Sustainable Building in Singapore Sets the Standards for Better Human & Planetary Health, Leaving UK Organisations Questioning If Their Strategy Goes Far Enough

A new sustainable development for the Singapore Institute of Technology draws generous donations, as sustainable buildings standards drive a culture in construction that will be positive for both occupants and the planet

Published

March 29, 2022

$1.9 million dollar donation for world-beating efficient campus at the Singapore Institute of Technology

The Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT) has recently received a donation of over $1.9 Million in support of plans for a new sustainable campus in Punggol. The gift from Dr Chua Thian Poh will also support a bursary scheme to assist five financially underprivileged students.^[i] The SIT is a centre of applied learning where work and study are integrated, and students have the opportunity to work on solutions for real industry problems. The SIT describes a work-learn continuum that advocates for upskilling and life-long learning.^[ii]

The new campus will consolidate six existing sites and double the current capacity to provide tuition for 12,000 students. All the buildings will meet BCA Green Mark Platinum standards, and two will achieve Super Low Energy status.^[iii]

Artist’s impression of the new Punggol campus

*Source: Singapore Institute of Technology*

Ticking the right boxes

BCA is the Buildings and Construction authority in Singapore. Their Green Mark Certification program, launched in 2005, outlines key criteria in pursuit of positive environmental impact and performance for buildings.^[iv] BCA requires applicants for certification to submit evidence of the functionality of green features of the construction and demonstrate compliance with committed design specifications of the build. To achieve gold and platinum standard, BCA requires the use of 12-month actual operating data to determine the building's energy savings above its reference model and demonstrate compliance with the committed energy savings.^[v] The BCA certification guides and assesses outcomes for sustainable buildings using 52 indicators across 16 criteria from 5 sections.^[vi]

BCA sustainability sections and criteria

The Super Low Energy (SLE) scheme, as part of the Green Mark program, encourages the incorporation of on-site and off-site renewable energy and other smart energy management systems to achieve “best-in-class” energy efficiency”.^[vii] There are three categories in the SLE scheme: super low energy, zero energy, and positive energy.

Can the UK compete with the standards that will build this super sustainable Singaporean Structure?

The role of sustainable construction in Singapore in securing generous financial donations demonstrates the value of such initiatives. The UK equivalent to BCA Green Mark is BREEAM, the Building Research Establishment’s (BRE) Environmental Assessment Method. The BRE, an independent and neutral research-based consultancy, first introduced BREEAM in 1990, where the company began as a government department before being privatised in 1997.[ix] The intention of BREEAM is to

To mitigate the life cycle impacts of buildings on the environment.
To enable buildings to be recognised according to their environmental benefits.
To provide a credible environmental label for buildings.
To stimulate demand for sustainable buildings.[x]

BREEAM Rating classifications

Assessments are carried out by members of the project team who are licenced BREEAM Assessors. New assessors go through a four-day training programme that includes testing. Assessors submit their assessment reports once the course has been passed. BRE subjects the first few assessments to a thorough quality assurance process in which every credit and piece of evidence is scrutinised. Following that, only a small number of credits for each assessment are verified to confirm that the Assessor is still meeting quality criteria.[xi]

Overall, there is a higher specificity to the BREEAM standards with a less diffuse set of categories. Interestingly, to achieve the top standard of Green Mark certification, a higher benchmark is required than for BREEAM. However, ARUP says that BREEAM standards mean that only 1% of non-residential new builds achieve it.[xii] BREEAM had a predominantly European reach with the exception of Brazil up until 2015; since then, over 150 certifications have been awarded in China alone, showing that BREEAM has international respect and appeal.[xiii]

Percentage weighting of categories for BREEAM and BCA Green Mark certification

Is it time to get ahead?

Current construction legislation in the UK is currently guided by Construction 2025; this is set to be replaced by the Future buildings strategy.^[xiv] Construction 2025 aims to guide the industry as a whole but gives little direction to individuals on what they should aim to achieve.^[xv] Consultation on the new Future Buildings strategy in the UK ended on the 13^th of April 2021; since then, a summary of responses to the consultation have been released. The Future Buildings strategy is set to begin technical specification consultations for highly efficient new, non-domestic buildings which use low-carbon heat and have the best fabric standards possible in 2023. Full implementation of the strategy will begin in 2025.^[xvi] In an attempt to keep pace with other international actors, in 2021, an interim uplift in energy efficiency standards through high-level insulation and low carbon systems is expected to reduce CO₂ emissions of non-residential by 27% compared to current standards. However, it is worth noting that this interim uplift is based on encouragement and not enforcement.^[xvii] This encouragement to engage with the uplift is designed to ensure that by implementing the Future Buildings strategy, supply chains and the construction industry are working at higher standards. This will leave them better prepared to reach the criteria set out by the Future buildings strategy.^[xviii] The Energy Savings Trust, an independent organisation “working to address the climate emergency”, welcomed the strategy as a step forward but called for greater ambition.^[xix] The Energy Savings Trust outlined their concerns and recommendations, saying that:

“We need ‘very good’ – not ‘improved’” commenting that the percentage-based assessment “delivers buildings that are ‘better’ but potentially still not ‘good enough’.”

“Low carbon heating should be required as soon as it is cost-effective and affordable. The consultation sets out types of buildings where is it already feasible and affordable to install low carbon space and/or water heating (such as heat pumps). We recommend low carbon heating is installed in these buildings from 2022.”

With a new set of construction regulations in the UK on the horizon and with a heavy emphasis on environmentalism and sustainability, aspirational construction certifications like BCA Green Mark & BREEAM provide the opportunity to get ahead of the curve when it comes to sustainable buildings and the legal obligations that the future buildings strategy may present.