More than 30 condominiums island-wide are making the switch to Light-Emitting Diodes (LED) lights in a move to cut electricity costs and conserve electricity in the long run.
They have signed up under the energy (electricity) management programme headed by the Association of Management Corporations in Singapore (AMCIS).
AMCIS is a not-for-profit association that seeks to improve the standard of property management and reduce the cost of managing estates.
Launched in December 2010, AMCIS chief executive Francis Zhan said a dozen condominiums were involved during the trial project and the “results were encouraging”.
Based on the current electricity tariff of 29 cents per kilowatt-hour (kwh), a condominium with over 900 units working with the association can save about S$220,000 annually and S$1.1 million over five years, according to Mr Zhan.
He added that an average condominium could “save as much as 60 per cent on electricity cost on lighting”.
The use of LED lights also reduces the consumption of electricity.
An LED light does not require a starter and uses 18 watts, while a fluorescent light uses 44 watts.
An LED light of premium grade can last 50,000 hours, while a fluorescent light only lasts 8,000 hours, said Mr Zhan.
And if the fluorescent light is “switched on and off regularly, it would only have a lifespan of 750 hours”, he added.
Last month, the association called for its second public tender for the supply, installation and maintenance of LED lights in common areas and car park of condominiums and complexes.
Mr Zhan said the association expects to cover at least 1, 000 condominiums over the next two years.
Condominium managements that are interested in joining the programme can contact the association.
Non-members will have to pay a S$300 administration fee annually, while members pay a S$100 entrance fee and an annual membership of S$10 for every 100 units.
Eleven town councils are also in the midst of converting their lights to LED in the common areas of public housing estates, with the Jurong Town Council being the first to kick off the process.
