Critical Reflection

Coming to an end of the trimester also means the end this Effective Communication module. Reflecting back to where I had first began to work on my goal for this particular module, I initially aimed to improve my active listening and writing communication skills. Through 11 weeks of intensive effective communications classes, I struggled hard to my upmost ability and learnt to inhabit active listening. During this period, my critical and active listening skill was put into test. For example, during meetings, I had to capture the main points and put them into properly formed sentences to write the minutes report. I realized I was able to manage the situation well and enough for me to communicate with people within my group. When in doubt, I did not hesitate to seek clarification. Undaunted by failures, with the numerous writing assignments given to me, I persevered and did my best. My positive attitude led me to accept feedback, reflect and act on self-improvement. This will in turn, benefit me in the future. 

I was assigned to source for proposed solutions with regards to our problem. During the group discussions, many ideas were raised. After taking the team member's idea into considerations, I proposed to integrate them together – two technologies into one machine. I felt glad as everyone in my group was pleased with the idea. However, even after understanding the mechanism of the machine, I found it hard to articulate them in my own words. Through this technical writing process, I learnt to do online researches for the methodologies and terminologies. 

Upon doing up the report, I had to prepare my script for presentation. Filtering the technical information to present was a challenge as I had to find a balance in presenting adequate information but also make sure it does not overload the audiences. All in all, undergoing these experiences will aid me in future due its relevance in the industry where I will constantly need to communicate and bring my ideas across effectively.


Commented on: Colin , Glen and Serena

Reader Respond Final Draft

In the article, ‘Building with bamboo,’ Ghavami and Garcia (2017) stated that bamboo can be safely substituted for conventional construction materials such as steel and cement, which were polluting and “high-energy-demanding” materials. There are enough scientific information to increase the use of bamboo for construction industries posited from research and development since 1970s. Moreover, an issue of ICE Structures and Buildings has presented papers on improving the mechanical characterization and standardization of the bamboo material. The authors used multiple research to support using bamboo culms to replace wood, concrete and steel. Apart from its environmental benefits, bamboo also creates economic incentives for farmers to develop bamboo plantations and use the bamboo for their daily activities. The authors implied that energy saving and conservation of our earth limited resources can reduce in environmental pollution with the use of bamboo in the construction industry. The advantages of bamboo make it an important construction material for the future in the industry therefore, it should be utilised more often in construction sector.

One of the reasons of bamboo should be used more often in construction industry is because of its durability and strength. A test has been carried out and shown that bamboo has better tensile strength than other materials as its fibers run axially. In the article, "3 Advantages of Building with Bamboo," Hebel (2008) mentioned that a big advantage of bamboo is that it is 100 times cheaper than carbon fiber and it has potentially the same strength. With the comparison being made, it is clear that bamboo has an advantage over other materials. Moreover, bamboo is proven to be resistance to strong winds and earthquake. Since the weight of bamboo is low, it is able to withstand earthquake. Furthermore, its elasticity proficiency has made itself know for it. Thus, bamboo will be in demand where areas are prone to earthquake.

Another reason is that bamboo is a material that is efficient and sustainable. It is a plant that is easy and extremely fast growing, without the need of extra water. Due to bamboo being hollow, its light weight allows for easy transportation and make it easy to store anywhere. This means that it requires fewer vehicle deliveries and it would be less taxing on laborers in construction. In addition, it has the perks of being easy to plant, which allows the wild grass to grow rapidly. In the article, "Bamboo as a Building Material – Its Uses and Advantages in Construction Works," bamboo is said to have high resistant to fire, it is able withstand temperature up to 4000ᵒ Celsius. When sustainability calls for it, bamboo would suffice the intention as bamboo poses no danger to health or pollution to the environment.

Lastly, bamboo is effectively one of the cheapest material when it comes to construction. With the capability of rapid growth cycle, bamboo is easily available. Easy access to bamboo makes the material affordable. Schröder (2008) mentioned that it is relatively cheap to work with bamboo as it can cut it with simple tools, such as a machete. With that being said, cost of working with bamboo is cheap, and the overall expenses will be low as well. Ironically, with the materials being economical, bamboo is use to make the most luxurious structures and space.

