2
SOLUTIONS
TUESDAY 3rd July 2012
Sands Expo & Convention Center, Marina Bay Sands, Singapore LIVE COVERAGE
In Conversation with Jeff Cooper “Trying to educate people that they should ensure waste is collected and then disposed in properly engineered landfills is difficult…”
The Water-Energy Nexus Lisa Henthorne discusses the relationship between water and energy, and how this relationship is evolving.
Lee Kuan Yew World City Prize Lecture Adrian Benepe, Commissioner of New York City’s Department of Parks and Recreation, discusses the city’s recent challenges and achievements.
SHARING SUSTAINABLE
11 CITY PRACTICES WORLDWIDE By Lois Avery
9
Experts in sustainable urban development, water and environment from around the world came together yesterday for the joint opening plenary of the World Cities Summit, CleanEnviro Summit Singapore and Singapore International Water Week. Speakers from government, industry and international organisations — from Europe to Asia — shared views on how to create liveable and sustainable cities in a time when the world is facing rapid urbanisation.
4
Today, more than half the world’s population resides in cities and the United Nations estimates that twothirds of the global population will be living in urban environments by 2040. This puts pressures on urban infrastructure, the environment and natural resources. The Q&A session kicked off with Kamal Nath, India’s Minister of Urban Development, discussing India’s unique challenges.
DAILY HIGHLIGHTS Sands Grand Ballroom D, Level 5
Cassia 3211 & Begonia 3011, Level 3
“Growth has preceded infrastructure, and we have a huge infrastructure deficit. What we build in the next five years will be catching up with the past, not building for the future,” he said. India, along with China, houses some of the world’s megacities, where the population is in excess of 10 million. To cope with this, Mr Nath says India is developing a “strategic approach”, focusing on water, sewage and transportation. In Indonesia, urbanisation poses different challenges. Around 60% of the 277 million-strong population are concentrated on the island of Java. Djoko Kirmanto, the Indonesian Minister of Public Works, said that the problem facing his country was its limited budget, and how to allocate it effectively. Other countries have overcome budget constraints by developing public-private partnerships, or PPPs. In Nigeria, for example, PPPs have helped finance housing programmes.
HONOURING EXCELLENCE IN CITIES AND WATER At last night’s Lee Kuan Yew Prize Award Ceremony and Banquet in the Sands Grand Ballroom, more than 800 guests gathered to honour the achievements of this year’s prize-winners. Guests were entertained by rousing performances from the Chinese Percussion Ensemble and a string and piano quintet from Singapore’s School of the Arts. The 2nd Lee Kuan Yew World City Prize, awarded every two years, was presented to Adrian Benepe, New York City’s Commissioner of Parks and Recreation, who accepted it on behalf of Mayor Michael Bloomberg and the Departments of Transportation, City Planning, and Parks and Recreation. New York City was recognised for its achievements in sustainable development; in particular, its efforts to rejuvenate neglected public spaces through the creation of innovative new parks such as the High Line and Brooklyn Bridge Park. Speaking via a recorded video address, Mr Bloomberg said, “It’s a tremendous honour for New York City to receive the Lee Kuan Yew World City Prize, and I thank the nominating committee for Continued on P2
Continued on P2
Orchid 4202, Level 4
Level 3 & B2
WCS Keynote Plenary
Water Leaders Summit Workshops A&B
WasteMET Asia-ISWA Beacon Conference
SIWW Business ForumS
09.0010.30
11.0012.30
09.0017.00
09.3017.45
Peony Jr, 4412, Level 4
Level 5
UNDP: ONE PLANET TO SHARE
Flagship Urban Solutions Tracks
14.3016.45
13.3016.45
TUESDAY 3rd July 2012
Sands Expo & Convention Center, Marina Bay Sands, Singapore
2
3 SIWW
HONOURING EXCELLENCE
IN CITIES AND WATER Continued from P1
By 2025,
1,800 million people
Sustainable development:
A GLOBAL PRIORITY By Joseph Jones
will be living in countries or regions with absolute water scarcity
Source: United Nations
WCS
(L-R) Professor Mark van Loosdrecht, Delft University of Technology; Deputy Prime Minister Mr Teo Chee Hean; Mr Adrian Benepe, New York City Commissioner of Parks and Recreation
recognising our innovative work to transform underused infrastructure into vibrant public spaces.” Mr Benepe added, “The city’s sustainable achievements are thanks to the efforts of many agencies and we are so grateful to the Lee Kuan Yew Prize Selection Committee that they have awarded this honour in recognition of our teamwork.” Professor Mark van Loosdrecht of Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands received the Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize 2012 for his development of Anammox, an innovative biological process to remove pollutants from used water. The process uses bacteria
SHARING SUSTAINABLE CITY PRACTICES WORLDWIDE
Continued from P1
to convert the pollutant ammonia into harmless nitrogen in what is essentially a short-cut of the natural nitrogen cycle. This short-cut means that less energy is required to complete the cycle, offering water utilities a costeffective, low-energy and sustainable means to treat waste water.
country’s various water boards. “They have time for implementing new technologies, collaborating with universities and making links with companies. This helps not only with the scientific research, but also with bringing things into practice,” he said.
Sporting a red jacket to, he said, match the colour of the Anammox bacteria, Prof van Loosdrecht thanked the many people that have supported him in his work. He noted that he is the second Dutch person in five years to win the Water Prize and credited this to the way that wastewater research is approached by Stowa, which represents the
Professor Lim Pin, Deputy Chair of the Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize Council, noted that Singapore is currently conducting a pilot trial of a variant of the Anammox process at one of its water reclamation plants. “This has shown positive results, and the national water agency, PUB, is currently looking into the adoption of this technology to improve energy efficiency.”
Examples of urban planning success came from Tokyo and Singapore. A focus on transport helped Tokyo become an efficient megacity; the government transferred some activity to neighbouring cities, in particular, Osaka. Tying in with this concept, Mr Nath explained why suburbanisation is a must for growing cities. He said, “Previously, urbanisation was all by default. How do you plan by design, and not by default? This is where suburbanisation comes in.” With reference to Indonesia, Mr Kirmanto said that every planned urban area
now proposes 30% of green space alongside developments. Overall, the resounding message was: planning is key, whether it is in terms of transport, roads, energy, power or technology. Dr Roland Busch, CEO, Infrastructure and Cities, at Siemens AG said, “Incremental development is not doing the trick. Think of your own city; increase the population and amount of traffic by 50%. Incremental development will not get you where you need to be.”
