NEA Ecofriend Awards 2008
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portfolio of recipients Over the past 40 years, Singapore The National Environment Agency (NEA) is happy to note a growing increase in the has achieved economic growth and social number of proactive individuals such as school teachers, students, youth and volunteers in the progress while balancing environmental community, non-government, private, people as well as public sector organizations, who have sustainability. Singapore today is clean contributed selflessly to our Clean and Green environment. The EcoFriend Awards was developed by and green and we enjoy a high quality NEA to give recognition and encouragement to these individuals. living environment. Singapore can be a model for sustainable development, The are five categories in the EcoFriend Awards - Private sector, Public sector, Educational Institutions, particularly in an urban setting. Volunteers from Non-Government and Grassroots Organizations, and Youth and Students. The categories are aimed at covering a broad representation of individuals from the wider community, as We can be proud of the progress we have well as acknowledging the special challenges found in each category. made. However, there are environment issues that stem from growth. Rapid NEA received an overwhelming response to the call for nominations for economic growth can lead to increasing this year’s EcoFriend Awards. The 2008 EcoFriend Awards will see 17 consumption of energy and other outstanding individuals recognized for their achievements. resources. Singapore, being a relatively low-lying island, will also be vulnerable to the impact of climate change. Moving forward, the challenge is for us to continue sustaining our environment even as we grow. To For more information, do visit the EcoFriend Awards website at: meet this challenge, we need everyone to embrace sustainable development by making a change in http://www.nea.gov.sg/ecofriend their lifestyles and adopting environmentally friendly habits. In this respect, the National Environment Agency (NEA) has been privileged to work with committed individuals, who have put in substantial effort to care for and enhance our environment. This year, NEA is pleased to honour 17 of such committed individuals for the EcoFriend Awards. They were chosen from over 200 nominations coming from diverse backgrounds – the private sector, the public sector, non-government and grassroots organisations, the educational institutions and the youth and students. Each of these 17 individuals have, in their own and unique way, become catalysts for change within their community and played a role in promoting environmental ownership and action. Through this award, we hope to encourage and inspire people from all stages and walks of life to do their part for the environment, as their effort can have a significant, lasting and positive impact on our community. Let us congratulate all our EcoFriend Award 2008 recipients as we continue to work together to sustain a clean and green environment for all to enjoy. Private Sector Category Mr Tan first understood the importance of environmental issues after reading about the effects caused by pollution in the early 1990s. Since then, he has truly believed that protecting the environment, which is everyone’s duty, will create a better living space for the benefit of all. ACHIEVEMENTS : Key initiator of Hitachi’s environmental Hitachi Global’s achievements were featured programmes. The following achievements by in both local and foreign media, including Hitachi are accomplished under his Channel News Asia (24th Nov 07), The Straits leadership: Times (30th Mar 07) and the Wall Street Journal (28th Aug 07). - Active adoption and interaction with 4 schools under NEA’s Corporate and School The company’s environmental initiatives is Partnership (CASP) Programme shared with many other companies and the - Eco-Office Certification in 2006 wider community through many seminars, - Singapore Environmental Achievement events and site visits to Hitachi Global Award 2006 premises. - Recognised as a “Friend Of Water” in 2007 Prime mover in organising educational visits Key individual in overseeing the Company for Hitachi Global staff, to places such as Energy Conservation Plan to reduce waste, Semakau Landfill, Tuas Incineration Plant, water consumption and CO2 emissions. Bedok Water Reclamation Plant, Newater Visitor Centre and Raffles Museum for Biodiversity Research. Real Estate Site Operations Director Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Singapore Pte Ltd Private Sector Category Having a deep passion for the protection of the environment, Mr Wong pursued his interest further by attending the University of Adelaide, studying International Environmental Management in 2001. His studies