International Singapore Compact CSR Summit 2010

International Singapore Compact CSR Summit 2010

This timely summit organized by the Singapore Compact for CSR brings together experts from various sectors to discuss on how to plan, measure, and implement CSR strategies for sustainable business success.

The Inaugural International Singapore Compact CSR Summit of last year was a great success, attracting about 400 delegates from multinational corporations, small and medium enterprises, unions, government, academia and the general public.

Let’s join other business leaders, CSR professionals and many other stakeholders to hear and learn from the experts, local and overseas, to address the following challenges:-

HOW TO PLAN     |     HOW TO MEASURE     |     HOW TO IMPLEMENT

• How can my organisation make CSR an effective strategy for sustainable business success?
• How can my organisation keep pace with the ever changing energy challenge?
• How government policies shape along with the global impetus?
• How can my organisation effectively respond to the global trends which affect my organisation?
• How can I measure my organisation’s response to the climate change challenge and sustainability developments?
• How is the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) relevant to my organisation and where shall I start with?
• How can I measure the social impact of my organsiation?
• How can I start with my first sustainability report with a universally accepted standard?
• What are the cost and time-effective ways to do sustainability reporting?

*Fees reflected above are based on per delegate.

Please visit www.singaporecsrsummit.org for more information about the International Singapore Compact CSR Summit 2010.

For registration, please download the form from http://www.singaporecsrsummit.org/registration.php and fax the completed form to 6471 1278.

Please feel free to contact Mr Cedric Miranda or Ms Fion Tsang at 6827 6825, or email to enquiry@singaporecsrsummit.org for any enquiries or the sponsorship opportunity for the International Singapore Compact CSR Summit 2010.

Asia Green Vehicles Summit 2010

Asia Green Vehicles Summit 2010 will be held at the Pudong Renaissance Hotel Shanghai, China on October 20th– 22th, including one day pre-conference workshop and two full day conference. This event is endorsed by EVAAP, AVERE, China Association of Automobile Manufacturers, as well as support from CIO Connect and ITMAN Club.

With the global oil resource exhaustion and increasing impact of greenhouse effect, the automotive industry is now experiencing a rapid change. Alternative fuel vehicles have quickly captured the industry’s attention as a forward-thinking solution to sustainable transport. World leading automotive manufacturers all eye the huge potential opportunities brought by the green vehicle development trends. In China, the government has already issued new policy on alternative vehicle development.

Key Themes:

• Green Vehicle – Insight into Global Development Trends and China’s Opportunities and Challenges
• Green Fleet in Public Transportation
• Technology Innovation & Industrialization Directions of Electric Vehicles
• Marching Towards the Electrical Vehicle Empire
• SAIC’s New Energy Vehicle Strategy: HEV, EV and Plug in Fuel Cell Vehicle
• Domestic Large Automakers Technology Innovation for Hybrid Vehicles
• Plug-in Hybrid Technology
• Advanced Powertrain Technology for Hybrid and Electrical Vehicles
• Powertrain electrification – Potentials and Complexity
• Ecological Solution for Advanced Electronic Powertrain Control
• Battery Technology
• The Green Path of Traditional Fuel Vehicles

Visit the event website for details and registration.

Use Government Fundings for Energy Audits and Energy Efficient Technologies

There are several funding and incentive schemes provided by the National Environment Agency (NEA) to help companies reduce their costs in engaging ESCOs or investing in energy saving equipment and technologies.

If companies lack the expertise to manage their energy consumption, they can engage an Energy Services Company (ESCO) to conduct an energy audit for their building or facility, identify energy saving measures and implement projects to reduce energy consumption.

The ESCOs provide a full analysis of the energy flows in and out of a facility, suggest improvements to facility design and operation, and provide financing and implementation of energy saving projects. In Singapore, the ESCOs are accredited under the Energy Services Companies (ESCOs) Accreditation Scheme by the Energy Sustainability Unit (ESU). A list of accredited ESCOs can be found at the ESU website.

Energy Efficiency Improvement Assistance Scheme (EASe)

The NEA has a co-funding scheme called the Energy Efficiency Improvement Assistance Scheme (EASe), to help companies in the manufacturing and building sectors engage accredited ESCOs to conduct energy audits and recommend energy saving measures.

