Cultivating Singapore’s green landscape [News]

A blueprint for Singapore’s sustainable development was unveiled in April 2009 by the Inter-Ministerial Committee for Sustainable Development. Titled ‘A Lively and Liveable Singapore – Strategies for Sustainable Growth’, it set out the key goals and initiatives covering the next 10 to 20 years.

Shortly after, the government and regulatory bodies launched various initiatives to encourage individuals and business sectors in Singapore to go green. Among the initiatives was the $100 million Green Mark incentive scheme for existing buildings by the Building and Construction Authority to incentivise commercial building owners to retrofit their buildings to improve energy efficiency.

There have been other initiatives by the Singapore authorities to promote sustainable development, and this article summarises some of the more recent regulatory developments across Singapore’s green landscape. Read more

SIEW 2009: Sustainable Cities 2009

The Sustainable Cities 2009 conference was held during the Singapore International Energy Week to discuss key issues, investment opportunities, and green technologies associated with developing sustainable cities.

Some topics discussed:

Dr Liu Thai Ker, Chairman, Centre for Liveable Cities, started the conference with his take on achieving sustainable development with effective city planning. He referred to the city as a machine for living, which is made up of:

• Grids: Green and Blue, Expressways, MRTs
• Organs: CBD, Industrial Estates, Utilities
• Cells: Regions, Towns, Neighborhoods

Dr Liu emphasised that a quantitative approach based on the population, land, density and positioning, is needed for city planning, and a city is about the body and clothes, and not just a beautiful suit. He used the analogy of developing a city and making a suit as a comparison. A city (suit) should be developed in the following order:

1. Concept (Data)
2. Positioning (Male)
3. Quantity (Height and Weight)
4. Grid (Bones and Veins)
5. Organs (Organs)
6. Land Use (Muscles)
7. Architecture (Clothes)
8. Icons (Decorations)

Dr Liu concluded with the following points: good planning ensures sustainable development with no extra cost; conventional engineering, selectively well applied, enhances sustainable development at conventional cost; and the sustainable way for sustainable development is to create eco-friendly city platform and enhance eco-friendly technologies.

Rani Virdee, Managing Director, Asia Pacific, The Carbon Neutral Company, presented on implementing carbon management strategies for the built environment. Carbon emissions for the built environment comes from the embodied energy of materials used and construction activities, and ongoing energy consumption. She suggested that carbon management should be incentivised under the Green Mark criteria.

Clay Nesler, Vice President, Global Energy and Sustainability, Johnson Controls, USA, shared the transformation of the Empire State Building in New York City. The building went through an energy efficiency retrofit with new windows, radiative barriers, daylighting, chiller retrofit, VAV air handling unit, wireless network control systems, demand control ventilation and tenant energy management, which is expected to achieve the following:

• $4.4 million annual energy cost savings
• 38% energy reduced annually
• 3.1 years payback
• 105,000 tons of carbon emissions saved over the next 15 years

Mr Nesler recommended the following:

• Address tenant spaces by taking whole-building approach: phase projects over time; enabling technology for info feedback; modify lease structures to align incentives
• Take right steps in right order for integrated design
• Integrate with capital plan to match renovation cycles
• Leverage financial models that reduces risks and provide short-term benefits for owners and tenants

He also suggested what cities can do now:

• Create municipal financing programs to encourage private sector investment
• Introduce and enforce stricter building codes for new contruction and major renovation
• Introduce voluntary high performance building codes for commercial buildings and make it a requirement for public buildings
• Introduce mandatory building performance labelling
• Require commercial building audits on periodic basis and/or at time of sale
• Work with building owners to create and promote high profile demostration projects

Melvyn Thong, Deputy Director, Mechanical and Electrical Systems Division, Land Transport Authority (LTA), explained the Green Framework for Rapid Transit Systems (RTS) to fit with sustainable city planning. The LTA Green Framework reduces the carbon footprint of commuters by sustainable development of the RTS, which includes:

