SIA Launches Series Of Green Building Initiatives

Source : The Business Times, May 22, 2008

SUPPORTING the local green movement, the Singapore Institute of Architects (SIA) will be taking on a series of initiatives to promote green architecture in Singapore.

SIA's latest efforts came to light at its annual dinner yesterday, as president of the institute, Tai Lee Siang, introduced three green awards to recognise excellence in sustainable architectural design.

The first is the SIA-NParks Skyrise Greenery Awards, jointly launched by SIA and the National Parks Board to encourage creative greenery design in high-rise developments.

Partnering Philips and Hunter Douglas separately, SIA will also launch the SIA-Philips Green Innovation Awards and the Eco Friend Awards.

The former recognises innovative sustainable design, while the latter promotes the creative use of sustainable products.

Awards aside, the SIA will also bid to host the 2014 International Union of Architects World Congress, one of the world's largest conferences on architecture and urban design, under the theme 'Green Cities'.

Through the bid, SIA hopes to showcase Singapore not just as a model green city, but also as a catalyst for the creation of a green region around South-east Asia.

As a sign of the government's support, Minister for National Development Mah Bow Tan will lead the SIA delegation to Turin, Italy, to present the bid in July.

Yesterday's spotlight was also on the 9th SIA Architectural Design Awards.

With talk of recession and belt-tightening making its rounds, it was a uniquely apt time for the awards to introduce a new prize - 'Best Project Below S$1 Million Construction Cost'.

The winning design at 19 Jalan Elok by Chang Architects was a stunning display of urbanised nature, impressing the judges with the 'magical quality of its spaces'.

Also making its debut was the 'Building of the Year' award, which went to RSP Architects Planners & Engineers for its work on the LaSalle College of the Arts.

According to the judges, the college is 'a work with sensitivity to youth, to climate, to context, to construction'.