Funding is provided up to 50% of the qualifying costs of engaging an ESCO and capped at $200,000 for a single facility or building over a five-year period. Visit the Energy Efficient Singapore website for details on the Energy Efficiency Improvement Assistance Scheme.

Grant for Energy Efficient Technologies (GREET)

The Grant for Energy Efficient Technologies (GREET) provides funding for the Singapore-registered owner or operator of existing or proposed industrial facilities to invest in energy efficient equipment or technologies.

Funding is provided up to 50% of the qualifying costs and capped at $2 million per project. Only projects with a payback of more than 3 years and up to 7 years are eligible for funding. Visit the Energy Efficient Singapore website for details on the Grant for Energy Efficient Technologies (GREET).

Accelerated Depreciation Tax Allowance

This tax allowance scheme encourages companies to replace old inefficient equipment and invest in energy saving equipment. The capital expenditure on the qualifying energy efficient equipment can be written off in one year instead of three. More info about the tax allowance is available here.

Design for Efficiency Scheme (DfE)

The Design for Efficiency Scheme (DfE) aims to encourage new facilities that are large consumers of energy to integrate energy and resource efficiency improvements into their development plans early in the design stage.

Funding is provided up to 80% of the qualifying costs or $600,000, whichever is lower.

With these funding schemes, your organisation would be able to reduce your costs in conducting energy audits and investing in energy saving equipment and technologies. Save money and energy at the same time!

Also check out The Green Business Times Guide to 30 Singapore Government Funding and Incentives for the Environment.

Image credit: lusi; svilen001.

NUS and University of Sydney Jointly Organise Singapore’s National Sustainability Conference 2010

Opening Ceremony: Thursday, 29 July 2010, 9.00 am, Amara Singapore Hotel, Ballroom 1 and 2, Level 3, 165 Tanjong Pagar Road Singapore 088539

Guest-of-Honour & Keynote Speaker: Dr Amy Khor, Senior Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources and Mayor, South West District

Government, educational institutions, not for profit organisations, business representatives and students will gather together at the 2nd National Sustainability Conference on the 29th & 30th of July to discuss the latest sustainable developments in the Asia Pacific region. The theme of this year’s conference is Sustainable Strategies for Singapore and the Asia Pacific Region with a focus on the sustainable workplace. The conference is jointly organised by The Office of Environmental Sustainability (OES), National University of Singapore and the Workplace Research Centre (WRC), University of Sydney.

The conference will be opened by the Guest-of-Honour for the event, Dr Amy Khor, Senior Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Environment and Water Resources, and Mayor, South West District, and she will be delivering the keynote address.

What is Singapore doing to mitigate climate change and how is this filtering down to our major corporations and enterprises? These are some of the questions that will be answered at this year’s conference. Business Leaders and Policy Makers from both Asia and Australia will be presenting on topics such as Sustainable Leadership, Achieving Sustainable Business Practices, the Economics of Climate Change, Green Jobs and the Future of the Sustainable Development in the Asia Pacific Region.

Some of the prominent speakers include Mr Ong Seng Eng, Director of the Resource Conservation Department at the National Environment Agency (NEA) – the country’s major statutory board for environmental protection, Associate Professor Simon Tay, Chairman, Singapore Institute of International Affairs and former Chair of the NEA, as well as Dr. John Buchanan, Director of the Workplace Research Centre, University of Sydney and Mr. John Person, Head of the UK Regional Climate Change Network in Southeast Asia.

The National Sustainability Conference will take place in the Amara Hotel, 165 Tanjong Pagar Road, Singapore 088539. It will be a great insight into Singapore’s present responses to Climate Change and the emerging opportunities in the area as well as an excellent platform of interaction and connection for anyone who is passionate about achieving a more sustainable Singapore.

Visit the National Sustainability Conference website for registration and details.

Singapore bags 5 ASEAN Energy Awards

Four Singapore organisations bagged top awards at the 2010 ASEAN Energy Awards. Convened annually, the ASEAN Energy Awards recognise efforts by enterprising ASEAN companies to integrate renewable energy and energy efficient solutions in their projects.

