Changi boardwalk: a death trap for wildlife?
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Two newborn Javan rhinos spotted on camera in Indonesian park
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NUS geography researchers determine benefits of Singapore's mangroves
Mangrove forests bring cultural and environmental values in the long run
NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF SINGAPORE EurekAlert 26 Apr 18;
A three-year study conducted by researchers from the National University of Singapore (NUS) has identified and quantified the benefits of mangrove forests to people in Singapore. These researchers concluded that apart from cultural benefits, mangroves act as nursery habitat for fish and as coastal defence, as well as storing carbon that could help offset some of our climate change emissions.
Associate Professor Daniel Friess from the Department of Geography at the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at NUS conducted the study with a team of ten researchers, undergraduate and graduate students between 2014 and 2017.
Cultural benefits
A unique outcome from this in-depth study was quantifying the cultural benefits mangroves can offer, through the use of photographs taken and posted online on websites like Flickr.
"If someone takes a photo of the landscape, we assume that is because they appreciate, or take value from the landscape; people think the view is nice. That is a type of cultural value. If they take a photo of a crab or otter, they're valuing the biodiversity there. Taking selfies means that people value social recreation, using the places as social spaces," explained Assoc Prof Friess.
As the photographs were tagged with their specific locations, the researchers were then able to create maps based on the information gathered to approximate what different segments of the mangroves are valued for. This could be used as a tool to help managers to improve visitor experience in nature parks.
Environmental benefits
Mangroves also provide environmental benefits such as acting as nursery habitat for important fish species, defending the coast against tides and storms, and storing carbon.
The team discovered that the mangroves that were sampled had a very different composition of important fish when compared to other habitats. This means that losing mangroves could have considerable impact on the populations of these species of fish.
Another observation was that the tangled roots of many mangrove species can help to defend the coast.
Assoc Prof Friess said, "When the waves hit the roots, they take out the energy of the wave so that by the time the wave travels through the mangrove it is a lot smaller. This means that we do not have as many problems with erosion, and it is easier to maintain our seawalls."
Finally, mangroves take carbon out of the atmosphere during photosynthesis and can store it in the tree and the soil. This carbon storage capability of mangroves outranks many other forests, and can be up to five times more efficient than a tropical rainforest. Their presence in Singapore could thus potentially be useful in offsetting the nation's carbon emissions.
"In total, Singapore's mangroves store some 450,000 tonnes of carbon, which is equivalent to the annual carbon emissions of 620,000 people in Singapore," shared Assoc Prof Friess.
However, the carbon storing ability of mangroves comes with its downside. Losing mangroves would result in a larger amount of carbon being released into the environment, creating a larger impact. This makes conservation of mangroves even more vital.
Findings to guide planning
Assoc Prof Friess hopes that these findings can be used to help guide future planning.
"In Singapore and other urban areas, there are a lot of different demands on land, but we can use information on the benefits of mangroves to prioritise and optimise our planning so that we get what we hope is a win-win situation," he said. This can be used in other rapidly urbanising coastal cities in Southeast Asia such as Jakarta.
Assoc Prof Friess and a large team of collaborators have secured funding and in the next step will be using a similar approach to study all major ecosystems in Singapore, including forests, urban landscapes and coastal ecosystems, in order to assess the true state of Singapore's environment and the benefits they provide to us.
Related link
Knowing the value of mangroves, Straits Times
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DBS banking on renewable energy to power 40 per cent of its operations
Gracia Lee Straits Times 26 Apr 18;
SINGAPORE - DBS will use renewable energy sources to power 40 per cent of its operations by the end of this year, the local bank announced on Thursday (April 26).
This is equivalent to the amount of energy needed to power more than 3,000 four-room HDB flats a year.
To meet this goal, DBS said it plans to operate its own solar energy installations, procure renewable energy and continue driving efficient energy usage across its organisation.
DBS also launched a solar energy installation at the rooftop of its DBS Asia Hub in Changi Business Park.
The installation, which is owned and maintained by the bank, consists of 1,200 solar panels spread across an area about half the size of a football field.
It will generate over 460MW hours per year, offsetting about 3 per cent of the building's power consumption, according to chief operating officer of technology and operations Michael Power.
These efforts are part of the bank's larger goal to power its entire Singapore operations with renewable energy by 2030.
DBS is the first company in Singapore and the first Asian bank to make this commitment under RE100, a global renewable energy campaign that brings together global businesses committed to using only renewable energy to power their operations.
Speaking at the launch, Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Masagos Zulkifli, who was the guest of honour, stressed the severity of climate change - something Singapore is already feeling the effects of in terms of rising sea levels and extreme weather.
While the Government has been making efforts to combat climate change, such as introducing a carbon tax, improving public transport and transforming the waste industry, Mr Masagos said it is not enough.
"At the end of the day, all of us have a very big role to do... our part to contribute towards limiting the greenhouse gas effects," he said, urging people to sign the Climate Action pledge as part of the Year of Climate Action 2018.
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IndonesiaL Critically endangered Javan Rhino dies
AFP Yahoo News 26 Apr 18;
Jakarta (AFP) - A Javan rhino has died in Indonesia, the environment ministry said Thursday, bringing the critically endangered mammals closer to extinction with just 60 believed to be still living in the wild.
The body of the male rhino was found inside West Java's Ujung Kulon national park, the creature's last remaining habitat.
Its death was believed to be from old age rather than poaching.
The animal has been driven to the brink of extinction as their horns are highly valued in traditional Chinese and Korean medicine, although most countries in the region have banned the trade.
"We found it on (Monday) and are now performing an autopsy," said environment ministry spokesman Djati Witjaksono Hadi.
The 40-year-old rhino didn't had any offspring, he added.
Javan and Sumatran rhinos are classified as "critically endangered" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
The Javan rhino is distinguished from African rhinos by its smaller size, single horn and loose skin folds which give it the appearance of wearing armour plating.
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Indonesia: Greenpeace investigation claims palm oil supplier to major brands behind further deforestation
Anna Isaac The Telegraph 27 Apr 18
A supplier of palm oil with links to major brands including Unilever, Nestle, PepsiCo and Mars, has been destroying rainforests in a protected area of Papua, Indonesia, a Greenpeace investigation claims.
Palm oil is a vegetable oil found in a wide variety of consumer goods. Global appetites for the commodity have been associated with large scale deforestation in areas including Indonesia and Malaysia.
Video and images gathered by the environmental campaign group’s helicopter appear to show the clearance of 4,000 hectares of rainforest within the PT Megakarya Jaya Raya concession between May 2015 and April 2017.
The company which owns the land in question, the Hayel Saeed Anam Group (HSA) is a Yemeni-owned conglomerate with palm oil supplier subsidiaries. Deeds seen by The Daily Telegraph appear to show the land is held in names of members of the Saeed family which owns HSA Group.
