Uma Shankari, Business Times 30 Oct 09;
THE Building and Construction Authority (BCA) has added another category to its Green Mark certification - it is now giving Green Mark awards for cluster developments.
The first two projects certified under the new BCA Green Mark for Districts scheme - Resorts World Sentosa and NUS University Town - have been lauded for maximising sustainability by integrating green concepts into their master planning and building design.
NUS University Town and Resorts World Sentosa have achieved the second-highest Green Mark rating of GoldPlus.
Resorts World Sentosa will feature Singapore's largest solar power installation, capable of generating more than 500,000 kWh of energy a year - equivalent to the power consumption of 108 typical four-room flats. Other green features include an eco-lagoon and underground tanks to collect and store stormwater to irrigate landscaped areas.
NUS University Town, being built on rolling terrain with lush natural greenery, was lauded for adopting sustainable design principles that preserve the existing habitat.
'The BCA Green Mark for Districts is a pilot scheme to promote and recognise environmentally friendly and sustainable practices in the design and implementation of precinct or district developments,' BCA said.
Earlier this year, it expanded the Green Mark scheme to offer certifications in three more categories - infrastructure, office interiors and landed houses. Previously, the scheme was only offered to buildings.
Clusters of green
Resorts World at Sentosa and NUS University Town first districts to earn the green mark of approval from BCA
Today Online 30 Oct 09;
SINGAPORE - One boasts Singapore's largest installation of photovoltaic or solar energy cells, able to power the equivalent of 108 four-room flats.
The other encourages people to move around on foot or pedal-power, with a sheltered network of walkways and dedicated bicycle lanes; while internal shuttle buses that run on Compressed Natural Gas serve the town's periphery.
The two - Resorts World at Sentosa and NUS University Town, respectively - are the first cluster developments to earn the green mark of approval from the Building and Construction Authority (BCA).
Previously, it was just individual buildings that got the BCA Green Mark, but the authority has now developed a set of criteria for precinct or district developments as well. The purpose is to promote environmentally-friendly and sustainable practices in their design and implementation.
At the integrated resort due to open next year, for example, rainwater and air-conditioning condensate is collected to irrigate the grounds and facilitate the Universal Studios Singapore water-rides. There are extensive canopies that reduce the ambient temperature, while several hundred trees were preserved and a coral fringe relocated before construction began in 2007.
Said Mr Michael Chin, executive vice-president of Projects at Resorts World Sentosa: "Right from the start, it was our every intention to minimise (our) impact on the environment - not just in how we build the resort, but in the way we operate it as well."
The 19-hectare University Town to be completed in 2011 features, among other things, green roofs and lush landscaping to cut down on urban heat; and a waste management system for recyclables, organic and horticultural waste. A biodiversity study was also conducted, prior to planning the site, to help in conserving the natural habitat and increase the area's biodiversity.
Both precincts achieved the second-highest Green Mark rating of GoldPlus.
IR, NUS projects win green awards
Straits Times 30 Oct 09;
WHO says a casino and theme park cannot be green? Resorts World Sentosa (RWS) has won an award from the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) for integrating sustainable building concepts into its master design.
The BCA awarded RWS and the National University of Singapore's University Town the inaugural Green Mark for Districts award yesterday.
This is a pilot scheme to recognise environmentally friendly and sustainable practices adopted by an integrated development, said the BCA.
Both winners were awarded a GoldPlus rating, the second-highest Green Mark.
RWS has Singapore's largest solar installation, which can generate more than 500,000kwh of energy annually. This is equivalent to the power consumption of 108 four-room flats in a year.
An underground storage tank will recycle rain water and an eco-cooler system will cool areas in the theme park.
The University Town campus in Kent Ridge won for reducing carbon emissions and conserving the surrounding natural habitat.
The project promotes natural ventilation and recycling. It also has sheltered walkways and dedicated bicycle lanes.
The winners received their awards from Senior Minister of State for National Development and Education Grace Fu at the inaugural International Green Building Conference last night.
