Water Challenge
Eco Pure – Water Open Call
The inefficiency in centralized water system and high cist of building such system in rural communities deter such communities from access of clean and affordable water supply. The aim of Eco Pure water design challenge is to address this situation and design a water system that is affordable, self-sustaining, compact and motivates community living. This open call to welcomes innovative solution submission from students, graduates and professionals
Challenge
The water design should consider the local context and growth from unit to community scale specific to South East Asian Climate. The system should be able to operate independently without the connection to the main water supply system. Create your own scalable, self-sustaining, modular ECO-Pure which focuses on human centric design supported by technology. The specification of the solution are listed below

Drinking Water
- Registration
- Application
- Evaluation
- Testbedding
Registration
Application
Evaluation
Tesbedding
Requirements
- The Water Designs should be for Portable and Non-Portable uses
- Overall, the integrated system needs to meet at least 70 litres of water consumption per day per person, with the design meeting the water consumption needs of at least 3-5 people
- Portable Water (Eg. Atmospheric water generator)
- Need to supply at least 100 litres of drinkable water per day
- The solution should operate optimally indoors (air-conditioned) and outdoors
- Minimum requirement of 45% relative humidity for water generation system needs to be met
- Water quality produced needs to meet the PUB Portable Water Quality Standard
- Cost effective and compact in size
- Low maintenance and associated costs required
Submission
- Submit to project-shea@ntu.edu.sg
- Submission Must Include:
- System drawings and overall layout of the system
- Technical specifications and compliance with relevant Singapore standards
- Costing of the systems (Cost-benefit analysis and savings/reduction in energy/water usage)
- Implementation plan and timeline
- Key advantages/ Value Proposition of system

Grey Water
- Registration
- Application
- Evaluation
- Testbedding
Registration
Application
Evaluation
Tesbedding
Requirements
- The Water Designs should be for Portable and Non-Portable uses
- Overall, the integrated system needs to meet at least 70 litres of water consumption per day per person, with the design meeting the water consumption needs of at least 3-5 people
- Greywater Recycling System
- Could handle at least 25 liters of greywater per day per person
- Achieve at least 70%-80% greywater recycling (Reducing potable water uses)
- Treated greywater needs to meet with the Singapore PUB and WHO standards for greywater quality
- The system should include the basics treatment systems
- Sedimentation / Screening – Biological and chemical treatment
- Membrane bioreactor and filtration – Disinfaction using UV/chlorine
- Cost effective, short assembly and disassembly time
- Low maintenance requirement and fee
- Discharge of effluent to meet with PUB Trade Effluent Standards
-
Two suggested systems which include greywater/black water recycling and water sourcing system for non-potable uses
(Examples include rainwater harvesting system) - Both systems need to be integrated to increase the circularity of grey water for non-potable uses
Submission
- Submit to project-shea@ntu.edu.sg
- Submission Must Include:
- System drawings and overall layout of the system
- Technical specifications and compliance with relevant Singapore standards
- Costing of the systems (Cost-benefit analysis and savings/reduction in energy/water usage)
- Implementation plan and timeline
- Key advantages/ Value Proposition of system

Black Water
- Registration
- Application
- Evaluation
- Testbedding
Registration
Application
Evaluation
Tesbedding
Requirements
- The Water Designs should be for Portable and Non-Portable uses
- Overall, the integrated system needs to meet at least 70 litres of water consumption per day per person, with the design meeting the water consumption needs of at least 3-5 people
- Non-potable water
-
Two suggested systems which include greywater/black water recycling and water sourcing system for non-potable uses
(Examples include rainwater harvesting system) - Both systems need to be integrated to increase the circularity of grey water for non-portable uses
Submission
- Submit to project-shea@ntu.edu.sg
- Submission Must Include:
- System drawings and overall layout of the system
- Technical specifications and compliance with relevant Singapore standards
- Costing of the systems (Cost-benefit analysis and savings/reduction in energy/water usage)
- Implementation plan and timeline
- Key advantages/ Value Proposition of system