In China, by 2025 a further 300 million people are expected to move from rural to urban areas
2025
Source: United Nations
CleanEnviro Summit
Asian cities are likely to contribute more than half the rise in greenhouse gas emissions by
2032
Source: ADB
Throughout the session, Singapore was used as a good example in all areas: water use, urban planning and green issues. The World Bank now has a hub in Singapore, from which it can help countries in Asia confront the problems associated with rapid growth. Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister for the Environment and Water Resources, said, “We have tried to use Singapore to illustrate that cites can be a sustainable way of life for humanity.”
Sustainable development cannot be left to the governments of nation states alone, argued Helen Clark, former Prime Minister of New Zealand, Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and the Chair of the United Nations Development Group. She said that the importance of water management and sustainable environmental development to cities could not be underestimated. Ms Clark was speaking at the dialogue session ‘In Conversation: Governance in Sustainable Development’, moderated by Professor Tommy Koh, Ambassador-at-Large, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Singapore, at the Singapore International Water Week, World Cities Summit and CleanEnviro Summit Singapore. Ms Clark reiterated her belief in the importance of managing growth. “We can’t plan for a sound economic and social future unless we take the environment very seriously indeed,” she said. Fresh from her participation last month at Rio+20, the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, Ms Clark acknowledged the difficulty of reaching binding inter-government agreements at international conferences. This was mitigated in her opinion by Rio+20’s
success in giving a platform to subnational organisations. “It brought together tens of thousands of people from every level of society and government to talk about the future of our world,” said Ms Clark. The importance of sustainable development to cities was a recurring theme during the discussion with Prof Koh. For all the advances in green technology, both Ms Clark and Prof Koh agreed that governance is key to long-term sustainability. In her work on water governance with UNDP, Ms Clark identified building capacity to maintain and sustain infrastructure as the weak link that needs strengthening. Capacity building in water management requires a “multistakeholder approach” believes Ms Clark, so that it can be applied to different situations and environments. Building the necessary institutional architecture is of particular priority to cities. In an increasingly urbanised world, the bulk of the world’s next two billion citizens are going to be living in cities. Developing them sustainably is essential: “We need to get this right,” said Ms Clark. Speaking to CNBC after the debate, Ms Clark identified Singapore’s “strong governance” and the city-state’s prioritisations of water management
(L–R) Prof Tommy Koh, Ambassador-at-Large, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Singapore, Ms Helen Clark, Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme, and Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, Singapore’s Minister for the Environment and Water Resources
as examples of how properly designed cities can be sustainable. For Ms Clark, local and national governmental leadership are vital to sustainable development. For example, sustainable technology must be accompanied by political will and an inclusive approach that listens to the needs of the public. “Equity and sustainability are linked,” said Ms Clark, and economic development cannot be at the
expense of human development. Ms Clark referred to Ethiopia and the Cambodian capital, Phnon Penh, as examples of balancing economic growth with both environmental protection and responding to people’s needs and requirements. Ensuring a sustainable future will require that both people and governments are included in the process. Said Ms Clark: “We have to go to zero on extreme poverty and hunger to have any hope of building a more just world.”
TUESDAY 3rd July 2012
4
A BLUEPRINT TRANSFORMING DEVELOPING FOR FUTURE CITIES: NEW YORK CITY THE TIANJIN ECO-CITY STORY By Steinar Cramer
The rise of China is the story of the century. Its economic boom over the past three decades has fuelled rapid urbanisation across the country. About 680 million Chinese now live in cities, yet that represents only approximately half of the population, compared with 82% in the US. With villagers flocking to urban centres in search of employment and a better way of life, China’s cities are set to grow considerably, both in size and number. The urban population of China is expected to increase by more than 275 million by 2030. This is the equivalent of about two New York-size cities that need to be developed per year. The biennial Lee Kuan Yew World City Prize was awarded to New York City in 2012 for its remarkable transformation over the past decade. Mayor Michael Bloomberg and the city’s Departments of Transportation, City Planning, and Parks and Recreation were recognised for their outstanding contribution towards making New York a vibrant, liveable and sustainable city. At his acceptance speech in March 2012 in Singapore, Mayor Bloomberg said, “Receiving the Lee Kuan Yew World City Prize is not only a great honour, it is an affirmation of our vision for New York as a global leader of sustainable development and innovative public spaces.” During the Lee Kuan Yew World City Prize Lecture yesterday, Adrian Benepe, New York City’s Commissioner of Parks and Recreation, detailed how this vision is embodied in PlaNYC, New York’s sustainability agenda. “As an actionoriented agenda, it addresses the city and its potential and includes solutions for improving our air quality, upgrading our energy infrastructure, reducing water pollution, cleaning up
contaminated land and creating more affordable and sustainable housing.” Amongst PlaNYC’s goals are the planting of one million new trees, making streets safer for cyclists and pedestrians, and ensuring that every resident lives no more than a 10-minute walk from a park. Progress has been encouraging, with 600,000 trees planted and the development of over 400 kilometres of new bike lanes. New parks, including the High Line, developed on a 1.5 kilometre-long unused elevated railway track, and Brooklyn Bridge Park, are transforming New York’s public spaces. Based on sustainable design principles, these parks are rejuvenating onceabandoned waterfront areas and making use of innovative technologies and recycled materials. Mr Benepe stressed that PlaNYC was developed in a very public process, and that this is part of its strength and durability. He noted, “We have many big problems to solve. Government plays an important role, but it’s the people who will ensure this initiative continues after this mayor and this administration leave office.”
