Best of our wild blogs: 5 Sep 14

Green Drinks: Networking Friday!
from Green Drinks Singapore

Jurong Eco Garden- a green treasure
from My Nature Experiences

I want a Swinhoe’s Snipe
from Singapore Bird Group

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Singapore's water warrior

Carolyn Khew The Straits Times AsiaOne 5 Sep 14;

SINGAPORE - Littering is not just bad for the environment - the rubbish you throw haphazardly could end up polluting the source of your drinking water.

That is the message Mr Eugene Heng, founder and chairman of environmental group Waterways Watch Society (WWS), wants to drive home, as Singapore continues to find effective solutions to tackle littering.

Yesterday, the 65-year-old retiree received the President's Award for the Environment - Singapore's highest environmental accolade - from President Tony Tan Keng Yam. The other award recipients were the Institute of Technical Education and Ngee Ann Polytechnic.

In the past, water in the drains would end up in the sea, said Mr Heng. "But today, the drains are actually collection systems for our drinking water. They are not for you to dump rubbish," he said.

"The right mindset is very important, and that is the challenge we have."

Mr Heng should know. He has, after all, spent the past 16 years monitoring Singapore's waterways and picking up litter in canals and rivers here.

Mr Heng and his volunteers spend at least two hours every weekend picking up flotsam along waterways such as Marina Reservoir, Punggol Waterway and Kallang River.

On getting the award, he said: "It goes to (WWS) members. I can't do all this by myself."
- See more at: http://news.asiaone.com/news/singapore/singapores-water-warrior#sthash.NjhrBF7t.dpuf

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Mandai area set for major redevelopment

Joy Fang Today Online 5 Sep 14;

SINGAPORE — The Mandai area, home to the Singapore Zoo, the Night Safari and the River Safari, is set for major redevelopment, with plans for an all-encompassing wildlife attraction with educational, recreational and “green” elements.

The new attraction, which could be ready around 2020, would be similar to the likes of Gardens By The Bay, where beyond viewing wildlife, one could also take walks in public areas, enjoy the waterfront and watch the sunset on Upper Seletar Reservoir.

This was revealed by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on the ‘live’ television programme Ask the Prime Minister last night, where he also said that Jurong Bird Park could relocate to Mandai. The Government has been seeking the advice of nature groups on how to refine its plans for Mandai, he added.

Asked whether the plans are an extension of the zoo, Mr Lee said what the Government has in mind is “something bigger and better”, which will enhance the nature reserves and not infringe onto the reserves.

Mr Lee had shared the plans for Mandai in response to a question from the programme host on what large-scale projects Singapore can look forward to in future.

The Government, Mr Lee said, is considering using the available space outside of the nature reserves, such as an unused old orchid plantation and old fruit orchard for its plans.

“If you can extend the zoo to those parts, I think it’ll be very interesting,” he said. “For example, the Bird Park is all by itself down in Jurong. Why not move it to where the zoo is?”

Asked if the waterfall at the Jurong Bird Park — a signature of the park — would be moved as well, Mr Lee said: “I think we have something in mind which is even more spectacular than the waterfall.”

TODAY understands that besides the relocation of the 43-year-old Jurong Bird Park to the area, a museum may be housed there as well, together with a research facility and a hotel employing green technology in areas such as how it cools its facilities and housekeeping.

In recent weeks, talks have been rife that big plans were afoot for the Mandai area.

A member of a nature group whom TODAY spoke to said that as recently as last month, a potential developer was quietly holding talks with environmental groups, and was considering getting a consultant to look into the feasibility of their plans. But it is all at an exploratory stage. “I don’t know if they have made up their mind”, he said.

When TODAY contacted the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) on plans for Mandai earlier this week, Mr Poh Chi Chuan, its Director of Cultural Precincts and Tourism Concept Development, said the STB is studying various options for Mandai and would share more information when ready.

“The Mandai area, with its existing wildlife attractions (Singapore Zoo, Night Safari and River Safari) has the potential to be developed into a precinct of nature-themed attractions for education and recreation,” he said. He added that any development of the site “will also have to be sustainable and sensitive to its natural environment”. TODAY understands that an environment impact assessment will be carried out before any plans are finalised.

The three existing attractions as well as Jurong Bird Park are managed by Wildlife Reserves Singapore.

Talks to develop the Mandai area first surfaced some time in 2007, prompting Nature Society (Singapore) to publish a report in November that year highlighting their concerns.

