How Singapore is powering its sustainable energy vision

Commercial buildings and industrial complexes use 80 per cent of Singapore’s electricity. Helping these buildings save every bit of electricity counts.

SP Digital has partnered Changi Airport and Nanyang Technological University to pilot smart meters that monitor energy use. These meters flag sudden spikes - which may be a sign of leaks - and have helped the airport cut operational costs significantly.

SP Digital wants to extend this success to residential buildings, says Chang. 80 per cent of the population lives in public housing flats, so that was a good place to start.

The company has installed Eco Boards that track residents’ utilities in Tampines, a neighbourhood in Eastern Singapore. These boards provide real-time figures of the block's water and electricity consumption, and the carbon emissions generated over the previous 24 hours.

Chang hopes this will nudge residents to reduce their energy consumption and help town councils better manage utilities in common areas.

SP Digital has also been working with the Housing and Development Board (HDB) since 2018 to plan for a “smart energy town” in Tengah. The company plans to carry out centralised cooling for the whole town, which will help lower the estate’s carbon footprint.

The centralised system, powered by solar energy, will transport chilled water from rooftop tanks into air conditioning units to bring down temperatures. That way, compressors will no longer need to be installed outside the buildings.

This will save about 30GWh per year - equivalent to powering another 7,000 four-room HDB flats annually.