The winners are:

ASEAN Energy Awards – Renewable Energy Project Competition 2010

(i) IUT Singapore Pte Ltd – Food Waste to Renewable Energy (Winner, On-grid category)

IUT Singapore Pte Ltd innovatively burns food waste to generate renewable energy. Electricity produced is used to power the plant itself and the excess electricity is exported into Singapore‟s power grid. By burning food waste, this project also helps to reduce the need for landfill space and the methane-rich bio-gas (methane is one of the greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change) produced is used to generate power. Read more

Conduct an Energy Survey to Identify Energy Saving Opportunities

An energy survey is a simple assessment of the energy use in your organisation and the aim is to identify and correct bad energy habits and practices. Start by forming a small team to conduct the energy survey, appointing an energy manager as the team leader and recruiting staff from different departments as team members.

The team will conduct the energy survey by taking a walk around the offices, building and facilities to observe what is happening on the ground, identify bad and wasteful energy use and habits, and identify opportunities for energy saving.

The survey should be conducted at different timings so as to find out the different energy usage throughout the day and at different periods. Surveys can be carried out:

• At a normal weekday during office hours
• At busy and peak hours
• At lunchtime
• After office hours
• During weekends

Use past and current utility bills, meter data, maintenance records and other energy information to help keep track of the energy usage in your organisation.

Here are some areas to take note of during the energy survey:

Office Equipment

• Are office equipment left on standby after office hours and during weekends? Can we switch them off easily?
• Does the computers, printers, photocopiers and other equipment have built-in energy saving features? Are we using these features and do we know how to use them?
• Can we use software to switch equipment off after office hours?
• Are vending machines and water coolers left on at night? Can we use timers to switch them off after office hours?

Lighting

• Are lights switched off in unoccupied areas or if there is sufficient daylight? Can we reduce unnecessary lighting?
• Can we use motion sensors for the stairs and carpark?
• Are lights switched off when no one is in the room or office? Who is responsible to switch off the lights after office hours?
• Are external and facade lighting switched off during the day? Can we adjust the timers to switch off the lighting earlier?
• Are light fittings arranged strategically and light switches labelled properly?
• Are we still using inefficient lighting? Can we change to energy efficient light bulbs and tubes?

Air-Conditioning and Ventilation

• Is the office too warm or cold? Can we adjust the air-conditioning temperature up to about 25 degree Celsius or at a comfortable high temperature?
• When is the air conditioning switched off and on during the day?
• Are the windows and doors open when the air-conditioning is on?
• Are the air-conditioning and ventilation system maintained and serviced regularly? Are the settings optimised and correct?
• Are there obstructions at air inlets and outlets?

Industrial Equipment

• Do boilers, pumps, fans and other equipment have the correct and optimised settings?
• Are the equipment serviced and maintained regularly?
• Are the equipment misused by operators who are not trained properly?
• Are there any compressed air, refrigerant or steam leaks?
• Are there opportunities to tap waste heat from equipment and exhaust gases?

After the energy survey, look at the findings and decide what actions to take. Implement the no-cost or low-cost actions first, such as educating employees, changing habits and practices, proper maintenance of equipment, changing energy settings and removing unnecessary lighting.

Next, consider the higher-cost actions such as installing new energy efficient lighting and equipment, and using energy saving technologies.

Remember to keep the management and employees informed of the energy survey findings, actions taken and energy savings.

Image credit: dlnny; olimohd; lockstockb.

Measure Your Organisation’s Carbon Footprint or Greenhouse Gas Inventory

For an organisation, the term carbon footprint or greenhouse gas inventory includes the carbon emissions and other greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions generated directly from the organisation’s activities or use of fuels, and also indirectly from the use of electricity and from the use and disposal of materials, products and services.

By measuring its carbon footprint or GHG inventory, the organisation can manage and reduce emissions over time, and also use it for disclosure to stakeholders or for marketing and corporate social responsibility (CSR) purposes.

After calculating the carbon footprint, it is then possible for the organisation to take active steps to manage the emissions. The organisation can:

• Set emissions reduction targets
• Identify opportunities for energy efficiency and reduction of emissions
• Take action to implement emissions reduction projects
• Monitor the performance of the projects and improve accordingly

The approach to an organisation’s carbon footprint usually involves five steps:

1. Define a consistent methodology
2. Specify the boundary and scope involved
3. Obtain the emissions data and calculate the carbon footprint
4. Verify the results with a third party
5. Disclose the carbon footprint in a report and to stakeholders

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GHG Protocol

If your organisation wishes to calculate your carbon footprint or GHG inventory, you can follow the GHG Protocol produced by the World Resources Institute (WRI) and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD):

The GHG Protocol Corporate Standard provides standards and guidance for companies and other organizations preparing a GHG emissions inventory. It covers the accounting and reporting of the six greenhouse gases covered by the Kyoto Protocol — carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), perfluorocarbons (PFCs), and sulphur hexafluoride (SF6).

