A Sense of Urgency

When the G7 leaders meeting this month decided in all seriousness that the world must phase out fossil fuels by 2100 – that’s 85 years away – we could only shout out “that’s too late!” When we read how much (or little) surface area is needed – around 500,000 square kilometres to be precise, according to Land Art Generator – to provide for enough solar panels to power the world’s energy needs of 2030. We can only cry out, “what are we waiting for?” There’s plenty of unproductive land like that in Australia or North Africa or America, plus roofs of existing buildings, which could be used right now, with technology that’s available and cheap. Tesla comes up with a world beating solar and energy storage system. No longer can anyone say the trouble with solar is its intermittency or there’s a lack of suitable energy storage. Engineers, doctors, economists, bankers and politicians. We have the solution. We have the technology. We have the energy. We have the money. Why wait any longer? Start phasing out fossil fuels now. Start investing big time in solar. This is the new space race. A race against time. Tapping the sun’s abundant energy. For good. For all time.

Ken Hickson

G7 Commits to Phase Out Fossil Fuels

Described as a diplomatic coup for Germany’s ‘climate chancellor’, who persuaded climate recalcitrants such as Japan and Canada to sign up for phasing out fossil fuels by 2100, is a significant achievement by Angela Merkel, but is it enough? Now French President François Hollande calls on International Labour Organization (ILO) member States, social partners, businesses and local communities to take action to address climate change, anticipate technological transformation, ensure successful energy transition and guarantee a true international labour law. Read More

G7 fossil fuel pledge is a diplomatic coup for Germany’s ‘climate chancellor’

Persuading climate recalcitrants such as Japan and Canada to sign up for phasing out fossil fuels by 2100 is a significant achievement by Angela Merkel

Karl Mathiesen in The Guardian (8 June 2015)

The plan outlined by the G7 on Monday to phase out fossil fuels by the end of the century is, for some member countries, not quite as ambitious as it sounds.

The US is already committed to an 83% cut in carbon emissions on 2005 levels by 2050, and the UK has set its own cuts of 80% on 1990 levels by the middle of the century.

But the agreement of the leaders of Japan and Canada, who are viewed as climate recalcitrants, is seen as a diplomatic coup for Angela Merkel, one of the longest-running players in interational climate negotations.

As environment minister in 1995, Merkel brokered a precursor to the Kyoto protocol and was dubbed the “climate chancellor” by German media early in her premiership, before financial crisis pushed her green agenda backwards.

“This does push countries, and certainly a country like Canada or Japan. I think they are not currently on a decarbonisation pathway so this definitely does pull them more into that pathway,” said Jennifer Morgan, director of the global climate programme at the World Resources Institute.

“The fact that you’ve got a group who have different positions in the negotiations to come together on some of these issues is significant and somewhat surprising.”

The announcement was warmly welcomed environment groups. “Angela Merkel took the G7 by the scruff of the neck,” said Ruth Davis a political advisor to Greenpeace and a senior associate at E3G.

Morgan praised the momentum that appears to be developing among the world’s leaders for climate action.

“Politically, the most important shift is that chancellor Merkel is back on climate change. This was not an easy negotiation. She did not have to put climate change on the agenda here. But she did,” she said.

Tom Burke, environmental advisor to Shell, Rio Tinto and Unilever, said Merkel had made a “big play”.

“It’s more aggressive than you would have expected. That’s been helped a lot by the US démarche with China and the growing signs are that China is probably going to do better than a lot of people are expected,” he said.

He said that outside the numbers, the G7’s primary function was to send signals to other countries and to markets and that the announcement today would shift things significantly.

“Everyone gets over focused on what the text of the treaty is. What really matters is what gets done in the real economy and the extent that the players in the real economy react to this signal. You’re going to shift the needle of interest in the investing community away from oil and gas and towards renewables, storage and energy efficiency. And I think that’s further than probably the oil companies had anticipated,” said Burke.

May Boeve, executive director of campaign group 350.org, agreed: “The G7 is sending a signal that the world must move away from fossil fuels, and investors should take notice.”

However, analysts were divided over whether the G7’s decarbonisation commitment would be enough to avoid dangerous climate change.

“Deep cuts in global greenhouse gas emissions are required with a decarbonisation of the global economy over the course of this century,” read the agreed text, signed by the leaders of Germany, the US, the UK, France, Italy, Canada, and Japan.

Morgan said a target of zero fossil fuels by 2100 would not keepwarming below 2C, the level agreed by governments , unless sharp cuts happen earlier in the century.

“It totally depends on the pace of the decarbonisation. You either need to be there by 2050 for CO2 and a bit later for all greenhouse gases if you want a high chance of staying below 2C. If you’re up for a 66% chance then you can go longer out into the century,” she said.

A total phase-out of fossil fuels by 2050 was momentarily on the table at last year’s UN climate conference in Lima, but swiftly disappeared.

The G7 text called for as-close-as-possible to a 70% reduction on 2010 emissions by 2050. But it also allowed for mechanisms that “increased ambition over time”. Morgan said this introduction of a mechanism to “ratchet up” targets might be the most important paragraph of the document and was “fundamental to keeping 2C within sight”.

Burke noted that decarbonisation probably didn’t mean the total abnegation of fossil fuels. The world can still burn a few gigatonnes of carbon per year and remain carbon neutral by relying on natural uptake of carbon. He said the reality of the phase out would probably allow for gas being burned for heat and carbon-fuelled planes.

Source: http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/jun/08/g7-fossil-fuel-pledge-is-a-diplomatic-coup-for-germanys-climate-chancellor

World of Work Summit

President Hollande calls for tripartite mobilization on climate change

Guest of honor of the 104th Session of the International Labour Conference, French President François Hollande advocated for universal mobilization to fight climate change and better ensure application of international labour law.

ILO News (11 June 2015):
French President François Hollande called on International Labour Organization (ILO) member States, social partners, businesses and local communities to take action to address climate change, anticipate technological transformation, ensure successful energy transition and guarantee a true international labour law.

“To act for climate is to act for growth, justice and labour rights,” said President François Hollande in an address to delegates at the 104th International Labour Conference in Geneva.

As a guest of honour of the Conference, the President of France spoke to some 4,000 delegates from governments, employers’ and workers’ organizations from 185 member States of the International Labour Organization (ILO) in a special sitting at the Palais des Nations in Geneva

“Climate change is a global challenge that will not be met without a commitment by all countries to reduce their emissions of greenhouse gases in proportion to their means and their responsibilities,” said Mr. Hollande in announcing preparations for the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP21) to be held in Paris in December 2015.