In conclusion, with reference to Ghavami and Garcia, there are many advantages of using bamboo as a material for construction. It is durable, eco-friendly and cheap. The amazing versatility of bamboo is no secret to the green revolution. Builders and architects should gain more knowledge of the use of bamboo so as to further develop the eco-friendly means of building construction. The good use of bamboo as a material where it can be form into different building components to sustain a building. Therefore, bamboo can be safely substituted for conventional construction materials.

Cross References:

Goldsmith. J. (2011). Bamboo: a Great Building Material Gets Even Better. Retrieved 9 March, 2011 from https://permaculturenews.org/2011/03/09/bamboo-a-great-building-material-gets-even-better     

Kirei Z. W. (2017), 5 benefits of building a home with bamboo. Retrieved 31 May, 2017

from https://greenhomeguide.com/know-how/article/5-benefits-of-building-a-home-with-bamboo

Schroder, S. (2008). Advantages of Building with Bamboo. Retrieved 17 January, 2008

from https://www.guaduabamboo.com/construction/advantages-of-building-with-bamboo

Schroder, S. (2010). The Reality about Building with Bamboo. Retrieved 21 August, 2010

from https://www.guaduabamboo.com/construction/the-reality-about-building-with-bamboo

The Superdraft. (n.d.). 3 Advantages of Building with Bamboo. Retrieved

from http://www.superdraft.com.au/blogs/3-advantages-of-building-with-bamboo

The Constructor. (2016). Bamboo as a Building Material – its Uses and Advantages in Construction Works

Retrieved 06 December, 2016

from https://theconstructor.org/building/bamboo-as-a-building-material-uses-advantages/14838/

Final Report

LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL

Dear Mr. Blackstone,
                                                                                               
Re: Proposal for Implementation of Food Waste Recycling Technology in SIT Punggol 

This letter is prepared in response to the call for proposals regarding an engineering issue in Singapore to improve the recyclability of food waste. In this proposal, the team has identified that the new campus at SIT@Punggol, can be a test-bed for exploring the potential combination of technologies to further reduce food waste. This report has been prepared with the intention of implementing a food waste recycling machine that combines technologies of converting food waste into by-products such as reusable water and fertilizers.

The report consists of a description of the current machines using recycling technologies, the rationale behind the proposed solutions, an evaluation of the benefits, and a detailed summary of all related primary and secondary research. As we aim to reduce the overall food wastage in Singapore, using SIT Punggol as a stepping stone, we have provided information on the integration of using these technologies and an analysis on how this machine can further reduce the amount of food wastage being sent for incineration. 

We would like to express our gratitude to you for taking the time to read this proposal. Your consideration of our suggestions in improving food waste practice in our future campus so as to help reduce food waste and conserve the environment.

Yours sincerely,   
                                                                                         
Angela Hwee Sook Yee
On behalf of Econopy
Civil Engineering programme
CVE1281 Effective Communication



(I) PERSONAL STATEMENT

Lau JunShen Roland 

Roland, a student from Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT), is currently pursuing his degree in Civil Engineering. His major concern is due to the depleting landfill that Singapore is scarce, where his proposed idea will combat with the waste being put into incineration after food consumption. As he studied green technology, he understands the need to improve efficiency of systems and the impacts on food wastage on the environment. He also sees the need in supporting the practice of recycling, and applying it into food waste that can be reused for another purpose. Together with his team members, Roland aims to achieve improving the food waste issue and implementing food waste recycling in order to help conserve the environment. His contribution to this report to tackle the proposed solution and integration of various technologies.




(II) EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

This report was written in response to call for engineering problem-solution proposals. It focuses on the waste recycling technologies that are currently out in the market to combat the generation of food waste and discusses its capabilities against one another. The complication would be the difficulty to handle a overproduction of by-products and the productive use of them. This may result in squandering of by-products which reduces the tendency to use these machines which defeats the purpose of improving the recyclability of food waste.

