Air-con not needed to cool a building

Singapore's soaring temperatures are driving up the demand for indoor cooling, with air-conditioning consuming a significant portion of a commercial building's energy. In fact, cooling accounts for 40 to 60 percent of a commercial building's total energy use in Singapore. In response to this challenge, nearly 50 buildings in the city-state have embraced alternative cooling methods that maintain worker comfort while slashing energy consumption. These alternative cooling systems can reduce cooling energy use by up to 48 percent.

One popular alternative is hybrid cooling, which combines air conditioning with fans. This approach raises the temperature of the air-conditioning setpoint to between 25.5 degrees Celsius and 27 degrees Celsius, allowing fans to circulate air and aid the body's natural heat dissipation process. Currently, 26 buildings, including notable structures like The GEAR, Kajima Corp's regional headquarters, and Temasek Shophouse, have adopted this hybrid cooling method.

Another innovative cooling technique is passive displacement cooling, which capitalizes on the natural tendency of warm air to rise. In this system, cooling coils situated near the ceiling lower the temperature of the rising warm air, causing it to sink and circulate throughout the building. This method has been successfully trialed in office spaces and classrooms globally.

For the first time in Singapore, passive displacement cooling will be tested in a retail environment within the upcoming office tower The Clifford at Raffles Place. A recent study commissioned by Singapore's Building and Construction Authority found that these cutting-edge cooling technologies could enable high-performing green buildings to slash their energy consumption by up to 80 percent, compared to the current 72 percent.