Asia’s first and only sustainable light art festival continues to draw thousands of enlightened visitors to Singapore’s Marina Bay to see 31 spectacular lighting installations (continues to 1 April), but what they don’t see how little energy is used as the artists have  incorporate smart LED lighting, alternative energy and recycled materials. In addition, 47 prominent properties have come on board an associated energy efficiency campaign to save an estimated 200,000 kWh over the three weeks.  There’s also a contest to get the best energy saving tips from the public. All this in addition to what we can all do for Earth Hour on 31 March.

“Tip Me”

9 to 27 March 2012

Have an innovative energy efficiency tip to share? Submit your entry and the 5 brightest tips stand to win attractive prizes! First 100 entries receive a mystery gift!

Top Prize: Premium Sky Dining for two on the Singapore Flyer

2 Merit Prizes: A pair of tickets for the Singapore Sling Flight on the Singapore Flyer

2 Consolation Prizes: Chocolate Buffet for 2 at The Landing Point @ The Fullerton Bay Hotel

I Light Marina Bay & Energy Efficiency

By Ken Hickson, CEO of Sustain Ability Showcase Asia (SASA)

Come 31 March 2012, all 31 featured artworks will be switched off for an hour between 8.30pm and 9.30pm. The public are invited to participate in a Mass Light Catcher Creation workshop at The Lawn commencing from 6.00pm and a commemorative light-up. This will be followed by a free movie screening at the NESCAFE® PAssion Movie Night later that evening.

Besides participating in Earth Hour, the “Switch Off, Turn Up” campaign – an energy efficiency effort initiated by the festival to encourage properties in and around Marina Bay to switch off non-essential lights and turn up air-conditioning temperatures – is projected to achieve energy savings of at least 200,000 kWh (kilowatt hours), more than four times the energy saved during the inaugural edition in 2010. This equates to saving 100 tonnes of carbon (CO2 equivalent), which is enough to generate electricity for 762 4-room HDB flats for the same period.

The “Switch Off, Turn Up” campaign, with the support of Sustainability Sponsor PowerSeraya, has received the commitment of 47 properties to drive energy efficiency, which is close to a three-fold increase from the 16 buildings that took part two years ago.

Participating partners include Marina Bay Sands – a prime sponsor of the festival – The Esplanade, The Fullerton, along with 16 properties under the CDL group.

Asia’s first and only sustainable light art festival continues to draw thousands of enlightened visitors to Singapore’s Marina Bay to see 31 spectacular lighting installations (continues to 1 April), but what they don’t see how little energy is used as the artists have  incorporate smart LED lighting, alternative energy and recycled materials.

The energy efficiency campaign is designed to more than offset all the energy used by the 31 art light installations and associated power use in Asia’s first and only sustainable art light festival which runs from 9 March to 1 April.

As SASA is the sustainability consultant for the festival, we have called on the services of Adrian Bukmanis of Power Save Solutions to meter the art installations to see how much energy each one was using.

Calculations done by Adrian and backed up by information provided by the artists, indicates that total estimated energy use by all the 31 installations for the three week festival period (24 days/nights) is expected to amount to no more than a total of 10,000 kWh (kilowatt hours) . This is expected to be offset 20 times over by the energy saved by the 47 buildings participating in the “Switch Off, Turn Up” campaign.

The campaign has also successfully extended its reach well beyond the Marina Bay precinct, with buildings across the island pledging their support. In addition, some buildings, which took part last time, have agreed to undertake additional energy efficiency measures and would encourage their tenants to do likewise.

For the 2010 lighting festival, City Developments Limited (CDL) involved four of its properties. It has taken the initiative this year to step up its commitment to introduce a total of 16 of its Singapore buildings into the “Switch Off, Turn Up” Campaign. Already a sustainability leader at home, CDL has made it for the third successive year onto the Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations Listing, ranking at 62nd for 2012.

Source: www.marina-bay.sg/ilightmarinabay and www.sustain-ability-showcase.com