One HSA subsidiary, Arma Foods, is a direct supplier to Mars, PepsiCo and Unilever. Another, Pacific Oils and Fats is listed as a supplier for Nestle. Pacific Inter-Link is also an HSA subsidiary with links to Unilever.
The area in which Greenpeace and a second group, Aidenvironment, claim to have documented the clearance of forest includes peatland.
Peatland has been given an extra level of protection of deforestation, following devastating fires in Indonesia. A presidential decree laid down by Indonesian president Joko Widodo prohibited any clearance on new or previously issued concessions.
The investigation comes as the Indonesian government has attempted to defend the palm oil industry against moves by the EU parliament to discourage the use of the commodity in biofuel on environmental grounds.
All of the firms listed by Greenpeace in their investigation have made public commitments to end deforestation activities within their respective supply chains.
A Unilever spokesman said: “Following recent investigations and monitoring of HSA Group’s activity, we have concluded that the allegations were not being sufficiently addressed. As we have not seen progress that complies with our Sustainable Palm Oil Sourcing Policy, we have therefore suspended the placement of any new orders from Pacific Inter-Link and Arma Food Industries, HSA Group’s suppliers, until the allegations have been satisfactorily addressed by them.”
A Nestle spokesman said that the company was opposed to deforestation and destruction of peatland in all parts of the world.
He added: “We have identified some issues with one of our palm oil suppliers with operations in Papua, Indonesia, which was also mentioned by Greenpeace in its recent investigation. We are concerned by these findings and are working closely with The Forest Trust and our supplier to address them.”
A Mars spokesman said: “We are engaging with Arma regarding Greenpeace’s allegations of risk of association with deforestation. As a supplier to Mars, we fully expect Arma to comply with our deforestation and palm oil policies. We are assessing the situation and are prepared to take further action should Arma be found to be non-compliant.”
HSA has not responded to The Daily Telegraph’s request for comment.
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Indonesia: More land, forests burned down in Jambi
Jon Afrizal The Jakarta Post 26 Apr 18;
Land and forest fires have been detected in the regencies of Batanghari and Kerinci, as well as Sungai Penuh city in Jambi, the Batanghari Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD) has said.
Two fires occurred in January, while one incident occurred in April. “A total of 3.2 hectares has been burned down, with five hot spots,” he said on Thursday.
Production Forest Management Office (KPHP) unit I head Neneng Susanti said that as of April, the office had extinguished fires on 288.5-ha of land and forests in Kerinci regency and Sungai Penuh city, of which 122-ha of land and forests were burned down in January and the remaining 83.5-ha in February.
“The land and forest fires have caused hundreds of millions of rupiah in losses."
Citing reports from the Land and Forest Fire Control task force, Neneng said the forests were intentionally burned using slash-and-burn techniques to open plantations.
“The team found evidence, including gasoline, on the burned areas,” she said.
Neneng called on farming communities to use traditional techniques to clear land to protect and conserve forests.
Land and forest fire cases occur in Jambi every year. The Jambi Forestry Agency said 566- ha of land and forests across the province were burned down in 2017, up from 254-ha in the previous year. A massive forest fire in 2015 destroyed 19,528-ha of land and forests in Jambi. (ebf)
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Indo-China: Continuing haze points to failure of Asean agreement
Pratch Rujivanarom The Nation 26 Apr 18;
Activists call for tighter controls over contract farming activities of food firms
THE FAILURE in the implementation of the Asean Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution (AATHP) has led to the prolonged and severe haze season in the northern region of Southeast Asia, while the goal of a haze-free Asean by 2020 was far from achievable, environmentalists said yesterday
Greenpeace called for tighter regulations to control the overseas operations of big food companies, as it highlighted that contract farming through the subsidiaries of the multinational corporations was a major factor behind the high number of haze hotspots this dry season in Myanmar, Laos, and Cambodia as well as the severe seasonal haze in the north of Asean
Despite a slight improvement in air pollution from the accumulation of particulate matter smaller than 2.5 microns (PM2.5) in the North of Thailand yesterday, PM2.5 daily average levels in some areas such as Chiang Mai and Lampang were still above the country’s safe average Unusually, the haze problem in the North this year is more severe at this time of the year as compared to previous years
The air pollution monitoring stations of the Pollution Control Department (PCD) reported yesterday that Chiang Mai and Lampang still had a problem with the harmful level of air pollution The PM2.5 daily average level of these provinces reached 66.56 micrograms per cubic metre of air and 58.47 micrograms respectively, which was higher than the safe standards of both Thailand and the World Health Organisation
The PCD’s safe standard for PM2.5 daily average level was 50 micrograms, while the WHO safe standard was set at 25 micrograms The Chiang Mai University Climate Change Data Centre said that the smog problem in the North was not only the result of increasing open burning activities within the region after the 60-day ban on burning ended He said the hotspots outside the country also contributed to transboundary haze that also affected Thailand
Greenpeace country director for Thailand Tara Buakamsri said the ongoing air pollution over the northern part of Southeast Asia and also in the North of Thailand pointed to the failure of the AATHP implementation and uncontrolled expansion of monoculture farming in Myanmar, Laos, and Cambodia through the contract farming system.
“Asean’s haze agreement cannot prevent or solve the problem of transboundary haze in the region, because it lacks the power to force the member countries to take constructive measures to tackle transboundary haze,” Tara said However, he pointed out that the main reason for the recurrence of the haze problem in northern Asean was the result of expansion of monoculture farming and rapid deforestation in these countries
“From the satellite data of Nasa, it was seen that Cambodia has the highest rate of deforestation in Asean This is partly the result of contracted farming investment in the country, which in turn increases the number of hotspots from open-burning activities in agricultural sector,” he said
“A similar problem has also been noticed in Laos and Myanmar, as big food companies continue to invest through subsidiaries and expand monoculture farming in these regions This requires burning during the dry season to clear leftover material on the field to prepare for the new crop in the rainy season.”
He called for control over contract farming in these countries through tighter regulation, similar to how Singapore had imposed strict rules on multinational palm oil companies that invested in IndonesiaOtherwise the regional goal to be haze-free by 2020 will be impossible
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India: Sundarbans Census - Dolphins declining
Pinaki Roy The Daily Star 27 Apr 18;
The dolphin census going on in the Sundarbans area is indicating that the number of the mammals in the mangrove forest rivers is dropping and the experts are blaming climate change and withdrawal of fresh water from upstream.
Experts think rise of salinity in the coastal rivers, poor flow of fresh water in the Ganges river system and growing commercial activities in and around the Sundarbans are threatening the iconic animal.