The report said the STB was exploring an eco-tourism project south of the Mandai Road area and on both sides of Mandai Lake Road. Two parcels of land were involved — a patch of about 15ha bounded by Mandai Road, Mandai Lake Road and the boundary of the Western Catchment Reserve; and another patch of about 18ha between Mandai Track 15 and the Western Catchment Reserve up to the military firing range.

The society also listed concerns such as how the area is already in a “fragmented and degraded state”, and that the project would degrade the area as a forest ecosystem or habitat, creating instead a parkland landscape which would result in the loss of variety of habitat niches.

Areas involved in the latest plans have not been finalised.

When contacted last night , Dr Ho Hua Chew, vice-chair of the conservation committee in Nature Society (Singapore), said they are concerned about the planned development and hope that a comprehensive environmental impact assessment can be done, covering noise pollution, hydrology and more.

He said the area is rich in biodiversity and the wildlife there — such as the leopard cat, pangolin, the mouse deer — could be put in danger.

‘Bigger and better’ plans for Mandai
Joy Fang Today Online 4 Sep 14;

SINGAPORE — The Government is looking into developing the Mandai area, with plans to turn it into an all-encompassing wildlife attraction, much like Gardens By The Bay.

It will include educational, recreational and green aspects on top of its wildlife theme, with the possibility of the Jurong Bird Park relocating there as well, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong today (Sept 4) in a live television forum, Ask the Prime Minister.

The show aired on MediaCorp’s Channel 5 and Channel NewsAsia from 8pm to 9pm. He was addressing questions on what the future of Singapore would be like.

Asked by host Dawn Tan if the plans are an extension to the zoo, Mr Lee said what they have in mind is “something bigger and better”.

Mr Lee, who said the attraction may take shape sometime in 2020, noted it will be something that enhances the nature reserves and does not infringe into the reserves. He also said the Government will seek the advice of nature groups on how to improve on its plans for Mandai.

LIVEBLOG: Ask PM Lee 2014
Channel NewsAsia 4 Sep 14;

SINGAPORE: Over the last two weeks, the public has been invited to send in their questions for a '"live" forum with Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. Here is what he has to say on issues ranging from retirement adequacy to education.

8.57PM On Singapore's future: We are a small country. We used to say we are a sampan, now maybe we are a boat with a motor, self-propelled. The seas are unpredictable. We didn't expect to come this far. In the next 50 years, we hope to go as far. Things can go wrong, and we must be be prepared for that. You must have that steel in you. We have to take the setbacks, and move on, and move on together.

8.55PM On redeveloping Mandai: We have something in mind to make the zoo much better, and bigger. There is space - land is available next to the nature reserve. If you can extend the zoo to those parts, I think that would be very interesting. We have something in mind - green, improved, that will enhance the nature reserves while not infringing on it. Why not move the Jurong Birdpark to where the zoo is? You want an attraction like Gardens By The Bay, with public areas where you can wander around, watch the sunset. It can be a very beautiful place. By 2020 we should see something. We have been talking to some of the nature groups, and I'm sure they will help us to refine and improve the plan.

8.47PM On space constraints and heritage: We have ideas for putting plants, factories underground. We will explore that further. We cannot keep everything undisturbed, but important things we have to keep - like Chinatown, Little India. From time to time we have to make tough choices. We have to build in Bukit Brown, but we can try to disturb fewer graves.

8.45PM On future leaders: Will there be a female PM? I hope there will be one. I shouldn't be PM when I am 70. Our young ministers are good and promising, and with time a leader will emerge.

8.42PM His childhood ambition: In Primary 3, I wrote an essay about being a pilot. Each time I go on an aeroplane. I peek in the cockpit and wonder what it would be like. Maybe it will be my hobby. My childhood heroes included Superman and Tarzan. I didn't like Batman very much.

8.40PM PM Lee shares parenting tips: I did change diapers, and in those days we used safety pins so you have to be very careful. As the child grows up you have to be his friend, his guide, his role model. Spend time with them, engage them. It's a very trying time for your wife when the baby is born, so support her.

8.35PM On NLB controversy on withdrawn children's books: It is an illustration of social tensions, and we have to bridge those differences. We are never going to be single-valued, single-cultured Singapore. We are diverse - that is our strength, provided we don't let it tear us apart.

