singapore's 1st zero energy building

8/7/2019 Singapore's 1st Zero Energy Building

1/5

Cover StorySingapore's first Zero Energy Buildingofficially openedMr Mah Bow Tan, Minister forNational Development, offiCiallyopenedSingapore's first retrofitted Zero EnergyBuilding (ZEB) located at the BCAAcademy, on 26 October 2009, whilstconcurrently launching the inauguralSingapore Green Building Week 2009.

'I am pleased [Q be here this morningto launch the inaugural Singapore GreenBuilding Week. This week marks animportant milestone for the building andconstruction industry in Singapore as wefurther our journey towards long-termsustainable development and a betterquality of life for our people' said MrMah in his opening address delivered onthe occasion.

'The opening of ZEB marks a keymilestone in Singapore's building andconstruction history. Itwill also help oursustainable development initiative in thebuilding sector. We will press on to buildup our capabilities to be more energy-efficient, explore new technologies andinnovative solutions in our quest toachieve greater energy efficiency andenvironmental sustainability', he added.

The ZEB is the first existing buildingin Southeast Asia to be fully retrofittedwith green building design featuresand technologies. It is BCA's flagshipR&D project. Originally a three-storey school building, the ZEB nowhouses fully Functioning classrooms, alibrary, multipurpose hall, and offices,and is used as a test-bed for innovativebuilding designs and energy-efficientbuilding solutions, especially for existingbuildings.

Retrofitted at a cost of S$ 11 m, thebuilding underwent an energy-efficientre-design of the facade, the roof, the M&Esystem, and other building components,to reduce its energy needs. At the sametime, natural, renewable energy washarnessed from. the environment. About1,540 m2 of solar energy (photovoltaic)panels have been installed on ZEB's roofand other prominent areas to tap the sun'senergy. These solar panels will generateabout 207,000 kWh of electricity a year,which is enough to supply power to 45four-room HOB flats.

The project took 29 months for

completion, from the initial design andR&D, to the construction which started. in early October 2008 and required aperiod of 11 months.

The ZEB is expected to be about 40%to 50% more energy-efficient than anofficebuilding of similar layout. Althoughthe building is connected to the grid, it isexpected to generate as much electricityas it consumes over a typical year.

In addition, to reduce utility bills thatoften gointo aircondicionlng, the buildingis fitted with an NUS invention - a singlecoil, twin fan ventilation system whichworks to reduce energy consumption ona ventilation on-demand concept.

The system controls the flow of freshand recycled air in the building, separately,according to demand. As more energy isrequired to chill fresh air compared torecycled air, Fresh air is channelled onlyto rooms that are occupied.

The ZEB was launched to start off theinaugural Singapore Green Building Week(SGBW) which celebrates Singapore'sefforts towards achieving sustainabledevelopment, through a series of local

M r M ah Bow Tan, M in is tu fo r N atio na l D ev elo pm en t ( rig ht), 'u nv eils 'th e Z er o E n er gy B uild in g, in th e p re se nc e o f M r Q ue k S ee T ia t, C ha ir ma n, B C A(c en tre ) an d D r Jo hn K eu ng , C EO , B CA (fo r /eft).

12 THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER Nov 2009


2/5

Cover Storyand international activities.

'I am delighted by the progress wehave made in transforming Singaporeinto a sustainable city. BCA has taken onthe IMCSD's challenge of developing agreener built environment for Singapore.We are also encouraged by how positiveour partners are in supporting ourefforts under the 2nJ Green BuildingMasterplan', said Mr Quek See Tiat,Chairman, BCA."Ihe Singapore Green Building Week

is nor just about showing the fruits of ourefforts but is also an opportunity for usto learn and share our experiences andknowledge in sustainable development.We hope that the success of the ZeroEnergy Building will spur the industryon towards incorporating green buildingdesign and technologies into theirdevelopments. All of us have a part toplay in protecting the environment forfuture genera.tions', said Dr John Keung,CEO, BCA.

The ZEB project is a collaborativeR&D effort between BCA, the NationalUniversity of Singapore (NUS), the SolarEnergy Research Institute of Singapore(SERIS), and parmers from the privatesector. It received R&D funding fromthe MNO Research Fund for the BuiltEnvironment and EOB's Clean EnergyResearch Test-bedding Programme.

As part of EDB's Clean EnergyResearch and Test-bedding Programme,the Zero Energy Building will be used asa test centre for clean energy technologiesbefore they are introduced to the industry.Studies on the current batch of greenbuilding technologies at Zero EnergyBuilding will conclude in late 2010 andtheir results will be released shortly after.

