Indoor temperature ideally 22.5-25.5 deg C

Indoor temperature ideally 22.5-25.5 deg C


WE REFER to the letter, 'Beat the heat but tune down the air-con' by Mr Vincent Ng Teck Soon (ST, June 8) and would like to thank the writer for his feedback.

We agree it is a waste of energy, as well as money, to over-cool buildings. Further, building occupants suffer unnecessary discomfort from the low indoor temperature.

The Singapore Standard CP 13 (Code of Practice for mechanical ventilation and air-conditioning in buildings) specifies that thermal comfort is achieved when the indoor temperature is maintained between 22.5 and 25.5 deg C, with average relative humidity not exceeding 70 per cent. We recommend the upper end of this range for energy efficiency.

By raising the indoor air-conditioning temperature by just 1 deg C, we can save up to 4 per cent of air-conditioning cooling energy, which results in energy and cost savings for building owners.

Building owners and managers should monitor the indoor temperature of their buildings to avoid over-cooling.

To assist building owners and managers to evaluate their energy consumption and identify measures to save energy and money, the National Environment Agency (NEA) administers an Energy Efficiency Improvement Assistance Scheme which provides financial assistance to building owners to carry out an energy audit of their buildings or facilities.

Building owners can apply for funding grants of up to 50 per cent of the cost of engaging an energy services company to undertake energy audits to improve the energy efficiency of their buildings.

Energy efficiency is also an important criterion under the Building & Construction Authority (BCA) Green Mark certification.

Under this criterion, the BCA awards points to a building whose orientation, facade and air-conditioning system are designed to minimise energy consumption without compromising indoor conditions for thermal comfort.

To promote energy conservation and environmental sustainability, the BCA plans to impose minimum requirements that are equivalent to Green Mark-certified standards for new buildings and existing buildings that undergo major retrofitting.