New systems help old buildings save energy [News]

By Grace Chua, The Straits Times, 9 Jan 2012.

At a corner of Golden Mile Tower is a dim, but airy room, filled with whirring equipment, the shiny new pumps and chillers looking bright against the dusty walls.

Though the office-and-retail block on Beach Road is four decades old, it had all this installed last year, along with a cooling tower and a panel to monitor the performance of the system.

The hardware, fitted in to conserve energy, has done its job.

The block’s power bills have been cut by $30,000 a month, from $100,000.

The owners of older buildings such as this one and People’s Park Complex are sinking money into such systems ahead of energy-related laws that may be passed this year. Read more

LTA’s new role fuels talk of emission-based tax [News]

By Christopher Tan, The Straits Times, 6 Dec 2011.

The Land Transport Authority (LTA) will take over the fuel efficiency labelling of cars from the National Environment Agency (NEA) next year – a move that industry players say could pave the way for an emission-based vehicle tax system in the longer term.

Such a taxation system uses the amount of tailpipe emissions to determine how much a motorist pays in road tax or even excise duty, and has been adopted by several countries in recent years.

Asked if this was the eventual plan, an LTA spokesman would say only: ‘As announced by the Minister for Finance at Budget 2011, the Government is undertaking a comprehensive review on measures to promote the adoption of green vehicles, as part of our efforts to promote sustainable development.’ Read more

Energy efficient programme to assist low-income households [News]

By Evelyn Choo, Channel NewsAsia, 5 Nov 2011.

In the next three years, low-income households in central Singapore will have their light bulbs converted to energy-efficient alternatives.

The aim is to help them save a collective $160,000 in utilities bills.

And if successful, the National Environment Agency (NEA) said the project could be rolled out nationwide.

Madam Annie has been living with her sister in a one-room rental flat for six years.

The 62-year-old widow chalks up a monthly average of $60 on utility bills, and the switch to an energy-efficient bulb makes a difference.

“It (energy-efficient bulb) makes the house look brighter, and it’s going to last longer I’ve heard. It’s going to save me about $2 a month and about $20 to 24 a year,” said Madam Annie, a Jalan Bukit Merah resident. Read more

Speech by Andrew Tan, National Environment Agency CEO, at The Solar Pioneer Awards Ceremony 2011 [Speeches]

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Good morning.

Introduction

I am happy to be here with you this morning at the Solar Pioneer Awards Ceremony 2011, jointly organized by the Economic Development Board (EDB), National Environment Agency (NEA) and Sustainable Energy Association of Singapore (SEAS). This ceremony coincides with the inaugural PV Asia Pacific Expo and the Singapore International Energy Week (SIEW). For those of you joining us from abroad, I extend a warm welcome to Singapore.

The Road Ahead – Rapid Urbanisation, Economic Growth and Energy Diversification

Just two days ago, the world population reached 7 billion people. Half that number lives in cities, with another half waiting to enter. If you were to view the world from space, you will see a globe that is dotted with thousands of lights, some brighter, others dimmer. Each of those dots represents a city, town or a village. And you ask yourself – where will we find all this power to light up our homes and industry? As cities grow, the demand for energy increases, so does the price, and all indications point to the end of an era of cheap energy. Read more

Saving energy, reaping the benefits [News]

By Melody Tan, Today, 5 Oct 2011.

If your doorbell rings one day, don’t be surprised to find a student outside, ready to share energy conservation tips with you.

The home monitoring visits are part of the Responsible Energy Advocates Programme (REAP), a sustainability programme developed by PowerSeraya in partnership with the National Environment Agency (NEA) and South West Community Development Council (CDC).

REAP is the first programme to engage with the people, public and private sectors in encouraging energy conservation.

