Guocoland Wins BCA's Highest Green Award

Source : The Business Times, October 5, 2007

Its Goodwood Residences will be built using recycled materials

GUOCOLAND'S yet-to-be launched Goodwood Residence has won a Green Mark Platinum Award from the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) for its eco-friendly features.

Plastic, timber, exposed metal and glass will be extracted from the rubble of the existing building on the site, Casa Rosita, and recycled to make internal partition walls for the 210-unit new project.

Goodwood Residences: Incorporating green features into the yet-to-be launched project will add 1.5 per cent to the construction cost

The idea - conceived by Wee Tiong Huan, a professor at the National University of Singapore's Department of Civil Engineering - was a response to the Indonesian sand ban.

Guocoland is the first developer here to apply it.

Other eco-friendly features of Goodwood Residence include self-sustaining plant irrigation to minimise use of potable water. Tanks will collect rainwater to irrigate plants through wet and dry seasons.

There will also be extensive shading and double refuse chutes to separate recyclable from non-recyclable waste.

The extension of the Goodwood Hill green belt was also recognised by BCA. Close to 80 per cent of the grounds at Goodwood Residence have been reserved for landscaping and communal facilities.

Guocoland (Singapore) managing director Trina Loh said: 'We are honoured to be recognised for our green efforts'.

Due to our early planning, we have demonstrated that green features can complement good design at Goodwood Residence.' Guocoland reckons the green features will add 1.5 per cent to construction cost.

BCA director (technology development) Tan Tian Chong said: 'It is very important to have the public and private sectors working together to shape a sustainable built environment.'