FMT315 StudyGuide

FMT315
Sustainable Buildings
School of Science and Technology

Study Guide
Course Development Team
Head of Programme : Dr Sheila Maria Arcuino Conejos

Course Developer(s) : Andell Matthew Tan (Building and Construction
Authority)
Technical Writer : Gevin Leow, ETP
Video Production : Danny Chin, ETP
©
2023 Singapore University of Social Sciences. All rights reserved.
No part of this material may be reproduced in any form or by any means without
permission in writing from the Educational Technology & Production, Singapore
University of Social Sciences.
ISBN 978-981-5008-56-2
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Production Singapore University of
Social Sciences 463 Clementi Road
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How to cite this Study Guide (APA):

Tan, A. M. (2023). FMT315 Sustainable building. Singapore University of Social Sciences.
Release V1.2.0
Build S1.0.15, T1.7.0

Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Course Guide
1. Welcome...................................................................................................................CG-2
2. Course Description and Aims............................................................................ CG-3
3. Learning Outcomes.............................................................................................. CG-5
4. Learning Material................................................................................................. CG-6
5. Assessment Overview.......................................................................................... CG-7
6. Course Schedule.................................................................................................... CG-9
7. Learning Mode.................................................................................................... CG-10
Study Unit 1: Overview of Green Buildings in Singapore

Learning Outcomes...................................................................................................SU1-2
Overview....................................................................................................................SU1-3
Chapter 1: Introduction to Green Buildings.........................................................SU1-4
Chapter 2: Singapore’s Green Building Journey................................................SU1-15
Summary..................................................................................................................SU1-27
Formative Assessment...........................................................................................SU1-29
References.................................................................................................................SU1-38
Study Unit 2: Passive Design Strategies

Overview....................................................................................................................SU2-3
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Table of
Chapter 1: Passive Design Strategies.....................................................................SU2-4
Summary..................................................................................................................SU2-19
References.................................................................................................................SU2-28
Study Unit 3: Active Design Strategies

Overview....................................................................................................................SU3-3
Chapter 1: Active Design Strategies.......................................................................SU3-4
Chapter 2: Renewable Energy...............................................................................SU3-16
Summary..................................................................................................................SU3-25
References.................................................................................................................SU3-34
Study Unit 4: Green Mark 2021 – Introduction to GM2021, Energy

Efficiency (EE) and Intelligence (In) Sections
Overview....................................................................................................................SU4-3
Chapter 1: Introduction to Green Mark 2021........................................................SU4-4
Chapter 2: Energy Efficiency.................................................................................SU4-11
Chapter 3: Building Intelligence...........................................................................SU4-17
Summary..................................................................................................................SU4-30
References.................................................................................................................SU4-39
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Table of Contents
Study Unit 5: Green Mark 2021 Health & Well-being (HW), Whole
Life Carbon (Cn), Maintainability (Mt) & Resilience (Re) Sections
Overview....................................................................................................................SU5-3
Chapter 1: Health & Well-being..............................................................................SU5-4
Chapter 2: Whole Life Carbon..............................................................................SU5-21
Chapter 3: Maintainability.....................................................................................SU5-36
Chapter 4: Resilience...............................................................................................SU5-68
Summary..................................................................................................................SU5-83
References.................................................................................................................SU5-93
Study Unit 6: Business Case for Sustainable Buildings

Overview....................................................................................................................SU6-3
Chapter 1: The business case for sustainability....................................................SU6-4
Chapter 2: Case Study............................................................................................SU6-16
Summary..................................................................................................................SU6-17
References.................................................................................................................SU6-28
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Table of
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List of
List of Tables
Table 1.1 Regulatory Codes and Compliance..........................................................SU1-23
Table 2.1 illustrating the different bands of air movement requirements for a
tropical space to be naturally ventilated..................................................................SU2-16
Table 3.1 Types of building cooling systems and related cooling loads
(RT)...................................................................................................................................SU3-7
Table 3.2 Types of Spaces and lighting power densities........................................SU3-13
Table 3.3 Types of Spaces and receptacle load.......................................................SU3-15
Table 3.4 showing the efficiency of different types of photovoltaics...................SU3-17
Table 3.5 shows the typical installation capacities and efficiency percentages of
different renewable energy systems..........................................................................SU3-23
Table 6.1 Traditionally considered quantifiable costs............................................SU6-10
Table 6.2 Non-traditional quantifiable costs............................................................SU6-13
Table 6.3 Qualitative costs..........................................................................................SU6-13
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List of
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List of
List of Figures
Figure 1.1 The environmental impact of buildings in the US.................................SU1-6
Figure 1.2 BREEAM weighting system.....................................................................SU1-12
Figure 1.3 Example of BREEAM score and rating calculation.............................SU1-14
Figure 2.1 showing an illustration of sun path in accordance with latitudes and
hence the corresponding response in terms of orientation......................................SU2-6
Figure 2.2 showing a simple illustration of window to wall ratios........................SU2-7
Figure 2.3 showing different kinds of shading and the corresponding

impacts.............................................................................................................................SU2-8
Figure 2.4 showing the use of high SRI finishes enables a reduction of the
surface temperature of the roof and similar effects have been perceived in
earlier
studies on facades as well............................................................................................SU2-9
Figure 2.5 showing various materials and the corresponding SRI.........................SU2-9
Figure 2.6 showing Phase Change materials (PCM) working method................SU2-10
Figure 2.7 showing that glazed facades are covered with blinds and
curtains...........................................................................................................................SU2-11
Figure 2.8 showing a building with a green façade in Singapore, Credit: SAA
architects........................................................................................................................SU2-12
Figure 2.9 showing the different air flow patterns around different
geometries......................................................................................................................SU2-13
Figure 2.10 showing different airflow profiles around buildings in pressure

driven ventilation.........................................................................................................SU2-13
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List of
Figure 2.11 showing stack ventilation in buildings (wind flow by thermal

buoyancy)......................................................................................................................SU2-14
Figure 2.12 showing a simple illustration of cross ventilation in spaces.............SU2-15
Figure 2.13 showing Singapore’s ventilation comfort chart..................................SU2-15
Figure 3.1 showing the overall configuration of a chiller plant and air handling
system...............................................................................................................................SU3-5
Figure 3.2 showing the power consumption of different cooling tower

configurations..................................................................................................................SU3-9
Figure 3.3 showing motor energy savings with a Variable Speed Drive
(VSD)..............................................................................................................................SU3-11
Figure 3.4 showing a schematic representation of a heat recovery system.........SU3-12
Figure 3.5 BIPV installation on roof (left, Sentosa Cove) and façade (right,
Keppel DHCS 1)...........................................................................................................SU3-18
Figure 3.6 showing an illustration of how a fuel cell works.................................SU3-21
Figure 4.1 Green Mark Sections mapped to UN SDGs............................................SU4-6
Figure 4.2 Scoring Tiers of GM2021............................................................................SU4-7
Figure 4.3 Assessment Matrix for GM2021................................................................SU4-9
Figure 6.1 Expectations about sustainable project costs: (a) sustainable projects;
(b) funded projects Source: Pearce (2005)..................................................................SU6-8
Figure 6.2 Revised whole project cost model..........................................................SU6-10
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List of Lesson
List of Lesson Recordings
Global Environmental Challenges...............................................................................SU1-4
Massing & Orientation..................................................................................................SU2-4
Photovoltaics.................................................................................................................SU3-19
Project Planning and Life Cycle Costs........................................................................SU6-5
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List of Lesson
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Course
Guide
Sustainable Building
FMT3 Course
1. Welcome
Presenter: Andell Matthew Tan
This streaming video requires Internet connection. Access it via Wi-Fi to avoid incurring data charges o
Click here to watch the video. i
Welcome to the course FMT315 Sustainable Buildings, a 5 credit unit (CU) course.
This Study Guide will be your personal learning resource to take you through the
course learning journey. The guide is divided into two main sections – the Course
Guide and Study Units.
The Course Guide describes the structure for the entire course and provides you with an
overview of the Study Units. It serves as a roadmap of the different learning
components within the course. This Course Guide contains important information
regarding the course learning outcomes, learning materials and resources, assessment
breakdown and additional course information.
i
https://suss.ap.panopto.com/Panopto/Pages/Viewer.aspx?id=c7da0ba1-316e-45ce-9c70-
ae8600445465
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FMT3 Course
2. Course Description and Aims
This course provides you with fundamental knowledge on green buildings in

Singapore, as well as the legislative requirements on Environmental Sustainability
for buildings in Singapore. In addition, it covers the Green Mark 2021 Criteria for new
and existing buildings. This course will also provide an overview of other international
green building assessment systems such as LEED(US). Lastly, it will also cover the
business case for green buildings.
Course Structure
This course is a 5-credit unit course presented over six weeks.
There are six Study Units in this course. The following provides an overview of each
Study Unit.
Study Unit 1 – Overview of Green Buildings in Singapore
This unit explains the need for green buildings in the world. You will be given a brief
overview of the framework for Singapore Legislation and the Green Mark Scheme as
well as the Singapore Green Building Masterplan (SGBMP).
Study Unit 2 – Passive Design Strategies
This unit will focus on the various passive design strategies for sustainable building
designs to achieve better energy efficiency.
Study Unit 3 – Active Design Strategies
The aim of this study unit is to understand the various active systems that are used
by buildings such as air-conditioning and mechanical ventilations system, and how
the selection and optimization of such systems can lead to better energy efficiency in
sustainable buildings.
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Study Unit 4 – Green Mark 2021 – Introduction to GM2021, Energy

Efficiency (EE) and Intelligence (In) Sections
This unit introduces the new Green Mark 2021 framework. In addition, it looks into
detail the Energy Efficiency section, which is the only section that is mandatory. It also
delves into the Intelligence section and its requirements.
Study Unit 5 – Green Mark 2021 Health & Well-being (HW), Whole Life
Carbon (Cn), Maintainability (Mt) & Resilience (Re) Sections
This unit introduces the other 4 sections of the Green Mark 2021 framework, namely
Health & Well-being, Whole Life Carbon, Maintainability and Resilience.
Study Unit 6 – Business Case for Sustainable Buildings
This unit looks at green buildings from a cost point of view, and what are the various
other benefits that green buildings can bring to the building owners and the community
at large.
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3. Learning Outcomes
Knowledge & Understanding (Theory Component)
By the end of this course, you will be able to:
• Demonstrate understanding of the legislative requirements on Environmental

Sustainability for buildings in Singapore
• Deconstruct the submission procedures and requirements for certification
• Appraise and describe the differences between the different Green Building
rating systems and certifications
• Demonstrate understanding of the cost impacts of green buildings, both project
and life cycle
Key Skills (Practical Component)
By the end of this course, you will be able to:
• Demonstrate ability to interpret the various international green building

assessment systems
• Demonstrate understanding of the various passive and active design strategies
that are often utilised in the design of green buildings
• Relate to the Green Mark Criteria and be able to compute Green Mark scores for
various building types
• Organize the filing of Green Building applications
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4. Learning Material
To complete the course, you will need the following learning material(s):
Website(s):
Building and Construction Authority - Green Mark 2021
• https://www1.bca.gov.sg/buildsg/sustainability/green-mark-
certification- scheme/green-mark-2021
Singapore Green Building Council
• https://www.sgbc.sg/
Singapore Environment Council – Singapore Green Labelling Scheme
• https://sgls.sec.org.sg/
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5. Assessment Overview
The overall assessment weighting for this course is as follows:
Assessment Description Weight Allocation
Pre-class quiz Pre-class quiz 6%
Assignment 1 Individual assignment 10%

(TMA 01)
Assignment 2 Individual assignment 14%

(TMA 02)
Examination End of course 70%

assessment
TOTAL 100%
The following section provides important information regarding Assessments.
Continuous Assessment:
There will be continuous assessment in the form of three (3) pre-class quizzes of 2
percent each, and two (2) Tutor-Marked Assignments (TMAs) which together constitute
30 percent of the overall assessment for this course. The two assignments are
compulsory and are non-substitutable. These assignments will test your conceptual
understanding of both the fundamental and more advanced concepts and applications
that underlie green building assessment. It is imperative that you read through your
Assignment questions and submission instructions before embarking on your
Assignment.
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Examination:
The end of course assessment will constitute the other 70 percent of overall student
assessment and will test the ability to relate concepts, theories and strategies to
particular situations commonly faced by practitioners in green building assessment. All
topics covered in the course outline will be assessed. To prepare for the end of course
assessment, you are advised to review Specimen or Past Year Exam Papers available on
Learning Management System.
Passing Mark:
To successfully pass the course, you must obtain a minimum passing mark of 40 percent
for each of the two TMA components. That is, students must obtain at least a mark of 40
percent for the combined assessments and also at least a mark of 40 percent for the final
exam. For detailed information on the Course grading policy, please refer to The
Student Handbook (‘Award of Grades’ section under Assessment and Examination
Regulations). The Student Handbook is available from the Student Portal.
Non-graded Learning Activities:
Activities for the purpose of self-learning are present in each study unit. These learning
activities are meant to enable you to assess your understanding and achievement of the
learning outcomes. The type of activities can be in the form of Formative Assessment,
Quiz, Review Questions, Application-Based Questions or similar. You are expected to
complete the suggested activities either independently and/or in groups.
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6. Course Schedule
To help monitor your study progress, you should pay special attention to your
Course Schedule. It contains study unit related activities including Assignments, Self-
assessments, and Examinations. Please refer to the Course Timetable in the Student
Portal for the updated Course Schedule.
Note: You should always make it a point to check the Student Portal for any announcements and la
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7. Learning Mode
The learning process for this course is structured along the following lines of learning:
a. Self-study guided by the study guide units. Independent study will require at
least 3 hours per week.
b. Working on assignments, either individually or in groups.
c. Classroom Seminar sessions (3 hours each session, 6 sessions in total).
iStudyGuide
You may be viewing the interactive StudyGuide (iStudyGuide), which is the mobile-
friendly version of the Study Guide. The iStudyGuide is developed to enhance your
learning experience with interactive learning activities and engaging multimedia. You
will be able to personalise your learning with digital bookmarking, note-taking, and
highlighting of texts if your reader supports these features.
Interaction with Instructor and Fellow Students
Flexible learning—learning at your own pace, space, and time—is a hallmark at SUSS,
and we strongly encourage you to engage your instructor and fellow students in online
discussion forums. Sharing of ideas through meaningful debates will help broaden your
perspective and crystallise your thinking.
Academic Integrity
As a student of SUSS, you are expected to adhere to the academic standards stipulated
in the Student Handbook, which contains important information regarding academic
policies, academic integrity, and course administration. It is your responsibility to read
and understand the information outlined in the Student Handbook prior to embarking
on the course.
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1
Study
Unit
Overview of Green Buildings in

Singapore
FMT3 Overview of Green Buildings in
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this Study Unit, you should be able to:
1. Evaluate the impact of green buildings to the environment.

2. Promote the green building with the rationale of reducing environmental impact.
3. Understand the role of green building schemes and regulations.
4. Understand the historical context of green building regulations in Singapore.
5. Understand the framework of Singapore green building legislations and Green
Mark.
6. Understand the Singapore Green Building master plan and its impact towards
sustainability.
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Overview
This introductory Study Unit offers an overview of the crucial information and
knowledge on legislative requirements on environmental sustainability for buildings
in Singapore. It will cover the following areas: the impact of green buildings to the
environment; the supporting legal and administrative structures; the need for
environmental sustainability in buildings; and the role of buildings in environmental
sustainability.
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Chapter 1: Introduction to Green Buildings
1.1 Global Environmental Challenges

The Global Climate Change is already showing visible signs to us, with adverse
weather, melting ice on land, rising sea level, the increased Carbon Dioxide
concentration, and many more.
Buildings generate nearly 40% of annual global Green House Gas (GHG) emissions,
align with the rapid population growth, the urbanization process speeds up the
development of built industry, also directly impacting the global environmental.
Buildings are the very essence of civilization, and we have demonstrated our
technological prowess in building larger and more complex structures over the course
of the human history. Building construction and operation process consumes resources
and energy, and the growing global population has placed immense pressure on the
earth. The growing demand for materials and energy has prompted us to relook at the
way buildings are built and operated around the world. The challenge of climatic
changes couple with resource depletion have prompted many countries to regulate the
buildings. Green building systems and passive architectural design have thus emerged
as strong responses to this challenge.
Lesson Recording
1.2 Environmental Impact of Buildings

Buildings have affected the environment right from the displacement of natural
vegetation and biodiversity by changing land use in green-field sites to contributing to
global climatic change in the form of emissions. The construction and operation of a
typical building
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have multiple impacts on the environment. Buildings consume resources in the form of
energy, materials, water and other form of utilities. The overall impact of buildings on
the environment can be categorized as the following:
• Land – Building site impacting the existing land including the microenvironment
and habitat
• Embodied carbon – Energy used for extracting of material, manufacturing,
transporting, and constructing of building components
• Operational carbon – The energy consumed in buildings
• Waste – The generation of construction, demolition waste, and the general waste
generated during the building operation
• Air Quality – the impact of indoor and outdoor air quality by the presence of
toxic materials such as paints, adhesives, and pest control insecticides
• Building maintenance and construction activities accounts for water pollution
and potential harm to the water catchments.
After design and construction, the operation has extensive direct and indirect impact on
the environment. The result of a study collated by the US Environment Protection
Agency (2009) concluded that buildings consume 72% of all electricity generated.
Additionally, they also consume 13% of fresh water in the US. Given the large
agricultural sector in the US, this percentage division indicates the magnitude of the
impact that buildings have on the use of resources. Buildings also contribute to 39% of
carbon emissions and 66% of non-industrial waste generated. Thus, the building sector
has a very large footprint on resources, energy, and waste generation.
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Figure 1.1 The environmental impact of buildings in the US
(Source: United States Environmental Protection Agency, 2009)
1.3 Green Buildings

From World Green Building Council:
A ‘green’ building is a building that, in its design, construction or operation, reduces or

eliminates negative impacts, and can create positive impacts, on our climate and natural
environment. Green buildings preserve precious natural resources and improve our quality of
life. - World Green Building Council, WGBC
Brundtland defines Sustainable Development as:
“Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future
generations to meet their own needs.”
- Brundtland Commission Report, 1987.
From US Office of Federal Environmental Executive:
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“The practise of increasing the efficiency with which buildings and their sites use energy, water,
and materials, and reducing building impacts of human health and the environment, through
better siting, design, construction, operation, maintenance and removal through the complete life
cycle.’
- US Office of Federal Environmental Executive
From USGBC:
Green building is a holistic concept that starts with the understanding that the building
environment can have profound effects, both positive and negative, on the natural environment,
as well as the people who inhabit buildings every day. Green building is an effort to amplify the
positive and mitigate the negative of these effects throughout the entire life cycle of a building -
US Green Building Council, USGBC
Definitions for “Green Building”:
Green building is the practise of creating structures and using processes that are
environmentally responsible and resource-efficient throughout a building’s life cycle from siting
to design, construction, operation, maintenance, renovation and deconstruction. This practise
expands and complements the classical building design concerns of economy, utility, durability,
and comfort. Green Building is also known as a sustainable or high-performance building. - US
Environmental Protection Agency, US EPA
1.4 The Need for Sustainability of Buildings

As discussed in the previous sections, buildings have enormous impacts on the
environment, as well as the social and economic sectors. Buildings play a significant role
in our everyday life and contribute to work productivity. A study done by the OECD
concludes that:
• the building sector accounts for around 25-40% of the final energy consumption
in OECD countries
• the construction sector accounts for between one-third and half of the commodity
flow in selected OECD countries. Consequently, a great amount of construction
and demolition waste (C&DW) is being generated
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• indoor air quality can significantly affect human health. People usually spend as
much as 90% of their time indoors
It is imperative to reduce and lighten the abovementioned impact of buildings. Globally,

there have been many attempts to address these concerns. Traditional vernacular
architecture shows the way forward as communities across the world have (over the
millennia) developed their unique ways in dealing with local climate and site
topography by using ingenious and simple building techniques. Modern architecture
has adopted biomimicry as an attempt to be more ecologically sound, but the sum of
these efforts still does not show any significant improvement in the impact on the
environment. Governments are working to bring suitable regulations to soften this
impact. A plethora of green rating systems have now emerged, and different policy
instruments have been put in place to attain success.
1.5 Green Building Rating Systems

The challenge that stems from the global energy crisis and resource constraints
prompted many countries and organisations to develop building assessment methods
and tools. The tools are designed to respond to different challenges and contextual
issues; they are intrinsically different from each other in scope, structure, format and
complexity. The culmination of the growing movement towards sustainable building
design and construction has dominated the building industry since 1980. The different
systems that have evolved include BREEAM (Building Research Establishment
Environmental Assessment Method) in the UK, Leadership in Energy and Environment
Design (LEED) in the USA, and SB Tool (Sustainable Building Tool), as an international
project.
These methods created global interests. The majority of these assessment systems have
a similar approach of utilising credits to assess building sustainability by computing a
score. Typical categories of assessment include energy efficiency, resource consumption,
indoor environmental quality, service quality, economics, pre-operation management,
and commuting transport. In order to understand the nature of these assessments and
compare-and-contrast them with Green Mark, two major Green rating systems from
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across the world will be reviewed in this section. Globally, the two most common rating
tools are LEED and BREEAM. In Asia, the leading systems are the CASBEE (Japan) and
the Green Star (Australia) systems.
The two most widely recognised environmental assessment methodologies in the global
construction industry today are BREEAM (UK) and LEED. Individually, each rating
tool has its strengths and weaknesses, different philosophies for credit allocation,
and assessment methods. These two systems are cemented as global benchmarks and
reinvented by constantly upgrading the methodology.
1.5.1 LEED
1.5.1.1 Overview of LEED

LEED, devised by the US Green Building Council (USGBC), is the benchmark Green
Building Rating System in the US. This system offers a rating framework that assesses
buildings for design, build, and operation of energy-efficient and green buildings.
Over 40 different countries have adopted this system and devised their own versions,
including India. LEED is a voluntary sustainability evaluation methodology. It covers
all types of buildings: offices, retail, homes, residential high-rise buildings, public
buildings, commercial interiors, etc. The LEED allows solutions customization, covering
various building types, as well as renovations and refurbishments. The LEED
assessment framework for Building Design and Construction consists of the following
seven major categories (LEED, 2014):
1. Location and Transportation (16 points, 15%)

2. Sustainable Sites (10 Points, 9%)
3. Water Efficiency (11 Pts, 10%)
4. Energy & Atmosphere (33 Pts, 30%)
5. Materials & Resources (13 Pts, 12%)
6. Indoor Environmental Quality (16 Pts, 15%)
7. Innovation in Design (6 Pts, 5%)
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The last 5% of the points are allocated to integrative process, and regional priority.
Under each category, a selection of credits is made available for assessment base on
relevant benchmarks or standards of performance. Additionally, a few credits are
deemed as prerequisites that are mandatory for any level of LEED certification.
In the newly introduced LEED v4, the entire scoring scale is set at 110 points. The final
LEED rating is determined as described in the table below:
1.5.1.2 LEED Assessment Process

The LEED assessment process is characterised by two distinct phases: the Design Phase
Review and the Construction Phase Review. The first phase or the design phase is
usually marked by points or credits calculated based on design intent. The second
review or assessment is carried out during the construction phase. The detailed
assessment of the construction phase results in the final awarding of the LEED
certificate that is granted by the USGBC only at the end of the construction.
One of the unique aspects of the LEED system is the prerequisites that are mandatory
for a building to be considered for assessment. These are explained below. To be
considered for certification under new construction, projects must adhere to certain
credits.
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Read
Read the LEED v4 for Building Design and Construction document to understand the credit syste
1.5.2 BREEAM
1.5.2.1 Overview of BREEAM

The Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM) is
a British building assessment tool that aims to quantify and reduce environmental
burdens of buildings. The assessment system has a positive technique to reward
building designs that take positive steps to minimise environmental impact.
The BREEAM tool was created by the Building Research Establishment. It was
introduced in 1990. There are several positive drivers for the mainstreaming of this
tool in the UK, where local planning authorities require mandatory BREEAM pre-
assessments and accreditation. In some cases, it is also mandatory for all public-sector
buildings in the UK to secure a minimum BREEAM rating. This has forced the private
sector to create voluntary minimum BREEAM rating for all new buildings.
The BREEAM standard covers the following main building types:
• Retail
• Offices
• Education
• Prisons
• Courts
• Healthcare
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• Industrial
• Specialised Buildings (assessed under the BREEAM Bespoke method)
• Multi-residential
The BREEAM uses an explicit weighting system derived from a combination of

consensus- based weightings, and rank by a panel of experts. The weighting for each of
the sections are as explained in the following table:
Figure 1.2 BREEAM weighting system
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1.5.2.2 The BREEAM Assessment Process

Similar to the LEED system, the BREEAM scheme assesses an individual building
development at two stages:
1. Design Stage – leads to an Interim BREEAM Certificate

2. Post-construction Stage – leads to a Final BREEAM Certificate
The Design Stage review typically assesses a project based on design intent and post
construction review serves to confirm the interim assessment and, more importantly,
confirms that the “as built” performance matches that of those provided during the
design stage.
The BREEAM rating is calculated by a BREEAM Assessor based on the performance in

each category, using the appropriate assessment tools and calculators.
The process of determining a BREEAM rating is slightly different from that of the LEED
and the Green Mark. This is because the score for the individual credit is further
multiplied by the weighting of each section, and the sum of all the credit scores
multiplied by the weighting factor that gives you the overall score. The step-by-step
process is explained below. An example is included in the table on the next page (BRE
Global Limited, 2014):
1. The number of credits for each environmental section must be determined by

the assessor in accordance with the stated criteria.
2. The score of the percentage of credits achieved is subsequently calculated for
each section.
3. The percentage of the “credits” achieved for each section is then multiplied by
the weighting of the corresponding section. This gives the overall
environmental section score.
4. The section scores are then added together to achieve the overall BREEAM score.
5. An additional 1% can be added to the final BREEAM score for each
“innovation credit” achieved (up to a maximum of 10%).
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Figure 1.3 Example of BREEAM score and rating calculation
(Source: BRE Global Limited, 2014)
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Chapter 2: Singapore’s Green Building Journey
Singapore is a city state with limited local energy, water and other resources. Due to the
tropic climate condition and the high energy demand, buildings in Singapore generally
consume more energy. This is also an opportunity for Singapore to stand out and
showcase its innovation and strategic planning in advancing the sustainability
development. The government of Singapore introduced comprehensive legislation and
programs to address the concerns of environmental sustainability, which serves as the
role model for other counties.
To address the sustainability under high energy demand, the most effective way is to
start from design integration to address the climate change challenges. Through passive
design, active design, and optimised design, green building has its potential to
contribute to the global sustainability movement, without compromising the quality
and comfort.
After much deliberation, the government of Singapore introduced the “Code for
Environmental Sustainability of Buildings” in 2008. This code forms the legal and
administrative framework on which building sustainability can be governed. This
legislation lays out the broad principles for buildings in Singapore to evolve sustainable
practices and principles for planning, designing and constructing of buildings. These
will help to mitigate the environmental impact of built structures.
The Building Construction Authority (BCA) is the nodal agency identified under this
legislation. It governs the environmental sustainability of buildings in Singapore. The
Building Control Act was enlarged and enhanced with the addition of the Building
Control (Environmental Sustainability) regulations to address necessary concerns. This
regulation has set a new benchmark for environmental sustainability for buildings
called the “Green Mark”. The Green Mark rating system is similar to other rating tools -
it is highly aligned with the local context.
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2.1 Legislation on Environmental Sustainability for Buildings

Under the new regulations, a minimum standard for environmental sustainability was
fixed as being equivalent to the certified level of the Green Mark. This regulation was
made mandatory for all new buildings and those that undergo major retrofit. These
regulations came into effect in 2008 and made it mandatory for all projects that seek
planning permission to be certified. This landmark regulation paved the way for all new
buildings and reconstructions to adopt a sustainable approach by utilising the
framework and system laid out in the Green Mark system.
In late 2012, the legislation was expanded to include existing buildings that are
replacing their building cooling systems, such as air-cooled and water-cooled chillers.
Thus, in Singapore, the Building Control (Environmental Sustainability) regulations

form the basic regulatory framework for assessing the performance of new and existing
buildings. This act provides a broad framework to address key issues of energy
efficiency in buildings, resource utilisation and the use of appropriate technology and
management methodologies to make buildings sustainable. The landmark legislation
has transformed the landscape of buildings in Singapore. As of late 2014, there are over
2,000 Green Mark buildings in Singapore (BCA, 2014). The regulations have been
instrumental in creating a new wave of sustainability practices and professionals in the
architecture and building industry.
2.1.1 Regulatory Requirements for Existing Buildings

The regulatory requirement ensures the existing buildings continue to operate
efficiently throughout their life cycle even after their Green Mark certification award
after 3 years. This regulatory requirement also helps to ensure that the built
environment in Singapore achieves the sustainable outcomes as set out by the
government.
Based on Part IIIB – Environmental Sustainability Measures for Exiting Buildings in the
Building Control Act, the existing building owners have to comply with the Green Mark
minimum requirements, submit periodic building’s cooling system energy efficiency
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audit data and information with regards to energy consumption as well as other related
information as required by the Commissioner of Building Control.
From 2 January 2017 onwards, the Building Control (Environmental Sustainability

Measures for Existing Building) (Amendment) Regulations 2016 will take effect. This
means that all buildings that have a GFA greater than 5,000m2, and intends to install or
replace the building cooling system, will need to comply with the new amendments.
Industrial buildings, railways, ports and airport services, religious buildings, data
centres, utility buildings, residential, service apartments are exempted from this
requirement.
In order to ensure that that cooling systems continue to operate efficiently throughout
a building’s lifespan, mandatory periodic energy audits will be required. This will also
help to ensure that building owners continue to gain savings from the reduction of
energy consumption. Upon receiving notice from the Commissioner of Building Control,
building owners must:
1. Engage the services of a professional mechanical engineer or a BCA-registered

Energy Auditor to carry out the energy audit;
2. Submit the necessary documents to the Commissioner of Building Control.
Before installing or replacing a chiller, buildings owners have to meet the pre-requisite
requirements as spelt out in the Code on Environmental Sustainability Measures for
Existing buildings. They will also need to meet any other requirements as spelt out in
the code. Additionally, building owners must submit the following documentation to
BCA for approval:
• A design Green Mark score for the building including other documents as spelt
out prior to installing or replacing or any chillers (major energy-use change)
• An as-built Green Mark score for the building including other documents as spelt
out after completing the installation of the new chillers
The plan fee for the legislation submission is: $8,900 for the first 15,000m2 or part
thereof, and $0.15 for every subsequent square metre or part thereof.
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2.1.2 Regulatory Requirements for New Buildings and Existing

