13 Jan 2021
Frasers Property receives eight certifications from Singapore Environment Council in recognition of its low-carbon and sustainable initiatives at its commercial buildings
Mr Jack Lam (right), Chief Operating Officer, Commercial, Frasers Property Singapore, receives the GreenDNA certifications from Minister for Sustainability and the Environment of Singapore Ms Grace Fu (centre) on behalf of the company, with Ms Isabella Loh (left), Chairman of Singapore Environment Council (SEC), looking on. Frasers Property’s five commercial buildings in Singapore have been recognised by the SEC for their strong efforts in adopting low-carbon and responsible consumption and production initiatives at their management offices.
The management offices at Frasers Property's commercial properties in Singapore has a set of strategies and processes to cut usage of paper, water and electricity as well as promote recycling and reusing of materials. Frasers Tower, a Grade A commercial building in Singapore's Central Business District, is amongst the commercial buildings that received the GreenDNA and Eco Office Elite certification from the SEC.
Frasers Property Singapore today announced that five of its commercial buildings in Singapore – namely Frasers Tower, Alexandra Technopark, Cross Street Exchange, Valley Point, and 51 Cuppage Road – have received a total of eight certifications from Singapore Environment Council (SEC). This is in recognition of strong efforts made in implementing building practices and initiatives to reduce carbon footprint and promote sustainable consumption and production. All the five commercial properties have received the inaugural GreenDNA certification, which is accredited by the United Nations Environment Programme. In addition, Frasers Tower, 51 Cuppage Road and Valley Point have attained SEC’s Eco Office Elite certification for adopting environmentally friendly practices to enhance eco-consciousness among employees.
Mr Jack Lam, Chief Operating Officer, Commercial, Frasers Property Singapore, said: “We have a responsibility to be part of the solution to lower carbon footprint and that means embracing building practices that deliver healthy, resilient and sustainable places for people and the environment. In addition, we remain committed to training and educating our employees on sustainability as we aim to inspire them to consume responsibly. These certifications are a testament to these on-going efforts at our commercial properties.”
Frasers Property has an energy management plan to reduce energy consumption intensity by 20% at its management offices in Singapore by 2030 as compared to 2015. Besides organising regular educational activities to inculcate the importance of sustainability and communicating energy-saving targets to employees, Frasers Property also has a set of strategies and processes to cut usage of paper, water and electricity as well as promote recycling and reusing of materials. The management offices at Frasers Property’s commercial properties adopt systems to monitor, track and manage electricity and water consumption as well as waste generation.
Initiatives rolled out at the management offices include:
- Waste reduction: Recycling bins are placed at strategic locations such as loading bays and lift lobbies for the collection and sorting of waste, while food collection bins by The Food Bank Singapore are placed within the offices to support food relief efforts in the community. In partnership with Greensquare, textile recycling bins are also put up at some of our commercial buildings to encourage the recycling of old clothes. Recycling companies have been engaged to collect recyclables regularly while e-waste services are also used for the proper disposal of e-waste. The offices use stationery with refills and recycled envelopes and files, as well as promote the use of reusable tableware through posters pasted at the pantry. Double-sided print is set as the default printer mode to save paper, and paperwork is replaced with digital communications and documentation.
- Interior Environment: To bring building occupiers closer to nature, potted plants are placed at common areas to create a pleasant ambience while community gardening plots are available at one of the buildings. Eco-labelled floor coverings and paints are used, while power points are located at visible locations for easy access. Indoor temperatures in the offices are maintained between 24°C and 27°C.
- Reduce energy consumption: All desktop and laptop screens are set to turn off after five minutes of inactivity, while small rooms are provisioned to accommodate small group meetings. Motion sensors are installed at all toilets. A main electricity switch is available to switch off all lights after work. Having put in place an environmental, health and safety policy and management systems in key operation areas, the Frasers Property commercial management team has achieved the ISO 14001 (Environment), ISO 45001 (Occupational Health & Safety Management Systems) and ISO 50001 (Energy) certifications.
- Reduce water consumption: All water fittings are certificated with two or more “ticks” under the Water Efficiency Labelling Scheme. Tracking systems are in place to monitor water consumption with targets set to reduce water usage.
- Educating employees: Employees are recognised for their green efforts. Posters and stickers are put up at strategic locations such as within toilets and next to switch locations and printers to remind employees and other users of environmentally friendly practices. Employees are encouraged to walk, cycle or take public transport when going out for lunch. Eco-ambassadors amongst employees are appointed to attend courses to spearhead green movements. Since 2017, Frasers Property has designated every March as its groupwide Environment Month to roll out a series of activities with the aim of creating and enhancing environmental awareness among stakeholders across its value chain – which include employees, tenants, contractors and the community at large.
Last November, Frasers Tower was also the second runner-up and only Singapore building amongst Southeast Asia’s top five new and existing buildings in the Energy Efficient Building Category of the ASEAN Energy Awards 2020. This premium commercial development in Singapore’s core Central Business District has been recognised for its strong efforts in energy efficiency and renewable energy solutions by ASEAN Centre for Energy, an inter-governmental organisation that represented ASEAN members’ interests in the energy sector.
Strategically located in the prominent Alexandra business corridor, Alexandra Technopark is a 15-minute drive from the Central Business District of Singapore and within walking distance of the Labrador Park MRT station, with close proximity to amenities and major expressways. It is one of Frasers Property's five commercial buildings in Singapore to receive the inaugural GreenDNA certification from the SEC.