The objective of this report is to propose to the planning committee of SIT Punggol a more sophisticated system that improves and combines the technologies that are offered in the market currently. The team proposes a solution that allows the waste recycling machine to effectively produce the amount of by-products based on the input of the user. This will effectively provide the sufficient volume of fertilisers and reusable water so as to reduce the potential squander of useful products. 





1. BACKGROUND 

Figure 1: Food waste percentage (Source: National Environment Agency 2015)

This report is prepared in response to the call for proposals regarding an engineering issue in Singapore to improve the recyclability of food waste.

As Singapore’s population continues to grow, the amount of food disposal has been increasing at the incineration site. To counter the issue on the rapid growth in food disposal, this team proposed an idea to improve the situation of food disposal efficiency. Since the recycling rate in Singapore has increased gradually to 14% from 2006 to 2016 (NEA, 2016), our goal is to design a machine that incorporates the current food recycling machines starting from new campus at SIT Punggol. 

Our team feels the need to encourage and focus into recycling food waste as it has not yet been well-established enough in the current market due to certain factors. We believe that through the integration and improvement of existing technology can we only be able to further recycle food waste into reusable products.

As of now, two waste recycling technologies are being used to produce two different byproducts. Currently, in the market, there are various machines such as Westcom, BioHitech and Eco-Wiz that recycle food waste into either fertilisers or reusable water. However, the organisation is required decide to between the two technologies to implement in their premises. Our solution is to incorporate two of these technologies into a single machine whereby the operator will select the preferred mode for the output of the byproducts. This way, it will generate the flexibility of installing the machine in a variety of facilities.

Evaluating the current technologies of recycling food wastage, would help the planning community of SIT to understand that there are such machines in the current market. Through the implementation of a food waste recycling machine that decompose into two different by-products, it would increase efficiency and flexibility. Finally, food waste can both be recycled into fertilizers and reusable water.

2. PROBLEM STATEMENT 

Canteens at SIT Punggol campus should integrate the current technologies of recycling food waste into a single machine to increase the efficiency to produce high quality fertilizers/reusable water as by-products. However, amongst all the approaches in which food waste is decomposed, there has not been an integration of technology that incorporates producing fertilisers and reusable water as by-products in a single machine. Incorporating both technologies into a single system, it will benefit the new SIT campus canteen in adapting a food waste recycling habit that makes full use of the reusable by-products.

3. PURPOSE STATEMENT 

This report proposes to the planning committee of SIT Punggol an integration of waste recycling technologies into one machine that can be implemented into SIT Punggol campus’ canteens through the analysis of both technologies that currently exists in the market.

4. CURRENT IMPLEMENTATION 

In the last 10 years, NEA (2016) stated that food waste has been increasing from about 500,000 tonnes to close to 700,000 tonnes in 2016. This increment of food waste is due to two main factors. The increase in population and commercial activity. Efforts has been taken place to reduce food waste. Starting from the source, food wastage efforts has been carried out in terms of posters to encourage buying what is only needed as food wastage due to expired foods were the main contributors to food wastage. The next effort was to redistribute excess food to food organizations through donations to reduce the need to throw food waste when it passes the date of expiry. The last and least recommended effort would be to dispose waste to waste-to-energy (WTE) plants to recover energy from waste and to reduce them down to ten percent from its original size to be disposed into incineration plants (NEA, 2018).

Food waste machines are implemented with the main purpose to reduce the dependency of incineration plants and landfills. Currently, there are two different types of food disposal technology that breaks down food waste. One of which, breaks down the food waste into fertilisers using anaerobic digestion, where micro-organisms breaks down food waste without the presence of oxygen. The other technology that produces reusable water uses a process call aerobic digestion, where food waste is broken down in the presence of oxygen. The fertilisers that are produced can then be used for agriculture or any green spaces and the reusable water can then be used for watering plants or cleaning of premises.

 

4.1 WASTE TO FERTILISER RECYCLING TECHNOLOGY

Figure 2: Food Waste Recycling Machine (Westcom)

Illustration 1: Mechanism of Food Waste into Fertilizers

According to BioHiTech video entitled “The Science of Digestion” (2015), these machines operate through the breakdown of food waste by micro-organism in the system. As waste is introduced into the system, micro-organisms start to feed and break down on food particles, ultimately reducing its size.

