By Sia Ling Xin

SINGAPORE will be getting a new "green" town, filled with plants and environmentally-friendly features, by 2011.

The National University of Singapore's (NUS) University Town, an extended campus connected to the current one by pedestrian and vehicular bridges, will boast buses that run on compressed natural gas that produces less pollution.

It will also have a system that captures storm water to irrigate plants, roofs covered with plants that keep buildings naturally cool, and landscaping strategies that encourage plant growth in their natural habitat.

It is one of two recipients of the inaugural Green Mark Award for Districts, given out by Senior Minister of State for National Development and Education Grace Fu during yesterday's International Green Building Conference.

The other recipient is integrated resort Resorts World Sentosa (RWS).

The Building & Construction Authority (BCA) created the new award to recognise environmentally- friendly district developments, and to encourage developers of an entire district to go green.

The award comprises four levels: certified, gold, gold-plus and platinum. This year's recipients bagged gold-plus awards.

The new award comes after the BCA's Green Mark for Buildings award, launched four years ago.

BCA chief executive John Keung said the new award would help organisations show "their commitment in taking up their environmental and corporate social responsibilities".

NUS President Tan Chorh Chuan said: "Climate change and environmental sustainability are among the most pressing issues of our time. And NUS, as a global university, is committed to reducing its environmental impact."

RWS executive vice-president of projects Michael Chin said that the resort spent more than $100 million on its green initiatives.

These include a system built into one of its theme-park rides, to harness solar energy that will be used to help power the resort.

"We strive to be one of the best destinations in the region without compromising our commitment to the environment," he said.

lingxin@sph.com.sg

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