From recycling unwanted boxes to using energy-saving bulbs, home owners are upping their efforts to save Earth
tay suan chiang, Straits Times 23 Apr 11;
Yesterday was more than just a public holiday. It marked the 41st anniversary of Earth Day, which raises awareness about the environment.
And in true greenie tradition, it is being recycled.
The National Parks Board is holding a series of activities for children at the Singapore Botanic Gardens today.
You can also take part in the Parks Clean-up Day today and tomorrow at places such as Mount Faber, Telok Blangah Hill and Kent Ridge. Help pick up litter and you will be given a picnic mat in return.
But beyond once-a-year events such as Earth Day, Singapore is becoming greener in day-to-day life.
Earlier this year, a study commissioned by European technology company Siemens found the country to be the greenest city in Asia.
It came up tops in its management of waste and water resources, and scored consistently above average in the other categories such as sanitation and environmental governance.
On the recycling front, about 58 per cent of its waste was recycled last year. Recycling rates have improved from the 40 per cent in 2000, and the Government has set targets to push the rate to 60 per cent by next year and 70 per cent by 2030.
Public housing got a green boost when Treelodge@Punggol, HDB's first eco-friendly precinct, was completed last year.
Upcoming HDB projects SkyVille@ Dawson and SkyTerrace@Dawson received the Green Mark Platinum Award, the highest accolade for green buildings in Singapore given by the Building and Construction Authority (BCA).
Over the years, the BCA has also given out such awards to private residential and commercial buildings such as Orchard Residences and City Square Mall.
It is not just building developers who are taking green steps. More home owners are also going green on their own, too.
When Mr Christophe Inglin, managing director of solar systems integrator Phoenix Solar, installed solar panels on the roof of his semi-detached home in Siglap in 2008, he was one of few home owners here to do so.
He installed them for $105,000.
He estimates that 'the number of home owners investing in rooftop solar systems has been growing four- to six-fold annually since 2008'.
An increase in awareness about solar energy and the falling cost of solar installations are likely reasons for a growing interest in solar panels, he says.
The cost of installing such panels depends on the size required but he says that at today's tariff rates, a typical residential system will repay itself in less than 20 years, compared to 30 years, in 2008.
Still, home owners can go green without forking out large sums of money.
Mr Mark Cheng, 23, executive director of Avelife, a group that aims to impart green values through education and awareness, is currently renovating his 25-year-old five-room flat near Bukit Merah, where he lives with his mother and brother.
The family is turning its home green with little changes, such as switching to more energy-efficient appliances for their air-conditioner and fridge, and using energy-saving lightbulbs.
'We will also install thimbles in our taps, which helps reduce water wastage,' he says.
On Wednesday, he received an EcoFriend Award from the National Environment Agency, recognising individuals who have contributed significantly to environmental sustainability.
Mr Cheng, who also cuts down on the use of plastic bags and recycles his trash, says: 'By changing lifestyle habits around the home, we can make a difference.'
From trash to flash
One man's junk is another man's treasure. For Mr Steven Chua, managing director of his own construction firm, this saying could not be more true.
The 54-year-old salvages materials from homes he tears down, when clients hire him to build new ones. From roof tiles, timber strips for parquet flooring to basin taps, he collects and recycles them all.
'Many materials are still in good condition and can be reused. It is a waste to throw them out.'
His three-storey bungalow off Upper Bukit Timah Road was built mostly of material he salvaged from other homes. He has been living there with his wife and son for more than three years.
Earlier this year, he completed a second house, a three-storey semi- detached home in the same area. It, too, was partially constructed with recycled material. Both homes were designed by architect Kurjanto Slamet of KD Architects, a director at architecture firm Ong&Ong.
Mr Chua is not only saving the earth but saving money, too. He declined to reveal how much he spent on the reconstruction for the second home but says he saved about 30 per cent by using salvaged materials instead of new ones.
Rather than throw old roof tiles away, he turned them into a water feature just by the entrance of the house.
Recycled timber were cut into various sizes to use as balustrades, fencing around the home and timber decking for the verandahs. 'Recycled wood has been seasoned over time and there is less chances of it warping, unlike with newly chopped wood,' says Mr Chua.
Even crates discarded by timber companies were used to create feature walls. Some ceiling lights and bathroom taps were also recycled.
Step into both homes and it is hard to tell that the materials used were recycled. But there are signs. For example, the parquet flooring in one bedroom is of two colours as he did not have enough of the same coloured timber for the room.
Where needed, new materials were bought, such as aluminium window frames.
While Mr Chua is all for using recycled materials in his homes, he finds it a shame that clients are less open to the idea. 'They prefer we use new materials for their home,' he says.
His brief to Mr Kurjanto was simple. 'All the spaces must be liveable without the need for air-conditioning and without the use of artificial light during the day,' he says.
He did not plan to sell the second home but was persuaded to do so to a buyer, who declined to be named.
The new owner loves the house overlooking the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, mostly because of the lush greenery behind it.