“We need a global agreement, differentiated and compelling,” he added, stressing the need for global financing of up to $100 million per year as of 2020.

“The ILO should be more involved in the preparation of major world conferences,” including the climate conference, the post-2015 agenda and trade negotiations, noted President Hollande, recalling the proactive role of ILO in the fight against climate change.

According to a recent ILO study, the transition to a greener economy could generate some 15 to 60 million additional jobs worldwide within 20 years provided countries adopt appropriate policies related to the decent work agenda. Emerging and developing countries would be the first to benefit. Moreover, this development model would help tens of millions workers get out of poverty. “If we do nothing, we could have job losses, unemployment and deterioration of living standards,” warned François Hollande reiterating that “the first priority is to create jobs.”

Introducing the French President, ILO Director-General Guy Ryder praised the commitment of France in the fight against unemployment. “For the past three years, your government was committed to fighting unemployment, which is a global challenge. Your government is implementing an ambitious programme of work, with the central goal of sustainable improvement in growth and employment.” Mr. Ryder welcomed the support given by France to challenges such as the transition to a low carbon economy and the key issues related to climate change.

The ILO’s advocacy in this area is based around a few simple ideas: the ecological transition offers opportunities for jobs and growth that must be seized, we must now anticipate the skills and training that this economy will need, finally, this transition, to be fair, should help intensify efficiency in the fight against poverty and inequality. “In a word, decent work and the climate agenda go hand in hand and reinforce each other,” insisted Guy Ryder.

François Hollande and Guy Ryder also signed an agreement renewing an existing partnership between France and the ILO which is funded up to some € 14 million over four years. The French funding will support the ILO’s efforts through technical cooperation programs, particularly in francophone Africa. The areas covered correspond to ILO priorities such as the promotion of decent work, governance and human rights, social protection floors and the fight against child labour. The partnership agreement will also involve French companies in ILO efforts to promote corporate social responsibility and to support the ILO centenary initiative on the future of work.

Furthermore, France and Peru launched on 10 June in Geneva a joint appeal on climate change and decent employment. This call urges all countries to undertake efforts to mitigate and adapt to climate change which can act as a powerful engine of growth, job creation, social justice, gender equality and eradication of poverty.

France intends to ratify the ILO Protocol on Forced Labour by the end of 2015.

Source: www.ilo.org/global/about-the-ilo/newsroom/news/WCMS_375339/lang–en/index.htm

World Engineers Meet Climate Change

Engineering expertise is essential for solving Asia Pacific’s sustainability challenges. As Singapore prepares for the World Engineers Summit on Climate Change (WES) 21-24 July this year, the city state has launched a new programme to boost long-term job prospects for engineers and to address future challenges posed by climate change. Meanwhile, Engineers without Borders is supporting sustainable development projects in Asia, including Proximity Designs, helping Myanmar rural families achieve their goals. Read More

Why the climate fight needs engineers

Engineers without Borders, the Singapore based NGO, supports sustainable development projects in Asia, including Proximity Designs, which  is an award winning social enterprise based in Yangon, Myanmar, designing products and services that help Myanmar rural families achieve their goals. Their range of products and services include irrigation products, solar lighting, infrastructure services, farm advisory and product financing, addressing many of the most pressing needs of rural families and making these technologies accessible to them.

Engineers without Borders volunteer to assist with the design team focusing on irrigation products, applying the design thinking process to meet real world needs, working towards commercialisation of new products to add the Proximity line.

Support the Engineers without Borders Asia. Go to www.ewb-asia.sg or www.facebook.com/EWB.Asia

A newly launched professional development scheme for engineers was welcomed by industry professionals, who emphasised the fundamental role that engineering expertise will play in Singapore and the Asia Pacific region’s fight against climate change.

By Vaidehi Shah  in Eco-Business.com (8 June 2015):

Singapore has launched a new programme for engineers which will boost their long-term job prospects and provide the country with the skilled professionals it needs to address future challenges posed by climate change.

The Engineers Progression Pathway programme, which helps practicing engineers in Singapore develop their professional and technical skills, was launched on Thursday by labour group National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) and the Institution of Engineers, Singapore (IES).

The scheme has three tiers: one for engineers who have just joined the workforce; an Advance Engineering Leadership programme for professional and chartered engineers; and the Global Engineering Leadership programme which grooms senior engineers to take leadership positions within the industry.

IES president Chong Kee Sen said that “with this scheme, IES hope to create long-term career development for engineers, raise standards in the engineering field and groom a strong pipeline of engineering leaders”.

The new initiative was launched at the Engineers and Sustainable Development Forum 2015 at the NTUC Centre Auditorium.

Engineering expertise is indeed essential for solving Singapore and Asia Pacific’s sustainability challenges, noted experts at the forum, which is a lead-up event for the World Engineers Summit on Climate Change (WES) 2015 that will take place in Singapore in July.

Edwin Khiew, who is deputy president of IES and also chairman of the Sustainable Energy Association of Singapore, told the audience of about 400 guests that “urbanisation and rapid population growth have increased the vulnerability of Asian cities to climate change”.

Cities are already experiencing extreme weather events such as floods, extreme high temperatures and droughts, water shortages, and rising sea levels, said Khiew. This, along with rapid urban development, are pushing governments to realise “the urgency of a low carbon economy,” said Khiew.

To achieve the transition to this new, sustainable urban and economic system, “sustainable engineering solutions will be in strong demand, and engineers will see tremendous opportunities, both locally and regionally,” he added.

Key areas where engineering has a “frontline role to play in the fight against climate change” include clean environment and water resources; sustainable development and infrastructure; sustainable energy; and resilience and adaptation against climate change, noted Khiew, adding that these were the four main themes that would be discussed at WES 2015.

In a subsequent panel discussion on overcoming environmental challenges by engineering, Choi Shing Kwok, permanent secretary in Singapore’s Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources, said that since Singapore achieved independence in 1965, “engineering has played a very crucial role” in the island nation’s sustainable development.

The sophisticated management of waste on Pulau Semakau, such that the southern island is at once Singapore’s only landfill and a nature sanctuary is one example, said Choi. Another key example is the role of desalination and water reclamation technology in allowing Singapore to be water self-sufficient if buying water from Malaysia is no longer an option, he added.