Buildings Undergoing Major Additions and Alterations (A&A)
To advance sustainable development of the built environment, the Building
Control (Environmental Sustainability) Regulations requires a minimum environmental
sustainability standard for all new sizeable buildings as well as existing buildings that
undergo major retrofitting.
The Building Control (Environmental Sustainability) Regulations 2008 applies to:
• All new buildings with a gross floor area (GFA) of 2,000m2 or more
• Additions or extensions to existing buildings that involve increasing the GFA by
2,000m2 or more
• Major retrofitting to existing buildings with a GFA of 2,000m2 or more
The requirements on environmental sustainability of buildings are integrated into the

Building Plan and TOP processes. The Qualified Person or QP (the professional who
submits the building plans) and the other appropriate practitioners are jointly
responsible in ensuring that their proposed building works (new or retrofit) meet the
minimum environmental sustainability standards spelt out. They are to submit their
declarations and Green Mark (GM) Scores along with their Building Plan submission for
approval. Upon the completion of the building project, they are then to submit their
final declarations as well as as-built GM score before applying for TOP inspection.
QPs should use the Green Mark e-Filing System to generate the GM score and form for
submission to the authorities.
2.2 Code of Environmental Sustainability of Buildings

Building Construction Authority has set up the Green Mark assessment framework to
guide the industry in using the right tool for the process of achieving Green Mark
qualifications for the built environment.
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The assessment framework comprises a comprehensive scoring system and verification

process to help quantify and determine how environmentally sustainable the building
project is.
The total number of points obtained will provide an indication of the environmental
sustainability of the building design and operation. Once the overall assessment and
scoring is determined, the building will be certified accordingly to meet the appropriate
Green Mark rating.
The new Green Mark 2021 assessment framework, introduced at the end of 2021,
includes the following criteria:
BCA Green Mark Applies to Related links

Scheme Criteria
GM: 2021 Certification • New developments, at the

Standard design and completion (as
built) stage
GM: 2021 Energy
Efficiency • Existing buildings in
operation, with no
GM: 2021 Carbon
previous Green Mark
Section
certification
GM: 2021 Resilience • Existing buildings with
Section major retrofit
GM: 2021 Intelligence

Section
GM: 2021 Health &

Wellbeing Section
GM: 2021 Maintainability

Section
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Scheme Criteria
• Mt Framework
(NRB)
• Mt Framework
(RB)
• Mt Framework
(ENRB)
GM: 2021 In Operation • Existing buildings in

operation that have
previously held Green
Mark certification, and with
no major energy use change
• Projects seeking Green
Mark Re-certification
Landed Houses Landed housing projects
Healthier Workplaces: New office fit-outs and existing GM HW

2018 offices in operation Scoresheet
POE Survey
Question Template
POE Results
Template (for
computation)
IAQ Report
Template
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Scheme Criteria
Existing Schools MOE main stream schools Benchmark Building

(excluding International Cooling Load
schools, universities and
institutes of higher learning
such as polytechnics and ITE)
Healthcare Facilities Healthcare facilities Benchmark Building

Cooling Load
Infrastructure Infrastructure projects including

but not limited to:
Roads
Barrages
Bridges
District District projects
Restaurants Restaurants
Supermarket Supermarkets
Existing Data Centres Existing data centres

GM EDC: 2019
New Data Centres GM New data centres

NDC: 2019
Retail Retail tenants
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Scheme Criteria
Laboratories Laboratories within buildings GM Lab: 2017 Score

Card
2.2.1 The Code of Environmental Sustainability of Buildings for

New Buildings
The Code for Environmental Sustainability of Buildings explains the nature of measures
to be undertaken by new buildings and helps in the implementation of the aims and
objectives of the legislation. The original code that was introduced in 2008 was amended
in 2010, and again in 2013. This code defines the scope of projects and the size of
buildings under its auspices (BCA, 2014).
• All new buildings work with gross floor area (GFA) of 2000 m2 or larger.
• Extensions to existing buildings which involve increasing GFA of the existing
buildings by 2000 m2 or larger.
• Building works which involve major retrofitting to existing buildings with
existing GFA of 2000 m2 or larger.
The code clearly states that existing buildings that have alterations made to them and do
not undertake major retrofitting works are not covered under this code.
The minimum standard for different credits was revised back in December 2010 to
provide more options for buildings to achieve the scores. Within each credit, the revised
code offers multiple options for achieving the points. This enhances flexibility. Since the
revision, the code has prescribed compliance methodology based on the date of
submission of the planning permission with the Urban Redevelopment Authority
(URA) and the relevant codes that may be applied are explained in Table 1.1.
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Table 1.1 Regulatory Codes and Compliance
First submission date for URA planning Compliance Standard

permission
From 15 April 2008 to 30 November 2010 Code for Environmental Sustainability for
Buildings, 1st Edition, Apr 2008 issue
From 1 December 2010 to 14 Jan 2013 Code for Environmental Sustainability for
Buildings, 2nd Edition, Aug 2010 issue
From 15 January 2013 onwards Code for Environmental Sustainability

for Buildings, 3rd Edition, Oct 2012 issue
(Source: BCA, 2014)
2.2.2 Code on Environmental Sustainability Measures for Existing

Buildings The legislation was introduced in 2008. While tailored for new
developments, it did not address the environmental impact of existing developments.
In December 2012, BCA
added more regulations to the Building Control Act that would require existing buildings
to meet the minimum Green Mark standard provided the following conditions are met:
• Single use development of a hotel, a retail building, or an office building with a

GFA > 15,000 m2; or a hotel, a retail building or an office building therein and the
GFA of a combination of these parts > 15,000m2
• There is an installation or replacement of the building cooling system. A building
cooling system here means any water-cooled chillers or air-cooled chillers.
Any mixed-use development which includes any industrial building, industrial retail
building, light industrial building, special industrial building, railway premises, port
services and facilities or airport services and facilities are exempted from this
environmental sustainability standard.
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Read
Building Control Act (Chapter 29): Building Control (Environmental Sustainability Measure for Exi
2.3 The Green Building Master Plan

Singapore’s journey started as early as late 70s, when we incorporated in our building
regulations the Overall Thermal Transfer Value, to reduce the heat gain into buildings
through the envelope.
In the 90s, the energy efficiency standards for lighting and air-conditioning systems
were developed. Later in 2005, the Building and Construction Authority started the
green building drive in a big way, introducing the BCA Green Mark Scheme, which
was then followed by three successive Green Building Masterplans to guide the
development of green buildings. New minimum environmental sustainability standard
for both new and existing buildings were also introduced.
The launch of the BCA Green Mark scheme in 2005 formed the backbone of Singapore’s
first Green Building Masterplan. The new focus of the Green Building Masterplan was
to encourage, enable and to engage industry stakeholders in adopting new green
buildings. The Singapore Green Building Masterplan (SGBMP), which rolled out in
2006, has also been continually updated since its inception. The first version, which
looked at new buildings, encourage building developers to infuse sustainability as part
of a building’s lifecycle from the design stage onwards. As the built environment sector
embraced the idea of sustainable buildings, BCA then expanded its reach to green the
existing building stock. This involved engaging building owners and occupants of these
existing building to change their energy consumption behaviour. The target is to have
“at least 80% of buildings (by floor area) in Singapore to be green by 2030”.
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In 2018, BCA also launched the Super Low Energy (SLE) Building programme. The SLE
programme encourages firms to go beyond the existing Green Mark Platinum standards
and push the envelope of environmental sustainability in Singapore.
BCA and the Singapore Green Building Council (SGBC) have worked together to
develop the next edition of the SGBMP together with industry stakeholders and the
community. The new SGBMP captures our collective commitment to pursue more
ambitious sustainability targets and standards in the built environment.
The new SGBMP aspires to deliver three primary objectives of “80-80-80 in 2030”.
(1) Stepping up the pace to green 80% of our buildings by 2030
The earlier editions of the Green Building Masterplan had set a target of greening 80%
of Singapore’s buildings (by GFA) by 2030. To increase the greening of existing and new
buildings, BCA will publish the energy performance data of all buildings, starting with
commercial buildings in the second half of 2021. The owners of existing buildings will
therefore be able to compare their buildings’ energy performance against similar
building types to determine if additional actions are necessary to improve energy
performance.
To future-proof the building stock in Singapore, BCA will introduce new minimum
energy performance requirements for new buildings as well as existing buildings that
undergo major retrofit. These buildings are to be at least 50% and 40% more energy
efficient compared to 2005 levels respectively. This is comparable to the current Green
Mark Platinum standards.
(2) 80% of new developments by GFA to be Super Low Energy (SLE) buildings from 2030
To further push the boundaries of energy performance, BCA will be developing an eco-
system for SLE buildings. Under the new GreenGov.SG initiative, the Government and
its entities will continue to take the lead in bringing Super Low Energy buildings to the
mainstream. BCA will also be pursuing further initiatives to increase adoption of Super
Low Energy buildings in the private sector.
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From March 2021, the initiative known as Public Sector Taking the Lead in
Environmental Sustainability (PSTLES) will be refreshed and renamed as GreenGov.SG.
This will be a primary enabler of the Singapore Green Plan 2030 (SGBP 2030) and
reflects the cross- cutting role of the Government in supporting the national
sustainability agenda mapped out in the Green Plan. In this manner, the
Government will lead the way to pursue
sustainable development with the GreenGov.SG initiative1.
(3) Achieving 80% improvement in energy efficiency for best-in-class green buildings by
2030
Lastly, BCA will increase in its research and innovation efforts to expand the boundaries
of energy and building efficiency. Part of this effort involves the acceleration of the
deployment of cost-effective green technologies through the Green Buildings Innovation
Cluster (GBIC) programme. The GBIC programme supports the development and
deployment of green building solutions and technologies with high potential to be
adopted by the industry. GBIC has thus far, supported more than 60 innovative
technologies. BCA is also continuing in its endeavour to enhance further funding
support for the programme.
These initiatives will help us transform to a more sustainable, low-carbon built

environment.
Read
Singapore Green Building Masterplan Public Engagement and .
1
https://www.greenplan.gov.sg/resources/2021-03-04-press-release-on-green-government
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Summary
• The impact of buildings on the environment can be summarised into the following:
◦ Land – Building site impacting the existing land including the
microenvironment and habitat.
◦ Embodied carbon – Energy used for extracting of material, manufacturing,
transporting, and constructing of building components
◦ Operational carbon – The energy consumed in buildings
◦ Waste – The generation of construction, demolition waste, and the general
waste generated during the building operation.
◦ Air Quality – the impact of indoor and outdoor air quality by the presence
of toxic materials such as paints, adhesives, and pest control insecticides
◦ Building maintenance and construction activities accounts for water
pollution and potential harm to the water catchments.
• The mitigation approaches for buildings can be summarised into the following:
◦ Regional Context, Location and Structure
◦ Design Efficiency
◦ Energy Efficiency
◦ Water Efficiency
◦ Resource Efficiency
◦ Quality of Indoor Environment
◦ Operations and Maintenance
◦ Optimisation, and Efficient Use of Systems
◦ Reduction of Waste and Toxic Materials
• The Building Control (Environmental Sustainability) Regulations 2008 applies to:
◦ All new buildings with a gross floor area of 2,000m2 or more
◦ Additions or extensions to existing buildings that involve increasing the
GFA by 2,000m2 or more
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◦ Major retrofitting to existing buildings with a GFA of 2,000m2 or more

• Building Control (Environmental Sustainability Measures for Existing Building)
(Amendment) Regulations 2016 will apply to all buildings that:
◦ Have a GFA greater than 5,000m2
◦ Install or replace the building cooling system
◦ These buildings are excluded from the requirement:
▪ Any industrial building
▪ Any railway premises, port services and facilities or airport services
and facilities
▪ Any religious buildings
▪ Any data centres
▪ Any utility buildings
▪ Any residential building, excluding serviced apartments
• Under the Green Mark minimum environmental sustainability legislation, new
buildings are required to e-file the Green Mark score at the following stages:
◦ Design stage (BP submission)
◦ As-built stage (TOP submission/CSC approval)
• Under the Green Mark minimum environmental sustainability legislation,
existing buildings are required to submit Green Mark score at the following
stages:
◦ Design stage (before commencement of retrofitting works)
◦ As-built stage (after completion of retrofitting works)
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Formative Assessment
1. A green building makes the best use of nature’s gift from the site and
microenvironment. Select the appropriate examples of a green building design.
□ a. Using renewable energy in the form of harnessing solar, wind, kinetic and
thermal power
□ b. Saving electricity by integrating passive design techniques
□ c. The use of advanced and suitable sustainable technologies
□ d. Design integration and optimization to minimize environmental impacts
2. The strategies of green building design differ from one location to another to
reflect and integrate with the specific geographic context. Select the appropriate
fundamental principles.
□ a. Regional Context, Location and Structure
□ b. Quality of the Indoor Environment
□ c. Operations and Maintenance
□ d. Optimisation and Efficient Use of Systems
□ a. Energy Efficiency
□ b. Water Efficiency
□ c. Resource Efficiency
□ d. Reduction of Waste and Toxic Materials
4. The OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) study

discovered a few issues. Select the appropriate statement(s).
□ a. Indoor air quality can significantly affect human health
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□ b. People usually spend as much as 90% of their time indoors

□ c. The construction sector accounts for between 25% to 40% of the commodity
flow in selected OECD countries
□ d. The building sector accounts for around two-third of the final energy
consumption in OECD countries
5. Select the most appropriate statement.

a. A minimum standard for environmental sustainability was fixed as being
equivalent to the certified level of the Green Mark
b. A minimum standard for environmental sustainability was made mandatory
for all new buildings
c. A minimum standard for environmental sustainability was made mandatory
for all undergo major retrofit
d. A minimum standard for environmental sustainability regulations came into
effect in 2005 and made it mandatory for all projects
6. A minimum standard for environmental sustainability regulations was expanded

to include existing buildings that are replacing their buildings’ cooling systems,
such as air-cooled and water-cooled chillers. Select the effective year.
a. 2012
b. 2010
c. 2008
d. 2005
7. Which of the following sections are part of the new Green Mark 2021 framework?
□ a. Intelligence, Health & Well-being
□ b. Energy Efficiency, Whole Life Carbon
□ c. Biophilic Integration, Infrastructure
□ d. Maintainability, Resilience
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8. The Code for Environmental Sustainability of Buildings explains the nature of

measures to be undertaken by new buildings and helps in the implementation of
the aims and objectives of the legislation. Select the appropriate projects and the
size of buildings.
□ a. All new buildings work with minimum gross floor area of 2,000 m2
□ b. Extensions to existing buildings which involve increasing minimum gross
floor area of the existing buildings 2,000 m2
□ c. Building works which involve major retrofitting to existing buildings with
existing minimum gross floor area of 2,000 m2
□ d. Existing data centre with minimum gross floor area of 2,000 m2
9. Code on Environmental Sustainability Measures for Existing Buildings was

introduced in 2008. BCA added more regulations to the Building Control Act that
would require existing buildings to meet the minimum Green Mark standard. State
the appropriate condition(s).
□ a. A development of a hotel building with a GFA > 15,000 m2
□ b. An installation or replacement of the water-cooled chillers system
□ c. A development of an office building with a GFA > 15,000 m2
□ d. An installation or replacement of the air-cooled chillers system
10. BCA launched the Super Low Energy (SLE) Building programme in 2018. State the
appropriate purpose.
□ a. This is to encourage firms to go beyond the existing Green Mark Platinum
standards
□ b. This approach is to push the envelope of environmental sustainability in
Singapore
□ c. This is to encourage firms to explore the renewable energy sources
□ d. This approach is to enhance the envelope thermal transfer value effectiveness
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Solutions or Suggested Answers
1. A green building makes the best use of nature’s gift from the site and
microenvironment. Select the appropriate examples of a green building design.
□ a. Using renewable energy in the form of harnessing solar, wind, kinetic and
thermal power
Correct. Refer to Study Unit 1, chapter one, History of Green Buildings.
□ b. Saving electricity by integrating passive design techniques

□ c. The use of advanced and suitable sustainable technologies

□ d. Design integration and optimization to minimize environmental impacts

□ a. Regional Context, Location and Structure
□ b. Quality of the Indoor Environment

□ c. Operations and Maintenance

□ d. Optimisation and Efficient Use of Systems
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□ a. Energy Efficiency
□ b. Water Efficiency
□ c. Resource Efficiency
□ d. Reduction of Waste and Toxic Materials

4. The OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) study

discovered a few issues. Select the appropriate statement(s).
□ a. Indoor air quality can significantly affect human health
Correct. Refer to Study Unit 1, chapter one, The Need for Sustainability
of Buildings.
□ b. People usually spend as much as 90% of their time indoors

Correct. Refer to Study Unit 1, chapter one, The Need for Sustainability
of Buildings.
□ c. The construction sector accounts for between 25% to 40% of the commodity
flow in selected OECD countries
Incorrect. Refer to Study Unit 1, chapter one, The Need for Sustainability of
Buildings.
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□ d. The building sector accounts for around two-third of the final energy
consumption in OECD countries
Incorrect. Refer to Study Unit 1, chapter one, The Need for Sustainability of
Buildings.
5. Select the most appropriate statement.

a. A minimum standard for environmental sustainability was fixed as being
equivalent to the certified level of the Green Mark
Correct. Refer to Study Unit 1, chapter one, Legislation on Environmental
Sustainability for Buildings.
b. A minimum standard for environmental sustainability was made

mandatory for all new buildings
Incorrect. Refer to Study Unit 1, chapter one, Legislation on Environmental
c. A minimum standard for environmental sustainability was made

mandatory for all undergo major retrofit
d. A minimum standard for environmental sustainability regulations came

into effect in 2005 and made it mandatory for all projects
6. A minimum standard for environmental sustainability regulations was expanded

to include existing buildings that are replacing their buildings’ cooling systems,
such as air-cooled and water-cooled chillers. Select the effective year.
a. 2012
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Correct. Refer to Study Unit 1, chapter two, Code of Environmental

Sustainability of Buildings.
b. 2010
Incorrect. Refer to Study Unit 1, chapter two, Code of Environmental
c. 2008
d. 2005
7. Which of the following sections are part of the new Green Mark 2021 framework?
□ a. Intelligence, Health & Well-being
□ b. Energy Efficiency, Whole Life Carbon

Sustainability of Buildings
□ c. Biophilic Integration, Infrastructure

□ d. Maintainability, Resilience
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8. The Code for Environmental Sustainability of Buildings explains the nature of

measures to be undertaken by new buildings and helps in the implementation of
the aims and objectives of the legislation. Select the appropriate projects and the
size of buildings.
□ a. All new buildings work with minimum gross floor area of 2,000 m2
□ b. Extensions to existing buildings which involve increasing minimum gross

floor area of the existing buildings 2,000 m2
□ c. Building works which involve major retrofitting to existing buildings with

existing minimum gross floor area of 2,000 m2
□ d. Existing data centre with minimum gross floor area of 2,000 m2

9. Code on Environmental Sustainability Measures for Existing Buildings was

introduced in 2008. BCA added more regulations to the Building Control Act that
would require existing buildings to meet the minimum Green Mark standard. State
the appropriate condition(s).
□ a. A development of a hotel building with a GFA > 15,000 m2
Correct. Refer to Study Unit 1, chapter two, Code on Environmental
Sustainability Measures for Existing Buildings.
□ b. An installation or replacement of the water-cooled chillers system
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□ c. A development of an office building with a GFA > 15,000 m2

□ d. An installation or replacement of the air-cooled chillers system

10. BCA launched the Super Low Energy (SLE) Building programme in 2018. State the
appropriate purpose.
□ a. This is to encourage firms to go beyond the existing Green Mark Platinum
standards
Correct. Refer to Study Unit 1, chapter three, Green Building Masterplan.
□ b. This approach is to push the envelope of environmental sustainability in

Singapore
Correct. Refer to Study Unit 1, chapter three, Green Building Masterplan.
□ c. This is to encourage firms to explore the renewable energy sources

Incorrect. Refer to Study Unit 1, chapter three, Green Building
Masterplan.
□ d. This approach is to enhance the envelope thermal transfer value

effectiveness Incorrect. Refer to Study Unit 1, chapter three, Green Building
Masterplan.
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References
Architecture 2030. (n.d.). . Architecture 2030. https://architecture2030.org/why-the-

building-sector/
Building and Construction Authority. (2021). Green Mark 2021. Building and
Construction Authority. https://www1.bca.gov.sg/buildsg/sustainability/
green-mark-certification-scheme/green-mark-2021
Building and Construction Authority. (2021). Regulatory requirements for new buildings
and existing buildings undergoing major additions and alterations (A&A). Building
and Construction Authority. https://www1.bca.gov.sg/buildsg/sustainability/
minimum-environmental-sustainability-standard-for-new-buildings-and-
existing-buildings-undergoing-major-additions-and-alterations
Building and Construction Authority. (n.d.). Legislation on environmental sustainability

for buildings. Building and Construction Authority. https://www1.bca.gov.sg/
regulatory-info/legislation-on-environmental-sustainability-for-buildings
Gai, J. (2020, January 18). A brief history of sustainability. Joy of Sustainability. https://
www.joyofsustainability.com/post/a-brief-history-of-sustainability
SG Green Plan. (n.d.). . SG Green Plan. https://www.greenplan.gov.sg/
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2
Study
Unit
Passive Design Strategies

FMT3 Passive Design
Learning Outcomes
At the end of this unit, students will be able to:
• Understand passive design strategies that would enable energy efficient building
design in the context of the tropics.
• Understand the fundamental principles behind the effective use of natural
ventilation in Singapore buildings.
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FMT3 Passive Design
Overview
There are a number of passive design strategies that enable better energy efficiency in
tropical buildings. Reducing energy demand by doing things right from the outset is the
best way to move towards a stringent energy target.
1. Massing and orientation

2. A good tropical façade design
3. Design for maximized natural ventilation
4. Design for day light maximization
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FMT3 Passive Design
Chapter 1: Passive Design Strategies
1.1 Massing & Orientation

a. Minimize your building foot print and maximize the greenery on site – This
would enable you to keep to a tight building coverage and ensure that the
impact from diffused radiation (ground reflected component) is minimized on
the facades.
b. Design to daylight maximization – The floor plate depth needs to be optimized
for a good daylighting penetration. Maximising daylighting also introduces
concerns of heat gain, which needs to be appropriately handled.
c. Maximize naturally ventilated spaces in design – Generally, more than 80% of
our buildings are air conditioned and even residential buildings typically are
now being designed for air conditioning operations. Air conditioning systems
take up to 60% or more of the energy foot print of the buildings. Hence,
maximization of naturally ventilated spaces in design would be an appropriate
way to reduce energy consumption. Spaces like corridors, atriums, lobbies,
etc. can be naturally ventilated. Residential buildings could be designed more
appropriately for natural ventilation right from the conceptual stage.
Lesson Recording
1.2 Tropical Façade Design

a. Right orientation – The amount of direct radiation received by the north and
south facades are at least 40% lower than that of east and west facades in
Singapore. Hence, facing the right orientation would automatically reduce the
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FMT3 Passive Design
ETTV value and hence the heat gain through the facades. Also, appropriate
measures to reduce the impact of diffused radiation needs to be considered.
b. Right window to wall ratio – Generally, international green standards
recommend a window to wall ratio (WWR) of 40%. Window to wall ratios
are directly correlated to ETTV and reducing the same is one of the most cost
effective means of reducing external heat gain.
c. Appropriate shading devices – Shading devices not only help in reducing the
direct radiation but also effectively reduce the incident diffused radiation and
hence are extremely an effective means of reducing heat gain through the
facades. Generally, north and south facing facades require only simple
overhangs to shade them from the high altitude sun angles. However, east and
west facades require a dynamically moving shading device design in order to
be protected.
d. Appropriate wall materials – The Air to air thermal transmittance value (U-
value) of wall materials plays a critical role in determining the conduction heat
gain through the facades. A U-value of less than 2 W/m2.K is recommended to
minimize the impact of conduction heat gain through the walls.
e. Appropriate glazing selection – Three properties are critical in selecting a
glazing type. They are:
i. Shading Coefficient (SC) value of glass – lower the value lower is the
radiation heat transmittance through the glazing
ii. Visible Light Transmittance (VLT) of glass – Higher the value, better
is the day light transmittance through the glazing
iii. U-value of glass – lower the value, lower is the conduction heat gain
through the glazing.
Singapore uses Envelope Thermal Transmittance Value (ETTV) to study the

performance of a tropical façade. ETTV is the total peak heat gain through the unit area
of the façade. As Singapore has predominantly heat gain as the only external variable
for cooling load, ETTV has been used as a means to administer, control and optimize
heat gain through facades.
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FMT3 Passive Design
Figure 2.1 showing an illustration of sun path in accordance with latitudes and
hence the corresponding response in terms of orientation
Source: https://greenpassivesolar.com/passive-solar/scientific-principles/
movement-of-the-sun/
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FMT3 Passive Design
Figure 2.2 showing a simple illustration of window to wall ratios
Source: BCA GM Platinum series publications
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Figure 2.3 showing different kinds of shading and the corresponding impacts
Source: GM Platinum series publications
Use of appropriate finishes minimizing impact of radiation
External façade finishes play an important role in determining the amount of heat
conducted through the façade.
• The term solar reflectance (SR) designates the total reflectance of a surface,
considering the hemispherical reflectance of radiation, integrated over the solar
spectrum, including specular and diffused reflection.
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• The infrared emittance (e) specifies how well a surface radiates energy away from
itself as compared with a black body operating at the same temperature.
• The Solar Reflectance Index (SRI) is a measure of a surfaces' (roof) ability to reject
solar heat, as shown by a small temperature rise. It is defined so that a standard
black (reflectance 0.05, emittance 0.90) is 0 and a standard white (reflectance 0.80,
emittance 0.90) is 100. (Source: LBNL Cool Roofing Materials Database)
Figure 2.4 showing the use of high SRI finishes enables a reduction of the
surface temperature of the roof and similar effects have been perceived in earlier
studies on facades as well.
Figure 2.5 showing various materials and the corresponding SRI
Source: LBNL
New materials and technologies (Phase Change Materials)
• Phase change materials (PCMs) are solid materials at room temperature.

