Over 2,000 households to compete on who can save the most energy

SINGAPORE — More than 2,000 households in South West Community Development Council (CDC) will be participating in a pilot contest to reduce their energy consumption over a three-month period, with the goal of achieving S$50,000 in cost-savings. 

The cost-savings reaped from the project will then be matched dollar-for-dollar by Singapore Power (SP) and South West CDC, and donated to the needy families in the district.

Partnering SP for the pilot, participating residents will be encouraged to download the SP Services mobile application to track and compare their electricity usage against that of their neighbours. The mobile app was piloted last year  and some 260,000 people have tried it.

There will also be a friendly competition among the 17 blocks of flats selected for the pilot, as well as among the individual households within each block, to see who manages to save the most energy. 

About 200 volunteers, including the grassroots volunteers, SP staff and ITE College West students, will make regular visits to participating households to explain how to use the app, conduct monthly household checks and offer energy-saving tips. 

Speaking to the media on the sidelines of the district’s annual ECo Day Out held at Hong Kah North Community Club today (Jan 31), Mayor of the South West District Low Yen Ling said: “This friendly challenge between the residents, we hope, will encourage everyone in South West to come on board and get into the habit of saving energy.”

Boon Lay resident Nicoll Peh, 34, said she would be keen on joining the pilot as her home’s electricity bill had gone up after she gave birth to twin sons. “The immediate benefits will be the cost-savings,” said the engineer, before adding that instead of turning on the air-conditioning at home, her family may try to use the fan more often, among other ways and means to save energy. 

Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Masagos Zulkifli, who was the guest of honour at the event today, also encouraged residents to do their part for the environment.

Citing the increasing amount of domestic waste being thrown out — from the 1.6 million tonnes in 2012 to the 1.74 million tonnes in 2014 — Mr Masagos noted that reducing wastage should be “a way of life” for Singaporeans. 

“That is a challenge that all of us in Singapore must overcome. Despite our affluent lifestyles, we should care (for) and protect our environment for our loved ones and our children,” he added.