Singapore tops in building policy, water management

But it lags behind in renewable energy usage and waste management: Study
Lin Zhaowei Straits Times 13 Feb 11;

Singapore is among the top four in a new study ranking Asia-Pacific cities in terms of their 'greenness'.

The first comprehensive study of this kind in the region, it names Tokyo, Seoul and Melbourne ahead of Singapore for their efforts to reduce their carbon footprint and live in a sustainable manner.

The other cities in the top 10 are Osaka, Sydney, Auckland, Busan, Taipei and Hong Kong.

The study, conducted by consultancy firm Solidiance, looked at economic, environmental and social factors that contribute to how eco-friendly each city is.

The criteria included carbon dioxide emissions, renewable energy use, waste output and management, public transport ridership and water management.

The study highlighted that the urban population has been rising rapidly in the region in recent years, driven by economic growth.

Coupled with the fact that urbanites account for up to 80 per cent of humanity's global greenhouse gas emissions, Asia-Pacific cities have had to turn to green infrastructure projects to ensure environmental sustainability, said the study.

Singapore came in No. 1 in terms of water management and green building policy, a further nod to its efforts in these two areas. Last September, the World Green Building Council, based in Canada, gave Singapore high marks in green building efforts and water efficiency in a climate change report.

But Singapore fared poorly in terms of renewable energy usage, coming in last in the Solidiance report, though its renewable energy investment ranked third, suggesting that it is working to catch up in this area.

Singapore also came in last among the 10 cities in terms of overall waste management. It fared poorly both in terms of waste produced per capita and municipal recycling ratio.

Associate Professor Wong Nyuk Hien, a design and environment researcher at the National University of Singapore, said the Republic's rankings seemed reasonable.

'Generally, in terms of environmental policy, we started quite late compared to other cities. But it is heartening to see we have caught up in some areas,' he said.

Dr Wong credited the Green Mark scheme for Singapore's good showing in the green building category.

Launched by the Building and Construction Authority in 2005, the scheme rates the environmental friendliness of buildings. By 2030, 80 per cent of all buildings in Singapore must be certified by the scheme. Since 2008, all new buildings must attain the minimum Green Mark standard.

More than 500 buildings have been certified to date.

But Singapore's poor ranking in renewable energy did not come as a surprise, Dr Wong told The Sunday Times.

'We are quite constrained in this area because of our size and geography. Solar energy is currently the only option but panels are very expensive now.'

The study pointed out that the global demand for environmental sustainability in sectors ranging from agriculture to energy has created 'huge opportunities' for business.

'Traditionally, products and services are based on what consumers want and need. However a new market has emerged that is dictated by what consumers do not want - climate change,' it said.

Solidiance managing director Damien Duhamel said the firm's studies have shown a correlation between green urban environments and innovation. The export of green technology from innovation-leading Japan, for example, could revitalise its lagging economy.

The clean technology sector has been identified as a major pillar of growth for Singapore. It is expected to contribute $3.4 billion to gross domestic product by 2015 and provide 18,000 jobs.