Green Business Times

Top Singapore Private Education Institutions Score Gold at the Reader’s Digest Trusted Brands 2012 Awards [Press Releases]

Eugene Tay — Thu, 17 May 2012 10:48:57 +0000

Singapore, May 17, 2012- The Management Development Institute of Singapore (MDIS), Singapore’s oldest not-for-profit professional institute for lifelong learning; and preschool education providers, Modern Montessori International Group (MMI) and PAP Community Foundation(PCF), have scored Gold in the latest Reader’s Digest Trusted Brands 2012 Awards.

They were voted by consumers to be among 95 most trusted brands that deliver uncompromising quality in today’s market. They won the consumers’ top choices, based on the number of votes polled and the six attributes of trustworthiness & credibility, quality, value, understanding of customer needs, innovative and corporate social responsibility (CSR) in the Reader’s Digest Trusted Brands survey 2012.

The survey has unveiled winners from diverse industries such as food and beverage, consumer electronics, health and personal care, household products, retail, education and telecommunications. They will receive their Reader’s Digest Trusted Brands 2012 Awards on May 17 at the Grand Park City Hotel from Mr Zaqy Mohamad, Member of Parliament for Choa Chu Kang GRC and Mr Tai Lee Siang, President of the Singapore Green Building Council (SGBC).

This is the second time that MDIS has scored Gold in the Private Higher Education Category. In the Pre-School Learning Centre category, PCF won Gold twice and for MMI, it was their maiden Gold Award.

The Gold awards for the Private Education Institutions (PEIs) attests to the high quality and brand recognition that Singapore Private Education Institutions enjoy among consumers.

On receiving the Reader’s Digest Trusted Brand Gold Award the second time, MDIS’ Secretary General, Dr R Theyvendran said, “This award signifies and confirms the excellent quality standards that MDIS has achieved over the years and the strong brand recognition that we enjoy in Singapore and overseas. The fact that we are voted time and again as a trusted brand has put us in the forefront of the education industry. It is another milestone that will not just strengthen our outstanding credentials – but will serve to spur us on to even greater heights of achievement. MDIS has in place proactive expansion plans in the region as we aim to be a leading regional education institution.”

MDIS, which opened its first overseas campus in Tashkent, Uzbekistan in 2008, targets to open it second overseas campus in Malaysia in 2013.

Dr T Chandroo, MMI’s Chairman, said, “Achieving this very first Reader’s Digest Trusted Brand award in the Pre-School Learning Centre category, is testimony of the strong trust that consumers have in MMI’s high standards of quality and delivery in early childhood education. This also underscores the excellent reputation that PEIs in Singapore enjoy among consumers. Indeed, this award is another feather in the cap not just for MMI, but also Singapore as a trustworthy global schoolhouse which offers one of the best standards of
education excellence in the world.”

Key Survey Findings: Support for Local Brands and Green Consciousness

Singapore brands are indeed gaining wide recognition and support among consumers. The latest Reader’s Digest survey revealed that 80% of Singapore respondents in the survey agree that supporting local brands will help local economies to grow. The findings are positive for local SMEs, which are vying for customers in an increasingly competitive market. This is in line with the overall score of 82% of respondents surveyed in Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines, India, China, Hong Kong and Taiwan.

The survey also revealed that Singaporeans are becoming more “green conscious”. A total of 65% of all Singapore respondents are likely to purchase an eco-friendly product and service compared to 48% in 2011. However, Singaporeans still scored less than the overall Asian average of 71%.

About three out of four Singaporeans also note the ingredients used on product labels and consider important factors such as environmental friendly raw materials, recyclable components, minimal packaging, good corporate environmental programs and use of environmental friendly production methods.

Green Initiatives : Green Campuses

Reflecting the overall Asian trend towards green consciousness, both MDIS and MMI have put in place green initiatives to “green” their campuses and to encourage students to go green.

MDIS, which has a strong heritage of helping the community, has embarked on a “Green MDIS” initiative since 2009. It is the first private educational institution to operate an environmentally friendly students’ hostel in Singapore. It invested S$3.65 million or 7.5 % of the total building cost on greening the hostel and now enjoys energy and water savings of $327,000 a year. The hostel also garnered the Building and Construction Authority Green Mark Gold Plus Award in 2010.

MDIS has also installed several other green features such as solar panels, glass facade, and natural ventilation and LED lights. This has resulted in MDIS reaping estimated energy savings of 100,000 kilowatts a year or S$28,000 a year.

