SMRT Unveils Singapore’s First Eco-MRT Station And Xchange

SINGAPORE, Nov 4 (Bernama) -- Woodlands MRT Station is the first MRT station in the country to be awarded the Building and Construction Authority’s Green Mark (Gold) and tenants of Woodlands Xchange have become the first shop owners in Singapore to be certified with the Project: Eco-Shop label. Woodlands MRT Station has qualified for the Gold tier of the Green Mark scheme, the ‘Green’ building rating system by the Building and Construction Authority (BCA). The MRT Station was evaluated on the environmental impact of its facilities and operations in the following areas: Energy Efficiency, Water Efficiency, Environmental Protection, Indoor Environmental Quality, and Other Green Features and Innovation. Tenants of Woodlands Xchange were likewise audited as part of their accreditation under Project: Eco-Shop. This is a certification programme jointly developed by SMRT and the Singapore Environment Council (SEC) to guide and encourage shop owners to embrace environmentally responsible business practices. Certified shops receive the Eco-Shop label. The audit, conducted as part of the certification process, requires shops to operate in an environmentally sustainable manner, including the use of eco-friendly fixtures and fittings in the shops, and eco-friendly habits in daily operations to reduce both the environmental and economic impact of their business. Desmond Kuek, President and CEO of SMRT Corporation Ltd, said: “We are pleased that our efforts have been recognised with the BCA Green Mark. "We are equally excited that our Xchange tenants have been successfully certified and have obtained the Eco-Shop label, reflecting their commitment to conducting business in an environmentally conscious manner,” he said in his address during a ceremony to inaugurate Singapore’s first ‘Green’ MRT Station and Xchange here Monday. The attainment of the BCA Green Mark (Gold) by Woodlands Station and debut of the Project: Eco-Shop label by the tenants of Woodlands Xchange underscore SMRT’s commitment to the environment as encapsulated in its corporate social responsibility programme, ‘SMRT is Green’. -- BERNAMA