Kua Zhen Yang, Straits Times 31 Dec 07;
OFFICE workers in Singapore may soon be shedding some of those thick layers of clothing, as more firms raise the workplace mercury in an attempt to conserve energy.
Some office buildings are currently chilled at 21 deg C, a hefty 11 degrees cooler than the average outdoor temperature.
That means many office workers tend to don sweaters and jackets while in the office to stop shivering despite the tropical climate.
This, however, is set to change, as companies become more eco-friendly and aware of their carbon footprints.
Raising the thermostat level is both simple and effective at cutting energy use and saving money.
According to the National Environment Agency (NEA), air-conditioning currently accounts for 40 per cent to 50 per cent of the electricity bills in commercial buildings.
If they raise the temperature by just 1 deg C, companies can shave up to 3 per cent off their air-conditioning bills. This translates into $20 million to $26 million in annual savings if all companies in Singapore raise their office temperatures by 1 deg C - enough to pay for the yearly electricity bills of 33,000 four-room HDB flats.
One company which has been quick to adopt this practice is property developer City Developments (CDL). Tenants of 11 of its buildings, including Republic Plaza and Fuji Xerox Towers, have been encouraged to set their thermostats at 24 deg C in its '1 Degree Up' campaign.
The programme is strictly voluntary, but the take-up rate has been very encouraging, with up to 90 per cent of the tenants in some buildings agreeing to warm things up.
'Globally, the increasing levels of carbon emissions have become a major concern. Thus, as responsible corporate citizens, we wanted to find ways we could reduce carbon emissions in our operations,' said a CDL spokesman.
CDL aims to make a big difference with this small step by cutting carbon emissions by 1.5 million kg a year. It takes 6,000 trees to absorb this much carbon dioxide - one of the main greenhouse gases blamed for global warming.
Singapore Press Holdings (SPH) has also joined the effort by raising the temperature at its offices from 22 deg C to 25 deg C.
SPH senior manager of properties Wong Chi Meng cited rising electricity bills as one of the motivating factors for this change. 'The electricity bill is going up tremendously,' he said.
Also, office workers did not take well to the chilly 22 deg C.
'Most of the people find that it gets cold when you stay in the office too long... It's a waste of energy to keep temperatures at 22 deg C,' said Mr Wong.
Raising the thermostat keeps workers happy while cutting both energy usage and carbon emissions, he said.
Office guidelines set by the Building Construction Authority put the ideal temperature of an office at between 22.5 deg C and 25.5 deg C.
'We recommend setting indoor temperatures at the higher end of this range to avoid overcooling and wastage of energy,' said the NEA spokesman.
In fact, a 2004 study by Cornell University in the United States showed that warmer workers worked better. When the temperature was raised from 19 deg C to 25 deg C, typing errors fell by 44 per cent and output jumped by 150 per cent.
Raising temperatures is not an original idea.
Japan, through its 'Cool Biz' campaign, has been setting government office temperatures in summer at a sweltering 28 deg C for the past two years.
Workers are urged to shed their bulky coats and ties and come to work in short-sleeved shirts.
The prime minister at the time, Mr Junichiro Koizumi, took the lead - by appearing in public decked in cheery Hawaiian shirts.
Hong Kong, taking a leaf out of Japan's book, has also launched its own 'Dress Down in Summer' campaign to reduce air-conditioner usage during the hottest season of the year.
Government offices in Malaysia have also been encouraged to set office temperatures 1 deg C higher to lower energy usage.
In the light of rising electricity costs - Singapore Power recently announced a 6 per cent rise in tariffs - will it be Singapore's turn soon?
A spokesman says although there is no concrete plan for campaigns like Japan's and Hong Kong's, the NEA is 'strongly recommending that temperatures in offices be raised' in order to save energy.