MDIS organizes several green activities for its students to participate in – such as recycling and reusing materials to be transformed into useful things for daily life and a Green MDIS Carnival to promote the awareness of environmental care.

MMI, which was awarded an Innovation Grant in 2011 by MCYS under the Green Fingers Project, recycles about 20% of all materials at all its pre-schools. Under the MCYS Innovation Grant, MMI will build a garden for children so they could experience hand-on interaction with nature and the environment. The pre-schools also use energy saving devices and take part in green activities such as Earth Day celebrations and nature walks around the school compounds, where students pick up dried twigs and leaves to be used in their Arts and Crafts lessons.

Dr T Chandroo, MMI’s Chairman said, ”Children nowadays generally do have a high level of awareness and concern for the environment. Children who attend our Montessori centres experience a high exposure to environmental issues. We believe that Man belongs to nature. Our curriculum is beautifully designed in a way such that we create awareness of the environment in our children, cultivating good values, which will form their personality, creating young citizens with green fingers.”

MMI is currently in the process of planning for the launch a green MMI centre for young children to further the green cause.

Rising Trust in Local Brands and the Green Cause

A total of 95 brands was named at the Reader’s Digest Trusted Brand awards 2012. Out of these, 23 are local brands. Among them are popular household names such as NTUC Fairprice, Chan Brothers, Jean Yip, Propnex, Raffles Hospital and Knife.

Singapore’s major property developers such as Capitaland, City Developments and Far East Organisation were also winners.

Commenting on the rising brand awareness of SMEs, Choa Chu Kang GRC MP Mr Zaqy Mohamad, who was one of the event’s award presenters, said, ”The increasing number of local SME’s gaining brand recognition and trust is a significant achievement for Singapore which is well-known globally as a country brand. We hope over time this will result in more Singapore brands becoming global brands.The fact that Singaporeans’ support for local brands also indicates that we are keen to make our brands successful to enhance our economic growth and boost exports. We should and can do more to help SMEs improve their productivity and competitiveness so that not only can they counter the increasing pressures of globalization but also successfully make the intrepid leap into the global market.”

One of the key trends that should be maximized is the rising green consciousness of consumers. Mr Tai Lee Siang, President of SGBC, said, ”The Reader’s Digest survey showed that more consumers in Singapore and throughout eight of the fastest growing economies of Asia, choose to purchase eco-friendly products. This should spur Singapore businesses, especially SMEs, to go green. Green buildings and green products are more widely demanded by consumers and will help give our businesses a new competitive edge to gain market share.”

Other Survey Findings:

The Reader’s Digest survey, now into its 14th consecutive year, has revealed other findings including the following:

1. 47% of all Asian respondents will likely purchase a local brand instead of an international one, although 62% of Singaporean respondents are indifferent to purchasing a local or international brand.
2. Only 8% of Asian respondents (and 2% of Singaporean respondents) will unlikely purchase an eco-friendly product.
3. 80% or more of Asian respondents consider important factors when considering ecofriendly products (less than 80% of Singapore respondents do so)
4. More than 70% of Asian and Singapore respondents note ingredients and nutritional information on product labels.
5. Respondents in this year’s Reader’s Digest Trusted Brands Survey have voted Ms Cheryl Fox, Presenter of MediaCorp as the most “Trusted Television News Presenter” in Singapore and Mr Gurmit Singh as the most “Trusted Entertainment Host” in Singapore.

Source: Reader’s Digest

S’pore’s environmental conservation efforts on show in S. Korea [News]

Eugene Tay — Wed, 16 May 2012 01:35:37 +0000

By Lim Yun Suk, Channel NewsAsia, 15 May 2012.

Yeosu, South Korea: Singapore’s environmental conservation efforts are on show at the Yeosu Expo 2012 in South Korea.

Singapore Environment and Water Resources Minister Vivian Balakrishnan officially opened the Singapore Pavilion on Tuesday.

With the theme Paradox-ity — City of Contrast, the pavilion shows how the city-state deals with the challenges of sustainable urbanisation.

As visitors enter, they will see how Singapore has turned one of the world’s largest offshore landfills into a home for animals and plants as well.

“When we think of garbage disposals in South Korea, I think of how dirty it is. But it’s amazing how Singapore can have clean landfills,” said Kim Jung Won, a South Korea student.

Another highlight is the 40-metre wall made from recycled items.

Every item on the walls was thrown away by Singaporeans in Singapore. They have been brought to South Korea to show how discarded things can be recollected and reused.