• They can smooth temperature fluctuations in room temperature by lowering the
peak temperatures.
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• When the temperature become warmer, they liquefy, absorb and store heat, thus
cooling the space.
• When the temperature drops, the material will solidify and give off heat,
warming the space at night.
Figure 2.6 showing Phase Change materials (PCM) working method
1.3 Natural Daylighting

Designing for daylighting starts from adhering to good site planning principles. In
Singapore, all facades receive direct light and hence direct radiation from the sun.
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Therefore, there is always a constant conflict between light and heat in spaces. The
objective in maximizing daylight is to only avail the visible light quantity in to space
excluding the heat component. However, many times, excluding the heat from the
exterior becomes prioritized and hence daylighting suffers badly. Most buildings in
Singapore designed with glass facades end up with blinds all through the day. Figure 2.7
below show sample images of the same.
Figure 2.7 showing that glazed facades are covered with blinds and curtains
A good design for daylighting enable glare control and allow for light redirection in
to deeper spaces. In conjunction with the above daylighting strategy, the colours of the
interior systems and the design of the same should also synergize in order to harvest
the maximized daylighting potential within a space. Most often, achieving a 3 – 5m
penetration of usable daylight within a space in Singapore becomes a challenge to the
designer.
1.4 Vertical Greenery for Cooling

a. Plants help in reducing the temperature when solid facades are covered with
foliage exposing only the windows.
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b. Vertical green facades add on layers of resistance to the solid walls and help in
reducing the U-value of the walls. This enables reduction of the conduction
heat gain through the facades.
c. Vertical green walls are used as replacements to screens in front of glass
windows, to create a porous, breathing and shading system in front of
windows. This enhances the shading percentage on the glazing and hence
substantially reduces the amount of incident radiation on the façade. However,
care has to be taken to ensure that the lighting is not adversely affected in
carrying out this step.
Figure 2.8 showing a building with a green façade in Singapore, Credit: SAA architects
1.5 Natural Ventilation

Natural ventilation is dependent on three parameters
• Wind velocity
◦ Wind ventilation is not effective unless wind speed is in excess of 2.5 m/s
• Wind direction
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◦ Wind direction changes on a daily basis or seasonal basis, so you design for
the majority of the year.
• Temperature difference
◦ As the temperature difference increases, the density of air decreases, air rises.
◦ Temperature difference between inside and outside of the building, and
between different areas of the building, create pressure differences and in
turn air movement. (STACK EFFECT)
Figure 2.9 showing the different air flow patterns around different geometries
Source: www.aeromodelling.blogspot.com
Figure 2.10 showing different airflow profiles around buildings in pressure driven
ventilation
Source: GM Platinum building series
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Figure 2.11 showing stack ventilation in buildings (wind flow by thermal buoyancy)
Source: Genzyme centre, Behnisch Architekten
Effective Cross ventilation in residential buildings requires three important conditions

to be followed:
• Provision of an inlet and an outlet

• Distance between an inlet and outlet not more than 12 m
• Appropriate position of the inlets and outlets & size of inlet and outlets
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Figure 2.12 showing a simple illustration of cross ventilation in spaces
Source: Building Planning and massing, GM Platinum series publication
Ventilation comfort in spaces
Figure 2.13 showing Singapore’s ventilation comfort chart
Source: Prof. Wong’s study
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Table 2.1 illustrating the different bands of air movement requirements for a tropical space to be naturally
ventilated
The ventilation comfort in different naturally ventilated spaces differs in accordance

with the temperature and RH of the particular space. Air movement enables the shift of
the bioclimatic comfort range and hence the corresponding velocity requirement is
dependent on other thermal parameters.
The study above shows that an indoor space could be deemed comfortable at 31 deg
C with 65% RH at a wind speed of 0.6 m/s. Green mark rating system
(www.bca.gov.sg/ greenmark ) stipulates the indoor spaces in naturally ventilated
areas to achieve an average wind speed of 0.6 m/s in order to satisfy the criteria of
comfort.
1.6 Rainwater Harvesting (Water Conservation)

Singapore has traditionally been very reliant on the import of water, especially from
Malaysia. Since 2002 though, the Public Utilities Board (PUB) has been working on a “4
water taps” national strategy to wean the nation’s reliance on water imports1. The target
is to achieve 95% local water generation by 2060. The “4 water taps” are:
• Recycling of water via NEWater

• Desalinated water, a process of producing potable water from seawater via
reverse osmosis
• Water from local catchment
• Import of water
1
https://www.pub.gov.sg/watersupply/fournationaltaps
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In addition to the above 4 water taps, PUB also aims to reduce the per capita water
consumption from 160 litres per person per day in 2005 to 130 litres person per day by
2030.
For the built environment, there are several ways to support the national water
conservation efforts. These include:
• Use of water efficient sanitary and plumbing appliances

• Use of water efficient landscape and methodology
• Rainwater harvesting
Rainwater Harvesting
Rainwater harvesting is usually done on site. This requires the design to identify the
“catchment areas” within the development, spaces where the rainwater can be
channelled to a storage or holding area to be recycled.
These “catchment areas” are often large open spaces like rooftops, landscaping areas
and gardens as well as paved areas. Depending on the development, the water is then
channelled to a storage tank that is housed within the development.
Once stored, the water can then be used for non-potable purposes such as the washing
of common areas, flushing of sanitary appliances as well as irrigation of landscapes and
softscapes.
Before the rainwater can be reused though, it has to comply with PUB’s
requirements, stated in this document here (https://www.pub.gov.sg/Documents/
GuidanceNotes.pdf). Some of the requirements include the management of water
quality as well as proper discharge.
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Read
Ken Yeang’s eco-design book that discusses bioclimatic design for the tropics
Activity 2.1
Use a wind anemometer and measure the wind velocities along the following points within a HDB esta
Outdoor area
Void deck
Corridors
Master Bed room
Living room
Guest room
And comment on the wind patterns across a straight line.
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Summary
This unit has provided a summary of the passive design strategies deployable in
tropical buildings. Natural ventilation in tropical buildings is dealt in detail in order to
assess the parameters necessary to make natural ventilation work in Singapore
buildings.
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1. What are the various factors you should consider when designing for a building
façade in the tropics?
a. Orientation of the building, appropriate shading devices, use of renewable
energy, selection of materials
b. Orientation of the building, appropriate shading devices, right window to
wall ratio, selection of materials
c. Site selection, appropriate shading devices, use of renewable energy,
selection of materials
d. Site selection, right window to wall ratio, use of renewable energy, selection
of materials
2. In Singapore’s context, what does ETTV measure?

a. ETTV is the total peak heat gain through the unit area of the façade.
b. ETTV is the total light transmittance gain through the unit area of the façade.
c. ETTV is the total peak heat gain through the total area of the façade.
d. ETTV is the total light transmittance gain through the total area of the façade.
3. What is the recommended U-value of wall materials to minimise the impact of

conduction heat gain through the façade?
a. Between 2.0 to 2.5 W/m2.K
b. Between 2.5 to 3.0 W/m2.K
c. Below 2.0 W/m2.K
d. Any value, as U-value is not critical as compared to SC value.
4. Which of the following is false of Phase Change Materials (PCMs)?

a. They are solid materials at room temperature.
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b. They can smooth temperature fluctuations in room temperature by lowering

the peak temperatures.
c. When the temperature become warmer, they liquefy, absorb and store heat,
thus cooling the space.
d. When the temperature drops, the material will solidify and give off heat and
light, warming and illuminating the space at night.
5. What are some of the various factors to consider when designing for good indoor
natural daylighting?
a. VLT and SC values of the glazing material, orientation of the building,
colours of the building exterior
b. Glare control, redirection of daylight, orientation of the building, colours of
the building exterior
c. VLT of the glazing material, glare control, sunshading devices, colours of the
building interior
d. Glare control, redirection of daylight, VLT and SC values of the glazing
material, colours of the building interior
6. How does vertical greenery help in tropical façade design?

a. It helps to reduce U-value of the exterior building walls as well as increase
SC value of the glazing.
b. It helps to increase the SC value of the exterior building walls.
c. It helps to reduce U-value as well as VLT of the building glazing.
d. It helps to reduce both the U-value and SC values of the exterior building walls.
7. What the 3 important conditions for effective cross ventilation to occur?

a. Provision of an inlet and outlet, distance between inlet and outlet should be
less than 12m, appropriate position of the inlets and outlets as well as size of
inlets and outlets
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b. Provision of an inlet and outlet, distance between inlet and outlet should be
outlets
c. Provision of an inlet and outlet, distance between inlet and outlet should be
outlets
d. Provision of an inlet and outlet, distance between inlet and outlet should be
inlets and outlets
8. What is considered to be an effective minimum speed for wind ventilation?

a. Between 1.0 to 1.5m/s
b. Between 1.5 to 2.0m/s
c. Between 2.0 to 2.5m/s
d. Between 2.5 to 3.0m/s
9. As part of the national strategy to conserve water, what is the target PUB is aiming
to achieve with regards to water consumption on a per capita basis by 2030?
a. 120 litres/per person/per day
b. 125 litres/per person/per day
c. 130 litres/per person/per day
d. 135 litres/per person/per day
10. What is not considered to be an effective catchment area for rainwater to be recycled?
a. Open rooftops
b. Internal common corridors and lobbies
c. Hardscapes surrounding a building
d. Open turfed area within the site
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1. What are the various factors you should consider when designing for a building
façade in the tropics?
a. Orientation of the building, appropriate shading devices, use of renewable
energy, selection of materials
Incorrect. Refer to Study Unit 2, Chapter 1.
b. Orientation of the building, appropriate shading devices, right window to

wall ratio, selection of materials
Correct. Refer to Study Unit 2, Chapter 1.
c. Site selection, appropriate shading devices, use of renewable energy,

d. Site selection, right window to wall ratio, use of renewable energy,

2. In Singapore’s context, what does ETTV measure?

a. ETTV is the total peak heat gain through the unit area of the façade.
b. ETTV is the total light transmittance gain through the unit area of the
façade. Incorrect. Refer to Study Unit 2, Chapter 1.
c. ETTV is the total peak heat gain through the total area of the
façade. Incorrect. Refer to Study Unit 2, Chapter 1.
d. ETTV is the total light transmittance gain through the total area of the façade.
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3. What is the recommended U-value of wall materials to minimise the impact of

conduction heat gain through the façade?
a. Between 2.0 to 2.5 W/m2.K
b. Between 2.5 to 3.0 W/m2.K

c. Below 2.0 W/m2.K

d. Any value, as U-value is not critical as compared to SC

value. Incorrect. Refer to Study Unit 2, Chapter 1.
4. Which of the following is false of Phase Change Materials (PCMs)?

a. They are solid materials at room
temperature. Incorrect. Refer to Study Unit 2,
Chapter 1.
b. They can smooth temperature fluctuations in room temperature by

lowering the peak temperatures.
c. When the temperature become warmer, they liquefy, absorb and store heat,
thus cooling the space.
d. When the temperature drops, the material will solidify and give off heat
and light, warming and illuminating the space at night.
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5. What are some of the various factors to consider when designing for good indoor
natural daylighting?
a. VLT and SC values of the glazing material, orientation of the building,
colours of the building exterior
b. Glare control, redirection of daylight, orientation of the building, colours of

the building exterior
c. VLT of the glazing material, glare control, sunshading devices, colours of

the building interior
d. Glare control, redirection of daylight, VLT and SC values of the glazing

material, colours of the building interior
6. How does vertical greenery help in tropical façade design?

a. It helps to reduce U-value of the exterior building walls as well as increase
SC value of the glazing.
b. It helps to increase the SC value of the exterior building

walls. Incorrect. Refer to Study Unit 2, Chapter 1.
c. It helps to reduce U-value as well as VLT of the building

glazing. Incorrect. Refer to Study Unit 2, Chapter 1.
d. It helps to reduce both the U-value and SC values of the exterior building
walls.
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7. What the 3 important conditions for effective cross ventilation to occur?

a. Provision of an inlet and outlet, distance between inlet and outlet should be
less than 12m, appropriate position of the inlets and outlets as well as size
of inlets and outlets
b. Provision of an inlet and outlet, distance between inlet and outlet should be
of outlets
c. Provision of an inlet and outlet, distance between inlet and outlet should be
of outlets
d. Provision of an inlet and outlet, distance between inlet and outlet should be
of inlets and outlets
8. What is considered to be an effective minimum speed for wind ventilation?

a. Between 1.0 to 1.5m/s
b. Between 1.5 to 2.0m/s

c. Between 2.0 to 2.5m/s

d. Between 2.5 to 3.0m/s
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9. As part of the national strategy to conserve water, what is the target PUB is aiming
to achieve with regards to water consumption on a per capita basis by 2030?
a. 120 litres/per person/per day
b. 125 litres/per person/per day

c. 130 litres/per person/per day

d. 135 litres/per person/per day

10. What is not considered to be an effective catchment area for rainwater to be recycled?
a. Open rooftops
b. Internal common corridors and lobbies

c. Hardscapes surrounding a building

Incorrect. Refer to Study Unit 2, Chapter
1.
d. Open turfed area within the site

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References
Green building platinum series. (n.d.). Building planning and massing. https://
www.bca.gov.sg/greenmark/others/bldgplanningmassing.pdf
Yeang, K. (2006). Ecodesign: A manual for ecological design. Wiley Academy.
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3
Study
Unit
Active Design Strategies

FMT3 Active Design
Learning Outcomes
At the end of this unit, students will be able to:
1. Understand the various active systems in buildings and the key performance
indicators associated with the energy performance of the system
2. Understand the various forms of renewable energy sources available and
deployable in buildings of Singapore.
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Overview
Most buildings rely on purchased grid energy and these are traditionally generated by
power stations via the burning of fossil fuels such as coal. However, the process of
burning these fuel sources spew out greenhouse gases (GHGs) such as carbon dioxide
into the atmosphere and thus, contribute to climate change.
“Renewable energy is energy that is derived from natural processes that are replenished
constantly”. Unlike fossil fuels, renewable energy does not pollute the environment as
they generally do not produce harmful greenhouse gases. Some examples of renewable
energy sources are solar, wind, water (in the form of tides and waves), biomass and
geothermal energy. The potential to generate energy from renewable sources is largely
dependent on the location as well as availability of these natural resources.
Unfortunately, most of these natural resources are either not available or in inadequate
amounts in Singapore for us to harness from.
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Chapter 1: Active Design Strategies
There are four main active systems in buildings:
1. Air conditioning and distribution

2. Artificial Lighting
3. Mechanical Ventilation
4. Lifts, escalators and miscellaneous equipment
1.1 Air conditioning and distribution

Air conditioning is the process of cooling and dehumidifying a space to maintain
controlled thermal comfort conditions within the space. A space is defined comfortable
if more than 80% of the occupants within the space feel satisfied with the comfort levels
of the space (ASHRAE, USA). Generally, our guidelines for thermal comfort and IAQ in
office spaces prescribe guideline values for three physical parameters:
• Temperature – 22.5 to 25.5 deg C

• RH ≤ 70%
• Air velocity ≤ 0.25 m/s
Typically, a large air conditioning system within a building has two different systems
namely:
• Chilled Water distribution system

• Air distribution system
Chilled water-based systems have become popular for large-sized installations due to
the enhanced energy performance of these systems. In typical office buildings nearly
60% of the building’s energy footprint is attributable to air conditioning systems. There
are four components that consume energy under the water side:
1. Chiller
2. Chilled water pumps
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3. Condenser water pumps

4. Cooling Towers
Figure 3.1 showing the overall configuration of a chiller plant and air handling system
Source: http://www.energyland.emsd.gov.hk/en/appAndEquip/equipment/
air_conditioning/vsd.html
There are three different types of chillers:
• Air
• Water
• Evaporative condensed chiller
There are four sub-categories in each of the above categories for chillers:
• Reciprocating
• Centrifugal
• Screw driven
• Absorption
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The first three types are mechanical chillers which are powered by electric motors,
steam, or gas turbines. An absorption chiller is powered by a heat source such as steam
and uses no moving parts.
The Coefficient of Performance - COP - is the basic unit less parameter used to report
the efficiency of refrigerant based systems. For cooling, COP is defined as the ratio of the
rate of heat removal to the rate of energy input to the compressor.
The Coefficient of Performance - COP - is the ratio between useful energy acquired and
energy applied and can be expressed as:
COP = Eu / Ea
COP = Coefficient Of Performance
Eu = Useful energy acquired
Ea =Energy applied
The term kW/ton is commonly used for large commercial and industrial air-
conditioning, heat pumps and refrigeration systems. The term is defined as the ratio of
the rate of energy consumption in kW to the rate of heat removal in tons at the rated
condition. The lower the kW/ton, the more efficient the system.
BCA’s Green Mark rating system limits the minimum design system efficiency (DSE) of
building cooling systems, as follows:
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Table 3.1 Types of building cooling systems and related cooling loads (RT)
Pumps
• In chilled water systems, centrifugal pumps are the prime movers that create the
differential pressure necessary to circulate water through the chilled and
condenser water distribution system. Primary only and Primary-secondary
pumping systems are two different pumping systems in practice.
• Primary-only systems usually cost less and take up less space than primary-
secondary systems, and with variable-speed drives, primary-only systems also
typically use less pump energy than traditional (non-distributed) primary-
secondary systems.
• The pump energy savings are due to the following:
◦ Reduced system head as a result of the elimination of the extra set of
pumps and related piping and devices (shut-off valves, strainers, suction
diffusers, check valves, etc.).
◦ More efficient pumps.
◦ Variable flow through the evaporator, which allows flow to drop below
design flow down to some minimum flow rate
◦ Near “cube-law” performance of variable-speed drives that yield
significant energy savings for even small reductions in flow.
• A primary-secondary system is probably a better choice for buildings where fail-
safe operation is essential or on-site operating staff is unsophisticated or non-
existent.
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• Under the green mark rating system for non-residential buildings version 4.1, the
limiting power consumption of the pumps are as given below:
◦ Chilled water pump power limitation shall be 349 kW/m3/s.
◦ Condenser water pump power limitation shall be 301 kW/m3/s.
Cooling Towers
• Cooling towers use the internal heat to vaporize the water in what is called an
adiabatic saturation process.
• A cooling tower’s purpose is to expose as much water surface area to air as
possible to promote the evaporation of the water.
• The performance of a cooling tower is a function of the ambient wet-bulb
temperature, entering water temperature, air flow and water flow.
• The dry-bulb temperature has an insignificant effect on the performance of a
cooling tower. “Nominal” cooling tower tons are the capacity based on a 3 gpm
flow, 95°F entering water temperature, 85°F leaving water temperature, and 78°F
entering wet-bulb temperature. For these conditions the range is 10°F (95-85) and
the approach is 7°F (85-78).
• Under the BCA’s Green Mark rating system for non-residential buildings (NRB)
version 4.1, the limiting power consumption of a cooling tower is given as
follows:
◦ For propeller and axial fans, cooling towers performance shall not be less
than 3.23 L/s/kW
◦ For centrifugal fan cooling towers, the performance shall not be less than
1.7 L/s/kW.
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Figure 3.2 showing the power consumption of different cooling tower

configurations
Source: https://tayloreng.egnyte.com/dl/ui3Jf0FuWy/
EDR_Design_Guidelines_CoolTools_Chilled_Water.pdf_
Air Handling Units
The air side has the “fan energy” that needs to be accounted for. Generally, air side
systems have two different components of air namely, outdoor air (OA) and return air
(RA). Although OA is a small component of the total air flow, it generally consumes
more energy to cool and dehumidify outdoor air. Hence, monitoring and supplying
adequate outdoor air as demanded is essential to control the energy consumed by the air
distribution system. Depending on whether the air distribution system has a constant or
variable air volume, the limiting efficiencies of the system are spelt out in SS 553 – Code
of Practice for Air- conditioning and Mechanical Ventilation in buildings.
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Green Mark for non-residential buildings suggests two different options to cap the
maximum system efficiency of fans in an air handling unit.
Option 1:
Using SS 553: 2009 Table 8 – Fan power limitation, in which large fans are allowed a
motor name plate power of 0.47 W/cmh and smaller fans have no baseline. Fans with a
name plate motor power of < 4 kW are termed as small fans.
Option 2:
Using Fan system Input power (ASHRAE 90.1: 2010 Clause 6.5.3.1) which caps the
allowable fan system input power at 0.42 W/cmh for larger fans and at 0.17 W/cmh for
small fans.
Some of the components which consume a significant amount of electricity in Air

Handling Units are:
• Water treatment systems

• Pumps for heat exchangers and humidifiers
• Motors for rotary heat exchangers
• Electrical motors for the fans including speed control systems
Variable Speed Drives (VSDs) are thus often used in an electric motor to lower the
energy consumption.
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Figure 3.3 showing motor energy savings with a Variable Speed Drive
(VSD)
• VSDs are variable motor controllers that allow the speed of any three-phase
electric motor to be throttled anywhere from 0 to 120% of its normal rated speed.
The speed is measured in revolutions per minute (RPM).
• VSDs help to increase efficiency by throttling the motor speed to be operated at
the optimum speed for differing load conditions. In many situations, VSDs can
help lower motor electricity consumption by as much as 30-60%.
• Most electric motors can be mated with a VSD to achieve energy savings.
However, the highest energy savings are often observed when VSDs are mated to
fan motors and pumping system motors. This is largely due to the fact that most
of these systems are often oversized or have to respond to widely differing load
conditions.
• For many of these systems, the excess capacity generated is still handled by
mechanically throttling the airflow with either valves or dampers. However, with
VSDs and by altering the speed of the electric motors that power these fans
and pump systems, they are able to align with optimized system loads and
configurations while being able to capture the energy efficiency benefits offered
by the so-called “Fan Laws” at the same time.
• The Fan Laws state that the power required by most fans or pumps varies with
the cube of speed but that output varies directly with speed. For example, if a fan
load is 50% of its total capacity during some periods of its operation, the fan’s
speed can
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be reduced to 50% to exactly meet that load, while the fan power is reduced by over
85% = ((1 - 0.53)*100%).
Heat recovery systems
Figure 3.4 showing a schematic representation of a heat recovery system
Source: https://www.airtecnics.com/technology/heat-recovery-overview
• The most effective way of recovering energy from ventilation and air –
conditioning systems is to make use of recirculated air.
• Common uses (or 'sinks') for recovered heat include:
◦ pre-heating combustion air for boilers, ovens, furnaces, and so on
◦ pre-heating fresh air used to ventilate the building
◦ hot water generation, including pre-heating boiler feed water
◦ space heating
◦ drying
◦ other industrial process heating/pre-heating
◦ power generation.
• The various technologies available for heat recovery in ventilation systems and
their corresponding efficiencies are given below:
◦ Plate heat exchanger - 55% - 60%
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◦ Thermal wheel - 65% - 75%

◦ Run around coil - 45% - 50%
◦ Heat pump - 35% - 50%
◦ Heat pipes - 60% - 65%
1.2 Artificial Lighting

Artificial lighting consumes nearly 20 – 25% of the overall energy consumption of a
typical office building. Lighting in general can be divided into general/ambient
lighting and task lighting for specific types of spaces. General spaces which rely solely
on ambient lighting like corridors, staircases, lobbies and toilets have become more
efficient in the use of lighting systems these days.
Lighting Power Density (LPD) is the general term used to express the density of lighting
wattage used within a typical space.
W/m2
The typical lighting power densities of various spaces that are typically used as baseline
is given in SS 530 and the tabulation below is extracted from the same.
Table 3.2 shows the baseline lighting power densities of some of the typical spaces
found in buildings
Table 3.2 Types of Spaces and lighting power densities
Source: SS 530 – Code of Practice for Energy Efficiency standard for building services and equipment
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For luminaires in buildings, the illuminance, lamp efficacies and the light output ratios
shall follow those that are spelt out in SS 531: Part 1 – Code of practice for lighting of
work places – indoor.
1.3 Mechanical Ventilation

Generally, car parks, staircases and other service/utility rooms are mechanically
ventilated in buildings. Most of these spaces use a Constant Air Volume (CAV) system
as the choice system and they are operated for 24 hours a day. They are extremely
energy intensive in buildings with multi-basement car parks.
Fully enclosed basement and above-ground car parks must employ mechanical
ventilation systems that achieve the minimum operating standards as follows:
• Six air changes/hour or ACH

• Ten air changes/hour or ACH at exits, ramps and where vehicles are likely to be
queuing with their engines running
• Limiting concentration of CO particles to < 50ppm averaged over an eight-hour
period and 100ppm for peak concentrations at ramps and enclosed exits.
Mechanical ventilation systems have been using ducts to carry air around until soffit-
mounted jet or impulse fans were introduced. The former lost much favour to the latter
due to its high costs and visually intrusive characteristics. Soffit-mounted fans control
the airflow both at floor and ceiling heights unlike ducts.
1.4 Elevators, escalators and miscellaneous equipment

Vertical transportation systems take up around 3 – 5% of the building’s overall energy
consumption depending on the number of lifts within the building. Elevators installed
with energy efficient features such as AC (alternating current) variable voltage and
variable frequency (VVVF) motor drive or equivalent mode and, escalators with step
sensor and sleep mode are generally preferred as energy saving methods in vertical
transportation systems. For high rise buildings, elevators with regenerative drives are
recommended.
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Receptacle loads vary in terms of extent and diversity depending on the type of
building. ASHRAE 90.1 standard gives the indicative receptacle loads for different types
of building types and the tabulation below shows the same for a few types of spaces:
Table 3.3 Types of Spaces and receptacle load
Source: SS 530 –Code of Practice for Energy Efficiency standard for building services and equipment
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Chapter 2: Renewable Energy
There are primarily five types of renewable energy sources that are more suited for the
tropics namely
1. Photovoltaics
2. Geothermal Energy
3. Biomass
4. Hydrogen
5. Wind Energy
2.1 Photovoltaics
• Photovoltaics (PV), or otherwise known as solar cells, is an energy source that
provides clean, quiet and pollution free energy which generates an electrical
potential output when light falls on it. 1 square metre of PV panels will be able to
generate approximately an average of 100 watts of electrical energy.
• There are three types of PV being produced and in wide use today, namely
monocrystalline silicon (single crystal)), polycrystalline silicon (gallium-arsenide
cells), and amorphous silicon cells. The efficiencies of the different PV cells have
been tabulated below.
• In terms of cost the single-crystal (monocrystalline) solar cells cost more than
polycrystalline and amorphous cells. Polycrystalline cells use metallurgical-grade
silicon that is cheaper compared to the energy consuming semiconductor grade
silicon used in monocrystalline cells.
• Manufacturing processes for amorphous PV cells use far less material than other
cell types and the product of this could be applied as a thin film to a variety of
materials. These thin film panels have shown promising efficiencies as high as
20%. Furthermore, the development of amorphous panels has led to
architecturally integrated solar cells.
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• The main component of the solar PV cell array is the power inverter. It functions
in transforming direct current (DC) produced by the solar cells to alternating
current (AC) at grid voltage.
• Predominantly PV panels are connected directly to the main power grid and this
has been found to be advantageous and cost effective compared to having to own
and maintain a bank of costly batteries for electrical storage.
• Recent developments in the field of PV is the use of nanotechnology in producing
nanocrystals that absorb sunlight and turn it into a high efficient flow of electrons
compared to the less efficient conventional solar cells.
Table 3.4 showing the efficiency of different types of photovoltaics
• A recent similar development is the Graetzel cell, which is a dye molecule used to
capture the energy from sunlight. When light is incident on this cell, its molecules
get excited to a higher state and at this state the molecule separates the charge by
passing an electron from the dye molecule to a nanoparticle of a white crystal of
titanium dioxide.
Building Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV)
As part of the sustainable drive in Singapore, many new developments are including
photovoltaics as part of the overall design. This is known as Building Integrated
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Photovoltaics or BIPV. There are several advantages to this as opposed to doing it later,
during the building’s lifespan:
• Lower installation cost; no need for retrofitting

• Optimisation of PV design and installation
• Leveraging on lower electrical consumption from the start
• Achieving super low energy or zero energy targets
Developments with BIPV often integrates the PV into the structure, which allows for the
larger, heavier and more efficient monocrystalline cells. Often, these would be found on
the rooftops, although they can also be installed along the facades.
Figure 3.5 BIPV installation on roof (left, Sentosa Cove) and façade (right, Keppel
DHCS 1)
Source: National Solar Repository Singapore
Solar Leasing
Aside from on-site installation of PV and generation, there are other alternatives that
building owners can pursue.
PV panels, despite the lowering of costs, are still not cheap to install. One avenue that
building owners can pursue is rooftop leasing. What this means is that if the
development has adequate space on the rooftop for PV installation, the building owner
can enter into a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with a company like Sunseap
(www.sunseap.com/sg). Solar PPAs allow the building owners to utilize solar energy
without having to pay any
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upfront investment cost. Depending on the agreement, solar PPAs can sometimes fully
finance the solar systems, as well as cover the installation and maintenance.
Another alternative for building owners is to directly purchase renewable energy from
electricity retailers without having the need (or space) to have on-site PV panels. One
example is the Apple Inc. In 2018, Apple announced that all of its operations 1, be it
offices, data centres or retail outlets, are powered by renewables. Many of its retail
outlets, including the Apple Store in Orchard Road, uses renewable energy directly
purchased
from an electricity retailer2.
Lesson Recording
2.2 Geothermal Energy

• Geothermal energy is a potential source of renewable energy which hasn’t been
exploited widely. Currently they make up only 0.1% of total world energy. In this
the heat from the hot water and steam that lies deep beneath the earth surface is
used to generate electricity. Nevertheless geothermal application in Singapore is
limited.
o
• Singapore has excellent heat flow with a geothermal gradient of 32 – 40 C/
Km. Areas like Sembawang (hot springs), Bukit Timah (granite reserves), Jurong
Island have potential for geothermal energy generation. The heat obtained from
this process could be put to use to generate electricty, process heating and district
cooling. However, for usage in buildings, geothermal energy in Singapore as a
renewable resource has very limited applications.
1 https://www.apple.com/sg/newsroom/2018/04/apple-now-globally-powered-by-100-percent-
renewable-energy/
2 https://www.straitstimes.com/tech/first-looks-at-the-apple-orchard-road-store
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• For geothermal energy to be tapped in Singapore, it would require the drilling of

directional wells down to 3km deep into hot, wet, fractured granite under a
thermal blanket. This will then access the hot water in which the generation of
electricity will arise from either 70o C hot water through binary cycle turbines or
from~150 conventional steam turbines.
2.3 Biomass
• Biomass is a form of agricultural and industrial waste that can be used to
generate electricity, to electrolyse water and produce hydrogen. It is any organic
substance available, which stores solar energy by the process of photosynthesis in
the presence of sunlight.
• Biomass in Singapore is mainly derived from food waste, horticultural waste,
waste paper and wood waste. Once compiled, the waste is then transported to the
local waste-to-energy plants for conversion into energy.
• Bio-energy is the energy obtained from Biomass. SembCorp is one of the
companies which has implemented biomass to generate electricity and process
heating.
• Another form of bio-energy can be obtained from bio-diesel, which is generated
from either waste food or waste cooking oil. This energy is usually harnessed in
waste-to-energy plants or cogeneration power plants.
2.4 Hydrogen
• Hydrogen fuel cells are devices that generate electricity via a chemical reaction in
which hydrogen is required for the fuel cell to function.
• In principle, a fuel cell operates much like a traditional battery. Unlike a
traditional battery though, a hydrogen fuel cell does not require recharging but
will continue to function and generate energy as long as hydrogen is provided.
The energy produced is in the form of electrical charges and heat.
• Typically, a single hydrogen fuel cell can only generate power outputs of dozens
or hundreds of watts. For operations in a building or a vehicle, many of these
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hydrogen fuel cells are assembled in modules known as stacks so as to produce a

larger amount of electricity.
Figure 3.6 showing an illustration of how a fuel cell works
2.5 Wind Energy

• There is potential to generate electricity from wind energy within Singapore. The
most important aspect of implementing wind generators is the sizing of the
blades which has to go in line with the available wind speeds in the country.
• As part of the feasibility study to harness wind energy, one has to check with
the local climatic conditions with regards to average wind speeds and prevailing
directions to help size wind systems. The local weather stations have historical
data that would aid in this study. A better way to understand the local wind
conditions would be the use of an anemometer on site as this would then produce
site specific data.
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• In areas with inconsistent wind, a series of a low-cost micro-wind turbines are

more ideal than a larger wind turbine, as this would help to generate more
consistent power.
• To understand the suitability of individual wind turbines, do check on the
manufacturer’s specifications and especially the rated power curves of the wind
turbines. This is because some wind turbine models may have very high outputs
at higher wind speeds and have drastic drop in performance at slightly lower
wind speeds. This may hamper the overall performance of the wind power
generation required.
• As a general rule of thumb, wind turbine generators should be installed away
from any large structures and at least 6 meters higher than any obstructions. The
installation mounts should be well grounded. If possible, wind towers and blades
should come with tilt features that permit the lowering of the turbine to the
ground in the event of severe inclement weather.
Generally, renewable energy systems are considered to be high-cost items in green

building designs. Although costs of renewable systems are reducing over time, there is a
mental impedance in the adoption of renewable technologies as they have traditionally
been associated with high costs. The table below gives efficiency and installation
capacities of typical renewable energy systems.
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Table 3.5 shows the typical installation capacities and efficiency percentages of different renewable energy
systems
Source: Data adapted from Eco design, Ken Yeang
Read
Read on Introduction to Fuel Cell-Micro CHP Technology for Commercial & Residential Bldg
Activity 3.1
Work out the typical energy consumption of a landed home and calculate the quantity of solar pow
Also, work out the actual roof area required for the solar cells to meet the net zero target
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Activity 3.2
Read on regenerative drives for lifts and attempt the MCQ questions attached therewith:
Activity 3.3
Read the article and video attached and understand how jet fans work:
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Summary
The unit gives an overview of active systems in buildings and the corresponding
energy indices that correspond to the performance of the system in the context of the
whole building. It also introduces the various renewable sources of energy possible for
deployment in tropical buildings.
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1. What are the recommended indoor physical parameters for good thermal comfort
and IAQ, according to ASHRAE?
a. Temperature – 22.5⁰C to 25.5⁰C, Relative Humidity ≤70%, Air velocity
≤0.25m/ s
b. Temperature – 21.5⁰C to 26.5⁰C, Relative Humidity ≤70%, Air velocity
≤0.35m/ s
c. Temperature – 22.5⁰C to 25.5⁰C, Relative Humidity ≤60%, Air velocity
≤0.35m/ s
d. Temperature – 22.5⁰C to 25.5⁰C, Relative Humidity ≤80%, Air velocity
≤0.35m/ s
2. Which of the following mechanical chillers are powered by electric motors, steam
or gas turbines?
a. Reciprocating, Screw driven, Absorption
b. Centrifugal, Screw driven, Absorption
c. Reciprocating, Centrifugal, Screw driven
d. Reciprocating, Centrifugal, Absorption
3. What is the minimum design system efficiency (kW/RT) for a water-cooled chiller
plant serving a building with a cooling load of more than 500RT?
a. 0.85
b. 0.80
c. 0.75
d. 0.70
4. According to SS530: Code of Practice for Energy Efficiency standard for building
services and equipment, what is the lighting power density (LPD) for an office
space?
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a. 15W/m2
b. 12W/m2
c. 10W/m2
d. 8W/m2
5. What are the minimum operating standards for basement or aboveground car park
ramps with regards to air changes per hour?
a. At least six air changes per hour
b. At least eight air changes per hour
c. At least ten air changes per hour
d. At least twelve air changes per hour
6. What is the typical energy consumption taken by artificial lighting in an office

building in Singapore?
a. Between 12.5% - 15.0%
b. Between 15.0% - 20.0%
c. Between 20.0% - 25.0%
d. Between 25.0% - 30.0%
7. On average, how much energy can 1m2 of photovoltaic panel produce?

