Envisioning a Greener Singapore Together
Industry stakeholders gathered to share their vision for the future of Singapore’s built environment.
18 MARCH 2020 – Industry stakeholders in the built sector were invited to attend the “Singapore Green Building Masterplan (SGBMP) 2020 Engagement cum Visioning Exercise”. Jointly organised by the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) and the Singapore Green Building Council (SGBC), the exercise aimed to set the collective vision and key outcomes for the future of Singapore’s green buildings.
Held at the BCA Academy prior to the heightening of COVID-19 measures, the event was packed with around 100 attendees from diverse backgrounds. Participants ranged from young students to climate champions, as well as academics and corporate staff from the private sector, including CDL.
With stringent distancing and hygiene measures in place, such as the separation of the conference room into two groups and hand sanitisers at every table, the event went on smoothly and safely.
The exercise kicked off with a welcome address from SGBC President Dr Ho Nyok Yong, followed by presentations from industry leaders such as CDL Chief Sustainability Officer (CSO) Ms Esther An, BCA Executive Director Mr Tai Lee Siang, SGBC Executive Director Ms Yvonne Soh, and BCA Director of Green Building Policy Department Ms Chia Yen Ling.
In CSO Esther’s presentation titled, “A Developer’s Perspective: Building Global Leadership through Sustainability Integration – CDL’s Strategic Transformation to a Low-carbon Economy”, she shared CDL’s sustainability journey as a business case. Esther focussed on CDL’s effective ESG integration strategy and the four key pillars it is anchored on – Integration, Innovation, Investment, and Impact.
The workshop concluded with a Q&A session, featuring BCA Chief Executive Mr Hugh Lim, SGBC President Dr Ho, BuildSG Executive Director Mr Lee Siang Tai, climate champion and Singapore Management University Associate Professor Winston Chow, SGBC 1st Vice President Mr Tang Kok Thye, and young climate activist Mr Ho Xiang Tian. It was an insightful sharing session that touched upon many key ideas on green building in Singapore, including the ways in which the built sector is in a prime position to mitigate climate change.
The SGBMP 2020 also underscored the responsibility of different stakeholders in the built industry in achieving national goals towards a low-carbon future. Indeed, in the built sector, working collaboratively with shared goals is integral in combating climate change and meeting Singapore’s emissions reduction commitments.