Building and Construction AuthorityThe Building and Construction Authority(BCA) of Singapore champions thedevelopment of an excellent builtenvironment for Singapore. BCA's missionis to shape a safe, high quality, sustainableand friendly built environment, as theseare four key elements where BCA hasa significant influence. In doing so, itaims to differentiate Singapore's builtenvironment from those of other citiesand contribute to a better quality of life foreveryone in Singapore. Hence, its visionis to have 'the best built environment for

Singapore, our distinctive global city'.Together with its education and

research arm, the BCA Academy of theBuilt Environment, BCA works closelywith its industry parmers to developskills and expertise that help shape thebest built environment for Singapore.

Singapore Green Building WeekThe Singapore Green Building Week(SGBW) was conceived to highlightSingapore's achievements in developinga sustainable city in the tropics on theinternational scene. It also aims to raisethe awareness among built environment

practitioners in sustainable developmentand create a global platform for learningand sharing ideas with leading experts.

This year, a series of activities,discussions and .evenrs was held duringthe week starring from 26 to 30 October2009. They include the inauguralInternational Green Building Conference- held over three days from 28 October2009, the 2nd International Panel ofExperts for Susrainabiliry in the BuiltEnvironment and a workshop organisedby UNEP-SBCI (United NationsEnvironment Protection - SustainableBuildings and Climate Initiative).

energy use and solid waste generationworldwide. In Singapore, it is the secondlargest consumer of electricity after theIndustry sector, and accounts for 31%of our total electricity consumption.

In the Singapore SustainableBlueprint launched in April this year, wehave set a target of 80% of all buildingsin Singapore, new and old, to achieve atleast the basic Green Mark Certificationby 2030. In about 20 years' time, atleast 8 out of every 10 buildings inSingapore will be energy-efficienr andenvironmentally friendly.

The greening of buildings providesa new growth opportuniry for ourbuilding industry. We have an existingstock of over 210 million square metresof building floor area. The retrofittingof existing buildings for greater energy-efficiency will involve several steps: firstly,auditing [he buildings to identify the keyinefficient areas; secondly, upgradingto newer and more energy-efficientequipment; and thirdly, ensuring thatthe building operations are run in anenergy-efficient manner.

Therefore, besides investment in newtechnologies, there is also an excellentopportunity to invest in new manpowercapabilities. We will need co build up a"green collar" workforce in Singapore ofbetween 18,000 and 20,000 specialiststo comribute to the development,design, construction, operation, andmaintenance of green buildings withinthe next decade'.

Sustainable development forSingaporeIn his speech, Mr Mah Bow Tan,Minister for National Development,outlined the measures being taken, toachieve sustainable development, Hesaid:

'There is now global recognitionof the importance of sustainabledevelopment, especially in the lightof continued population growth andthe adverse effects of climate change.For both developed and developingcountries, sustainable developmentmeans char economic growth and socialdevelopment should be undertaken in amanner that safeguards the needs of ourfuture generations.

In Singapore, sustainabledevelopment is not a new concept.We had embarked on this path morethan four decades ago when we gainedindependence from the British. As asmall city-state with no natural resources,we knew that we had to optimise theuse of our scarce resources and keepour environment clean and green, aswe stepped up our industrialisationand economic development. Hence,we carried our our land use planningjudiciously, implemen ted strict poll utioncontrol measures to maintain clean airand water quality, and started greeningour nation into a Garden City.

For the Building sector, our focus ison achieving resource efficiency throughthe "greening" of our buildings, bornnew and existing buildings. The Buildingsector accounts for up to 40% of total

THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER Nov 200913


3/5

Cover StoryZero E.nergy BuildinTIle Zero Energy Building (ZEB) wasconceived with the following objectives:

It should serve as a rest bedfor integration of Green BuildingTechnologies (GBT) and design featuresin existing buildings.

It should be a hub for practitionersand students engaged in the study ofenergy-efficiency and green buildings.

The green building technologies thatare being test-bedded in ZEB at themoment will have potential applicationsfor many of the existing buildings strivingto achieve Green Mark Certification inthe near future.

Guiding principlesA Zero Energy Building can be broadlydefined as a building that is energy self-sufficient, that is, it generates 100% ofall the energy that it needs, using solarpower, a renewable energy source. It isconnected to the grid, from which itdraws power when the generation ofsolar power is insufficient, and returnsat least an equivalent amount of solarpower when its generation is in excess ofrequirements, over a year.

To be energy-efficient, the ZEB @BCA Academy adopts an integrateddesign approach that encompasses twogeneral principles to reduce energyconsumption - Passive Design and ActiveSolutions (including active controls) .

P a ss iv e d es ig nIn the ZEB, passive designs are integratedinto the overall architectural concept,blending in seamlessly as part of thefacade or as a building feature, to reduceenergy needs. Three principles are usedin the application of passive design: Reducing Heat Transmittance:Less heat entering the building willresult in a lower requirement of powerfor airconditioning which is a majorconsumer of electricity.