“We have not completed the census yet, but still we can say that the number of dolphins is decreasing, comparing it with the number of the last census in 2006,” said Monirul H Khan, eminent wildlife expert who is leading the census team.
His two-member team has completed their work in most areas of the Sundarbans.
The department of forest is carrying out the census with support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
The first dolphin survey in the Sundarbans was conducted by Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) in 2006. It found 225 gangetic dolphins, locally known as Sushuk, and 451 irrawaddy dolphins.
Of the 40 species of dolphins in the world, four are found in the Sundarbans area. Finless porpoise and the pink Indo-pacific humpback dolphins are occasionally seen here.
“This time we have seen one family of four pink dolphins and two finless porpoise. It is hard to determine their status as these two species are not found in the Sundarbans on a regular basis,” said Monirul.
This is the first time a survey team has seen the pink dolphins in the Sundarbans area. They are one of the largest dolphins and found in the east coast of India, and through the Indo-Malay archipelago and east towards Australia where the water is very saline.
The pink dolphin was first sighted in the country in 2002.
Asked if the pink dolphins were living in the Sundarbans as the water salinity increased, Monirul said it could not be said without research.
“What we can say is that we have seen a family of four dolphins, may be for the first time a full family has been sighted in the Sundarbans,” he said.
Dolphins are among the world's most endangered mammals as per the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) red data book. Dolphin experts have been pushing the government to announce parts of the Sundarbans rivers as dolphin sanctuaries as the mangrove forest is the world's largest single habitat of freshwater cetaceans.
In 2012, the government declared, 10.7 square km area of the Pashur and Andharmanik rivers and their channels in Dhangmari, Chandpai and Dudhmukhi areas as “dolphin sanctuaries”.
During dolphin census last week near the Dhangmari sanctuary, 15 to 20 dolphins, adults and juveniles, were spotted.
Modinul Ahsan, divisional forest officer Wild life Sundarbans and also the census project director, said it was necessary to impose more restrictions to conserve the dolphins in the Sundarbans.
Even the sanctuary areas are not protected. In some areas, one side of a river is marked as protected while the other half is not. Fishermen fish in one side of the river there. This is not realistic, said Modinul.
Although dolphins are not usually captured with intent, every year dozens of dolphins get entangled in fishing nets and die. They are also threatened by pollution of water transports operating in the Sundarbans.
Poor flow of fresh water from upstream, blamed on the upper riparian country, is increasing salinity of river water, resulting in dolphins disappearing, experts said.
They said just a few years ago, dolphins could be sighted in all major rivers of the country. But now they can only be seen in some large rivers, like the Padma and the Karnaphuli.
Three decades ago, there were dolphins in the Buriganga near Dhaka, said Khasru Chowdhury, eminent Sundarbans expert who went to see the census being carried out.
Experts said over-fishing was a major cause for the decline in dolphin numbers. They also reported that dolphins become entangled in bank-to-bank fishing nets and are hunted in some areas for their alleged medicinal properties.
Khurshid Alam, assistant country director to the UNDP, Bangladesh, said, they were supporting the dolphin survey of Bangladesh as part of supporting Bangladesh to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal (14), which is protecting underwater biodiversity.
Under this project, they are also supporting local fishermen community with alternative livelihood so that they do not disturb the dolphin habitat.
They might extent their support for expanding sanctuaries in future, Khurshid said.
Rezaul Karim Chowdhury, manager of the project titled, “Expanding the Protected Area System to Incorporate Aquatic Systems Project”, said they were trying to create awareness among locals so that they do not kill dolphins.
The other member of the two-member Dolphin census team is Dr Aziz of the zoology department at Jahangirnagar University.
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Two otters found dead on Changi Beach
AMANDA LEE Today Online 26 Apr 18;
Two otters were found dead at Changi Beach. One of the otters was found along the beach (left), while the other was found in a metal trap used to catch crabs and fish near the Changi Sailing Club.
SINGAPORE ― Two otters were found dead at Changi Beach on Wednesday (April 25).
One of the otters was found in a metal trap used to catch crabs and fish near the Changi Sailing Club, while the other was found along the beach.
Otter community group Otterwatch posted photos of the dead animals on Facebook on Thursday morning, and the news spread quickly on social media.
There are at least 60 otters in Singapore, and they can be found in places such as Pasir Ris, Sungei Buloh, Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park, Pulau Ubin, and the Gardens By The Bay. Popular with Singaporeans, the smooth-coated otters have often been spotted frolicking in the water and on land.
OtterWatch said in a post that the two otters were “likely” to be members of the Pasir Ris family, and that they were discovered by members of the public.
A spokesman from OtterWatch told TODAY that the otter in the trap had half of its head “chewed off by (a) monitor lizard”.
This is not the first time that such an incident has occurred. In June last year, a dead otter was found in a cage along the Marina Promenade, and a man was subsequently caught setting traps in the area.
“Many traps were recovered and removed by agencies and volunteers… When will there be an end to this irresponsible trapping?” said the Otterwatch spokesman.
“One man’s leisure and pleasure is causing so much harm to marine creatures. It should be banned.”
Changi Sailing Club general manager Edwin Low told TODAY that this was the first time he had heard of an otter being killed by a trap. He added: “Maybe the authorities could issue advisories to these fishing enthusiasts, and even ban the use of these traps.
“I would like to see a ‘no fishing zone’ where we are located.”
Responding to queries, Mr Kalai Vanan, deputy chief executive of the Animal Concerns Research and Education Society, said it is aware of the incident and is “very sad that (the) two otters have been found dead”.
Abandoned fish and crab traps, as well as fishing lines with hooks and nets can be found in many of Singapore’s waterways and coastal areas, added Mr Kalai. Apart from otters, turtles and monitor lizards caught on fish hooks often suffer slow and painful deaths.
He also called on the public to be vigilant when walking along the waterways and coastal areas “to look out for abandoned fish traps/lines and report them to the authorities”.
“We hope the agencies will investigate this matter to find out more and look into better enforcement measures to deter such incidents,” added Mr Kalai.
Dead otters Pasir Ris
Nicole Chang Channel NewsAsia 26 Apr 18;
SINGAPORE: Two otters, one of which was in a fishing trap, were found dead on Wednesday (Apr 25) at the boardwalk near the Changi Sailing Club.
The owner of a sailing boat company, Mr Scott McCook, told Channel NewsAsia that he was at the sailing club in the afternoon when a club employee told him that a dead otter had been found.
“By the time we found the cage it was 4pm or 5pm,” he said. He saw the dead otter inside a fishing trap, while another dead otter was “on the beach” in the water.
He said he did not know who to contact about the carcasses, but took some photographs.
By the next morning, one of the carcasses had “drifted off”, said Mr McCook, but the 56-year-old came across members of the OtterWatch community group along Changi Beach and showed them the photos he had.
