CCT puts sustainability into action with 3rd annual Eco Race
Singapore, 26 September 2014 – Picture yourself banding together with your colleagues to fight and overcome an imaginary anti-green rebel force that is bent on causing damage to the environment. That is what participants of the CapitaCommercial Trust (CCT) Eco Race will be doing on the morning of 27 September 2014. Organised by CapitaCommercial Trust Management Limited (CCTML), the CCT Eco Race 2014 brings together about 300 participants from 30 organisations comprising tenants from its office properties and employees of CapitaLand and the Building and Construction Authority (BCA). First held in 2012, the Eco Race is CCT’s flagship tenant engagement initiative which serves to heighten awareness of environmental issues and promote sustainable practices in the workplace and at home.
Starting from Capital Tower, the teams will race to complete eight stations across the Central Business District (CBD), including four CCT properties and four landmarks. The team that completes all assigned tasks in the shortest time wins S$2,000 worth of CapitaVouchers, use of the BMW i3 electric car for one weekend and a fine-dining experience worth $600 sponsored by BMW Asia. The second- and third-placed teams will win S$1,600 and S$1,200 worth of CapitaVouchers respectively. Additionally, there are 10 consolation prizes of S$240 worth of CapitaVouchers as well as prizes for greenthemed contests sponsored by event partner BCA. On race day, participants can also take part in an eco pledge Facebook contest to win additional prizes.
Ms Lynette Leong, CEO of CCTML said, “With the continued strong support from our tenants, event partners and sponsors, the CCT Eco Race is back for the third year. We are delighted that the Eco Race was featured as an innovative case study of tenant engagement activity in Asia within the Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark Report 20141 . We are encouraged by this recognition and will work even harder to grow the Eco Race as CCT’s flagship initiative to inculcate the importance and benefits of sustainable living among our tenants and staff.”
Coming on-board as event partner this year is BMW Asia whose i3 electric car is now on display at the urban plaza in front of Capital Tower. Its involvement in the Eco Race is part of a strategic partnership between BMW Asia and CCTML that is focused on sustainability and innovation2 . Under this partnership, BMW Asia will install electric vehicle charging stations in five CCT properties located in the CBD, namely, Capital Tower, Six Battery Road, One George Street, Raffles City Singapore and its latest Grade A office building, CapitaGreen scheduled to be completed at year-end.
“BMW Asia is delighted to be sponsoring the CapitaCommercial Trust Eco Race 2014, which serves to educate participants on the importance of sustainability and impart practical ways in protecting the environment via fun and healthy activities,” said Mr. Sergio Solero, Managing Director of BMW Group Asia. “Sustainability drives the way the BMW Group operates and we are constantly seeking intelligent means to achieve greater power without compromising on fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. BMW i vehicles are a good demonstration of this, from the way they are designed, to how they are produced and the way they can operate with zero tailpipe emissions.”
BCA is returning for a second year as event partner. Dr John Keung, Chief Executive Officer, BCA said, ““We are glad to partner CCT to organise the CCT Eco Race. This is in line with BCA’s Third Green Building Masterplan which focuses on engaging tenants and building occupants on the importance of conserving earth’s resources and saving energy in buildings. In BCA’s recent benchmarking report, we found that tenants contribute to nearly half of a building’s total energy consumption, so it is important for tenants to also do their part to cut down on energy usage and adopt energy efficiency measures within their premises to help improve the building’s total energy performance. The race is a unique way to reach out to tenants in a fun and light-hearted manner.”
Fielding the most number of teams this year is Cambridge Associates, a tenant at Six Battery Road. Ms Judy Gan, Senior Operations Manager of Cambridge Associates said, “Cambridge Associates is excited to participate in the CCT Eco Race 2014 and have sent six teams in total. The Eco Race offers an opportunity for us to serve the local community in a collaborative effort and fulfill the mission of our dedicated sustainability council by proactively promoting environmental responsibility.”
State Street Singapore, a tenant at Capital Tower fielded five teams. Ms Elizabeth Chia, Senior Vice President, Head of Global Services, South East Asia and General Manager, State Street Singapore said, “At State Street, the concept of environmental sustainability is deeply embedded in our daily operations. We always consider the environmental impact of our actions and constantly seek ways to make a positive change in the communities where we live and work. We are excited to participate in the Eco Race because the event offers a valuable opportunity to engage with our employees and promote greater environmental awareness in Singapore.”
All marketing materials and race props for the race are made of recycled materials or sustainably sourced paper products where necessary. Event registration is done online and no plastic water bottles will be distributed during the event. As Capital Tower is conveniently located above Tanjong Pagar MRT station, participants are encouraged to take public transport. They will also be asked to participate in a transport survey which will track the carbon footprint of the race. In line with the event’s focus on sustainability, CCT will embark on various initiatives to offset this carbon footprint. This could involve switching off the façade lights of its office properties, something which was done last year.
In keeping with its charity focus, the registration fees collected at the CCT Eco Race 2014 is matched dollar-for-dollar by CapitaLand Hope Foundation (CHF), the philanthropic arm of CapitaLand. The total donation amounting to S$5,930 will contribute to the educational needs of the underprivileged children of TOUCH Community Services.
CCTML wishes to thank the following companies and organisations for their enthusiastic support of the CCT Eco Race 2014 and alignment with CCTML’s drive towards sustainability and protecting the environment: event partners, BCA and BMW Asia; charity sponsor, CHF; sponsors - The Ascott Limited, BCA Academy, Fitness First, Fonterra and Zappy; as well as supporting organisations - Singapore Green Building Council, Singapore Environment Council and the National Climate Change Secretariat.