Written Reply to Parliamentary Question on CO2 Studies in Migrant Worker Dormitories by Ms Grace Fu, Minister for Sustainability and the Environment

Written Reply to Parliamentary Question on CO2 Studies in Migrant Worker Dormitories by Ms Grace Fu, Minister for Sustainability and the Environment

Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang: To ask the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (a) whether the Ministry has conducted studies in migrant worker dormitories to assess the adequacy of ventilation in rooms using CO2 samples as proxy similar to studies conducted in MINDEF/SAF accommodations; (b) if so, what are the readings from the CO2 samples; and (c) if not, whether the Ministry will conduct such studies.

Answer:

1 In 2021, the National Environment Agency and the Ministry of Manpower conducted a study on the ventilation in migrant worker dormitories using carbon dioxide measurements as a proxy. The study found that the almost all of the carbon dioxide measurements taken at the congregational, recreational, and living areas of migrant worker dormitories were below 1,100 parts per million (ppm).

2 Dormitory operators are required under the licensing conditions of the Foreign Employee Dormitories Act to ensure that there is adequate ventilation for daily living activities and sufficient air circulation within rooms. Carbon dioxide levels below 1,100ppm generally indicate adequate ventilation. This threshold is based on the Singapore Standard 554 Code of Practice for Indoor Air Quality for Air-Conditioned Buildings, and the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE).