International Green Building Conference and BEX Asia 2009

The inaugural International Green Building Conference (IGBC) 2009 was held recently in Singapore as part of the Singapore Green Building Week. The conference theme was “Build Green. The Future is Now.” and drew about 1,000 delegates from more than 20 countries to focus on sustainable building issues, green building technologies and designs.

During the conference, the new Singapore Green Building Council (SGBC) was launched to help lead and coordinate the building industry’s efforts, together with the government, and accelerate the development of green buildings.

As part of the Singapore Green Building Week, there was also a building exhibition, BEX Asia 2009, which showcases green-related products and services for the building industry. Here are some photos taken at the exhibition:

HDB Green Living

Green Roof System

Green Wall

Wood and Plastic Composite

Recycled Concrete

Solar Roof

Solar Street Lighting

Wind Turbine

Greywater Recycling System

LED Lamps

How to Green the Clothes Hanger with bloomerHang

bloomerang Pte Ltd is a young start-up in Singapore, founded by Directors Thian Zhiwen and Wong Joon Ian. The company is driven by the belief that business can address social and environmental challenges through sustainable and innovative practices. To put their belief into practice, they created the bloomerHang, a clothes hanger that is made locally from recycled corrugated cardboard and printed with eco-friendly soy inks.

Dry-cleaners, laundromats and other businesses give out hundreds of thousands of wire and plastic hangers every year. Imagine the resources saved if these hangers were replaced with the bloomerHang, which is 100% recyclable and is collected after use for recycling. The bloomerHang also acts as a new environmental advertising platform, which provides environmental messages or targeted marketing opportunities for businesses, and helps to keep the price of bloomerHang competitive so that they are attractive to laundromats, drycleaners and other distributors.

This young company demonstrates that it is possible to green a normal insignificant product, through eco-conscious design and greening the production process,  and most importantly, adding functional and aesthetic value beyond its current purpose. The new bloomerHang hanger is not only made from sustainable material and processes but also provides a valuable platform for environmental messages and advertising from eco-conscious businesses. And best of all, it still hangs.

Find out more about bloomerHang at www.bloomerang.com.sg.

Source and image credit: bloomerang Pte Ltd

Leading Enterprises Consolidate Efforts to Champion Sustainable Manufacturing in Singapore

This is a joint media release by: SPRING Singapore, Singapore Manufacturers’ Federation (SMa), Singapore Institute of Manufacturing Technology (SIMTech) and Singapore Environment Council (SEC).

Launch of Sustainable Manufacturing Programme converges the efforts of SMa, SPRING, SEC and SIMTech to help Singapore manufacturers adopt sustainable manufacturing technologies and processes.

With industrial development rapidly expanding to support our burgeoning global population, SMa envisioned that the development of a conducive environment for the adoption of environmentally-friendly processes is crucial in ensuring sustainability of manufacturing in Singapore.

In pursuant of a clear goal towards sustainable manufacturing, SMa signed separate Memorandums of Understanding (MOU) with two prominent partners – SEC and Singapore Institute of Manufacturing Technology (SIMTech), a research institute of the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR); leveraging on their fields of expertise and professional skills and technology to identify, develop and promote the adoption of sustainable manufacturing practices among local manufacturers. This MOU ceremony was witnessed by Senior Minister of State for Trade and Industry and Education, Mr S. Iswaran, as well as SPRING Singapore’s Deputy Chief Executive Mr Ted Tan at the Intercontinental Hotel. Read more

Green Future Solutions is the Official Curator for TEDxGreen

TEDxGreen is an independent TEDx event operated under license from TED, and is curated by Green Future Solutions with the theme: Ideas for a Green Future. Our mission is to share, discuss and spread ideas for a green future through monthly salons and annual conferences in Singapore. At our TEDxGreen events, TED Talks videos and live speakers will combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group.

Green Future Solutions is a Singapore-based business that promotes environmental awareness and action for a green future, through our network of green websites, events, presentations, publications and consultancy. We are the publisher of Singapore’s leading websites on the environment, including AsiaIsGreen, Green Business Times and Zero Waste Singapore. Read more

Green Business Times Interview – HydroBall Technics (SEA) Pte Ltd

Energy conservation and energy efficiency are important and urgent aspects of mitigating climate change. There are many different types of energy saving products in the market, one of which is the Hydroball system developed in Singapore.

To learn more about this innovative product and its development, we have the privilege of interviewing Mr Peter Soh, CEO of HydroBall Technics (SEA) Pte Ltd.

About HydroBall Technics

Incorporated in January 2003, HydroBall Technics (SEA) Pte Ltd has since developed, manufactured and patented the HydroBall automatic tube cleaning system in many countries all over the world. The HydroBall system is a cost-effective solution that eliminates equipment downtime and optimises energy consumption of equipment by automatically keeping heat exchanger tubes perpetually free from scaling and fouling.

