Written Answer by Ministry of National Development on number of cases of ceiling and wall leakages reported by top-most units of HDB blocks with solar panels installed on the roof

Aug 2, 2022

Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim: To ask the Minister for National Development in each of the last five years, how many cases of ceiling leaks or wall leakages have been reported among the top-most units of HDB blocks where solar panels have been installed on the roof.

Answer:

1          To minimise the risk of water leakage, HDB does not allow any drilling or puncturing of the building roof when solar panels are installed on HDB rooftops. Instead, the solar panels are weighed down by concrete ballasts placed on felt pads for additional cushioning. This is a mandatory design requirement for all solar panel installations commissioned by HDB.

2.         While ceiling leaks are generally reported directly to Town Councils, HDB also receives feedback on ceiling leaks from time to time. For the approximately 2,900 HDB blocks installed with solar panels, HDB received feedback on 76 ceiling leaks for top-most units over the last five years.

3.         HDB’s data does not indicate any trend that solar panel installation leads to an increase in the number of ceiling leaks at the topmost units. HDB will continue to ensure that its contractors adhere to its design requirements on site.