A school here is enjoying hot water and air-conditioning, courtesy of the sun’s rays.
The newly opened United World College of South East Asia in Tampines now relies on a solar thermal system for all of its hot water and a third of its air-conditioning.
The system, installed by Austrian solar engineering company Solid Asia, cost nearly €5 million (S$8.6 million) and was funded by the Economic Development Board (EDB) and two Austrian banks – Raiffeisen-Landesbank Steiermark and Oesterreichische Kontrollbank.
Mr Julian Peter Whiteley, head of the college, said: ‘It’s been crucial because we’ve been able to teach the students about how you can genuinely achieve sustainability, and not just talk about it.’
Solid Asia approached the college to set up the system, and it agreed. The company, which has an office in Singapore, had applied for EDB’s Solar Capability Scheme, which grooms the solar industry here by encouraging design and integration of solar panels into green buildings.
The system was installed on top of the campus building and shelter at the school field in the middle of last year.
It began operating in August this year and was officially launched on Wednesday.
Besides being a clean and renewable energy source, solar energy will also guarantee stable electricity bills.
With this system and other energy-saving features, the campus will likely consume 25 to 30 per cent less electricity than conventional buildings of similar size and function.
Dr Christian Holter, chief executive of Solid Group, the parent company of Solid Asia, said: ‘Electricity costs will rise and go even higher, but the cost of this system will remain the same because the sun shines for free.’
The system absorbs the sun’s heat to warm up water that runs through it.
Some of the hot water is used mainly for the college’s boarding house, which can take up to 150 students.
The remaining hot water powers a chiller that cools water for the college’s air-con system.
This project was one of six awarded the Solar Pioneer Award last year by the inter-agency Energy Innovation Programme Office, which plans and executes strategies to develop the energy sector here. The office is led by EDB and the Energy Market Authority.
Dr Holter said: ‘The only thing is that we need to invest upfront, but this technology at the college is expected to last for the next 25 to 30 years. It is a long-term investment.’
The campus won a Platinum Green Mark for Buildings Award for its eco-friendly design.
For example, the college boasts green walls to reduce ambient temperature, and a rain garden to collect rainwater for landscape irrigation.
Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Vivian Balakrishnan congratulated the college for the project in a post on his ministry’s Facebook page yesterday.
He said: ‘Much of our energy demand in buildings relate to cooling due to our tropical climate. It is fitting that we should see such a tangible demonstration of innovation in a place of learning.’
