Singapore welcomes Net Zero Energy Building

Singapore has opened the doors of its ‘net zero energy building’, that has been built from scratch.

Lam Khee Poh, dean of the National University of Singapore, School of Design and Environment, said the building features an overhanging roof to create shade and help keep rooms clean. Over 1,200 solar panels cover the roof, generating about 500 megawatts of energy a year. Khee Poh said any excess electricity that might be generated is fed into the school’s main power grid.

“Everything is plugged back into the grid. Whatever we collect, we bank it in, and then we draw it out for usage. So we keep account of how much comes in and how much goes out everyday.”

Tan Eng Chye, the university president described the new facility as a ‘living laboratory’ that would inspire future high-performance buildings and sustainable development designs in Singapore and beyond.

The World Green Building Council estimates that there are only 500 net zero energy commercial buildings and 2000 net zero energy housing units worldwide in the year 2017. And its obvious that the pressure on developers to go green is mounting. Experts say buildings account for about 40 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions worldwide. More renewable energy solutions will be needed to meet targets mandated by the Paris Climate Accord. New Buildings Institute a nonprofit organization highlights that the number of zero energy buildings across the United States and Canada has increased 700 per cent.