He is not bothered that the home is partially built with recycled materials. As for the bedroom's two-toned flooring, he says: 'It's a small matter.'
Little fanfare in being green
He may be only 21 but Nanyang Technological University undergraduate Chua Ang Hong is already well on the way to doing his bit for Mother Earth.
In his five-room HDB flat in Hougang, where he lives with his parents and sister, the family makes an effort to cut down on their utility bills through green habits.
'My parents remind us that earning money is not easy, so we should save where we can,' says Mr Chua.
He practises habits such as not using air-conditioning unless necessary, relying on a fan instead. A fan uses less than one-tenth the electricity used by an air-conditioner.
He is among the 11 individuals this year who received the EcoFriend Award given out by the National Environment Agency to individuals who have contributed significantly to environmental sustainability.
Beyond the home, Mr Chua is making an impact, too. In 2009, he co-organised the National Youth EnvirOlympics Challenge, Singapore's largest environmental event for youth.
He also serves as Singapore's National Youth Advisor for the United Nations Environment Programme South East Asia Youth Environmental Network, where he is responsible for coordinating and facilitating the collaboration of environmental activities.
While he is unable to install solar panels or build rainwater-collection systems in his 14-year-old flat, there are other ways to make it a green home.
Another habit which his parents have instilled in him is to switch off the lights when leaving a room - something that is so basic but which many people sometimes forget to do.
To further cut down on the electricity bill, he also switches off appliances at the power socket, rather than just switch off the appliance itself.
He also makes it a point to reuse both sides of a sheet of paper, which 'helps to reduce the amount of paper used'.
The family plans to upgrade their appliances such as the fridge and air-conditioners when the current ones can no longer be used.
'Of course, we will switch to energy-efficient ones,' says Mr Chua.
To the roof for view
This three-storey semi-detached home in East Coast takes up most of its plot of land but is still a green sanctuary.
The 340 sq m home sits on a 350 sq m land, and is nicknamed Maximum Garden House. With little room left, architect Alan Tay, a director at Formwerkz, had to come up with quirky ways to incorporate outdoor space into the home.
This was important because, as he notes, 'outdoor spaces give the perception of living in a landed property as opposed to living in a high-rise condominium'.
His brief from his client, home owner and general physician Kelvin Lee, 38, was to build a home with high ceilings and plenty of ventilation to reduce the need for air-conditioning.
Dr Lee resides there with his wife and their two sons, nine and five. His parents sometimes stay over.
In 2008, the house was reconstructed for an undisclosed sum and was completed a year later. The result is a house that not only meets Dr Lee's expectations but which has outdoor space, too.
Rather than waste rooftop space, the pitched roof is covered with timber decking so the family can head there in the evenings to enjoy the view of the neighbourhood.
In the master bathroom on the second floor, part of the wall is made of a planter screen with rows of potted plants in boxes.
The screen can be clearly seen from the front of the house. It shields the bathroom behind it, while beautifying the home. It also allows the bathroom to be naturally ventilated while keeping out the rain.
The master bedroom looks out onto the top of the car porch which, instead of bare concrete, has plants growing on it. Adding to the home's green look are ledges with plants.
It is not only pleasant to look out onto patches of green but the plants also 'help to keep the house cool', says Mr Tay.
He designed the three storeys in a staggered manner to let daylight in while minimising the amount of glare from direct sunlight. Even on the first floor, where the living and dining areas are, natural light pours in from the upper floors.
Dr Lee says the family seldom uses the air-conditioning and relies on ceiling fans. And there is little need to water the plants as rainwater is sufficient.
He also uses energy-efficient appliances, such as his refrigerator and air-conditioners.
The Lees also separate their rubbish such as plastic, cans and paper for recycling. 'The kids see my wife and I doing this, hopefully they will pick up some pointers,' he says.
GREEN TIPS
Choose energy-efficient bulbs which use up to 80 per cent less electricity than incandescent ones to produce the same amount of light. Switching to energy-efficient bulbs can save about $15 a bulb annually.
Draw curtains over windows during the hottest part of the day. Or use solar window film, especially for west-facing windows, to keep the house cool.
When ironing, start with items which need lower temperatures and avoid reheating the iron.
Turn it off and use residual heat for delicate items.
A pressure cooker cooks food faster while consuming less energy. It can cut cooking time by two-thirds. Energy use can be cut by 50 per cent compared to conventional methods.
Boil water only when needed or use a thermo-flask to keep it hot. Electric air-pots that keep water hot constantly can cost $20 a month in electricity.
Choose an energy-efficient appliance by checking the energy labels. A four-tick air-conditioner saves you about $355 in electricity bills a year compared to a one-tick model.
Do not fill the fridge to the brim. Overloading hinders air circulation and reduces its cooling capabilities.
Run the air-conditioner about an hour before bed and switch to a fan after that. It will save you about $55 a year in electricity bills.
Switch off appliances at the power socket. Standby power can account for up to 10 per cent of home electricity use. Do not leave them on standby.
Source: National Environment Agency
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