Jump in number of Green Mark buildings

Of the 100 certified last year, over 60 are residential
Lim Wen Juin, Business Times 22 May 08;

THE Building and Construction Authority (BCA) has reported an 'exponential increase' in the number of buildings certified under its Green Mark scheme.

Almost 100 buildings were certified last year, compared to 17 each in 2006 and 2005, the year in which the scheme was introduced.

More than 60 of these buildings are residential developments, which translates to over 19,000 green homes.

BCA chief executive John Keung noted that of the five key Green Mark assessment criteria, energy efficiency is the main emphasis.

It takes into account 'passive design' features such as natural ventilation and natural lighting.

BCA Green Mark department deputy director Jeffery Neng added that the most common green features found within residential units include energy-efficient air-conditioners, sun-shading devices and water-efficient fittings such as tap flow limiters and dual flush cisterns.

Air-conditioners certified with four ticks under the Singapore Green Labelling Scheme promise at least 30 per cent energy savings over their non-inverter counterparts, which translates to monetary savings, pointed out Mr Neng.

In a study of nine private residential projects, the BCA found that, assuming air-conditioner operation eight hours a day, a household certified Gold or above, under the Green Mark scheme, can expect to save $1,000 to $1,800 a year in utility bills.

The savings are not confined to homeowners either.

In a separate study of 15 buildings, the BCA calculated that a certification of Gold or above offers overall energy savings of 15-35 per cent, resulting in the cost of greening being paid back within two to eight years after construction and fiscal savings for the building owner thereafter.

So far this year, a further 200 buildings have already been voluntarily committed to be assessed and certified under the scheme. This is nine million square metres in terms of floor area, compared to a cumulative 6.24 million sq m certified over the last three years.

Under legislation that came into effect on April 15 this year, all new buildings and major retrofitting projects with ground floor area exceeding 2,000 sq m are required to meet minimum Green Mark certification standards.