The BCA Green Mark 2021 scheme is part of the Singapore Green Building Masterplan, with the aim of encouraging the industry and professionals to develop green building solutions.
New and existing buildings in Singapore will have to meet higher sustainability standards to be certified green under the Building and Construction Authority’s (BCA) revised scheme.
An internationally recognised green building certification scheme designed for the tropical climate, the BCA Green Mark 2021 was pilot launched in April 2021 as part of the Singapore Green Building Masterplan and is set to take effect from 1 November 2021.
The scheme aims to encourage the industry as well as professionals to collaborate and develop green building solutions.
“As part of the review, BCA also consulted key industry stakeholders including the Trade Associations and Chambers such as the Real Estate Developers’ Association of Singapore and the Association of Consulting Engineers Singapore,” said BCA on Tuesday (7 September) in a release.
It noted that the revised scheme would not have separate criteria for various categories of buildings and developments like hotels, shopping malls and schools.
The certification will apply to new and existing buildings and developments as well as to those in operation or those developments and buildings that have been previously certified under BCA Green Mark.
To be certified under BCA’s revised scheme, buildings will have to meet higher minimum Energy Efficiency levels as well as score sufficient points in the scheme’s sustainability sections.
This comes as BCA GM: 2021 “aims to raise our standards in energy performance and place greater emphasis on other sustainability outcomes” such as designing for maintainability, using smart technologies, reducing embodied carbon across the life cycle of a building, enhancing the resilience of a building to climate change, and creating healthier environments for building users.
Moreover, the new scheme has been aligned to international sustainability goals and requirements like the United Nations Sustainability Development Goals and World Green Building Council Health and Wellbeing Framework.
“As part of the BCA GM: 2021 certification scheme and to push for more SLE developments in Singapore, BCA and the industry created a new standard for super low energy residential buildings,” revealed BCA.
It explained that this standard would emphasise “passive design for the residential units and common areas, active designs through high performance, energy-efficient systems, smart energy management using sensors to control the use of services such as lighting, fans, air-conditioning and escalator operations, and the use of renewable energy such as solar power for common facilities such as swimming pools, gymnasiums and function rooms”.
Developers and building owners pursuing certification under the new scheme for their developments and buildings will continue to have access to green finance, said BCA.
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Cheryl Chiew, Digital Content Specialist at PropertyGuru, edited this story. To contact her about this story, email: cheryl@propertyguru.com.sg.
