It's easy being green in Singapore

Mr Eddie Wong in his Singapore office, City Developments Ltd.
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Tuesday, 17 April 2007

It's easy being green in Singapore, a country with a global reputation as a garden city, with 5% of its island reserved for nature.

Since the early 1990s its government has trumpeted green policies, setting an environmental agenda for its citizens, nurtured by educational programs and the formation of the Singapore Environment Council.

High-profile property developer Eddie Wong has been part of this green wave, ensuring his company - City Developments Ltd - has strived to meet Singapore's stringent environmental laws in the design and construction of some of the city's biggest buildings.

Mr Wong, a familiar face within the Singapore construction industry, has taken his commitment a step further by completing a Masters in Environmental Management at the University of Adelaide.

This Saturday, he will graduate at the University's Singapore campus, the Ngee Ann-Adelaide Education Centre, along with 115 other students in an offshore ceremony.

As general manager of City Development's Project Division, Mr Wong is responsible for some 50 building projects within Singapore and overseas.

He helped spearhead the development and implementation of Singapore's green policies within his own company, resulting in a swag of awards for their environmentally-friendly buildings.

"City Developments has managed to deliver about one third of Singapore's Green Mark certified building projects," Mr Wong said.

In 2006 it took out 10 building and construction awards in Singapore, including four Green Mark Gold prizes for its environmentally sustainable projects as well as accolades from the Singapore Government.

Its award-winning green buildings in Singapore include City Square Residences, St Regis Hotel & Residences, The Sail @ Marina Bay and King's Centre Plot 3 development.

"The Masters in Environmental Management has provided me with a global and national view of the environment, which we take for granted," Mr Wong said.

"The course has helped me to better understand the impact of buildings on the environment, the demand for depleting natural resources, the waste that the industry has created and the social impacts of our industry. I am now qualified to set up some new management systems to address these impacts."

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