More buildings in Singapore going greener as 376 projects bag BCA's Green Mark Award

CapitaLand, which won the Green Mark Platinum Champion Award, installed 21,000 solar panels atop logistics building LogisTech. PHOTO: CAPITALAND

SINGAPORE - An aircraft hangar at Changi Air Base which uses solar panels and retrofitting works at One Raffles Link which will achieve an overall cooling system efficiency to save the equivalent of $120,000 a year is among projects that won awards from the Building and Construction Authority (BCA), as buildings go greener in Singapore.

A total of 376 projects, including 16 overseas, were awarded the BCA Green Mark Award this year, the organisation said on Wednesday (Aug 19).

The Green Mark certification scheme, launched in 2005, is a rating system that evaluates a building's environmental impact and performance.

Some 22 of the recipients, also attained the pinnacle level of the award for super low energy buildings, such as the aircraft hangar and One Raffles Link.

These also include three buildings that had all their energy consumption from renewable sources and another three that had 115 per cent of energy consumption from sustainable origins.

To date, 39 projects involving 50 industry players have received the award for super low energy buildings.

BCA said: "The upward trend of building owners going for higher tier Green Mark Certifications (Green Mark Platinum and above) is indicative of the industry's awareness of the positive impact of green buildings and recognising them as key in our efforts to fight climate change."

For example, the number of non-residential building projects obtaining higher tier Green Mark certification has doubled to 149 over the past five years.

"Major Singapore developers, such as CapitaLand, City Developments and Keppel Land have also been setting targets for reducing energy use and carbon footprint in their building portfolios," BCA added.

Interior of the Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) aircraft hangar at the Changi Air Base (East). PHOTO: ST FILE

CapitaLand also won the Green Mark Platinum Champion Award which recognises those that demonstrate strong commitment towards corporate social responsibility and have achieved a substantial number of Green Mark Gold buildings or higher.

It installed 21,000 solar panels atop logistics building LogisTech and five other industrial properties here. This will enable its corporate offices in three locations to be totally powered by renewable energy by the end of the year and reduce over 700 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions each year, equivalent to emissions generated annually from 400 four-room Housing Board flats.

It also installed a climate-friendly refrigerant chilled water system at the newly developed Funan, which has prevented about five kilotonnes of greenhouse gas from being emitted - equivalent to the emissions of about 1,500 cars.

CapitaLand group chief sustainability officer Lynette Leong said the group: "We place sustainability at the core of what we do, and we are heartened by BCA's recognition ... Over the past decade, CapitaLand's efforts in sustainability have reaped tangible benefits and other positive externalities for the Group.

"For example, we have achieved utilities cost avoidance of $208 million since 2009 and captured interest savings from our sustainability-linked loans as a result of meeting our sustainability targets."

CapitaLand has secured $1.2 billion in green loans which will be used to accelerate its efforts towards greening its global portfolio by 2030.

BCA also collaborated with the Health Promotion Board (HPB) to develop the BCA-HPB Green Mark for Healthier Workplaces two years ago.

This year, co-working provider Space Lab One won the award for a project that provides features to promote sustainability and health, such as designs that support mental well-being and energy-efficient lighting, as well as structured programmes covering employees' mental well-being, healthy eating, physical activity and chronic disease management.

BCA chief executive Hugh Lim said: "Aside from environmental performance throughout the building life cycle, the Green Mark scheme also takes into consideration building occupants' health and well-being - an immediate concern now with the current Covid-19 pandemic.

"With your continued support, we continue to work collectively towards a greener and healthier built environment for Singapore."

Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.