Mr Balakrishnan said: “What I am most proud about this exhibition is the fact that so many of the exhibits there have been constructed by volunteers and by students in primary school and secondary school. All the guides are volunteers and the undergraduate students gave the guidance in both English and Korean. This is really an all-out Singapore effort.”

Singapore is among over 100 countries participating in the expo.

The Yeosu Expo 2012 runs till August 12.

Source: Channel NewsAsia

GM Jatropha hopes to break into biodiesel market [News]

Eugene Tay — Tue, 15 May 2012 05:32:40 +0000

By Kristie Neo, Channel NewsAsia, 14 May 2012.

A Singapore partnership has developed what it hopes to be an eco-solution to the world’s demand for biofuel.

The world’s first genetically modified Jatropha plant can produce biodiesel faster and better.

Plans are in the pipeline to start field trials and commercialise it in three years.

With genetic modification, the seeds from the Jatropha plant will contain 10 per cent more extractable oil than ordinary seeds.

Biofuel produced from this variant is also more combustible and environmentally friendly by emitting less oxides.

Its developers Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory and JOil have filed a patent for this genetically modified Jatropha.

JOil – a global player in Jatropha breeding and commercialisation – is awaiting approval from the Genetic Modification Advisory Committee of Singapore (GMAC), before conducting field trials.

When commercialised, JOil expects it to meet the global demand for Jatropha.

Sriram Srinivasan, chief financial officer of JOil, said: “If you look at the biodiesel market, the world consumes about 1.2 billion tons of diesel and we expect about five per cent of this to be replaced by Jatropha within the next 10 years. That brings the total quantity to about 16 million tons.

JOil’s non-GM Jatropha varieties so far have seen increased oil yields to 1.6 tons from less than just one ton of oil per hectare of land.

This new GM variant aims to hit three tons of oil per hectare, placing it on par with competitive biodiesels like palm oil.

But while Jatropha’s oil production potential is high, analysts have yet to be convinced about its successful commercialisation.

Ker Chung Yang, an investment analyst at Phillip Futures, said: “I think it was successful at an experimental stage but we need to understand that from an economical point of view. Whether we can produce it in a large scale will require more study and research into it.”

Still, the low cost of Jatropha oil may yet swing in its favour.

At the end of 2011, Jatropha oil was sold at about US$60 to US$65 per barrel, which is less than half the price of palm oil at US$140-US$180 per barrel.

JOil sees potential demand for Jatropha biodiesel coming from the aviation, shipping and power industry as the global demand for energy grows.

Source: Channel NewsAsia

Latest Green Jobs in Singapore [30 Apr - 13 May 2012]

Eugene Tay — Mon, 14 May 2012 12:28:53 +0000

If your company would like to post a green job opening on our site (free), send us the job description and details through our contact form.

First public-private collaboration initiative for green building research [Press Releases]

Eugene Tay — Sat, 12 May 2012 09:24:01 +0000

Singapore, 10 May 2012 – The Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Building and Construction Authority (BCA) and the Ministry of National Development (MND) have jointly awarded funding for nine projects in a pilot green building grant call to encourage research and greater adoption of green building technologies. Launched in April 2011, the grant call is the first of its kind structured to foster Public-Private Collaboration (PPC) in green building research.

The green building joint grant call fosters collaboration between public research institutions and companies through joint R&D projects. Under the PPC arrangement, public research institutions partner at least one related industry organisation as co-investigator. This creates synergies as public research institutions are able to tap on the industry’s experience and network, while companies leverage on the research expertise and cutting edge infrastructure within public research institutes, to develop deployable green building technologies.

The nine awarded projects will support the development of technologies in two key areas – energy efficiency and building facade materials. These include energy efficient technologies that reduce the amount of heat penetration into buildings and innovative air-conditioning technologies that require less energy for cooling and help optimise energy management in buildings. Consequently, the projects may bring about substantial savings for building operators and dwellers through greater energy efficiency.

Mr Tay Kim Poh, Deputy Secretary (Development) of MND, and Chairman of the MND R&D Steering Committee, said “The strong response of over 50 submissions is encouraging. Just as A*STAR, BCA and MND joined hands to launch this grant call, it is heartening to see that many public research institutions and companies have come together in the same spirit of collaboration. This is the first such initiative involving both the Government and the private sector for green building research. We hope to see more of such collaborative efforts when the second call grant is launched later this year, so that more ideas can be translated into innovations to meet urbanisation challenges”.