a. 10W of energy
b. 100W of energy
c. 1kW of energy
d. 10kW of energy
8. In terms of energy production, which PV technology is the most efficient?

a. Mono-crystalline silicon
b. Poly-crystalline silicon
c. Amorphous silicon cells
d. Amorphous solar cells
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9. Which of the following statements is true about renewable energy sources?

a. Wind generation is the most promising in Singapore
b. Biomass in Singapore comes mostly from compost, sanitary waste and
animal carcasses.
c. Hydrogen fuel cells typically have the highest energy efficiency
d. Geothermal sources are abundant in Singapore
10. Which of the following statements is not true about solar leasing?
a. Solar PPAs allow building owners to lease out their free rooftop spaces for
PV installation.
b. Solar PPAs allow the building owners to utilize solar energy without having
to pay any upfront investment cost.
c. Building owners can opt to purchase renewable energy directly from any
electricity retailer.
d. Solar PPAs are not popular as they usually cost more than installing on-site
PV panels
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1. What are the recommended indoor physical parameters for good thermal comfort
and IAQ, according to ASHRAE?
a. Temperature – 22.5⁰C to 25.5⁰C, Relative Humidity ≤70%, Air velocity
≤0.25m/s
b. Temperature – 21.5⁰C to 26.5⁰C, Relative Humidity ≤70%, Air velocity

≤0.35m/s
c. Temperature – 22.5⁰C to 25.5⁰C, Relative Humidity ≤60%, Air velocity

≤0.35m/s
d. Temperature – 22.5⁰C to 25.5⁰C, Relative Humidity ≤80%, Air velocity

≤0.35m/s
2. Which of the following mechanical chillers are powered by electric motors, steam
or gas turbines?
a. Reciprocating, Screw driven, Absorption
1.
b. Centrifugal, Screw driven, Absorption

1.
c. Reciprocating, Centrifugal, Screw driven

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d. Reciprocating, Centrifugal, Absorption

1.
3. What is the minimum design system efficiency (kW/RT) for a water-cooled chiller
plant serving a building with a cooling load of more than 500RT?
a. 0.85
b. 0.80
c. 0.75
d. 0.70
4. According to SS530: Code of Practice for Energy Efficiency standard for building
services and equipment, what is the lighting power density (LPD) for an office
space?
a. 15W/m2
b. 12W/m2
c. 10W/m2
d. 8W/m2
5. What are the minimum operating standards for basement or aboveground car park
ramps with regards to air changes per hour?
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a. At least six air changes per hour

b. At least eight air changes per hour

1.
c. At least ten air changes per hour

d. At least twelve air changes per hour
1.
6. What is the typical energy consumption taken by artificial lighting in an office

building in Singapore?
a. Between 12.5% - 15.0%
b. Between 15.0% - 20.0%

c. Between 20.0% - 25.0%

d. Between 25.0% - 30.0%

7. On average, how much energy can 1m2 of photovoltaic panel produce?

a. 10W of energy
b. 100W of energy
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c. 1kW of energy
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d. 10kW of energy
8. In terms of energy production, which PV technology is the most efficient?

a. Mono-crystalline silicon
b. Poly-crystalline silicon
c. Amorphous silicon cells

d. Amorphous solar cells

9. Which of the following statements is true about renewable energy sources?

a. Wind generation is the most promising in
Singapore Incorrect. Refer to Study Unit 3, Chapter
2.
b. Biomass in Singapore comes mostly from compost, sanitary waste and

animal carcasses.
c. Hydrogen fuel cells typically have the highest energy efficiency

d. Geothermal sources are abundant in

Singapore Incorrect. Refer to Study Unit 3,
Chapter 2.
10. Which of the following statements is not true about solar leasing?
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a. Solar PPAs allow building owners to lease out their free rooftop spaces for
PV installation.
b. Solar PPAs allow the building owners to utilize solar energy without
having to pay any upfront investment cost.
c. Building owners can opt to purchase renewable energy directly from any
electricity retailer.
d. Solar PPAs are not popular as they usually cost more than installing on-site
PV panels
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References
BCA’s publication on existing buildings retrofit. (2010). http://www.bca.gov.sg/

GreenMark/others/existingbldgretrofit.pdf
Basics of fuel cell. (n.d.). https://americanhistory.si.edu/fuelcells/basics.htm
Chilled water plant design guidelines – Energy design resources.

(n.d.). https://tayloreng.egnyte.com/dl/ui3Jf0FuWy/
EDR_Design_Guidelines_CoolTools_Chilled_Water.pdf
Chiller efficiency – How to calculate. (n.d.). https://theengineeringmindset.com/chiller-
efficiency-calculate/
Energy efficient air handling units. (n.d.). http://www.eurovent-association.eu/fic_bdd/
document_en_fichier_pdf/eurovent-6-8.pdf
Industrial chillers – Cooling technology Inc. (n.d.). http://www.coolingtechnology.com/
service/industrial-chillers/
Introduction to fuel cell-micro CHP technology for commercial & residential bldg.
(n.d.). https://www.cibse.org/knowledge/knowledge-items/detail?
id=a0q20000008I71c
National solar repository of Singapore. (n.d.). https://www.solar-repository.sg/
Radiant floor cooling systems. (n.d.). https://

studentbranchtecnologicoargentino.files.wordpress.com/2010/03/radiant-floor-
cooling-systems.pdf
Review on energy audit policy standards and methodology. (n.d.). https://www.scribd.com/
document/409136371/Review-on-Energy-Audit-Policy-Standards-and-
Methodology
Solar energy research institute of Singapore (SERIS). (n.d.). https://www.seris.nus.edu.sg/
Yeang, K. (2006). Ecodesign: A manual for ecological design. Wiley Academy.
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4
Study
Unit
Green Mark 2021 – Introduction to

GM2021, Energy Efficiency (EE)
and Intelligence (In) Sections
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FMT3 Green Mark 2021 – Introduction to GM2021, Energy Efficiency (EE) and
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this unit, you should be able to:
1. Understand the background behind the move to Green Mark 2021

2. Understand the broad strategies for energy efficiency and control measures for
existing buildings
3. Understand the requirements for the Energy Efficiency Section
4. Understand the requirements for the Intelligence Section
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Overview
Students will learn broad strategies in approaching optimizing efficiency in existing

buildings via energy control measures. Students will also learn to compute the expected
scores and understand technical definitions for certain credits. Thereafter, this study
unit will introduce the key components for environmental sustainability in buildings
and offer credits and technical definitions behind the concepts in the Codes, in this case,
the prevailing Green Mark framework.
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Chapter 1: Introduction to Green Mark 2021
1.1 What is Green Mark 2021

The Green Mark 2021 (GM: 2021) has evolved from the previous Green Mark
framework to become:
• Simple – many pre-requisites have been removed, and the criteria have been
restructured to two broad categories: (1) Energy Efficiency (the only prerequisite)
and (2) Sustainability sections covering Intelligence, Health and Well-being,
Whole life Carbon, Maintainability and Resilience.
• Sustainable – the GM: 2021 criteria have been aligned to meet the United
Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs), pushing the energy
efficiency envelope to mainstream Super Low Energy buildings, and recognising
the future requirements from various sustainable finance taxonomies.
• Smart – GM: 2021 keeps digitalisation efforts in mind to facilitate easy, seamless
and secure certification processes.
In addition, GM: 2021 aims to be:
• owner-friendly – meeting building developers’ and owners’ needs for sustainable

operations and environmental social and governance (ESG) reporting and
demonstrating their leadership
• cost-effective – pushing the boundaries of sustainability with a value driven
approach, including environmental value, social value and economic value based
on a Life-Cycle Cost (LCC) approach
• user-friendly – a robust yet flexible framework, that brings all buildings into the
same ecosystem of GM: 2021.
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Read
Pages 7-8 of , Key Advancements in GM: 2021
1.2 Targeted Outcomes of Green Mark 2021

GM: 2021 aims to drive energy efficiency and carbon reduction in mitigating the effects
of climate change, as well as other sustainable aspects that deliver on addressing the key
sustainability drivers.
Globally, consensus is for Green Buildings to be defined through several key issues
including:
• climate action (decarbonisation of the built environment)

• health and well-being (resilience, social equity, pollution mitigation, health,
diversity)
• resources and circularity (regeneration of resources and natural systems)
BCA has identified the key aspects within these issues, which are relevant to the
marketplace, and translated them into the delivery of the UN SDGs, in alignment with
longer-term sustainable finance considerations. These have been contextualised into the
criteria to define the sustainability sections.
These sections, in addition to energy, are Intelligence (smart buildings), Health and
Wellbeing (the mental, physical and sociological aspects of buildings and their
operation), Whole Life Carbon (which looks at the embodied carbon, construction,
fit out and supports corporate plans to transition to zero carbon), Maintainability (the
design for safe and effective maintenance) and Resilience (nature-based solutions and
leadership).
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Figure 4.1 Green Mark Sections mapped to UN SDGs
(https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/sustainable-development-goals/)
Read
Pages 11-13 of , Key Advancements in GM: 2021
1.3 GM: 2021 Assessment Framework

The GM: 2021 certification framework covers the following:
1. New developments, at the design and completion (as built) stage

2. Existing buildings in operation, with no previous Green Mark certification
3. Existing buildings with major
retrofit GM: 2021 In Operations would apply
for:
• Existing buildings in operation that have previously held Green Mark

certification, and with no major energy use change
• Projects seeking Green Mark Re-certification
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GM: 2021 In-Operation is a simplified version of GM: 2021 for projects that have
previously been assessed and fully certified under Green Mark that have demonstrated
their holistic environmental performance. GM: 2021 In Operation tracks the key
performance indicators, based on actual operational data to ensure the building is
performing in its operation to the same GM 2021 standard.
GM: 2021 is positioned to recognise performance that is above mandatory, regulated

standards, that include robust levels of energy efficiency, indoor air quality, greenery
provision, active mobility considerations, materials and waste management and water
efficiency.
Figure 4.2 Scoring Tiers of GM2021
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Project teams can choose either to follow the Green Mark GoldPLUS or Platinum
certification, or Green Mark SLE certification.
GM Series GM SLE Series
- SLE, ZE, PE
Gold
PLUS GoldPLUS SLE
Platinum Platinum SLE
For Green Mark In-Operation there is a Green Mark Gold level of certification, to
encourage projects certified under our legacy Green Mark certification tools to continue
to demonstrate their high levels of environmental performance.
Where projects achieve at least 10 GM points in a sustainability section, the BCA GM:
2021 Certificate would have a special mention of the achievement via a ‘badge’ being
awarded. The project team may use a combination of, or individually the associated
logo or graphic along with the BCA Green Mark Logo and level of award in their
marketing collaterals and materials related to the certified building, show casing their
exemplary performance in an area of sustainability.
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Figure 4.3 Assessment Matrix for GM2021
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Notes:
1. Off-site REC procurement is only applicable for projects meeting energy saving ≥60%.
REC’s must be generated in Singapore through renewables deployed within Singapore.
2. GM: 2021 includes other sustainable requirement regulated by other agencies
including BCA’s Building Control (Environmental Sustainability) Regulations 2008
and Building Control (Environmental Sustainability Measures for Existing Buildings)
Regulation 2013. Meeting these regulated requirements would have deemed meeting at
least 50 GM points.
3. Building projects that are subject to the Government Land sales, it is a mandatory
requirement to also meet the Building Control (Environmental Sustainability)
Regulations 2008 before Green Mark certification could be conferred.
4. Gold rating is only applicable to projects applying for GM: 2021 In Operation
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Chapter 2: Energy Efficiency
2.1 Broad Strategies for Energy Efficiency in Existing Buildings

Some of the broad strategies to optimize energy efficiency in existing buildings involve
the use of Energy Control Measures (ECMs). There are a number of ECMs one can
consider as quick fix solutions to the existing buildings. Depending on the audit and the
targets set for achieving, these measures can differ. Some of the most simplified zero-
cost measures are as follows:
a. To alter the set points of air conditioning controls and parameters so as to

deliver a wider control band. This will also help to ensure that the controls are
functioning within acceptable comfort ranges.
b. To label light switches clearly and also make sure that the lightings are turned
off during off peak times, such as nights and weekends.
c. To re-balance and re-commission existing equipment such as chillers, plants,
and pumps.
d. To ensure that the building’s operations and maintenance (O&M) manuals and
building user guides are updated by regularly reviewing them, or create them
if they do not exist. To also ensure that the user guides are distributed to all
occupants and relevant stakeholders.
Some of the low-cost modifications in a building include:
a. Replacing existing lamps with T5 fluorescents in areas where applicable, i.e.

offices, car parking spaces, etc.
b. Use of low-irritant or non-chemical cleaning products to improve IAQ. In
addition, cleaning of all ductwork and replacement of old filters.
c. Upgrade to water efficient fittings with the WELS rating.
d. Providing sub-metering of electricity and water wherever possible and linking
them to the existing capacity of the BMS system.
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Some of the high cost, yet good return strategies in an existing building retrofit includes:
a. Chiller replacement and change of all plant side equipment

b. Air distribution side changes
c. Installation of an Intelligent Building Management system (IBMS) with sub-
metering linked to the same
d. Installation of sensors and advanced controls to optimize energy consumption
and to automate regulated use of systems
ACMV ECMs
• In general practice, ACMV systems consume most of the energy and hence from
experience, it is found that working with ACMV systems in existing buildings
give you the highest advantage in terms of energy savings as well.
Lighting ECMs
• Lighting typically consumes between 20 – 25% of the overall energy consumption

of a typical office building and the available lighting technologies are both energy
efficient and cost efficient.
• There are a number of ECMs available today pertaining to the lighting segment.
• Lighting Power Density (LPD) refers to the intensity of the lighting system in
terms of its power consumption over the given floor area.
• Higher LPDs not only contribute to the increased lighting energy consumption
but also to the increased cooling load and hence increase air conditioning energy
consumption.
Envelope ECMs
• Facades also provide opportunities for energy conservation when retrofitted in

existing buildings.
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• Typically, facades take up a high percentage of the construction cost and hence
retrofitting facades also is associated with a major renovation of the building and
is possibly perceived as an extremely high-cost item.
• Hence, in general, the pay back from the façade is not deemed extremely attractive.
Electrical ECM
• Sometimes, smaller initiatives could fetch larger benefits in existing buildings. For
instance, having control over how much is consumed. An intelligent, automated
system that is tuned to the operations of the building controlling all electrical
systems gives great energy saving opportunities in buildings.
Interior system based ECMs
• The building systems could be primarily divided into four categories namely
structural, envelope, mechanical and electrical and interior systems.
• Of these four, although interior systems have the least impact in terms of
energy savings potential, they become an essential consideration in managing the
integrated performance of the overall building.
Operation & Maintenance ECM
• A good design needs to be operationalized the same way. Many green buildings
fail due to improper operations.
Read
Read on the Green Building Platinum Series: Existing Building Retrofit
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2.2 Energy Efficiency (EE) Section

GM: 2021 and GM: SLE use the same parallel pathways for projects to demonstrate their
energy performance. The GM SLE Criteria groups these together in one place for each
building typology. For buildings not covered, Pathway 3, Energy Savings would be the
default compliance route. However, BCA could work with the project team on bespoke
arrangements for the other pathways. Bespoke pathways will be updated periodically
and will be made available.
The Green Mark Energy Pathways are:
• Data driven and flexible – aligned to real project performance with validated
data. Flexible routes for projects to demonstrate their performance.
• Outcome based – full recognition of passive design strategies and renewable
energy systems contribution to energy savings.
• Supportive of innovation, and encourages the use of new technologies,
approaches and solutions to energy performance.
Pathway 1 – Energy Use Index (EUI)
Total Building annual energy consumption over the gross floor area of the building (kWh/
m2/yr). Based on:
• Energy modelling (Design)

• Energy Calculation and measured data (Retrofit)
• Measurement – In operation
Additional Notes New Existing
AC Total System Efficiency 0.8 0.9
Airside efficiency for buildings supplied by DCS 0.2 0.25
EUI occupancy rate 100% (design) ≥60%
Renewable Energy included On Site
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Pathway 2 – Fixed Metrics
Key performance metrics (ingredients) that make an energy efficient project. All aspects
must be met individually.
• Any shortfall in performance can be made up with the use of onsite renewables,
subject to the building typology multiplication factor.
• For projects utilising a District Cooling System (DCS) the airside performance
shall be used in lieu of Total System Efficiency (TSE) and shall be as follows:
GoldPLUS EE >50% Platinum EE ≥55% SLE EE ≥60%
0.2 0.18 0.15
Pathway 3 – Energy Savings
Demonstrated energy savings following the Green Mark Energy Modelling guideline
which looks at holistic energy performance against a reference model. The default
pathway for projects not covered in Table 1A (refer to link on GM2021 EE section
below).
Additional Notes New Existing
AC Total System Efficiency (kW/RT) 0.8 0.9
Airside efficiency for buildings supplied by DCS (kW/RT) 0.2 0.25
Savings from Renewable Energy No cap
Savings from Passive Design No cap
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Read
Read GM2021 Energy Efficiency Section (Simplified) on the energy requirements on the different bui
Read in conjunction with the above Section.
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Chapter 3: Building Intelligence
3.1 Intelligence (In) Section

The Intelligence section looks at the adoption of relevant smart technologies and
systems within the building design, construction, retrofit and operation that enable a
fully integrated, automated, intelligent, responsive, and aware building to delight its
users.
The GM 2021 Intelligence section (In) has been created looking at the core principles of a
smart building, looking at integration of systems, processes and technology, the
collection of relevant data and the analytics of this with a view to direct response to
improve aspects of the building performance from energy optimisation, health and
wellbeing to spatial optimisation and user experience.
This section explores the recognition of robust smart building certification systems, and
similar to the Resilience and Health and Wellbeing Sections allowing them to be used in
lieu of the criteria listed below.
This section should be read in conjunction with its Technical Guide (Intelligence Section
Technical Guide).
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3.1.1 Integrated subsection

This subsection will net a maximum of 5 points.
IN1.1 Digital Life Cycle Green Mark Points
New Existing
Use integrated delivery platforms to develop

Project Information Model (PIM) with adequate
levels of definition of geometry (levels of detail)
and facility information (levels of information)
to facilitate integrated and digitalized design,
construction, operational and retrofit process.
PIM shall be sufficiently developed and detailed

for purposes of co-ordination, environmental
simulations, statutory submissions, tender and
construction documentation as well as forming
the basis for conversion into Asset Information
Models (AIM).
i. PIM developed in accordance with (i) 2 Points (i) 2 Points

Singapore CDE Data Standard that
align with the Principles of ISO 19650-
2018
(ii) 2 Points
ii. Use of spatial model co- (1 point each
ordination platform basing on for a and b)
PIM for spatial analysis including
identifying:
a. System clashes through an
automatic model checking tool
b. Spatial analysis for effective
construction, maintenance
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IN1.1 Digital Life Cycle Green Mark Points
New Existing
and future alteration or

replacement.
iii. Digital building commissioning, (iii) 1 Point (iii) 1 Point

performance and defect co-ordination (for re-
platform basing on PIM to track, co- commissioning
ordinate and manage the or retro-
commissioning of systems and the commissioning)
tracking of defects and their rectification
References:
ISO 19650–1 Organization and digitization of

information about buildings and civil engineering
works, including building information modelling
(BIM)
- Information management using building information
modelling - Part 1: Concepts and principles
ISO 19650-2 Organization and digitization of
(BIM)
- Information management using building information
modelling - Part 2: Delivery phase of the assets
CDE Data Standard defines what information is
required for a building project and how it can
be structured to facilitate sharing and collaboration
among project team members using a Common Data
Environment
SU4-
IN1.2 Common Data Environment Green Mark Points
New Existing
Use of a common data environment (CDE),

which is a single source of information used to
collect, manage, and disseminate information
facilitating collaboration between project team
members and helps avoid duplication and
mistakes.
(i) 1 Point (i) 2 Points
i. Performance Dashboard to monitor
the different aspect of building assets’
performance and operations from a
single dashboard built on top of the
CDE.
(ii) 1 Point (ii) 2 Points
ii. Data Management and Integration
with a platform that connects and
manages asset and facility data,
operational data, and real-time
equipment data extracted from
different sub-systems based on
an open protocol (e.g. OPC,
BACNET, MODBUS, DLMS,
(iii) 0.5 Point (iii) 1 Point
published REST/ SOAP APIs and
etc.)
iii. Data Accessibility and Security -

information stored in the CDE
platform can be accessed by facilities
teams in a secured manner to facilitate
operation and maintenance activities
from anywhere and anytime.
Note: The Common Energy Dashboard (CED) data
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requirements mentioned in section IN 1.3 set the
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IN1.2 Common Data Environment Green Mark Points
New Existing
requirements for building energy efficiency aspect

under CDE. The copy of CED data requirements can
be downloaded at this link.
IN1.3 Voluntary Disclosure of Building Energy Green Mark Points

Performance Data
New Existing
Sharing of non-sensitive information and data

related to building energy performance to the
Super Low Energy Building (SLEB) Smart
Non- Non-
Hub1 on a voluntary basis, to enable dynamic
Residential Residential
energy performance benchmarking and Green
Mark energy data reporting in a smart and
automatic way.
i. Share basic information – follow (i) 0.5 Points (i) 0.5 Points
Common Energy Dashboard data
requirements to share basic
information and data.
ii. Share additional information – (ii) 1 Point (ii) 1 Point

follow Common Energy Dashboard
data requirements to share
additional information and data.
Note: The copy of Common Energy Dashboard data

requirements could be downloaded at this link.
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3.1.2 Data Driven subsection

IN 2.1 Asset Information Model Green Mark Points
New Existing
Use integrated platforms to develop an

operational up-to-date Asset Information
Non- Non-
Models (AIM) for purposes of asset tagging, co-
Residential / Residential /
ordination, and maintenance. The AIM is to be
managed within a Common Data Environment
(CDE) as the single source of asset information.
i. Development and handover of an (i) 1 Point (i) 1 Point

accurate spatial model of the building
or asset which complete and fully up to
date inclusive of renovations that
would impact building services or
layout alterations.
ii. Physical and virtual asset information (ii) 1 Point (ii) 2 Points
tagging system aligned with common
data environment that allows for
tracking of maintenance work,
repairs, refurbishments or upgrades,
replacement, decommissioning,
risk assessments, and performance
evaluations of the physical asset to be
captured.
iii. Adoption of a common international (iii) 1 Point (iii) 1 Point

standard for asset ontology. For
example, Brick Schema or Project
Haystack.
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IN 2.1 Asset Information Model Green Mark Points
New Existing
Note: Asset Ontology helps to standardise semantic

descriptions of the physical, logical and virtual assets
in buildings and the relationships between them.
Please refer to the Bricks Schema for Common Energy
Dashboard for building energy efficiency aspect, which
can be downloaded at this link.
References:
ISO 19650-3:2020 Organization and digitization of

(BIM) — Information management using building
information modelling — Part 3: Operational phase of
the assets
PAS 1192-3 (withdrawn) – however provides a good
guide on specifying how an Asset Information Model
(AIM) should be created and how that model should
be used and maintained through the life of the asset
up to final disposal. It applies to direct capital works,
existing assets and acquired assets and to both
building and infrastructure assets.
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IN 2.2 Digital Twins Green Mark Points
New Existing
Development of a digital twin of the project that

represents the full asset virtually and includes
geometric data, asset attributes, management
data, asset performance and utilisation data.
i. Asset Digital Twin – the digital twin of (i) Up to (i) Up to

the building assets to assist the facility 2 Points 2 Points
management team to deliver efficient
daily operation and maintenance, and
to better plan and organize alteration of
internal spaces and functions.
ii. System Digital Twin – detailed (ii) Up to (ii) Up to

model based on operational data 3 Points 3 Points
of
individual systems to deep dive into its
performance, conduct virtual stress tests
and detailed analytics.
iii. Process Digital Twin – To model (iii) Up (iii) Up

processes and scenarios to find the to 1 Point to 1 Point
optimum solution based on actual
and simulated data.
For example: modelling users’

movements and journey in a building,
looking at production processes in
factories and labs.
References:
Smart Cities Council - Guidance Note on Digital Twins
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3.1.3 Responsive subsection

IN3.1 Real Time Performance Green Mark Points
New Existing
Real time asset monitoring and optimisation Non- Non-

i. Energy - Breakdown of energy (i) 1 Point (i) 1 Point

consumption by system, such as
air conditioning, lighting,
ventilation, transportation,
receptacle loads.
Efficiency metrics tracking and analytics

for real time optimisation.
ii. Health & Comfort – Provision of (ii) 1 Point (ii) 1 Point

permanent calibrated air quality
monitoring system with zonal
controls
iii. Space – Space utilisation and (iii) 1 Point (iii) 1 Point

optimisation to adapt the building to
cater for the occupancy, and to
optimise the building services and
spaces to adapt.
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IN 3.2 User Experience Green Mark Points
New Existing
Proactive collection and use of data to

understand, track and manage the user
experience within the building to
improve performance including:
• Use patterns.
• Comfort (thermal, visual, aural and
olfactory, including locational
information)
• Service requests and time for
resolutions For the following groups:

(i) 1 Point (i) 1 Point
i. Building Occupants (ii) 0.5 Point (ii) 0.5 Point
ii. Visitors
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IN3.3 Data Ethics Green Mark Points
New Existing
The set of key principles and processes that

guide the ethical collection, processing, analysis,
and application of data. The project team shall
consider the risks such technologies present
to the environment, society, and governance.
Understanding data bias, privacy protection and
the right to be forgotten.
Up to 2 points Up to 2 points
A data ethics plan shall be detailed for the (1 point for (1 point for
building that identifies the various opportunities addressing addressing
for the collection, analysis and use of data as well item a and b, item a and b,
as a risk register that looks at the following risks and 1 point and 1 point
and how they will be managed and mitigated. for item c, for item c,
a. Personal Privacy d and e) d and e)
b. Risks including data

governance, monetarisation of
data and data permissions
c. Workforce transitioning
d. Transparency
e. Data bias and data quality
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3.1.4 Innovation subsection

IN4 Innovation Green Mark Points
New Existing
Where projects can demonstrate substantial Up to 2 points Up to 2 points

performance to a specific Intelligence indicator
or outcome innovation points can be awarded
on a case-by-case basis. Points shall be awarded
based on the strength of evidence of benefits
and potential impact.
Process:
At Design / Pre-retrofit stage
The project team is to submit a concise summary

that articulates:
• The nature of the environmental benefit

of their intervention
• Justify the impact of the intervention
through detailed calculations and
comparisons with industry norms
• Substantiate the calculations and
comparisons with evidence and
data.
At Verification (As Built/ In Operation)
Details of the implemented intervention

including measurements and monitoring of the
environmental performance including lessons
learnt if the intervention does not perform as
expected.
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IN4 Innovation Green Mark Points
New Existing
Example:
Encourage the Use of Singapore Green Building

Council certified smart building products or product
with equivalent certification that allows integration
with the Common Data Environment (CDE).
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Summary
The Green Mark: 2021 has 6 sections in all:
• Energy Efficiency Section

• Intelligence Section
• Health & Well-being Section
• Whole Life Carbon Section
• Maintainability Section
• Resilience Section
The Energy Efficiency Section offers 3 pathways for new and in-operation buildings,
namely:
• Pathway 1: Energy Use Index

• Pathway 2: Fixed Metrics
• Pathway 3: Energy Savings
The Intelligence Section has 4 subsections:
• IN1: Integrated
• IN2: Data Driven
• IN3: Responsive
• IN4: Innovation
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1. What are the key sustainability drivers for Green Mark: 2021?
a. Affordable and clean energy, reduced inequalities, life on land
b. Climate action, good health and well-being, resources and circularity
c. Good health and well-being, responsible consumption and production,
industry innovation and infrastructure
d. Decent work and economic growth, reduced inequalities, sustainable cities
and communities
2. In GM: 2021, which is the section that is mandatory?

a. Energy Efficiency
b. Resilience
c. Whole Life Carbon
d. Health & Well-being
3. In order to achieve Green Mark Platinum Super Low Energy certification, what are
is the energy savings you need to meet?
a. ≥ 40% energy savings
b. ≥ 50% energy savings
c. ≥ 60% energy savings
d. ≥ 70% energy savings
4. How many points do you need to score in a sustainability section in order to earn
a badge?
a. 8
b. 10
c. 12
d. 15
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5. For Energy Efficiency, which pathway(s) is available for new High Tech Industrial
buildings?
a. Only Pathway 1: Energy Use Index is available
b. Both Pathway 1: Energy Use Index and Pathway 3: Energy Savings are
available
c. Both Pathway 2: Fixed Metrics and Pathway 3: Energy Savings are available
d. All 3 pathways are available
6. For buildings not listed in the table under the Energy Efficiency section, what is the
default pathway available?
a. Pathway 1: Energy Use Index
b. Pathway 2: Fixed Metrics
c. Pathway 3: Energy Savings
d. None of the pathways are available; projects would need to be assessed on
customized matrix.
7. According to GM: 2021 Energy Efficiency Section, what is the quantum of

renewable energy that is needed before it can be considered as a Positive Energy
building.
a. 101%
b. 105%
c. 110%
d. 115%
8. How many points can you score under IN1: Integrated of the GM:2021 Intelligence
Section?
a. 5
b. 10
c. 15
d. 17
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9. Which of the following systems or criteria fall under IN2 Data Driven subsection of
the GM: 2021 Intelligence Section?
a. Common Data Environment, Digital Life Cycle
b. Asset Information Model, Digital Twins
c. User Experience, Asset Information Model
d. Digital Twins, User Experience
10. Under IN3.1 Real Time Performance, what are the following data is monitored and
tracked?
a. Energy and water consumption, indoor air quality, waste disposal
b. Energy and water consumption, indoor air quality, number of emails sent
and received
c. Energy and water consumption, space utilisation, waste disposal
d. Energy consumption, indoor air quality, space utilisation
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1. What are the key sustainability drivers for Green Mark: 2021?
a. Affordable and clean energy, reduced inequalities, life on
land Incorrect. Refer to GM: 2021 Certification Standards
b. Climate action, good health and well-being, resources and circularity

