The Greening of Poh Ern Shih
We set out hereunder a
summary of the various GREEN features integrated into the NEW PES
A: Use of Solar Energy
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- for Hot Water
- for Electrical
Power
- for Ambient
Lighting |
B: Use of Hydro
Energy
C: Use of Wind Energy
D: Recycling of Rain Water:
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- for Hydro
Energy (see B above)
- for Passive
Irrigation of Landscaping & Washing of Floors
- as Emergency
Supply of Drinkable Water through Natural Filtration and RO
(Newater) technology |
E: Recycling of
Urine as Fertilizer for our Landscaping in lieu of Phosphate, a
depleting Resource
F: Avoid Use of Air-Conditioning to reduce release of poisonous
Freon Gas into the Atmosphere
G: Avoid Use of Furniture made from Trees - Use Bamboo (a 5-yr
Renewable Resource)
H: Composting for Topsoil
I: Avoid use of Toxic Insecticides
J: Recycling of Envelopes for Re-mailing and Printed/Photocopied
paper
K: Revive the Butterfly Population in our Urban Jungle
A. Use of SOLAR ENERGY
3 Types of Solar Energy
Potential is captured in our Temple:
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- A1. for
HEATING WATER
- A2. for
ELECTRICITY
- A3. for
LIGHTING by collecting and magnifying the LIGHT from the sun
and CHANNELLING it via reflecting GLASS MIRRORS within a
tube to the DARK AREAS in a building |
A1. Solar HEAT Energy to
produce HOT WATER for In-house Bathing and Cooking:
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• Black Solar
Panels placed at an angle with Heat Collector Cells ABSORB
the Sun's HEAT RAYS. This Technology has been available for
the past 35 years and is VERY EFFICIENT as it can absorb 95%
of the Sun's Heat Rays.
• Special set of
Hot Water Plumbing pipes from the Showers in the Toilet and
from the Kitchen are connected to the Solar Hot Water tanks
via pipes.
• Fresh COLD
water from the PUB would naturally flow downwards towards
the lower parts of the sloping Panel and is then heated by
the lower row of "heating" solar cells and as the cold water
gets hotter, it naturally rises in the panel towards the
Collecting Barrel Tank
• Temperature in
the Tank is set thermostatically at 70degrees and if any
water in the tank falls below 70degrees it will begin to
flow towards the bottom of the tank and then DOWN towards
the Black Solar Panel to be RE-HEATED - thus completing a
full cycle!
• If the Kitchen
needs BOILING water (i.e.100degrees water) then it simply
heats the Solar Hotwater from 70degrees to 100degrees - thus
saving the use of PUB electricity |
A2. Solar PHOTO-VOLTAIC (PV) CELLS to produce IN-HOUSE
ELECTRICITY to REDUCE OUR DEPENDENCY on PUB Electrical Power and
thus REDUCE our Monthly Energy Bills.
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- This
Technology is relatively NEW compared to Solar Hot Water
Technology and it can ONLY tap into approximately 10% of the
Sun's Electrical Potential ONLY. The future for this
Technology is therefore still very bright. |
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• These are
installed on our ROOFTOPS to maximise the capture of the
Sun's Energy
• Colourful Photo-Voltaic Cells (PV cells) are installed in
Glass Panels to ABSORB the Sun's ELECTRICAL RAYS.
• There are 3 TYPES of PV Cells - each with its own distinct
features and limitations: |
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• MOST
expensive/LEAST productive under Maximum Sun
• BUT MOST EFFICIENT under CLOUDY CONDITIONS |
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ii)
MONO-CRYSTALLINE type |
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• MID expensive/
MOST productive under Maximum Sun
• BUT NOT EFFICIENT under CLOUDY CONDITIONS |
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iii)
POLY-CRYSTALLINE type |
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• LEAST
expensive/ MID productive under Maximum Sun
• BUT ALSO NOT EFFICIENT under CLOUDY CONDITIONS |
Singapore weather is plagued with CLOUDY days most of the time!!
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• Therefore the
Selection of the most suitable type of PV cells will depend
on each Individual's budget.
• The Temple has a DataLogger that will record the
daily/weekly/monthly production of each type of PV panel for
the public to study and make an INFORMED DECISION as to
which type to purchase. We will be publishing our results on
our Website for Students and the GeneralPublic.
• The Sun gives us 110Volts DC current and therefore we have
3 types of Inverters to convert the Electricity from the 3
types of PV Panels into 220Volts AC current for our
immediate use. The Solar AC electricity is then FED INTO THE
POWERGRID via our Rooftop Electrical Meter which then goes
into REVERSE (giving us CREDIT FOR EVERY WATT OF POWER
PRODUCED!) At the end of the month PUB charges us the NETT
METER READING!
• If the Temple does not use up ALL the Electricity produced
by our PV Panels, then they enter the Power Grid in our area
and is used up by our Neighbours in the area whenever they
turn on their Power. |
A3. SOLATUBES
This Technology channels the Sun's Ambient Lighting through a
Tube of Magnification Mirrors into our Basement Rooms for
Daytime illumination in lieu of PUB Power. It is a form of
PASSIVE LIGHTING
B: Use of Hydro Energy:
B1: Recycling of Rainwater in U/G Tanks for use as Source of Hydro
Energy:
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• Rain will be
collected in strategically located Underground Tanks on the
highest level of the Temple and through Vertical water pipes
the rainwater will be allowed to FREEFALL DOWN 3 storeys
into our U/G Carpark area.