It is not just China that is experiencing such growth in its urban centres — the world is looking at an increase of 320 New York-size cities between now and 2050. Therefore, urbanisation will be a key contributor to global economic growth throughout the 21st century. Such rapid urbanisation also carries with it serious challenges for natural resources and social services. Against this backdrop, in 2007 Singapore proposed to China the idea of building a city that balances a thriving economy, social harmony and environmental sustainability. More significantly, the city can act as a blueprint for future sustainable cities. Tianjin was eventually identified as the location for the 30-squarekilometre eco-city, where 350,000 residents will live, work and play in a modern, green township. The master plan for the Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-city (commonly referred to as Tianjin Eco-city) was developed by teams of experts from both Singapore and China, but the plans incorporated the best ideas from around the globe. Keppel Group was asked to lead Singapore’s private sector consortium and work closely with the Chinese
World Cities Summit 2012 Partners & Sponsors Lee Kuan Yew World City Prize Sponsor
Gold Sponsors
Patron Sponsor
Platinum Sponsors
INVESTING IN SHARE THEIR MOBILITY SPURS ECONOMIC VIBRANCY, LEE KUAN YEW WORLD CITY PRIZE SPECIAL MENTIONS
SUCCESSES
consortium partner to guide the joint venture.
Keppel’s environmental technology and engineering arm, Keppel Integrated Engineering, has also formed a joint venture to pursue building, owning and operating a water reclamation plant in Tianjin Eco-city. In 2010, Keppel District Heating and Cooling Systems made its first foray into China to provide district heating and cooling system services for the Eco-Business Park of Tianjin Eco-city. The results offer tenants a more cost-effective, space-saving and greener choice for commercial heating and cooling. Likewise, Keppel Telecommunications & Transportation, with core businesses in logistics and data centres, is developing a green integrated logistics distribution centre in the city, which it will also operate. To date, Tianjin Eco-city has attracted the participation of international developers, as well as global technology companies, such as Philips, Hitachi and Siemens. With the full support of the Chinese and Singaporean governments, coupled with Keppel Group’s experience and proven execution track record, Tianjin Eco-city is envisioned to be a replicable, scalable and practical model for sustainable development that can be applied to other cities in China and the rest of the world.
PROVES ETHIOPIA Ethiopian cities, like many others in Africa, were at one time urban centres characterised by poor infrastructure, underinvestment, economic stagnation and poverty — until now.
To date, Keppel’s property arm, Keppel Land, has been developing residential and mixed-use developments within Tianjin Eco-city. These kept in mind the concept of a walkable city that promotes public and nonmotorised transportation in order to reduce the city’s carbon footprint. Residential and commercial developments are, therefore, located within close proximity so that residents can live within easy reach of their workplace and recreational and lifestyle amenities. Since the end of 2011, residents of Tianjin Eco-city have been moving into their new homes, with many offices and retail premises set to open by the end of 2012.
5
In 2001, against the backdrop of Ethiopia’s urban populations growing at a rate of 4% each year, and with the nation’s cities and towns forecast to account for more than 55% of GDP by 2020, the Ethiopian government rolled out a series of development programmes. These aimed to deliver at a local level improved fiscal planning, robust tax collection, and better public infrastructure and project planning. In addition, these plans sought to reduce the nation’s widespread unemployment.
(L-R) Michael Krause, Director, Sustainable Urban Neighbourhood Development; Councillor Angela OwenTaylor, Deputy to the Lord Mayor on International Relations & Multicultural Affairs, Brisbane City Council, Australia; His Worship Gregor Robertson, Mayor of Vancouver, Canada
The Lee Kuan Yew World City Prize, which honours outstanding achievements in creating vibrant and sustainable cities, went to New York City this year. However, six others still stood out. Ahmedabad in India, Malmö in Sweden, Copenhagen in Denmark, Vancouver in Canada, Brisbane, in Australia, and AHT Group AG & SUN Development, Khayetlisha, Cape Town, South Africa, were awarded special mentions for their unique urban solutions. The Prize Forum, held on the second day of the World Cities Summit, offered each city a dedicated platform to share their distinctive programmes, from transport to housing, quality of life, and environment. Opening the forum, the CEO of Singapore’s Housing & Development Board, Dr Cheong Koon Hean, commented that all the shortlisted cities shared a common theme. The cities’ investments did not only cover functional infrastructure, but they also invested in projects that achieved a high quality of life in order to draw in and retain talent. For example, Ahmedabad has a 10.6-kilometre land reclamation project, which will provide waterfront recreational space. Brisbane has made its river a focal point; not only for transport but for leisure and other uses
too, and Copenhagen has developed its harbour into a recreational space. Leisure aside, the mayors also touched upon matters that brought their cities to the prize panel’s attention. Green issues, a key concern for cities around the world, were also championed by these runners up. Malmö has developed a carbon-neutral housing development and has a 100% gas-powered bus fleet. Vancouver’s mayor Gregor Robertson said the city was aiming to get 50% of commuters out of cars and walking or cycling by 2020. “We need to wean ourselves off fossil fuels and become more focused on a clean, green city,” he said. Closing the forum, the speakers focused on challenges, rather than successes, and all six mayors agreed there was a long way to go. Issues such as poverty, public health and continuing infrastructure investment will continue to affect policymakers’ decisions.
With the support of a US$300 million credit facility from the World Bank under the umbrella of its Urban Local Government Development Programme (ULGDP), the Ethiopian government commenced its National Capacity Building Programme in 2001. This then became the Public Sector Capacity Building Programme in 2004. The results of the programme have been impressive. Implemented in no less than 19 cities across the country, all of these cities have made significant improvements in their planning, revenue mobilisation, asset management, budgeting, financial management, investment planning, procurement, and project execution, as demonstrated in the results of their annual performance assessments. Plus, the government has launched a master’s degree programme in urban management to support the programme’s efforts; by the end of 2011, it had produced at least 1,700 graduates. However, the programme’s greatest achievements are, arguably, the improvements made to Ethiopia’s roads and pathways. In the 19 cities
involved, cobblestone streets — which are becoming a ULGDP trademark — have increased the mobility of residents; in addition flooding has diminished, property values are rising, small enterprises are launching, and investment in private housing is rapidly growing. And it doesn’t end there. Construction of cobblestone streets has brought about several other benefits. It has created many new jobs for city residents, with a substantial proportion undertaken by women, young people, disabled individuals and the previously unemployed. Many cobblestone workers have now formed micro and small enterprises, or MSEs. This enables these companies to bid for and win contracts for other infrastructure projects, which are essential for these companies to become sustainable. Cobblestone construction also utilises local materials, further contributing to the local economy. By the end of June 2011, approximately 95,000 people were employed in infrastructure work that is financed by the ULGDP. Of these workers, 65% are male and 35% female. Many have also privately invested in Ethiopia’s plethora of urban infrastructure projects. Given the economic, social and environmental successes of this programme, mobility has been proven to be a critical investment vehicle in transforming underdeveloped Third World urban settlements into vibrant and sustainable cities. You can read a more thorough analysis of this project in the latest issue of Urban Solutions, published by the Centre for Liveable Cities, Singapore. Visit www.clc.gov.sg/Publications/ urbansolutions.htm to download the free digital version.
