Energy efficiency guidelines for homes and industries to come: Amy Khor

This article first appeared in TODAY on 18th April 2007
Christie Loh
christie@mediacorp.com.sg

Instead of leaving your electronic devices on standby mode, why not switch them off?

This may be one of the recommendations for households under a soon-to-come national energy efficiency plan, Dr Amy Khor, Senior Parliamentary Secretary for the Ministry of Environment and Water Resources, said at a conference yesterday.

The initiative to reduce energy usage is part of a wider effort to address environmental concerns amid economic growth and global warming. Temperatures have been rising to the earth's detriment due to increasing levels of carbon dioxide.

The guidelines may also include the optimal level of electricity that households should use in order to save the earth.

However, climate-change plans should target companies, as households account for just 10 per cent of total carbon dioxide emission here, said Associate Professor Simon Tay, chairman of the Singapore Institute of International Affairs (SIIA).

The energy efficiency plan — currently being formulated by the National Environment Agency (NEA) — will cover both households and businesses. There is no set deadline for completion, Dr Khor told reporters after delivering a speech at the Shell-SIIA forum on corporate social responsibility and the environment.

When asked if the guidelines could become legislation, she said: "At the moment, they will be recommendations."

There will also be measures tailored to specific industries such as transportation and pharmaceuticals.

"There is no one-size-fits-all. Different sectors of the economy will have different challenges and circumstances," Dr Khor said.

Her comments come on a week busy with green announcements — tomorrow will see the start of a two-day conference of the United Nations' first Global Business Summit for the Environment.

Singapore is aiming by 2012 to cut the country's carbon intensity by 25 per cent from 1990 levels. In 2005, carbon intensity — defined as carbon dioxide emissions per dollar of gross domestic product — was down by 22 per cent.
Christie