Singapore’s existing agreement with Malaysia, which allows the city-state to draw water from the state of Johor, is scheduled to expire in 2061.

Going forward, engineering expertise will remain a key part of the solution in realising Singapore’s green growth vision, as laid out in the Sustainable Singapore Blueprint (SSB) 2015, said Choi.

For example, the SSB’s aim of turning Singapore’s residential areas into “eco-smart” towns will require a mastery of technologies such as fuel cells to power lifts in housing blocks, smart meters, and water efficient appliances.

Becoming a zero-waste nation – another target of the SSB – will also require the development of a highly convenient and efficient system to recycle waste and reuse discarded materials effectively.

Additionally, Singapore’s quest to become a green economy, built on jobs in the renewable energy, water, and sustainable mobility sectors, among others, will also require continual innovation by engineers, said Choi.

In addition to Singapore’s drive to develop sustainably, it also has the goal of becoming the world’s first Smart Nation. Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in November unveiled a slew of new initiatives to help Singapore achieve this vision of being an advanced, seamlessly integrated city.

But, as Sanjay Kuttan, director and country manager of the Clean Technology Centre, DNV GL, noted: “Bringing these bold aspirations to life will not be possible without a strong role for the energy sector – not only from the perspective of being smart, but also from the perspective of being sustainable”.

Singapore has one of the world’s highest carbon emissions per capita, observed Kuttan, and added that locally developed solutions to reduce this statistic could also be shared with other cities in the tropics.

Solving this challenge will take innovations in numerous areas including renewable energy, electric vehicles, and energy efficiency, noted Kuttan, but ultimately, engineers will also have to demonstrate an understanding of how these technologies work together in a broader, truly sustainable power system.

“We will need engineers who not only excel in their field, but who can step back to thoroughly understand energy within the grand challenge of sustainability – a challenge that we cannot avoid nor fail,” he said.

Click here to find out more about the World Engineers Summit on Climate Change 2015 and register for the conference.

Source: www.eco-business.com/news/why-the-climate-fight-needs-engineers/ and www.wes-ies.org/, www.ewb-asia.sg/

Clean Energy in South East Asia Heats Up

As the world increasingly sees solar for its clean energy future, how well is South East Asia taking advantage of the tropical sun? With rapidly improving technology and declining prices, it is only a matter of time before it catches up, says Andrew Affleck of Armstrong Asset Management’s Clean Energy Fund for the region. Localised solar systems are slowly but surely gaining traction, with Indonesia looking to allow homes to sell energy to the grid. Slowly, Thailand and Philippines are turning to the sun to help meet their energy needs, while Singapore has targeted public housing to help it gain much more of its electricity from solar. Read More

Report from Armstrong Asset Management in its EnergEyes newsletter May 2015:

In SE Asia, localised solar systems are slowly but surely gaining traction. Earlier this month, Indonesia announced that is looking into amending regulations to allow homes to sell energy to the grid, enabling the country to meet its surging energy requirements. While the full suite of solar and battery systems are still a relatively expensive pairing for businesses and homes in SE Asia, it is encouraging to see governments pre-empting these changes and adjusting regulations to accommodate the future. With rapidly improving technology and declining prices, it is only a matter of time before SE Asia catches up.

Indonesian government prepares legal framework for installation and sale of electricity from household rooftop solar

The Indonesian government is preparing the legal framework that will encourage Indonesians to install solar cells on the roofs of their homes to generate electricity. Under the planned regulation, being drafted with the help of the Asian Development Bank, individuals could connect their solar cells to the electricity grid run by PLN and sell the company power. The government says it aims to have 1,000 megawatt/hour of electricity generated from solar cells by 2025 and on a broader scale, aims to increase power generation by 35 gigawatts of electricity within the next five years to meet rising demand.

Source: www.armstrongam.com/energeyes_newsletter.php

Wall Street Journal, Jakarta, Indonesia (7 May 2015):

In not too distant future, Indonesian households may be able to sell electricity to the nation’s state-run utility to help it cope with supply shortages.

The deal will involve solar power, something the national energy monopoly, PT Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PLN), has started to weigh as a source of alternative power in tropical Indonesia. ‎Now, the government is preparing the legal framework that will encourage Indonesians to install solar cells on the roofs of their homes to generate electricity, said Rida Mulyana, Director General of Renewable Energy at the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry. Under the planned regulation, being drafted with the help of the Asian Development Bank, individuals could connect their solar cells to the electricity grid run by PLN and sell the company power.

“This has been done in India,” Ms. Mulyana said Thursday. “Households can become independent power producers by selling the excess electricity generated from their solar cells, to PLN.”

She said that households would need to invest around four million rupiah ‎($306) to generate 450 watts of electricity.

If they generate more than they can use during their day-time consumption, they can sell the excess to PLN. After sunset, they can buy electricity back from the utility, which will offset the cost with the electricity they contribute to PLN’s grid during the day time, Ms. Mulyana said.

‎Located mostly in the equatorial zone, Indonesia has roughly an equal number of light and dark hours year round. Yet, the use of solar cells to generate electricity on a wide scale is still non-existent, except to power water heaters.

The government says it aims to have 1,000 megawatt/hour of electricity generated from solar cells by 2025. In 2012 the state-owned oil and gas company PT Pertamina and its sister company LEN Industri constructed a plant outside West Java’s capital of Bandung to produce solar cells‎.

On a broader scale, the government is aiming to increase power generation by 35 gigawatts of electricity within the next five years to meet rising demand. Blackouts are still common in many parts of Indonesia, and many people in remote areas still don’t have access to electricity. Due to frequent power outages, many companies and office buildings have their own spare generators.

Source: www.blogs.wsj.com/indonesiarealtime/2015/05/07/peoples-power-could-be-coming-to-indonesia/

Zero Waste for Clean & Green Hackathon

A Clean & Green Hackathon is a fun and collaborative event where people volunteer their time to work on ideas to solve challenges. Singapore’s National Environment Agency is sponsoring the latest from 16-21 June – two years after the country’s first Clean and Green Hackathon – with the emphasis this time on how to change people’s mindset and behaviours towards a cleaner and zero-waste city state.  People from diverse backgrounds –  from coders, designers, students and business executives -   are called on to bring their skills and knowledge into play. But this is serious! Read More

CLEAN & GREEN HACKATHON 2015

19 to 21 June 2015!