Welcoming the awards given for this grant call, Dr Raj. Thampuran, Executive Director, Science and Engineering Research Council of A*STAR, said, “Through such PPC initiative, public research institutions and companies can leverage on each other’s strengths and expertise to develop technologies that could potentially generate impactful environmental, economic and social benefits. The benefits in the area of green building technologies are manifold, and can be illustrated through outcomes such as potential reduction in energy use for building operators and dwellers.”

Dr John Keung, CEO of BCA added, “While BCA has made good progress in greening the built environment in Singapore through various initiatives under our Green Building Masterplan, we need to continuously push the frontiers of green buildings through R&D. On this front, BCA led the inter-agency Green Building R&D Workgroup to develop the Green Building R&D Framework in identifying key focus areas for R&D, with an emphasis on developing high-impact, cost-effective solutions for green buildings in the tropics. We believe that the success of this pilot grant call with A*STAR and MND will pave the way for future R&D grant calls and build Singapore’s capability in green building research.”

Following the success of the pilot green building joint grant call, the second green building joint grant call is projected to open in the third quarter of 2012.

Annex – Projects

Titles of awarded projects are:

A Novel Desiccant/Nano-Woven Membrane Air Dehumidification to Enhance Building Energy Efficiency
Development and Testbedding of Nanostructured Phase Change Materials in Window Blinds for Glazed Buildings
Development of Tropical Energy Efficient HVAC Systems with Active Chilled Beam Terminal Units
High-Performance Cool Roof Coating for Green Buildings
Smart Multifunctional Coatings for Fenestrations to Reduce Thermal Load of Buildings
Membrane-based Absorption Air Conditioning and Dehumidification System using Renewable Energy or Waste Heat
Energy Efficiency of Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) Plant for Multi-storey Buildings in Tropical Climate
Development of Pilot Plant Facility to Demonstrate the Energy Savings and Cost Benefits by Coupling Electrical and Thermal Grids in the Building System
Solar Architectures Interface

Description of Featured Projects

Source: BCA

Singaporeans say: Businesses not doing enough to support social issues and causes [Press Releases]

Eugene Tay — Thu, 10 May 2012 10:43:57 +0000

10 May 2012, Singapore – Singaporeans say businesses fall short when it comes to supporting social issues and causes, according to the 2012 Edelman goodpurpose® Study – the first study of its kind in Singapore to measure consumer attitudes around social purpose.

While 9 in 10 Singaporeans believe it is important for companies to address societal issues, only 3 in 10 think businesses are performing well in this area. In particular, the top three causes that Singaporeans are most concerned about involve protecting the environment, improvement in the quality of healthcare and equal access to education.

“Along with the continued rise of affluence in Singapore comes an increasing level of social consciousness and a resulting demand from consumers for brands and corporations to take the lead on societal issues,” said Bob Grove, Managing Director, Edelman Southeast Asia. “Aligned with findings from our Edelman 2012 Trust Barometer unveiled earlier this year, it is clear that societal attributes now play an important role in helping businesses and brands build future trust and success. It is no longer just about operational factors.”

Social Purpose: Driving Purchasing Behaviour and Brand Advocacy

While Singaporeans say businesses are not doing enough to address societal issues, companies who do meet these expectations could see positive business outcomes through purchase behavior and brand advocacy.

84% of Singaporeans say that they would buy the products and services of a company that actively supports a good cause. If quality and price were the same, Singaporeans say social purpose (54%) would be the most important factor in their purchasing decision – even more so than design or innovation (34%).

In the same vein, almost 9 in 10 say they would be more likely to give their business to a company that supports good causes and has fair prices than a company who competes based on attractive pricing and discounts.

Beyond direct purchase, 83% of Singaporeans say they would go on to recommend the company’s products and services and share positive opinions and experiences about the company.

“Singapore consumers today are increasingly inclined towards purchasing products and services from brands that support good causes and are ethically responsible,” Mr Grove said. “This offers a real business opportunity for consumer brands. Beyond merely exercising one’s license to operate, leading brands of the future must move beyond operational imperatives and social add-on’s to establish the license to lead.”

Other key findings of the 2012 Edelman goodpurpose® Study include:

Role of Government in Leading Social Purpose

While Singaporeans demand that businesses play an active role in supporting good causes, 6 in 10 still strongly believe that governments must play the lead role in addressing societal issues. This is also in line with global and regional statistics of 54% and 64% respectively.