Correct. Refer to GM: 2021 Certification Standards
c. Good health and well-being, responsible consumption and production,

industry innovation and infrastructure
Incorrect. Refer to GM: 2021 Certification Standards
d. Decent work and economic growth, reduced inequalities, sustainable cities

and communities
2. In GM: 2021, which is the section that is mandatory?

a. Energy Efficiency
b. Resilience
c. Whole Life Carbon

d. Health & Well-being

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3. In order to achieve Green Mark Platinum Super Low Energy certification, what are
is the energy savings you need to meet?
a. ≥ 40% energy savings
b. ≥ 50% energy savings

c. ≥ 60% energy savings

d. ≥ 70% energy savings

4. How many points do you need to score in a sustainability section in order to earn
a badge?
a. 8
b. 10
c. 12
d. 15
5. For Energy Efficiency, which pathway(s) is available for new High Tech Industrial
buildings?
a. Only Pathway 1: Energy Use Index is available
Incorrect. Refer to GM: 2021 Energy Efficiency
Section
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b. Both Pathway 1: Energy Use Index and Pathway 3: Energy Savings are
available
Incorrect. Refer to GM: 2021 Energy Efficiency Section
c. Both Pathway 2: Fixed Metrics and Pathway 3: Energy Savings are available
Correct. Refer to GM: 2021 Energy Efficiency Section
d. All 3 pathways are available

6. For buildings not listed in the table under the Energy Efficiency section, what is the
default pathway available?
a. Pathway 1: Energy Use Index
b. Pathway 2: Fixed Metrics

c. Pathway 3: Energy Savings

d. None of the pathways are available; projects would need to be assessed on

customized matrix.
7. According to GM: 2021 Energy Efficiency Section, what is the quantum of

renewable energy that is needed before it can be considered as a Positive Energy
building.
a. 101%
b. 105%
Incorrect. Refer to GM: 2021 Energy Efficiency
Section c. 110%
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d. 115%
8. How many points can you score under IN1: Integrated of the GM:2021 Intelligence
Section?
a. 5
Correct. Refer to GM: 2021 Intelligence Section
b. 10
Incorrect. Refer to GM: 2021 Intelligence Section
c. 15
d. 17
9. Which of the following systems or criteria fall under IN2 Data Driven subsection of
the GM: 2021 Intelligence Section?
a. Common Data Environment, Digital Life Cycle
Incorrect. Refer to GM: 2021 Intelligence
Section
b. Asset Information Model, Digital Twins

c. User Experience, Asset Information Model

Incorrect. Refer to GM: 2021 Intelligence
Section
d. Digital Twins, User Experience

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10. Under IN3.1 Real Time Performance, what are the following data is monitored and
tracked?
a. Energy and water consumption, indoor air quality, waste
disposal Incorrect. Refer to GM: 2021 Intelligence Section
b. Energy and water consumption, indoor air quality, number of emails sent
and received
c. Energy and water consumption, space utilisation, waste

disposal Incorrect. Refer to GM: 2021 Intelligence Section
d. Energy consumption, indoor air quality, space utilisation

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References
Building and Construction Authority. (2021). Scheme - Overview. Green Mark: 2021.
https://www1.bca.gov.sg/buildsg/sustainability/green-mark-certification-
scheme/green-mark-2021
Building and Construction Authority. (2021). Certification Standard. Green Mark:
2021. https://www1.bca.gov.sg/docs/default-source/docs-corp-buildsg/
sustainability/20211028_certification-standard_r1-1.pdf
Building and Construction Authority. (2021). Energy Efficiency Section. Green Mark:
sustainability/20211027_energy_simplified_ver1.pdf
Building and Construction Authority. (2021). Energy Efficiency Section
Technical Guide (including Super Low Energy Section). Green Mark:
2021. https://www1.bca.gov.sg/docs/default-source/docs-corp-
buildsg/ sustainability/20211206_energy-technical-guide_r1.pdf
Building and Construction Authority. (2021). Intelligence Section. Green Mark:

sustainability/20210907_intelligence_simplified.pdf
Building and Construction Authority. (2021). Intelligence Section Technical Guide. Green
Mark: 2021. https://www1.bca.gov.sg/docs/default-source/docs-corp-buildsg/
sustainability/20210909_-intelligence-technical-guide_r1.pdf
Building and Construction Authority. (2021). FAQs. Green Mark: 2021.
https://www1.bca.gov.sg/docs/default-source/docs-corp-buildsg/
sustainability/20220322_gm2021-faqs.pdf
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5
Study
Unit
Green Mark 2021 Health & Well-

being (HW), Whole Life Carbon
(Cn), Maintainability (Mt) &
Resilience (Re) Sections
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FMT3 Green Mark 2021 Health & Well-being (HW), Whole Life Carbon (Cn),
Learning Outcomes
1. Understand the requirements for Health & Well-being Section

2. Understand the requirements for Whole Life Carbon Section
3. Understand the requirements for Maintainability Section
4. Understand the requirements for Resilience Section
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Overview
The world’s resources are finite. With the rapid urbanisation that is occurring within the
last century, we find that it is critical that work is needed to look into the conservation
of these limited resources. Thus, the sections on Whole Life Carbon as well as Resilience
look at how conservation and sustainable practices are put in place to responsibly use
and protect the environment. The section on Maintainability explores the aspect of
ensuring ease of maintenance in the building’s life cycle, from design through
operation. Finally, the section on Resilience looks at climate mitigation and adaption
strategies.
SU5
Chapter 1: Health & Well-being
1.1 Health & Well-being Section

The Health and Well-being section looks at the design, construction, operation and
retrofit of buildings that facilitate mental, physical, and social well-being of their
occupants. On average we spend more than 90% of our time within buildings, which is
why designing for health and wellness is increasingly important.
The GM 2021 Health and Well-being section (Hw) has been co-created with the Ministry
of Health Office for Healthcare Transformation (MOHT) and the Centre for Liveable
Cities (CLC), allowing the translation of leading evidence-based health and physical
environment research, to the development of robust health and well-being indicators for
the built environment.
The section has been refined by a rigorous process involving experts in the field, inputs
from agencies with key roles in administering environmental health, workplace and
welfare standards and our Singapore Green Building Council.
Finally, projects that are certified under the WELL Building Standard will receive
recognition and some exemption under the Green Mark 2021 Hw section. Table HW 0.1
WELL Certification provides the details.
This section should be read in conjunction with its Technical Guide (Health & Well-being
Section Technical Guide)
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1.1.1 Physiological subsection

Hw1.1 Active Movement Design Green Mark Points
New Existing
HW1.1a Active Mobility
The project must support and promote active

mobility.
i. Safe Access In and Around 1 point (0.5 for 2 points (1.0 for
the Project Site (i) and 0.5 (ii)) (i) and 1.0 (ii))
The project shall protect the visitors,

users and occupants through design
for safe access and movement to and
around the site. Provision of safe and
segregated access for pedestrians and
cyclists with vehicular traffic with
direct connections to cycle lanes and
footpaths.
ii. Bicycle Lots
Provision of secure and sheltered

bicycle lots that are 50% more than
the LTA/URA requirement, with
associated shower, changing and
locker facilities
Refer to the URA-LTA Walking and Cycling

Design guide
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New Existing
HW1.1b Active Interior (i) Non- (i) Non-

i. Internal Staircases Residential: Residential:
Active interiors, with internal 1 point 1 point
staircases that are highly visible, (all floors) (all floors)
appealing, well ventilated and OR OR
prominent allowing connections 0.5 point (at 0.5 point (at
between multi-storey spaces or least 50% of least 50% of
tenancies. the floors) the floors)
The building must either provide the (i) Residential: (i) Residential:
stairs or have the provision of a space for 1 Point 1 Point
stairs to be installed in the future 1 point 1 point
without significant demolition. (all floors) (all floors)

OR OR
For residential buildings the common
0.5 point (at 0.5 point (at
staircases shall be designed to encourage
least 10 floors, least 10 floors,
their use through attractive wayfinding
including including
and design including stair finishes, use
basement(s) and basement(s) and
of colour and lighting and finishes.
ground floor) ground floor)
ii. Active Furnishing (ii) Non- (ii) Non-
Provision of active furnishing to Residential: Residential:
discourage sedentary behaviour (e.g. 1 point (at 1 point (at
standing tables and height-adjustable least 90% of all least 90% of all
desk), decentralised common areas, workstations) workstations)
standing meeting rooms etc. OR OR
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New Existing
0.5 point (at 0.5 point (at

least 50% of all least 50% of all
workstations) workstations)
(ii) Residential: (ii) Residential:

Not Not
applicable applicable
Hw1.2 Material Emissions Green Mark Points
New Existing
Material Finishes to be SGBC 4 tick. Non-Residential 1 Point (≥80%

1 Point (≥60% common
OR
of all areas*) areas)
Meet following emission levels stated in Table
OR 0.5 Point
HW1.2.1:
(≥80% common
Materials include paints, floor coverings, areas)
wall coverings, ceiling coverings such as
Residential
carpets, paints, adhesives, engineered timber
2 points (≥60%
(including laminates), for carpentry works
of all areas*)
and furniture where provided. See Table
OR 0.5 Point
HW1.2.2 for details.
(≥80% common
*includes lettable areas for non-residential areas)
developments and dwelling units for residential
developments
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Hw1.3 Air Quality and Comfort Green Mark Points
New Existing
HW1.3a Thermal Comfort
Provide a range of thermally comfortable spaces.

This means that the building systems allow for a
variability of temperatures, and greater ability to
adjust to individual preferences
i. Air-Conditioned Non-residential (i) 1 point (i) 1 point

Buildings:
zonal temperature and air speed

controls. The building can adjust
temperature and air speed so that
parts of the building can have a
thermal variation within it. Control
zones should not exceed 100m2
Strategies include
• The use of hybrid cooling systems with elevated

temperatures with provision of ceiling fans
and/ or individual desk fans. Where comfort
can be controlled by the temperature of
conditioned air and the windspeed variation
• Spatial and zonal temperature monitoring
with occupant feedback, controls to allow
for adjustable air speeds and temperatures
in discrete zones in open areas or by room
(ii) Non- (ii) Non-
ii. Residential Buildings and Non-
residential residential
Residential Non-Air-Conditioned
– 1 point – 1 point
functional spaces
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New Existing
a. Thermal Comfort Simulation Residential (based on

– 3 points measurements
-0.5<PMV<0.5
Residential
b. Effective Cross Ventilation
– N/A
70% of habitable areas to meet
the Area weighted average
wind velocity of 0.6m/s
c. Prescriptive Performance as
per table HW1.3
For draft sensitive sports spaces, or industrial

buildings with occupancy densities less than 50m2 per
person, projects can meet the following requirements
in lieu of
a) and b):
Air Change rate ≥ 10
Air Change Effectiveness ≥ 1.2
HW1.3b Outdoor Air Provision Non- Non-
i. Enhanced Outdoor Air Provision Residential: Residential:
Outdoor air provision greater than
ventilation rates in SS553, with
demand control and monitoring
systems.
1 Point 1 Point
a. Outdoor air supply at 1.5 times
minimum ventilation rate
required in SS553 2 Point 2 Point
b. Outdoor air supply at 2 times
minimum ventilation rate
required in SS553
SU5
New Existing
iii. Periodic (Post) Occupancy Evaluations 0.5 Point 0.5 Point
At least once every 3 years
iii. IAQ Surveillance Audit 0.5 point (once 0.5 point (once
By an accredited laboratory once every 3 every 3 years) every 3 years)
years or annually OR OR
1 point 1 point
(annual) (annual)
Residential: Residential:
N/A N/A
HW1.3c Clean Air Non- Non-

i. UVGI system for air disinfection 0.5 Point 0.5 Point

ii. Air filtration with permanent provision 1 Point 1 Point
of ePM1 ≥75% (ISO 16890) [or
alternatively at least MERV 14A
(ASHRAE 52.2 Appendix J)] media
filters
OR
Permanent provision of adequate
portable air cleaners with HEPA filters
for non-air-conditioned functional
0.5 Point 0.5 Point
spaces
iii. Provide Designated Smoking Points
1 point 1 point
for smokers to use, to allow non-
for (iii) for (iii)
smokers to utilise outdoor spaces in a
healthy manner.
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New Existing
NEA laws Under the Smoking (Prohibition in Certain

Places) Act detail places where smoking is prohibited.
Additional house rules or by-laws put in place by
owners/managers of premises against smoking in their
premises are permitted and allow for HW1.3c (iii) to be
realised.
Refer to https://www.nea.gov.sg/docs/default-source/
our-services/smoking-prohibition/9-dsa-
guidelines_cleared.pdf for guidance on location of
designated smoking points and areas.
1.1.2 Psychological subsection

Hw2.1 Access to Nature Green Mark Points
New Existing
Direct connection to plants, water, light or

nature views; Indirect connection via
natural materials, patterns, art; Placement of
natural elements along common circulation
routes, shared seating areas, workstations.
i. Provision of accessible planted 1 Point 1 Point

sky terraces, courtyards, and roof
top gardens.
ii. Fixed indoor planting distributed at 0.5 Point 1 Point

key common areas. >10% of common
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Hw2.1 Access to Nature Green Mark Points
New Existing
area (by floor Area) to have fixed

indoor planting, and/or ponds.
iii. Placement of natural elements, 0.5 Point 0.5 Point

and use of mixed textures in
key
common areas such as atria, entrance
lobbies, shared seating areas, and
key circulation routes.
0.5 Point 0.5 Point
iv. In the absence of indoor or accessible
planting, to orientate and design
common areas for direct visual
access to greenery.
Reference: World Health Organisation, Urban

Green Spaces and Health: A review of evidence.
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Hw2.2 Circadian Rhythm Green Mark Points
New Existing
Ensuring lighting is aligned with circadian

rhythm with day-night cycle with access to
views to the outside.
i. Views to the outside 1 Point 1 Point
Functional spaces are within 8m

distance from a window, without
obstruction.
ii. Quality of Artificial Lighting 0.5 Point 0.5 Point

• Colour Rendering Index
• Responsive Light Control
iii. Circadian Lighting System 2 Points 2 Points

Provision of shifts in colour (1 Point for (1 Point for
temperature to match the task lighting, task lighting,
progression of the day: 2 Points 2 Points
• Task Lighting for general for general
• All Lighting lighting) lighting)
2 Points for 2 Points for
relevant relevant
common area common area
lighting lighting
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Hw2.3 Sound Green Mark Points
New Existing
HW2.3a Sound Zoning Design Approach
Implement passive and/or active acoustic

control measures to minimise exterior sourced
noises by creating positive soundscapes
through
• Orienting and locating noise-sensitive

buildings and spaces away from
exterior sourced noises. using less
noise-sensitive spaces (e.g. MSCP,
pedestrian/cycling pathways) as
buffers from exterior sourced noises,
• Natural or engineered barrier
(balconies, toilets/kitchen, dense 0.5 point 0.5 point
landscaping)
The criteria under HW2.3a promote design and

implementation strategies, including aspects like
orientation and location of noise-sensitive areas
within the plots/parcels. Should pay attention to
acoustic control through site design.
Refer to technical guide for useful references
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New Existing
HW2.3b Interior Acoustic Comfort
Implement acoustic control measures to

minimise acoustic discomfort internally.
i. Impact Sound Insulation

(residential buildings) Compliance
with Table HW2.3.1 otherwise per
BB93 or HTM08-01
(i) 1.5 points (i) 1.5 points
ii. Noise from External Noise Sources
(ii) 0.5 point (ii) 0.5 point
(e.g. Land Traffic)
Non- Non-
Applies to internal noise levels for closed façade
condition only (i.e. all normally operable windows
and doors to outside are closed)
(iii) 0.5 point (iii) 0.5 point
Residential (iv) 1 point (iv) 1 point
Internal noise levels to comply with
AS2107:2016
Non-residential
Internal noise levels to comply with SS553
Amendment 1 noise criteria, otherwise per
AS2107:2016, BB93 or HTM08-01
iii. Airborne Sound Transmission

Reduction (non-residential
buildings)
Compliance with Table HW2.3.2

otherwise per BB93 or HTM08-01
iv. Reverberation Time (non-residential
buildings)
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New Existing
Compliance with Reverberation

Time criteria provided in Table HW
2.3.3 otherwise per AS2107:2016,
BB93 or HTM08-01
Acoustic design and verification reports can be

used to demonstrate full compliance. Refer to Table
HW2.3.4
1.1.3 Sociological subsection

Hw3.1 Inclusive Green Mark Points
New Existing
Certification through BCA Universal Design 1 Point (Gold) Non-

Mark 2 Points Residential:
(GoldPLUS)
• UD Mark Gold 1 Point (Gold)
• UD Mark GoldPLUS 2 Points
(GoldPLUS)
Residential:
N/A
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Hw3.2 Communal Spaces Green Mark Points
New Existing
HW 3.2a Restorative and community Spaces
Healthy environments should be designed

with a range of spaces catering for a
broad spectrum of human activities that are
suitably adaptable for collaborating, resting
and relaxing, or community bonding. The
provision of such spaces especially in a
working environment help reduce stress,
provide places of focus and refuge for
occupants
i. Designated indoor and/or outdoor Non- Non-

space for restorative practices Residential: Residential:
(minimum 16m2 per space, and large
2 points (1 2 points (1
enough for meditation/yoga or just
point for (i), point for (i),
quiet respite) which are accessible
1 point (ii)) 1 point (ii))
for all building occupants
ii. Provision of community spaces and
facilities, within the development, 2 points 2 points
including physical exercise for (ii) for (ii)
facilities, playgrounds, communal
gardens/ allotments/ sensory spaces
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Hw3.2 Communal Spaces Green Mark Points
New Existing
HW3.2b – Outsourced Workers 1 Point 1 Point
Provision of proper and reasonable rest areas

for Outsourced workers (e.g. security officers,
cleaners) to rest, recuperate, and eat. Refer to
the ‘Tripartite Advisory on Provision of Rest
Areas for Outsourced Workers’ (Dec 2019):
i. Locations that afford privacy and

provides a pleasant environment
and
ii. Provision of amenities such as
tables, chairs, water coolers, lockers.
Hw3.3 Health and Wellness Programmes Green Mark Points
New Existing
HW3.3a Physical Activity and Mental

Wellness Programmes
Structured, regular fitness and mental Non- Non-

wellness programmes for all staff, or Residential: Residential:
occupants (at least 6 sessions a year) N/A 1 point
through engagement of external facilities and
resources e.g. subsidised gym memberships,
N/A N/A
health assessments, personal training, fitness
classes, mass workouts, talks and workshops,
counselling.
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Hw3.3 Health and Wellness Programmes Green Mark Points
New Existing
HW3.3b Healthy Eating & Drinking Non- Non-

Create a healthy food environment through
(i) 0.5 point (i) 0.5 point
provision of facilities, programmes and policies
i. Accessible drinking water points
(iii) 0.5 point (iii) 0.5 point
at convenient locations
ii. On site eateries with HPB’s
(i) 1 point (i) 1 point
healthier dining programme
iii. Corporate policies on healthy
eating including catering
procurement policies
Convenient locations include (but not limited to)
Residential – near playgrounds, recreational areas,

sports courts and fitness areas.
Non-residential – internally within common areas

near WC’s, changing rooms, and circulation
nodes. Externally in accessible landscape areas,
playgrounds and recreational spaces.

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Hw4 Innovation Green Mark Points
New Existing

performance to a specific health and wellbeing
indicator, or outcome innovation points can
be awarded on a case-by-case basis. Points
shall be awarded based on the strength of
evidence of benefits and potential impact.
Process:
The project team is to submit a concise

summary that articulates:
• The nature of the environmental

benefit of their intervention
comparisons with evidence and
data.
At Verification (As Built/ In Operation):

including measurements and monitoring of
the environmental performance including
lessons learnt if the intervention does not
perform as expected.
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Chapter 2: Whole Life Carbon
2.1 Whole Life Carbon Section

The Whole life Carbon section looks at the project’s carbon footprint, with a focus on
embodied carbon, the use of sustainable construction or retrofit materials and methods,
as well as the role of tenants and their fit outs. The section will also evaluate building
owners on their transition towards carbon neutrality at the asset level, translating the
corporate objectives into tangible outcomes, as well as their support for tenants to do
the same.
The GM 2021 Whole life Carbon section (Cn) has been created leveraging leading
international movements such as the World Green Building Council’s Net Zero Carbon
Buildings commitment, and professional standards such as the RICS Whole life carbon
assessments for the built environment.
The section has been refined through a collaborative approach with the Singapore
Green Building Council (SGBC), the National Environment Agency (NEA), the JTC
corporation and the Public Utilities Board (PUB).
This section should be read in conjunction with its Technical Guide (Whole Life Carbon
Section Technical Guide).
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2.1.1 Whole Life Carbon

This section will net a maximum of 5 points.
Cn1.1 Whole Life Carbon Green Mark Points
New Existing
CN1.1 Whole Life Carbon (WLC) Assessment

Whole Life carbon assessment consistent
with EN 15978 and EN 15804.
Useful references:
• https://www.rics.org/globalassets/rics-
website/media/news/whole-life-carbon-
assessment-for-the--built-environment-
november-2017.pdf
• https://www.architecture.com/-/media/ (i) Non- (i) Non-
GatherContent/Whole-life-carbon- Residential: Residential:

assessment-for-architects/Additional- 3 points N/A
Documents/11241WholeLifeCarbon (i) Residential: (i) Residential:
Guidancev7pdf.pdf 3 points N/A
i. Minimum Scope Requirement
of WLC Assessment
Minimum Scope of WLC assessment
Building 1. Substructure
elements to be 2. Superstructure
included
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New Existing
Minimum Scope of WLC assessment
Lifecycle stages 1. Product stage

to be included [A1- A3]
2. Construction
Stage [A4-A5]
3. Maintenance
Stage [B2] Façade
4. Replacement
Stage [B4]
ACMV
5. Operational
Energy [B6]
• New building projects that

conduct the full scope of
WLC assessment will score
up to additional 2 points
under the Innovation
section.
• New building projects
scoring under CN1.1(i)
will be excluded from
scoring under CN 1.1(ii)(a)
(i) Non- (i) Non-
ii. Embodied Carbon Computation Residential: Residential:
a. Calculation of embodied 0.5 point for (a); 0.5 point for (a);
carbon of the
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development
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New Existing
Using the BCA Embodied 1 point 1 point

Carbon calculator or embodied for (b) OR for (b) OR
carbon software tools which 2 points 2 points
are linked to robust carbon for (c) for (c)
data sets such as the Inventory
(ii) Residential: (ii) Residential:
of Carbon and Energy (ICE)
0.5 point for (a); 1 point for (a);
database, the RICS Building
1 point N/A for (b) OR
Carbon Database, etc.
for (b) OR N/A for (c)
b. >10% Reduction from the 2 points
(ii) is applicable
reference embodied for (c)
only to Existing
carbon (for Concrete, Glass
Buildings with
and Steel)
Addition and
c. >30% Reduction from the
Alteration (A&A)
reference embodied
works involving
carbon (for Concrete, Glass
additional
and Steel)
gross floor area
(GFA) with new
Reference values
construction,
(kgCO2e/m2)
addition of floors
Non-Residential 1,000
with independent
Residential 1,500 substructures
Industrial 2,000
(Reference values based on A1-A4 emissions for
superstructure)
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Cn1.2 2030 Transition Plan Green Mark Points
New Existing
Carbon and Energy transition plan - Non- Non-

delineates steps to deliver a net zero carbon Residential: Residential:
building from 2030 for the asset under 1 point 1 point
assessment, based on scope 1 and 2 emissions.
Timelines and strategies shall be clearly articulated 1 point 1 point
with tracking mechanisms, covers the areas under
the building owner’s control. See WGBC Net zero
Carbon commitment https://www.worldgbc.org/
thecommitment
2.1.2 Construction subsection

Cn2.1 Sustainable Construction Green Mark Points
New Existing
Use of sustainable construction materials (Applicable

and methods to reduce environmental only to Existing
impacts of the construction phase. Buildings with
i. Design with Low CUI Addition and
Alteration (A&A)
works involving
additional
gross floor
area (GFA)
with new
construction,
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New Existing
addition of floors
with independent
substructures)
ii. Adoption of sustainable Non-residential: Non-residential:

building systems and Design 1 point for (i) 1 point for (i)
for Manufacturing and
1 point for (ii) 1 point for (ii)
Assembly (DfMA) that
minimise resource use and 0.5/0.75/1 0.5/0.75/1
waste, with a view to a point for (iii) point for (iii)
greater integration of components 0.5point for 0.5point for

and systems. The following fine/coarse agg. fine/coarse agg.
can be considered jointly and replacement; replacement;
severally based on % coverage over 1point for 1point for
constructed floor area (CFA). both coarse both coarse
a. Advanced precast and fine agg. and fine agg.
concrete system (APCS) replacement replacement
b. Structural Steel for (iv) for (iv)
c. Mass Engineered
Timber (MET)
2 points for (i) 2 points for (i)
d. Prefabricated Prefinished
1 point 1 point
Volumetric Construction
for (ii), for (ii),
(PPVC)
e. Hybrid structural system of: 0.5/0.75/1 0.5/0.75/1
i. Structural point for (iii) point for (iii)
Steel and 0.5point for 0.5point for

Precast fine/coarse agg. fine/coarse agg.
Concrete; or replacement; replacement;
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New Existing
ii. MET and 1point for 1point for

Structural Steel/ both coarse both coarse
Precast Concrete and fine agg. and fine agg.
replacement replacement
Building Adoption of Sustainable for (iv) for (iv)
Type Building System
Non- ≥50% of CFA

Residential
Residential ≥55% of CFA
iii. Use of Low Carbon Concrete

certified by SGBC or equivalent local
certification bodies (using CEM II –
V cements under SS EN 197-1) for
≥ 80% of applicable superstructure
works by volume
Concrete Categories Points
Concrete products that 0.5

achieve at least SGBP 2 ticks or
equivalent administered by local
certification bodies

equivalent administered by local
certification bodies
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New Existing
Concrete Categories Points

equivalent administered by
local certification bodies
iv. Replacement of coarse and fine

aggregates for structural concrete
applications [by mass of RCA,
WCS, granite fines (GF)] must meet
both minimum requirements in
terms
of extent of usage and
replacement levels as shown in the
Minimum
table below: RCA WCS GF
Requirement
Extent of ≥ ≥ ≥
Usage 1.5% 0.75% 1.5%
x x x
GFA GFA GFA
Replacement ≥20% ≤10% ≥50%

Amount (%)
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Cn2.2 Sustainable Products & Finishes Green Mark Points
New Existing
i. ≥ 60%* (by cost) or ≥ 80%* (by areas) (Applicable to

of the Architectural and applicable existing
landscaping works are at least SGBP buildings with
2 ticks or equivalent administered retrofitting works
by or change
local certification bodies of MEP systems)
ii. ≥ 60%* (by cost) of Mechanical,
Non- Non-
Electrical and Plumbing (MEP)
systems are SGBP certified or
1 point for (i) 2 points for (i)
equivalent administered by
1 point for (ii) 3 points
local certification bodies
for (ii)
Residential:
* The coverage of ≥ 60% (by cost) or 80% (by
2 points for (i) Residential:
areas) should include minimally at least 3 building
1 point for (ii) 2 points for (i)
Products/Finishes.
3 points
for (ii)
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Cn2.3 Conservation, Resource Recovery and Green Mark Points

Waste Management
New Existing
i. To encourage conservation of (Applicable to

existing building structures, existing
recovery of demolished building buildings
materials for reuse and/or recycling undergoing
and waste management. Existing major retrofitting
structures are work and >
conserved and not demolished. 30 years old)
ii. Existing structures are
Non- Non-
demolished with an enhanced
demolition protocol, where a
1 point for (i) 1 point for (i)
recovery rate of
≥ 40% crushed concrete waste from
1 point 1 point
the demolished building is sent to
for (iii) for (iii)
approved recyclers with proper
facilities.
iii. Appointment of environmental
specialists during construction
stage
1 point 1 point
– The main builder is a BCA
for (iii) for (iii)
Green and Gracious Builder with
Merit or above rating and has
ISO14001 certification.
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2.1.3 Fit Out subsection

Cn3.1 Green Lease Green Mark Points
New Existing
A comprehensive Green Lease* (or equivalent) Non- Non-

to be incorporated into the tenancy agreement, Residential: Residential:
that establishes agreed levels of environmental 1 point for (i) 1 point for (i)
performance between the landlord and the 2 points for (ii) 2 points for (ii)
tenant for 3 points 3 points
i. ≥ 50% of the net lettable area for (iii) for (iii)
ii. ≥ 70% of the net lettable area
iii. Every tenant
N/A N/A
*The Green Lease should include at a minimum:
principles relating to energy, water, waste,
environmental management and procurement
including materials, fit-out as well as facility
management practices.
Example template is available:
BCA Green Lease Toolkit: Office/Retail/Industrial

Green Schedule: https://www1.bca.gov.sg/docs/
default-source/docs-corp-buildsg/sustainability/
green-lease-toolkit.docx?sfvrsn=3c597a12_4
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Cn3.2 Fit Out Products Green Mark Points
New Existing
i. ≥ 80% (by cost or area) of the fit- Non- Non-

out materials used (construction Residential: Residential:
and finishes) for common areas 1 point for (i) 1 point for (i)
(i.e. non-tenanted spaces) shall be 1 point for (ii) 1 point for (ii)
at least SGBP 2 ticks or equivalent
administered by local certification
bodies
2 points 2 points
ii. ≥ 80% (by cost or area) of the fit-
for (ii) for (ii)
out materials used (construction
and finishes) for tenanted spaces/
dwelling units shall be
conserved
or at least SGBP 2 ticks or equivalent
administered by local certification
bodies
Fit out products with EPD certification can score

additional points at Innovation section
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Cn3.3 Tenancy Offsets Green Mark Points
New Existing
Non-Residential: Non- Non-

The building owner requires and actively
N/A 1 point for (i)
assists the tenants to offset their operational
2 points for (ii)
energy through the procurement of
3 points
renewables, or through the ongoing purchase
for (iii)
of certified carbon offsets.
i. ≥ 30% of tenants (by NLA)

ii. ≥ 60% of tenants (by NLA)
iii. ≥ 90% of tenants (by NLA)
Residential: Residential: Residential:

