Developers must include rain-harvesting systems in new bungalows, semi-detached homes and government buildings to get their plans approved.
This new regulation would soon be incorporated into the Uniform Building By-Laws to make the green feature mandatory, said Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Chor Chee Heung.
The National Council for Local Government, chaired by the Deputy Prime Minister, approved the new by-law on May 23, he said.
“Such a feature will allow owners of these premises to conserve rain water and use it to water plants, wash cars and for other purposes,” he told a press conference on Green Solution for Property Development Conference 2011: Greener Cities here on Monday.
He said developers who failed to include the feature in these buildings would not be able to get approval for their building plans.
On existing buildings, Chor said owners were encouraged to install such features on a voluntary basis.
“We hope that when more houses are equipped with such feature, house owners will be able to see the benefit of it and follow suit,” he said.