8.33PM Will there be more MPs who are ITE and poly graduates in the future? I hope so. We will try very hard to look for them. Whenever we find a good man or woman we will field them. Charles Chong, Liang Eng Hwa - we didn't choose them because they were poly graduates, we chose them because they were good. We are casting our net very wide, we are inviting a lot of people to tea.

8.32PM Is there a glass ceiling for diploma-holders in the civil service? It should depend on your performance. Whether you are a graduate or not should not be so critical - for many jobs degree- and diploma-holders work side by side.

8.30PM PM Lee answers more questions on education: When you study for a degree, you have to be sure the degree is rigorous, and there is a market demand for it. Government universities, we make sure the standards are there, and the right courses are there in the right numbers. In private universities, you have to be careful. We can't say every degree or diploma is worth exactly the same and will be able to guarantee you a job. What counts is what skills you have, what contribution you'll be able to make.

8.25PM On the importance of PSLE: We have been grappling with the PSLE for a while. It's important because we use it to know how well we've done, and which secondary school you can get into. In other countries with no PSLE, the school exam is important and pressure is there. We have one good exam, PSLE, to decide which secondary school you go to, but we try to make every school a good school. PSLE won't be the last time you have to prove yourself. But beyond the PSLE, other things come into play.

8.20PM More questions come in about extending the retirement age: Australia has made the age 70, and they are taking many years to phase this in, it won't happen till 2030. I think Singapore can take a similar approach.

8.17PM On CPF: We want to make sure everyone has the basic provided for in CPF, which is why we said if you want to you can take out 20 per cent, but you don't have to. We should allow people to put more into CPF if they want to.

8.15PM On retirement age: We would like people to work as long as they are healthy, to stay active and stay connected. We have pushed the re-employment age to 65, and we would like to push it further. On a voluntary basis, we would encourage companies to keep re-employing people as long as they are fit. We are working towards raising the retirement and re-employment age, but that may take a few years.

8.11PM: What kind of growth should Singapore aim for? Growth that creates good jobs, that Singaporeans can benefit from. We used to grow more than 10 per cent a year when we were taking off very fast, then we slowed down. Looking forward, I think we have to get used to maybe 2 to 3 per cent a year.

8.00PM PM Lee answers questions on cost of living in Singapore: Expectations have changed. Today people have fewer children, but people put more pressure on themselves and for their children. Cost of living is on many people's minds. Yes, things have become more expensive, but incomes have gone up faster than prices.

- CNA/xy

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Slight haze in Singapore as number of hotspots in Sumatra soars

Channel NewsAsia 4 Sep 14;

SINGAPORE: The number of hotspots detected on Indonesia's Sumatra island soared to 177 on Thursday (Sep 4), up from 80 the day before, the National Environment Agency (NEA) said in an advisory posted on its website. Most of these hotspots were in southern Sumatra.

NEA said there was slight haziness in the morning in Singapore due to accumulation of dust particles in the air under light wind conditions. As of 6pm, the 24-hour PSI is 66-74, in the Moderate range.

NEA said the slight haziness would likely continue on Friday, with light winds from the south forecast. Air quality is expected to be in the Moderate range. However, thundery showers are forecast for the late morning and early afternoon.

- CNA/ly

Number of Sumatra hot spots spikes
Today Online 5 Sep 14;

SINGAPORE — The number of hot spots detected on Indonesia’s Sumatra island soared to 177 yesterday, up from 80 the day before, the National Environment Agency (NEA) said in an advisory on its website.

Most of these hot spots were in southern Sumatra.

The NEA said there was slight haziness in the morning in Singapore due to accumulation of dust particles in the air under light wind conditions. As of 6pm, the 24-hour PSI was 66-74, in the moderate range.

The agency said the slight haziness would likely continue today, with light winds from the south forecast.

Air quality is expected to be in the moderate range. However, thundery showers are forecast for the late morning and early afternoon.

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Two new train depots to get rooftop solar panels

Xue Jianyue Today Online 5 Sep 14;

SINGAPORE — The Land Transport Authority (LTA) plans to place solar panels on the roofs of two new train depots by 2016, taking advantage of their large roofs to generate clean energy for depot operations.

It is the first tender the LTA is calling for solar panels on a rail depot. Scheduled to begin operations in 2016, the solar panels will serve the Tuas and Gali Batu rail depots, which will open that year to serve the East-West and Downtown lines.

“As both Tuas and Gali Batu depots are at-grade depots with large roof areas and are not surrounded by tall buildings, they present opportunities for the LTA to harvest solar energy for electricity to operate depot equipment,” said the authority in response to TODAY’s queries.

