Buses with rooftop gardens hit Singapore streets

The initiative aims to study if such effort could reduce fuel consumption for air conditioning.

Ten SBS Transit buses with ‘green roof’ have been launched to study possible energy and cost savings for bus operators.

The rooftop gardens on buses aims to help reduce vehicles’ carbon emissions by lowering fuel consumption needed for air conditioning. The public can ride these buses along several routes, including one through the Central Business District and another through Orchard Road. Fares for these buses cost the same as for regular buses.

The buses are part of a three-month study that aims to confirm that the rooftop gardens will lead to a drop in temperature within the interior of the buses, and a reduction in the fuel consumption used for air conditioning.

The mobile green roof is made up of Sphagneticola trilobata and other hardy plants that have adapted to the local climate, chosen for their resistance to windy and dry conditions. Instead of conventional soil, the plants are secured using GWS’ proprietary Gaiamat, a lightweight mat used for skyrise greenery that is cleaner, easier to maintain and more economical than other conventional green roof systems which are primarily soil-based.

The Garden on the Move initiative was designed by GWS Living Art and supported by Temasek Foundation, Moove Media, National Parks Board (NParks), and Singapore Green Building Council (SGBC).