SINGAPORE
– From the bone-chilling air
conditioning that pumps through Singapore’s malls and offices to lights that
burn all night, the city state is one of Asia’s most intensive energy users.
Nearly
all electricity used by the industrialised island is produced by burning fossil
fuels, which in 2010 contributed to the largest carbon footprint per head in
the Asia-Pacific region, according to conservation group the World Wide Fund
for Nature (WWF).
South
Korea and third-placed Japan follow close behind.
For
environmentalists, the scenario is all too familiar in the Asia region whose
urban population is set to soar from 1.9 billion to 3.3 billion by 2050
according to United Nations data.
Such
growth puts sustainability on top of the agenda but critics say Asia’s
megacities are not doing enough to curb their voracious appetite for energy,
with Singapore having been recognised as one of the worst offenders.
The WWF
added that buildings contribute some 16 percent of Singapore’s carbon
emissions.
While
the city-state contends that the WWF’s per capita measurement of carbon
emissions “disadvantages countries with small populations” – compared to the
likes of rapidly industrialising China – it has nevertheless been spurred into
action.
In
2005, the government embarked on a project to promote the development of
high-tech, low-energy buildings and the retrofitting of older ones in a push to
“green” at least 80pc of all buildings by 2030.
Since
then 1000 government-certified green buildings have been built in Singapore,
accounting for 13pc of gross floor space in the country.
Along
with cash incentives, developers who meet targets set by the Building and
Construction Authority (BCA) are given more leeway to have bigger floor areas.
United
World College Southeast Asia, an international school, is one of the
torchbearers of the drive.
“Many
new buildings are savagely over-designed, wasting capital and upkeep costs. If
you rationalise your design and spend on green technology, the savings are
going to be immense,” said Simon Thomas, its director of operations and
facilities.
Features
like rooftop solar panels, cascading walls that block off heat and optimal use
of natural light make the campus about 30pc more energy-efficient than
conventional buildings of similar size, Thomas told AFP.
The
college worked closely with architects to design a building that had energy
efficiency as a central objective, he said.
The
2500 students are also kept aware of daily water and electricity consumption
levels, thanks to prominently displayed meters on every floor.
Its
5.5-hectare (13.5 acres) campus in Singapore’s eastern region was awarded the
nation’s Green Mark Platinum award in 2011, the highest accolade in the
official rating system.
Despite
the surge in the development of such buildings, BCA chief executive John Keung
said some developers are still averse to riding the green wave, due to what
they see as relatively high costs of technologies such as solar.
“Although
there are some who see great value in going green for their own corporate
branding, others are discouraged by its perceived high upfront costs and low
return on investments,” Keung told AFP.
Developers
who shun green technologies may not be fully aware of the scale of savings they
are missing out on, according to Keung.
“The
cost premium involved in green buildings is gradually decreasing with greater
economies of scale and the industry’s familiarity with green building design.”
Despite
the cost of solar panels falling by about 4pc every year, solar-derived
electricity remains more expensive than that from the power grid.
This is
mainly due to its relatively high capital costs as well as maintenance costs,
according to Singapore’s Energy Market Authority.
City
Developments Limited, one of Singapore’s top property groups, is nevertheless
confident that environmentally-friendly buildings will become the norm as
“green consumerism” gains traction.
Its
City Square Mall has an integrated park and solar-panelled roof. Some tenants
sell eco-friendly products and offer discounts to customers who bring their own
shopping bags.
With
Singaporeans increasingly aware of environmental issues, there will be greater
demand for investments in green innovations and technology, said Esther An, the
company’s head of corporate social responsibility.
In
addition to making buildings more energy-efficient, Singapore is also
aggressively developing desalination and sewage-recycling technology to address
its chronic water shortages.
AFP
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