosion. Therefore, it is for this reason that they require any enclosed space in common area that has gas pipe running through it to be ventilated. Many M&E engineer overlook this requirement and hide gas pipe in such space for aesthetic reason. To ventilate such space becomes a nightmare when the problem surface only after everything is completed. Those ventilation ducts at those blocks look like some make-do last minute solution to a design mistake for not ventilating certain section of the routes of gas pipes. Well, just my guess.

The pipe itself is not fire rated. That is why it has to be double sleeved or enclosed in some other material. I think that is standard in many countries. Fire fighters who arrive can only fight the fires for the lower to mid floors. The reliance is on the water sprinkler system to help out, but I did not see any sprinkler system in the hallway. Yes, the gas is turned off, as per SOP, but that can be done remotely depending on the system. the fire will not burn at the point of the leak, I think it will be more like a jet of flames due to the circumference of the pipe and the pressurized gas. All in, its a poor design from what I can see in the video. Even 30 year old HDB flats were not this poorly build and designed. Don't forget too when the pipe is exposed like this in the open, an act of vandalism can break or puncture it, or even someone moving furniture in can accidentally knock the pipe of its ties and vent gas into the hallway.

 

[Narong Wongwan]

The pipe itself is not fire rated. That is why it has to be double sleeved or enclosed in some other material. I think that is standard in many countries. Fire fighters who arrive can only fight the fires for the lower to mid floors. The reliance is on the water sprinkler system to help out, but I did not see any sprinkler system in the hallway. Yes, the gas is turned off, as per SOP, but that can be done remotely depending on the system. the fire will not burn at the point of the leak, I think it will be more like a jet of flames due to the circumference of the pipe and the pressurized gas. All in, its a poor design from what I can see in the video. Even 30 year old HDB flats were not this poorly build and designed. Don't forget too when the pipe is exposed like this in the open, an act of vandalism can break or puncture it, or even someone moving furniture in can accidentally knock the pipe of its ties and vent gas into the hallway.

An accident waiting to happen or for terrorists to exploit.....
Either way I will say huat ah when it happens and ask who the dumbo flat owners voted for

 

[Seee3]

It

The pipe itself is not fire rated. That is why it has to be double sleeved or enclosed in some other material. I think that is standard in many countries. Fire fighters who arrive can only fight the fires for the lower to mid floors. The reliance is on the water sprinkler system to help out, but I did not see any sprinkler system in the hallway. Yes, the gas is turned off, as per SOP, but that can be done remotely depending on the system. the fire will not burn at the point of the leak, I think it will be more like a jet of flames due to the circumference of the pipe and the pressurized gas. All in, its a poor design from what I can see in the video. Even 30 year old HDB flats were not this poorly build and designed. Don't forget too when the pipe is exposed like this in the open, an act of vandalism can break or puncture it, or even someone moving furniture in can accidentally knock the pipe of its ties and vent gas into the hallway.

You are correct that the fire will burn like a jet from a leaking pipe.

In the old designs, gas pipes are exposed and like you have mentioned can be easily vandallised. In the new requirements, all gas pipes in common area must be concealed in a ventilated duct, specially designed for that purpose, with locked access doors. The gas pipe must enter each unit from inside the duct so as to prevent anyone from tampering it. So those pipes in the video are not gas pipes but water supply pipes. There is also no gas pipe in those vent duct. Just an empty channel to ventilate the room where there are gas pipes, which is really quite silly.

Ps, All material has a fire rating. For example, the fire rating of a lift door comes from the steel itself. Therefore, if a glass panel is added to the door, it must have the same fire rating as the steel and is very very expensive.

 

[laksaboy]

Ginza Plaza was one of my favourite hangouts back in the day. If I remember correctly, there's a game arcade and billiard hall at level 2 or 3, in the middle, just in front of the main entrance. There were quite a few indie shops selling unique stuff.

Now, it's just a place catered to yuppies and their brats. A few restaurants, Cold Storage, and a Nike Factory Outlet Store. That's about it.