SINGAPORE: Some Tengah flat owners are still facing problems with the defective centralised cooling system in their homes, months after leaking issues with the air-conditioning alternative first surfaced.
Photos and videos of puddles on the floors of Build-to-Order (BTO) units in the housing estate – caused by the leaky centralised cooling system – are circulating on a Telegram chat group dedicated to detailing such issues.
The centralised cooling system is a sustainable alternative to conventional air-conditioners and is being pioneered in Tengah.
Unlike conventional air conditioning which uses refrigerants, the cooling system removes heat by piping chilled water into homes from centralised chillers on selected housing blocks. These pipes run through corridors and into each unit via the front door.
National grid operator SP Group manages the sign-ups, installation and maintenance of the system and works with air-con manufacturer Daikin, which is responsible for installing indoor units.
Problems with the cooling system cropped up even before key collection to Tengah began in August last year.
SP said in November last year that it would waive all centralised cooling system usage charges for Tengah home owners until the end of 2023, and lower the usage rate from Jan 1, among other measures.
But complaints of leaks and condensation persist.
In a statement on Monday (Feb 19), SP Group said that the initial batch of condensation issues was related to workmanship and was due to a “compressed timeline” to install the fan coil units, piping and trunking, as well as to fully test and stabilise the system.
SP Group said it has worked with the Housing and Development Board (HDB) and Daikin to “identify and expeditiously resolve the reported issues”.
“To minimise inconvenience for (centralised cooling system) customers, we aim to resolve all issues reported by customers, within 10 business days from the day of the initial inspection,” said a company spokesperson.
The centralised cooling system has more than 9,000 subscribers as of Feb 12. They form about 70 per cent of customers who have signed leases with HDB for flats in Tengah. About 2,600 subscribers have collected their keys.