An active and gracious community respects the environment and one another by caring about their neighbourhoods and shared spaces. These shared spaces may be the void decks in our HDB estates, the park connectors, the surrounds of our sporting and entertainment facilities, and everywhere in between.

Everyone in the community has an active role to play. We invite you to come and explore new ideas to help strengthen ownership of the environment.

Learn more about the theme and challenge statements for the hackathon here. And register here!

Challenge: Reduce Littering

Sporting and Leisure Events

Singapore is a hub for international events – sporting events like SEA Games, and concerts etc. that attract many attendees. How can we galvanise everyone to help keep our public spaces like stadiums, sports venues, event locations etc. clean? How can we encourage and remind event-goers to bin their litter properly?

Neighbourhoods

Public cleanliness is important not only during events, but at all times, as litter creates an eyesore and clogs up our drains. It affects public health and our quality of life. Through the years, we have come to rely on cleaners to pick up after us. As we collectively impact the cleanliness of our neighbourhoods and share the use of our public spaces, we all need to play a part in maintaining them. How can we get our neighbours to take action in keeping our shared spaces clean?

Challenge: Reduce and Recycle Waste

Singapore’s overall recycling rate was 60% in 2014 and only 19% of the waste generated by households is recycled. A significant increase is needed in order to achieve the target of 70% overall recycling rate by 2030. At the same time, a large number of litter left behind at public events were single-use disposables such as drink bottles, cans and ponchos, while waste generated at home typically include recyclables, such as paper / plastic packaging, drink bottles and biscuit / milk tins. How can we educate and remind event-goers and residents alike to reduce the use of disposables, reuse and / or recycle their waste responsibly?

Have you got an idea on how to change people’s mindset and behaviours towards a cleaner and zero-waste Singapore? Or are you keen on joining the discussion, brainstorm and work with like-minded people on new ideas? This hackathon is for you!

You’ll get a wonderful opportunity to work alongside passionate citizens wanting to make a positive change in our community. We will also be joined by specialists in sustainability and green technologies, experts in behavioural change, user experience designers, etc.

New to Hackathons?

The Clean & Green Hackathon is a fun and collaborative event where people volunteer their time to work on their ideas to solve the challenges. We welcome people from diverse backgrounds, from coders, designers and everyone else, to bring your skills and knowledge and contribute in your own way.

Ready for the challenge? Register now!

Source: www.cgs.sg/events/calendar/hackathon/cgh2015/

Singapore & Vietnam Targets for 40 EU Companies

The EU Business Avenues’ inaugural Clean Technologies mission in ASEAN has 40 European companies participating who aim to share technology and sound out investment opportunities in both Singapore and Vietnam between 14 and 19 June. Addressing environment and water, renewable energy and energy efficiency, the Mission recognises that Singapore is an attractive market for European companies with innovative, high technology offerings given its small and competitive market, as well as a base for procurement in Asia Pacific. Read More

EU Business Avenues:

Singapore is recognized as a global leader in the environment and water sectors, being at the forefront of environmental innovation and an early adopter of solutions.

The Singapore Government is strongly involved in the promotion of the development of the local environment and water industries. Its aim is to establish Singapore as a global R&D centre for Renewable Energy; main focus on solar energy development but also wind energy, electric mobility, smart grids, biomass, fuel cells, energy efficiency, and carbon services.

This makes Singapore an ideal springboard as an R&D and sales hub for EU environmental and water companies looking to access regional markets. Therefore, this makes Singapore an attractive market for European companies with innovative, high technology offerings given its small and competitive market. These companies may also explore Singapore as a base for procurement in Asia Pacific.

The Clean Technologies 2015 mission will be part of the EU Business Avenues’ inaugural mission in ASEAN with participation of 40 European companies selected by the European Union to broaden their business and will be held in June 2015. The mission will include sector expert presentations, site visits, technical seminars, networking opportunities and a two-day 1-2-1 business matching event. This mission will be held in both Singapore and Vietnam.The last Clean Technologies business mission takes place from Sunday (evening) 14 June to Friday 19 June.

A group of 40 European companies active in clean technologies, with a focus on water, waste and energy efficiency, will join the trip to Singapore and Vietnam.

Both in Singapore and Vietnam, active business matching events, including technical seminars are part of the week schedule, as well as briefings on the specific subsectors.

The matching event in Singapore is located at the Suntec Convention & Exhibition Center and takes place on Tuesday 16 and Wednesday 17 June, preceded by a networking reception on Monday evening.

The majority of companies will travel to Vietnam on Wednesday 17 June to close the mission week in Ho Chi Min City.

Clean Technology represents a diverse range of products, services and processes.

The EU Business Avenues Clean Technologies 2015 focuses on three main sectors namely: (1) Water, (2) Environment / Waste Management and (3) Renewable Energy.

The participating companies for this mission specializes on the following sub-sectors:

CLEAN TECHNOLOGIES 2015

Environment and Water:

Waste water treatment, air pollution control, waste management, recycling, soil erosion prevention, noise protection;

Fresh water supply, water solutions

Off-grid clean energy solutions check

Renewable Energy:

Wind, solar, aero thermal, geothermal, hydrothermal and ocean energy, hydropower, biomass, landfill gas, sewage treatment, plant gas and biogas;

Power generation, management and control systems, hydrogen technologies, bio-fuel technologies and co-generation technologies;

Off-grid clean energy solutions

Energy Efficiency:

Energy conservation, and energy conservation technologies focused on reducing CO2 emissions;

Technologies and energy efficient materials related to the engineering, design, construction fitting, arrangement and the finishing of public

Source: www.eubusinessavenues.com/ct2015/about/overview.html

World Environment Center Looks to Asia for Eco Action

Sustainability experts at this year’s Eco Action Day Panel Discussion – held in conjunction with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) World Environment Day – say that achieving real positive impact for the environment has to go beyond simple actions to involve policy change, cross-sector collaboration, mind-set shifts and communicating the business case of sustainability. In Singapore for the event was World Environment Centre chief Terry Yosie from Washington. Read More

Ken Hickson reports:

Special guest at this year’s Eco Action Day in Singapore was Terry Yosie, President and CEO of the World Environment Center (WEC), based in Washington.

While mostly working within America, WEC has offices and activities now in Beijing, China, San Salvador, South America and in Munich, Germany.

He told me that his visit to Singapore has shown him the potential in Asia and how much has already been achieved by environmental organisations.