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS Sands Grand Ballroom D, Level 5 World CitIES Summit Closing Plenary
09.0013.30
Sands Grand Ballroom, Level 5
Sands Grand Ballroom, Level 5
World CitIES Summit In-Focus Forums
World CitIES Summit Flagship Urban Solutions Tracks
Sands Grand Ballroom D, Level 5 World CitIES Summit Closing Plenary
12.0012.30
13.3016.45
17.0019.00
6
TUESDAY 3rd July 2012
7
6
GOVERNANCE AND LEADERSHIP:
DRIVERS OF CHANGE AND ENGINES OF SUSTAINABILITY
ENABLING WASTE
TECHNOLOGY Effective governance, integration and changing the perception of waste management were some of the factors driving today’s waste technologies. These were the conclusions of the second half of yesterday’s Clean Environment Leaders Plenary. The session, moderated by Matthew Gubb, IETC Director at UNEP, included panellists Stan Krpan, CEO, Sustainability Victoria; Lim Chae Hoan, Executive Director, Korea Environment Corporation; Tay Lim Heng, CEO, Keppel Integrated Engineering; Kenichi Sasaki, President, Dowa Eco-system Co Ltd; and Jérôme Le Conte, CEO, Veolia Environmental Services.
(L–R) Dr Yoon Jong Soo, Vice-Minister of Environment, Republic of Korea, Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister for the Environment & Water Resources, Singapore, The Hon. Edgardo J Angara, Senator, Republic of the Philippines, Pamela Cox, Vice-President (East Asia & the Pacific), World Bank
According to panellists at yesterday’s first session of the Clean Environment Leaders Plenary, robust governance and strong leadership are the drivers of environmental change and the engines of sustainability. The session was moderated by Dr Arab Hoballah, Chief of Sustainable Consumption and Production Branch, UNEP, with Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, Singapore’s Minister for the Environment and Water Resources, Dr Yoon Jong Soo, South Korean ViceMinister of Environment, The Hon. Edgardo J Angara, Senator, Republic of the Philippines, and Pamela Cox, Vice-President (East Asia & the Pacific), World Bank, as panellists. Central to the discussion were the role of cities, and how they have become areas of focus for the fostering of environmental and waste policies and technologies. The moderator and panellists unanimously agreed that waste is a valuable resource — and not a problem. Furthermore, they acknowledged that more must be done to maximise the potential of the energy-water-waste nexus. In addressing how developing nations can make better use of resources,
Mr Angara highlighted that their governments must consolidate governance systems. However, he noted that many developing nations — including the Philippines ¬— have multiple agencies that bridge the environment and waste, whereas developed nations will have just one, or perhaps two, of these. In support of this statement, Ms Cox added that developing nations must also select scenarios that best suit their unique circumstances, and not adapt those of other countries. Ms Cox also encouraged integrated waste management planning that involves other forms of infrastructure — such as energy and water — and encouraged environmental policymakers to seek alternative financing methods during times of economic hardship; not only from the multinational corporate sector, but also from domestic small and medium enterprises. Following this, the conversation led to the topic of public buy-in into responsible waste management; Dr Balakrishnan discussed Singapore’s success in this area. He noted that educating the public on the value of nation’s resources
is key to responsible waste disposal behaviour. He also expressed the opinion that as Singapore did not subsidise any of its resources — whether energy, food or clothing — both Singaporean businesses and residents had learned how “precious” day-to-day items are. “Subsidies lead to wasteful consumption,” said Dr Balakrishnan. He also noted that in order to execute robust waste management policies, governments must think long-term, even at the expense of short-term gain. The moderator and all panellists concurred that engaging all stakeholders — including government bodies, non-governmental organisations, the private sector and the general public — was key to implementing and enforcing robust leadership and governance of waste and the environment. In addition, the speakers recognised that the encouragement of responsible waste management and environmental protection needs to be a major priority to all nations worldwide, and requires strong leaders supported by a sound regulatory framework.
Platinum Sponsor
Gold Sponsors
Silver Sponsors
TO REWARD RESPONSIBLE RECYCLING:
SINGAPORE’S GRIN INITIATIVE
walks of life. These range from fine dining, DIY materials, pet products and eyewear, to name a few.
According to Mr Krpan — a former lawyer — key drivers of waste technology start and finish with governance. This includes setting clear regulations and standards, clarity about what is expected, and the injection of confidence into the waste technology market in order to attract investment.
GRIN was launched just over a year ago in the Pasir Ris-Tampines and Tanglin-Bukit Merah sectors. These areas collectively house over one million residents and are serviced by Veolia Environmental Services.
Mr Tay believes the integration of waste services is at the heart of many innovations today, while Mr Sasaki thinks that the serving of customers and the public are key drivers. Incidentally, Dowa’s slogan is ‘Rethinking the environment for the people of Asia’.
The results of the initiative have been impressive. Amongst HDB housing in Pasir Ris-Tampines, in the space of just six months, monthly volumes of collected recycled waste have increased from around 100 tonnes to over 350 tonnes. The landed properties, with a participation rate of 80%, have performed equally well, with tne quantity collected increasing from 120 tonnes to 159 tonnes.
