Oral Answer by Ministry of National Development on greening buildings
Aug 6, 2019
Mr Saktiandi Supaat: To ask the Minister for National Development (a) whether Singapore is on track to achieve the goal of 80% Green Mark buildings by 2030; (b) what is being done to improve the uptake rate among private sector buildings; (c) whether there are plans to make the BCA Green Mark Scheme compulsory; and (d) whether the Ministry will consider mandating the use of renewable energy in buildings that are eligible.
Answer:
Currently, we have greened close to 40% of Singapore’s total gross floor area in buildings. We are still aiming to reach the target of 80% by 2030.
All new projects and major retrofitting projects are already required by law to meet environmental sustainability standards that are equivalent to the minimum Green Mark certification level.
To encourage owners of existing buildings to green their buildings, BCA provides financing arrangements where building owners can obtain financing from participating financial institutions and pay off the loan through the energy savings reaped. We will continue to monitor the progress and explore additional measures as needed.
With regards to renewable energy in buildings, the most promising option is solar photovoltaic (PV) systems on the rooftop. There is already good take-up of such solar PVs today because the costs have come down. The BCA Green Mark Scheme also encourages this by recognising projects that have solar panels on their roofs, or have conducted a solar feasibility study. However, there are physical constraints for some buildings that limit the adoption of solar energy. We will continue to explore how to increase the use of solar and other renewable energy options in our buildings.