Bringing in Daylight: For most officesin Singapore, lights are turned on in theday even when sunlight is abundant. Byguiding daylight deep into the internalspaces, the need for artificial lighting canbe reduced, resulting in energy savings.

Natural Ventilation: Over 40%of energy consumed in an office can

@ BCA Academy

Step 1- Passive DesignL Harness nature's 'energy2. Minimize 801m ' heat. gain Reduce Power Need

Step 2 - Active Solutions1. Energy eHicient building systems

and equipment that provide forour comfortaud function

2. Operate at same level of serviceusing less energy

Step 3 - Active Control1. Management, & optimization2. User Discipline

Improve Energy Efficiency

Eliminate Energy W.astageIn te gr ated d es ig n a pp ro ac h e nc om pa ss in g P ass iv e D es ig n a rid A ctiv e S olu tio ns .

Reducing Hea t T ransmit tance Briinging in Natura l VentnationDaylighti. Vertical Greenery (Green i Mirror Ducts i. Solar AssistedWall) i. Light Shelves Stack Ventilationii. Rooftop Greenery (Green i i. Light Pipes

Roof)iii. Shading Devicesiv. Low E Glassv, Solar Film Coating

P as sive s olu tio ns a do pte d in th e Z EB .

be attributed to aircondirioning. Byleveraging on natural ventilation toprovide some cooling, the amountof electricity required to cool theenvironment can be reduced.

passive design, as it is not possible toeliminate the use of electricity entirely.For example, natural light is availableonly in the day, and the warm andhumid climate requires additionalcooling provisions in addition to naturalvenrilation. Nonetheless, when electricityis needed, it is consumed efficiently in the

Active solutions and controlsIt is necessary to supplement the use of

14 THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER Nov 2009


4/5

Cover StoryZEB with as little wastage as possible.

Active solutions include energy-efficient building systems and equipmentthat ensure comfort and functionality.Energy wastage is minimised asintelligent building features and sensorshave been installed to control the amountof airconditioning and lighting needed,based on whether a room is being usedand if so, how many people are using it,

For example, lights are activatedonly when users enter a room and thelight intensity is adjusted accordingto the daylight intensity. So if there isabundant daylight, the artificial lightswill automatically be dimmed to saveenergy.

Airconditioning is also adjustedaccording to the number of people usingthe space, the indoor temperature, andthe carbon dioxide levels.Solar powerA range of solar panels has been installed

Key facts & figuresZEB is powered by 100% dean

energy from solar photovolraic panelsinstalled over an area of about 1,540m2.

ZEB is about 40% to 50% moreenergy-efficient than a building(without lifts) of identical designand function. (The energy-efficiencyrequirement for Green Mark PlatinumBuildings is 30% above the norm).

Compared to an identical buildingof the same floor area (4,500 m2), theestimated savings in electricity, basedon the current tariff, is about S$84,000 per annum.

The Estimated Building Energyabout 206,000Consumption is

KWhr/yearThe installed solar PY has a

capacity of 190 KWp. and with anenergy output of 207,000 KWhrlyear.

The energy-efficiency results insavings of 40% to 50% of electricity,which represents a reduction of 91rons of COl per annum. The use ofclean energy for an output of207,000kWhrlyear, represents a reduction of108 rons of CO2 per annum.

THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER Nov 2009 . 15


5/5

at many locations in the ZEB, to generate100% clean, renewable energy.The generation of solar power can

be broadly divided into two parts. Mostof the solar panels are connected to thegrid supply. Surplus power generatedby these panels will first be distributedto the rest of BCA Academy before anyexcess is supplied back to the grid. Anyshortage in solar power is offset by thegrid supply.

At the same time, stand-alonephorovolraics supply power directly tospecific areas in ZEB such as the solar-charging kiosk at the visitor centre.These panels are not grid-connected.

PROJECT CREDITSClientBCAArchitectDP Architects Pre LtdCivil & Structural EngineerBeca Carter Hollings & Ferner (SEA)Pte LtdMechanical &Electrical EngineerBeca Carter Hollings &Ferner (SEA)Pte Ltd

Quantity SurveyorDavis Langdon & Seah Singapore PteLtd(The design of ZEB was conceptualisedand developed as an R&D project byBCA in partnership with NUS and theabove team of consultants)

Main ContractorsACP Construction Pte Ltd - BuildingWorksGrenzone Pte Ltd Supply &Installation of Solar Panels(The contractors for ZEB were selectedthrough the Price-Quality Method,under an open render process)

16 . THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER Nov 2009

singapore's 1st zero energy building

Documents