WEC believes in a collaborative approach to its work, joining forces with business and community organisations to achieve more.

His major responsibilities at home and aboard are “the development and implementation of strategies to advance business solutions for sustainability challenges”.

During his tenure, WEC has developed core competencies in supply chain management, innovation and the preparation of the next generation of sustainability leaders. WEC’s work in these areas have been recognized by the U.S. Department of State, United Nations Environmental Programme and many global stakeholders.

As he has worked in the public sector, in business as well in the non-government space, Terry wants to see greater business involvement in long-term, work for the environment.

His recent engagement with IBM and Ricoh not only highlighted the work of these companies but brought him to Asia to see at first hand was these companies were doing.

For more on the work of WEC around the world and in the US, go to: www.wec.org

Ricoh, for example, has spearheaded the Eco Action Day in Singapore and he was engaged to speak at one of its sessions.

Here’s a report from Singapore on what Eco Action 2015 was all about:

Eco Action Day 2015 celebrates organisations that have implemented sustainability practices in Singapore

Sustainability experts at this year’s Eco Action Day Panel Discussion – held in conjunction with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) World Environment Day earlier today – say that achieving real positive impact for the environment has to go beyond simple actions to involve policy change, cross-sector collaboration, mind-set shifts and communicating the business case of sustainability.

In Singapore, the government is looking into further legislative efforts to aid the city-state on its quest to become a zero waste nation, said Ronnie Tay, CEO, National Environment Agency. But while the government can impose rules and regulations on companies to make them comply with environmentally-friendly business practices, a more effective way to realise change is cross-sector collaboration.

One example is e-waste recycling in Singapore – there is no legislation on e-waste recycling yet, but there is a growing number of e-waste recycling programmes offered by businesses. Other initiatives include the Singapore Packaging Agreement, and the Energy Efficiency National Partnership.

“Such initiatives have positive outcomes such as allowing companies to share best practices with one another and recognising companies that are doing well in these areas,” he said.

Ariel Muller, Director, Asia Pacific, Forum for the Future, observed that communicating the need for sustainable business practices is also important in achieving change at scale.

“I often start with: ‘Do you agree that the future is getting more uncertain? Do you agree that there are strategic risks?’ These opening questions are a good way to identify shared risks and opportunities, and getting people on the same page. I think there are multiple solutions and I don’t think they will all thrive. What we can do is to find the ones that work and amplify them.”

Organized by Ricoh Asia Pacific and Eco-Business, this year’s Eco Action Day panel discussion focused on the World Environment Day theme on sustainable consumption and production.

The panel featured distinguished speakers including Ronnie Tay, CEO, National Environment Agency; Ynse de Boer, Managing Director, Strategy and Sustainability Services, Accenture; Ariel Muller,

Director, Asia Pacific, Forum for the Future; Professor Victor Savage, Associate Professor, Department of Geography, National University of Singapore; and Vincent Lim, Managing Director, Ricoh Singapore.

The theme is aligned with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) World Environment Day (WED) message: Seven Billion Dreams. One Planet. Consume with Care. Aptly, it was also held on WED on 5 June as the highlight of Eco Action Day, Singapore’s largest business-led environmental awareness campaign. The dialogue was attended by 100 people from business, government and civic society leaders.

“The message to small and medium enterprises, by far the largest employers in Singapore, is – there are companies that will purchase if you are advocates of sustainability,” said Vincent Lim, Managing Director, Ricoh Singapore. “I think the key is to start somewhere and hopefully use that – that I’m a sustainable company – you will probably have a better edge.”

In the lead-up to Eco Action Day 2015, 165 companies, 40 schools and 449 individuals pledged to take actions to reduce their resource consumption and environmental impact. Collectively, these pledges have reduced carbon dioxide emissions by more than 42,000 kilograms.

Featuring the slogan “Green the Red Dot, Join the Movement”, the initiative – in its ninth year – aims to mobilize and inspire individuals and organizations in Singapore to pledge eco-actions.

Launched on 8 April, the campaign hopes that by encouraging simple acts such as conserving energy, reducing waste and raising environmental awareness in the office and at home, it will help the wider public ingrain these actions into daily life and make a positive impact on the environment.

To raise awareness of this issue, Eco Action Day organiser Ricoh and its partners disseminated the call to pledge actions through bus advertisements, posters at commercial buildings, online advertising, roadshows and social media, as well as the Eco Action Day website, where businesses and individuals could register their pledges.

Mr. Tetsuya Takano, Managing Director of Ricoh Asia Pacific, said that the company is honoured that senior business, government and civic society leaders in the environment & CSR sectors have chosen to join them to delve deeper into the sustainability issues and share their views on Singapore’s sustainable development.

“The Ricoh Group will proactively work to increase sustainability, thereby achieving the growth of its businesses, boosting its corporate value, and consistently meeting the expectations of all stakeholders.”

In conjunction with Eco Action Day, the Eco Action Day Awards were presented to seven schools and organisations to recognise their efforts in raising awareness of the importance of sustainability.

This year’s Award Winners are:

 Most Creative & Most Fun Eco Award – Crescent Girls’ School

 Most Inspiring Eco Award – Loola Adventure Resort (Bintan)

 Most Inspiring Eco Award (Merit) – Starhub Ltd

 Most Effort Eco Award – Orchid Park Secondary School

 Most Effort Eco Award (Merit) – West Spring Primary School

 Best Eco Practices Award – Systems on Silicon Manufacturing Company Pte Ltd

 Best Eco Practices Award (Merit) – Samwoh Corporation

Crescent Girls’ School won the Most Creative & Most Fun Eco Award for actively involving its students in sustainability education by organising a Make-a-Mascot competition at Ang Mo Kio-Bishan Park. Using just recyclable materials and their imagination, the students created various mascots that best represent the idea of sustainability. The school also organised a 3Rs (Reduce, Reuse and Recycle) competition to get students to design creative products out of recyclable materials. “Stars and Crescent: Building Hopes and Dream Together” is also the theme for the school this year.

Loola Adventure Resort nabbed the Most Inspiring Eco Award. The highlights of the resort, located at Bintan, include its specially-designed system to collect rainwater, which is used for toilet flushing and general cleaning; a biological wastewater processing system which improves sanitation in rural villages; and its use of solar power to run all air-conditioners at its villas.