Rain Water
- Registration
- Application
- Evaluation
- Testbedding
Registration
Application
Evaluation
Tesbedding
Requirements
- The Water Designs should be for Portable and Non-Portable uses
- Overall, the integrated system needs to meet at least 70 litres of water consumption per day per person, with the design meeting the water consumption needs of at least 3-5 people
- Water Sourcing System (Eg. Rainwater Harvesting System)
- Small and compact to fit to the 20sqm roof area
- Cost effective, short assembly and disassembly time
- Low maintenance requirement and fee
- For rainwater system, the system needs to meet with PUB standards for rainwater harvesting system
- Rainwater tank size must be at least 60 cubic meter
Submission
- Submit to project-shea@ntu.edu.sg
- Submission Must Include:
- System drawings and overall layout of the system
- Technical specifications and compliance with relevant Singapore standards
- Costing of the systems (Cost-benefit analysis and savings/reduction in energy/water usage)
- Implementation plan and timeline
- Key advantages/ Value Proposition of system
Shelter Challenge
Eco Adobe – Shelter Open Call
The current scenario of punishing cycles of unpredictable natural calamities, overcrowded conditions or lack of access to land and affordable housing, poses people to live with a constant burden of uncertainty, stress and fear. The aim of Eco Abode shelter design challenge is to address this situation and design a modular shelter that is affordable, compact, portable and motivates community living.
Challenge
The shelter design should consider the local context and growth from unit to community scale specific to South East Asian Climate. Create your own scalable, self-sustaining, modular ECO- Abode which focuses on human cenctric design supported by technology. The specifications of the solutions are listed below.

Recycling Materials
- Registration
- Application
- Evaluation
- Testbedding
Registration
Application
Evaluation
Tesbedding
Requirements
- The design should be for 5 people with 20 sqm per person, with private and additional shared spaces
- Meet the needs of the individual (bath, cooking and work) and the larger spatial needs of the community in terms of water, food and energy
- Flexible and versatile living configurations and to accommodate the changing lifestyle of millennials
- Responsible material sources with details of the life-cycle
- Cost effective, climate-resistant and eco-friendly materials
- Flat Pack Shelter System
- Modular, scalable solution (unit to community level), with the provision for working and living full time for 5 days
- Transportation & Weight Constraint
- Able to fit into a 20′ truck and not exceeding 30kg per person
- Assembly Time
- 1 day for the outer skin and interiors with 2 adults of average fitness level
- Indoor Thermal comfort
- Maintain within the range of 24-28°C
Submission
- Submit to project-shea@ntu.edu.sg
- Submissions Must Include:
- System drawings and overall layout of the system
- Technical specifications and compliance with relevant Singapore standards
- Costing of the systems (Cost-benefit analysis and savings/reduction in energy/water usage)
- Implementation plan and timeline
- Key Advantages/ Value Proposition of system

Construction Technology
- Registration
- Application
- Evaluation
- Testbedding
Registration
Application
Evaluation
Tesbedding
Requirements
- The Water Designs should be for Portable and Non-Portable uses
- Overall, the integrated system needs to meet at least 70 litres of water consumption per day per person, with the design meeting the water consumption needs of at least 3-5 people
- Greywater Recycling System
- Could handle at least 25 liters of greywater per day per person
- Achieve at least 70%-80% greywater recycling (Reducing potable water uses)
- Treated greywater needs to meet with the Singapore PUB and WHO standards for greywater quality
- The system should include the basics treatment systems
- Sedimentation / Screening – Biological and chemical treatment
- Membrane bioreactor and filtration – Disinfaction using UV/chlorine
- Cost effective, short assembly and disassembly time
- Low maintenance requirement and fee
- Discharge of effluent to meet with PUB Trade Effluent Standards
-
Two suggested systems which include greywater/black water recycling and water sourcing system for non-potable uses
(Examples include rainwater harvesting system) - Both systems need to be integrated to increase the circularity of grey water for non-potable uses
Submission
- Submit to project-shea@ntu.edu.sg
- Submission Must Include:
- System drawings and overall layout of the system
- Technical specifications and compliance with relevant Singapore standards
- Costing of the systems (Cost-benefit analysis and savings/reduction in energy/water usage)
- Implementation plan and timeline
- Key advantages/ Value Proposition of system
Energy Challenge
Eco Spark – Energy open call
Current grid-connected energy system are relatively inefficient and there are huge hurdles in connecting such system to new technologies like elec-tric vehicle and renewables. Furthermore, it will be costly to build a new grid connected system from scratch. The aim of Eco Spark energy design challenge is to address this situation and design an off-grid energy system that is affordable, self-sustaining, compact, portable and motivates community living.
Challenge
The energy design should consider the local context and growth from unit to community scale specific to South East Asian Climate. The system should be able to operate independently without the connection to the main electrical supply system. Create your own scalable, self-sustaining, modular ECO- Spark which focuses on human centric design supported by technology. The specifications of the solutions are listed below.

