Green Efforts
Greener Train Depot and Trains
The new Downtown Line depot at Gali Batu is an environmentally friendly building and the first MRT depot in Singapore to achieve the Building and Construction Authority’s Green Mark Gold certification.
The new Downtown Line depot at Gali Batu is an environmentally friendly building and the first MRT depot in Singapore to achieve the Building and Construction Authority’s Green Mark Gold certification.
All stations on Downtown Line meet the Singapore standard SS530 for “Energy Efficiency for Building Services”. For Downtown Line 2, energy efficient lightings such as Light Emitting Diode (LED) lighting and fluorescent light fittings are used within the stations while natural light is employed at station entrances.
The escalators at the DTL stations have been installed with energy saving features. When there is no one using the escalator, its speed is reduced. The air conditioning system has also been installed with carbon dioxide sensors to regulate the outdoor air supply to the stations. As a result, energy consumption is reduced. The new generation trains used on the DTL feature a range of environmentally friendly innovations. The use of the efficient regenerative brakes means that every time the train stops, it recovers the kinetic energy and converts it for use in other areas. This also means less wear and tear on the mechanical brakes. DTL also has inverters installed to recover the excess regenerative energy from the braking of trains. This excess energy can be utilised by an accelerating train nearby or channelled back into the power distribution network for other uses.
Motion-triggered lighting was fitted at non-public areas in our 16 North East Line stations in 2010. We switched to using energy efficient light bulbs at many of our premises such as the rail workshops, interchanges and depots. They give the same level of brightness but use less energy.
Greener Bus Depots
At our new Ulu Pandan Bus Depot, solar energy is used to power the facility during the day. It is the first depot in Singapore to install the Photovoltaic Solar Panel System where more than 2,000 solar panels are spread out on the building's rooftops. Collectively, they generate about 840MWh of energy annually, and unconsumed surplus energy is fed into the national power grid system for utilisation.
At our new Ulu Pandan Bus Depot, solar energy is used to power the facility during the day. It is the first depot in Singapore to install the Photovoltaic Solar Panel System where more than 2,000 solar panels are spread out on the building's rooftops. Collectively, they generate about 840MWh of energy annually, and unconsumed surplus energy is fed into the national power grid system for utilisation.
We also piped in NEWater into our Ulu Pandan Bus Depot for non-potable uses such as bus washing. NEWater is also used to irrigate the Depot's rooftop garden, which in turn helps to cool down the building and reduce energy consumption.
At Seletar Bus Depot, a green roof reduces energy consumption by about 10% as it lowers the temperature of the building. At the bus washing bay, the automatic bus washing system recycles about 80% of the water that is used in the washing process.
Across our seven bus depots, our technicians use tablets instead of paper checklists and forms when carrying out maintenance works. With the tablet, they obtain work instructions, drawings, electrical schematics and parts information to carry out their work. They access the bus manufacturers' portal to obtain more detailed bus maintenance information from their e-manuals. This not only improves efficiency and storage, but also reduces paper wastage. We reduce the use of about 850 reams of A4 sized paper and save some 27 trees annually.
Environmentally Friendly Printing Machines
In 2012, to reduce pollutants in the environment, Moove Media, the advertising arm that handles advertising on buses and trains and stations and interchanges, became one of the very few media owners in Singapore to replace its large-format hard-solvent ink printing machines with environmentally friendly ones. As a result, these new generation machines emit some 50% less fumes and odour into our environment. In addition, the wastes that are discharged by these machines do not contain any toxins and are environmentally friendly to our water resources.
In 2012, to reduce pollutants in the environment, Moove Media, the advertising arm that handles advertising on buses and trains and stations and interchanges, became one of the very few media owners in Singapore to replace its large-format hard-solvent ink printing machines with environmentally friendly ones. As a result, these new generation machines emit some 50% less fumes and odour into our environment. In addition, the wastes that are discharged by these machines do not contain any toxins and are environmentally friendly to our water resources.
Environmentally Friendly Buses
At the end of 2018, 78% of our fleet, or 2,706 buses were Euro 5 compliant, emitting less pollutants into the environment.
At the end of 2018, 78% of our fleet, or 2,706 buses were Euro 5 compliant, emitting less pollutants into the environment.
Hybrid bus trials
In July 2010, SBS Transit embarked on the first hybrid bus trials. The hybrid bus, which runs on both diesel and electricity, was brought in by ComfortDelGro Engineering in collaboration with Shanghai Sunlong Bus Company and Gemilang Coachworks of Malaysia.
In July 2010, SBS Transit embarked on the first hybrid bus trials. The hybrid bus, which runs on both diesel and electricity, was brought in by ComfortDelGro Engineering in collaboration with Shanghai Sunlong Bus Company and Gemilang Coachworks of Malaysia.
Fuel savings of up to 30% are derived by using electricity to power the bus. Essentially, electricity is generated through brake energy and stored in Lithium-ion batteries. The energy in the batteries is released to assist the engine in powering the vehicle. As a result, fuel consumption drops. The bus uses a parallel hybrid system where a motor/generator is used to convert the electrical energy into mechanical energy and vice versa.
SBS Transit also participated in a six-month LTA Trial in 2018 on the use of diesel hybrid buses to further reduce exhaust emission into the environment. These buses are also quieter compared to the regular diesel buses, which reduce noise pollution.
SBS Transit invests $147 million in new buses - Asia's most environmentally friendly
SBS Transit invested $147 million in September 2008 to buy 400 new Euro V Scania buses. These buses hold the distinction as Asia's first European Enhanced Environmentally friendly Vehicles (EEV). The Euro V EEV buses deliver better emission performance than standard Euro V models.
SBS Transit invested $147 million in September 2008 to buy 400 new Euro V Scania buses. These buses hold the distinction as Asia's first European Enhanced Environmentally friendly Vehicles (EEV). The Euro V EEV buses deliver better emission performance than standard Euro V models.
For instance, the emission of unburnt hydrocarbons, which produce ozone that irritates the eyes and lungs and cause breathing difficulties, is effectively reduced by some 46% or from 0.46g/kWh to 0.25g/kWh when compared to traditional Euro IV and V engines.
SBS Transit launches new single deck buses, scores 3 many firsts
The 500 single deck Scania buses which started running the roads in November 2007, boast environmentally friendly Euro IV engines which emit fewer harmful particulates into the atmosphere.
The 500 single deck Scania buses which started running the roads in November 2007, boast environmentally friendly Euro IV engines which emit fewer harmful particulates into the atmosphere.
In addition, exhaust gas re-circulation technology is employed to cleanse the fumes that are emitted. The buses are also made with special high tensile, lightweight material, and equipped with sixspeed ZF automatic transmission to improve fuel efficiency.
CNG Pilot Project Launch
In April 2002, SBS Transit partnered with The Ministry of the Environment (ENV) and SembCorp Gas Pte Ltd (SembGas) in exploring the use of environmentally cleaner CNG vehicles in Singapore.
In April 2002, SBS Transit partnered with The Ministry of the Environment (ENV) and SembCorp Gas Pte Ltd (SembGas) in exploring the use of environmentally cleaner CNG vehicles in Singapore.
SBS Transit operated a fleet of 12 CNG buses for the pilot project. These buses produce even less emission than stipulated in the stringent Euro-3 emission standard hence substantially reducing harmful emission.