Future buildings may have to go green

Wednesday, March 21, 2007, The Strait Times
by Jessica Cheam (jcheam@sph.com.sg)

WHAT started off as a nudge to go green may soon become law.

The Building and Construction Authority (BCA), in a push for more green buildings here, is looking into setting minimum standards for future buildings to follow.

In December last year, going green had seemed a matter of choice, with the launch of a $20 million incentive fund which private developers could use to modify their buildings.

Now, it is more a question of when - rather than whether - Singapore buildings will go green.

When it happens, all new buildings will have to achieve the basic level of Green Mark certification, said Minister of State for National Development Grace Fu yesterday.

Launched in 2005, the BCA Green Mark scheme rates buildings on their environmental impact and performance.

Buildings rated green are those which are designed, built and maintained for energy efficiency and are better for human health and the environment. They have, for example, 'intelligent' air-conditioning systems to make indoor temperatures comfortable and better ventilation to improve indoor air quality.

Ms Fu said the Government is studying what should go into the legislation, including upfront implementation costs.

 "Obviously, we need to strike a balance," she said.

She added that no date has been set for the law to kick in, and assured developers they need not be concerned that changes may be enforced too quickly.

The BCA has also pledged to work closely with industry when drafting thelegislature.

Among the proposed changes is a review of building code requirements for non-air-conditioned buildings, given the increasing use of air-conditioners.

To raise public awareness, a new website - www.greenmark.sg - was launched at the BCA's Green Mark Seminar yesterday.

Ms Fu said while requirements can be set for buildings, demand for quality green buildings should come from consumers.

These initiatives are the latest in a wave of measures unveiled in the past three months. Last December, it was announced that all new public buildings, including Housing Board flats, will go green from next month.

This was followed by the launch of the $20 million Green Mark incentive scheme.

Another $50 million was pledged to research and development in green technologies, ahead of the $170 million kitty that will fund R&D in clean energy such as solar power.

So far, the response has been encouraging.

Private-sector projects going for the Green Mark have more than doubled in number - from 13 in 2005 to 33 last year, said the BCA. More than 60 research proposals have been submitted.

Even a temple has been sold on going green. Poh Ern Shih Buddhist temple in Pasir Panjang, now being rebuilt, has rooftop solar panels and tanks to supply power and hot water.

Industry players also welcomed the pro-green move.

A spokesman for property developer CapitaLand said the group has set up an internal committee to look into adopting green features in its projects.

   GREEN TEMPLE: Poh Ern Shih Buddhist Temple, now being rebuilt, will have solar panels and tanks on its

   roofs to convert solar energy into electricity and supply residents' hot water needs. (Photo: Terence Tan)

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