INTEGRATED RESORTS (Eco-friendly and energy-saving requirements)

Column No : 997

INTEGRATED RESORTS:

(Eco-friendly and energy-saving requirements): 3.

Dr Geh Min asked the Minister for Trade and Industry as the Integrated Resorts are intended to be iconic developments appropriate to Singapore 's clean and green image, will the Singapore Tourism Board include eco-friendly technology and energy-saving requirements for these developments in their tender document.

The Minister of State for Trade and Industry (Mr Heng Chee How) (for the Minister for Trade and Industry): Mr Speaker, Sir, the Integrated Resorts (IRs) will be required to comply with URA's planning requirements for the sites, including the provision of greenery and open spaces, as well as BCA's building regulations on energy-saving design. The IRs can also make use of existing Government schemes to promote greenery and eco-friendly features, such as BCA's Green Mark for Buildings Industry Programme and URA's Gross Floor Area exemption incentives for sky terraces and roof gardens.

Beyond that, our preference is to give IR developers as much space as possible to exercise their creativity and imagination to make the IRs distinctive developments that will boost Singapore's attractiveness as a tourism destination.

Dr Geh Min: Sir, can I ask the Minister of State, in view of the fact that the IRs are very, very high profile developments, not just any other development in Singapore, they are given iconic sites and they are a focus of attention not just locally but globally, would it not be appropriate to go beyond present URA regulations? By the time the IRs are completed in 2010, I believe Kyoto Protocol will be approaching the time 2012 and it will be entering the second phase, and many, many countries, all responsible countries, will be increasingly carbon conscious. Would it not be appropriate for such a high profile development in Singapore to legitimatise the triple bottomline that is not just economically productive but socially responsible and environmentally sustainable?

Mr Heng Chee How: Mr Speaker, Sir, I believe that the guidelines by URA and BCA are robust and they do address the needs to balance amongst different requirements. There is no need for us, at this point, to argue in the abstract how those IR developments would actually come about. I think in time to come, when the submissions are there, we would see how they meet those requirements. But I do believe that the URA and BCA requirements, as they stand, are very good standards and they would put all developments in Singapore in good compliance with international standards.

Dr Geh Min: Sir, may I ask the Minister of State, if two submissions are submitted, all else being equal, one is a glitzy energy gas-linked development and another is a green and eco-friendly energy efficient development, would not STB and the Ministry prefer the cleaner and greener development and, if so, would it not be fairer to put these guidelines at the beginning as an indication of what we would prefer as a nation for an icon?

Mr Heng Chee How: Mr Speaker, Sir, I would like to reiterate that, at this point, there is really no need for us to hypothesise whether or not there will be two identical proposals except for the energy aspects. But I do want to reiterate that the URA and BCA guidelines would put us in good stead, vis-a-vis international standards.