If you are a intending to buy a property:

Check if the developer has records of building Green Mark buildings awarded by the Building and Construction Authority

Ask for the source of the sand that is used to

If you are intending to construct or renovate your home:

Switch to sustainable construction instead of traditional concrete-based construction. The benefits are listed as follows:
                                      Concrete-Based Construction
Sustainable Construction (Steel and other Dry Construction
Cost
Less costly
Increase overall construction cost by 2-3% compared to concrete-based construction.
Speed of construction
Slower in construction – need time for formwork, reinforcement work, concrete strengthening and removal of formwork
Faster in construction – projects are generally able to complete earlier using steel construction.
Manpower saving
Very labour intensive
Less labour usage, savings of 20% to 30%.
Quality
Re-work and rectification more common as it is more dependant on the skill of workers
Better quality as components are factory-fabricated, standardised, therefore less dependant on the skill of workers.
Sustainability
Demolition waste from concrete buildings not reusable for building structures
Steel elements are highly recyclable material, with over 50% of steel currently being produced from scrap.
Aesthetics
Larger components sizes, shorter clear span (max. span approx. 12m)
Improved creativity as steel design can be more flexible, looks slimmer and can cater to longer span structures (max. span for steel trusses can stretch to more than 20m).
Weight
Heavier in dead weight and requires more foundation
Steel has a higher strength-to-weight ratio, less requirement on foundation.

Adapted from the Building and Construction Authority of Singapore

 

 

Tell your construction developer/renovation company to use sustainable-steel construction.

 

If you are an investor:

-The Sustainability Reporting Guide has been launched by the Singapore Exchange  and it has become mandatory for all listed company on the exchange to “comply or explain” basis.

– Request for the company’s environmental sustainability report

-Raise questions and doubts during the company’s annual general meeting.

-If you have reasonable doubt and/or that the company is engaging in illegal sand trade, you can whistle blow to Singapore Exchange and to the mass media.

If you are a student/environmental advocate:

–NEVER approach illegal sand miners

– Gather like-minded people and raise awareness of the seriousness of sand mining and sand dredging on social media

-As the attitudes on sand mining and dredging may not be strong and the people are overloaded by information, use attractive and highly emotive videos to gain their awareness, attention and have a temporal change in attitude in sand mining. As more and more people become aware, then start to combine and disseminate factual and emotive appealing messages on how they can make a difference

– Gather small work groups to talk to construction companies to switch to sustainable sand sources

– Comment/discuss about such issues respectfully and openly on social media and in real-life

– Promote new ways of land reclamation and sand mining

– Participate in ASEAN, UN (Youth) conferences and speak up on the issue of sand dredging and sand mining

– Organize hackathon activities in schools for students and the public to think about innovative and disruptive ways to alleviate this issue. The top few winners will be then matchmade by to the relevant investors.