by Brianna Crandall — September 15, 2010—”Green Wednesday,” a team from the National University of Singapore (NUS), outshined 19 other teams from five higher education institutions to clinch the top prize at the finals of the BCA-CDL Green Sparks Competition 2010 held recently in Singapore. The second and third prizes were awarded to “Team GBS” and “Earthlink” from Temasek Polytechnic.
The competition, initiated to raise awareness of best green building practices and solutions among future practitioners, tasked participants to submit a proposal to improve the energy efficiency of Fuji Xerox Towers so it could qualify for the Green Mark Platinum rating. The 38-story office building, owned by City Developments Limited (CDL), had attained the Green Mark Gold rating in 2008.
The winning team from NUS proposed a detailed plan and comprehensive analysis of viable and practical green building solutions for Fuji Xerox Towers, taking a holistic lifecycle approach. Solutions range from the implementation of energy-efficient infrastructure such as regenerative motors for elevators, to sustainable building management practices and stakeholder engagement initiatives, such as a green portal for tenants.
Ideas proposed by the other winning teams include the use of vertical axis wind turbines to leverage the building’s orientation and unblocked facing. CDL is conducting feasibility studies for the most viable ideas presented by all the participating teams.
In his congratulatory speech, Dr. Mohamad Maliki Bin Osman, Parliamentary Secretary for National Development, concluded, “In Singapore, we estimate that about 18,000 to 20,000 ‘green’ building professionals will be needed in the coming years to support the design, construction, operation and management of green buildings.” He noted that the students will also have opportunities overseas in the growing green building industry.