1. Effective use of energy (50%) for lighting systems; electrical services; signals, communications and control systems; environmental control systems, etc
2. Environmental protection and sustainable development (35%) for rolling stock; environment control systems; civil works; architecture
3. Water conservation (15%)

Sustainability Seminar – How Companies Can Gain From Sustainable Development

Venue: Singapore Business Federation (SBF), Seminar Room 2, 21 level Keppel Towers, 10 Hoe Chiang Road, Singapore 089315

SBF is organising a seminar on how companies can gain from sustainable development. There will be a launch of the EcoWorld 2010 and Outstanding Sustainability Award, and also a showcase of sustainable development solutions by companies. Read more

The Inter-Ministerial Committee for Sustainable Development Unveils Blueprint for a Sustainable Singapore

This is a news release from Sustainable Singapore.

1. The Inter-Ministerial Committee for Sustainable Development (IMCSD) has unveiled a blueprint for Singapore’s sustainable development, detailing the key goals and initiatives for the next 10 to 20 years.

2. Speaking at a media conference, Minister for National Development and co-Chair of the IMCSD Mr Mah Bow Tan said, “The economic situation has changed dramatically since we set up this committee in February last year. The temptation is to slow down our efforts in the area of sustainable development while we tackle the immediate economic challenges. However, the two are not mutually exclusive. Even as we tackle the short-term challenges, we must build capability for our long-term development. Sustainable development must remain a national priority, in good times and bad, given our resource constraints, the demands of our growing city and the global challenge of climate change.” Minister Mah added, “Sustainable development can only be achieved through long-term attention and effort. We must act now. As individuals, we must be prepared to change the way we live, work, play and commute. As a nation, we have to invest to develop new technologies and alternative sources of energy.” Read more

Speech by Minister for the Environment and Water Resources at Committee of Supply Debate 2009

The Minister for the Environment and Water Resources, Dr Yaacob Ibrahim, gave his speech at the annual Committee of Supply Debate yesterday in Parliament. He covered the following topics:

• Sustainable Development & Resource Efficiency
• Climate Change, Energy Efficiency & Solar Energy
• Managing Water Demand
• Recycling
• Enhancing Capabilities and Building Long-Term Competitiveness
• Air Quality
• Noise
• Dengue & Chikungunya
• Public Cleanliness and Littering
• Hawker Centres
• Cleanliness of Food Outlets, Toilets and Waste Collection
• ABC Waters Programme & Marina Barrage

Summary of Key Issues

Given the global downturn, the ability to grow the economy in a sustainable way has become more, not less, relevant. Continuing to achieve good growth while maintaining a good environment will require first, the prudent use of natural resources, second, building capability in the environmental sector, and third, protecting our environment to ensure environmental standards do not slip, and even improve.

The Inter-Ministerial Committee on Sustainable Development (IMCSD) will release its report in March, including the $1 billion budget for sustainable development.

The preliminary results of the 2-year study by NEA to understand the long-term effects of climate change, indicate that Singapore’s existing infrastructure is sufficient to address the risks in the short to medium term.

Companies are already implementing energy efficiency measures with funding such as the Design for Efficiency scheme to co-fund workshops to design energy efficient facilities, and the Grant for Energy Efficient Technologies to co-fund up to 50% of the cost of energy efficient equipment or technology.

The government is taking the lead on energy efficiency and is on track to meet its goal of conducting energy audits for all government buildings with more than 15,000 square metres of air-conditioned floor area by March 2010.

NEA will implement Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS) for household air-conditioners and refrigerators by 2011 to remove the least efficient models (1-tick and 2-tick range) from the market.

Solar energy is still more costly than conventional grid electricity generated from fossil fuels, but prices are expected to come down as the technology matures. To build up our capabilities for future adoption when it is cost-effective to do so, we will continue to research and test-bed such new technologies.