helped him apply, from principle to practice, the need to develop CDL’s properties with environmental sustainability in mind. As the General Manager of CDL’s Projects Division, Mr Wong has been instrumental in raising eco-awareness and leading his division towards this corporate and personal objective. ACHIEVEMENTS : Supports CDL’s “safe and green” philosophy, Pioneered the introduction of the pneumatic instituted by the Managing Director of CDL, waste-disposal system; making CDL the first Mr. Kwek Leng Joo. developer in Singapore to build homes with this innovative, odour and vector-free system. Influences and raises the eco-awareness of Since then, he further pioneered the CDL’s consultants and contractors to twin-chutes pneumatic waste-disposal encourage them to adopt eco-friendly best system for separate general/recyclable practices. They have also adopted these best wastes in current CDL residential homes. practices at other non-CDL projects as well. More than 50% of them have now achieved Helped guide CDL to become Singapore’s ISO14001 and/or OHSAS18001 certifications. most decorated Green Developer, achieving 25% of all Green Mark certified buildings in Helped implement eco-friendly features, Singapore. CDL is the first private developer which have been standard in CDL’s in Singapore to receive the ISO14001 and developments since the mid 1990s, OHSAS18001 certification in property culminating in the creation of Singapore’s development and project management in first Eco-Condo, Savannah CondoPark, at 2003. His passion towards the environment Simei. The development was launched in protection arena helped CDL attain 2002. Since then, all CDL developments have recognition for its green achievements, such featured eco-friendly attributes, such as as the Singapore Green Plan 2012 Award, the energy-saving lamps, energy-labelled air Watermark Award, the Singapore conditioning and multiple recycling corners Environmental Achievement Award, the for convenient recycling. President’s Award for the Environment. Most recently, CDL was the first developer to be accorded Building Construction Authority (BCA) Green Mark Champion status. General Manager (Projects) City Developments Limited Private Sector Category Mr Goh strongly believes that protecting the environment is everyone’s responsibility, especially in Singapore with its high industrial density. He believes that everyone should achieve a high standard of environmental control and protection. Mr Goh is inspired by MM Lee Kuan Yew’s efforts to make Singapore a clean and green city, and encourages tree planting and landscaping in his company. In his spare time, he appreciates nature by visiting nature reserves and parks such as East Coast Park and the Singapore Botanic Gardens. ACHIEVEMENTS : Appointed as the Chairman for the National Initiated mangrove planting at the Tuas Efficiency Committee Industry Sub-committee Coastline. Some 300 mangroves were saved (NECC) Pharmaceutical Workgroup (2003 – from the Punggol River, which will soon be 2005). During his tenure, he roped in a team dammed as a reservoir. The 1-km coastline of very supportive and motivated committee is now open to many interest groups to study members from the industry, leading to many the marine life on the reclaimed coastline. successful implementations. He is currently still an active member of the committee. Drove his company’s investment in the Trigeneration power facility, in collaboration Took the lead in converting his company’s with Tuas Power and Gas Supply Pte Ltd. The steam boiler firing from diesel fuel to natural facility will produce electricity, steam and gas fuel, reducing greenhouse gases chilled water using natural gas fuel, reducing emission by 20% to 30%. Through the energy consumption from 13 MW to 9.5 MW, company’s sharing of their success story, two reduce CO2 emission by 24% and cut utility other pharmaceutical companies were costs by 25%. convinced to follow this example. Initiated the MTBE solvent recovery project to Initiated site-wide major energy conservation recover 90% of MTBE solvent distillates for projects saving 6000 MW per year of re-use, amounting to savings of 800 m3 per electricity per year. The total reduction in year. CO2 emission is 3000 tons per year. Instrumental in Schering-Plough Ltd being Initiated the planting of insect-repelling Neem awarded the Singapore Environmental trees within the perimeter of the wastewater Achievement Awards (SEAA) in 2005. Many of treatment facility, thus reducing the amount the engineers/managers under him have won of chemicals used for pest control. numerous Environmental Achievement Awards given by the corporation for their Energy Conservation Projects. Engineering & Maintenance Director Schering-Plough Ltd Public Sector Category Ms Wang is a true lover of nature and