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3rd July 2000, The Straits Times

IRAs' building Asean's most energy-saving

By NEAL COOKE

THE Singapore taxman is zealous about collecting every cent due to him. But how many people know that he is also economical to the last cent when it comes to energy conservation?

A proof of that came when the taxman's headquarters was voted the Most Energy-Efficient Building in Asean.

Revenue House -- with a 24-storey tower block, a five-storey podium and four basement levels on Newton Road -- won the award for its many green and intelligent features such as lights and air-conditioning that turn themselves off or on, depending on whether a room is in use (see infographic).

It beat 10 other entries in the competition, run by the Asean Centre for Energy, which had a panel of judges made up of a representative from each Asean country.

Points considered included effective use of the site's natural environment, good design, optimal use of energy, and how efficiently the building was being managed and maintained.

The Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (Iras) said in a statement that it had commissioned PWD Consultants -- formerly known as the Public Works Department -- to design Revenue House not only as its headquarters for effective tax administration but also as an intelligent building to provide taxpayers with an efficient one-stop service.

It was completed in 1996 at a cost of $167 million, and offered features which ""improve efficiency, conserve energy consumption and provide greater comfort and a healthy working environment for all staff and the public'', said Iras.

Iras deputy commissioner Goh Khee Kuan told The Straits Times: ""The use of energy is a recurrent cost. Being the taxman, we are aware of spending tax dollars, and we were able to justify the expenditure on improving energy efficiency.''

In terms of the annual use of kilowatt-hours per square metre, Revenue House consumes about 30 per cent less energy than the average building.

Iras collected its award at a dinner for the 18th Asean Ministers on Energy Meeting yesterday evening.

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