What is Singapore's pathway to limit global warming to 1.5°C?
Buildings
The energy consumption in Singapore’s building sector has not grown significantly since 2005. The sector accounts for 0.8% of total emissions. The share of residential sector in total final energy consumption was 4% in 2017, with the share of electricity in building sector at 90% in 2017.1 This is in line with our analysis of 1.5°C pathways which show that share of electricity in building sector could be around 95-96% in 2030 and 99% by 2050 under different scenarios. However, this high electrification would need to be supported by moving towards more renewable energy in the power sector, at present heavily dominated by natural gas. All scenarios show a rapid decline in direct emissions from buildings, reaching zero emissions by 2050 from 2019 level of 0.57 MtCO₂/yr. According to our analysis, net-zero building sector in Singapore could be reached by 2032-2046 in order to align to a 1.5°C pathway.
Singapore's energy mix in the buildings sector
petajoule per year
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Graph description
Energy mix composition in the buildings sector in consumption (EJ) and shares (%) for the years 2030, 2040 and 2050 based on selected IPCC SR1.5 global least costs pathways.
Methodology
Data References
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Singapore’s main policy for reducing emissions in the building sector is the Green Mark Scheme certification, a green building rating system designed to evaluate a building’s environmental impact and performance. The target is to have 80 % of Singapore’s building stock under this scheme by 2030 and to achieve a 35 % reduction in energy intensities from 2005 levels by 2030.2,3 The Building Control Act of 2013 requires all existing buildings with a gross floor area of 15,000 m2 or more to achieve the minimum Green Mark standard when they have undergone retrofitting. Singapore also has Mandatory Energy Labelling Scheme (MELS) to encourage households to buy energy-efficient appliances.4 To be on a 1.5°C pathway, emissions intensity of the building sector needs to decline by 30-65% by 2030 from 2005 level.
Singapore's buildings sector direct CO₂ emissions (of energy demand)
MtCO₂/yr
Direct CO₂ emissions only are considered (see power sector for electricity related emissions, hydrogen and heat emissions are not considered here).
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Graph description
Direct CO₂ emissions of the buildings sector in selected 1.5°C compatible pathways.
Methodology
Data References
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1.5°C compatible buildings sector benchmarks
Direct CO₂ emissions and shares of electricity, heat and hydrogen in the buildings final energy demand from illustrative 1.5°C pathways for Singapore
| Indicator |
2019
|
2030
|
2040
|
2050
|
Decarbonised buildings sector by
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Direct CO₂ emissions
MtCO₂/yr
|
1
|
0 to
0
|
0 to
0
|
0 to
0
|
2020
|
|
Relative to reference year in %
|
0 to
0%
|
0 to
0%
|
0 to
0%
|
| Indicator |
2019
|
2030
|
2040
|
2050
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Share of electricity
per cent
|
91
|
95 to
96
|
96 to
98
|
99 to
99
|
|
Share of heat
per cent
|
0
|
0 to
0
|
0 to
0
|
0 to
0
|
|
Share of hydrogen
per cent
|
0
|
0 to
1
|
0 to
2
|
0 to
2
|
All values are rounded. Only direct CO₂ emissions are considered (electricity, hydrogen and heat emissions are not considered here; see power sector for emissions from electricity generation). Year of full decarbonisation is based on carbon intenstiy threshold of 5gCO₂/MJ.
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Methodology
Data References
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