PropertyGuru chief commends climate change measures in Budget 2023 that ‘help S’poreans put eco-consciousness at top-of-mind’

SINGAPORE — In the wake of the rollout of the national Budget for this year, the head of the leading Singapore property website, PropertyGuru, commended the measures related to climate change announced by Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Lawrence Wong on Tuesday(Feb 14).

The Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of PropertyGuru Group, Mr Hari V Krishnan, said that these measures are reflective of the growing local investments in sustainable urban living.

“We believe that the increase in carbon tax rate, greening our buildings and vehicles, as well as growing national climate-related resources, will help Singaporeans put eco-consciousness top-of-mind in their daily lives,” he added.

DPM Wong said in the Budget rollout that the country would make use of the lessons from the pandemic for strengthening Singapore’s resilience against the threat of global warming and climate change.

“We are supporting our enterprises and households to become more energy efficient. We are greening our buildings and going for cleaner vehicles. We are harvesting solar energy, transiting to cleaner energy sources like hydrogen, and working with our neighbours to develop regional power grids.

In short, we are doing everything we can to fight climate change,” he noted.

PropertyGuru pointed out that three out of five Singaporeans surveyed last year are open to the idea of a net-zero home, while they are yet unsure of the concept. One in three said, however, that would actually buy a net-zero home.

In response to this, PropertyGuru is continuing to develop solutions such as the PropertyGuru Green Score, which is a sustainability rating for HDBs and condominiums listed on its site, for the purpose of making eco-friendly options more accessible to Singaporeans.

“This, along with our green living guides, helps local residents understand how eco-friendly a home is so they can make informed greener choices,” PropertyGuru said.

And, as part of its own commitment to reduce its greenhouse gas footprint, PropertyGuru has set in motion a Greenhouse Gas Emission Audit and Reduction Plan as well as implemented a company-wide use of e-waste and recycling bins, green travel policies, and recognising green developers at the PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards.

“We are excited to continue joining forces with local authorities and help Singaporeans enjoy greener and cleaner homes for generations to come,” the company added. /TISG

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