from the ground Up

July 10, 2009
THE recent spike in private property sales is being monitored by the Government but there has been no sign of excessive speculation, said National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan yesterday.
Mr Mah said “speculation is always part and parcel of any market”.
“Whether there’s excessive speculation or not, that is something we have to look [...]

by Jessica Cheam, The Straits Times, July 10 2009
Roadshows, exhibitions to engage residents and show ways to save costs
EFFORTS to reduce Singapore’s dependence on energy generated by fossil fuels have been ramped up and aimed at the heartland.
National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan launched a bigger, better version of the Energy Save Programme yesterday.
The scheme, [...]

by Jessica Cheam, July 9 2009
Govt may resort to legislation if industry fails to adopt such practices: Mah Bow Tan
NATIONAL Development Minister Mah Bow Tan yesterday called on the building industry to get greener and “build more with less” .
He underlined his call by suggesting that if the industry does not start adopting more environmentally [...]

by Jessica Cheam, The Straits Times, July 9 2009
It will ‘calibrate supply’ to meet some of the demand – but not all
THE Housing and Development Board (HDB) will offer 8,000 new flats this year, or more if the pickup is stronger, said National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan yesterday.
He said the board is monitoring demand [...]

by Jessica Cheam, The Straits Times, July 4 2009
Energy Studies Institute to examine its effect on businesses, homes here
A MAJOR study has begun to throw light on just what Singapore might look like in a carbon-priced world where concerns about climate change are finally being tackled.
The Energy Studies Institute (ESI) will examine issues surrounding caps [...]

by Jessica Cheam, The Straits Times, July 4 2009
Young couples, families upsizing or downsizing and PRs prop up market
HOME buyers rushed to the HDB resale market in the second quarter and sent sales up as much as 60 per cent over the first quarter, according to property agencies.
These buyers, ranging from young couples to permanent [...]

by Jessica Cheam, The Straits Times, July 2 2009
Surprise increase in index reverses first quarter’s dip to reach new high
PRICES of HDB flats have staged a surprising comeback, reversing a first-quarter dip of 0.8per cent to rise 1.2per cent in the second quarter and reach a historical high.
Flash estimates from the Housing and Development Board [...]

by Jessica Cheam, The Straits Times, July 1 2009
Essential part of energy plan, plant risked delay due to economic crisis
THE Government has taken over the development of Singapore’s first LNG terminal as the global credit crunch threatens to delay plans for its completion.
Singapore Power’s unit PowerGas and French partner GDF Suez were originally appointed to [...]

by Jessica Cheam, The Straits Times, June 30 2009
Units in mass- and higher-market projects snapped up
STRONG sales in the property market continued over the weekend as mass- and upper-mid- market launches drew crowds of buyers.
Within three days of its preview launch last Friday, the 68-unit Residences @ Killiney project sold 39 of 60 released units [...]

by Jessica Cheam, The Straits Times, June 27 2009
SINGAPORE’S growing expertise in green technology makes it a choice partner for Russia as it develops its own sustainable energy sector, Russian representatives said here yesterday.
Mr Sergey Obrezanov, director and chief executive of the Russian Business Incubator (RBI), told an energy conference that the country is looking [...]