Employees of Systems on Silicon Manufacturing Company, winner of the Best Eco Practices Award, have been involved in environmental campaigns organised by government bodies such as NEA and PUB for years. Close to 200 of their employees volunteer regularly in activities such as litter-picking and the company’s “Hot Spot to Bright Spot” Programme has also helped to collect more than 280kg of trash in its immediate environment in a year. The company’s resource saving projects since 2003 has also reduced usage of energy and water by more than 10milllion kWh and 1 million cubic metres respectively.

Eco Action Day partners for 2015 include the National Climate Change Secretariat (NCCS), National Environment Agency (NEA), Building and Construction Authority (BCA), Energy Market Authority (EMA), Singapore Environment Council (SEC), Singapore Compact for CSR, Singapore Business Federation, Keppel Land, Keppel Reit, Mapletree Business City, ComfortDelGro, Rice Communications and Eco-Business.

“Sustainable consumption and production does not simply imply consuming or producing lesser goods and services – it is about adopting more efficient and less resource intensive processes. As consumers, we can help by shifting our consumption patterns towards goods that use less energy, water and other resources, and by wasting less food,” said Jessica Cheam, Editor, Eco-Business.

Achim Steiner, UNEP executive director, in his World Environment Day message, sums it aptly when he asks: “What the world would be like if each of the seven-billion people made one change towards a more responsible consumption of resources? I would like you to hold on to that vision and strive to make it reality—be it refusing to buy single-use plastic bags or riding a bike to work.”

“World Environment Day is the opportunity for everyone to realize the responsibility to care for the Earth and to become agents of change,” he said.

Source: www.ecoaction.sg

Digital Transformation – a Green Global Solution for Buildings

Don’t just make incremental changes to the way you do business, but transform it digitally from the inside out to achieve real measurable benefits, like significantly improved client engagement and satisfaction, as well as substantive productivity gains, significant energy savings and effective resource management.  That’s the clear message from Green Global Solutions CEO Bob Sharon.

Read More

All the signs are pointing to Digital Transformation as the Sustainable way for Businesses to go, says Green Global Solutions in this article written by Ken Hickson, Singapore-based Sustainability Consultant and author of “Race for Sustainability” and “The ABC of Carbon”.

Changing Business from the Inside Out to Achieve Sustainable Economic Outcomes

Don’t just make incremental changes to the way you do business, but transform it digitally from the inside out to achieve real measurable benefits, like significantly improved client engagement and satisfaction, as well as substantive productivity gains, significant energy savings and effective resource management.

That’s the clear message from Green Global Solutions CEO Bob Sharon, who has embarked on a mission to convince businesses in Asia Pacific to not only adopt the latest and best technology, but to innovate in all ways and to address resource inefficiency.

“Take data centres, which are themselves playing a critical role the Digital Transformation process. They need to set an example by making sure they operate in the most efficient way to cut energy use, as they are about to overtake the global aviation industry as one of the biggest emitters of greenhouse gases,” says the man with years of experience in the IT sector, who is now guaranteeing sustainability results for businesses.

So Digital Transformation is much more than the latest buzz word. For Green Global Solutions, it is “the most sustainable platform for business growth and change” as it demands new investment in technology and business models to effectively engage all stakeholders and deliver greater efficiencies and improved business outcomes.

“Sustainability is not an optional exercise. It is a necessity. So embracing Digital Transformation, coupled with hybrid cloud computing, makes the most sustainable use of all resources, definitely delivering the most promising of business outcomes,” say Mr Sharon.

The term “Digital Transformation” first came into prominence in 2011, after a three-year study was conducted by the MIT Center for Digital Business and Capgemini Consulting, which concluded that only one-third of companies globally had an effective Digital Transformation programme in place.

The study defined an “effective digital transformation” as one that addressed “the intensity of digital initiatives within a corporation” as well as “the ability of a company to master transformational change to deliver business outcomes”.

So what does Digital Transformation really mean in practice?

It is the realignment of, or new investment in, technology and business models to more effectively engage all stakeholders at every touch point in the customer experience lifecycle.

Taking a holistic approach, Mr Sharon believes, means aligning customers’ on-premise applications, IT and data centre infrastructure, along with existing operational processes, to maximise savings of any hybrid cloud strategy.

Customers can then make informed decisions based on accurate information rather than industry hype, with Green Global Solutions playing the role of trusted independent advisor not tied to any particular technology, product, system or supplier.

“One size – or solution – does not fit all, so we look into a customers’ unique circumstances and work through with them in a discovery process and a journey to select the best technological and businesses processes to achieve results,” Mr Sharon insists.

Green Global Solutions started out in Australia and has helped a number of organisations see significant improvements in their bottom line, largely through savings in energy, but also through improved productivity.

Now with its first Asian office in Singapore set up in April (2015), it finds it is in good company with businesses already realising that they must go beyond “green buildings” to transform their businesses, particularly if they are to gain real benefits from energy saving.

As Green Global Solutions positions itself as “the trusted advisor” for many companies venturing out on this journey, it has already secured its first Asia-based customer.  It is undertaking a feasibility study for Aion Technologies Pte Ltd as it considers going on its own Digital Transformation and hybrid cloud computing pathway.

Mr Sharon knows that what they are offering is a one stop shop for sustainability advisory services – particularly for data centres and property owners – which is very much in line with what the Singapore Government advocates with through its agencies, National Environment Agency (NEA), Building and Construction Authority (BCA) and the Infocomm Development Authority (IDA).

According to an announcement by the IDA last month, “energy-guzzling data centres are in for a carbon-friendly makeover” with the introduction of a comprehensive Green Data Centre Innovation Programme (GDCIP) aimed at raising the overall energy efficiency of the Singapore data centre industry to boost its competitiveness.

Under the GDCIP, Singapore will embark on a comprehensive review and assessment of emerging technologies which could significantly improve energy performance. The recommendations are intended to guide the research community, technology companies and the data centre industry in charting their technology directions.

Singapore is already the leading data centre hub of Southeast Asia, with nearly 60 per cent of the region’s data centre capacity. The base will continue to grow as Singapore embarks on its journey to become a Smart Nation underpinned by data and analytics.

Against this backdrop of growing demand for data centre services, IDA sees one of the challenges facing the industry is to rein in rising energy consumption. With Singapore’s tropical climate and high humidity, cooling is a major contributor to the data centres’ already-high energy footprint.

