Iconic building projects are important for any city as they showcase the city’s achievements and capabilities, said Tai Lee Siang, president of the Singapore Green Building Council (SGBC).
‘For Singapore to stand out, it is important to have iconic green building projects as we scale the ranks to become a beacon of green and sustainable development in Asia,’ Mr Tai told BT.
‘They define the city’s values, convey its desired image and serve as inspiration for innovation among urban planners and even the community at large.’
Singapore has seen a number of iconic green projects come up of late – including the The Gardens by the Bay, which is aimed at providing Singaporeans with a verdant environment in which to live, work and play. Mr Tai said that The Gardens embody the principles of environmental sustainability. Among its key features are cooled conservatories which will house plants from the Mediterranean and Tropical Montane regions.
Another project that is noteworthy is the Zero Energy Building – or ZEB@BCA Academy – which is the Building and Construction Authority’s test-bed for energy-efficient building solutions.
The development produces enough energy to run itself. Among its key features are 1,540 square metres of solar energy panels, an area bigger than an Olympic-sized swimming pool; solar chimneys that take warm air from a room and replaces it with cool air; and personalised ventilation, where fresh air is delivered directly to each occupant through pipes attached to a desk.
Mr Tai noted that Singapore has made significant strides in adopting green and sustainable building techniques over the last few years and is in fact gaining recognition for its efforts.
Since industry regulator BCA launched its Green Mark scheme in 2005, the number of building projects given the awards has climbed from a mere 17 in its inaugural year to 948 as at November 2011.
Many projects have also won awards from international organisations such as World Green Building Council as well as international accreditation such as the US LEED certification.
Said Mr Tai: ‘The main drivers for green buildings are rising energy costs and new government measures to actively promote green buildings and sustainable developments in Singapore.’
Industry support and innovation, are also important. SGBC will promote green building design, practices and technologies, the integration of green building initiatives into mainstream design, construction and operation of buildings, as well as building capability and professionalism to support the wider adoption of green building practices in Singapore.
SGBC recently introduced a certification scheme to endorse the quality of green products and services and promote their proliferation so that buyers and developers will have a wider spectrum of reliable and affordable green products and services to satisfy their specific needs and budgets. More than 80 products have been certified since the scheme was fully launched last year.
However, there is still one key concern for building owners in Singapore – the perceived high upfront costs.
But Mr Tai pointed out that the authorities are trying to help in this regard. The government recently launched the Building Retrofit Energy Efficiency Scheme to help Singapore-based companies – especially SMEs – by providing some financial assistance for the greening of their buildings. There are also other government incentives including funding for R&D to boost the development of green building technologies.
‘Recently, there are signs that major building owners are now investing and taking steps to mitigate greenhouse emissions. There are also more owners retrofitting their buildings to make them energy-efficient and conducive for living and working, and getting decent returns on their investments in green technology,’ Mr Tai said.
‘Building owners must also be made aware of the financial benefits of operating green buildings.’
Looking ahead, Mr Tai identified two major challenges as the design and building sector in Singapore continues to go green.
One is to meet the BCA’s goal of greening at least 80 per cent of Singapore’s buildings (through Green Mark certifications) by 2030. Attaining this goal requires greater public awareness of the benefits of going green – such as cost savings for building owners as well as higher productivity and better health among the building occupants – and more financial incentives from the government to go green.
Another challenge is to convince building owners to accept the green concept and its real, tangible benefits which (apart from cost savings) also reduce pollution, waste and environment degradation, Mr Tai said.
‘There is also a challenge to galvanise the industry, the market and the public at large to support eco-friendly practices and green buildings. We at SGBC, too, need to strengthen our efforts to drum home the importance of environmental sustainability to consumers who will ultimately dictate the demand for green buildings and eco-friendly products and services.’
But Mr Tai is optimistic that Singapore has the right mix of resources and talent for better green buildings.
‘Our proximity to Asia’s huge market provides a ready consumer base and access to a vast wealth of creative resources. We believe that Singapore is an ideal place to spark and nurture creativity in design and innovation. In fact, over the past years, we are seeing more buildings here incorporating innovative design features with green elements. And many of these are conceptualised by local architects and builders.’
