Singapore challenges developers to build super low energy buildings
Gardens by the Bay in Singapore. joyfull/Shutterstock
Singapore’s Building and Construction Authority to elevate exacting standards in best-in-class energy efficiency.
By Property Report
The Singaporean government unveiled last Wednesday one of the highest certifications yet under its green building rating system.
In what the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) calls the “next lap in Singapore’s green building movement”, the new Green Mark for Super Low Energy (SLE) will recognise remarkably low-consumption structures, especially net-zero energy buildings, in the city-state.
More than 10 public and private developers have agreed to have nearly 20 projects certified with the BCA Green Mark for SLE.
The Green Mark for SLE will be awarded to non-residential structures that achieve at least 60 percent in energy efficiency improvements over the original building codes, introduced with the first BCA Green Mark in 2005.
The rating also has a Zero Energy (ZE) category, recognising net-zero buildings or those that use renewable energy to generate more than 100 percent of its energy needs.
More: Hundreds of zero-energy apartments to be built in Japan in three years
“By setting such new performance benchmarks, Singapore can play an important role in mitigating climate change and doing our part as a responsible global citizen,” said BCA CEO Hugh Lim.
“We hope more building owners and developers will join us as we work towards the common goal to shape a greener built environment that benefits Singaporeans.”
A project can attain the Green Mark for SLE by following certain Energy Use Intensity (EUI) benchmarks. Office buildings cannot use more than 100 kilowatt-hours per square metre a year to qualify for a certification, while schools cannot consume above 25 kilowatt-hours per square metre a year.
Hotels, retail establishments and mixed commercial developments cannot exceed an EUI of 160 kilowatt-hours per square metre a year.
Under the BCA Green Mark scheme and the Green Building Masterplans, Singapore has “greened” more than 3,400 buildings, representing more than 100 million square metres of gross floor area, since 2005.
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