According to the Singapore Green Data Centre Technology Roadmap published in 2014, about 37 per cent of the total energy consumed by data centres is used to cool IT equipment.

Based on IDA’s estimates, the 10 largest data centre operators in Singapore account for energy consumption equivalent to that of 130,000 Housing Development Board (HDB) households. An energy efficiency improvement of 20 per cent in the existing stock of commercial data centres in Singapore could yield combined annual savings of over S$34 million.

Green Global Solutions has already engaged with IDA and other relevant Government agencies, to show where it can promote energy efficiency measures and directly help existing or planned data centres introduce measures and systems which will significantly reduce their energy use.

The company knows that by adopting Digital Transformation and hybrid cloud computing, the data centre industry can continue to grow, while at the same time can introduce measurement and management systems designed to save energy and significantly reduce operational costs.

“We have seen from our work in Australia that energy savings in the order of 40% and 70% are possible. And for data centres – acknowledged to be big energy guzzlers – that means much improved business outcomes,” concludes Mr Sharon.

About Green Global Solutions

Green Global Solutions is headquartered in Australia and has recently opened its Asia Pacific office in Singapore. Green Global delivers guaranteed sustainability results through a holistic approach to their clients’ infrastructure, data centre, and digital transformation projects in the areas of technology, procurement, CSR and finance whilst ensuring positive environmental impact.

Source: www.greenglobalsolutions.com.au

Health Check for US Airlines to Cut Emissions

The Obama administration is taking the first step toward regulating greenhouse gas emissions from domestic aviation as jets are seen to endanger human health because of their contribution to global warming. This finding does not impose specific new requirements on airlines yet, but it requires the agency to develop the rules, as it has done for motor vehicles and power plants. Read More

ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT

E.P.A. Takes Step to Cut Emissions From Planes

by Jad Mouawad and Coral Davenport in New York Times (10 June 2015)

The Obama administration said on Wednesday that it would take the first step toward regulating greenhouse gas emissions from airplanes, but it acknowledged it would most likely take years before stringent standards are enacted.

The Environmental Protection Agency said that emissions from airplanes endanger human health because of their contribution to global warming. This finding does not impose specific new requirements on airlines yet, but it requires the agency to develop the rules, as it has done for motor vehicles and power plants.

Given the extended timetable of the rule-making process, and the lobbying by the airlines that international regulations should apply to all the carriers, it is almost impossible that airplane emissions rules will be completed during the Obama administration. The legal obligation for completing work on the airplane pollution rules would then fall to the next president.

American aircraft are responsible for 3 percent of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States, according to E.P.A. data.

The announcement represents the latest of Mr. Obama’s major initiatives to combat global warming. Next week, the agency is expected to propose new rules on emissions from heavy-duty trucks, and in August it is expected to announce new rules to rein in power plant pollution.

The E.P.A. said it would also wait for current international negotiations on limiting carbon emissions in the aviation industry before publishing its final rule. Those discussions, which are taking place within the International Civil Aviation Organization, a United Nations agency charged with aviation rules, began in 2009 and are expected to be completed in February 2016.

Christopher Grundler, director of the E.P.A.’s Office of Transportation and Air Quality, said the agency intended to work closely with international authorities on developing a standard for regulating airline emissions worldwide. But he did not say whether the agency’s emissions standards would be more stringent than international ones. The agency said today it would be seeking public comments on those standards.

“Our No. 1 goal is to secure a meaningful international standard,” he said. “There are sound environmental reasons to do so. An international policy would secure far more greenhouse gas emissions reductions than a domestic-only plan.”

But environmental groups fear that International Civil Aviation Organization — which works in close consultation with airlines, as well as the E.P.A. — will propose a weak standard, and are already urging the United States to move faster with a stringent domestic standard.

“Airplane carbon pollution is skyrocketing, but the E.P.A. is still dodging responsibility for curbing this climate threat,” said Vera Pardee, senior counsel and supervising lawyer at the Center for Biological Diversity. “Passing the buck to an international organization that’s virtually run by the airline industry won’t protect our planet from these rapidly growing emissions.”

Deborah Lapidus, director of the Flying Clean campaign, an effort by a coalition of environmental groups, said that the E.P.A. had authority to regulate domestic airline emissions immediately, and that such a standard would provide a road map for the international standards. United States airlines account for about a third of all aircraft global emissions. Without limits, aviation emissions are set to double by the end of the decade.

“The airlines have a responsibility to do their part on climate change just like every other industry, and E.P.A. needs to hold them to that,” Ms. Lapidus said.

Republicans, for their part, also attacked the E.P.A. announcement, calling it another example of what they have criticized as Mr. Obama’s regulatory overreach.

“The sky is the limit when it comes to how much of the U.S. economy the E.P.A. wants to control,” said Representative Lamar Smith of Texas, chairman of the House Science, Space and Technology Committee. “Such regulations would increase the price of airfare for Americans and harm our domestic carriers. Over the last 50 years, the fuel efficiency of jetliners has increased by 70 percent. Incentives are already in place to make air travel more energy efficient.”

I.C.A.O. members are required to adopt any international standards completed by the international organization, according to the E.P.A. Wednesday’s finding, the agency said, was part of its preparation for any domestic rules that are “of at least equivalent stringency as the anticipated I.C.A.O.” carbon dioxide standard.

A final rule will also be legally binding and a future administration will have to act on it, unless challenged in court. But there is a strong legal precedent for these so-called endangerment findings to be upheld.

The airline industry contends that it has already worked aggressively to reduce fuel use and increase efficiency, and that demands to do even more could raise costs. Already, airlines are looking into new technologies and alternatives like carbon-neutral — but expensive — biofuels.

In their drive to reduce fuel costs, airlines have turned to a variety of strategies, like taxiing with a single engine, fitting winglets to improve plane aerodynamics, or using lighter material for seats, galleys or in-flight magazines. Since every pound matters, some have cut back on the ice they bring on board.

Each 5.5 pounds of weight reduced on an airplane means a one-ton reduction in carbon emissions per year, according to calculations by the International Air Transport Association.

But making big cuts in greenhouse gas emissions is a hard task. The industry’s efforts to improve fuel efficiency and reduce carbon emissions have been more than offset by the growth of the aviation sector around the world.

Aviation accounts for about 2 percent of global emissions, but it is among the fastest-growing sources of global greenhouse gas emissions as air travel becomes more affordable and more people travel around the world. By 2020, international aviation emissions could be 70 percent higher than in 2005, even if fuel efficiency improves by 2 percent a year, according to estimates cited by the European Commission.

