University Town bags new BCA Green Mark award for integrated environmental friendly development

30 Oct 2009

GOING GREEN: Prof Tan Chorh Chuan (right) receiving the GoldPlus BCA Green Mark award from Senior Minister of State for National Development and Education Ms Grace Fu (left).

In line with NUS’ commitment to build a more sustainable campus environment, the NUS University Town is being built on a site with lush tropical landscape and rolling terrain, adopting sustainable design principles. For this, the project was awarded the second highest rating of GoldPlus in the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) Green Mark awards. The award ceremony was held on 29 October 2009 at the International Green Building Conference Networking Reception and the event was graced by Ms Grace Fu, Senior Minister of State for National Development and Education.

NUS President Prof Tan Chorh Chuan said: “Climate change and environmental sustainability are among the most pressing issues of our time. NUS, as a global university, is committed to reducing our environmental impact. As a new development that will transform NUS’ education, University Town gave us the opportunity to design and build the substantial extension of the Kent Ridge Campus with this goal in mind. This award reaffirms the University’s bold efforts at integrating environmentally-friendly and sustainable practices with daily campus living.”

The University Town was lauded for maximising the sustainability potential by integrating green concepts into the master planning and building design. This was done by realising the following three objectives to achieve low carbon emission; to conserve and encourage the growth of a natural habitat with a diverse range of flora and fauna, and to maximise interaction between campus users and the surrounding environment. The project is designed to promote natural ventilation and recycling.

To reduce reliance on automobiles, the University Town will also provide sheltered interconnected walkways and dedicated bicycle lanes. Green transportation such as internal shuttle buses that run on Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) will be confined to the periphery of University Town.

The BCA Green Mark for Districts is a pilot scheme to promote and recognise environmentally friendly and sustainable practices in the design and implementation of precinct or district developments. The University Town and Resorts World Sentosa are the first two projects to be certified under this new scheme and Resorts World Sentosa also achieved the second highest Green Mark rating of GoldPlus in the BCA Green Mark awards this year.