A Paradigm of Sustainability: An Introduction to Singapore as a Sustainable City
City Square Mall, The Star Vista and 313 @ Somerset. You’ve probably heard of these malls before but what you might not have known is that they are eco-malls: examples of Singapore’s progress towards sustainable development. For countries looking to transition to a net-zero economy, sustainable development is undoubtedly essential. As a result, sustainable cities are on the rise to accommodate their nations’ net-zero goals. With the implementation of comprehensive energy, water and waste management programs, Singapore gained the reputation of being one of the greenest, forward-thinking countries in the world, destining it to develop into a sustainable city.
What is a Sustainable City?
As the 11th Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) set out by the UN, Sustainable cities and communities promote sustainable and affordable urban development by reducing energy and water usage, food wastage and minimizing carbon emissions and pollution, amongst other things. They also possess advanced water and waste management systems in order to minimize waste while reusing that of which is produced.
What are the components of a Sustainable City?
Energy
Energy is the heart of sustainability with an emphasis on renewable energy. Made up of solar energy, wind energy amongst others, renewables should be the main source of ALL power (electricity, transportation and cooling systems etc) and a variety of renewables should be considered when designing an energy management portfolio — a guide to optimizing energy efficiency while considering costs and environmental impacts, through diverse energy sources.
This is an area that Singapore is lacking in since there isn’t a heavy supply of renewable energy to the electric grid. However, the National Climate Change Secretariat (NCCS) has revealed that land constraints are the cause of the lack of widespread deployment of solar panels. Nonetheless, Singapore continues to do its part in the journey to net-zero and has committed to quadrupling solar energy deployment by 2025 with the recent completion of the worlds largest floating solar farm off the coast of Tuas and a 122,000-panel solar farm opening in Tengah.
Transportation
Transportation is another vital sub-section of sustainable cities and an area where Singapore leads by example, especially with the recent introduction of an electric bus fleet. Convenient, accessible and carbon-neutral public transportation is essential to sustainable cities. Furthermore, cities should accommodate the rise in electric vehicles (EVs) by installing more EV charging points. Under the Green Plan of 2030, Singapore has formed the target of installing 60,000. All of these advancements contribute significantly towards reduced congestion and improved air quality.
Green Buildings
A newer development in sustainable cities is the rise in green buildings which applies characteristics of sustainable cities to infrastructure (E.g. Advanced waste and water management systems, energy efficiency etc). Fitted with remote building energy monitoring systems, green buildings are designed to be highly energy-efficient. It is also expected that from the planning stage of development to construction to management, green buildings are resource-efficient and water-efficient. As its name suggests, green buildings should comprise on-site green spaces such as vertical and rooftop gardens.
A variety of programs were designed and implemented with the aim of encouraging green infrastructure and on-site green spaces to mitigate the urban island heat effect and improve air quality.
Plans and Schemes include but are not limited to:
- The Singapore Green Building Masterplan
Singapore aims to reach its 80–80–80 target — 80% of buildings to be green certified, 80% of new developments to be Super Low Energy (SLE) buildings and 80% improvement in energy efficiency for green buildings — by 2030.
- The Green Mark Certification Scheme
With a focus on the construction of green buildings, this scheme was developed as a green rating tool designed to validate the environmental management system existing within the building.
- The Skyrise Greenery Incentive Scheme 2.0
Through the Skyrise Greenery Incentive Scheme 2.0, NParks has supported over 100 buildings with the installation of green roofs, edible gardens, and lush green walls by providing funding of up to 50%.
- Energy Conservation Act
This act requires energy-intensive companies to monitor and report their energy use and greenhouse gas emissions and submit energy-efficiency improvement plans.
Food, Water and Waste Management
Within the food, water and waste industries, there are several programs conceptualized to aid the transition of our current management systems into a more circular and economical system. These programs include the development of urban farming and the advancement of waste and water management systems.
Urban farming, including rooftop, vertical and community gardens, is the local production of year-round fresh produce for the community. This form of farming shortens supply chains and hence, reduces carbon emissions. As per the Singapore Green Plan of 2030, Singapore aims to produce 30% of food demands locally and sustainably through funding, providing skills training and investing in research and development in the urban agricultural technologies area.
To advance waste management systems, anaerobic digestion should be utilized. An anaerobic digester produces natural gas from organic and green waste, including food waste, municipal solid waste, paper and wastewater. Cities should only use anaerobic digestion as a mechanism to support a circular economy by deriving energy from waste due to natural gas’ unsustainable properties. The natural gas produced should only be used in industries where a transition to electric/usage of renewable energy is not currently possible. Singapore currently does not possess an anaerobic digester but has recently invested US$1.5bn into an integrated waste management system in Tuas which will feature a 400 tonne/day anaerobic digester.
Historically, Singapore has purchased consumable water from Malaysia. However, with the development of NEWater and advanced technology within desalination techniques, Singapore is becoming more self-sufficient, meeting 70% of water demands through these innovations. Additionally, Singapore recycles stormwater from local catchment areas into drinkable water, making it one of the only countries in the world that recycles captured urban stormwater.
Nature
Last but not least, Nature. Sustainable cities must ensure green spaces are easily accessible to all residents, allowing them to reap improved well-being and health. Additionally, more green spaces leads to an increase in local biodiversity, improvement in air quality and mitigation of urban temperature. The Singapore Nature Recreational Masterplan allocates 10% of land to be preserved as green spaces. However, I believe 10% is insufficient.
Case Study: Tengah, Singapore’s First Eco-Town
An example of a sustainable community is the Tengah Eco-town (UC). When complete, Tengah will feature centralized cooling partially powered by solar panels, an automated waste management system and a car-free town centre which promotes cycling and walking. Tengah means to highlight the importance of local hubs providing necessities to reduce the need to commute. By keeping amenities local, Tengah will reduce congestion and reduce carbon emissions. An advanced water management system will collect stormwater for recycling purposes. Furthermore, Tengah will feature a 5km forest corridor and community farming in the Plantation District. Singapore has developed an app for Tengah residents with the aim of instigating public behavioural change by allowing residents to monitor their energy and water consumption.
Despite being a good master plan, Tengah is only retaining around 10% of its native forest. It is said that some trees will be replanted to create suitable wildlife crossings but 90% of forest coverage has been removed for a new development when a massive redevelopment project could have been deployed at a mature estate to optimize land usage, not at the expense of our forests. This point was brought up by the Nature Society Singapore and their full message can be found here.
While this article details numerous features of a sustainable city, there is an endless number of alternative characteristics that are necessary to ensure the success of a sustainable community. Sustainability is an organism with each part interdependent on the rest. Hence, for a sustainable city to function effectively, each sector needs to have programs in place to support the aims of the remainder of the sustainability collective.
Written by Zara Shilakis
