GREEN MARK INCENTIVE SCHEME

GREEN MARK INCENTIVE SCHEME:

(Take-up rate): 12.

Dr Lam Pin Min asked the Minister for National Development (a) what is the take-up rate of the Green Mark Incentive Scheme (GMIS) by private developers since its implementation in December 2006; and (b) whether the scheme can be extended to include developments with gross floor area of less than 5,000 square metres and, if not, what are the reasons.

The Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for National Development (Dr Mohamad Maliki Bin Osman) (for the Minister for National Development): Mr Speaker, Sir, the Green Mark Incentive Scheme (GMIS) was launched in December last year. BCA has approved nine applications since then. BCA ex

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pects the number of applications to increase as many developers and designers have expressed interest in the scheme.

The main purpose of GMIS is to encourage developers and building owners to go for a higher Green Mark standard in their new building projects. To qualify for the incentive, a development has to attain at least the Green Mark Gold standard.

For a start, given the funds available, BCA has limited the incentive scheme to the larger developments, that is, those with gross floor area of more than 5,000 square metres, where there is ample scope and flexibility to incorporate green building designs and technologies. BCA is monitoring the response to the scheme, and will review its qualifying criteria after some time.

Dr Lam Pin Min (Ang Mo Kio): I would like to ask the Parliamentary Secretary whether there are plans for MND to mandate the use of environmentally-friendly green building technologies in future Government buildings and, secondly, whether he could provide an update on the $50 million research fund set up in 2005 for the construction and real estate sector to promote green building technologies.

Dr Mohamad Maliki Bin Osman: Sir, on the question of mandating environmentally-friendly buildings, as of now, we want to promote the developers through incentives. I think we always want to try to encourage them so that there is greater buy-in rather than mandating them. Once you start mandating, I think the assumption is that they are not willing to do it and we are trying to tell them to do so. I think we will look at this programme and take a look at how the incentives work and work from there onwards. I do not have the information regarding the research fund as of now. But I would like to give the Member information later on.