Event l International Green Building Conference 2011

The biennial International Green Building Conference 2011 (IGBC 2011), which will be held from 13-16 September at Suntec Singapore, is the key event of the Singapore Green Building Week 2011.


Themed “Build Green. Act Now.” and held alongside BEX Asia 2011 exhibition, IGBC 2011 will build on its previous success by continuing to focus on hot topics such as tropical architecture and green building case studies. In addition, it will examine new topics with emphasis on sustainable construction, buildings of the future as well as sustainable operations and maintenance.


Participants will have ample opportunities to interact through the various workshops and networking events. Specially designed Green Mark Tours will enable participants to view outstanding BCA Green Mark projects while providing unique, practical learning experiences.


For more detail, please visit SGBW .

News l Organic Farming at North East region of India

North East region of India is known for its Organic Farming techniques. North East is rich in horticulture and floriculture with a rich variety of medicinal plants grown there along with various fruits and vegetables.


An analysis of NSSO survey data on cultivation practices shows that the North-East hill states have retained traditional practices and show an inclination towards organic agriculture that is harnessed for the development of the region with ecological benefits. Use of chemical fertilizers in agriculture enhances yields but also undermines the quality of life through possible contamination of soil, water and air and even the final products that retain their residues. Such activities in hilly regions can have external effects on other regions as well.


The region has remarkable advantages of fertile and organically rich soils, ample rainfall and water resources, river valleys, swamps and streams and great climatic diversity supporting diverse cropping possibilities. Cultivation is based on organic manure and is acompanied to a significant extent with use of improved seeds. It is interesting to note that wastes via manure and the waste generation process through animal feed and vegetal wastes are used.

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News l Green Biologics nominated as 2011 New Energy Pioneer

Green Biologics has been nominated as a 2011 New Energy Pioneer in the Bloomberg New Energy Finance Pioneer program along with nine other companies at the fourth annual Bloomberg New Energy Finance Summit in New York.

In its second year, the Bloomberg New Energy Finance Pioneers program identifies companies from across the world that are making significant gains in the field of clean technology and innovation. A panel of industry experts, led by Bloomberg New Energy Finance technology specialists, chose the honorees by assessing them against three criteria: potential scale, innovation and momentum.Each of the New Energy Pioneers has worked to develop unique technologies and has demonstrated the potential for these technologies to be competitive in the marketplace and implemented on a large scale.

News l St. Elizabeth Hospital Wins Environmental Certification

Enumclaw's new St. Elizabeth Hospital has been awarded LEED Silver Certification by the U.S. Green Building Council because of the hospital's environmentally sensistive design and construction.St. Elizabeth is the first new hospital in the state to win LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification. St. Elizabeth opened in February replacing the old Encumclaw Regional Medical Center. St. Elizabeth is part of the Tacoma-based Franciscan Health System that owns St. Joseph Medical Center in Tacoma, St. Clare Hospital in Lakewood, St. Francis Hospital in Federal Way and St. Anthony Hospital in Gig Harbor.


Among the features that helped the hospital win certification were:
* Large energy-efficient windows that reduce the need for artificial lighting.
* An ambitious recycling program for both everyday hospital materials and for construction debris.
* Landscaping with water-sparing native vegetation.
* Low-flow plumbing fixtures.
* An energy-efficient heating, cooling and mechanical system that works without using ozone-depleting coolants.
* Non-toxic finishes throughout the building.
* Sustainable building materials.

News l 100,000 people have petitioned to RWS to free 25 bottlenose dolphins

More than 100,000 people have petitioned to Resorts World Singapore (RWS) through, Change.org, the Singapore animal welfare group to free the 25 dolphins that they are holding in captivity. Dolphin activist Barbara Napoles started the petition- "Please Help Free the "Sentosa 25" from Resorts World in Sentosa Singapore" on Change.org, the world's fastest growing social change platform, bringing the dolphins' plight to the attention of tens of thousands of animal lovers and tourists.

In 2008 the were initially 27 dolphins caught in Solomon Islands and two have died in captivity at Langkawi, where they were previously held. The remaining 25 dolphins are kept in Philippines while the housing facility at Sentosa is still being constructed.

The dolphins are to become the latest  marine park attraction for the resort in Sentosa.Resorts World Sentosa (RWS) bought the mammals for an "interactive dolphin spa programme" at its Marine Life Park attraction, where visitors can interact with the animals.

Resorts World Sentosa (RWS) has responded to concerns from dolphin activists on the welfare of its bottlenose dolphins. Its Marine Life Park (MLP) spokesperson said that its team of experts, including world-renowned veterinarians and scientists from various fields in marine husbandry, is providing the very best care for them with a superior diet, daily enrichment, and veterinary care. And the bottlenose dolphins are residing in a facility that is safe and conducive to their health and well-being.

Singapore-based animal welfare group, Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (ACRES) is supporting the petition and have rolled out their own roadshows to spread awareness about the dolphins' plight. But RWS maintain their position and said that the dolphins that have been living under their care for the past three years have acclimated well to their interim environment.