How do you start a smart home in an HDB flat?

Smart home in an HDB flat: where to start

Start with devices that plug in or screw in. They need no rewiring, you can set them up yourself, and you can take them with you when you move. This is practical advice rather than an official rule, and it suits a first smart home in Singapore whether you own your flat or rent it.

• Smart bulbs fit your existing light holders, so you can switch lights from an app or by voice.
• Smart plugs sit between the socket and a lamp or fan, so you can switch it on a schedule or from your phone.
• A smart speaker or an app acts as the hub, so you control every device from one place.
• A smart doorbell or smart door viewer shows you who is at your door on your phone.

Add one device at a time and check that it works with your hub before you buy the next.

Smart door devices are the one item on this list with a specific HDB position. HDB's page on smart door devices and CCTV cameras says you do not need HDB approval to install smart door devices such as smart door viewers and smart doorbells. These are typically installed at the flat's main entrance door. For the fitting itself, see the doorbell installation guide.

Cameras and your neighbours

HDB's guidance on smart door devices and CCTV cameras says you do not need approval for standalone CCTV cameras in your flat, but they must not face the door or windows of another flat. Do not install CCTV cameras on the building facade. For a camera outside your flat, such as along the common corridor, approach your Town Council for advice.

The Ministry of National Development (MND) addressed this in a 2023 written answer to Parliament. Flat owners should ensure their CCTV cameras do not face the door or windows of other flats. When HDB receives feedback, it works with grassroots leaders and community partners to advise the owner to adjust the camera angle, in line with its camera guidance. Neighbours can also resolve a dispute by talking directly, through mediation at the Community Mediation Centre or, as a last resort, by filing a claim at the Community Disputes Resolution Tribunals.

Smart locks

A digital lock is a door hardware change, not a plug-in gadget, so treat it as a door job first and a smart feature second. Before you choose one, check whether your main door is fire-rated, and ask the installer whether the lock suits your door. If you rent, ask your landlord before you change the lock.

If you are still deciding, compare a digital lock or mechanical lock side by side first. The price depends on the lock and the job, so see the digital lock cost guide.

Smart switches and wiring

Fitting a smart switch is electrical work. The Energy Market Authority (EMA) says electrical work at home, including installing, repairing or modifying wiring and adding, extending or replacing power points, should be carried out or supervised by a Licensed Electrical Worker (LEW). EMA says electrical work in an HDB flat needs a Licensed Electrician, the class of LEW approved for loads of up to 45kVA. Every LEW carries a licence card with a photo, name and licence number, so check it before work starts. See EMA's guidance on engaging Licensed Electrical Workers.

Many smart switches need a neutral wire at the switch box. Ask a Licensed Electrician to check your switch box before you buy. The light switch replacement guide explains what the job involves.

If your smart lighting in an HDB flat needs new wiring or extra power points, HDB's rules apply. HDB's renovation guidelines for electrical works say additional 13amp power points and extensions of wiring need no HDB permit. Wiring must not be embedded in concrete slabs, beams, columns, walls, wall plaster or other finishes, and SP Services Form CS/5H endorsed by HDB must be submitted for testing of the new wiring. In practice, new wiring runs in surface trunking, above a false ceiling or behind carpentry. If you plan extra power points for smart devices, read the socket ratings guide first.

Buy safe devices

The Consumer Product Safety Office (CPSO) says Controlled Goods must carry the SAFETY Mark before they can be sold in Singapore, and each mark has a unique 8-digit registration number. To check one, use the Register of Registered Controlled Goods linked from CPSO's SAFETY Mark page: enter the model number or the 8-digit number, then check that the registration has not expired and that the details match. Products that are not Controlled Goods do not need the mark.

Note the model number before you buy online, so you can look it up first. For more on the mark, read the post on the SAFETY Mark on electrical products.

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