| Speech by
Dr Balaji Sadasivan
Minister of State for Health and the Environment and
Chairman of the National Energy Efficiency Committee At the ASHRAE Singapore Chapter's 20th
Installation Dinner and Dance
held on Sat 25 May 2002 at 7.00 PM in
Neptune Restaurant
Mr Steven Chan
President of ASHRAE
Singapore Chapter*
Mr Jeremy Chia
President-elect
Members of ASHRAE Singapore Chapter
Distinguished Guests
Ladies
and Gentlemen
Good Evening
It is my pleasure to
join you this evening for ASHRAE Singapore Chapter’s 20th Installation
Dinner and Dance.
Importance
of Energy Efficiency
Economic
growth has led to the proliferation of air-conditioning over the last three decades.
In the words of Senior Minister Mr Lee Kuan Yew, the air-conditioner is one of
the most important inventions of last century. In our hot and humid weather, air-conditioning
not only allows us to work in comfort and hence increases our productivity, but
also helps us to work longer hours. Air-conditioning and refrigeration
are vital aspects of daily life in Singapore. From the preservation of perishable
goods in the home, to the air-conditioning of clean rooms in wafer fabrication,
they provide us with a comfortable
environment to work, live and play in. If we consider that air-conditioning
accounts for about one-third of the electricity consumed in Singapore, we would
understand the significance and relevance of the air-conditioning industry to
Singapore. Given the substantial energy consumption of air-conditioning,
a current issue of concern of particular relevance to your industry would be the
effect of energy use on the environment. The combustion of fossil fuels
in our power plants leads to emission of air pollutants and the release of carbon
dioxide that may cause global warming and climate change. Improving energy efficiency is a key strategy of many countries
to address the concern of climate change. Similarly, Singapore can minimize
our carbon dioxide emissions by maximising the way electricity is utilised through
better energy efficiency.
The
National Energy Efficiency Committee You may recall that
during last year’s Dinner and Dance, the Minister of the Environment spoke about
the formation of the National Energy Efficiency Committee (NEEC). The NEEC was
formed on 1 Apr 2001 and I have taken over the chairmanship of the NEEC since
January this year. I am pleased to note
that ASHRAE Singapore Chapter is represented in both the Building and the Industry
Sub-committees of the NEEC. Your
representatives have added depth to the work of the two Sub-Committees. My Ministry
looks forward to working more closely with you to raise the energy efficiency
of air-conditioning and ventilation systems in Singapore. We value any feedback
on issues relating to energy efficiency that you feel the NEEC could look into.
In
the US, ASHRAE pro-actively promotes energy efficiency in the HVAC&R industry,
sets minimum standards and publishes guidance documents. In 1999, they adopted
a Climate Change Position Paper, which recommends a life cycle environmental approach
to the design and operation of buildings. Recently, they launched a handbook on
environmentally friendly building design and operation. Similarly,
ASHRAE Singapore Chapter could help to spread the message of energy efficiency
in Singapore to building owners and the building industry, and design and implement
systems that use energy efficiently. Very few existing commercial buildings are
truly energy efficient; so numerous opportunities exist for your industry to upgrade
these buildings with more efficient system designs and newer equipment.
Innovation
for Environmental Sustainability (IES) fund
In order to encourage and assist local companies to undertake
innovative environmental projects that could help to meet the government's goal
of environmental sustainability, my Ministry has introduced the $20 mil Innovation
for Environmental Sustainability (IES) fund.
This is a chance for your industry to try out innovative methods that could
help us improve energy efficiency. Conclusion
My Ministry has had the opportunity to work with the HVAC&R
industry on various occasions and we have tapped your technical expertise to find
solutions to environmental problems and to develop programmes and standards. This
partnership has been long and beneficial and we look forward to many more years
of fruitful cooperation.
Thank
you for the invitation tonight, and I wish everyone here an enjoyable evening * HVAC&R – Heating, Ventilation, Air-conditioning and
Refrigeration | 
