Climate vouchers, coastal protection law among key measures for sustainability

Singapore has to be prepared for rising sea levels, projected to increase by up to 115m by 2100

- Cheryl Tan

Sustainability was a key pillar that was mentioned in the 2024 Budget debate for multiple ministries.

What are some of the new measures, and what do they mean for different groups of people? The Straits Times summarises some of the key announcements, from an expanded climate voucher scheme for purchasing energy-saving and water-saving appliances to a new requirement for businesses to declare their carbon footprint.

FOR HOUSEHOLDS

$300 worth of climate vouchers for HDB households From April 15, all HDB households will receive $300 worth of evouchers that can be used to purchase 10 types of energy-saving and water-saving appliances, from air-conditioners to washing machines and refrigerators. The vouchers will be in denominations of $2, $5, $10 and $50, and there will be no restrictions on the amount usable for any appliance.

The vouchers will be valid until Dec 31, 2027, and are an expansion of the current Climate Friendly Households Programme rolled out in November 2020, giving households in one- to three-room HDB flats $225 worth of vouchers. These vouchers were limited to $150 for energy-saving refrigerators, $25 for LED lights and $50 for water-saving shower fittings.

New energy-efficient requirements for household water heaters As water heaters are the third most energy-intensive appliances used in households, making up about 10 per cent of a typical household's energy consumption, minimum energy standards will be developed to phase out the least efficient ones.

A five-tick rating scale, which is already applied to appliances like air-conditioners and refrigerators, will also be applied to water heaters to help consumers identify the efficient models more easily. Consumers can save up to $115 a year in electricity costs by swopping their onetick water heater for a more efficient five-tick water heater.

FOR LANDOWNERS