Preferences for ‘Societally-Friendly’ Items

If costs were not a factor, Singaporeans would be inclined to purchase ‘societally-friendly’ items. If prices were not an issue, 84% of survey respondents say they would prefer to live in an environmentally-friendly home than a large home and 79% would rather drive a hybrid car than a luxury car.

In fact, 75% of Singaporeans already say they buy a brand that supports a good cause at least yearly.

The 2012 Edelman goodpurpose® Study was launched at the first-year anniversary event of the Asia Centre for Social Entrepreneurship and Philanthropy, National University of Singapore Business School.

About the 2012 Edelman goodpurpose® study

The 2012 Edelman goodpurpose® study is the firm’s fifth annual global consumer study that explores consumer attitudes around social purpose, including their commitment to specific societal issues and their expectations of brands and corporations. The survey was conducted by StrategyOne in January and February of 2012 and consisted of online interviews in 16 countries among 8,000 adults. Five-hundred respondents were surveyed in each of the following markets: Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, the Netherlands, Singapore, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom and the United States. The margin of error is +/-1.1% for the full Global sample; +/-1.4% for the Global tracking sample; and +/-4.4% for each country’s sample. For more information, visit www.purpose.edelman.com.

Source: Edelman

One-week FairPrice campaign to reduce plastic bag usage a success [News]

Eugene Tay — Thu, 10 May 2012 10:28:52 +0000

By Channel NewsAsia, 10 May 2012.

Supermarket chain FairPrice has received strong support for its efforts to encourage customers to save and reduce the use of plastic bags.

The “FairPrice Cares!” campaign, which ran from April 22 to 28, has saved over 143,000 plastic bags in a single week.

The amount exceeded FairPrice’s target of saving 100,000 plastic bags in one week by over 40 per cent.

As part of the campaign, FairPrice donated S$30,000 to Bizlink Centre and Bishan Home for the Intellectually Disabled to assist them in their community work.

It had pledged to donate to them if it was able to exceed the target number of plastic bags to save for the campaign.

FairPrice’s plastic bags saving efforts first began in 2007, when it introduced the “FairPrice Green Rewards” initiative.

Customers who bring their own bags get a 10-cent rebate for a minimum purchase of S$10 when they shop for their groceries.

FairPrice said this has resulted in an annual saving of five to six million plastic bags over the past two years.

Source: Channel NewsAsia

Communications Manager by WWF Singapore [Jobs]

Eugene Tay — Mon, 07 May 2012 12:08:35 +0000

WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature) is the world’s leading conservation organization with over 5 million supporters, and a global Network active in more than 100 countries. Our mission is to stop the degradation of the planet’s natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature.

WWF is expanding its team in Singapore. As a fundraising centre for our conservation programmes, the Singapore office also serves as a regional hub for WWF activities in Asia and the Pacific.

Communications Manager

The Communications Manager will develop and implement communications and media strategies that will enhance the WWF brand profile and positioning as well as support fundraising and outreach activities for WWF Singapore.

Responsibilities:

Develop and implement communications and media strategies for WWF Singapore;
Lead the communications functions that support fundraising and public outreach activities of WWF Singapore across relevant target groups;
Plan and produce media releases, organize press conferences and monitor media responses;
Act as the primary point person for the media by establishing and maintaining relations and identifying opportunities for increasing WWF’s visibility in Singapore;
Coordinate, lead and review the activities, action plans and budget for the communication functions of the department;
Develop collaterals and other external communication materials including content for the WWF Singapore website, newsletters;
Develop, coordinate and monitor digital communication platforms including social media;
Manage the production, inventory and distribution of marketing materials and merchandise;
Provide communications and public relations support in the organisation of workshops/ conferences/ events/ meetings so as to achieve WWF Singapore targets and to strengthen the WWF brand;
Perform other duties as required

Requirements:

Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Communications or related field
Over five years’ experience in Corporate Communications or Media/Public Relations, including new media, with at least three years at a managerial level
Ability to think strategically
Excellent network of media contacts, and proven track record in media relations
Excellent communication skills in both written and spoken English
Proven experience in developing communication materials
High level of competency in utilising new media platforms
Preferably have a basic knowledge of conservation and environmental sustainability issues
Passionate about conservation
Adheres to WWF’s values, which are: Knowledgeable, Optimistic, Determined and Engaging.

Interested applicants should send a CV and cover letter, indicating the position applied for in the subject line to hr@wwf.sg by 13 May 2012.

