Environmental Stewardship

ANGLO-CHINESE SCHOOL (INDEPENDENT) SEPTEMBER 2022 ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP Group photo shoot at Yishun Pond In July and August 2022, we students from Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) embarked Sustainability is an issue that affects every one on a 7-week attachment programme in of us. To date, human impact on the collaboration with National Parks Board environment has caused climate change, (NParks) and JTC. The programme, focusing on pollution, and loss of biodiversity. To combat environmental awareness, took us from heron- this, Singapore is paving the way for watching at Gardens by the Bay to CleanTech sustainable approaches by maintaining green Park at Jurong Innovation District, a sustainable spaces and building sustainable developments, eco-business park developed by JTC and then to supported by the National Park Board a Solar Farm - SolarLand 2 at Changi Business (NParks) and JTC respectively. Park. This is to enable us to develop our understanding of what is being done at the national level to protect our environment. Singapore's Green Plan envisions itself as a 'City in Nature', proposing to plant Solar one million more trees and 200 more hectares of nature parks by 2030. These Farm at green spaces will provide a necessary habitat to preserve the biodiversity and Changi wildlife of Singapore, from migratory birds to mousedeer. Business in collaboration with Park

Sustainability As of June 2021, JTC has developed 7,000 ha of industrial land with \"As students, our approximately 13,000 customers across various sectors. In total 88% of primary task Singapore's industrial land owned by JTC. As Singapore's industrial developer, building and developing sustainably is one of of JTC's focus. when it comes JTC is the value chain in building and infrastructure, from its planning to sustainability to design, construction, operation, and maintenance. Before a single brick is laid, thought has to be given to how the proposed building will is to educate impact its surrounding ecosystems. This environmental impact is ourselves. We known as its footprint. Then, advanced technology and careful design is can consider implemented to minimise its footprint. For example, JTC CleanTech One saves energy actively by using renewable energy from solar panels how our to offset energy consumption by cooling the building using smart behaviour architecture and greenery. today will impact the environment tomorrow.\" Simple steps such as turning off the lights or air conditioning when unused contribute towards reducing our energy usage. Those of us who were exposed to this learning experience found it to be thought-provoking and inspirational. To be careful stewards of our environment is to develop and grow our city while being aware of our environmental footprint. Let us not take this duty lightly. Ryan Ethan Yeo, and Loh Jiun Fung,

H E R O NWelcome To W A T C H Our Experience Do You Close your eyes and imagine being in a Know? place far from your home, surrounded by trees and far away from the deafening There are honks of snarled up cars in the city. more than 60 species of Herons and 19 species are spotted in Singapore. It is so refreshing and tempting, isn’t it? Introducing Heron Watch, a citizen science programme under the NParks community in Nature (CIN) initiative. It gives us the perfect opportunity to take part in accumulating unique details about herons, egrets and bitterns across Singapore. Engaging in this activity exposed us to the biodiversity in Singapore, and we were able to learn how the government of Singapore takes care of the habitats of some of our important fellow-creatures existing in Singapore, especially herons in this programme.

NParks Community in Nature BIODIVERSITY WATCH Our personal experience with this With the details and activity was unforgettable. Initially, information gathered we were trained on how to identify herons and the places from many survey where herons usually stay. There transects across are many types of heron but distinguishing them from normal numerous regions in birds is a challenging task. Singapore, we can However, we were able to do it start assembling confidently with a guidance sheet information about provided by NPakrs. where these birds are found and in This programme plays a what number. significant role for Singapore to achieve its 2030 green plan. There are over 258 volunteers in We felt privilege to be given the chance to 46 distinct locations who are particiapte in this programme. It had involved in this initiative, More will come to understand the broaden our understanding of Singapore’s biodiversity of Singapore and biodiversity and how a sustainable city can start to appreciate its be achieved through such activities. We will importance. Their appreciation not hesitate to take part again in this will translate to their care for fascinating and prodigious Heron Watch! Singapore’s parks, such as maintaining the cleanliness of the parks and, at the same time, taking care of the varying species - Michael Fernando, Andrew Raynard living there. and Nathanael Hans