OtterWatch member Alvin Tan told Channel NewsAsia that the group was taking photos of some otters at Changi Beach on Thursday morning when Mr McCook told them about the dead otters.
“We asked him to bring us over immediately,” said Mr Tan.
Mr McCook took them to the fishing trap, where they saw the dead otter, its head “badly rotten”.
“We saw a lot of maggots on the head of the otter,” he said. “In fact there (was) a big monitor lizard biting at this dead otter.
“We managed to chase the monitor lizard away. The head of the otter was almost gone, the body and legs were all swollen.”
He added that OtterWatch was working with authorities over the incident.
Mr Jeffery Teo, another member of OtterWatch, told Channel NewsAsia that these metal traps can be found along coastal areas. Some were new traps and some had been abandoned, he said.
"How many marine animals must be killed before law and enforcement keep up with these irresponsible actions using large-size metal cages?" Mr Teo said.
Singapore's Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (ACRES) also called on the relevant agencies to investigate and look into better enforcement measures to deter such incidences.
"Abandoned fish or crab traps, fishing lines with hooks and nets can be found in many of our waterways and coastal areas," said the animal welfare group in response to Channel NewsAsia's queries.
"Besides otters, so many other animals suffer as well. Turtles and monitor lizards get caught on fish hooks as well, often suffering a slow painful death."
ACRES said it is "very sad" that two otters have been found dead. It urged members of the public "be vigilant" when walking along waterways and coastal regions, and report cases of abandoned fish traps or lines to the authorities.
In response to Channel NewsAsia's queries, the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) said it is investigating the incident. "One otter carcass was retrieved and WRS (Wildlife Reserves Singapore) is carrying out a necropsy on it," AVA added.
Source: CNA/nc(cy)
2 otters found dead near Changi Sailing Club, including 1 trapped in illegal fishing cage
Ng Huiwen Straits Times 26 Apr 18;
SINGAPORE - Two otters believed to be from the Pasir Ris family were found dead near the Changi Sailing Club.
While one was found trapped in an illegal fishing cage, the other was seen on the beach near the cage.
A member of the public who found the otters on Wednesday alerted Facebook page OtterWatch on Thursday (April 26) morning.
Photos shared by OtterWatch show one of the otters covered in mud in a large metal cage under a boardwalk, while the other had been washed up on the beach.
Avid otter watcher Jeffrey Teo, who is part of OtterWatch, told The Straits Times that the otter found in the cage was "in a bad shape".
It had metal cuts on its face and a monitor lizard was seen chewing on its body, he said, adding that the carcass will be handed over to the Wildlife Reserves Singapore for a post-mortem.
However, the carcass of the other otter which was found on the beach near the cage, was no longer there by the time volunteers went down.
National University of Singapore biology lecturer N. Sivasothi, who heads the Otter Working Group, told ST that the otters were likely from the Pasir Ris family, comprising 10 adults and four pups.
The family usually roam the waters in Pasir Ris and Changi, and in November last year, made a surprising appearance on the tarmac of Changi Airport.
Mr Sivasothi said that the otters, just like other wild animals, could have been in search of food, when they became trapped.
"Any wild animal will explore their surroundings in great detail in pursuit of food," he said.
"While otters are usually suspicious of new structures and are careful around them, there could be a possibility that the cage has been there for quite a while, and they have become familiar enough with it to explore it."
He added that if fish was used as bait in the cage, then this may have driven the otters to enter it and get caught, before drowning.
With Singapore's waterways now relatively clear of pollution, wildlife has started to make a return in recent years, he noted.
Hence, there is a greater urgency to eradicate illegal fishing practices that could have a significant detrimental effect on wild animals, he said.
Currently, the public is able to alert national water agency PUB on suspicious activities in Singapore's reservoirs.
But in other areas, it is often the public who remove illegal traps, cages or fishing lines on their own initiative.
In June last year, a dead otter from the Bishan family was found in a cage at Marina Promenade in the Kallang Basin. A man was caught setting up traps in the area later that day.
And in January, otters were spotted climbing an illegal fish-trapping cage in the Marina Reservoir. An otter watcher alerted PUB, which removed the cage with the help of otter community group OtterWatch.
It is illegal to use such trapping cages in any reservoirs or waterways, even in areas where fishing is allowed.
Additionally, those caught trapping any animal or doing any act which injures fauna in any reservoir may be fined up to $3,000.
Related link
Otterwatch facebook post on the incident.
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Shaping the future of Singapore’s heartlands
CHEONG KOON HEAN Today Online 25 Apr 18;
Amidst Singapore’s demographic changes, the threat of climate change, and trends such as Singaporeans increasingly working from home and turning to shopping online, how can public housing continue to evolve to better meet the needs of residents? Addressing this issue at an IPS-Nathan lecture on Monday (April 23), Housing and Development Board CEO Dr Cheong Koon Hean spelt out how Singapore’s largest developer plans, designs, harnesses technology and reaches out to the community to help build better homes for Singaporeans and to foster a stronger community spirit. Below is an excerpt of the lecture, the final in a series of three lectures.
Someone once told me that in Singapore, HDB flats are ‘like the air we breathe’.
They are so much a part of our life because more than 80 per cent of our residential population live in them.
Even if you do not live in an HDB flat, you would have used some of the amenities in an HDB town, be it to frequent the market or hawker centre, the neighbourhood shop or clinic.
The public housing programme implemented by the Housing & Development Board (HDB) over the last 57 years has provided affordable housing for the people of Singapore. By and large, HDB has provided a comfortable and convenient living environment for its residents.
Going forward, there will be trends that will impact our HDB towns.
So what are the considerations that will influence the way in which we should plan and build our towns?
In this lecture, I would like to focus on how HDB plans, designs, harnesses technology and reaches out to the community to help build better homes together.
Singaporeans are living longer and having fewer babies. By 2030, the number of Singaporeans aged 65 and above will double to 900,000, making up 25 per cent of the population, from just one in eight today.
The planning of towns and estates must consider the change in social composition and demographics.
We need to meet the continuum of needs of our residents as they age.
Our designs should include suitable accommodation for them, complemented by services that take care of their social well-being and healthcare needs so that they can age-in-place.
For example, elderly residents seeking independent living may now prefer to buy a smaller flat as it is easier to maintain.
These should be close to neighbourhood amenities and public transport for convenience, and be served by healthcare and elderly activity centres.
In terms of detail design, universal design principles should be applied within the flat and in public areas, so that mobility is not impeded.
We want to encourage and enable the elderly to be physically and mentally active in and outside their homes, so that they are not socially isolated.
As a small city state, Singapore is inevitably a high density environment. However, through innovative planning and design solutions, planners and architects can create ‘liveable density’ so as to continue to ensure a pleasant living environment.
