Sustainable development committee encouraged by public's response

By Wong Siew Ying, Channel NewsAsia
24 August 2008

SINGAPORE: National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan said on Sunday that the ideas received via the have both quality and breadth, and the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Sustainable Development has been encouraged by the response.

Suggestions from the public include tapping on renewable energy in their living environment. For now, solar panels will be piloted at the Housing and Development Board's (HDB) eco-precinct Treelodge@Punggol.

Mr Mah said the relevant ministries will study all the ideas and continue to engage Singaporeans. A final report on sustainable development, which will contain a list of recommendations, is expected to be ready in the first quarter of next year.

He said there could be greater use of solar panels in public housing.

"This is one of the issues that is being studied in detail – how far we can go, how fast we can go, what we need to do, (while) bearing in mind that solar panel is still a new technology.

"It is still very expensive, but I think it would be useful for us to do some test-bedding of this new technology," Mr Mah said.


- CNA/so