In this machine, rotating shafts would mix the bio media (which houses micro-organism) as well as the food waste to ensure homogeneous mix of materials. There is a heating element that provides a warm condition for micro-organism to thrive. Fertilisers are produced as by-products through anaerobic conditions. As the chamber is closed and sealed off, waste will first get its water vapour evaporated off through an exhaust. According to Ecoman FOODIE video entailed “How FOODIE works? Waste decomposing process!” (2014), waste is then reduced by 70 percent. Ecoman FOODIE further stated that Micro-organisms will further reduce the volume of the waste to 10 percent of its original volume, turning it into useful fertiliser compost which can be used on spaces.


4.2 WASTE TO LIQUID RECYCLING TECHNOLOGY 

Figure 3: Ecodigester (Eco-Wiz)

Illustration 2: Mechanism of Food Waste into Reusable Water

To produce waste water as a by-product, micro-organisms need an aerobic condition and hence, air is introduced through inlets (BioHiTech entitled “The Science of Digestion,” 2015). Food waste are then broken down till it would be small enough to pass through digester screens. According to Joe Liu video entailed “Eco-Wiz Coporate Video,” (2016), a 2-step filtration system will then be used to remove grease and certain microbials which may cause diseases or fermentation before it is passed off as reusable water. 

Similar to the technology mentioned previously, rotating shafts would mix the bio media as well as the food waste to ensure homogeneous mix of materials. However, there is a heater present to evaporate the water content in food waste. Then, the leftover sludge produced will pass through filter screens such as a grease filter and a microbial treatment. This reusable water that can then be used around the school premises. 

5. PROPOSED SOLUTION 

Clients would often face difficulty in deciding which machine works best on their specific environment they are in due to the variance of by-products produced. Most commercial companies prefer the food waste machine to produce reusable water as they do not have green spaces and would prefer a full reduction of waste to ultimately reduce manpower. Educational, eco-friendly parties may choose a food waste machine to produce fertilizers as the compost produced would save the company money. The compost can be applied on most soil media and hence its versatility encourages more interested parties to use the product.

Combining the two respective technologies together into a machine, increases the efficiency of food waste recycling. With the flexibility of functions in the system, it allows the user to have the ability to select the amount of fertiliser or reusable water produced from the food waste. Loading the waste into the respective input of the machine, fertilizer or liquid. Estimated time for food waste digestion will be show on the digital panel of the machine. Overtime, the by-products will be churned into bits and fine particles. The breaking own of by-products will be ready after 24 hours. Leaving it untouched for a prolonged time, the system will be “smart” to shut down itself. This is to greatly save the electricity cost from the power supply. 

 

6. METHODOLOGY 

Before implementing a new type of technology, our team had to fully understand the current efforts Singapore is practicing tackling food waste. Our team decided to focus on the food waste treatment system that organisations around the nation may have adopted and further narrow down to the various technologies. 

6.1 PRIMARY RESEARCH

Apart from conducting research to determine the different types of waste recycling methods there are available, Dr. Ng, who has a major in civil engineering and a PH.D. in water microbiology studies. He agreed that having a waste recycling system that produces fertilizers not only helps in reducing overall food waste but justifies that the compost would be able to be stored and used for a later date, increasing the flexibility in using the output. Moreover, the team emailed the two main companies, ECOwiz and Westcom Solutions, to acquire about the prices and products. In addition to that, we conducted a survey to review on the need of recycling food waste and the importance to implement a technology that will be able to satisfy the users need. 

6.2 SECONDARY RESEARCH 

Based on our observations, a food waste treatment system under Westcom Solution is placed at the back of our school’s canteen. The system converts the food waste to soil fertilizer. Our team further researched on possible by-products that may be produced by the treatment systems supplied by the other suppliers. According to Eco-wiz, one of the suppliers, its webpage mentioned that its product, ecoDigester, could convert solid food waste to reusable water. After further discussion among our team, we conclude that these fertilizers and reusable water could be used around the school premises itself. 

