Green buildings make value propositions [News]

By Mindy Tan, The Business Times, 29 Nov 2011.

Retrofitting commercial buildings can lead to an increase in their value.

Companies can not only expect average savings in operating expenses of 10 per cent, but commercial buildings can also potentially see an increase in capital value of about 2 per cent.

Specifically, it was found that retrofitting to achieve the standard BCA Green Mark certification can result in significant reduction in energy consumption; average savings from the 23 buildings (comprising office, retail, hotel, and mixed-used developments) sampled earlier this year after retrofitting was about 17 per cent of the total building’s energy consumption, compared to before retrofitting.

These were some of the key findings of a joint study conducted earlier this year, by the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) and the department of real estate at the National University of Singapore, in collaboration with six real estate consultancy firms. Read more

How a shopping mall in Singapore goes green

Singapore is well-known for its food and shopping experience, and this potent mix can be found at the ubiquitous shopping malls located at all major town centers in Singapore. In recent years, shopping malls are starting to look almost alike, with the major international and local brands infiltrating the malls and offering similar sales.

Are all shopping malls the same? To differentiate itself from other shopping malls, some malls are trying to target different groups of consumers, while others are starting to brand itself on a particular theme. One recent shopping mall, City Square Mall, developed and managed by City Developments Limited (CDL), decided to focus on the green theme and prides itself as the first eco-mall in Singapore. So how green is this shopping mall?

Green Business Times recently visited the mall for a site tour and to understand more about this unique shopping destination from the mall’s Environmental Officer. City Square Mall is located at the junction of Serangoon Road and Kitchener Road, and is opened since September 2009. Read more

In-house CSR divisions being set up in firms [News]

By Nisha Ramchandani, The Business Times, 10 Aug 2011.

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) may still be a fairly novel concept for many in the corporate sector, but some local companies are ahead of the curve in championing the cause and have set up their own in-house CSR divisions.

City Developments (CDL) – which first incorporated a CSR report into its annual report in 2004 before rolling out an independent annual sustainability report from 2008 – strives to measure its business against a ‘triple bottom line’: its financial, economic, and social performance.

One area which the group is seeking to improve going forward is in mitigating its impact on the environment. Read more

Insights from a Green Champion’s CSR Journey

With concerted government and private-sector efforts towards environmental sustainability in Singapore and across the globe, the green sector has grown considerably in prominence and company practices. With this comes various ways of measuring, understanding, and of course recognising efforts by companies which invest considerable effort into this aspect of corporate social responsibility, or CSR.

One example of this is the Singapore Compact CSR Awards, launched in 2010 in various categories for different aspects of CSR. To understand and learn from a local company’s CSR journey, Green Business Times spoke to Ms Esther An, Head of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), City Developments Limited (CDL), winner of the inaugural Singapore Compact CSR Green Champion Award. Read more

Introducing ISO 26000 – Guidance on Social Responsibility

The latest International Standard ISO 26000:2010 – Guidance on Social Responsibility, was launched yesterday by SPRING Singapore at a seminar to introduce the new standard to the business community.

What is ISO 26000

ISO 26000 provides social responsibility guidance for all types of organisations, such as MNCs and big corporations, SMEs, non-governmental organisations and government agencies.

As the world moves towards an age of radical transparency, organisations and stakeholders become increasingly aware of the need for socially and environmentally responsible behaviour. ISO 26000 is thus a timely and relevant guide to help organisations understand what social responsibility is and what they need to do to operate in a socially responsible way. Read more

Singapore Companies Honoured at Inaugural CSR Awards

At the International Singapore Compact CSR Summit 2010, Singapore Compact announced the winners of the inaugural CSR Awards, to honour the companies’ best practices in CSR. Out of the 58 entries submitted, five local companies were chosen as winners in five different categories while two other companies received Special Mention.

Speaking on the awards, Mr Seah Kian Peng, Vice-President of Singapore Compact for CSR said: “The response for the awards this year has been very good. The judges discussed the various nominations very thoroughly before arriving at their decision. We feel that this award is a good way to motivate people to improve their CSR performance. We need leaders and innovators to lead the way in CSR, and to improve on what has been done. For future years’ awards, we will fine tune the criteria for selection to align to changing expectations of the community and other stakeholders.” Read more

CDL Unveils First CarbonNeutral Development in Singapore and Asia Pacific – 11 Tampines Concourse

This is a news release from City Developments Limited (CDL).

In support of the Government’s strategy for sustainable development in Singapore, City Developments Limited (CDL) as a green developer, is taking an affirmative step, setting yet another milestone for Singapore in environmental sustainability.

Today, at a ceremony officiated by Guest-of-Honour, Mr Mah Bow Tan, Minister for National Development, CDL’s newly-completed 11 Tampines Concourse was unveiled as the first CarbonNeutral® development in Singapore and Asia Pacific.

The establishment of Tampines Concourse as a CarbonNeutral® development represents a natural progression of CDL’s commitment towards building greener properties. It is a forward-looking approach towards long-term sustainability. Read more