Mr Le Conte holds a more holistic view: “Our strategy is simple, to turn waste into resources.” He added, “Every time we eliminate waste it is a failure.” When asked about barriers to developing and implementing waste technologies, Mr Le Conte cited instability as a major obstacle. “There are three factors needed for successful adoption [of waste technology]. Stability, stability and stability. By this, I mean instability is the only barrier,” he said. Mr Tay supported this view, and noted that public education and extensive research and development were vital aspects of developing cutting-edge waste technologies. At the close of the session, all panellists and the moderator agreed that an additional enabler of waste technology is shared knowledge. This is exemplified by privatepublic partnerships that involve the private sector and non-government organisations.
CleanEnviro Summit Singapore 2012 Partners & Sponsors Founding Sponsors
USING TECHNOLOGY
Just three years ago, Singapore’s population remained largely unaware and uncommitted to recycling, irrespective of the plethora of recycling bins that spanned the island. In 2009, a report published by The Straits Times noted that the nation’s recycling bins were filled with nonrecyclable waste, such as food and bulk items, instead of objects like bottles, cans and paper products. In a bid to encourage Singaporeans to properly recycle, Veolia Environmental Services rolled out its GRIN initiative — the nation’s first online reward programme that offers residents incentives for responsible recycling. GRIN, which stands for Grow your Recycling Incentives Now, employs state-of-the-art technology to track and manage volumes of waste. This is achieved by using radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology that identifies the landed household individually, as well as each block of high-rise apartments (i.e. HBD flats).
The weight of each and every bin emptied will be recorded instantly and information on the amount of recyclables items collected will synchronise with the identity of each individual household or HDB community. The process begins with the deployment of ‘smart’ recycling trucks, which are retrofitted with RFID chip readers and weighing systems. As each truck moves from property to property, recycling bins are hooked on to the truck’s bin-lifter. Here, the RFID chip reader senses the details of the participating household and weighs the bin’s contents accordingly.
The weight measured, together with the date, time and GPS position of each collection, is collated by an incab computer system installed in each truck.
GRIN won the Excellence Achiever award at Singapore’s 2011 Sustainability Awards. It has also received high acclaim from politicians, industry leaders and academics.
This data is then transferred to the scheme’s Central Data System where it is matched with the address of residents. Additional information is also recorded, such as contaminated or broken bins, which prompts the replacement of bins.
The programme has also been extended to the office environment. GRIN Office uses similar technologies to encourage sustainable recycling in the commercial sector. In addition, Veolia Environmental Services will continue to explore future technologies and innovations in order to turn the waste of nations into valuable resources.
The quantity of recyclable rubbish is then converted into reward points online at www.grin.com.sg, which can be swapped for a wide variety of consumer products for all ages and
For more information on GRIN, please visit www.grin.com.sg
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS Orchid 4202, Level 4
Peony Jr 4411, Level 4
Peony Jr, 4511 & 4512, Level 4
WasteMET Asia-ISWA Beacon Conference
Clean Air Forum
CEO Forum on Sustainability
UNDP: ONE PLANET TO SHARE
09.0017.00
09.0018.00
14.0018.00
14.3016.45
OPEN Admission
Peony Jr, 4412, Level 4
TUESDAY 3rd July 2012
The Global Platform For The Sharing And Co-Creation Of Innovative Water Solutions
8
9
WATER
CORPORATE WATER STEWARDSHIP:
PLEASURE OR PAIN?
NEWS
60-SECOND INTERVIEW WITH
LISA HENTHORNE industrial processes. The attendance numbers for the Industrial Water Solutions Forum are one sign of the renewed attention on water supply by industry. What have been the effects of unconventional energy sources — such as shale gas — on water supply? And, what is driving their use?
By Christopher Gasson
activists in the state of Kerala in India accused a local bottling company of draining the aquifer and putting peasant farmers out of business. Although the charges against the bottling plant were essentially baseless, major international consumer brands now put water at the top of their list of priorities for corporate social responsibility.
This year’s Singapore International Water Week (SIWW) puts industrial water stewardship at the top of the agenda for the first time.
and plentiful water is no longer assured. Consequently, the economic arguments for treated wastewater as a valuable resource are growing.
It is a timely move, as businesses across the world find that water is moving up their agenda as well.
The pressure to improve water stewardship is also coming from the investor side. Major investors, led by the Norwegian sovereign wealth fund (which on average holds 1% of every company quoted on the world’s major stock exchanges) have become increasingly aware that water represents a significant risk to the businesses that they invest in. They have put pressure on companies to quantify and reduce their water risks. This means that decisions, which might previously have been made by process engineers at the plant level, are now being considered at the board level.
The growing importance of water to the corporate world has gained traction recently. First and foremost, the obvious threat of water scarcity and increasing environmental concerns have meant that water can no longer be ignored as a corporate issue. Water is used in almost every industrial process, and twice as much water is used in industry than is used by households. Historically, many companies assumed that water would be plentiful and available at a very low cost. The assumption was that water could be treated to the minimum acceptable standard and returned to nature. This view is changing because, in many parts of the world, the availability of cheap
Customers are also expecting companies to use water in a sustainable way. Companies that are seen to be misusing water put their brands at risk. For example, Coca-Cola became the subject of an international protest after
It is not just activist campaigns that are forcing companies to be better corporate citizens when it comes to water use. The political reality is that if there is competition between households and business users for water resources, household users are always going to win. For example, at the Tia Maria copper mine in Peru there has been a bitter battle between the local community and a mining company about sourcing water for the mining operations. When the issue is resolved it is likely that the company will have to agree not to take any water from local rivers or return any wastewater to them. What is clear is that — like it or not — water is now a boardroom issue for most major companies. To many CEOs it may seem a painful additional expense. However, there is an upside; water technology is not just a debit on the profit and loss account. It can also contribute significantly to the profitability of a business. Technologies such as water reuse, energy recovery, advanced purification, and materials reclamation can contribute to the profitability of a business. All of these technologies are being showcased in the SIWW exhibition halls. Hopefully, together we can ensure that a commitment to better corporate water stewardship is a pleasure, rather than a pain, for corporate water users.