The Four National Taps strategy provides Singapore with NEWater and desalinated water options during dry weather, thus improving the drought resilience of the water supply system. But it is still important for Singaporeans to conserve water and use it efficiently.

Taps, urinals and dual-flush low capacity flushing cisterns (LCFCs) installed in new developments and existing premises undergoing renovation from July 2009 must have at least a one-tick water efficiency rating. In addition, all new domestic premises and existing ones undergoing renovation have to use dual-flush LCFCs from July 2009.

For water efficiency projects under the Water Efficiency Fund, PUB has increased the co-funding for SMEs from 50% to 80% of the cost of qualifying projects. PUB will also help SMEs to defray part of the retrofitting costs involved in switching to NEWater, and help them reduce their water bills by providing free constant flow regulators and spray nozzles.

The participation rate in the National Recycling Programme (NRP) has increased from 15% in 2001 to 63% in 2008.

Since 2007, there are 1,600 centralized recycling bins at HDB estates and one for every five blocks of HDB flats. The average amount of recyclables collected from each set of bins increased from 65 kg per month in 2007 to 103 kg per month for 2008.

NEA targets to achieve full implementation for the mandatory provision of recycling receptacles in condominium and private apartments by the end of 2009.

Singapore’s recycling rate has improved from 40% in 2000 to 56% in 2008 and we are on track to meet the Singapore Green Plan 2012 target of 60%.

NEA will be launching a $8 million 3R Fund to co-fund new waste minimisation and recycling projects. The fund will co-fund up to 80% of qualifying costs and subject to a cap of $1 million per project.

We are aware that some developed countries have used legislation to mandate recycling. In view of the current economic downturn, we are not looking at introducing legislation in the near future as it would likely increase costs for businesses and households. However, in the longer term, we will study the use of legislation to further improve our recycling rate.

The Ministry is developing a plan to turn Semakau landfill into an Eco Park, where companies can conduct field testing of renewable and clean technologies.

The Green Vehicle Rebate (GVR) Scheme will be extended by another 2 years till 31 December 2011. Through the GVR scheme, the number of green vehicles such as CNG and hybrid vehicles has increased to more than 5,400 as at end 2008. This is about 1% of the total car population.

There are now 3 CNG refuelling stations and this is expected to increase to 5 by the end of this year with the opening of stations at Serangoon North and Toh Tuck.

Under the ABC Waters Programme, 27 projects will be carried out across Singapore by 2012 to transform our drains, canals and reservoirs into beautiful and clean streams, rivers and lakes integrated into our neighbourhoods.

We have a shared responsibility to ensure sustainable development. Companies can develop and deploy technologies and products that are more environmentally- friendly than today, and incorporate environmental considerations into their operations and procedures. Citizens must embrace a lifestyle that considers the environment and limits resource consumption in their daily lives. Government will promote sustainability by setting an example, demonstrating our commitment, and involving people.

Sustainable development is a long-term process with long-term objectives. It means focusing on the horizon, rather than quick fixes; targeting prevention now, rather than putting right later; caring for the environment as part of our choices today, rather than dealing with the consequences of neglect down the line.

Source: Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources

20 Suggestions for Sustainable Singapore

The Inter-Ministerial Committee on Sustainable Development (IMCSD) recently announced Singapore’s vision and initiatives for sustainable development, and is seeking public feedback and suggestions. The IMCSD is studying ways to be more sustainable in the way we Work, Commute, Live and Play.

Visit the Sustainable Singapore website to find out more and give your feedback or suggestions.

In response to the call for green ideas, Green Future Solutions came up with 20 suggestions that would help Singapore to be more sustainable. The 20 suggestions include:

Reduce Energy and Carbon Emissions

1. Promote SEE Energy Management for the Industry and Building Sector

2. Encourage Building Owners to Reduce Lightings at Night

3. Work Towards a Four National Switches Energy Strategy

4. Set Mandatory Energy Efficiency and Renewable Portfolio Standards

Read more