According to PowerSeraya chief executive officer John Ng, REAP aims to train tertiary students to be energy advocates who can pass their newfound knowledge on to households, resulting in the conservation of both energy and money, in the form of reduced utility bills. Read more

3R Packaging Awards recognise companies for their efforts to reduce packaging waste

The Singapore Packaging Agreement signatories received the 3R Packaging Awards this morning at the Third Meeting of the Regional 3R Forum in Asia, held at Sheraton Towers Singapore for their efforts to reduce packaging waste.

The Singapore Packaging Agreement (SPA) is a voluntary programme by the industry, the National Environment Agency (NEA), and NGOs to reduce the amount of waste from product packaging through improvements in product packaging design and packaging processes. The annual 3R Packaging Awards have been presented by NEA since 2008 to recognise the signatories of SPA for their efforts.

For this year’s 3R Packaging Awards, 6 companies received the Distinction Award and 15 companies received the Merit Awards from Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister for the Environment and Water Resources. Read more

Council formed to keep S’pore clean [News]

By Hoe Yeen Nie, Channel NewsAsia, 27 Sep 2011.

The National Environment Agency (NEA) has formed a new Public Hygiene Council, in its latest effort to keep Singapore clean.

It wants Singaporeans to stop littering and practise good hygiene by influencing public attitudes.

The Public Hygiene Council, chaired by Khoo Teck Puat Hospital CEO Liak Teng Lit, comprises 21 individuals representing the public sector, environment groups and related industries.

They include Ms Tan Puay Hoon, president of the Restroom Association (Singapore), Mr Eugene Heng, chairman of the Waterways Watch Society, Dr Foo Suan Fong, principal of Dunman High School and Mr Edward Goh, chief operating officer of Purechem Veolia Environmental Services. Read more

20% of air-cons, 9% of fridges don’t meet energy standards: NEA [News]

By Ng Lian Cheong / Alvina Soh, Channel NewsAsia, 31 Aug 2011.

The National Environment Agency (NEA) has found that about one-fifth of air-conditioner models in Singapore do not meet the minimum energy efficiency standards, as of late August 2011.

It added that nine per cent of refrigerator models are not up to the mark as well.

NEA said there are about 60 registered suppliers in the market for these appliances.

Under the Environmental Protection and Management Act (EPMA), registrable goods in Singapore must be registered with NEA, affixed with Energy Labels and meet the prescribed minimum energy efficiency standards before they can be supplied in Singapore. Read more

Singapore’s Waste Management Industry to Get $5 Million WSQ Training Boost to Raise Productivity Levels [Press Releases]

Singapore, 12 August 2011 – Some 6,000 Singaporean workers in the Waste Management industry are targeted to benefit from a new Singapore Workforce Skills Qualifications (WSQ) programme for the Waste Management industry. These include workers such as Waste Collection Truck Drivers, Fleet and Route Coordinators, Waste Recycling workers, Plant Technicians and Managers.

Mr Lim Swee Say, Secretary-General, National Trades Union Congress, presided at the launch of the programme at Veolia ES Singapore today which was held in conjunction with the graduation of the first batch of workers from the new WSQ programme. This programme was developed by the Singapore Workforce Development Agency (WDA) in collaboration with the National Environment Agency (NEA) and the Waste Management and Recycling Association of Singapore (WMRAS) which has a 95-member base comprising all major Singapore waste management companies. Read more

WMRAS and NEA Launch Inaugural Solid Waste Management Event in Asia [Press Releases]

Singapore, 5 July 2011 – Waste Management and Recycling Association of Singapore (WMRAS) and National Environment Agency (NEA) launched a brand new trade event, WasteMET Asia, an exhibition and conference in solid waste management and environmental technology. Co-located with Singapore International Water Week and World Cities Summit in July 2012, the inaugural event is proud to have International Solid Waste Association (ISWA) as a strategic partner. WasteMET Asia is also supported by Economic Development Board, International Enterprise Singapore, JTC Corporation, Singapore Exhibition & Convention Bureau, and SPRING Singapore. Read more

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