Ingenieur Vol 77 Jan-Mar 2019 ingenieur 2019 Jan-March | Page 74

INGENIEUR Environmental cost This custom built sustainable and energy-efficient office building is the Unilever Headquarters for Thailand. There is also potential for green bonds as a means of finance. City Developments Limited (CDL), a Singapore based property developer issued the island republic’s first ever green bond – a two-year secured bond worth USD74 million at a 1.98% coupon due in 2019 for the retrofit of an office building. The retrofitting included an upgraded chiller plant, energy efficient lights and motion sensors to reduce energy waste. Given Southeast Asia’s rapid pace of infrastructure development, energy efficiency is undoubtedly an important aspect to consider when constructing buildings. Ultimately, it boils down to ensuring environment-friendly development which, at the same time, doesn’t disrupt our comfort. The Cost of Cooling Down (Source: ASEAN POST, September 23, 2018) Southeast Asia’s electricity consumption has been rising at an annual rate of 7.5% from 155.3TWh in 1990 to 821.1TWh in 2013, according to a white paper by the ASEAN Centre for Energy in the Spring 2016 issue of Cornerstone Journal. About 60% of electricity usage in Southeast Asian cities is attributable to the use of air- conditioning alone. The study was commenting on the correlation between higher GDP per capita and higher electricity use in six Southeast Asian countries, namely Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. At this rate, it is projected that air-conditioning could account for up to 40% of Southeast Asia’s electricity consumption by 2040. 6 72 VOL 2019 VOL 77 55 JANUARY–MARCH JUNE 2013 Findings from the white paper also reveal that 80% of ASEAN’s electricity is generated from fossil fuels, with Vietnam and Indonesia operating the highest number of coal plants in the region. Higher electricity usage contributes to higher greenhouse gas emissions, which results in global warming. “Gas molecules that absorb thermal infrared radiation, and are in significant enough quantity, can force the climate system. These types of molecules are called greenhouse gases,” explained Michael Daley, an Environmental Science professor at Lasell College in the United States (US). Climate forcing refers to any variations of the climate which arise from outside the climate system itself. Greenhouse gases can consist of carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and fluorinated gases – of these, methane is released during the production and transport of coal, whereas carbon dioxide is released when coal, natural gas and oil (fossil fuels) are burnt. Meanwhile, fluorinated gases include hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), which are synthetic greenhouse gases with 1,000-3,000 times more global warming potential than carbon dioxide. These gases currently make up about 1% of total global greenhouse emissions, but this figure is likely to increase as air-conditioning use rises around the world. Efficient air-conditioning units In December 2017, Eco - Busine s s, an environmental media agency stated that demand for air-conditioning in ASEAN countries is projected to rise from 6.5 million units in 2013 to 1.6 billion in 2018. With demand on an upward scale, increased efficiency of air-conditioning units would be key for Southeast Asian economies to control the negative impact on the environment. However, public awareness of the impact of air-conditioning on the environment remains low. Government policy and regulation could also help increase understanding and awareness of the negative impact of air-conditioning on the environment. An example of Government regulation is the introduction of a higher Energy