It did not specify how much power the solar panels will generate.

The tender specifications, released last month, require a hired contractor to monitor the panels’ performance and the amount of electricity generated over a period of one year.

The LTA’s initiative comes at a time when the Government is planning to expand the use of solar energy beyond Housing and Development Board (HDB) flats, possibly to places such as schools and military camps.

Writing on his blog last week, National Development Minister Khaw Boon Wan said government organisations, which could include the Defence and Education ministries, will ride on the HDB’s bulk tenders for solar panels.

Currently, the five existing train depots in Singapore serve five MRT lines. Construction at the new 21-ha Gali Batu depot, off Woodlands Road, started in 2009 and will complete next year. The 26-ha Tuas Depot, located at Tuas, is targeted to complete in 2016.

When it comes to generating solar power, depot roofs offer several advantages over HDB rooftops and empty land of the same total size, said several industry players and experts.

Dr Thomas Reindl, deputy chief executive officer of the Solar Energy Research Institute of Singapore, said there are economies of scale when installing one large solar photovoltaic (PV) system, compared with installing many smaller ones of the same total size.

“Train depots are a very good choice as there are typically no other buildings nearby and most of the infrastructure equipment is inside the building rather than on the rooftop,” he told TODAY via email.

Unlike those on HDB rooftops, solar panels on depot rooftops need not compete with other facilities such as water tanks, said Phoenix Solar managing director, Mr Christophe Inglin.

Electricity generated by panels on the depot’s roof can be channelled directly to the depot, reducing the need for more electrical infrastructure between the energy generator and the energy consumer. “It is like working from home instead of commuting to work,” Mr Inglin said.

Installing the solar panels directly on land is also not ideal in land-scarce Singapore, said Mr Nilesh Jadhav, programme director at the Energy Research Institute at Nanyang Technological University.

Looking ahead, the experts suggested that more warehouses and schools in industrials areas with large rooftops could be installed with solar panels.

Solar leasing company Sunseap Leasing’s business development manager Brandon Lee, whose firm intends to bid for the LTA tender, noted that the Singapore American School already has a large PV system on its rooftop.

Other buildings with PV systems on their large rooftops include Sheng Siong supermarket’s distribution centre in Mandai and the Ulu Pandan NEWater plant, said Dr Reindl.

“Since the cost of solar systems has come down a lot in the past few years, we will see many more such installations in the future, simply because it makes economic sense now to generate your own solar electricity and use it to lower the electricity bill,” he added.

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AVA responds to outcry over killing of stray dog

Channel NewsAsia 5 Sep 14;

SINGAPORE: The Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) on Friday (Sep 5) responded to a video circulating on Facebook showing a stray dog killed during a dog control operation in Ang Mo Kio.

The video, posted on Thursday on the Sg Dogslover Facebook page, said the dog was a nursing mother that was killed by a trap set by a dog catcher in Ang Mo Kio Avenue 5. It added that a police report had been made, and called for volunteers to help locate the puppies.

The AVA said on Friday that the dog control operation was conducted in response to complaints about stray dogs in the area. However, its investigations showed that the trap used by the contractor had been modified and was not approved for use.

The contractor also did not monitor the trap as required to ensure that any trapped animal is removed quickly. As such, the AVA said it will be "taking enforcement actions against the contractor for the non-compliances".

- CNA/cy

Animal rights groups urge better oversight after dog death
Neo Chai Chin Today Online 6 Sep 14;

SINGAPORE — The deadly use of a modified dog trap by an Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) contractor on Thursday has led to calls from animal welfare groups for greater adherence to protocol and for training to be conducted for animal control contractors.

The AVA issued a statement yesterday in response to a video of a dead dog posted on social media. The stray dog was said to have been killed in a dog control operation at Ang Mo Kio Ave 5.

The authority said the trap used by its contractor had been modified and was not approved for use. It will be taking action against the contractor for non-compliance, its spokesperson said. Post-mortem results of the dog’s body are pending.

The contractor had used a modified collarum trap in the operation, which was in response to complaints about stray dogs in the area. Such traps are commonly used in Australia and the United Kingdom, and are approved by the AVA, said the spokesperson, who did not name the contractor or elaborate on how the trap had been modified.

The contractor was also required to monitor the trap to ensure any trapped animal is quickly removed, but had failed to do so. The contractor was deployed on Thursday afternoon and the AVA was informed on the same night that a dog had been killed.

