Private Residential home | Lush Dream Home

Tag Archives: Private Residential home

BCA to check housing estates with cases of falling windows

Posted on 4 Jun 2012 | Comments Off

The Building and Construction Authority (BCA) will be conducting inspections at public and private housing estates where there have been cases of falling windows.

It aims to send a strong message to flat owners about the importance of regular window maintenance.

This comes as the number of falling windows shot up 75 per cent in the first five months of the year, compared to the same period last year.

According to the BCA and the Housing and Development Board, there were 35 cases of falling windows between January and May, compared to 20 in the same period last year.

For the whole of last year, there were 57 cases, up from 50 in 2010.

Both agencies said seven in 10 cases were due to poor maintenance.

Most of these cases involved casement windows, which are attached to frames by hinges.

Authorities say 85 per cent of casement windows fall as a result of homeowners failing to replace aluminium rivets with stainless steel ones.

BCA and HDB said they have stepped up efforts to raise awareness, with 10 roving exhibitions on window safety planned for this year, compared to just one last year.

The exhibition shows homeowners how to maintain both sliding and casement windows.

Toolkits will also be distributed to residents to encourage them to check and maintain their windows.

For casement windows, homeowners should check that fasteners are not rusty or loose.

They should also clean and lubricate joints or moveable parts, and change all rivets from aluminium to stainless steel.

For homeowners with sliding windows, they should check that safety stoppers and angle strips are in place and change them if they are damaged.

They should also clean tracks and ensure window panels slide smoothly.

Under the Building Maintenance and Strata Management Act, homeowners or tenants could face a fine of up to S$10,000 or a jail term of up to one year or both, if a window falls due to lack of maintenance.

Those found to have casement windows with aluminium rivets also face a further penalty of S$5,000 or six months jail or both, for failing to retrofit their windows with stainless steel rivets.

Source : CNA – 2012 Jun 4

Comments Off on BCA to check housing estates with cases of falling windows

Posted in General

Tagged BCA, HBD, Housing Development Board, Private Residential home, The Building and Construction Authority, window maintenance

Private and Public Residential Spaces Bonded With Nature

Posted on 12 May 2012 | Comments Off

Rising two stories in the air, the Mary Lake Residence in the Village of Port Sydney, Huntsville, Ontario welcomes owners with a body made out of two separate volumes connected by a glazed entrance on the first floor and almost transparent second floor staircase and corridor uniting the upstairs spaces. Surrounded by tall white pines, this creation of Toronto-based studio Altius Architecture was described by them as follows: “The roof of the living room is sheltered between the two solids and becomes an additional outdoor space with a view over the lake, a garden and a hot tub.

The home is a balance of program spaces, with the public entertaining spaces of the living room, dining room and kitchen wrapping one side of the central void and the more private and intimate spaces of the library and den situated at the other. Two stone walls shield the house from the road while a canopy reaches out to create a welcoming entry. Warm yet contemporary materials throughout create a cozy yet light atmosphere.” This 3,000 square foot home boasts a set of sustainable features like passive solar heating, radiant heating, low energy lighting and appliances, and natural ventilation and lighting coming from sliding doors and cleverly placed windows. Green roofs extend nature’s expansion around and on the residence, while the indoor/outdoor connection draws it inside, creating a strong bond between natural and man-made.

Source: Freshome