Energy Renewables
- Registration
- Application
- Evaluation
- Testbedding
Registration
Application
Evaluation
Tesbedding
Requirements
- The design should be able to supply at least 3kWh of energy per day per person (Eg. At least 8kWh per day for 2 people including the efficiency loss of around 20%)
- Sources of energy should be renewables like solar panels, biomass or wind energy
- The battery or energy storage solution should be compact, does not exceed site floor loading and able to act as backup for at least 2 days
- Meet the space requirement and roof area of 20 sqm
- Cost effective (Cost per unit of PV generation as compared to normal electricity price)
- The payback period is less than 7 years
- Low maintenance and associated fees required
- Fast assembly and disassembly time
- The system should have a livespan of at least 10 years
- PV system design, integration and installation need to comply with Singapore SCDF requirements
- Renewable Energy System
- Renewable components like solar panel, bio-digestor, or wind turbines (Eg. PV modules to meet with IEC standards)
- Battery / Energy storage solution
- Charge controller / MPPT controllers (if applicable)
- Inverters (if applicable)
- Food waste storage container (if applicable)
- Smart Energy dashboard with sensors
Submission
- Submit to project-shea@ntu.edu.sg
- Submission Must Include:
- System drawings and overall layout of the system
- Technical specifications and compliance with relevant Singapore standards
- Costing of the system (Cost-benefit analysis and savings/reduction in energy/water usage)
- Implementation plan and timeline
- Key advantages/ Value Proposition of system

Battery Storage
- Registration
- Application
- Evaluation
- Testbedding
Registration
Application
Evaluation
Tesbedding
Requirements
- The Water Designs should be for Portable and Non-Portable uses
- Overall, the integrated system needs to meet at least 70 litres of water consumption per day per person, with the design meeting the water consumption needs of at least 3-5 people
- Greywater Recycling System
- Could handle at least 25 liters of greywater per day per person
- Achieve at least 70%-80% greywater recycling (Reducing potable water uses)
- Treated greywater needs to meet with the Singapore PUB and WHO standards for greywater quality
- The system should include the basics treatment systems
- Sedimentation / Screening – Biological and chemical treatment
- Membrane bioreactor and filtration – Disinfaction using UV/chlorine
- Cost effective, short assembly and disassembly time
- Low maintenance requirement and fee
- Discharge of effluent to meet with PUB Trade Effluent Standards
-
Two suggested systems which include greywater/black water recycling and water sourcing system for non-potable uses
(Examples include rainwater harvesting system) - Both systems need to be integrated to increase the circularity of grey water for non-potable uses
Submission
- Submit to project-shea@ntu.edu.sg
- Submission Must Include:
- System drawings and overall layout of the system
- Technical specifications and compliance with relevant Singapore standards
- Costing of the systems (Cost-benefit analysis and savings/reduction in energy/water usage)
- Implementation plan and timeline
- Key advantages/ Value Proposition of system