Before this, the AVA had not received feedback on unapproved traps being used in dog control operations. An AVA vet checks the condition of trapped animals — which are euthanised as a last resort if they cannot be rehomed — when the authority receives them from its contractors, the spokesperson said.

Dog traps are necessary to trap dogs for purposes that include sterilisation, but not all traps are safe, said Dr Siew Tuck Wah, president of animal welfare group Save Our Street Dogs. The trap used involved a mechanism that trapped the dog’s head when it went for the food bait, and required the operator to be vigilant and quickly release a trapped dog to prevent any risk of strangulation, he said.

Dr Siew called for better regulation of traps to prevent further tragedy.

Other animal welfare groups said contractors should be trained — on top of guidelines jointly developed by the AVA and the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) that they have to follow — to ensure they do their jobs properly.

Action for Singapore Dogs president Ricky Yeo suggested contractors wear surveillance devices such as small cameras on the job, to resolve differing accounts when incidents occur. Contractors should also show their letter of authorisation to conduct operations when asked by members of the public, he said.

Mr Yeo acknowledged that the AVA may feel compelled to act in the interest of public safety when complaints arise, but said there should be more discernment when trapping dogs and the right methods should be used.

SPCA executive director Corinne Fong headed to the site on Thursday night after receiving a call from a dog feeder who witnessed the incident. The SPCA will be looking into the matter, both independently and with the AVA.

Ms Fong said animal control operations should complement the work of rescuers and feeders who help to sterilise the animals, and there could be more communication so the efforts of the latter group to control the population are not undone when the animals are rounded up.

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Shellfish in Kuantan Port waters poisonous

The Star 4 Sep 14;

KUANTAN: The public is advised not to pick or consume shellfish like cockles and mussels in the Kuantan Port waters at Tanjung Gelam as they are contaminated with paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP).

State Rural Development, Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Committee chairman Datuk Shafik Fauzan Sharif said tests conducted on samples of mussels and plankton showed toxin readings of between 317 and 3,560 microgrammes (ug) per 100 grammes.

"These toxin readings are above the standard set at 80 ug/100g, hence could endanger consumers' health and even cause death if no immediate treatment is sought," he said after closing the Strengthening Pahang Fishery Community Seminar.

The toxin contamination is the first to occur in Pahang waters. It was first detected after a number of individuals experienced food poisining after eating mussels from the area in November last year and a similar case happened in August this year.

In the second incident, the toxin was detected through tests conducted by the Fisheries Department's security bureau on samples of mussels from the area after a group of Indonesian workers suffered food poisoning after eating the shellfish on Aug 1.

Pahang Fisheries Department director Adnan Hussain said the department was investigating the source of the contaminaton and as a precautionary measure, it had placed signboards warning people not to pick or eat shellfish from the area.

"We will also analyse samples of water from the area each week to determine the toxin levels and would issue a warning if the water there is not safe for the public," he said. - Bernama

Fishing communities warned not to consume cockles from Kuantan Port area
T.N.Alagesh New Straits Times 4 Sep 14;

KUANTAN: The fishing communities here has been warned not to consume the cockles collected from the Kuantan Port area as the waters has been contaminated with the paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) or red tide toxin, which could cause death.

State Rural Development, Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry Committee chairman Datuk Shafik Fauzan Sharif, who advised them to stop collecting and selling the toxic cockles, said several individuals has previously suffered from severe food poisoning after consuming them between November last year and August.

He said tests conducted by the state Fisheries Department on the oyster consumed by eight Indonesian labourers who suffered severe food poisoning on Aug 1 showed a high presence of PSP toxins.

"Checks conducted on the oyster and plankton samples in the area showed the toxin readings were recorded between 317 and 3,560 microgram (ug) per 100gram. The reading is far above the standard level which is about 80 ug per 100g.

"It is harmful to ones health and when a person consumes it, he or she has to seek immediate treatment or else it could lead to death. The public, especially the fishing communities are advised not to collect, eat or sell them," he told reporters after closing the State Fisheries Department Community programme here today.

Meanwhile, State Fisheries Department director Adnan Hussain said the department were in the midst of investigating what had caused the waters near Kuantan Port to be contaminated with the red-tide toxin as the case reported here was the first in Pahang.

He said the department had put up signboards to remind people not to collect or consume the cockles in the vicinity or collect the water in the area.