Climate change is another phenomenon that we must consider in the formulation of our plans. Increased urbanisation and economic activities globally has led to higher carbon emissions and an upward trend in temperatures.
Since 1972, Singapore has experienced an increase in warm days and warm nights, and a decrease in cool days and cool nights. From 1980 to 2016, annual total rainfall rose at an average rate of 101 millimetres per decade.
It is projected that the intensity and frequency of heavy rainfall events will increase as the world gets warmer.
These climatic changes require us to plan and build in a more sustainable way.
Our buildings should be designed to reduce energy use and to encourage natural cooling rather than the use of air conditioning.
Today, HDB already uses renewable energy, such as energy generated from solar panels. There are opportunities to use less water and reduce waste, and to re-use and recycle whenever possible.
Innovative ways, such as the adoption of water sensitive urban design could be used to mitigate floods. We should strive to build greater resilience into our infrastructure.
Recognising that our towns will mature and age over time, HDB has already been carrying out extensive estate renewal and upgrading of several towns since the 1990s.
Where possible, the cycle of improvements and rejuvenation should continue, the pace of which will be subject to the availability of resources.
This will ensure that our towns remain a pleasant place to live, and municipal and estate services are well maintained.
We now have a much more diverse population as we begin to see more inter-ethnic and transnational marriages.
More new citizens have also joined us in recent decades. These trends will increase our diversity in culture, language and lifestyle.
The complexion of our estates will evolve organically with this change in social composition. We need to find ways to increase community connections so as to promote better understanding and social cohesion amongst residents in our towns.
The use of design and technology to encourage greater inclusivity and to facilitate social interactions becomes even more important. If we can do this successfully, it will help to create a cultural richness and a new definition of the community spirit.
At the same time, with increasing wealth and education, we are mindful that people do value their privacy and personal space more.
Whilst some may advocate the return of the traditional slab block and common corridor design to encourage more neighbourly encounters, the reality is that the majority of our residents prefer a building layout, which gives them more privacy.
Building the ‘Kampung Spirit’ will require new design interpretations.
More creative designs should strike a balance between building community and making available multiple layers of different spaces – a gradation of public, semi-public and private space.
More and more people are now connected through social media regardless of where they live. We can no longer define ‘neighbours’ by proximity and distance alone.
Whilst promoting neighbourly ties by physical design remain important, we need to recognise the presence and power of online communities.
By leveraging technology, virtual communities can nourish a sense of belonging and civic-mindedness, involving more people to shape and take greater ownership of the environment that they are living in.
Netizens with common interests can be brought together to enliven community life. A matching of skills to needs, and bringing together of residents with common interests across online communities, could also be constructive ways to engender a kampung spirit.
ANTICIPATING DIGITAL AND TECHNOLOGY CHANGES
Technology and artificial intelligence (AI) will impact almost every aspect of the town, affecting the way we live, work, play and learn.
The nature of employment is likely to become more transient with the advent of the gig economy and new freelance jobs.
It was reported that in 2017, there are about 167,000 individuals in freelance work as their primary job.
More people will also turn to telecommuting and home offices to perform various jobs from the comfort of their home. These are potential considerations for future flat designs.
In fact, some 17,000 HDB flats already operate as home-offices today. How can we better support citizens in these new roles?
For example, we could provide more flexible living spaces that could accommodate suitable types of work that can be done in a home environment, supported by digital infrastructure.
As the home businesses grow, we could consider providing shared working spaces nearby in the neighbourhood or town centres which allow these businesses to expand into, and provide connectivity facilities and spaces for larger group meetings.
These spaces would encourage greater entrepreneurship and facilitate start-ups.
Our commercial complexes and shops in the heartlands serve an important social role.
They provide convenience and more affordable goods and services for residents. Entrepreneurs just starting out can find more affordable rentals within the heartland shops.
Many of the shops serve as social nodes, particularly the coffee shops where people meet over a cuppa. Residents enjoy familiarity with the shop keepers unlike larger shopping malls with chain stores.
At the same time, omni-channel shopping has been growing in popularity. Some have projected that by 2028, the e-commerce market will grow by more than five times, it would be worth up to S$7.5 billion, and make up 6.7 per cent of all retail in Singapore.
HDB shops need to evolve to cater to the changing shopping preferences of consumers. We could rethink the design of our HDB commercial centres towards a more ‘experiential’ focus, to attract footfall. In terms of trade mix, more personalised services could be introduced.
For example, Nespresso provides a personalised coffee experience by baristas at a tasting bar.
With online shopping, the design of neighbourhoods should be more delivery-friendly. This could mean providing more drop-off and parcel collection points for each block and precinct.
The potential introduction of autonomous vehicles will also impact the way we plan our towns for commute. The Land Transport Authority’s (LTA) push towards a car-lite environment and the introduction of autonomous buses require us to rethink the road system in our towns.
For example, priority may be given to bus transit corridors while reducing the number of lanes for cars. Many of our multi-storey car parks could be repurposed or redeveloped, should car ownership fall.
A ROADMAP TO BETTER LIVING
HDB ramped up its building programme from 2010 onwards to meet the surge in demand for public housing.
Between 2010 and 2017, we launched about 167,000 units of flats. This is equivalent to about five Toa Payoh towns, all launched within the short span of eight years.
This is a massive building programme. However, it provided a golden opportunity for HDB to develop a new generation of public housing that would take into consideration the various trends I highlighted above.
Rather than just doing more of the same, we wanted to refresh our public housing towns and developments so that they will meet the changing lifestyle needs and rising aspirations of our people.
In 2011, we launched the HDB Roadmap to Better Living, which will guide our large development programme over the next few decades. The goal is to build well-designed and community centric towns which are sustainable and smart. Let me share how this roadmap will impact the future of Heartland Living.
Thrust 1: Well-designed towns
HDB does not only build housing. As a master planner and developer, HDB is in the business of developing entire townships.
Over the years, the physical planning of HDB towns has evolved in tandem with the changing socio-economic and demographic conditions of Singapore.
With the ramp-up of our building programme since 2010, we have had the opportunity to formulate several new master plans for areas such as Punggol North, Bidadari, Tampines North and Tengah.
These plans have incorporated new fresh ideas, including the following:
1.1) More distinctive neighbourhoods and districts
HDB aims to create more distinctive identities for a new generation of towns in green field sites and in larger areas of older estates that will undergo redevelopment and rejuvenation. Building ‘identity’ can help us to better root residents to home and community. In our planning, we capitalise on ‘heritage and place character’ to safeguard social memories and to create a stronger sense of belonging.
1.2) Living in Green to mitigate high densities
Our homes will be nestled within a garden as we introduce more tropical green and blue water elements in our planning and design.
