New systems help old buildings save energy [News]

By Grace Chua, The Straits Times, 9 Jan 2012.

At a corner of Golden Mile Tower is a dim, but airy room, filled with whirring equipment, the shiny new pumps and chillers looking bright against the dusty walls.

Though the office-and-retail block on Beach Road is four decades old, it had all this installed last year, along with a cooling tower and a panel to monitor the performance of the system.

The hardware, fitted in to conserve energy, has done its job.

The block’s power bills have been cut by $30,000 a month, from $100,000.

The owners of older buildings such as this one and People’s Park Complex are sinking money into such systems ahead of energy-related laws that may be passed this year. Read more

Singapore’s strategies to meet its energy challenge amid an uncertain global energy future

Singapore is taking steps to address its energy challenge by diversifying energy mix, managing energy demand, and encouraging innovative technologies, amid an uncertain global energy future.

During his Opening Address at the Singapore Energy Lecture, which kicks off the annual Singapore International Energy Week (SIEW) 2011, Mr S Iswaran, Minister, Prime Minister’s Office and Second Minister for Home Affairs and Trade and Industry, shares Singapore’s three strategies in addressing its energy challenge, given its over dependence on energy imports and the need to secure reliable and affordable energy supplies.

Diversify Energy Supply

Mr Iswaran shared that the key thrust of Singapore’s energy strategy is the diversification of its energy supplies through Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) and electricity imports. Singapore will also continue to explore other options like solar energy. Read more

National Climate Change Secretariat – Addendum to the President’s Address [Press Releases]

Challenge of Climate Change

1. Climate change is a major challenge for all countries, including Singapore. As an island state, we must stand ready to deal with the impacts of climate change, such as rising sea levels. As a responsible member of the global community, we will also play our part to lower carbon emissions. We must work to achieve these goals while safeguarding our standard of living and our economic competitiveness.

Rising to the Challenge

2. We will enhance our understanding and expertise in climate science, and build up Singapore’s resilience and adaptability to climate change in key areas such as coastal protection, water resources and drainage, biodiversity, public health as well as urban infrastructure.

3. We will reduce our carbon emissions in two main ways. First, greater use of less carbon intensive fuels. Second, improved energy conservation and efficiency. This will require us to promote energy efficient design, equipment and processes in industries, transport, buildings and homes. Read more

Singapore walks away with 8 ASEAN Energy Awards [Press Releases]

A total of eight Singapore organisations have received awards at the 2011 ASEAN Energy Awards. This is the largest number bagged by Singapore since the Awards started in 2000. The Awards recognise efforts by innovative companies in ASEAN who promote and implement energy efficiency and renewable energy solutions.

The winners are:

ASEAN Energy Awards – Energy Efficiency Competition (New & Existing Category)

(i) City Square Mall (1st runner-up)
This is the first mall in Singapore to be awarded the Building & Construction Authority’s Green Mark Platinum Award, and is designed with state-of-the-art green building features. To date, the mall has achieved electricity savings of more than 30 percent compared to similar buildings. Read more

Singapore wins big at energy awards [News]

By Esther Ng, Today, 21 Sep 2011.

For their efforts to be environmentally sustainable, eight organisations received the ASEAN Energy Awards, making it the largest number bagged by Singapore since the Awards started in 2000.

The Galen, an eight-year-old building in Singapore Science Park II, won in the Retrofitted Category, while the 30-year-old Ministry of Manpower (MOM) building emerged first runner-up.

Business space solutions provider, Ascendas, which owns The Galen, spent S$3.5 million replacing its air-cooled chillers with four 600 refrigeration ton water-cooled centrifugal chiller plants with an efficiency of 0.56 kilowatts per refrigeration ton.

As a result, the building now only generates 1,300 tons of carbon emission annually, from 4,000 tons before retrofitting. Read more

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