"Those who consume the toxic cockles will experience symptoms, such as numbness in the neck and lips, vomiting, dizziness and shortness of breath. The person should seek immediate assistance at the nearest hospital or clinic," he said, adding the department will continue to monitor the situation and provide information from time to time for the safety of the public.

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Best of our wild blogs: 4 Sep 14

One Ubin, Two Utanias
from Flying Fish Friends

Sun 7 Sept’14: Mid Autumn Evening Walk
from a.t.Bukit Brown. Heritage. Habitat. History.

The Terek Sandpiper in Singapore
from Francis' Random Yaks, Articles & Photos

Bats in my porch: 12. Grooming
from Bird Ecology Study Group

Butterflies Galore! : Apefly
from Butterflies of Singapore

E-waste recycling & hard disk shredding ! NUS U Town, Fri 12 Sep 2014: 10am – 4pm
from Otterman speaks

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Research on green building solutions to focus on key areas

Monica Kotwani Channel NewsAsia 3 Sep 14;

SINGAPORE: A S$52 million fund for research on green building solutions will kick off with a focus on several key areas – integrated building design, building envelope and facade systems, building management and information systems, or smart buildings, as well as air-conditioning and mechanical ventilation.

The announcement was made by Senior Minister of State for National Development Lee Yi Shyan as he launched the fund, called the Green Buildings Innovation Cluster (GBIC), on Wednesday (Sep 3) morning.

GBIC is part of the Building and Construction Authority's (BCA) third Green Building Masterplan, announced on Monday by National Development Minister Khaw Boon Wan.

“GBIC will help build up research and development capabilities, conduct demonstration projects and 'match-make' academia and industry to accelerate the adoption of new and novel technologies,” Mr Lee said.

By bringing together researchers, tech firms, developers and users, GBIC hopes to facilitate breakthroughs, said BCA CEO John Keung, "We are talking about going beyond the 30 to 35 per cent in energy efficiency in our typical Green Mark Platinum building. We want to aim for 50, 60 per cent, or even a higher degree of energy efficiency with all these ideas and innovations," Mr Keung said.

AREAS OF FOCUS

Buildings in the tropics heat up quickly, and this means more energy is required to cool the interior. So developing building facades with better insulation is one area GBIC will focus on. It will also look into how to create smart buildings.

Experts say for this to happen, it is important to get the right information. Said Mr Nilesh Jadhav, Programme Director of EcoCampus at Nanyang Technological University: "Imagine if you're going to sign up for a limited broadband subscription plan, and you don't know what you're doing and you'll be incurring costs for every byte you consume. This is the impact of data. You need to know what exactly your consumption is and which part of your system is doing the consuming. Is it air-con which is consuming the most energy. Is it the computers? Is it the lights that are on all the time?"

A national repository of energy efficiency data will be set up under GBIC to provide the building industry with data. "This will provide easily accessible data for the building industry to gain confidence in adopting innovative technologies," said Mr Lee.

Other areas of research for GBIC will include dehumidification technologies and more energy efficient air-conditioning. Apart from research, GBIC is also a platform that brings all building stakeholders together. For example, a researcher could test-bed new technology on a developer's site, or a developer could test a novel idea like a smart app that alerts residents when their energy consumption exceeds preset limits.

"In this way, home-owners will be able to adjust and optimise their consumption patterns to save energy," said Mr Allen Ang, the head for Innovation and Green Building at City Developments Limited. "In this way, they will be able to lower their electricity bills." GBIC funding will help defray some of the investment costs involved with developing the app, which is currently at the conceptualisation stage, he added.

GBIC funding will be disbursed over five years, and administered by the BCA's Centre for Sustainable Buildings and Construction at the BCA Academy.

- CNA/cy/xy

S$30.8m awarded to projects to improve living spaces
Channel NewsAsia 3 Sep 14;

SINGAPORE: A total of S$30.8 million in funding was awarded to 10 research projects as part of the Land and Liveability National Innovation Challenge (L2 NIC). This was announced in a joint news release from the Ministry of National Development and the National Research Foundation (NRF) on Wednesday (Sep 3).

Seventy-eight white papers were received after a call for proposals was made last November, to develop innovative technological solutions in four areas: the creation of space, optimising the use of land, creating highly liveable residential towns and supporting ICT and platforms.

Projects that made the final cut include one by the Singapore Management University's (SMU) iCity Lab, which proposes the use of sensors to support ageing-in-place. With the installation of sensors in the homes of the elderly, community volunteers could monitor and respond to seniors' calls for help in a more timely manner.