These elements provide the green lungs and recreational spaces to relieve urban density.
More blue elements, such as ponds and streams, will be weaved in with the landscaping – these elements will be multi-functional, serving to collect storm water, and provide aesthetic and recreational features for the towns.
1.3) Develop New Building Typologies and Layouts
We have adopted new building typologies and flat layouts to meet changing lifestyle needs, providing variety and choice, as well as adding interesting features to the townscape.
In addition to the traditional tower and slab blocks, we have introduced typologies such as courtyard housing, terraced housing, housing with decked roof gardens, etc.
Sky gardens and terraces will also be selectively introduced to provide residents with more spaces to relax and to interact.
The interior of the flat unit is also undergoing change to meet new lifestyle needs and trends. Kitchen walls have recently been done away with as many young couples prefer open kitchens. Columns are pushed to the sides wherever possible so that residents can have more flexibility in reconfiguring their flat layout.
All these improvements enable residents to stamp their flat’s interior with their very own personality.
1.4) A car-lite environment
In line with national efforts, HDB also aims to develop a ‘car-lite’ environment by encouraging the use of public transport. Almost all our towns are well served by a rail network and well connected bus routes to encourage the use of public transport.
Recognising that some may still need to use a car occasionally, LTA has worked with HDB to launch the national Electric Vehicle Car-Sharing Programme in 2017 where 1,000 cars supplied by BlueSG are being deployed in stages for our residents’ use.
In addition, MOT/ LTA are exploring a pilot deployment of Autonomous Vehicles as a form of public transport in Punggol and Tengah towns as well as in the Jurong Innovation District from 2022.
To promote the use of alternative modes of transport, comprehensive cycling networks are being weaved into HDB towns to encourage cycling and the use of personal mobility devices. The cycling network will also link to parks and park connectors.
Towns will be planned to be even more pedestrian-friendly with conveniently connected footpaths, covered link ways, and second storey connections where appropriate, which connect precincts and also lead directly to the aboveground MRT/ LRT stations.
2) Designing an Environment for All Ages
Today, HDB already adopts universal design principles – to ensure that the built environment is usable and accessible to everyone, regardless of age and physical ability.
All new flats come with no steps, toilets that can accommodate a wheelchair, and rocker switches which are suitable for the elderly.
All existing towns have been retrofitted with ramps to facilitate wheelchair mobility. Through the Lift Upgrading Programme, a majority of flats have access to a lift on every floor.
HDB has actively looked into special housing typologies that are more tailored to elderly needs. Today, a range of housing choices are available for our elderly.
3) Creating Synergies from Integrated Developments
HDB has been co-locating our residential blocks with smaller, compatible facilities such as precinct shops, childcare centres, active ageing hubs, and other social services.
However, as integrated developments can yield greater convenience and potential synergies between mixed uses, HDB will consider building larger integrated developments where appropriate.
Thrust 2: Community-centric towns
Beyond being just a provider of homes, HDB also builds active and cohesive communities anchored on the three pillars of ‘software, hardware and heartware’.
Software – To foster social cohesion, the Ethnic Integration Policy (EIP) has been a key policy pillar on which we have managed to maintain a good ethnic mix in HDB estates for racial integration and harmony.
In recent years, we have introduced the Singapore Permanent Resident (SPR) Quota which was layered over the EIP to facilitate better integration of SPR households in public housing estates.
Hardware – With the community in mind, HDB plans and designs shared spaces and facilities such as civic plazas, void decks and community living rooms, common green spaces and even 3-generation playgrounds to encourage the mixing of different age groups.
In addition, we have different flat types for each precinct and block to encourage a more socially inclusive environment.
HDB estates host a wealth of spaces where residents get to meet their neighbours incidentally (i.e. unplanned) and convivially (i.e. planned).
In a HDB-NUS study in 2014, it was found that HDB lift lobbies and void decks are conducive spaces for interaction, followed by coffee shops and retail shops.
There was positive correlation between amenities usage and a sense of attachment and belonging.
Therefore, well-planned and designed spaces and amenities are critical, as residents who reported a higher level of amenities usage also reported a higher sense of attachment and belonging to their community.
In the design of its new generation towns, HDB has increased the provision of more social and communal places to encourage interaction.
These include large town plazas for larger group activities, various roof and sky rise gardens and community living rooms for smaller groups of residents.
Heartware – The Heartware, comprising people and community, is what makes a town and place endearing to its residents. In the past five years, HDB has stepped up community-building efforts by organising activities such as Welcome Parties and HDB’s Good Neighbours Awards.
Based on HDB’s Sample Household Survey 2013, some 98 per cent of the residents gave feedback that they feel a sense of belonging to their town. More than 85 per cent of residents interacted with neighbours of other ethnic groups and nationalities. There is also increasing participation in community activities.
HDB continues to build on these positive trends by encouraging more citizen participation. We would like our residents to play an active role in shaping their environment and to take greater ownership in caring for their town and to contribute to building up their community.
HDB therefore has many programmes to encourage greater citizen participation.
First, HDB works to nurture change makers. They help to promote the spirit of neighbourliness and eco-friendly living in the HDB estates. For example, we have ‘ambassadors’ comprising students from schools and retirees who volunteer and help spread the eco-living messages to residents.
Some of our volunteers may also initiate activities that add liveliness to places like civic plazas, and foster care and neighbourly relations through organised activities.
Other volunteers facilitate community conversations to build consensus on local development and rejuvenation plans.
For example, our resident volunteers and student facilitators from the tertiary institutions help to lead focus group sessions with our residents on how to improve their living environment.
Residents are often invited to help co-create places in their estates. One interesting project was the development of a ‘Social Linkway’ along a pedestrian corridor at Tampines that was very well used by residents as it leads to their neighbourhood centre.
Pop-up stations were set up along the corridor to gather ideas and inputs from residents who were making their way to the neighbourhood centre. Not only did the residents contribute ideas, they helped to implement several interesting activity nodes – one was for a neighbourhood incubator and others for play and learning. There is also an art link with artwork and murals contributed by the residents themselves.
To support ground-up ideas, HDB introduced a ‘Friendly Faces, Lively Places Fund’ in 2017. Residents are encouraged to draw on this fund to organise events together with their neighbours and the community
HDB also makes a point to consult the public on its plans. Numerous focus group discussions and exhibitions are held to gather ideas and suggestions for many of our plans before they are formulated or finalised.
Thrust 3: Sustainable and smart towns
As the largest housing developer in Singapore, HDB will play its part as a responsible developer to build sustainable towns.
Economic sustainability strategies focus on creating economic vibrancy and business diversity through the provision of innovative commercial facilities within the towns.
Environmental sustainability strategies are wide-ranging and include reducing carbon emissions, optimising the use of resources and achieving effective energy, water and waste management.
