The Evolution of the BCA Green Mark Scheme in Singapore: A Paradigm Shift from an Energy Focused Rating System to an Occupant Centric Criteria with Higher Emphasis on IAQ

The BCA Green Mark scheme launched in 2005 is a green building rating system tailored for the tropics and sub-tropics. Based on the Green Mark scheme, BCA rolled out the 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rdGreen Building Masterplans (GBMP) to provide directions and targets for Singapore’s built environment. The 1^st GBMP was aimed at new developments to create green buildings from the design stage through incentives, R&D and capability enhancement. 3 years later in 2009, the 2^nd GBMP was formulated to focus on greening existing buildings and set the target of “80% of the buildings in Singapore to be green by 2030”. To achieve this target, $100 million cash and extra floor area incentives were introduced along with the building environmental sustainability regulation requiring new developments to fulfil the minimum Green Mark standard. In 2014, BCA released the 3^rd GBMP to encourage building tenants for energy conscious behaviour and to better address occupant wellbeing. In addition, more stringent regulatory requirements came into effect, namely, minimum Green Mark standard for existing buildings, 3-yearly energy audit and annual building energy data submission. This series of efforts resulted in the number of green buildings exponentially increasing from 17 in 2005 to more than 2500 today. This translates to about 73 million m²of green GFA, equivalent to nearly 30% of the total building stock in Singapore. The Green Mark criteria have also continuously evolved over the past decade, while its framework remained the same with energy efficiency being the most significant factor. Energy Efficiency requirements constitute more than half of the total score in the current version 4.1 as opposed to less than 5% for IEQ. However, the 5^thversion of Green Mark called GM 2015 (pilot released in September 2015) introduces sustainability in a more balanced and holistic manner with more than 25% of the points allocated for occupant health and wellbeing. The revamped version strategically outlines IAQ fundamentals (ventilation, filtration, source and humidity control) through prescriptive and performance based requirements. Various IAQ prerequisites such as low VOC paint, MERV 14 filters and minimum outdoor ventilation provision are applied to all Green Mark projects to ensure good IAQ, while higher ratings must demonstrate better IAQ through post occupancy evaluation and IAQ audits according to local standards. GM 2015 also widely adopts the new Singapore Standards 2015 to promote best practices for building occupants in the areas of visual, acoustical, spatial and thermal comfort.