Given the global nature of the business, airlines have argued that the rules should be global. In 2012, the European Union sought to force foreign carriers to participate in its emissions trading scheme. The move was thwarted by the United States, China and other nations, which said they would retaliate if their airlines were forced to do so. The Obama administration said it would bar United States airlines from taking part.

Commercial airlines have voluntarily committed to limit the growth of their carbon emissions to 2 percent a year through 2020, then cap emission growth after that. By 2050, the industry hopes to cut its greenhouse gas emissions to half their 2005 levels, according to the I.A.T.A.

“We are driven to be really fuel-efficient because fuel is usually our No. 1 cost,” said Nancy Young, the vice president for regulatory affairs at Airlines for America, the industry’s trade group. “So, we are driven to be very carbon-efficient as well. We are doing everything we can through technology and operations to reduce our emissions.”

In 2014, domestic carriers burned 8 percent less fuel than they did in 2000, while carrying 20 percent more passengers and cargo, she said.

“The challenge is an important economic opportunity,” Ms. Young said. “More and more people around the world want the benefit of air travel and all the good things that aviation brings. So there has been growth in aviation and this has increased emissions despite the fact that we are more efficient.”

Buying new planes with more efficient engines remains the most effective path to reducing an airline’s fuel costs. The newest generation of airplanes, like the Boeing 787 Dreamliner and the Airbus A350, promise about 20 percent better fuel economy thanks to new engines and lighter airframes.

So far, Boeing has delivered over 280 of its 787s to airlines around the world, out of more than 1,100 planes it has on order. Airbus has 780 A350s on order and has, so far, delivered just three.

Source: www.nytimes.com

No other option but to green office space in India

Make no mistake – environmentally sustainable real estate is extremely important for India today, writes Rajat Malhotra, Chief Operating Officer – Integrated Facilities Management (West Asia), JLL India. Given the massive demands on infrastructure, energy, potable water and waste handling and disposal, there are no other options for the real estate sector but to go green. This report appears in Gurdip Singh’s Foreign Investor in India. Pictured is the CII Sohrabji Godrej Green Business Centre in Hyderabad,  India’s first  LEED Platinum demonstration building. Read More

Green Office Real Estate In India – Gathering Momentum

Foreign Investor in India (1 June 2015)

Make no mistake – environmentally sustainable real estate is extremely important for India today, writes Rajat Malhotra, Chief Operating Officer – Integrated Facilities Management (West Asia), JLL India

Given the massive demands on infrastructure, energy, potable water and waste handling and disposal, there are no other options for the real estate sector but to go green.  Given that low cost housing is bound to see a huge growth in the next two decades and more than 60 per cent of India’s infrastructure yet to be built, residential and commercial property developers are now increasingly being prevailed upon to evolve and incorporate green features.

India Is Not A Slow Green Adopter

The common perception is that India was generally a late adopter of the ‘green’ mantra in real estate. However, the country has not lagged behind on this front at all. In fact, the growth of green real estate in India is a saga of some compelling and impressive statistics.

According to the Indian Green Building Council (IGBC), green real estate in India has grown from a mere 20,000 square feet in 2003 to a little over 3 billion square feet of registered, pre-certified and certified projects in 2015.  Of this, green office spaces account for 200 million square feet, primarily in the 10 major cities.

Contrary to common belief, Indian developers are not ‘going green’ merely because more and more Multi-National Corporations (MNCs) will now consider moving only into certified green office spaces in India. The demand for green office spaces is equally high among Indian corporates; some of the top Indian MNCs have now included green office spaces in their corporate sustainability objectives.

This indicates that India is far from a reluctant adopter of green real estate practices. The growth supports the premise that the necessary market drivers – high consumer demand for green office and retail spaces, and the need to mitigate the high cost of energy and water needed to operate a building – are in place. In many cases, the requirements laid out by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MOEF) for projects over 20,000 square metres has helped the cause of green commercial real estate, as well.

Today, a large number of IT/ITES companies and BFSI firms have an explicit ‘green’ mandate when it comes to leasing commercial spaces. Bank of America Continuum, Citibank, UBS, Inautix and Intuit (among others) are some of the firms that are firmly committed to occupy sustainable office spaces.

IGBC, which works under the aegis of the Confederation of Indian Industry, spearheaded the initial awareness drive, and the members of CII were the first to imbibe green concepts in their CII Sohrabji Green Business Centre in Hyderabad. The GBC was the first LEED Platinum building in India. Today, every leading Indian corporate from ITC, Godrej, Wipro and Infosys to Mahindra, Kotak and CII itself, have opted for green offices.

The Green Rationale

There is more to the green office realty movement than goals related to carbon footprint, CSR and enhanced corporate image.  The improved indoor air quality, better ambience, natural lighting and comfort cooling control in sustainable office spaces have been proven to improve employee productivity and wellness. There are sound business fundamentals involved, as well.

A typical 100,000 square foot green office building saves the occupier Rs. 30 to 40 lakh in a year on energy alone. Savings in water could be close to half this amount. In comparison to conventional office spaces, green offices are 20-30 per cent more efficient on the use of water and energy.  Of course, there are added costs to green office spaces, as well. Office rental benchmarking studies in the 7 major cities have revealed a typical premium of 2-3 per cent.

A large number of developers have now recognized the importance of building green because it improves the lease probability in a market that is currently witnessing parity between supply and demand. Simply put, corporates that are committed to green office spaces prefer leases in buildings whose core and shell is certified green – and such corporates are on the increase.

Common Features In Green Office Spaces:

The features typically found in green offices include space design and fittings which enhance energy and water efficiency while simultaneously providing occupants with higher levels of comfort, ventilation and glare free illumination.

• The building envelope is designed to minimise heat gain via higher window/wall ratios

• Building facades use high-performance glazing systems to reflect exterior radiant heat outward

• Energy consumption via efficient lighting and high-grade heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems and integration of sub systems, controls and Building management systems

• Water usage is optimised through recycling treated waste water for landscape flushing, etc. and using water-efficient fixtures such as dual plumbing and flushing

• Use of environment-friendly carpets, paints, adhesives and sealants which are low on volatile organic compounds

• Green cleaning programs with environment-friendly cleaning chemicals

• Green Office Real Estate In India:Gathering Momentum.

Source: www.fii-news.com