PUB and IDA sign MOU to collaborate in training and education in desalination and water reuse Yesterday, PUB, Singapore’s national water agency, and the International Desalination Association (IDA) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to foster cooperation in the field of training and education in desalination and water reuse. Patricia Burke, Secretary-General of IDA, and Ng Han Tong, PUB’s Director of WaterHub, signed the MOU at a ceremony held at the World Cities Summit–Singapore International Water Week–CleanEnviro Summit Singapore Lunch. memsys awarded EWI grant to build membrane-distillation test system at Senoko Power Plant Thermal module specialists memsys has started work on a membrane distillation system based on its novel vacuum multieffect membrane-distillation (MD) process. International Sales Director of memsys, Niranjan Sarda said, “This pilot will prove the viability of harnessing waste-heat from industry and producing high-quality distillate. The modular nature of the memsys system will make it easy to scale up for higher capacities.” Yesterday, memsys signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Senoko Power Plant, the largest power supplier in Singapore, which will provide the site for installation and testing of the system for a twoyear period.
Singapore International Water Week 2012 Partners & Sponsors Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize Sponsor
Founding Sponsors
Strategic Partners
Gold Sponsors
Lisa Henthorne is currently the Chief Technology Officer of Water Standard, a US-based global water treatment specialist. She is the chairperson of the Industrial Water Solutions Forum.
Solutions: Traditionally, water and energy supply have been in direct competition with one another. Why is this? And, has the level of competition between both increased or decreased over time? Lisa Henthorne: Water supply and energy supply are dependent on each other; the supply of energy, from production through refinement, requires water, and our water supply requires various amounts of energy depending on its source and quality. However, the availability of water has a finite limit and traditional sources of energy have similar limitations. These limits create the perception of competition between the two resources, but I consider their interdependence to be a more significant aspect of their relationship. Is a balance between water demand and energy security achievable? And, if so, what must be done to accomplish this? One must always strive for a balance. Otherwise, in time, the unsustainability of our practices impact our future welfare and the health of our planet. But the presently evolving landscape of energy supply — with the potential of unconventional fuels and enhanced oil recovery, as well as the slow but meaningful gains being made in renewable energy resources — will likely have lasting impacts on what the balance looks like. On a very positive note, many large industrial water users are taking water recycling and conservation to heart, and spotlighting attention on water resources as new best practices are developed for
The production of unconventional fuels, such as shale gas, requires water as a mechanism to recover the gas. Much of the water is returned to the surface and must be treated and then reused, or disposed of. The methods to treat this water cost-effectively are still being developed, and many companies and universities are currently focused on this. But one should realise that water is already being used in oil production, to waterflood the reservoirs to maintain pressure and increase oil recovery. Some of the presentations in the Forum will present data to demonstrate the relative water usage of different energy sources to further address this point.
ENERGY-NEUTRAL
USED WATER TREATMENT
Increasing energy production while decreasing energy demand will soon become a reality for used water treatment plants retrofitted with a novel concept developed by Singapore researchers in cooperation with international collaborators from Denmark and France.
With support from Singapore’s Environment and Water Industry Programme Office (EWI), the new Energy+ concept is currently being demonstrated. On 4 July 2012, the project partners: DHI, SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT, and NTU’S AEBC-NEWRI, will sign a Research Collaboration Agreement at Singapore International Water Week.
PUB SINGAPORE AND MEIDEN SINGAPORE
ANNOUNCE FIRST CERAMIC MEMBRANE MBR DEMONSTRATION PLANT
What emerging solutions do you foresee as having a major influence on the water-energy nexus over the next 10 years? And, why will they become so important? Water recycling and water conservation, combined with use of alternative water sources, are the most significant solutions that will enable industry to grow global economies while maintaining or reducing their water footprint.
PUB, Singapore’s national water agency, and MEIDEN SINGAPORE (MSL) today announced the signing of an agreement to establish the first Ceramic Membrane MBR Demonstration Plant to treat and recycle industrial used water in a more energy-efficient and costeffective manner.
It is widely acknowledged that at least 15% of water is lost through leakages in pipelines. In the shortterm, what can be done to reduce this figure? Who must spearhead such action? The water utilities must spearhead the action and commit to reducing the leakages. There are real success stories out there, including Singapore’s PUB, where action was taken and leakages significantly reduced. It is a long-term gain with short-term cost impacts, and utilities must have the independence to take a long-term view in order to commit to these actions.
The demonstration plant will be sited at the Jurong Water Reclamation Plant. After its scheduled completion in August 2013, the plant will be able to treat one million gallon (i.e. 4,550 cubic metres) of industrial used water per day. Meiden’s used water processing system can achieve both energy savings and a consistently high-quality output of recycled water by using a combination of the Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket
(UASB) technology and Meiden’s Ceramic Membrane MBR system. UASB, a biological process, can remove COD efficiently, while the Ceramic Membrane MBR can produce a stable water supply for recycling purposes. Yokohama-city, JAPAN, PUB and Meidensha (parent company of MSL) also signed a Memorandum of Understanding today to collaborate on a used water treatment project using the anaerobic ammonium oxidizing process. Meidensha will build a pilot plant at the Changi Water Reclamation Plant in Singapore. This joint research looks into the removal of high-concentration nitrogen by an anaerobic treatment method using anaerobic ammoniaoxidizing bacteria.
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS Hibiscus 3603, Level 3
Water Convention Plenary
Begonia 3001, Level 3 WATER Leaders Summit Round Table
Cassia Ballroom, 3203, Level 3 INDUSTRIAL WATER SOLUTIONS FORUM
Begonia 3002, Level 3 Water Leaders Summit Closing
09.0010.30
09.0010.30
14.3017.30
12.4513.15
TUESDAY 3rd July 2012
Sands Expo & Convention Center, Marina Bay Sands, Singapore
10
11 COUNTRIES IN FOCUS BY HOWARD JAMES
RAPID URBANISATION IN CHINA:
REWARDS AND CHALLENGES
Shenzhen, China
China’s economic performance over the last three decades is largely due to the massive manufacturing sector churning out ‘made in China’ goods, but the future lies in innovation. As production in China moves up the value chain, ‘Innovate in China’ will be the tagline of the next decade and, with this, comes a wealth of investment and development opportunities. However, this growth is accompanied by challenges for China’s cities. It is projected that 67.8% of the population will eventually live in urban areas, compared to 50% today. This equates to more than 300 million additional people, bringing the Chinese urban population in 2030 to just under a billion people. Rapid urbanisation will bring economic advantages, but also issues such as a greater demand for energy and materials; degradation of water and environmental quality; rising emissions; reduction in land for agriculture; and urban congestion.