These will provide a clean, safe, healthy and comfortable living environment for our residents. Active research is being carried out by HDB in multiple areas on sustainability initiatives.
Mean sea level rise, particularly where it coincides with high tides, presents a risk of coastal inundation of buildings, infrastructure and assets.
Various coastal adaptation measures are already being studied by multiple agencies, such as permanent and demountable floodwalls, earth bunds, and flood gates with pumping stations.
Not many people are aware that HDB is one of the largest reclamation agencies in Singapore, having reclaimed much of the land in Singapore.
HDB would raise the minimum platform levels of reclaimed land to PUB’s prevailing codes to anticipate future sea level rise.
To cater to a rise in annual total rainfall, HDB has updated its design requirements to cater for this and reviewed its drainage requirements for all new projects.
HDB is also building up a deeper understanding of climate change issues. For example, it is carrying out research in the use of Urban Water Modelling to simulate water flow and flooding in typical and extreme rainfall conditions so that we can better optimise our water sensitive urban design, and detention and retention features to mitigate flood risks.
THE SMART HDB TOWN
In line with Singapore’s aspirations to become a Smart Nation, HDB will tap on significant innovations in Information and Communications Technology (ICT) to develop smarter HDB towns – making them more liveable, efficient, sustainable and safe.
(a) Smart Planning
Increasingly, HDB is using sophisticated state-of-the-art computer simulations and data analytics to improve the way we design and plan our towns, precincts and buildings. Collaborating with other agencies such as National Research Foundation (NRF), Singapore Land Authority (SLA) and the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA), a 3-dimensional city model called Virtual Singapore has been developed which enables HDB to carry out applications like environmental modelling.
Using various computer models, the effects of sun, wind and noise can be simulated virtually so that we can improve our plans before actual development. For example, we could improve the placement and orientation of buildings to channel wind flow through the town to create a cooling effect and to improve air quality.
More greenery could also be introduced at hot spots to reduce heat build-up.
(b) Smart Environment
HDB is leveraging sensors to capture real time information about the environment, such as temperature and humidity.
Environmental data collected can be used to validate environmental models and carry out proactive upgrading of infrastructure in response to changing weather conditions in order to create a more pleasant environment for residents.
c) Smart Estate
Using ICT, we can monitor various estate services such as lighting, pumps, solar panels and lifts to better manage the services within the town.
HDB has developed a Smart Hub which will serve as a central repository of information received from these sensors, so that data analytics can be carried out to improve the performance and reliability of these services.
With artificial intelligence, predictive studies can also be carried out. Such data analytics could facilitate pro-active detection and intervention to minimise disruption to services.
HDB is also looking into the use of drone technology for façade inspections. Working with the Town Councils, it will enable timely repairs to be made.
d) Smart Living
HDB is building ‘smart-enabled’ homes in our test beds so that residents can benefit from the various smart home applications provided by commercial companies. Such applications include the Elderly Monitoring and Utility Management Systems.
e) Smart Community
With the collection of data and opinion surveys on demographics, social trends, and lifestyle preferences, HDB would be able to better understand residents’ needs and preferences. Suitable applications can be developed to bring communities closer together and empower residents to take greater ownership of their environment, such as in the way common spaces are designed. Data can also be used to nudge residents with gamification tools to help promote eco living lifestyles.
HDB is mindful that its research cannot be limited to only technology and engineering solutions. To have a better understanding of societal needs and human behaviour, its research would include social and behavioural studies, which can then better inform HDB of its policy and spatial solutions.
Hence, HDB has recently linked up with the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) to carry out an extensive research programme called the New Urban Kampung Programme. The findings from this research programme will help to steer HDB in its planning and design of the HDB towns.
Using a combination of data from traditional surveys, from sensor networks placed around the estate and through engaging the community on and offline, we can better understand our resident’s preferences and formulate more targeted improvements in our towns.
For example, residents may now place thermal comfort, access to amenities and urban greenery at higher priority.
HDB’s designs should take these preferences into consideration. Sensors that identify patterns of movement can help HDB to identify under-utilised spaces and to fine-tune the design of these spaces to encourage higher usage.
The design of void decks can hence be improved to foster interaction.
Even as we develop a new generation of public housing, HDB has continued to upgrade our older towns/estates to keep them functional and pleasant to live in. HDB therefore has been ‘age-proofing’ its towns and flats since the 1990s through multiple upgrading programmes.
Our HDB towns will continue to be at the heart of Singapore living.
HDB has a huge task to develop and maintain an environment that will enable our people to live comfortably and to build families and friendships.
Planners and architects will need to draw on their creativity and resourcefulness to develop liveable environments within available land and resources.
HDB will also look to technology to set the stage for new urban solutions.
Today, in partnership with communities and residents, HDB is developing many exciting plans for our estates.
We know that HDB estates are not only about the physical buildings and infrastructure.
Our plans are only fully realised when they become homes for our communities and families. Our residents therefore play a very important role as they have a great impact on the living environment too.
They greatly influence the towns and neighbourhoods through their civic actions and consideration for neighbours, and their sense of ownership by caring for both their home and the surrounding environs.
HDB needs a strong partnership with Singaporeans to build a good home together.
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Sizzling competition, ‘encouraging’ sign-ups as electricity market opens up in Jurong
Nearly a month since the roll-out of the Open Electricity Market in Jurong, retailers have cut prices, doled out steeper discounts and freebies to entice consumers who are, for the first time, given the option to buy electricity from a retailer of their choice.
Tang See Kit Channel NewsAsia 26 Apr 18;
SINGAPORE: Within days after electricity retailers were allowed to begin marketing their services to residents in Jurong, Mr Wang Zhili made up his mind to sign up with independent provider Ohm Energy.
Likening the liberalisation of the retail electricity market to the opening up of the local telecoms market years ago, the 30-year-old said he is “happy” about having the option to pick a power provider with the best deal. Currently, households buy electricity solely from SP Group at a regulated tariff that is reviewed quarterly.
“Electricity is a key part of a household bill. If there is a chance to go for a cheaper price plan, why not?”
With his new 12-month plan charging 16.95 cents per kilowatt hour (kWh), almost 5 cents lower than SP Group’s current electricity tariffs, Mr Wang is expecting a much leaner bill from this month.
Mr Wang is among those living in Jurong who are included in the pilot launch of the Open Electricity Market – an initiative by the Government to open up the power market to competition.
From Apr 1, about 108,000 household and 9,500 business accounts in Jurong have been allowed to go shopping for electricity retailers other than SP Group. For the soft launch, 14 players, which consisted a fair mix of big firms with power generation arms and independent retailers, were approved and given the green light to start marketing on Mar 19.
Since then, the response has been “encouraging”, according to retailers that Channel NewsAsia spoke to.