The building owner (e.g. MCST) offset their
2 points for (ii) 2 points for (ii)
common area’s operational energy through
3 points 3 points
the procurement of renewables, or through
for (iii) for (iii)
the ongoing purchase of certified carbon
offsets.
i. ≥ 30% of common areas consumption

ii. ≥ 60% of common areas consumption
iii. ≥ 90% of common areas consumption
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New Existing

performance to a specific Carbon indicator or
outcome innovation points can be awarded
on a case-by-case basis. Points shall be
awarded based on the strength of evidence of
benefits and potential impact.
Process:

• The nature of the environmental benefit

of their intervention
comparisons with evidence and data.

lessons
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New Existing
learnt if the intervention does not perform as

expected.
Examples:
• Full scope of Whole Life Carbon

(WLC) Assessment
• Use of NEWSand in non-
structural applications
• Use of carbon mineralisation technologies
• Use of 100% granite fines as
aggregate replacement
• Recognising products with EPDs
• Recognising design for
Disassembly/Future adaptability - to
facilitate future changes and
dismantlement (in part or whole)
for recovery of systems, components and
materials.
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Chapter 3: Maintainability
3.1 Maintainability Section

The Maintainability section looks at the design for maintainability (DfM) and the use
of smart Facilities Management Technologies to ensure resource-efficient maintenance
regimes in buildings; hence facilitating many of the sustainable outcomes desired within
the built environment.
The GM 2021 Maintainability section (Mt) – through the New Building and Existing
Building frameworks – presents a set of criteria for the basis of demonstrating
maintainability performance. The frameworks are broken down into key sections,
including Architectural, Mechanical, Electrical, Landscape and Smart FM. The
Maintainability points scored therein are translated into the Green Mark points, as
shown in the table within this section.
The point scoring for this section is as follows:
Maintainability Translation Matrix & Badge
New non-residential framework:

i. 5 Maintainability points = 1 Green Mark point
ii. Attainment of Maintainability Badge requires
a. scoring minimally 10 Green
Mark points, and
Maintainability Section:
b. complying with all applicable
15 Green Mark points
prerequisites
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Maintainability Translation Matrix & Badge
New residential framework:

Mark points, and
b. complying with all applicable
prerequisites
Existing non-residential framework:

Mark points, and
b. undergoing the pre-submission
evaluation for baseline
maintainability
This section should be read in conjunction with its Technical Guide (Maintainability
(Existing Buildings) Section Technical Guide).
3.2 Framework for existing non-residential buildings

This section will look at the framework for existing non-residential buildings. For the
frameworks on new non-residential and residential buildings, please refer to this link.
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Read
Read as well as
.
3.2.1 Criteria
There are 8 criteria sections listed for existing non-residential buildings and they are
summarized below.
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Points Allocation
CRITERIA
Section 3 — MECHANICAL
3.1 Chiller Plant Part A: Air Conditioning
3.2
Unitary Air Conditioning Plant Systems frnax 13.5
System @Oft2/SJ
3.3
Air Distribution System 8
3.4
Domestic Water Supply 0.5
Part B
3.5
Sanitary System 1.5
3.6
Fire Protection System 3
Sub-total Section 3 26.5
Section 4 — ELECTRICAL
4.1 Lighting System 2.5
4.2 Power Distribution System 2.5
4.3 Extra Low Voltage (ELV) System 3.5
4.4 Lightning Protection System 1
4.5 Vertical Transportation System 1.5
Sub-total Section 4 11
Section 5 — LANDSCAPE
5.1 Softscape 2
5.2 Hardscape 2.5
5.3 Vertical Greenery 0.5
5.4 Roof, Sky Terraces, Planter boxes on building edge/facade 3
5.5 Standalone Structures 2.5
Sub-total Section S 10.5
Section 6 — SMART FM — Innovative Solutions
6.1 Cybersecurity 1
6.2 Adoption of Smart FM Solutions 10
Sub-total Section 6 11
Section 7 — SMART FM — Building Management Systems
7.1 Central Computer 2
7.2 Software Integration 4
7.3 Controllers 2.5
7.4 Integration with M&E systems 2
Sub-total Section 7 10.5
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3.2.2 Assessment Approach

This assessment approach for existing non-residential buildings is as follows.
Category 1 (Cat 1)
Full points for solutions only with 100% applicability in area of application or number of
instances.
Category 2 (Cat 2)
a. Apportioned points for solutions with 15% to 85% coverage (partial or

apportioning) in area of application or number of instances.
b. Full points for solutions with >85% coverage in area of application or number
of instances.
c. No points for solutions with <15% coverage in area of application or number of
instances.
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3.2.3 General Criteria

This criteria for the General section are as follows.
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3.2.4 Architectural Exterior Criteria

This criteria for the Architectural Exterior section are as follows.
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SECTION 1: ARCHITECTURAL EXTERIOR

Design Factor 1.2 Cladding — Tile / Stone / Metal / Others (4 points)
Detailing + 1.2.1Reduce risk of water ingress and streaking on fat;ade (Up to 4
Material points)
a.For streaking:
Specify metals of similar properties or separators between 0.5
different metal components on the exposed face of the fa5ade (Cat 1)
to mitigate risk of bi-metallic corrosion.
b. For water ingress:
Design for pressure-equalised (rain-screen) system,
comprising of:
i. Ventilation openings of adequate dimensions to ensure 2.5

LCC
pressure-equalisation of the cladding cavity (Cat 1)
ii. Drainage system to positively drain out water
iii. iii) Air cavity with a fully sealed internal backing wall
behind the cladding.
c. For water ingress — In face-sealed cladding: specify silicone or
1
LCC modified silicone sealant that is compatible and with adequate
(Cat 1)
adhesion properties to the substrate.
LCC d. For streaking — specify sealant type that has non-stain, non- 0.5
bleed properties. (Cat 1)
e. For water ingress — specify gasket type EPDM or TPE. 1
(Cat 1)
For water ingress - design for double layer protection at 0.5
fa5ade interfaces, coping, etc. (Cat 2)
Advanced effort: For water ingress: Specify anti-carbonation
1 (bonus)
coating or waterproofing layer onto the backing wall behind
(Cat 1)
Design Factor the cladding.
Detailing + Curtain Wall (4 Points)
Material Reduce risk of water ingress and streaking on facade (Up to 4
points)
a. For streaking:
Specify metals of similar properties or separators between 0.5
different metal components on the external face of fa5ade to (Cat 1)
mitigate risk of bi-metallic corrosion.
b. For water ingress — design for pressure-equalised system
comprising of:
LCC i. Ventilation openings of adequate dimensions to ensure

2
pressure-equalisation of the cavities (Cat 1)
ii. Drainage system to positively drain out water
iii. iii) Internal air-seallayer to pressurise internal cavities
and minimise risk of water penetration
LCC For water ingress - specify silicone sealant that is compatible 1
and with adequate adhesion properties to the substrate. (Cat 1)
LCC For streaking — specify sealant type that has non-stain, non- 0.5
bleed properties. (Cat 1)
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e. For water ingress — specify gasket type EPDM or TPE. 1
(Cat 1)
f. For water ingress — design for double layer protection at 0.5
fa3ade interfaces, coping, etc (Cat 2)
Design Factor 1.4 Masonry, Lightweight Concrete Panels, and Precast components (4
points)
1‘4.1 Reduce risk of water ingress and efflorescence formation (3
Detailing points)
a. For efflorescence: specify mortar materials that are salt-free. 0.5
(Cat 1)
b. For water ingress: design movement joints in large continuous
areas, or between adjacent/different building components, to 0.5
minimise the risk of damage to fa3ade, weather seal, and (Cat 1)
waterproofing joints.
c. For water ingress in precast joints — specify silicone or
modified silicon sealant on exterior exposed joints, that is 1
compatible and with adequate adhesion properties to the (Cat 1)
substrate.
d. For efflorescence:
Specify clear coat with good resistance to water absorption on
fa5ade surface (e.g. fair-faced or pigmented concrete). 1
LCC ( y) (Cat 1)
Specify paint with good resistance to water absorption
complying to SS500 or equivalent.
1‘4‘2 Reduce risk of fa3ade flaking/peeling/cracking/blistering (1
Material
point)
a. Specify paint finish:
Top coat:
Paint with good resistance to water absorption complying to 1
SS500 or equivalent (Cat 2)
Mineral paint
Design Factor 15 FaSade Features / other fasade considerations (3.5 points)
1.5.1 Direct access to all protruding fa5ade features, e.g. canopies,
Access sunshades, niches, fins, ledges, BIPV, facade screens, etc. (0.5
point)
a. Ensure every part of all fa3ade features is accessible for 0.5
maintenance. (Cat 1)
Detailing 1.5.2 Reduce risk of corrosion of exposed steel structures (1 point)
a. Design to avoid direct contact of a steel base with the ground
1
(at least l00mm above) to mitigate corrosion and entrapment
(Cat 2)
of moisture and dirt.
1.5.3 Reduce risk of water ingress in open joint cladding (i.e.
Detailing cladding serving as a decorative feature and not as a water
barrier) (1 point)
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a. For features such as open-joint cladding: provide flashings at
regular intervals (not exceeding 3 floors) to positively drain 1
out the cladding cavities and prevent the accumulation of (Cat 1)
water.
Detailing Reduce risk of tile/stone from detaching off fasade (1 point)
Design for mechanically fixed individual tile/stone panels 1
with stainless steel fixings. (Cat 1)
Design Factor Detailing Entrance Lobby (3 Points)
Reduce risk of water ingress at entrances (Up to 3 points)
a. Design canopy/overhang (with minimum 1:50 slope) to shelter
LCC against wind-driven rain with canopy angled at least 45o to 2
the entrance line and with drop panel if canopy/overhang (Cat 2)
does not shelter to entrance line.
Advanced efforts: Numerical simulation studies specific to 1 (bonus)
location and context of surroundings of entrances (Cat 1)
b. Design entrances with transition/buffer zone, e.g. vestibule
design 2
LCC
(Solutions b fr c work as an integrated system and are not mutually (Cat 2)
exclusive, i.e. both must be scored for)
C. Design for aluminium drain pan with walk-off mats.
1
LCC (Solution c must be integrated with solution a or b to be eligible for
(Cat 2)
scoring)
Design Factor 1.7 Roof (2 Points)
Detailing 1.7.1 Reduce risk of water ponding on roofs (1 point)
a. For concrete flat roofs - design slope not gentler than 1:150 and 0.5
with scupper drains/gutter. (Cat 1)
b. For metal sheet profiles:
Design slope to manufacturer’s specifications
Design slope for different sheet profiles based on the roof pitch 0.5
table (refer to table in technical guide). (Cat 1)
Design slope for different sheet profiles determined by

rainwater drainage capacity calculation.
Material + 1.7.2 Reduce risk of waterproofing failure/decay on concrete roofs
Detailing (0.5 point)
a. Specify bitumen / polymer elastomer preformed
waterproofing membrane.
(design for overlap and proper termination of waterproofing
0.5
membrane)
(Cat 1)
(OR)
Specify water-based/solvent-based liquid applied
waterproofing membrane.
Material + Reduce risk of corrosion on metal roofs (0.5 points)
Detailing
a. Specify metal of similar properties or separators between 0.5
different materials to mitigate risk of bi-metallic corrosion
(Cat 1)
between roof and other metal components or accessories.
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3.2.5 Architectural Interiors Criteria

This criteria for the Architectural Interiors section are as follows.
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SECTION 2: ARCHITECTURAL INTERIORS

Material 2.3.4 Reduce risk of stains on wall surfaces in common areas within
the building (up to 1 point)
LCC a. Specify suspended metal panel modular ceiling system, e.g. 1
baffle metal panels and metal mesh panels. (Cat 2)
LCC b. Specify moisture-resistant suspended non-metallic modular 1

ceiling panels with water absorption rate not exceeding 5 %. (Cat 2)
C. Specify open ceiling design. 1
(Cat 2)
Design
2.4 Wet Rooms and Storage (8 points)
Factor Access
2.4.1 Provide permanent space to store cleaning tools and toilet
supplies (up to 1 point)
a. Design for storage rooms for cleaning tools, carts, and supplies
1
such as tissue rolls and soap refill for every male and
(Cat 1)
female toilet cluster.
b. Design for at least one storage space within the male or female
toilet clusters to store supplies such as tissue rolls and soap 0.5
refill. (Cat 1)
fPoinf cannot be scored if already scored for solution a)
Material +
2.4.2 Reduce risk of mould and fungus formation on walls in wet
Detailing
rooms (up to 1 point)
Specify for finishing to be:
LCC a. tiles e.g. glazed ceramic tiles or homogenous tiles. (1 point) 1 / 0.5
or (Cat 2)
Material + b. anti-mould top-coat (0.5 point)
Detailing 2.4.3 Reduce risk of damage to toilet cubicle partitions and enable
ease of cleaning (1 point)
a. Specify water-resistant, partition panels with water 0.5
absorption rate not exceeding 5 %, e.g. phenolic panels. (Cat 1)
b. Design for raised partition walls with minimum of l50mm gap 0.5
from the finished floor level. (Cat 1)
Detailing 2.4.4 Reduce risk of water spill, and splashing and soap dripping
on the counter and floor (up to 3.5 points)
a. Water spill on floor — Design for full vanity washbasin with 1.5
countertop to slope away from the user. (Cat 1)
b. Water spill on floor — Design for soap and tissue dispenser
within arm’s reach of each faucet. (Points can be scored only after 0.5
scoring solution (a)) (Cat 1)
c. Soap dripping on counter/floor — Design of soap dispenser

location to be vertically mounted directly above basin or 1
integrated bin. (Cat 1)
Water splash on counter/floor — Specify depth of basins to be 0.5
minimally 175 mm to avoid excessive splashing. (Cat 1)
Detailing Reduce the need to replace entire mirror glass pane when
damaged (0.5 point)
Design for individual, modular mirror panes with standard 0.5
sizes that are easy to replace. (Cat 1)
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SECTION 2: ARCHITECTURAL INTERIORS

Material 2.4.6 Reduce degradation of false ceiling system in wet rooms (up
to 1 point)
a. Specify moisture-resistant suspended non-metallic modular 1
ceiling panels with water absorption rate not exceeding 5 %. (Cat 2)
b. Specify suspended metal panel modular ceiling system, e.g. 1
baffle metal panels, aluminum trellis, and metal mesh. (Cat 2)
Design Factor 2.5 Basements (1 point)
Material + 2.5.1 Reduce risk of water ingress/seepage in basement (up to 1
Detailing point)
a. Specify negative side waterproofing for walls 1
LCC
(Cat 1)
Design Factor 2.6 Loading Bay/Back of House Service Areas (1.5 points)
Material 2.6.1 Reduce damage caused by impact on walls and columns in
vehicular ramps, and loading bay areas (0.5 points)
a. Specify
i) wall bumpers (0.125 point)
0.5
LCC ii) column guards (0.125 point)
(Cat 1)
iii) wheel stoppers (0.125 point)
iv) iv) bollards (0.125 point)
Material 2.6.2 Reduce damage to walls, columns and floors at back of house
high traffic delivery areas (1.5 points
LCC a. Specify column guards in service delivery areas. 0.5
(Cat 1)
b. Specify protective materials:
i) for walls, e.g. chequered plate on walls (0.33 point) 1
ii) for floors, e.g. epoxy flooring (0.33 point) (Cat 2)
iii) iii) for doors, e.g. kickboards on doors (0.33 point)
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3.2.6 Mechanical Criteria

This criteria for the Mechanical section are as follows.
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c. Locate all the measurement and verification (M&V) sensors <

3.0 m height from finished floor level (FFL).
0.5
(AND)
(Cat 1)
Provide unobstructed access to the M&V sensors for
maintenance.
Access 3.1.2 Access to equipment requiring frequent maintenance (5 Points
points) Available
a. Provide catwalk to access ensure perimeter of the cooling
tower (2 points)
(OR)
2
Provide Catwalk to access cooling tower fill area (1 point)
(Cat 1)
Nofe:
In addition to above requirements, cooling Tower entrance and cat
ladder shall have direct «ccess to perform regular maintenance
LCC b. Provide davit arm at the top of cooling tower for repair and 1
replacement of heavy components i.e. motor, fans etc. (Cat 1)
C. Provide cat ladder with metal enclosure (cage) to access top 0.5
of the equipment i.e. cooling tower etc. (Cat 1)
d. Provide metal step-over platform at the main access leading
to the plant rooms to avoid stepping on rooftop services (i.e. 0.5
major ductwork, pipes above 100 mm diameter, trunking (Cat 1)
exceeding 200 mm in width etc.).
e. Provide minimum 1.2 m wide clear access route from the
nearest lift lobby or staircase to the M&E plant rooms for 0.5
regular maintenance (i.e. pump room, chiller plant room (Cat 1)
including cooling tower etc.).
Provide minimum 2m headroom from the top of cooling 0.5

tower to objects such as trellis. (Cat 1)
Material + 3.1.3 Reduce risk of corrosion and dust invasion in cooling tower Points
Detailing (Up to 1.5 points) Available
(Points can be scored for3.1.3a and either 3.1.3b or 3.1.3c, points
will be apportioned for projects having both cross Joe and counter
flow cooling towers General requirement — applicable to both cross
and counter flow cooling tower)
a. All components in contact with condensing water or air
stream shall be corrosion-protected. The construction
material shall be either:
i) FRP (fiberglass reiriforced polyester with UV inhibitors).
ii) 304 stainless steel.
1
iii) For galvanized steel cooling tower, the zinc coating shall
(Cat 1)
comply with the following:
• Hot-dip galvanized steel shall comply with ASTM
A123 (OR) G235 (OR) JIS H 8641 coating
standards.
• Continuous steel sheet shall comply with ASTM
A653 zinc coating thickness.
LCC b. For cross flow cooling tower, provide basin cover to mitigate 0.5
dust invasion and algal growth in the upper water basin. (Cat 1)
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C. For counter flow cooling tower, provide air intake louvres to
0.5
avoid sun light from entering the cooling tower basin and
(Cat 1)
thus reducing algae formation.
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Detailing 3.1.4 Reduce risk of oil/grease deposit on the cooling tower fins (1.5 Points
point) Available
a. The kitchen exhaust outlet must be at least 5 m away from
cooling tower air intake.
0.5
(AND)
(Cat 1)
The kitchen exhaust must be directed either perpendicular or
opposite to the cooling tower air intake.
b. Provide kitchen air cleaning system (i.e. air scrubber,
1
electrostatic precipitator filters etc.) to avoid grease deposits
(Cat 1)
on the cooling towers.
Detailing 3.1.5 Reduce risk of fouling issue and improve condenser water Points
quality (2.5 points) Available
a. Provide microprocessor based, automatic water quality
1.5
LCC monitoring and control system linked to Building
(Cat 1)
Management System (BMS).
b. Provide auto-tube cleaning for water cooled chillers. 1
LCC (Cat 1)
Detailing Reduce risk of dust and debris settlement inside the cooling Points
tower basin (up to 1.5 points) Available
a. Provide basin sweeper system (including side stream
separator) to remove coarse to fine particles and silt deposit
in the cooling tower basin. 1.5
Note: The hdsitt sweeper system shall be provided for each cooling (Cat 1)
tower.
b. Provide side stream centrifugal separator or equivalent in

1
LCC condenser water loop to mitigate debris and dust
(Cat 1)
accumulation.
Design Factor Unitary Air Conditioning System - Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) (1.5
points)
Access Access to VRF outdoor units (Up to 0.5 point) Points
Available
a. For single VRF outdoor unit installation: 0.5
Nofe: Provide access space as specified in the Technical Guide. (Cat 1)
b. For collective VRF outdoor unit installation: 0.5
Note: Provide access space as speci ed in Ihe Technical Guide. (Cat 1)
c. For floor-by-floor VRF outdoor unit installation 0.5
Note: Provide access space as specified in the Technical Guide. (Cat 1)
Detailing Avoid damage to the refrigerant pipe and insulation (1 point) Points
Available
a. Refrigerant pipe mounted outdoor (e.g. at roof level) must be
1
mounted on inside raised trunking to avoid water ingress and
(Cat 1)
damage to stepping/lateral impact.
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Part B: Section 3.3 to 3.7

Design Factor 3.3 Air Distribution System (8 points)
Access 3.3.1 Access space for maintenance of air distribution system (up to Points
2 points). Available
Points can be scored for 3.3a, 3.3b, 3.3c and 3.3d points will be
pror«fed /or projects having all AHLf, ceiling mounted AHtI and
fCU.
a. Floor mounted air handling unit (AHU)
Minimum 75% of the AHtrs comply to below solutions —— 0.5 point
All AHUS {100%) comply to beloui soltttiotss = 1 points
i) AHU access — Provide minimum 1 m clear space from
the AHU room door entrance to the AHU for general
maintenance.
ii) Cooling coil pipe and filter access — Provide minimum
800 mm clear space after pipe connection to facilitate
cooling coil cleaning and filter access.
iii) Fan access — Provide minimum 800 mm clear space for
fan/motor access and maintenance (if the access is not
from cooling coil connection side).
iv) Provide minimum 600 mm clear space to the side of
AHU and 450mm to the back of AHU.
Up to 1
b. Ceiling mounted air handling units (AHU)
point
Minimum 75% of the AHtJs comply to below solutions —— 0.5 poin/
(Cat 1)
All AHUs t100%) comply fo below solofioris = 1 point
i) Cooling coil, filter and fan access — Provide minimum
600 mm clear space after pipe connection for cooling coil
cleaning, filter access, and fan/motor access and
maintenance.
ii) AHU side and back clearance - Provide minimum 300
mm clear space to back of the AHU for general access.
iii) For AHU’s suspended at heights (ñ 3 m) — Provide
minimum ground clearance of 1.5 m x 2.5 m to the
mount scaffold.
iv) For AHU’s suspended at heights (> 3 m) — Provide
permanent catwalk with structural platform (with
handrails) around the AHU for periodic maintenance.
The clear width of the catwalks shall not be less than 600
C. Fan coil units (FCU)

Minimum 75% of the FCLIs comply to below solutions —— 0.5 point
All £-CtJs {100%) cottipfy fo below solutions - 1 point
i) Provide ceiling access panel with minimum 600 mm x
600 mm to access filter, cooling coil, and fan section for
regular maintenance and replacement. Up to 1
ii) Cooling coil pipe connection access — Provide minimum point
450 mm clear space after pipe connection from any (Cat 1)
obstacle.
iii) FCU side clearance - Provide minimum 200 mm access
space from any obstacle.
iv) FCU and key components such as actuator control valve,
local control panel (LCP) must be directly accessible and
within maximum 600mm from the access panel.
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d. Access to FCU mounted at heights (i.e. atrium, lobby space)

Minimum 75% of the FCtIs comply to below solutions —— 0.5 point
All FCUS {100%) comply to below solutions —— 1 point
i. Access requirements stated in item 3.3.1c.
(AND)
ii. Provide clear access route for Mobile Elevated Work
Platforms (MEWP) to reach the lobby, atrium space from
the nearest door entrance.
• Provide clear access with entrance door/ opening of
1.8 m width x 2.4 m height and working base of 1.8
m width x 2 m length if the mounting height is less
than or equal to 10.5 m.
2 m width x 2.8 m height and working base of 2 m
width x 2 m length if the mounting height is greater
than 10.5 m.
iii. Provide alternative access (e.g. maintenance platform,

access from top floors etc.) without having to access
from the atrium floor.
iv. Locate FCU less than 3 m from FFL for easy access and
maintenance.
Detailing 3.3.2 Reduce risk of water ponding and algae growth in the AHU
room (1 point
a. AHU drain pipe must be terminated directly above the floor 0.5
trap to avoid any water spillage. (Cat 1)
b. AHU room floor to be provided with epoxy coating to avoid 0.5
algae and mould growth. (Cat 1)
Detailing 3.3.3 Reduce risk of choke of condensate drain pipes (1 point)
a. The horizontal drain pipes must have minimum slope of 1:100 0.5
for easy flow of condensate drain (Cat 1)
b. Provide T-joint before terminating the individual drain pipe 0.5
from AHU to the main drain stack for periodic cleaning. (Cat 1)
Detailing 3.3.4 Reduce frequency of replacement for AHU filters (2 points)
a. Provide differential pressure switch linked to BMS for real-
time monitoring of filter choke condition. 0.5
LCC
Note: Differential pressure switch mosf he provided for both (Cat 1)
primary and secondary filter for PAHMs and AHMs.
b. Specify fibre glass filter media with average initial resistance
not greater than 90 Pa for primary filter (MERV 8 and ISO
0.5
LCC ePM10 50%) and 145 Pa for secondary filter (MERV 14 and
(Cat 1)
ISO ePM1 80%).
Note: Synthetic media with ittitiof static charge is ttot acceptable.
c. Specify filters with better Life Cycle cost for increased service
life and lower cost of ownership. LCC should capture the key
parameters such as “Total cost of ownership, service life,
Energy consumption details and Indoor Air Quality
1
LCC performance”.
(Cat 1)
Note:
i. Total cost of ownership must be in Singapore dollars
ii. Energy consttmp/ion is based on S$0.20 / KWh
iii. filters must be complaint to ISO 16890 1 ASHRAE 52.2:2017
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Detailing 3.3.5 Avoid frequent re-alignment of fan parts i.e. pulley, bearings
and belts (2 points)
a. Specify AHU fan system with less moving parts (i.e. fans with
direct drive system) for enhanced reliability and reduced
downtime. 2
LCC
Nofe: (Cat 2)
Points drill be prorated for buildings which are served
predominantly ( 75%) by T-CUs.
Design Factor Domestic Water Supply (0.5 points)
Access Access space for maintenance of water tank (0.5 point) Points
Available
a. i. Provide minimum clear width of 1.2 m access walkway
to water tank from the nearest staircase or lift
ii. Provide minimum access space to the water tank for
regular maintenance.
a. For panel tank (FRP/Stainless steel), provide 0.5
minimum 600 mm clear space around the tank. (Cat 1)
b. For RC tank, provide minimum 600 mm clear
access to the access door.
iii. c. Provide minimum 1 m clear headroom above the
water tank (applicable to water tank with top access)
Design Factor Sanitary System (1.5 points)
Access + Access provision and design detailing for sanitary pipes for
Detailing ease of maintenance (1 point)
a. Provide cleaning eyes with viewing panel for better 0.5
maintenance. (Cat 1)
b. Specify hubless elbows for sanitary stacks with horizontal 0.5
transfers. (Cat 1)
Detailing Reduce risk of chokes in the sanitary pipe (0.5 point)
a. For buildings with food and beverage (F&B) units, the AHU
0.5
condensate drain must not be linked to kitchen waste
(Cat 1)
discharge pipes.
Design Factor 3.6 Fire Protection System (3 points)
Access 3.6.1 Access to fire detectors at height (0.5 point)
a. Provide alternative access for fire detector maintenance (e.g.
maintenance platform) without having to access from the
atrium floor.
Provide clear access route for Mobile Elevated Work

Platforms (MEWP) to reach the lobby or atrium space from
the nearest entrance door.
0.5
(Cat 1)
1.8 m width x 2.4 m height and working base of 1.8
m width x 2 m length if the mounting height is less
than or equal to 10.5 m.
2 m width x 2.8 m height and working base of 2 m
width x 2 m length if the mounting height is greater
than 10.5m
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3.2.7 Electrical Criteria

This criteria for the Electrical section are as follows.
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Material 4.1.2 Reduce risk of light flickering (0.5 point)

a. i. Specify constant DC output type LED driver complying
with the following IEC standards to minimise flickering:
a) IEC 62384.
0.5
b) IEC 61347 Part 1 and Part 2-13.
(Cat 2)
ii. b. For non-LED light fixtures, use electronic ballast to cut
off power supply to mitigate flickering due to lamp
failure.
Material Reduce risk of LED light colour shift (0.5 point)
a. Specify LEDs tested to ANSI/IES LM-79-19 and LM-80-15 to 0.5
ensure the LED performance (Cat 2)
Design Factor Power Distribution (2.5 points)
Detailing Reduce risk of water Ingress into electrical room (0.5 point) Points
Available
a. Electrical rooms must be raised by minimum 100 mm against
thpe outside passageway.
0.5
(Cat 1)
Provide minimum 100 mm plinth for floor mounted electrical
switchboard.
Detailing Reduce risk of unnoticed failure of surge arrestor located in
the LT main switchboard (1 point)
a. Use of surge arrestor with discharge indicator. 0.5
(Cat 1)
b. Provide BMS monitoring for surge arrestor status. 0.5
(Cat 1)
Detailing Reduce risk of failure of main LT switchboard due to
overheating (1 point)
a. Install heat sensor in the main LT switchboard to alert any 0.5
abnormal rise in temperature with audible/visual alarm. (Cat 1)
b. Integrate sensor to building BMS system for online 0.5
monitoring of temperature data. (Cat 1)
Design Factor Extra Low Voltage System (3.5 points)
Detailing Provide access for CCTV camera located at heights (1 point) Points
Available
a. Provide access to cameras located at heights (k 3m) i.e.
foldable poles/arms;
1
(OR)
(Cat 1)
b. Provide clear access route for mobile elevated work platforms
(MEWP) to reach the camera for maintenance.
Detailing Provide flexibility for future expansion for CCTV system (1.5 Points
point) Available
a. Provide minimum 20% spare capacity in network switch to 0.5
cater for future expansion (Cat 1)
b. Design that allows for future addition of data storage (either 1
local or cloud base data storage). (Cat 1)
Detailing Reduce risk of damage to outdoor camera and other Points
equipment due to lightning surge (1 point) Available
a. Provide surge arrestor to all outdoor cameras.
Note: The surge protection must be provided at power source
(Cat 1)
(MNO/Ofi) at network switch.
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3.2.8 Landscape Criteria

This criteria for the Landscape section are as follows.
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5.3
Design Factor Vertical Greenery (0.5 point)
5.3.1
Access Access to all parts of vertical greenery for maintenance and Points
replacement of perished plants (0.5 point) Available
a. Provide direct maintenance access to all vertical greenery
0.5
LCC both indoor and outdoor, e.g. catwalk, ladder, access corridor,
(Cat 1)
MEWP, etc.
Design Factor 5.4 Roof, Sky Terraces, Planter boxes on building edge/facade (3 points)
Detailing + 5.4.1 Access for landscape on roof and sky terraces (2 points) Points
Access Available
a. Provide direct maintenance access to landscape on all roof
0.5
and sky terraces.
(Cat 1)
For planters more than 1.8 m wide, provide minimally 300
b. 0.5
mm obstruction-free maintenance pathway inside the planter
(Cat 1)
box.
c. For trees: Provide 5 m clear pathway from building edge to 1

tree trunk. (Cat 2)
Access 5.4.2 Access to planter boxes on building edge (up to 1 point) Points
Available
a.
Provide minimally 600 mm access walkway to planter boxes
for maintenance (1 point)
1
{OR)
(Cat 2)
Provide minimally 450 mm access walkway to planter boxes
for maintenance (0.5 point)
Design Factor 5.5 Standalone structures (2.5 points)
Detailing + 5.5.1 Reduce water ponding and degradation of outdoor Points
Material standalone structures, e.g. pavilions (up to 1.5 point) Available
a. Design for outdoor standalone structure’s roof slope to be not
0.5
gentler than 15 degrees for efficient water run-off.
(Cat 1)
b.
Design to avoid direct contact of steel base with the ground
(raised at least l00mm) to prevent corrosion and entrapment 0.5
of moisture and dirt. (Cat 1)
c. troint cannot be scored if already scored in solution 1.5.2)
Specify for engineered wood with water absorption rate not 0.5
exceeding 0.5% for built-in furniture. (Cat 1)
Material 5.5.2 Reduce risk of warping/deterioration of ceiling panel systemPoints on standalone structure (up to 1 p
a
Specify suspended modular metal panel, e.g. baffle metal 1
.
panels and metal mesh panels (Cat 2)
b Specify moisture-resistant suspended non-metallic modular 1
. ceiling panels with water absorption rate not exceeding 5% (Cat 2)
Specify open ceiling design 1
C.
(Cat 2)
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3.2.9 Smart FM – Innovative Solutions Criteria

This criteria for the Smart FM – Innovative Solutions section are as follows.
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Design Factor Adoption of Smart FM Solutions (10 points)

Detailing Adopt innovative technologies that improve FM labour Points
efficiency and service delivery. (Up to 3 points) Available
a. Type 1 — Use of digitised workflow automation to optimize
the workflow, productivity and service delivery: (1 point
each)
Digitalized Workflow Automation: When triggered by a

feedback or incident, automatically initiates a process that
tracks, monitors, and closes the feedback or incident.
Example applications are as follows:

1. Remote monitoring systems with sensors that will alert
FM team on soft FM (e.g. cleaning, pest control, etc.)
2. Video analytics with incident detection that would alert
security team of any abnormalities
3. Application that allows for automated temperature
adjustment in accordance to user feedback
4. Smart toilets
5. Smart bins
6. Smart monitoring system for fire extinguishers
7. Smart exit lights Up to 3
8. Software platform for defects management points
9. Software platform for handover of as-built drawings (Cat 1)
Type 2 — Use of data analytics and artificial intelligence for

b. system optimization and predictive maintenance: (1 point
each)
i) Diagnostics AI: Able to identify system deviations
and diagnose potential causes.
ii) Predictive AI: Able to diagnose problems and
predict future states of assets and systems.

