New Council To Speed Up Green Building Development in Singapore

Singapore has set up a new council to help accelerate the "greening" of buildings in Singapore.

Buildings in the city-state are the second largest guzzlers of electricity - after the industrial sector. But this is also the area where energy use can be easily reduced.

A UN study has concluded that energy consumption in new and old buildings can be lowered by 30 to 50 per cent without significantly increasing investment costs.

Trane, an exhibiting company that cools about half of the buildings fronting Orchard Road said an average investment of S$2 million to reduce energy use in buildings is usually recouped within eight months to three years.

Speaking at the inaugural International Green Building Conference on Wednesday, Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Teo Chee Hean said: "This is not rocket science but it does require steady and consistent policies and effort.

"We plan to 'green' 80 per cent of our buildings by 2030 to reduce energy intensity by more than 30 per cent. Government and public buildings will also have to achieve higher green building standards."

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Source: Channel News Asia, 2009-10-28, Link