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ISO 14064

You can also follow the ISO 14064 from the International Organization for Standardization, which comprises three standards on specifications and guidance for the organisational and project levels, and for validation and verification. Read more about the standard here.

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Carbon Footprint Calculators

Or you can use these online carbon footprint calculators to estimate your carbon emissions:

• Carbon Trust
• Carbon Footprint
• The CarbonNeutral Company
• ClimateCare

Some of the above websites provide carbon offsets to help your organisation become carbon neutral.

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Carbon Disclosure Project

If you wish to study how companies disclose their greenhouse gas emissions, visit the Carbon Disclosure Project website:

The Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) is an independent not-for-profit organisation which holds the largest database of corporate climate change information in the world. The data is obtained from responses to CDP’s annual Information Requests, issued on behalf of institutional investors, purchasing organisations and government bodies. Since its formation in 2000, CDP has become the gold standard for carbon disclosure methodology and process, providing primary climate change data to the global market place.

Image credit: CMSeter; Plusverde.

Global Clean Energy Congress . China 2010

This event description is submitted by the organisers of the Global Clean Energy Congress . China 2010.

Conference Overview

The Global Clean Energy Congress . China 2010 will be held in October 18th to 21st in Beijing, China. This event is organized by the China Association of Resources Comprehensive Utilization, Modern Energy HNZ industrial Group and supported by the World Alliance for Decentralized Energy, Chinese Renewable Energy Society, Zhejiang Renewable Energy Association, Zhejiang Nuclear Society, Nuclear Branch of China Physical Research Society, Power System and Clean Energy Magazine, Power.IN-EN.com, Heilongjiang Electric Industry Association, Shanghai Metering Industry Association, Zhejiang Electric Power Transmission and Distribution Industry Association, China Geothermal Society and so on.

GCEC 2010 is combined of seven independent summits:

World Wind Energy Summit·China 2010

World Photovoltaic Summit·China 2010

World Nuclear Energy Summit China·2010

World Carbon Market Summit·China 2010

World Bio-Energy Development Summit·China 2010

World Strong Smart Grid Summit·China 2010

World Geothermal Energy Cascade Development & Pump Technology Summit·China 2010 Read more

A*STAR Musters a Line-up of Four Industry Players to Develop Future Energy Technologies

Groundbreaking of A*STAR’s Experimental Power Grid Centre (EPGC) on Jurong Island paves the way for cutting-edge R&D to develop Singapore as a ‘living laboratory’ for smart grid solutions

1. Four companies, namely, Rolls Royce, Vestas, SP PowerGrid and CEI Contract Manufacturing entered into strategic partnerships with the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) today to develop smart grid and distributed energy solutions. This was announced at the groundbreaking ceremony of its smart grid research facility of the Experimental Power Grid Centre (EPGC) by Guest-of-Honour, Mr Ravi Menon, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Trade & Industry.

2. The technologies and solutions being jointly developed will form the key components to be integrated into the intelligent grid system. Said Mr. Lim Chuan Poh, Chairman, A*STAR: “Smart grid R&D is critical to transforming Singapore into a smart energy economy and EPGC is an important enabling infrastructure that will bring us a step closer to realising an intelligent national energy grid. With this infrastructure in place, Singapore will be well-positioned to take R&D in energy solutions to the next level.” Read more

ST Engineering Inks Contract for Integrated Waste Management Facility Project

Brunei contract is its largest environmental engineering projects to date

Singapore, 14 July 2010 – ST Marine, the marine arm of ST Engineering, and its Brunei consortium partner QAF Limited today officially signed the S$66.5m contract to design and construct a modern Integrated Waste Management Facility in Brunei. The contract was announced by the Brunei Economic Development Board on 11 June 2010. Today’s signing ceremony was witnessed by Guest of Honour, YB Pehin Orang Kaya Indera Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Suyoi bin Haji Osman, Brunei’s Minister of Development, Singapore’s High Commissioner to Brunei, Mr Joseph Koh, and Singapore’s National Environment Agency (NEA) CEO, Mr Andrew Tan. The ceremony signifies another milestone in collaboration between the two countries. Read more

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