7. BENEFITS 

These are the benefits that this dual system can operate to increase the food waste recycling efficiency.


7.1 VERSATILITY 

The main benefit for implementing the dual digestion system is to fully expand the possibilities and further enhance the versatility of the machine. Selecting the amount of by-products needed, would further prompt the user to utilise the machine and prevent an overproduction of by-products which may be thrown due to its lack of use. 



7.2 COST OF MANPOWER 

These machines will also encourage savings in the long run. According to Violia (2016), the cost of disposing a large waste bin that is between 660 to 1100 kg, which carries a maximum capacity of about 440 kg is $720.82. This would in turn provide savings of $8,649.84 a year. Working out the initial costs of the machine, the turnover of the cost of the machine will take roughly 4 years. 



7.3 GOAL IN RECYCLING 


The goal towards recycling food is being taken place as users can make use of this machine and collect the by-products that they needed to. Moreover, this practice will further prompt users to use this machine whenever they needed to. This increases the percentage of food waste recycling at SIT Punggol as a starting platform.

8. EVALUATION 

However, with potential benefits, there ought to be challenges as well. Our team has evaluated the possible challenges that can happen and making sure that they would not overweigh the benefits.

8.1 MAINTENANCE 

With the incorporation of both technologies, there is a high maintenance to operate the system's quality and functionality. To countermeasure this challenge, frequent routine checks must be implemented to make sure the machine faces no defects and difficulties. Therefore, proper instructions must be placed near the machine to properly educate users on the operation

8.2 COST OF MACHINE 

The estimated average cost of this system is S$30,000 to S$50,000. Although this is very costly, comparing with the cost in manpower that was calculated within a year, this challenge can be overlooked as it is only a one-time payment.

8.3 RESOURCE 

As this machine relies vastly on the usage of micro-organisms, there is a need to refill after the product finishes in the machine. Additionally, the refill will depend on how frequent the machine will be used during the months.

9. CONCLUSION 

In conclusion, our team proposes to implement a technology which integrates two different types of technology that produces soil fertilizers and reusable water into a single system or machine. Having two different form of by-products, reassures the school that there will not be an overproduction of a certain type of by-product. These by-products can be used around the school’s premises. For example, the soil fertilisers can be used any agriculture around the vicinity and the reusable water can be used to wash the canteen floors or toilets. Based on our team’s research, this machine will have an estimated cost of S$30,000 to S$50,000. This may be a huge sum; however, statistics have shown that the cost saved from food waste recycling will compensate for the estimated cost of the proposed system.
We wish to implement this system into SIT@Punggol university campus canteens as a test-bed for innovation that improves overall food waste recycling in Singapore. Our team sees the viable opportunity to create possibilities of reducing food waste through the new Punggol campus.

Analytical Reflection

The day of my presentation showcase has finally arrived. In the early morning at the presentation theater, my team rehearsed for a final time to ensure that we run through our script for the last time. After the first team has presented, we had an overview of what the atmosphere will be like. My heart could not stop palpitating as next up was my team to present. Once my team member, Jean was about to complete her last line, a tingling sensation went down my spine when she introduced me as the next speaker. Mustering up my courage, I stood up and faced the audience. Feeling confident, I continued to speak with energy from within me. However, a situation that I didn’t expect had daunted me. A question that I have asked the audience, was supposed to be a rhetorical question. However, the audience unexpectedly answered me. My heart skipped a beat as my mind went blank. Standing there in silence, I tried to pluck the words from what I had rehearsed. Fortunately, I got back on track with the flow of lines in my head. Re-orienting my train of thoughts, it had let me to speak aloud confidently once again. Amazingly, the feedback from my friends pertaining to the presentation was good as the projection of voice towards the audience was loud and clear. Personally, I have managed to catch the audience attention by having eye contact with them. At the same time, I was finally able to step out of my comfort zone. However, I was told that I need to wear a little smile on my face. Taking in all the feedback from my audience, I will bear all the comments in my head and make sure I will be cautious for presentations in time to come.