HydroBall Technics is engaged in the generation of intellectual property relevant to energy conservation in the area of air-conditioning systems. HydroBall Technics aims to deliver practical conservation solutions with a strong, measurable impact on energy cost management. Spearheading this effort is the Company’s proprietary HydroBall automatic cleaning technology, which the Company aims to make available for commercial distribution in all parts of the world. Read more

Waste Equals Food

In the coming year, businesses face an economic recession and lower consumer spending. However, these tough challenges also present opportunities for your company to go green, look at how to cut costs and waste, and to do things better and more efficiently. Going green could help your company to be in a better position to attract customers when the economy rebounds.

This 50-min video on Waste = Food would be useful in giving you an idea of cradle to cradle design popularised by William McDonough and Michael Braungart in their book, Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things. Learn about waste becoming food for nature or to be used as technical nutrients for making new products. Learn about designing things that are more efficient, safe, environmentally friendly and producing no waste.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-3058533428492266222

Wireless Electricity Monitor

This article is a press release from Green Koncepts.

Wattson, an innovately designed wireless electricity monitor, now available in Singapore

If you are one of many in Singapore feeling the pinch of increasing electricity costs, meet Wattson – an innovatively designed wireless and portable electricity monitor that not only looks good in your home or office, but helps you measure your energy consumption so that you can better manage your electricity costs.

With a large LED display, Wattson gives you an instantenous reading of your electricity usage and tells you how much electricity each appliance consumes. Wattson can potentially help you reduce up to 25% of your electricity bill when you have the ability to measure your electricity consumption and look at energy saving possibilities. Not only that, you’ll be doing your part for the environment through energy conservation. Read more

Exhibition Photos from ISWA/WMRAS World Congress 2008

The ISWA/WMRAS World Congress 2008 is held for the first time in Singapore from 3-6 Nov at Suntec Singapore. The Congress exhibition is open to trade visitors, and showcases companies and the latest technologies in solid waste management. A preview of what you can see at the exhibition: Read more

Summary of Green News: 31 Oct 08

Local News

• Environmental pact sees F&B packaging waste down 17% (Channel NewsAsia) – The National Environment Agency (NEA), said that signatories to the Singapore Packaging Agreement, has cut down their packaging waste by 850 tonnes since they joined it last June.
• Good things do come in small packages (Today) – The 3R Packaging Awards will be given out to the Singapore Packaging Agreement signatories that have made notable efforts in their waste minimisation programmes and to reduce packaging waste.
• More than just hot air (Today) – Wind energy is making its first inroads into Singapore and it may be possible to tap on wind as an alternative energy source.
• New sand substitute sets green milestone in Singapore (Straits Times via Wildsingapore) – Geocycle Singapore, a joint venture of cement maker Holcim Singapore and recycler ecoWise Holdings, has set up a new plant to recycle used copper slag as a substitute for sand in the making of ready-mixed concrete.
• Fitting 70% of roofs with solar panels achievable (Straits Times via Wildsingapore) - It is possible to put solar panels on 70% of Singapore’s rooftops and generate 11,550 gigawatt hours of power for the needs of 2.8 million people.

Global News

• DHL E-Billing to Cut Paper Invoices by One-Third (GreenBiz) – By 2010, DHL expects to have its e-Billing system rolled out in Europe and to cut the amount of paper invoices by one-third.
• Telecommuting and the Green Office of the Future (GreenBiz) – Businesses are becoming greener through telecommuting and it makes sense too.

Summary of Green News: 15 Oct 08

Local News

• From water-scarce island to hydrohub (Business Times via Wildsingapore) – Singapore has evolved from a water-scarce nation into a global hydrohub of solutions and technologies for the water industry.
• S’pore to announce development plans for Semakau Landfill in November (Channel NewsAsia) – Singapore will be announcing its masterplan for the Semakau Landfill during the International Solid Waste Association Congress, which includes test-bedding environmental technologies and increasing its use for educational purposes.
• Singapore’s BCA Green Mark debuts in Malaysia, set to go beyond (Business Times via Wildsingapore) – Some green building developers from countries such as Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam and China are adopting the Green Mark scheme developed by the Building and Construction Authority.

Global News

• Businesses offered interest free loans for energy efficiency (edie) – Small businesses in the UK can apply for interest-free loans of up to £200,000 to improve their energy efficiency by upgrading equipment with a more energy efficient version.
• New Site Launched to Promote Extended Producer Responsibility (GreenerDesign) – The California Product Stewardship Council has launched a new website on extended producer responsibility, where manufacturers are responsible for the end-of-life management of their products.
• Leading From the Middle: The Power of the Green Champion (GreenBiz) – Businesses are seeking out volunteer “green champions” in their workplace who are passionate about being green and are eager to implement green suggestions, although they are not on a green team or sustainability committee.

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