China to transform solid waste problems into
US$40 billion p.a. profit
Take the city of Shenzhen, for example. In 2010, the city’s economic output reached a record high of 951 billion yuan, an increase of 10.7% from 2009. The city’s economy is ranked fourth among 659 Chinese cities (behind Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou), and it is comparable to a medium-sized province in China. To facilitate the boom, development has been rapid. In the 1990s it was said that Shenzhen was constructing one high-rise a day and one boulevard every three days. Today, Shenzhen’s rapidly growing skyline is regarded as one of the most impressive in the world; it has more than 20 buildings over 200 metres tall. To learn more about the rewards and challenges of China’s expanding urban centres, visit the World Cities Summit China InFocus forum on Tuesday, 3rd July, from 11.00am to 12.30pm at the Sands Grand Ballroom L, Level 5, Sands Expo & Convention Center, Marina Bay Sands.
China’s volumes of solid waste will grow by 150% a year, moving from around 190,000,000 tonnes in 2004 to over 480,000,000 tonnes in 2030. Waste Management in China: Issues and Recommendations, The World Bank
It was recently reported by several trade publications that the Chinese economy currently loses US$5 billion per year due to inadequate and ineffective solid waste management. With rigorous planning and investment, this area has the potential to add US$40 billion to the nation’s economy. The Chinese Government alone is expected to invest up to US$25 billion a year into its waste sector by 2015.
China shows political will, Korea invests, whilst
Japan leads The will of China to improve its water infrastructure was highlighted in 2011, with the publication of the country’s 12th Five-Year Plan and No. 1 Document. Both highlighted China’s resolve to improve the state of its water resources through conservation, pollution control and investment. The world’s second-largest economy realises that it is imperative to balance urbanisation and industrialisation with the need for sustainable growth. In addition, the government is keen to explore non-conventional water resources and enhance conservation to ensure sustainability. Chinese Minister of Water Resources Chen Lei said in April 2012 that China’s investment in water resources would reach four trillion yuan (US$634.8 billion) by 2020. China has vowed to invest 1.8 trillion yuan in water-related projects during the 12th Five-Year Plan period (2011 to 2015), with the central government contributing 800 billion yuan and local governments raising one trillion yuan. China’s neighbour, South Korea, has also been investing heavily. Since the establishment of the Water Supply and Sewage Treatment Bureau in 1994, the nation has continued to introduce legislation and numerous initiatives in order to advance the nation’s water resources. Key to South Korea’s success has been the nation’s private-sector partnerships scheme, which brings together local and national utilities with established private corporations.
The country’s problem of solid waste management was addressed in the 12th Five-Year Plan (2011 to 2015) by the Chinese government and spearheaded by Premier Wen Jiabao. A significant part of the plan is the development and deployment of cutting-edge waste management technologies across the country. These include technologies used in recycling and waste recovery techniques, as well as the construction of advanced waste-to-energy (WTE) facilities. The overall Chinese waste management approach is thus shifting from reliance on sanitary landfills for disposing solid waste, to adopting WTE incineration technologies, in order to reduce environmental impact. This will generate much-needed energy in the process. In fact, the Asia-
PERSPECTIVES:
JEFF COOPER
These feature local players as well as foreign multinationals, and have seen numerous global brands team up with municipal organisations. With the South Korean government’s continual commitment to water, ample commercial opportunities remain. Further east, Japan’s municipalities have accumulated a level of knowledge and experience in water supply and sewage maintenance that few countries can claim to better. The country’s superior water technologies are exemplified by its cities having some of the lowest non-revenue water rates, globally. A city’s non-revenue water rate is the percentage of water lost to water theft and leakage and, subsequently, not subject to pricing.
How can forums such as CleanEnviro Summit Singapore and WasteMET Asia contribute to governments achieving better waste management? The great advantage of international forums, such as the CleanEnviro Summit Singapore and WasteMET Asia, is that they allow politicians and their policy officers to interface with academics, researchers and industry leaders to examine problems and provide potential solutions for the huge and growing amount of waste being generated. Ultimately, in terms of sound resource management, we need to reduce resources we exploit and return to the use of renewable resources that we abandoned in the industrial period.
To learn more about technologies and investment opportunities in China, Korea and Japan, attend our business forums tomorrow, Wednesday, 4th July, at the following times and venues. China Business Forum: 9.30am to 11.00am, Heliconia 3411, Level 3, Sands Expo & Convention Center, Marina Bay Sands Korea Business Forum: 9.30am to 2.00pm, Heliconia 3511, Level 3, Sands Expo & Convention Center, Marina Bay Sands Japan Business Forum: 2.00pm to 5.00pm, Heliconia 3411, Level 3, Sands Expo & Convention Center, Marina Bay Sands
Pacific Business & Technology Report has predicted that by the end of 2015, up to 35% of China’s total managed urban waste will be processed through WTE facilities, up from its 2011 level of 17%. Recycling, too, is on the rise. Recycling rates in Chinese urban areas for 2011 accounted for 30% of all solid waste, and this figure is likely to increase to 50% in the near future, due to rapid advancements in the country’s recycling industry. To learn more about commercial opportunities relating to waste management in China, attend WasteMET Asia Business Exchange on China from 3.30pm to 4.15pm at Hall A, Level 1 of Sands Expo & Convention Center, Marina Bay Sands.
ensure that we take advantage of the existing and future climate change funding streams, CDM and NAMAs (nationally appropriate mitigation measures), because enhanced waste management offers a quick and effective option to reduce the deleterious impacts of greenhouse gas emissions.
Jeff Cooper, President of the International Solid Waste Association (ISWA), welcomes delegates at the opening of the WasteMET Asia — ISWA Beacon Conference.