Faculty members of Nanyang Technological University (NTU) will also get funding for their proposal to develop an integrated solution for ensuring structural fire safety and life safety of occupants in underground structures. "The project will support the development of safe, robust and cost-effective designs for future mega underground developments in Singapore," according to the release.

One of the underground developments here is the Jurong Rock Caverns, which was officially opened by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Tuesday.

Professor Yong Kwet Yew, the Scientific Lead for L2 NIC, said the projects selected were reviewed by international and local experts as well as a technical evaluation panel and are of "high research quality".

"I am delighted to see universities, research institutes, Government agencies and private sector companies working together to develop integrated and innovative urban solutions to make Singapore more liveable, resilient and sustainable,” Prof Yong said.

- CNA/kk

S$30.8m funding awarded to projects to improve living spaces
Today Online 3 Sep 14;

SINAGPORE – A project that uses sensors to support ageing-in-place and a project to develop a modelling tool for urban planning are among the 10 research projects that have been awarded a total of S$30.8 million in funding.

The funding comes under the Land and Liveability National Innovation Challenge (L2 NIC) First Call for Proposals

“The awarded projects presented opportunities to use technology to improve the living environment for Singaporeans, as well as pushed the frontier of possibilities for future space development and land optimisation,” said the Ministry of National Development and National Research Foundation in a joint statement today (Sept 3).

The L2 NIC First Call for Proposals was launched on Nov 14 last year to support research and development for innovative technological solutions in four key areas, namely, the creation of space, optimising the use of land, creating highly liveable residential towns and supporting Information and Communications Technologies and platforms.

Singapore Management University’s (SMU) iCity Lab’s project aims to create sensor-enabled homes in support of ageing-in-place. The sensors, installed in the homes of seniors, could help community volunteers better monitor and respond to the seniors’ calls for help in a timely manner.

The modelling tool for urban planners, to be developed by A*STAR’s Institute for High Performance Computing and Institute for Infocomm Research, will incorporate a range of environmental factors such as wind, thermal, solar irradiance and noise in the urban landscape.

This will enable urban planners to visualise the effects of their designs on different environmental parameters, optimising the planning and design of our living environment.

A project by Nanyang Technological University faculty members will seek to develop an integrated solution for ensuring structural fire safety and life safety of occupants in underground structures.

Professor Yong Kwet Yew, L2 NIC Scientific Lead, said: “The projects selected for the L2 NIC First Call for Proposals are of high research quality that has been reviewed by international and local experts and a Technical Evaluation Panel. I am delighted to see universities, research institutes, Government agencies and private sector companies working together to develop integrated and innovative urban solutions to make Singapore more liveable, resilient and sustainable.”

A total of 78 White Papers were received at the close of the Call for Proposals in January.

Key players join hands on green research
Janice Heng The Straits Times AsiaOne 4 Sep 14;

Developers, architects, engineers and academics are being brought together to develop and test green building technologies, under a new Economic Development Board (EDB) scheme.

In teams led by major industry players, they will tackle questions such as how to let in more natural light while not heating up the building.

The research will take place before any specific building projects have been decided on, and the solutions will be customised for Singapore's tropical climate.

This Pre-Project Innovation Consortium was launched yesterday at the Building and Construction Authority's annual International Green Building Conference.

Two groups have already been formed, and are expected to spend $10 million in research over the next three years, with the EDB providing an undisclosed amount.

One group, led by Australian developer Lend Lease, is looking at how to adapt cross-laminated timber for a hot and humid climate. This strong wood-based building material is lighter than concrete and allows for faster construction.

The other, led by Singaporean firm DP Architects and New Zealand engineering consultancy Beca, will look at lighting and cooling.

"The partners are experts in technology, but we can tell them how to apply the technology to meet the industry's needs," said Mr Lee Boon Woei, director of consortium leader DP Architects' unit DP Sustainable Design.

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Pulau Ubin cyclist collapses and dies

Colin Tham The New Paper AsiaOne 4 Sep 14;

What was supposed to be a fun cycling trip on Pulau Ubin turned tragic when 38-year-old Alex Tan Kok Wai suddenly collapsed.

Mr Tan was with his colleagues for the cycling outing on Monday when, at around noon, he felt unwell.

He got off his bicycle to rest, but collapsed and started foaming at the mouth, reported Shin Min Daily News.

The Hewlett-Packard engineer lost consciousness soon after that.