1. M&E equipment condition monitoring with sensors and
analytics for preventive/conditional-based maintenance
(e.g. monitoring of embedded sensors in chiller or VRF
CU to predict mechanical wear and failure)
2. Fault detection diagnostics to find failed or improperly
operating equipment (e.g. using abnormalities in IAQ
readings or deviation from set points to relate
equipment faults)
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Detailing 6.2.2 Advanced Smart FM — Integrated and aggregated Smart FM Points

solutions that improve FM labour efficiency and service Available
delivery (up to 4 points)
a. Type 3 — Integration across systems (1 point each):
Integration across multiple systems/FM services to optimize
resource deployment and utilization across multiple
systems/FM services
Up to 3
points
1. Use of lift traffic and carpark gantry data to forecast and
(Cat 1)
streamline cleaning regimes
2. Integration of CCTV with access control system for
intrusion detection
3. Integration between CCTV system and Fire Alarm
System to promptly identify occurrences of false alarms
b. Aggregated Smart FM Solution
Building owners can explore areas where economies of scale
can be achieved through aggregation of FM solutions.

1. For building owners with a portfolio of buildings, Smart
FM solutions can be aggregated across the portfolio of
1
buildings for a better overview and management of
(Cat 1)
resources.
2. Building owners with a single development may explore
aggregation through FM companies and solution
providers through outcome-based contracts. FM
companies and solution providers can better manage
resources to meet service demands through the
aggregation of buildings in a district.
Detailing 6.2.3 Design for Robotics and Automation (R&A) (up to 3 points) Points
Available
a. Building infrastructures should be designed to optimise
robot capabilities such as their range of mobility, ease of
completing tasks, and ability to navigate its work
environment. (up to 3 points, 0.5 point for each R&A
solution)
Identifying the robots of interest to be deployed and

recognising their corresponding level of autonomy is
important in planning suitable infrastructure that would Up to 3
cater to the robots. points
(Cat 1)
Example use of FM robots could include the following:
• Cleaning robot e.g. fa3ade, floor, window
• Concierge robot
• Facade inspection robot/drone
• Landscape management robot e.g. lawn mowers •
• Pest management robot e.g. detection, monitoring,
extermination
• Security robot
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3.2.10 Building Management System Criteria

This criteria for the Building Management System section are as follows.
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Detailing 7.2.2 Outdated operating system and lack of security features (Up Points
to 2 points) Available
a. Operating system
i) Windows 10 (0.5 point)
ii) Windows Server 2019/ Linux Ubuntu server 20.04.2.0
p LTS (1 point) Up to 1
point
iii) Cloud/Virtual computing services (i.e. Microsoft (Cat 1)
Windows Azure, Google Chrome OS)
Note: For cloud computing services, execution and processes of
virtual machines 1 servers and virtual infrastructure, as well as the
back-end hardware and software resources and security patches
b. Web access
1
i) Internet Service Provider (ISP)/Mobile Data link-up
(Cat 1)
(Example: Remote access, live viewing etc.
Detailing 7.2.3 Lack of interface with other services (1 point) Points
Available
a. Provide IT infrastructure provision for high level integration
with other services (0.5 point each)
i) Provide minimum 20% spare IT port at individual
switch level. 1
ii) Provide a minimum of 20% spare band width for future (Cat 1)
expansion.
Nofe: The normal usage should not exceed the cable fimif (Ex: For a
10GB fiber optic cable, the usage should not exceed 8 GB).
Detailing 7.2.4 Lack of notification system resulting in increased downtime Points
(0.5 point) Available
a. Provide Short Messaging System (SMS) system
Use of applications such as WhatsApp, Telegram, WeChat,

etc. to notify the fault
Example: Short messaging system to send message Osittg local Telco
line to individual (operator or management)
0.5
(OR)
(Cat 1)
Provide email system.
Example: Email system to send alarm notification in email
Provide voice call system

Example: Voice call system mill call a direct number to notification
the operator
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Design Factor 7.3 Controllers (2.5 pointsJ

7.3.1
Detailing Lack of termination list (0.5 point) Points
Available
a. Provide full terminal list (naming and tagging).
Note:
i) To be updated when building undertake A&A.
ii) The termination list has proper point description
0.5
(equipment naming) and corresponding I/O points type
(Cat 1)
and Interfacing Termination board (ITB) numbering.
iii) Terminal list to be maintained in both hardcopy and
softcopy to ensure up-to-date knowledge of system set-
up.
Detailing 7.3.2 Lack of access to DDC panels (0.5 point) Points
Available
a. The top of the control panels shall be maximum 1.8m from the
finished floor level (FFL) to facilitate direct access.
(OR) 0.5
b. The control panels located at heights shall have direct access (Cat 1)
from scaffolding, ladders etc. Provide minimum 800mm clear
access space in front of the control panels.
Detailing 7.3.3 Lack of reliable power supply to DDC controllers (up to 1.5 Points
point) Available
a. Power Supply
i) Provide minimum 30 minutes UPS power back-up for
Up to 1
controllers serving critical infrastructure (i.e. Chiller
point
plant, AHU’s, PAHU’s, HT/LT switch board) - 0.5 point
(Cat 1)
ii) Provide minimum 30 minutes UPS power back-up for all
controllers - 1 point
iii) Provide BMS monitoring for incoming power supply for 0.5
UPS system to facilitate continuous operation — 0.5 point (Cat 1)
Design Factor 7.4 Integration with M&E Systems (2 points)
Detailing 7.4.1 Lack of integration with Mechanical & Electrical systems (1.5 Points
point) Available
a. ACMV system
i) Monitor and control of chiller plant equipment’s
including chillers, cooling towers, chilled water pumps
and condenser water pumps — 0.5 point
Note: for buildings served by VRP, monitoring of VRF- system
is required.
AND/OF)
ii) Monitor and control of Air distribution system including 1.5
AHU, FCU and PAHU, main mechanical ventilation fans (Cat 1)
serving the common areas — 0.5 point
b. Electrical systems
i) Lighting system — 0.5 point
Note: Lighiing system monitor and control for the building
common areas such as corridors, carpark and external
lighting.
Detailing 7.4.2 Lack of integration with Solar PV systems (0.5 point) Points
Available
a. Solar PV system Integration
i) High level Integration of solar PV system with BMS for
0.5
continued monitoring.
(Cat 1)
Note: The monitoring should include energy yield, Panel
temperature, current, voltage, Error messages etc.
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3.2.11 Facility Management System Criteria

This criteria for the Facility Management System section are as follows.
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Design Factor Operations Management — Maintenance Management (1.5 points)

Detailing Work order process is ill-defined, manually tracked or not Points
tracked (1 point) Available
a. Work order process including application of permit to work
for ad-hoc maintenance and scheduled work (e.g. corrective 0.5
maintenance and preventive maintenance) are automated (Cat 1)
with FM software.
b. Mobile devices and mobile apps are extensively used for work 0.5
order management processes. (Cat 1)
Detailing Work plans and checklists are not in digitalized format (0.5 Points
point) Available
a. Work plans and checklist in digitalized format (e.g. each
0.5
checklist item is a record), e.g. in a spreadsheet or in a
(Cat 1)
computer database (such as FMS system).
Design Factor Operations Management — Other General Services (1 point)
Detailing Service request forms and processes are managed manually Points
(1 point) Available
a. Service request forms and processes are digitalized and
automated using FM or CRM software.
0.5
Nofe: Examples of services are aircon or chilled water extension,
(Cat 1)
meeting room booking, VIP visit arrangements, etc. Msuo/fy
performed manually by a concierge.
b. Customer care or self-service web portal available for
0.5
customers to submit new service requests or review status of
(Cat 1)
existing requests.
Design Factor 8.6 Supply Chain Management — Inventory, Procurement and Contract
Management (4.5 points)
Detailing 8.6.1 Inventory tracked manually (or FM staff has no access to Points
Finance Department Inventory Management System) (0.5 Available
point)
a. Keep an accurate inventory control register in a database. 0.5
(Cat 1)
Detailing 8.6.2 Procurement process tracked manually (or FM staff has no Points
access to Finance Department Procurement Management Available
System) — Sourcing, purchasing, goods receipt. (0.5 point)
a. The purchasing process (purchase order issuance) is
automated including following key functions.
i) The sourcing process (tendering, requesting for 0.5
quotation) is automated with funds availability check. (Cat 1)
ii) Progress claims, goods receipt and invoicing processes
are automated.
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Detailing 8.6.3 Expense budget management process tracked manually (or Points
FM staff has no access to Finance Department Budget Available
Management System). (0.5 point)
a. Expense budget management processes (new budget
0.5
approval, budget adjustment, budget reallocation/ virement)
(Cat 1)
are automated.
Detailing Vendor pre-qualification and regular grading reviews Points
performed manually or not performed (0.5 point) Available
a. Automate vendor pre-qualification and regular grading 0.5
reviews. (Cat 1)
Detailing No vendor self-service web portal (1 point) Points
Available
a. Implement vendor self-service web portal with following
functionality:
i) Vendor portal for self-registration / pre-qualification.
ii) Vendor portal for viewing procurement opportunities
1
such as tenders.
(Cat 1)
iii) Vendor portal for submission of bids proposals and
receipt of Purchase Orders.
iv) Vendor portal for submission of progress claims/ goods
delivery or invoices.
Detailing 8.6.6 Contracts are tracked manually (1 point) Points
Available
a. Contracts are in digitalized format and kept in central
database
1
(AND)
(Cat 1)
b. Pro-active reminders or alerts on key contractual milestones
(e.g. reminder for renewal).
Detailing Schedule of rates not in digitalized format (0.5 point Points
Available
a. Schedule of rates for services in digitalized format and kept in 0.5
central database. (Cat 1)
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Chapter 4: Resilience
4.1 Resilience Section

The GM: 2021 Resilience (Re) section evaluates buildings on their climate mitigation
and adaptation strategies and encourages the use of nature-based solutions and a
greater approach to circularity. It focuses on the protection of place, people and habitat,
management of resources and climate risks aligned with the recommendations of the
Taskforce for Climate Related Financial Disclosures (TCFD), and the restoration of
ecology and implementation of natural climate solutions.
The Resilience section has been created leveraging on the leading urban studies,
including the work and recommendations of the Urban Heat Island Mitigation
Workgroup, which is mapping the national strategies for reducing urban heat island
and improving outdoor thermal comfort.
Projects that are certified under the Living Future Institute Living Building Challenge
will receive recognition under the Green Mark 2021 Re section. Refer to Table RE 0.1
Living Future Institutes Certification for the details.
This section should be read in conjunction with its Technical Guide (Resilience Section
Technical Guide).
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4.1.1 Protect subsection

Re1.1 Conservation Green Mark Points
New Existing
RE1.1a Habitat and Ecology
i. A comprehensive EIA to identify the 1 point 1 point

anticipated effects on the environment
a proposed development or project
may have. The EIA shall identify
design measures to mitigate negative
impacts
to the site’s environment with a focus
on climate change and ecological
systems. It should describe how the
project can contribute positively to the
overall ecology and biodiversity of the
site and its wider context.
1 point 1 point
ii. Implementation plan that outlines key
actions that need to be undertaken to
maintain the ecological integrity of
biodiversity on the site, whether this is
existing biodiversity or created as a part
of the development works.
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Re1.1 Conservation Green Mark Points
New Existing
RE1.1b Resources (Cap at

i. Asset Sustainable Policy and Action N/A 3 points)
Plan shall include:
a. Energy Management Policy 1 point

and Energy Improvement Plan
b. Water Management Policy 1 point

and Water Improvement Plan
c. Waste Management Policy and 1 point
3R Plan
ii. Water Efficiency
a. PUB Water Efficient N/A 0.5 point OR
Building (Basic) certification
b. PUB WELS “3-ticks” rating for 1 point 1 point
90% of all relevant water fittings for (ii)(b)
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Re1.2 Urban Heat Island Mitigation Green Mark Points
New Existing
RE1.2a Outdoor Thermal Comfort
To conduct environmental modelling of the 2 points 2 points

site to demonstrate that outdoor thermal
comfort is maintained or improved and UHI
effect minimized or reduced. Developments
should identify and implement suitable
interventions to mitigate the urban heat
island (UHI) effect through massing,
material selection, the landscape,
(hardscape, softscape) and building surfaces.
The model should be conducted using
simulations over
the site area, based 12pm (noon) readings for
a typical day in April and October.
Model shall show one of the following:
• Physiological Equivalent
Temperature (PET) of ≤34°C
• Universal Thermal Climate
Index (UTCI) of ≤32°C
• TSV <+2
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Re1.2 Urban Heat Island Mitigation Green Mark Points
New Existing
RE1.2b Urban Heat Island Mitigation
Adoption of UHI mitigation measures such as: 1 point 0.5 point 1 point 0.5 point
• Green and blue spaces for for ≥50% site for ≥50% site
landscaping and roof coverage coverage
• Roofing materials or coatings or
1 point for ≥80% 1 point for ≥80%
cool paints with high Solar
site coverage site coverage
Reflectance
Index (SRI) > 40
• Unshaded hardscape areas with SRI
> 39, inclusive of unshaded carparks,
internal roads, plazas, and
pedestrian walkways
• Use of permeable paving strategies
such as gravel or open paving systems.
• Other performance-based strategies
that demonstrate URH effect
mitigation.
The site plan shall be used to calculate the site

coverage, at plan view, of mitigation measures
adopted.
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Re1.3 Contextual Response Green Mark Points
New Existing
To demonstrate how the site topography, 2 points N/A

microclimate, access and connectivity has
informed the design of the urban form
and site layout. A site analysis should be
conducted to identify the relationships
between human and physical geography of
the site and inform how the building
responds to these factors.
Details should include the response to the

urban grain, site connectivity and access,
provisions and locations of amenities, and
opportunities for green corridors.
A series of simulations and studies of the

project should also be undertaken that look at
the microclimate and the response of the
urban form generated, including, shading
analysis, wind analysis and solar insolation
studies.
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4.1.2 Manage subsection

Re2.1 Leadership Green Mark Points
New Existing
RE2.1a Project Team
The appointment of environmental specialists

at building design, construction, operation
and retrofit stages to drive and coordinate the
environmental design approach.
i. Accredited professionals GM
0.5 point 1.0 points
AP / GM AAP GM AP(FM) /
(GM AP = (GM AP =
GM AAP(FM)1
0.25pts GM 0.5pts GM AAP
ii. Firms certified under Singapore
AAP = 0.5pts) = 1.0pts)
2
Green Building Services (SGBS)
0.5 points 0.5 points
certification scheme and Certified
(1 firm = (1 firm =
FM Company (CFMC)3 accreditation
0.25pts) 0.25pts)
scheme
RE2.1b Procurement
i. Sustainable procurement policy For Non- For Non-

including commitment to procuring Residential Residential
accredited or labelled green Buildings Buildings
services, utilities, venues, products 1 Point 1 Point
and
1 https://gmap.sgbc.online/public/about
2 https://www.sgbc.sg/sgbc-certifications/sgbs-certification
3 https://singaporesifma.com/CFMC
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New Existing
systems related to the building For Residential For Residential

operations and business activities. Buildings Buildings
0.5 Point 1.5 Points
Includes standing requirements for
for 1st year for MCST
products (building and operations
operation under procurement
such paper, cleaning materials etc),
developer’s of replacement
services (consultants, catering with non-
control. common area
disposables etc) and business activities
systems, and
such as green vehicle fleets, venues
AGM venues.
such as procurement of hotels etc. The
commitment would depend on what is
under the building owners’ control (e.g.
owner occupied or part of green leasing
requirements). Utilities include green
electricity tariffs.
ii. Energy performance contracting For Non- For Non-

to implement and deliver energy Residential Residential
efficiency, renewable energy and/ Buildings Buildings
or energy recovery project with 1 Point 1 Point
an
For Residential For Residential
energy performance contract
Buildings Buildings
wherein the EPC firm’s remuneration
N/A N/A
is based on demonstrated energy
savings or maintained efficiency
levels. Contract length to be
minimally 3 years.
The external EPC firm may be a company

that provide one of more of these services:
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New Existing
• Provision of energy efficient

technology and services
including financing,
design,
implementation, and
management of projects
• Supply, installation, and
commissioning of cooling
and/or heat-recovery systems
• Supply, installation and
commissioning of CHP or tri-
gen power generation
• Supply, installation and
commissioning of solar PV or
thermal systems
• Solar leasing
• M&E contracting
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Re2.2 Circularity Green Mark Points
New Existing
Tackling the 3 priority waste streams and (Cap at

adopting a circular economic approach to 1 point)
close resource loops.
i. Provision of dedicated recycling
facilities and receptacles at convenient
and accessible locations for
a. E-waste in collaboration with 0.5 point 0.5 point

the Producer Responsibility
Scheme (PRS) Operator, and
b. Packaging waste including used 0.5 point 0.5 point

beverage containers
ii. Food waste systems for proper 0.5 point 1 point

segregation (as detailed within the food
waste segregation requirements under
the Resource Sustainability Act), pre-
treatment (such as grinding) and on-site
treatment, or direct conveyance for off-
site treatment.
iii. Waste audits and engagement 0.5 point 1 point for (iii)
a. Annual waste audits to identify for (iii)
areas of wastage, and uncover
opportunities to reduce, reuse
or recycle waste materials
b. Provide waste management/3R
training/education for staff/
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Re2.2 Circularity Green Mark Points
New Existing
tenants and cleaners at least

twice a year.
Re2.3 Resilience Strategy Green Mark Points
New Existing
A comprehensive project specific climate

change risk and adaptation assessment,
aligned to principles outlined by the Taskforce
for Climate Related Financial Disclosures
(TCFD), that:
i. Use various climate scenarios 2 points 2 points

and impact on weather,
including rainfall, temperature,
sea level rise, flooding, drought
and public
health pandemics, to assess
project's climate-related physical
and transition risks and
1 point N/A
opportunities;
ii. Conceptualise clear environmental

sustainability targets and design
approaches early at the onset of the
project to be included in project
N/A 1 point
brief to manage identified risks; or
iii. Develop an action plan that

addresses how the building
would be resilient to these
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events,
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Re2.3 Resilience Strategy Green Mark Points
New Existing
through current or future

design interventions.
Reference - The Use of Scenario Analysis

in Disclosure of Climate-related Risks and
Opportunities - TCFD Knowledge Hub https://
www.tcfdhub.org/scenario-analysis/
4.1.3 Restore subsection

Re3.1 Buildings In Nature Green Mark Points
New Existing
Improving the ecology and quality of the

natural environment on site through the
incorporation of a well-considered
planting strategy.
i. High GnPR (>5 for New 1 point 1 point

Developments, >3 for Existing
Buildings)
ii. Diverse range of plant species 1 point 1 point

- of which 50% shall be native
to Southeast Asia
iii. Provision of ‘Wild landscape 1 point 1 point

areas’ (10% of site area) to
create habitat pockets on the
site
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Re3.2 Natural Climate Solutions Green Mark Points
New Existing
Natural Climate Solutions, or Nature Based

solutions refer to climate mitigation that
harness natural processes to reduce or remove
greenhouse gases. They are actions to protect,
sustainably manage, and restore natural or
modified ecosystems
i. Restoration of ecology equivalent to 2 points 2 points

the GFA of the development
through either, or a combination of:
a. Reforestation programme
b. Marine/ Aquatic ecosystem
restoration programme
(such as mangrove forests,
seagrass beds, salt marshes,
coral propagation)
With a 10-year commitment

to investment and/ or
management
ii. Investment, production, or 2 points 2 points

purchase of nature-based credits,
including blue carbon and REDD+)
equivalent to the estimated carbon
impact
of the construction/ retrofit and
normal operation of the development
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Re3.2 Natural Climate Solutions Green Mark Points
New Existing
over a 10-year period, certified by a

recognised third party

Re4 Innovation Green Mark Points
New Existing

performance to a specific Carbon indicator or
outcome innovation points can be awarded
on a case-by-case basis. Points shall be
awarded based on the strength of evidence of
benefits and potential impact.
Process:

• The nature of the environmental

benefit of their intervention
comparisons with evidence and data.
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Re4 Innovation Green Mark Points
New Existing

lessons learnt if the intervention does not
perform as expected
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Summary
The Green Mark: 2021 has 6 sections in all:
• Energy Efficiency Section

• Intelligence Section
• Health & Well-being Section
• Whole Life Carbon Section
• Maintainability Section
• Resilience Section
The Health & Well-being has 4 subsections:
• HW1: Physiological
• HW2: Psychological
• HW3: Sociological
• HW4: Innovation
The Whole Life Carbon Section has 4 subsections:
• CN1: Carbon
• CN2: Construction
• CN3: Fit Out
• CN4: Innovation
The Maintainability Section has frameworks for the following building types:
• New Non-residential Buildings

• New Residential Buildings
• Existing Non-residential
Buildings The Resilience Section has 4
subsections:
• RE1: Protect
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• RE2: Manage
• RE3: Restore
• RE4: Innovation
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1. Under Health & Well-being section, what are the criteria required for Hw1.1 Active
Movement Design? (Select all that apply)
□ a. Safe access in and around the project site
□ b. Provision of bicycle lots that are more than 50% over and above the LTA/
URA requirements
□ c. Internal staircases that are prominent and well-ventilated
□ d. Provision of furnishing that encourage active behaviour
2. Which of the following does not comply to Hw2 Psychological subsection?

a. Visual and/or physical access to landscape, waterscapes
b. Provision of quality lighting that matches the progression of natural
daylighting
c. Spaces which are acoustically designed to keep external noises such as traffic
out
d. Provision of physical and mental wellness programmes for occupants
3. If a project were to be certified WELL Gold, how many points would that net for
Green Mark: 2021?
a. 6 points
b. 8 points
c. 10 points
d. 12 points
4. Under the Whole Life Carbon section, what are the required stages under the
Minimum Scope of WLC assessment?
i. Product Stage [A1-A3]
ii. Construction Stage [A4-A4]
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iii. Maintenance Stage [B2] Façade

iv. Repair Stage [B3] ACMV
v. Replacement Stage [B4] ACMV
vi. Operational Energy [B6]
vii. Operational Water [B7]
viii. End of Life Stage [C1-C4]
a. (i), (ii), (iii), (v) and (vi) only
b. (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v) and (vi) only
c. (i), (ii), (iii), (v), (vi), (vi) and (viii) only
d. All of the above
5. Which of the following systems and materials are acceptable under Cn2.1
Sustainable Construction? (Select all that apply).
□ a. Advanced precast concrete system (APCS)
□ b. Mass Engineered Timber (MET)
□ c. Prefabricated Prefinished Volumetric Construction (PPVC)
□ d. Hybrid structural system of MET/structural steel and cast-in situ concrete
6. Under CN2.2 Sustainable Products and finishes, what is the minimum number of
building products and/or finishes required?
a. At least 2 building Products/Finishes
b. At least 3 building Products/Finishes
c. At least 4 building Products/Finishes
d. At least 5 building Products/Finishes
7. Under the GM: 2021 Maintainability Section, how many maintainability points
would one need to net 1 Green Mark: 2021 point under the Existing Non-residential
Building framework?
a. 4 maintainability points to 1 GM point
b. 5 maintainability points to 1 GM point
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c. 6 maintainability points to 1 GM point

d. Existing non-residential buildings do not need to comply
8. Which of the following areas do not fall under the GM: 2021 Maintainability Section?
a. Architectural – Exterior/Interior
b. Structural
c. Landscape
d. Mechanical / Electrical
9. Under GM: 2021 Resilience Section, which of the following needs to be included in
the Asset Sustainable Policy and Action Plan?
i. Energy Management Policy and Energy Improvement Plan
ii. Fitments, Furnishings and Equipment Management and Disposal Plan
iii. Water Management Policy and Water Improvement Plan
iv. Waste Management Policy and 3R Plan
a. (i ), (ii) and (iii)
b. (i) and (iv) only
c. (i), (iii) and (iv)
d. All of the above
10. Which of the following are Urban Heat Island (UHI) mitigation measures spelt out
under RE1.2b Urban Heat Island Mitigation? (Select all that apply)
□ a. Green and blue spaces for landscaping and roof
□ b. Roofing materials or coatings or cool paints with high Solar Reflectance
Index (SRI)
□ c. Unshaded hardscape areas with SRI > 39, inclusive of unshaded carparks,
internal roads, plazas, and pedestrian walkways
□ d. Use of permeable paving strategies such as gravel or open paving systems
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1. Under Health & Well-being section, what are the criteria required for Hw1.1 Active
Movement Design? (Select all that apply)
□ a. Safe access in and around the project site
Correct. Refer to GM: 2021 Health & Well-being Section
□ b. Provision of bicycle lots that are more than 50% over and above the LTA/
URA requirements
□ c. Internal staircases that are prominent and well-ventilated

□ d. Provision of furnishing that encourage active behaviour

2. Which of the following does not comply to Hw2 Psychological subsection?

a. Visual and/or physical access to landscape, waterscapes
Incorrect. Refer to GM: 2021 Health & Well-being
Section
b. Provision of quality lighting that matches the progression of natural

daylighting
Incorrect. Refer to GM: 2021 Health & Well-being Section
c. Spaces which are acoustically designed to keep external noises such as

traffic out
d. Provision of physical and mental wellness programmes for occupants
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3. If a project were to be certified WELL Gold, how many points would that net for
Green Mark: 2021?
a. 6 points
b. 8 points
c. 10 points
d. 12 points
4. Under the Whole Life Carbon section, what are the required stages under the
Minimum Scope of WLC assessment?
i. Product Stage [A1-A3]
ii. Construction Stage [A4-A4]
iii. Maintenance Stage [B2] Façade
iv. Repair Stage [B3] ACMV
v. Replacement Stage [B4] ACMV
vi. Operational Energy [B6]
vii. Operational Water [B7]
viii. End of Life Stage [C1-C4]
a. (i), (ii), (iii), (v) and (vi) only
Correct. Refer to GM: 2021 Whole Life Carbon Section
b. (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v) and (vi) only

Incorrect. Refer to GM: 2021 Whole Life Carbon Section
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c. (i), (ii), (iii), (v), (vi), (vi) and (viii) only

d. All of the above

5. Which of the following systems and materials are acceptable under Cn2.1
Sustainable Construction? (Select all that apply).
□ a. Advanced precast concrete system (APCS)
□ b. Mass Engineered Timber (MET)

□ c. Prefabricated Prefinished Volumetric Construction (PPVC)

□ d. Hybrid structural system of MET/structural steel and cast-in situ concrete

6. Under CN2.2 Sustainable Products and finishes, what is the minimum number of
building products and/or finishes required?
a. At least 2 building Products/Finishes
b. At least 3 building Products/Finishes

c. At least 4 building Products/Finishes

d. At least 5 building Products/Finishes

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7. Under the GM: 2021 Maintainability Section, how many maintainability points
would one need to net 1 Green Mark: 2021 point under the Existing Non-residential
Building framework?
a. 4 maintainability points to 1 GM point
Incorrect. Refer to GM: 2021 Maintainability Section
b. 5 maintainability points to 1 GM point

c. 6 maintainability points to 1 GM point

Correct. Refer to GM: 2021 Maintainability Section
d. Existing non-residential buildings do not need to

comply Incorrect. Refer to GM: 2021 Maintainability
Section
8. Which of the following areas do not fall under the GM: 2021 Maintainability Section?
a. Architectural – Exterior/Interior
b. Structural
Correct. Refer to GM: 2021 Maintainability Section
c. Landscape
d. Mechanical / Electrical
9. Under GM: 2021 Resilience Section, which of the following needs to be included in
the Asset Sustainable Policy and Action Plan?
i. Energy Management Policy and Energy Improvement Plan
ii. Fitments, Furnishings and Equipment Management and Disposal Plan
iii. Water Management Policy and Water Improvement Plan
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iv. Waste Management Policy and 3R Plan

a. (i ), (ii) and (iii)
Incorrect. Refer to GM: 2021 Resilience Section
b. (i) and (iv) only

c. (i), (iii) and (iv)