• MICRO HYDRO GENERATORS will be installed inside each of
those pipes all the way down into the U/G Carpark area and
the fall of the water will power the generators which will
in turn produce 110V electricity which will all be
channelled into a Charging Station located in the U/G
Carpark for the activation of a series of Batteries which we
will use to power our Inhouse Wheelchairs and our Landscape
Batteries.
• After the Water has done its work, it is RE-COLLECTED in
another U/G tank beneath our Entrance Carpark Area and
pumped back up to its Original U/G tank at the top of the
hill via Solar-powered pumps to be re-used on a 24 hour
basis. |
C: Use of Wind Energy:
C1: Wind Turbines:
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• During
inclement weather there will be no Sunshine but there will
be either Wind or Rain and therefore we will be tapping into
WIND ENERGY by way of Wind Turbines installed at our
Rooftop. The Wind Generators will produce 110V Electricity
which we will also use to charge our Inhouse bank of
Batteries and our Night Lights. |
D: Recycling of
Rainwater:
D1: Rainwater falling on our Temple will be channelled and collected
in a strategically placed U/G holding tank at the top of the Hill
for production of Hydro Energy (see above)
D2: The above same tank
will also be used for Passive Irrigation of our Eastern Boundary
Landscaping:
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• To the main
Rainwater pipe flowing out of the Tank will be installed a
series of Standpipes
• To the Standpipes will be attached individual Timers that
will operate ON/OFF water valves
• To the Timers will be attached a Soaker Hose i.e. a
flexible hose with multiple minute holes for the rainwater
to slowly WEEP OUT OF when the Valve is opened by the Timer
and the strategically placed "weeping" flexible hosed will
then water the plants and trees in the Landscape area.
• After the prescribed time, the Timer will shut off the
water valve and end the irrigation.
• Irrigation will take place twice a day - morning and
evening.
• This form of PASSIVE IRRIGATION eliminates the use of any
Manpower, any Sprinklers and consequential use of Electrical
power to operate the Sprinklers as well as the cost of
maintaining the frequently plugged sprinkler heads.
• This same tank will also supply water for the washing of
the lower level floors. |
D3: Another U/G tank
located in our Southern U/G Lay Sangha Rooms will collect the
cleaner Roof Runoffs for Filtration into DRINKABLE WATER samples of
batches will be sent to the appropriate authorities for testing and
approval before being released to the public for drinking.
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• Singapore is
located within the Ring of Fire and could one day be
vulnerable to either an Earthquake or a Tsunami arising from
an earthquake.
• In the event of an Earthquake hitting Singapore directly,
our ordinary household waterpipes tapping water from the PUB
main supply pipe may be fractured and we will not be able to
get any water in our household system.
• In the event of a Tsunami arising from an underwater
earthquake, our McRitchie Reservoirs in Thomson Road area
and the like will become contaminated with Saltwater and
become undrinkable.
• PES will install this Filtration Backup system as an
Emergency Supply Source.
• The FIRST phase of the Filtration will be done through the
use of Natural elements found in the Environment eg. Stones,
pebbles, sand, charcoal etc.
• The SECOND phase will be by a Reverse Osmosis Residential
System which is the same technology used in the production
of our NEWATER. |
E: Recycling of URINE:
E1: Because commercial fertilizers are PHOSPHATE based and Phosphate
is fast becoming a depleting resource in our Environment, the Temple
will be installing WATERLESS URINALS in the Men's Toilets and DUAL
COMPARTMENT TOILETS in the Women's Toilets to capture the Urine to
be used IN-HOUSE as our Fertilizing Agent in lieu of the expensive
and fast depleting commercial Fertilizers.
F: Minimize the use of
Air-Conditioning:
F1: Air Conditioning uses up a lot of Power PLUS the Cooling Agent
used is FREON GAS which pollutes the Air Quality and the Environment
plus contributes to the HOLE IN THE SKY phenomena.
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• Our Architect
has therefore designed the Temple using NATURAL VENTILATION
• Furthermore, 60% of our Devotees are over 60years of age
and therefore Air-conditioning is not appropriate for them. |
G: Avoid Use of Wood for all our New Furniture:
G1: To preserve our Green Environment and the culling of Trees,
Poh Ern Shih will consciously avoid the use of WOOD for its NEW
FURNITURE and will use instead BAMBOO which is a 5-year
Renewable Resource.
H: Composting for
Topsoil:
H1: Because the Temple is a VEGETARIAN Wayplace, we will compost ALL
our Vegetables and Fruits into Topsoil for our Landscaping, Gardens,
Herbal Plants & Potted Plants.
I: Avoid the Use of
Toxic Insecticides
I1: We will consciously
avoid using any Toxic Insecticides wherever possible.
J: We will continue to
RECYCLE USED ENVELOPES and RECYCLE PRINTED MATERIALS
K: Repopulate the
BUTTERFLIES in our Urban Jungle:
K1: We will help Alexander Hospital and other like-minded
organisations bring back the BUTTERFLY POPULATION into our Urban
Jungle by developing a Nursery of Butterfly HOST PLANTS in our
Landscape areas for their Eggs and Caterpillars as well as a supply
of NECTAR PLANTS for the adult Butterflies.
K2: We will create a
Website whereby we will encourage all Interested Schools and
Neighbours to grow appropriate Host Plants and Nectar plants in
their respective environments so that we can transplant some of our
Caterpillars to their area so that a new population of that species
of Butterflies can develop and establish themselves there.
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