Rahimah Rashith Straits Times 19 Aug 18;
All households in one-and two-room public housing flats in the North East District will each receive a $25 voucher to redeem LED lights, in an effort to help residents be more environmentally conscious through using bulbs that reduce energy consumption.
The initiative was launched by the National Environment Agency (NEA) and North East Community Development Council (CDC) yesterday in Punggol North.
Singapore's total household electricity consumption has gone up by about 17 per cent in the last decade. An NEA study showed only 28 per cent of households in one-and two-room flats use LED lights, which are the most energy-efficient type of lights.
The programme will enable 13,000 households to reap cost savings in their utility bills.
If all these households switch their bulbs to LED, they are expected to collectively save about 360,000 kilowatt hours annually. This is equivalent to more than $70,000 in energy savings and a reduction in carbon dioxide emissions by more than 150 tonnes per annum.
All eligible households in the North East District will be notified via mail over the next two months to collect their $25 vouchers from designated collection points, such as their nearest community centre. They have to pick them up within six months of being notified.
According to NEA, there are, on average, about four to five light bulbs in each one-or two-room flat, and the $25 voucher should cover the cost of replacing them with LED bulbs. The voucher can be used at all Home-Fix, Selffix and Sheng Siong stores here, Philips Light Lab as well as roadshows organised by the NEA and North East CDC.
The NEA is looking into progressively rolling out the programme to other districts.
Its chief executive officer Ronnie Tay said: "Taking care of the environment can be done through simple ways. By choosing energy-saving appliances, households can not only save energy and reduce their utility bills, but also reduce carbon emissions."
Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Masagos Zulkifli, who was guest of honour at the event, also encouraged residents to do their part for the environment. He said: "The Government cannot tackle climate change alone. Using less electricity at home is one simple climate action that we can all take."