Correct. Refer to GM: 2021 Resilience Section
d. All of the above

10. Which of the following are Urban Heat Island (UHI) mitigation measures spelt out
under RE1.2b Urban Heat Island Mitigation? (Select all that apply)
□ a. Green and blue spaces for landscaping and roof
□ b. Roofing materials or coatings or cool paints with high Solar Reflectance

Index (SRI)
□ c. Unshaded hardscape areas with SRI > 39, inclusive of unshaded carparks,
internal roads, plazas, and pedestrian walkways
□ d. Use of permeable paving strategies such as gravel or open paving systems

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References
Building and Construction Authority. (2021). Scheme - Overview. Green Mark: 2021.
https://www1.bca.gov.sg/buildsg/sustainability/green-mark-certification-
scheme/green-mark-2021
Building and Construction Authority. (2021). Certification Standard. Green Mark:
sustainability/20211028_certification-standard_r1-1.pdf
Building and Construction Authority. (2021). Health & Well-being Section.
Green Mark: 2021. https://www1.bca.gov.sg/docs/default-source/bca-
awards-2020/20220419_healthwellbeing_simplified_r1-2.pdf
Building and Construction Authority. (2021). Health & Well-being Section Technical
Guide. Green Mark: 2021. https://www1.bca.gov.sg/docs/default-source/bca-
awards-2020/20220419_healthwellbeing-technical-guide_r1-2.pdf
Building and Construction Authority. (2021). Whole Life Carbon Section. Green Mark:
2021. https://www1-bca-gov-sg-admin.cwp.sg/docs/default-source/docs-corp-
buildsg/sustainability/20220519_wholelifecarbon_simplified_r1-3.pdf
Building and Construction Authority. (2021). Whole Life Carbon Section Technical
Guide. Green Mark: 2021. https://www1-bca-gov-sg-admin.cwp.sg/docs/
default-source/docs-corp-buildsg/sustainability/20220519_-carbon-technical-
guide_r1-3.pdf
Building and Construction Authority. (2021). Maintainability (Existing Buildings)

Section. Green Mark: 2021. https://www1.bca.gov.sg/docs/default-source/bca-
awards-2020/mt-section-eb-framework-(version-1-2).pdf
Building and Construction Authority. (2021). Maintainability (Existing Buildings)

Section Technical Guide. Green Mark: 2021.
https://www1.bca.gov.sg/docs/default- source/bca-awards-2020/mt-section-eb-
technical-guide-(version1-2).pdf
SU5-
Building and Construction Authority. (2021). Resilience Section. Green Mark:

sustainability/20210907_resilience_simplified.pdf
Building and Construction Authority. (2021). Resilience Section Technical Guide. Green
Mark: 2021. https://www1.bca.gov.sg/docs/default-source/docs-corp-buildsg/
sustainability/20211028_-resilience-technical-guide_r1-1.pdf
Building and Construction Authority. (2021). FAQs. Green Mark: 2021.
https://www1.bca.gov.sg/docs/default-source/docs-corp-buildsg/
sustainability/20220322_gm2021-faqs.pdf
SU5-
6
Study
Unit
Business Case for

Sustainable Buildings
SU5-
FMT3 Business Case for Sustainable
Learning Outcomes
1. To understand the financial impact of green buildings, both at the project and
during the life cycle.
2. To study various building projects and understand the cost and environmental
implications.
3. Understand sustainability reporting for companies
SU6
Overview
Where do green buildings stand in comparison to their traditional non-sustainably

designed counterparts? It’s not just the dollars and cents that matter; there are also other
non-tangible and social benefits that green buildings can bring, both to the building
owners as well as their occupants. The following chapters look in further detail about
the benefits of green buildings.
SU6
Chapter 1: The business case for sustainability
1.1 Introduction
There is evidence that implementing sustainable strategies in the design and
construction of buildings can provide financial rewards for the owners of buildings. Not
only do owners benefit from cost savings in the long term, there are also other
intangible benefits, such as social and environmental benefits for both occupants and
the community.
This chapter outlines the business case for sustainable design and construction, with the
following chapter detailing an example of the business case with regards to the energy
and water consumption of a building. This is one of the key considerations in
implementing sustainability strategies in buildings, because significant opportunities
exist to lower annual costs for energy and water. However, the reduction of annual
operating costs often requires the higher upfront investment costs in sustainable
materials, systems and technologies. Therefore, it is necessary to identify the
relationship between these sustainable systems versus their lifecycle costs within their
payback period.
In addition to direct cost saving opportunities, the implementation of sustainable

systems can also provide other indirect benefits to building owners, occupants, the
community and the environment. Some of these benefits are listed below:
• Reduction of energy consumption lowers greenhouse gas emissions, which

directly reduces the impact on climate change.
• Energy and water-efficient facilities lower civil infrastructure costs (such as
negating the need for waste-water treatment plant expansions, power plant
development and additional transmission/distribution lines)
• Preserving non-renewable resources, including fossil fuels and water aquifers, for
future generations.
SU6-
• Natural day lighting and ventilation in buildings increase psychological and

mental health and comfort via better indoor environmental quality. This leads to
increase in productivity, well-being and also lead to reduction in absenteeism.
Lesson Recording
1.2 Project planning with the business case in mind

When planning and designing a project, building owners can achieve immediate as
well as long-term cost savings by taking into account environmental factors from a
performance standpoint. This can be done by providing performance-based standards,
in which the desired performance of the building is specified instead of specifying the
types of materials or systems. In this way, one can almost guarantee that the desired
quality of a building is fulfilled while allowing the designers the flexibility to take into
account the interaction between and among the features. The G3-Guilford Green Guide
played such a role in the Reedy Fork Elementary School case study (See Chapter 2).
A common goal for sustainable buildings is to reduce energy consumption, and thus
carbon footprint. If this goal is spelt out as a performance standard (for example, the
building should demonstrate at least a 30 per cent reduction of energy as compared to
a similar baseline building), designers and engineers can choose from a whole range of
options that could achieve that target; some of these options available are less expensive
than a generic strategy. In this way, the building designers are encouraged to optimize
the design from a whole-building perspective. This means that the first cost of the
building
can be lowered while also reducing lifecycle operational costs 1. By integrating the
various design systems across the building, one can optimize the design and thus save
money
SU6-
1
Pearce et al. 2000; Weizsäcker et al. 1999
SU6-
by acknowledging the interdependencies among these systems. The building owner, as

well as the designers, have the responsibility to provide a design brief that emphasizes
the desired levels of performance for the building, then suggest a variety of high-
performing sustainable building systems and technologies that can be implemented to
achieve the
desired outcomes 2.
When one takes into consideration of other environmental quality factors, the outcome
is that one can provide additional positive benefits as well. In the United States, it is
estimated that nearly 56 million students, teachers and staff spend a significant part of
their day in schools 3, and the physical quality of the environment has been linked to
their performance and health (e.g. Ahn et al. 2011; Ku and Taiebet 2011). In the design
brief, the owner and designer can specify the use of environmentally sensitive building
materials that improve indoor air quality and the performance of heating and lighting
systems. It was reported that some schools have reported lower rates of absenteeism
and vandalism by ‘creating an atmosphere in which students can take pride in their
school’ (Energy Smart Schools 1997). The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
further concluded that by improving indoor air quality in school facilities, it may be
possible to reduce the following issues and problems:
• An average of one out of every 13 school-age children has asthma.

• Asthma is a leading cause of school absenteeism.
• 14.7 million school days are missed each year because of asthma.
Some researchers at Georgetown University found that achievement scores in school

buildings with ‘poor’ environmental conditions were over five percentage points below
scores of students in buildings with ‘fair’ ratings, and 11 percentage points below those
in schools with ‘excellent’ conditions (Edwards 1991). Similarly, a study in North
Carolina found that children in schools designed with natural daylighting (rather than
artificially lit) score higher on standard performance exams (up to 14 per cent increase
over three
2 (Annie R Pearce, Yong Han Ahn, 2018)
SU6-
3 Pérez-Lombard et al. 2008
SU6-
years) and have better attitudes and attendance rates than their peers in non-daylit
facilities (Nicklas and Bailey 1996). In addition, a study by the Albertan Department
of Education on the effects of natural light in elementary schools found that students
in classrooms with full spectrum light were absent less, grew taller, and had increased
concentration levels and more positive moods (Alberta Dept. of Education 1992). Energy
savings from daylit schools can also be significant: estimates are that USD$500,000 on
average can be saved over a ten-year period in the average U.S. middle school that
incorporates daylighting features 4.
When one uses a performance-based design with established standards to achieve

environmental quality goals for buildings, it can have significant impacts on the cost
savings of the building, both upfront and lifecycle costs. More importantly, it will also
have a major impact on the health and wellbeing of its occupants. By providing
designers with the flexibility to seek innovative and synergistic design solutions for
their projects, a variety of high-performance features can be built into the building that
will benefit not only the budget of the building owner and the state, but also the
environment and the occupants themselves.
1.3 Capturing indirect benefits through holistic cost management

Many companies and organisations experience difficulty in implementing sustainability
technologies and practices because of how funding is allocated to projects. This is
especially so in the public sector where the staff who are responsible for developing
project estimates have few resources for accurately estimating the first costs of a project.
This is exacerbated when the design brief involves new and innovative technologies.
Historically on public sector projects, a common approach for estimating sustainable
project costs was to add a contingency factor to the estimate for a conventional project to
cover anticipated cost increases for design, materials and systems, and other project
costs, particularly for innovative projects in the early planning stages.
SU6-
This approach inhibits the implementation of sustainability for two reasons, particularly
in public agencies. Firstly, projects are often funded based on the principle of efficiency
of first cost. This means that projects with a higher cost estimate are less likely to be
funded when competing with other projects. Secondly, by adding a contingency to the
project estimate, it also means that even if the project does get funded, there is often no
incentive to seek cost savings since the money will be lost if it is not spent. This
essentially creates a self-fulfilling prophecy of increased costs for projects with
sustainability goals. Figure
6.1 below illustrates a method of examining expectations about capital project costs. The
grid illustrates a way to plot the relative cost of a sustainable project against its
traditional
counterpart, both in terms of lifecycle and upfront or first costs 5.
Figure 6.1 Expectations about sustainable project costs: (a) sustainable projects;
(b) funded projects Source: Pearce (2005)
Figure 6.1(a) shows what many building owners would expect about a sustainable
project: essentially, that it will cost more at the start, but will probably save money over
the whole the building’s lifecycle due to savings via waste reduction, increased
durability, reduced operations and maintenance as well as lower energy consumption,
and other factors. This expectation is illustrated by the red ellipse in the lower left
corner in the diagram. In most typical funding situations, particularly in the public
sector, those projects that will
SU6-
SU6-
be funded often lie within the region indicated by green circle in the upper left corner of
Figure 6.1(b): those that cost the same or less from a first cost perspective.
In many cases, restrictions in funding could mean that a low upfront cost is the
objective, even if this means that the overall lifecycle costs may be higher (the third
column in the diagram). This lesser than ideal result is possible because the sources
of funding for upfront cost are often different and disconnected from the funding
sources that accounts for operations and maintenance. This may also be controlled by
different people altogether. The idea of a holistic cost management raises a larger set of
questions. For example, what are the impacts of such design or construction decisions
on lifecycle costs? Are there opportunities to offset increases in upfront costs for design
improvements (such as integrative design)? Are there other external costs and benefits
that should be considered aside from cost savings?
For a holistic cost management model, the base two-dimensional figure is expanded
with an additional third dimension. This third dimension includes additional
cost/benefit considerations that are associated with the project. Figure 6.26 illustrates the
new holistic cost model.
SU6-
Figure 6.2 Revised whole project cost model
Source: Pearce (2005)
The bottom level of the figure represents the two-dimensional cost comparison shown
in Figure 6.1. This layer shows the traditional quantifiable costs such as material,
manpower as well as equipment and machinery (Table 6.1). Building owners and
designers sometimes make decisions on systems and products based on a unit cost
rather than them from an integrated systems point of view. This decision making
process means that some systems and products that has sustainability advantages may
seem more costly than they actually are. For example, some building owners think that
traditional materials such as concrete are less expensive than integrated building
systems such as structural insulated panels, or that solar PV panels do not yield
substantial savings.
Table 6.1 Traditionally considered quantifiable costs
First costs Lifecycle costs
Site acquisition Operation/maintenance costs:
SU6-
Design costs • labour
Project management • materials

• equipment
costs Construction costs:
• energy
• labour • water
• materials
Repair/remodel/rehabilitation costs:
• equipment
• contingencies • design costs
• financing and other costs of • labour
money • materials
• commissioning/turnover costs • equipment

• contingencies
• financing
• turnover
However, if savings in manpower, construction time savings and lifecycle costs were to
be taken into account, these systems and products could show an immediate cost
advantage to building owners. For example, one federal project manager estimated a
savings of
$3,000 per day due to shortening the construction schedule on his project by using pre-
engineered autoclaved aerated concrete systems – all from avoiding the cost of housing
displaced personnel in hotels instead of the facility being built as their residence. Similar
or even greater savings in opportunity costs can result on many other projects as well.
Other factors, when taken into consideration, could more clearly highlight the benefits
of sustainability in the built environment. Captured in the second level of the cost
model shown in Figure 6.2, these considerations include benefits such as:
• Reduced electrical consumption and associated costs, waste disposal and

noncompliance.
• Reduced liability and environmental risk.
SU6-
• Improved use of assets, particularly human assets (including increased

productivity, reduced absenteeism and building-related health problems,
improved morale and better employee retention).
• Reduced operational and disposal costs.
• Reuse of facilities that otherwise would be disposed.
• Preparedness for future regulations and requirements.
Each of the above benefits reflects a cost savings for the building owners. Having said
that, many of these costs are not usually not associated with specific projects and the
decision-making processes behind their funding. If these potential benefits can be
fulfilled, then more green building projects will have an economic advantage (as well as
other benefits) over their traditional counterparts. Table 6.2 shows examples of these
types of costs that should be taking into consideration when making decisions about
green building projects and their systems. The first category, definite costs, includes all
costs that will happen as part of the project but aren’t usually considered as part of the
building project costs. Instead, these costs are often considered as overhead or
administrative costs. The second category is contingent costs. Contingent costs, consists
of expenses that are unlikely to occur. These contingent costs can be estimated using
probabilistic methods such as decision trees. Although the examples listed are not
comprehensive, it illustrates several types of costs for which values could be calculated.
Again, these costs are usually not included in decision making processes.
Holistic cost management consists of an additional set of considerations, which is

qualitative costs. Qualitative costs have significant impact but are quite difficult to
quantify because of challenges in measuring their values. This is shown at the top level
of the holistic cost model. It is this level that green building projects truly outshine
conventional projects in their impact reduction. However, the difficulty of assigning
actual costs and benefits to specific projects is significant, and therefore these are not
typically considered as part of project decision making. Table 6.3 lists some of the cost
items in this category.
SU6-
Table 6.2 Non-traditional quantifiable costs
Definite costs Contingent costs
• Qualification of suppliers/ • Future compliance costs

contractors • Future liability/damage costs
• Reporting and record-keeping • Remediation costs
• Monitoring and testing • Responses to future releases or
• Spill response readiness • presently unknown hazards
• Recycling/waste management • Impacted productivity and/or
• Facility decommissioning costs absenteeism
• Disposal costs • Impacted staff retention
Table 6.3 Qualitative costs
Internal costs Externalities
• Impacts on quality of life Costs borne by society as a whole, such as:

• Value of relationships
• global warming
with surrounding
• ozone depletion
• community
• deforestation
• Value of environmental image
• resource degradation
• ecosystem degradation
• species/biodiversity loss
• air pollution
• water pollution
Qualitative costs can be further categorised into two types: internal costs and external
costs. Internal costs are those that are difficult to quantify and are experienced directly
by project stakeholders, such as the building owners and occupants. External costs, on
the other hand, are generally borne by society as a whole. While projects have some
individual
SU6-
contribution to these costs, the net cost is a result of all human activities, and allocating
specific responsibilities is difficult.
1.4 Sustainability Reporting

As more companies and organisations realise the importance of sustainability, they
have included aspects of sustainability in their corporate governance and goals.
Sustainability reporting, in essence, is an overview of the organisation’s economic,
environmental and social objectives and progress. The reporting allows organisations to
plan, chart and monitor not only their economic, but that of their environmental, social
and governance (ESG) performances as well. The report is then communicated to their
stakeholders.
Sustainability reporting ensures organisations consider their impacts on sustainability

issues in their operations. This also enables them to be transparent about the risks and
opportunities that are presented by these issues. It is not enough to verbally espouse the
merits of sustainability. In order to walk the talk, organisations have to provide proper
documentation and proof, as well as credible demonstrations of their level of
commitment to sustainability.
In this manner, organisations can build trust among their stakeholders, which includes
their clients and customers. As per the business axiom – you can’t manage what you
can’t measure; transparency is a currency that builds trust, which build businesses.
Sustainability reporting can provide four major benefits to any organisation:
• As a risk management tool.

• Informs and aids in better decision-making
• Generate savings
• Increasing trust amongst stakeholders
Organisations can choose from several different reporting frameworks to follow,

depending on their objectives. The most common frameworks are:
• Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Standards

• International Integrated Reporting Committee (IIRC)
SU6-
• Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB)
Since December 2017, it is a mandatory requirement for all companies publicly listed on
the Singapore Exchange (SGX) to provide an annual sustainability report 6. According to

the SGX, the primary components of the sustainability report should include the
following (detailed explanations can be found in this link:
https://www.sgx.com/regulation/ sustainability-reporting):
• Material ESG factors

• Policies, practices and performance
• Targets
• Sustainability reporting framework
• Board statement
Most organisations publish their annual sustainability reports as a matter of public

record. Below is a list of prominent building developers (not comprehensive) in
Singapore and the link to their annual reports.
• CapitaLand Limited (https://www.capitaland.com/international/en/about-

capitaland/sustainability/sustainability-reports.html)
• City Developments Limited (https://ir.cdl.com.sg/sustainability-reports)
• Frasers Centrepoint Limited (https://fct.frasersproperty.com/ar.html)
• Keppel Land Limited Corporation (https://www.keppelland.com/intl/en/about-
us/sustainability.html)
• Mapletree Investments Pte Ltd (https://www.mapletree.com.sg/Media/Annual-
Reports/EN-Version.aspx)
6 https://www.sgx.com/regulation/sustainability-reporting
SU6-
Chapter 2: Case Study
2.1 Reedy Fork Elementary School, Greensboro, North Carolina
Read
Annie R Pearce, Yong Han Ahn. (2018). Sustainable Buildings and Infrastructure - Paths to the Futur
SU6-
Summary
As sustainable building systems and technologies mature and are increasingly being
adopted and implemented, the cost premiums usually associated with such systems
and technologies are also decreasing. However, in order to optimize the value of green
buildings, a holistic approach has to be adopted from the onset with buy-in from all
stakeholders involved. And beyond the immediate cost savings benefits enjoyed by
such green buildings, there are also many intangible but equally valuable benefits that
extends to both the building occupants and society at large.
SU6-
1. Aside from long term cost savings, green buildings also bring about other non-
tangible benefits. Which of the following statement is false?
a. Reduction of energy consumptions lower greenhouse gas emissions, which
directly reduces the impact of climate change
b. Energy and water-efficient facilities lowers civil infrastructure costs
c. Greening buildings help to utilise non-renewable resources, including fossil
fuels and water aquifers, for future generations
d. Natural day lighting and ventilation in buildings increase psychological and
mental health and comfort via better indoor environmental quality
2. What are the cost effects if the design of the building is optimised from a whole
building perspective?
a. First costs are reduced, while lifecycle costs are increased
b. First costs are increased, while lifecycle costs are reduced
c. Both first costs and lifecycle costs are increased
d. Both first costs and lifecycle costs are reduced
3. What does holistic cost management mean with regards to sustainable building
design?
a. It takes into consideration the selection of various suitable sustainable
building systems.
b. It includes other cost/benefit considerations such as qualitative and non-
traditional quantifiable costs such as quality of life and productivity
respectively
c. It takes into consideration the various cost aspects that are associated with
post construction such as operational activities and maintenance.
d. It includes other costs from infrastructural works associated with the project.
SU6-
4. Which of the following is not one of the non-traditional quantifiable cost?

a. Reputation
b. Absenteeism
c. Employee retention
d. End of life cycle costs
5. In the highest tier of holistic cost management, qualitative costs are also the hardest
to quantify. Which of the following is not considered to be a qualitative cost
consideration?
a. Quality of life
b. Relationship with community
c. Liability and environmental risk
d. Aesthetics
6. What are some of the external costs borne by the society for a traditionally designed
building?
a. Global warming, ozone depletion, deforestation, ecosystem degradation
b. Air/water pollution, ozone depletion, deforestation, infrastructural costs
c. Noise and smoke pollution, ozone depletion, ecosystem degradation,
infrastructural costs
d. Air/water pollution, noise and smoke pollution, infrastructural costs
7. In Pearce’s revised whole project cost model, what are the 3 cost aspects in addition
to first costs and life-cycle costs?
a. Traditional quantitative costs, Non-traditional quantitative costs, Qualitative
costs
b. Traditional quantitative costs, Non-traditional quantitative costs, External
costs
c. Traditional quantitative costs, Qualitative costs, External costs
SU6-
d. Non-traditional quantitative costs, Qualitative costs, External costs
8. What are some of the contingent costs that may arise under qualitative costs (costs
that have some real impact but are difficult to quantify because of societal values
and other measurement challenges)?
a. Remediation costs, Impacted productivity and/or absenteeism, Impacted
staff retention,
b. Remediation costs, Monitoring and testing of equipment, Disposal costs
c. Remediation costs, Monitoring and testing of equipment, Impacted staff
retention
d. Impacted productivity and/or absenteeism, Impacted staff retention,
Disposal costs
9. According to the case study on the Reedy Fork Elementary School, as part of the
retrofit design, what were some of the alternatives considered for implementation
to lower energy consumption?
a. Improving insulation to walls and roofing elements, to add underfloor air
distribution systems, increase installation of PV panels
b. Improved daylighting, to add underfloor air distribution systems, increase
installation of PV panels
c. Improved daylighting, improving insulation to walls and roofing elements,
increase installation of PV panels
d. Improved daylighting, improving insulation to walls and roofing elements,
to add underfloor air distribution systems
10. According to the case study on the Reedy Fork Elementary School, what method
was done to determine the best, most cost-effective energy-saving strategies?
a. Conducting a pre- and post-occupation survey with the users on the thermal
and visual comfort levels.
SU6-
b. Extracting information from the various systems manufacturers to determine

the ROI of the systems
c. Use of an energy simulation tool
d. Using existing data of projects with prior installation of recommended systems
SU6-
1. Aside from long term cost savings, green buildings also bring about other non-
tangible benefits. Which of the following statement is false?
a. Reduction of energy consumptions lower greenhouse gas emissions, which
directly reduces the impact of climate change
Incorrect. Refer to Study Unit 6, chapter one
b. Energy and water-efficient facilities lowers civil infrastructure

costs Incorrect. Refer to Study Unit 6, chapter one
c. Greening buildings help to utilise non-renewable resources, including

fossil fuels and water aquifers, for future generations
Correct. Refer to Study Unit 6, chapter one
d. Natural day lighting and ventilation in buildings increase psychological

and mental health and comfort via better indoor environmental quality
2. What are the cost effects if the design of the building is optimised from a whole
building perspective?
a. First costs are reduced, while lifecycle costs are
increased Incorrect. Refer to Study Unit 6, chapter one
b. First costs are increased, while lifecycle costs are

reduced Incorrect. Refer to Study Unit 6, chapter one
c. Both first costs and lifecycle costs are

increased Incorrect. Refer to Study Unit 6,
chapter one
d. Both first costs and lifecycle costs are reduced
SU6-
3. What does holistic cost management mean with regards to sustainable building
design?
a. It takes into consideration the selection of various suitable sustainable
building systems.
b. It includes other cost/benefit considerations such as qualitative and non-

traditional quantifiable costs such as quality of life and productivity
respectively
c. It takes into consideration the various cost aspects that are associated with
post construction such as operational activities and maintenance.
d. It includes other costs from infrastructural works associated with the

project. Incorrect. Refer to Study Unit 6, chapter one
4. Which of the following is not one of the non-traditional quantifiable cost?

a. Reputation
b. Absenteeism
c. Employee retention
d. End of life cycle costs

SU6-
5. In the highest tier of holistic cost management, qualitative costs are also the hardest
to quantify. Which of the following is not considered to be a qualitative cost
consideration?
a. Quality of life
b. Relationship with community

c. Liability and environmental risk

d. Aesthetics
6. What are some of the external costs borne by the society for a traditionally designed
building?
a. Global warming, ozone depletion, deforestation, ecosystem degradation
b. Air/water pollution, ozone depletion, deforestation, infrastructural costs

c. Noise and smoke pollution, ozone depletion, ecosystem degradation,

infrastructural costs
d. Air/water pollution, noise and smoke pollution, infrastructural costs

7. In Pearce’s revised whole project cost model, what are the 3 cost aspects in addition
to first costs and life-cycle costs?
SU6-
a. Traditional quantitative costs, Non-traditional quantitative costs,

Qualitative costs
b. Traditional quantitative costs, Non-traditional quantitative costs, External

costs
c. Traditional quantitative costs, Qualitative costs, External

d. Non-traditional quantitative costs, Qualitative costs, External

8. What are some of the contingent costs that may arise under qualitative costs (costs
that have some real impact but are difficult to quantify because of societal values
and other measurement challenges)?
a. Remediation costs, Impacted productivity and/or absenteeism, Impacted
staff retention,
b. Remediation costs, Monitoring and testing of equipment, Disposal

c. Remediation costs, Monitoring and testing of equipment, Impacted staff

retention
d. Impacted productivity and/or absenteeism, Impacted staff retention,

Disposal costs
SU6-
9. According to the case study on the Reedy Fork Elementary School, as part of the
retrofit design, what were some of the alternatives considered for implementation
to lower energy consumption?
a. Improving insulation to walls and roofing elements, to add underfloor air
distribution systems, increase installation of PV panels
Incorrect. Refer to Study Unit 6, chapter two
b. Improved daylighting, to add underfloor air distribution systems, increase

installation of PV panels
c. Improved daylighting, improving insulation to walls and roofing elements,

increase installation of PV panels
d. Improved daylighting, improving insulation to walls and roofing elements,

to add underfloor air distribution systems
Correct. Refer to Study Unit 6, chapter two
10. According to the case study on the Reedy Fork Elementary School, what method
was done to determine the best, most cost-effective energy-saving strategies?
a. Conducting a pre- and post-occupation survey with the users on the
thermal and visual comfort levels.
b. Extracting information from the various systems manufacturers to

determine the ROI of the systems
c. Use of an energy simulation tool

Correct. Refer to Study Unit 6, chapter two
SU6-
d. Using existing data of projects with prior installation of recommended

systems
SU6-
References
Annie R Pearce, & Yong Han Ahn. (2018). Sustainable buildings and infrastructure - paths to
the future (2nd ed.). Taylor and Francis.
SU6-

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FMT315

School of Science and Technology

Head of Programme : Dr Sheila Maria Arcuino Conejos

Educational Technology &

How to cite this Study Guide (APA):

Build S1.0.15, T1.7.0

2. Course Description and Aims............................................................................ CG-3

3. Learning Outcomes.............................................................................................. CG-5

4. Learning Material................................................................................................. CG-6

5. Assessment Overview.......................................................................................... CG-7

6. Course Schedule.................................................................................................... CG-9

7. Learning Mode.................................................................................................... CG-10

Study Unit 1: Overview of Green Buildings in Singapore

Chapter 1: Introduction to Green Buildings.........................................................SU1-4

Chapter 2: Singapore’s Green Building Journey................................................SU1-15

Study Unit 2: Passive Design Strategies

Chapter 1: Passive Design Strategies.....................................................................SU2-4

Study Unit 3: Active Design Strategies

Chapter 1: Active Design Strategies.......................................................................SU3-4

Chapter 2: Renewable Energy...............................................................................SU3-16

Study Unit 4: Green Mark 2021 – Introduction to GM2021, Energy

Chapter 1: Introduction to Green Mark 2021........................................................SU4-4

Chapter 2: Energy Efficiency.................................................................................SU4-11

Chapter 3: Building Intelligence...........................................................................SU4-17

Chapter 1: Health & Well-being..............................................................................SU5-4

Chapter 2: Whole Life Carbon..............................................................................SU5-21

Study Unit 6: Business Case for Sustainable Buildings

Chapter 1: The business case for sustainability....................................................SU6-4

Chapter 2: Case Study............................................................................................SU6-16

Table 1.1 Regulatory Codes and Compliance..........................................................SU1-23

Table 3.2 Types of Spaces and lighting power densities........................................SU3-13

Table 3.3 Types of Spaces and receptacle load.......................................................SU3-15

Table 3.4 showing the efficiency of different types of photovoltaics...................SU3-17

Table 6.1 Traditionally considered quantifiable costs............................................SU6-10

Table 6.2 Non-traditional quantifiable costs............................................................SU6-13

Table 6.3 Qualitative costs..........................................................................................SU6-13

Figure 1.1 The environmental impact of buildings in the US.................................SU1-6

Figure 1.2 BREEAM weighting system.....................................................................SU1-12

Figure 1.3 Example of BREEAM score and rating calculation.............................SU1-14

Figure 2.2 showing a simple illustration of window to wall ratios........................SU2-7

Figure 2.3 showing different kinds of shading and the corresponding

Figure 2.5 showing various materials and the corresponding SRI.........................SU2-9

Figure 2.6 showing Phase Change materials (PCM) working method................SU2-10

Figure 2.10 showing different airflow profiles around buildings in pressure

Figure 2.11 showing stack ventilation in buildings (wind flow by thermal

Figure 2.12 showing a simple illustration of cross ventilation in spaces.............SU2-15

Figure 2.13 showing Singapore’s ventilation comfort chart..................................SU2-15

Figure 3.2 showing the power consumption of different cooling tower

Figure 3.4 showing a schematic representation of a heat recovery system.........SU3-12

Figure 3.6 showing an illustration of how a fuel cell works.................................SU3-21

Figure 4.1 Green Mark Sections mapped to UN SDGs............................................SU4-6

Figure 4.2 Scoring Tiers of GM2021............................................................................SU4-7

Figure 4.3 Assessment Matrix for GM2021................................................................SU4-9

Figure 6.2 Revised whole project cost model..........................................................SU6-10

List of Lesson Recordings

Global Environmental Challenges...............................................................................SU1-4

Massing & Orientation..................................................................................................SU2-4

Project Planning and Life Cycle Costs........................................................................SU6-5

Presenter: Andell Matthew Tan