JTC CLEANTECH ONE@ CLEANTECH PARK Green Building style trends Stepping into JTC CleanTech One (CT1), a building designed with sustainability in mind, we were greeted with a plethora of state-of-the-art green features. These include a rainwater harvesting system, a greywater recycling system and solar panels, contributing to energy and water saving initiatives. Additionally, red LED lamps are installed in strategic locations along the building. In turn, this paves the way for a decrease in light pollution. Moreover, with cleaning robots scattered around JTC CleanTech One the building, the required manpower for such tedious jobs is decreased. The building further Cost-effective Cross features a double-skin facade and a green roof. Ventilation With buffer zones of green foliage, constant cross ventilation is maintained which helps to reduce heat gain and cooling costs. Rainwater Harvesting & Treatment System A high percentage of a building's electricity and Cleaning Robots cost goes to air conditioning and electric fans. With cross ventilation, it helps nullify a large portion of the electric cost. Moreover, the trees and plants planted in the buildings make up for the forest cleared to build the building. This reduces the environmental impact of building CT1. One idea we thought of was to add water bodies, like ponds, around the building to reduce the ambient temperature.

JTC is contributing to a Photo credit: http://www.jtc.gov.sg greener and more Why JTC CLEANTECH ONE? sustainable Singapore. We should collectively JTC promotes sustainable industrial development in make an effort to play a Singapore. While they foster innovation in the building and infrastructure sectors, their duties also extend to planning part in this. Ranging clean, green estates for our community. As Singapore from providing progresses into modernity, they industriously align their efforts to achieve four main goals in the name of feedback on their sustainability – affordable and clean energy; industry, projects, to adhering to innovation and infrastructure; sustainable cities and communities; and climate action. JTC has also identified 5 sustainability efforts, working streams to further weave sustainability into their there is a myriad of ways business value chain: sustainability by planning and design, construction sustainability, operations optimizations, in which we can help renewable energy, and industry partnership. JTC to succeed. Hence, a brighter, greener future - Kezmond Lee, will indeed be paved for Joel Chan and Cruz Sia Singapore. Group Photo at JTC CleanTech One

SOLAR FARMS On August 10, 2022, we visited the Terrenus All of SolarLand 2’s generated electricity is Energy headquarters to learn about SolarLand transferred to Singapore’s Power Grid. We had a 2 from a presentation by Mr. Aron, an engineer guided tour of the facility and learned first hand from Terrenus Energy. Singapore's largest how the solar farm works. There were solar land-based solar farm, located in the country's panels built with a portable mounting system, as east, generates 23.9 GWh annually — well as two mobile substations that are optimised equivalent to powering around 5,300 for low-cost, rapid redeployment, that convert households for one year, reducing direct current to alternating current. approximately 10,000 tonnes of carbon emissions and planting around 443,000 trees. The facility is made up of about 35,000 solar panels, which are spread out over an area of The installed PV capacity is 19.2 MWp — 60% approximately 116,000 square metres. The higher than the tender requirement of 12 MWp. panels are tilted at a very precise angle to maximise their exposure to sunlight. There is an automated robot cleaning the solar panels.

SOLARLAND2 Singapore announced the target SolarLand 2 features various green of reducing emissions intensity innovations. Robots are used to clean the solar panels for efficient by 36% from 2005 levels by maintenance. There is also an ongoing study on the growth of specific crops 2030 and stabilising emissions under the panels, such as viola radish, cauliflower, pandan, and more. This with the aim of peaking around practice is called \"agrivoltaics\". Lastly, SolarLand 2 is home to a 2030. SolarLand 2 helps in hydropanel testbed, which is a special type of panel that uses solar energy to making this plan successful as it convert water vapour in the air into liquid, drinkable water. uses clean energy to produce These actions taken by JTC and Terrenus Energy support Singapore's electricity that supplies sustainable development goals (SDGs), which includes the Climate Action numerous homes in Singapore Plan. Action Plan which aims to reduce carbon emissions up to 2030. and does not use fossil fuels which emit carbon dioxide when used. Scan to learn more about how JTC Robots cleaning Solar Panels and Terrenus are working together to drive Singapore's solar push

SOLAR ENERGY Our experiences at SolarLand 2 helped us in gaining a greater understanding regarding the positive impact that Terrenus Energy has made on Singapore and the world. It has also made us become more aware of what is happening to the earth and how we can contribute positively in reducing the rate of climate change for the sake of our future generations. We strongly recommend visiting SolarLand 2 to JUST KEEP observe the solar panels and learn how they work MOVING as well as how the system contributes to reducing FORWARD. carbon emissions and reducing the rate of climate change. We appreciate how solar panels have helped to reduce carbon emissions in Singapore so that your future generations may still have the opportunity to live and enjoy their lives without having to worry about climate change! - Albert Manuel, Alvaro Vincent and Juan Karlov a production by Anglo-Chinese School (Independent)