Living the Future Today: What a Net-Zero Singapore Could Look Like
Every year on Zero Emissions Day (21 September), we reflect on the impact of fossil fuels and the need for cleaner energy. Fossil fuels power much of modern society but contribute to climate change and pollution. While complete emissions elimination isn’t possible overnight, achieving net-zero—balancing emissions with those removed—is crucial for addressing climate change.
Singapore faces unique challenges as it works towards a low-carbon future. The Singapore Green Plan 2030 (SG Green Plan) aims to reduce emissions, expand renewable energy, and improve energy efficiency by phasing out internal combustion engine vehicles by 2040 and greening 80% of buildings, with a goal of net-zero emissions by 20501. But what does a net-zero Singapore actually look like? Imagine homes powered by solar energy, a city where transport relies on electricity or hydrogen, and offices using green-certified technology. Achieving net-zero doesn’t mean eliminating energy use—it means transforming how we generate and consume it.
Your phone alarm signals the start of the day. After stretching, you take a morning shower, enjoying the hot water and the knowledge that your home is powered by solar energy. While your laundry is in the energy-efficient washing machine, you make coffee and a breakfast omelette over the stove. Yum. After eating, you hang your laundry in the sun to dry, then get dressed and leave for work. Since you live on the fifth floor, you choose to take the stairs to clock some steps.
In a solar-dense Singapore, solar energy is our most promising renewable energy source. The SG Green Plan aims to deploy enough solar energy to power about 350,000 households each year2.
While not all buildings are fully powered by solar energy, we’re making good progress, with rooftop solar panels already installed in some malls and HDB flats.
At SP Group, we have been working on our first brownfield cooling project in Tampines. In this project, we replaced the traditional chiller plants that served the seven key buildings in the area with a more efficient distributed district cooling system for air conditioning. By doing so, we have helped to significantly reduce energy consumption while freeing up stranded assets for commercial and lifestyle use.
You belt up in your freshly charged electric vehicle (EV) and start the car, which comes to life—not with a roar, but with a whisper. You take off onto the road, where gasoline-powered cars are now a rare sight. Most vehicles around you, from sleek sedans to sturdy buses, are hybrids or fully electric, their quiet efficiency blending seamlessly into the morning hum of the neighbourhood. As you cruise past two cyclists in office attire on their way to work, you smile. The city moves in harmony—clean, efficient, and electric.
We are on our way to achieving this reality. In the first 10 months of 2024, EVs made up 32.7% of new car registrations, up from 2023.3 An EV produces half the CO2 of an internal combustion engine vehicle, and transitioning all light vehicles to electric could cut carbon emissions by 1.5 to 2 million tonnes! The Singapore Green Plan also aims to make every HDB town EV-ready, with about 2,000 car parks set to have charging points.4
SP Group has been actively working towards the electrification of transport since as early as 2016, even before the SG Green Plan was announced. SP Group's innovative approach has made it the largest operator of fast-charging electric vehicle (EV) networks in Singapore. We currently have 2,000 charging points operational, with plans for many more installations to achieve the SG Green Plan's target of 60,000 charging points.5 With the addition of more investors, we are optimistic about expanding our efforts in the EV sector.
As you approach your newly upgraded green office building, you notice its sustainable features. The lift is powered by solar panels on the roof. (You make a memo to take a break in the rooftop garden, designed to enhance insulation and absorb CO2.) At your desk, you admire the stunning CBD view through double-glazed windows that minimise heat gain, reducing cooling needs. You feel comfortable throughout your workday in the office, thanks to the self-learning building intelligence system that optimises occupant comfort throughout the entire building.
Buildings contribute over 20% of national emissions, prompting the Building and Construction Authority to create Singapore’s first Green Building Masterplan. The plan aims to green 80% of buildings and convert 80% of new structures into Super Low Energy Buildings (SLEB), improving energy efficiency by 80% and saving costs for owners.6 To encourage this initiative, the government is offering grants for building owners to retrofit their properties.
Constructing a green building can take years due to various considerations and stakeholder involvement. In contrast, SP Group offers faster solutions for building owners looking to make their properties more sustainable. Their Green Energy Tech (GET®) suite integrates with existing building systems to help achieve SLEB status. The GET Control® microclimate control system, in particular, optimises energy usage based on occupancy and external weather, enhancing thermal comfort for occupants.
In addition to office buildings, shopping malls also consume a significant amount of energy. In 2024, Frasers Property partnered with SP Group to install 4,500 sqm of solar panels across seven retail and commercial properties in Singapore, marking the largest solar rollout for retail malls in the country.7
A net-zero future for Singapore is not just a distant dream. Although we haven’t arrived yet, every innovation, policy change, and individual effort brings us closer to sustainability. The decisions we make today — like switching to renewable energy, adopting green transportation, optimising energy use, and even exploring nuclear power — are crucial. Singapore is committed to achieving net-zero, but our success depends on collective action and a shared belief in its attainability.
Let SP Group help you build sustainable habits and make a change. Contact us to learn more.
Footnotes
1SG Green Plan: Our Targets, www.greenplan.gov.sg/targets
2Solar City: The surprising places you will find solar panels in Singapore, www.straitstimes.com/multimedia/graphics/2022/05/singapore-solar-power-panels
3A to Z of 2024: Electrified vehicles go further than ever, www.straitstimes.com/life/motoring/a-to-z-of-2024-electrified-vehicles-go-further-than-ever
4Land Transport Authority: Our EV Vision, www.lta.gov.sg/content/ltagov/en/industry_innovations/technologies/electric_vehicles/our_ev_vision.html
5TransportBT: The future of EV charging in Singapore - Insights from SP Group, www.businesstimes.com.sg/podcasts/transportbt-future-ev-charging-singapore-insights-sp-group
6Building and Construction Authority: Green Building Masterplans, www1.bca.gov.sg/buildsg/sustainability/green-building-masterplans
7Frasers Property partners SP Group on Singapore’s largest single solarisation roll-out for retail malls and other sustainable energy innovations, www.frasersproperty.com/the-library/sg/2024/april/frasers-property-solarisation