Star Bamboo Singapore

A recent article in the Business Times (reproduced here) reported that :

“If buildings meet certain Green Mark standards, owners can apply for additional Gross Floor Area (GFA) beyond the master plan gross plot ratio control.

Developments with the Platinum rating can receive up to 2 per cent more GFA (capped at 5,000 sq m), while those with the Gold Plus rating are eligible for up to one per cent more (capped at 2,500 sq m).”

In land-scarce Singapore, this is a powerful incentive. At current record land prices,  an extra 5,000 sqm is easily worth millions of dollars to the developer, even though a development charge has to be paid to the government.

There are currently 4 levels of Green Mark ratings:

There is now greater impetus to strive for the next Green Mark level, especially for buildings at the Green Mark Gold Plus level. Only 5 points separate this from the highest Green Mark Platinum level, making it an attainable goal.

With the 2008 revision of the Green Mark programme, developers can score points by using Green Label certified products such as our bamboo flooring. Under this category, there is a total of 1.5 points available. Any extra building costs is more than offset by the extra GFA available.

When a mere 5 points could equate to a difference of millions of dollars, every little bit helps.

Sorry for the long silence, we have been very busy for the past 2 months!

Just saw this article on AsiaOne web site:

THOSE seeking to buy energy- and cost-saving home appliances, such as refrigerators and washing machines, will be able to check if the products are on a “green” list that will be posted online.

Special materials, such as different types of glass and walls that are green, will also be included in the list, making it easier for construction-industry players to develop environmentally-friendly buildings.

The list, which is expected to be ready in a year, is the first project of the Singapore Green Building Council.

Wait a minute, don’t we already have such a list?

In fact, the Singapore Environment Council (SEC) already has a list of eco-products for many years. On their list of Green Label-approved products, Star Bamboo has been listed since 2006.

So if you are into eco-purchasing, go check out the SEC web site now.

p.s. our next post will be about the latest exciting avenue for eco-purchases, look out for it!

Saw on yesterday’s news that 2 Singapore companies are reprimanded for misusing the Singapore Environment Council’s (SEC) Green Label logo. They inserted the logo on their products when they were not certified.

Green Label Singapore is “a voluntary accreditation for environmentally-friendly products by SEC”.

The Today newspaper report has more details on the case. I couldn’t find the article on the Todayonline web site, here is a scan below:

 The Green Label Singapore programme was started in 1999, and this is the first known case of misuse. It means that awareness of Green Label has reached a critical mass. Consumers are now making their influence felt by requesting for Green Label products.

Use of the logo must always be accompanied by an identification number.

At Star Bamboo, our bamboo flooring has been accredited since 2006. The Green Label Singapore logo appears on all our marketing material, along with our ID number 035-004.

We are certified not just because bamboo is a rapidly renewable material (that would mean ALL bamboo flooring is eco-friendly, which is obviously not the case).

At Star Bamboo, we take a holistic approach beginning with responsible sourcing of raw materials, use of low/zero-emission chemicals in our production, careful disposal and recycling of waste materials, and also proper welfare for our workers. The entire production is audited twice-yearly by a German company.

Green Label Singapore has been officially recognised under Building and Construction Authority (BCA) Green Mark programme since Jan 2008. Developers are now approaching Star Bamboo for our bamboo flooring, as it is a certified eco-friendly product and eligible for Green Mark points.

With a growing demand for eco-friendly products, it is no wonder some companies are taking a shortcut to tap into this market.

So be aware, and make the right choice!