Its commitment starts at design stage, runs to maintenance and operations
INDUSTRIAL developer Ascendas Land has been incorporating environmentally friendly features in its projects since 2005, says CEO Tan Yew Chin.
It is no wonder then that seven of those projects have achieved the Green Mark recognition, including four this year.
Two of the four – Standard Chartered @ Changi and Citi, both at Changi Business Park – received the platinum award. The other two – DBS Asia Hub at Changi Business Park and Icon@IBP at the International Business Park – received gold and gold plus awards respectively.
Ascendas Land, which has 1,800-plus customers in more than 30 cities in 10 countries, is also proud that Icon@IBP was commended for its unique architecture and eco-friendliness at the inaugural CityScape Asia Real Estate Awards 2007.
Ascendas develops ‘green’ buildings because it wants to minimise the impact that its business has on the environment.
‘We recognise that this is an area in which we can re-imagine and innovate,’ says Mr Tan.
The company’s commitment to ensuring that its projects are energy-efficient and eco-friendly starts at the design stage and runs right through to building maintenance and operations.
These initiatives include integrating and centralising chiller plants and improving heating, ventilating and air-conditioning systems, as well as regular energy audits to check that everything is running at optimal efficiency.
Ascendas’s own headquarters at The Galen, Singapore Science Park, was awarded eco-office certification this year by the Singapore Environmental Council, recognising its overall environmental performance including waste reduction and water conservation practices, among other things.
Hoping to build on its eco-friendly culture, Ascendas launched a month-long Green Movement campaign to promote good environmental practices among tenants and employees.
Green Month will be extended to the developer’s business parks and buildings in China and India this year.
Ascendas does not think that going green is a burden. On the contrary, it reckons that doing so makes business sense.
‘Demand for green architecture and development is growing, says Mr Tan. ‘Many companies – in particular, multinationals – have corporate requirements to set up shop only in green buildings.
‘Besides reducing energy consumption, environmental and energy-saving features also enable our customers to conduct business in a healthier indoor environment. It makes business sense because it brings long-term returns – for us and our clients.’
Beyond dollars and cents, Ascendas sees eco-friendly practices as part of its corporate social responsibility.
‘We believe in good corporate citizenship, using our core competencies to help improve the quality of life in communities we serve, in an economically, socially and environmentally responsible manner,’ says Mr Tan.
Ascendas feels ‘honoured and excited to have received awards’ and will continue to strive for higher benchmarks so ‘customers enjoy a delightful experience’, he says.
Source : Business Times – 28 May 2009