BCA-SGBC Green Building Individual Awards of the year [Press Releases]

Eugene Tay — Fri, 04 May 2012 07:24:43 +0000

Singapore, 4 May 2012 – Four outstanding individuals have been singled out to receive the prestigious BCA-SGBC Green Building Individual Awards at the BCA Awards 2012 on 24 May. This award* recognises professionals and practitioners from the building and construction industry who have shown strong commitment and conviction in propelling environmental sustainability in their work.

The four winners are:
Green Advocate of the Year 2012
Mr. Seah Hsiu-Min Eugene
Deputy Chairman, Davis Langdon & Seah Singapore Pte Ltd
Director, Davis Langdon & Seah Project Management Pte Ltd

Mr. Tan Phay Ping
Managing Director, Building System and Diagnostics (BSD) Pte Ltd

Green Architect of the Year 2012
Mr. Tang Kok Thye
Associate Partner, ADDP Architects LLP

Green Innovator of the Year 2012
Er. Tay Cher Seng
Managing Director, Natflow Pte Ltd

Dr John Keung, CEO of the Building and Construction Authority (BCA), who is also the co-chairperson of the assessment committee said, “All four winners stood out for their strong commitment and passion towards the green cause and I congratulate them for winning the awards. This year, the honour of Green Advocate of the year is given out to both Eugene and Phay Ping who have made commendable contributions in the industry over the years as champions of environmental sustainability and have been sharing their knowledge and experiences with the industry locally and internationally. The panel of judges decided that both were equally deserving of this prestigious recognition.”

Indeed, while Mr Eugene Seah practises as a quantity surveyor and project manager, he has made ‘sustainability’ the basis of his work. Sustainable building designs do not necessarily come with an excessive premium and this is what Mr Seah constantly advocates to his clients through his experiences and knowledge in sustainable design and economics. Being a trendsetter, he has even gone on to publish a handbook on Green Building Products and Technologies which consolidated the pros and cons, design considerations, cost and value drivers of green products, technologies and strategies around the world.

Sharing the conviction that a building must always be designed to be sustainable, Mr Tan Phay Ping saw the need to optimise building designs through modeling right from the onset of the design stage. He co-founded BSD Pte Ltd, one the pioneers in Singapore to provide green building related consultancy services. Over the years, Mr Tan has been studying the trends and advancement in sustainable designs and technologies within the international arena. He recently formed Climate Asia Pte Ltd to propel his efforts and raise the industry’s awareness on carbon footprinting and carbon management.

As a registered architect of more than 18 years, Mr Tang Kok Thye, the Green Architect of the Year, has found his passion in the design of environmentally friendly buildings, particularly for residential developments. To date, he has designed nine BCA Green Mark building projects, of which four have won the Green Mark Platinum award. Drawing his inspiration from nature and integrating innovative green technologies and passive architecture, he is able to introduce aesthetically pleasing yet practical designs that complements the natural surroundings. In one of his recent developments, ‘Tree House’, he incorporated a 24-storey green wall, together with three sky terraces, within the building, which not only provide visual relief, but also aid in reducing heat gain within the building.

Besides green designs, green building technologies are equally crucial in enhancing the environmental performance of a building. During his career as a mechanical engineer, Er. Tay Cher Seng has been promoting the idea of recovering waste heat to generate hot water. The result was a zero-energy hot water system which gained widespread adoption and is today saving around 27.5 giga-watt-hour per year locally, translating to cost savings of about S$7.5 million. In 2011, this innovative heat recovery system won him the ASEAN Energy Awards. Another breakthrough project that Mr Tay embarked on, among others, was a Passive Displacement Ventilation (PDV) system which moves cooled-air in a room, without the use of energy. With these notable achievements under his belt, Mr Tay stood out from among the other nominees to win the title of Green Innovator of the Year 2012.

Mr Tai Lee Siang, President of the Singapore Green Building Council (SGBC), commended the winners on their achievements and contributions. He said, “The creation of green buildings is often the result of vision, passion and innovation by outstanding individuals. These individuals include architects, engineers and innovators who help change the way green buildings are designed. There is also a special group of people whose tireless efforts help transform the green building industry. These are the green advocates. My sincere congratulations go out to all the four individuals who are exemplary in their actions and work.”

* The BCA-SGBC Green Building Individual Award was introduced since 2011.

Source: BCA

Latest Green Jobs in Singapore [23 - 29 Apr 2012]

Eugene Tay — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 16:21:10 +0000

If your company would like to post a green job opening on our site (free), send us the job description and details through our contact form.