Solutions: With levels of solid waste dramatically increasing, how easy will it be for leaders of developing nations to educate residents about the benefits of responsible waste disposal? Jeff Cooper: One of the main problems faced by the leaders of developing nations is how to tackle the increasing amounts of waste that are generated as their nations industrialise and urbanise. Trying to educate people that they should ensure waste is collected and then disposed of in properly engineered landfills is difficult when those people have so many other priorities in their lives. How must hazardous waste be treated? The most difficult wastes to tackle are those classified as hazardous, which include a wide range of chemical wastes often used in primary industries, such as leather manufacture and the iron and steel industry. Also, most electrical and electronic equipment contain hazardous materials but even when discarded as waste, some of these items can
be refurbished and repaired, thus generating jobs that often have a longterm future. Creating employment opportunities from the traditional chemical hazardous wastes are less likely to be productive. Proper disposal options are required, often some form of landfill. In developing economies the opportunities to introduce cleaner technology present the best option to minimise the amounts and range of hazardous wastes generated. What waste management technologies do you see as being potentially revolutionary, and why? There is no silver bullet to turn waste back into productive resources, but because there is so much organic waste generated in the developing economies, the use of both composting and anaerobic digestion (AD) as methods of waste treatment offer a range of environmental and economic benefits. If organic wastes are segregated, this also offers the chance to separate the dry recyclable wastes, such as glass, metal and plastic containers, and paper. There are a number of good examples of places where systems to treat organic wastes have been introduced, such as Dhaka, Bangladesh, with a compost plant employing some 800 people. This project benefited from the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM)
— additional funding under the Kyoto Protocol designed to enhance waste management — and included a range of greenhouse gas mitigation measures to generate carbon credits, to then be sold to developed economies. Often AD can provide smaller and more flexible options from family units through to village-based plants, to generate methane for cooking purposes, for example. The joint processing of organic waste and wastewater residues — providing neither is contaminated — is advantageous in avoiding the use of artificial fertiliser. The role of ISWA is to promote and develop responsible waste management worldwide. What have been its greatest achievements to date, and how do you see ISWA growing in the future? The role of ISWA is to promote positive solutions for waste treatment. To that end, we have a range of training and other measures, including the Training and Promotion Centre based in Singapore, run jointly with the Waste Management and Recycling Association of Singapore and the National Environment Agency, to ensure that good practice is established in as wide a range of countries as possible. ISWA has been keen to
The opinions expressed in this article are those of the interviewee and not necessarily those of the organiser or Solutions.
Sino-Singapore
Guangzhou Knowledge City Project
Overpopulation, water management and environmental pressures are immediate issues for the world’s cities. The vision of the Sino-Singapore Guangzhou Knowledge City (GKC) Project is to develop a sustainable city through strategic initiatives, innovation and collaboration. A benchmark for Sino-Singapore collaboration, the GKC Project is “enterprise-led, government-driven and market-operated.” The GKC Project will be a smart city, integrating systems and IT technologies to drive sustainable growth, as well as an ecocity, integrating urban planning with energy and water efficiency.
TUESDAY 3rd July 2012
12 WATER CONVENTION POSTER PRESENTATION
FROM THE FLOOR Senior Minister of State for the Environment and Water Resources, Ms Grace Fu, learning to handle a tractor on a simulator as an amused audience looked on at WasteMET Asia Expo.
1
2
From left to right: Mr Tay Lim Heng, CEO of Keppel Integrated Engineering, introducing its landmark Domestic Solid Waste Management Centre in Qatar to Prime Minister of Singapore, Mr Lee Hsien Loong as Dr Lee Boon Yang, Chairman of Keppel Corporation looked on.
3 SIWW guests convened at the Sands Expo & Convention Center Level 3 foyer for the Water Convention Poster Presentation, where over 170 participants including universities and multinational corporations shared their thoughts on the four themes of Delivering Water from Source to Tap, Effective and Efficient Wastewater Management, Cities of the Future and Water Quality and Health. In the photos (clockwise from top left) are Nor Afifah Khalil, post-graduate student at the University of Kuala Lumpur; Michelle Sim, Senior Manager of Catchment and Waterways Department at PUB Singapore; SannaKaisa Ehanto, Market Manager for Water and Wastewater for Low Voltage Drives at ABB; Dr Fu Shiang, President of the International Water Technologies Group; Philippe Wing, Senior Expert in water projects development and financing at McKinsey & Company Singapore, Pte Ltd; David E. J. Garman, Founding Dean of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee School of Published by Freshwater Sciences; and Professor Avner Adin, Lunenfeld-Kunin Chair Professor of Environmental Sciences at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
SOLUTIONS
Chief Executive Officer: Rosemarie Wallace Managing Director: Simon Cholmeley VP Custom Content: Paul Coleman
Mr Kenichi Sasaki, President of Dowa Eco-System Co.,Ltd engaged in an interview conducted by the Japanese media at the CleanEnviro Summit Singapore.
Sharing Australia’s experience in managing a clean environment is Mr Stan Krpan, CEO of Sustainability Victoria, at the Clean Environment Leaders Plenary.
URBAN SOLUTIONS AND URBAN SYSTEMS STUDIES BOOKLET SERIES
Project Manager & Sustainability Writer: Howard James Editor: Joseph Jones Sub Editor: Josephine Pang Writers: Lois Avery Steinar Cramer Eunice Lew Design Director: Kevin Ong Senior Designer: Khairunnisa Contributing Designer: Tin Manasan Production & Distribution: Kwan Gek Lian Lim Ling Ling Address: 77B Amoy Street Singapore 069896 Tel: +65 6223 7149 simonc@novusasia.com Printed by: NPE Print Communications Pte Ltd Event Photography by: A Pixels Photography Pte Ltd
Executive Director for the Centre for Liveable Cities, Khoo Teng Chye, officially launched the Urban Solutions magazine, a new biannual publication centred on research and ideas on urban planning, development and governance, and Water: From Scarce Resource to National Asset, the first of six in the Singapore Urban Systems Studies Booklet Series, at a joint event yesterday.