Generation Energy
- Registration
- Application
- Evaluation
- Testbedding
Registration
Application
Evaluation
Tesbedding
Requirements
- The Water Designs should be for Portable and Non-Portable uses
- Overall, the integrated system needs to meet at least 70 litres of water consumption per day per person, with the design meeting the water consumption needs of at least 3-5 people
- Greywater Recycling System
- Could handle at least 25 liters of greywater per day per person
- Achieve at least 70%-80% greywater recycling (Reducing potable water uses)
- Treated greywater needs to meet with the Singapore PUB and WHO standards for greywater quality
- The system should include the basics treatment systems
- Sedimentation / Screening – Biological and chemical treatment
- Membrane bioreactor and filtration – Disinfaction using UV/chlorine
- Cost effective, short assembly and disassembly time
- Low maintenance requirement and fee
- Discharge of effluent to meet with PUB Trade Effluent Standards
-
Two suggested systems which include greywater/black water recycling and water sourcing system for non-potable uses
(Examples include rainwater harvesting system) - Both systems need to be integrated to increase the circularity of grey water for non-potable uses
Submission
- Submit to project-shea@ntu.edu.sg
- Submission Must Include:
- System drawings and overall layout of the system
- Technical specifications and compliance with relevant Singapore standards
- Costing of the systems (Cost-benefit analysis and savings/reduction in energy/water usage)
- Implementation plan and timeline
- Key advantages/ Value Proposition of system

Energy Management
- Registration
- Application
- Evaluation
- Testbedding
Registration
Application
Evaluation
Tesbedding
Requirements
- The Water Designs should be for Portable and Non-Portable uses
- Overall, the integrated system needs to meet at least 70 litres of water consumption per day per person, with the design meeting the water consumption needs of at least 3-5 people
- Greywater Recycling System
- Could handle at least 25 liters of greywater per day per person
- Achieve at least 70%-80% greywater recycling (Reducing potable water uses)
- Treated greywater needs to meet with the Singapore PUB and WHO standards for greywater quality
- The system should include the basics treatment systems
- Sedimentation / Screening – Biological and chemical treatment
- Membrane bioreactor and filtration – Disinfaction using UV/chlorine
- Cost effective, short assembly and disassembly time
- Low maintenance requirement and fee
- Discharge of effluent to meet with PUB Trade Effluent Standards
-
Two suggested systems which include greywater/black water recycling and water sourcing system for non-potable uses
(Examples include rainwater harvesting system) - Both systems need to be integrated to increase the circularity of grey water for non-potable uses
Submission
- Submit to project-shea@ntu.edu.sg
- Submission Must Include:
- System drawings and overall layout of the system
- Technical specifications and compliance with relevant Singapore standards
- Costing of the systems (Cost-benefit analysis and savings/reduction in energy/water usage)
- Implementation plan and timeline
- Key advantages/ Value Proposition of system

Passive Technology
- Registration
- Application
- Evaluation
- Testbedding
Registration
Application
Evaluation
Tesbedding
Requirements
- The Water Designs should be for Portable and Non-Portable uses
- Overall, the integrated system needs to meet at least 70 litres of water consumption per day per person, with the design meeting the water consumption needs of at least 3-5 people
- Greywater Recycling System
- Could handle at least 25 liters of greywater per day per person
- Achieve at least 70%-80% greywater recycling (Reducing potable water uses)
- Treated greywater needs to meet with the Singapore PUB and WHO standards for greywater quality
- The system should include the basics treatment systems
- Sedimentation / Screening – Biological and chemical treatment
- Membrane bioreactor and filtration – Disinfaction using UV/chlorine
- Cost effective, short assembly and disassembly time
- Low maintenance requirement and fee
- Discharge of effluent to meet with PUB Trade Effluent Standards
-
Two suggested systems which include greywater/black water recycling and water sourcing system for non-potable uses
(Examples include rainwater harvesting system) - Both systems need to be integrated to increase the circularity of grey water for non-potable uses
Submission
- Submit to project-shea@ntu.edu.sg
- Submission Must Include:
- System drawings and overall layout of the system
- Technical specifications and compliance with relevant Singapore standards
- Costing of the systems (Cost-benefit analysis and savings/reduction in energy/water usage)
- Implementation plan and timeline
- Key advantages/ Value Proposition of system