Among those willing to reveal sign-up rates, PacificLight Energy has attracted more than 1,200 customers, while both Tuas Power Supply and Best Electricity Supply said they are fast approaching 1,000 sign-ups.
Ohm Energy said it has about 800 consumers on board. Solar energy firm Sunseap and Red Dot Power described their sign-ups thus far as “a three-digit figure”.
Other retailers declined to reveal figures citing commercial sensitivity, but they agreed that consumers seem to be warming up to the idea of a liberalised retail electricity market faster than they expected.
“Electricity is something that’s not the easiest thing to explain. There will be customers who hesitate but thus far, what we’ve seen has been encouraging,” said Mr Low Boon Tong, executive vice president of retail at Seraya Energy.
Describing the response over the past few weeks as “enthusiastic”, iSwitch’s spokesperson Ross Han said: “Other foreign markets, like Australia or the United Kingdom, took a much longer time to get started so we are happy.”
When contacted, the Energy Market Authority (EMA) declined to reveal the number of consumers in Jurong that have opted for a different retailer thus far. Its spokesperson said based on feedback from participating retailers, “the response has been encouraging”.
COMPETITION HEATING UP
But with 14 retailers approved from the get-go, competition has been sizzling since the soft launch began.
To entice consumers, a majority have adjusted their plans in the form of price cuts, steeper discounts and rolling out shorter-duration contracts.
Plenty of freebies were also doled out. When Channel NewsAsia visited a roadshow organised by the EMA over the weekend at Westgate mall, iPads, the latest Google Home Mini smart speakers, shopping vouchers and air tickets were among the rewards dangled out.
PacificLight Energy, for instance, reduced the price of its fixed price plan to 16.78 cents per kWh, from the initial 19.19 cents. It also more than doubled the discount for one of its plans to 21 per cent. Apart from the chance of winning a free trip to Hong Kong, the first 100 customers who sign up before the end of this month will get S$80 off their third month’s bill. Customers who opt for e-billing also get S$1 off.
Commenting on the adjustments and wide variety of promotions, its general manager Geraldine Tan said: “This soft launch is for us to discover what works and what doesn’t for consumers. We monitor the market closely and if need be, we will introduce promotions and price changes.”
Over at Best Electricity Supply, cash rebates have been dished out on top of lowering the rate of its fixed-price plan to below 17 cents per kWh and increasing discounts for another plan.
“This is in response to the price cuts by other competitors,” said its general manager Terence Neo. “Jurong is only that big and there are 14 retailers. Competition is definitely heating up.”
Tuas Power Supply unveiled a three-month trial plan – a move that it said aims to “help consumers overcome the hurdle of trying something new”, according to its general manager Michael Wong.
“According to feedback, there are customers who are not comfortable with a long-term contract of one or two years so we came up with a three-month trial. With this, they don’t need to think too hard before taking the first step,” said Mr Wong.
But there are retailers who have chosen to stay put.
Mr Lawrence Kwan, vice president of energy at Sunseap, said prices of its clean energy plans “are already at their most competitive”.
“We don’t believe in having a price war because the premium is all about allowing Singaporeans to have access to clean energy and being environmentally responsible.”
SOME EARLY ADOPTERS, SOME PREFER TO WAIT AND SEE
For some residents, the discounts and freebies being dangled out have been a steal.
Mr Chang Chi Weng, 40, had set his sights on getting a fixed-price plan “to counter the uncertain market conditions” that sway the electricity tariffs charged by SP Group. Noting that the price cuts have brought all retailers to “roughly the same price point”, the engineer considered other factors, such as the ease of conversion and additional discounts, before deciding on PacificLight Energy.
“They were having a promotion of S$80 off my third month’s bill. That’s a practical thing that any consumer would consider,” said the resident of Jurong East.
Nonetheless, there are others who prefer to wait and see.
Ms Mabel Lee, who visited the EMA roadshow on Saturday, said the presence of 14 retailers and the buffet of price plans have been “overwhelming”.
“There are too many plans with different rates. You also need to look through the fine prints to see which ones require a security deposit or have hidden costs,” said the mother of three. “Even with the discounts, we still think we should do more research on our own so that we pick the correct plan and don’t lose out in the long term.”
There are also residents who remain clueless about the Open Electricity Market.
29-year-old Charmaine Teo said while she has seen posters about the soft launch, she knew little about it. “Maybe when more people sign up then I'll start thinking about it.”
Another Jurong East resident who preferred to be known as Mr Chua said he was more than happy to remain with SP Group as the new initiative “sounds complicated”. He also wondered if a change in retailer would affect his electricity supply.
To that, while retailers agreed there are still gaps in consumer awareness, almost all said they would not be too worried just yet.
Said Mr Jomar Eldoy, managing director of Ohm Energy: “Electricity is not something that most people pay attention to so it takes a while to realise that no matter who you buy from, the quality remains the same as the power grid continues to be operated by SP Group.”
“Market reach is a challenge as it takes some time for people to notice the change and when they do realise that they have the option of not just SP Group, they find themselves having to sieve through 14 retailers. But we believe that this deluge of information that’s keeping out some people is something that will solve by itself over time,” said iSwitch’s Mr Han.
Others, like Sembcorp Utilities, said it will continue to have roadshows in Jurong to “help educate” residents about the Open Electricity Market.
In response to queries, EMA said it is aware of questions that consumers may have, such as the reliability of electricity supply when they switch retailers, and have been addressing these concerns through its educational materials, such as information booklets and flyers.
“We will continue to refine and improve our public communications and consumer education efforts based on the feedback from the roadshow,” the spokesperson said.
FULL ROLL-OUT TO REST OF SINGAPORE
For the rest of Singapore, the full roll-out of the Open Electricity Market is slated for the second half of this year.
Most retailers participating in the soft launch told Channel NewsAsia that they have started preparing for that but still hope for some clarity soon. They also expect more players to enter the market in the upcoming months when that happens.
Agreeing, Mr Allan Loi, a research associate at the Energy Studies Institute at the National University of Singapore (NUS), noted that price cuts could intensify moving forward “as new entrants attempt to grab market share”.
But in the long run, retailers will need to differentiate themselves based on product and service innovation.
“If you look at the EMA website, there are 33 licensed retailers. Clearly, there are players that have not participated in the Jurong pilot scheme but could enter the market when the contestability is rolled out to the rest of Singapore,” said Mr Loi.
Raising the example of how there are more than 90 power suppliers in a smaller market like New Zealand, Mr Loi added: “How the Singapore market matures will depend on whether consumers are willing to embrace a lifestyle change in terms of energy use and how retailers market their plans moving forward. Instead of price, they will need to offer some sort of differentiated product for consumers.”
Source: CNA/sk
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