Already under pressure from Covid-19 and related manpower shortages, the built environment sector must also contend with rising calls for green buildings and certifications. How can the construction sector, which accounted for 2.7% of Singapore’s nominal GDP last year, prioritise competing interests and build a landscape that lasts?
The construction sector has been named as one of the most polluting industries worldwide. Including operational and construction emissions, the sector accounts for 38% of the total energy-related emissions, says one United Nations (UN) report from 2020.
The 2020 Global Status Report for Buildings and Construction from the Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction (GlobalABC) places the blame on a shift from the direct use of coal, oil and traditional biomass towards electricity, which had a higher carbon content due to the high proportion of fossil fuels used in generation.
"To make one tonne of steel, about 1.8 tonnes of carbon dioxide is produced as a by-product; and for one tonne of concrete, one tonne of carbon dioxide is produced."
Half of the emissions from this sector are indirect, resulting from power generation for electricity and commercial heating, notes Terence Tan, director of digital solutions, Southeast Asia, at Johnson Controls.
“Power generation is still largely reliant on the burning of fossil fuels. Also, the manufacturing of building construction materials such as steel, cement and glass is a significant contributor. For example, to make one tonne of steel, about 1.8 tonnes of carbon dioxide is produced as a by-product; and for one tonne of concrete, one tonne of carbon dioxide is produced,” Tan tells The Edge Singapore.
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Tan: To make one tonne of steel, about 1.8 tonnes of CO2 is produced as a by-product; and for one tonne of concrete, one tonne of CO2 is produced
Founded in 1885, Johnson Controls is an energy service company that also manufactures heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, controls systems, digital solutions, fire protection systems and security systems. With its products now installed in more than 40% of commercial buildings in Singapore, Johnson Controls makes the case for green buildings as Singapore raises the stakes.
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Buildings contribute 20% of carbon emissions here. The government aims to green 80% of Singapore’s buildings — by gross floor area — by 2030. As of end-2020, 43% of Singapore’s buildings have been greened.
These improvements are set out under the Building and Construction Authority’s Green Mark ratings scheme, which takes into account energy efficiency, greenery, waste and water management and indoor air quality.
Put bluntly, however, undertaking green elements in a building incurs additional cost. Why then are developers embracing green buildings eagerly? Does it simply make for good marketing today or are there perks to going green?
“There are many good reasons to go green,” says Tan. “First, investments will pay back in time from energy savings, and in certain markets, there are clear incentives from green building schemes and better access to capital.”
According to Tan, there are also intangible benefits such as better well-being of occupants and greater productivity.
According to a recent JLL report, seven in 10 corporations in the Asia Pacific are willing to pay higher rents to lease sustainability certified buildings in the future.
Building owners and managers do not have to start from scratch. Retrofitting buildings to be greener is a lot cleaner and cheaper than erecting a new building, however green it may be. “In Singapore, only 5% of buildings are new constructions in any given year. Hence, retrofitting existing buildings is the key to improving overall sustainability and efficiency,” says Tan.
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In 2015, Johnson Controls led a two-year retrofitting process for Joo Chiat Complex. This helped the shopping mall, which was built in 1982, achieve the Green Mark Platinum award in 2017. The upgrades include a new chiller plant, which saved nearly 1.2 million kWh over two years, cutting $250,000 from utility costs.
The figure is equivalent to the electrical use of 125 four-room HDB flats over two years and also translates to 503 tonnes of CO2 emissions saved.
Sustainable skills
The construction industry is complex and removing inefficiencies is not easy, says Michi Ng, head of digital solutions, Singapore, at Johnson Controls. “There are many disparate building systems in the market and many stakeholders involved in the entire lifecycle of a building.”
Just like in the Joo Chiat Complex project, energy-efficient chiller systems, air-handling solutions and smart maintenance services have been key pillars in the company’s offering, says Ng to The Edge Singapore.
Ng: Instead of energy specialists, mechanical engineers and space planners, we need sustainability specialists, data scientists and human-technology integration experts
“A clear conundrum now is that to ensure healthier air quality, the air-conditioning system would drive up energy consumption. Hence, data is important to ensure optimal balance,” adds Ng.
A less daunting start to sustainability can be recruiting the right talent. “Organisations require experienced professionals who are experts on sustainability and know-how to harness the best of what digital technology can offer,” says Ng. “Instead of energy specialists, mechanical engineers and space planners, we need sustainability specialists, data scientists and human-technology integration experts,” adds Ng.
“While companies may consider searching for talent externally to close the gap, they should look internally and upskill existing employees.”
Photos: Johnson Controls, Bee'Ah Headquarters, Zaha Hadid Architects