He was brought back to the mainland in a police rescue boat and taken by ambulance to Changi General Hospital.

He died shortly after being admitted. The cause of death is unknown.

Police have classified the case as unnatural death and are investigating.

Mr Tan's 65-year-old father told Shin Min that he was shocked to hear of his son's death.

He became aware of his son's plans to go on the outing only that morning.

The storekeeper of a bike rental shop on Pulau Ubin, who wanted to be known only as Ah Kai, said the shop had received a booking for 40 bicycles a few days earlier from Mr Tan's group.

He said the group collected their bicycles at around 10am and returned at 2pm.

"I saw a person pushing two bicycles and went over to ask him what had happened," he said.

"They only told me that someone had collapsed."

Marriage registration records indicate that Mr Tan married his Malaysian wife in May last year, and they moved into a flat in Toa Payoh with his parents.

He has an older and a younger sister.

Clarence Yeo from Killiney Family and Wellness Clinic said precautions should be taken for group outings.

"In large group outings, the leader or organiser of the group should make the necessary preparations, and any member who may feel unwell should opt out of the activity," he said.

Dr Yeo added that the leader also needs to be aware of the areas where they can get quick medical attention in an emergency.

On how to deal with a case of sudden fainting, he said: "The person should first be taken to a safe place out of the way of traffic.

"If the victim is in a stable condition, he or she can be put into a recovery position."

Once this is done, call for further medical assistance.

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Firms should be responsible for their impact on the environment: Dr Balakrishnan

Alice Chia Channel NewsAsia 3 Sep 14;

SINGAPORE: Companies need to account for unintended consequences to the environment as a result of their business decisions. Environment and Water Resources Minister Dr Vivian Balakrishnan made this point at the second annual Global Green Economic Forum on Wednesday (Sep 3).

More than 300 delegates - including environmentalists and policy makers - attended the event, for discussions on building a sustainable future.

Dr Balakrishnan said it is important that companies be responsible for their impact on the environment, especially following the recent haze episodes.

"There is nothing wrong with planting palm oil. But if the companies that plant palm oil do not have to pay for the externalities of polluting the air because they have burnt the forest in order to plant the palm oil, and they have privatised the gains and socialised the external costs, that is not sound economics, that is not sustainable development," he said.

“We recently passed legislation, not as a reflex fit of anger, but because we are trying to put this principle that you have to account for externalities."

- CNA/ms

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Wet conditions to continue for first half of September

Siau Ming En Today Online 4 Sep 14;

SINGAPORE — Following a prolonged dry spell earlier this year, more rain than usual pelted down on Singapore last month, in the middle of what is supposed to be the dry season.

And the relatively wet conditions are set to continue over the first half of this month before drier conditions set in, said the Meteorological Service Singapore (MSS) in response to queries.

The dry season typically runs from June to October. Last month, however, saw 240.2mm of rainfall, higher than the average rainfall of 175mm for the month. Last year and in 2012, the total monthly rainfall recorded for August were 179.8mm and 119.4mm, respectively.

The wetter conditions in July and August are due to the slightly higher occurrence of convective thunderstorms and the Sumatra squalls, a MSS spokesperson said.

Just yesterday, the PUB reported flash floods at the junction of Lower Delta Road and Telok Blangah Rise following heavy rain in the afternoon. In July, a heavy downpour accompanied by strong winds that lasted more than two hours left behind a trail of fallen tree branches. Flash floods were also reported on some roads, such as Mackenzie Road.

The MSS added that since the onset of the South-west Monsoon season in June, the region has been generally wet with brief periods of drier weather. While the occasional dry periods had led to an escalation of hot-spot activities in Sumatra and Kalimantan, Singapore has not been affected by the transboundary haze as the prevailing southerly winds have kept the haze away.

But it said for the rest of the South-west Monsoon season — which lasts until next month — periods of dry weather leading to increased hot-spot activities may still be expected in the region.“Singapore could be affected by transboundary haze if the prevailing winds blow any smoke haze in the region towards Singapore,” added the spokesperson.

The National Environment Agency (NEA) had predicted in June that weak-to-moderate El Nino conditions could develop over the next few months. In the latest El Nino update dated Aug 8, the NEA noted that while Singapore would usually experience drier and warmer conditions during El Nino events — especially during the South-west Monsoon period — the impact on rainfall and temperature is not uniform over time.

For instance, there were years where “relatively weaker events” induced more significant changes in rainfall, added the NEA.

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