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CapitaLand's wholly-owned serviced residence business unit, The Ascott Limited, has achieved strong progress since the launch of its global sustainability drive, 'Go Green @ Ascott', in March 2012. Ascott has made significant strides in the areas of environment, health and safety as well as reduced water and energy consumption, as it strives to become the world's leading green serviced residence company. It will be participating in Earth Hour on Saturday, 23 March 2013, by turning off the beacon signage lights and other non-essential lightings of Ascott's offices and properties worldwide starting from 8.30pm. The air-conditioning and heater temperatures at its offices and properties will also be adjusted to conserve energy. Beyond Earth Hour, Ascott also conducts a monthly Earth Day to encourage guests to conserve resources.

Mr Tony Soh, Ascott's Chief Corporate Officer and Chairman of Ascott's Green Committee, said: "With our extensive global network of properties, Ascott can make a significant positive contribution to the environment wherever we operate. We have taken proactive and meaningful steps to transform our business practices, and are pleased that our green efforts are bearing fruit. Ascott has attained international certifications for our environment, health and safety management systems. We have also achieved considerable savings in water, energy and paper consumption as well as reduced waste. Ascott is committed to the green cause and we will continue with our concerted efforts to minimise our environmental footprint."

Environment, Health and Safety

Ascott has achieved the ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001 certifications for 106 serviced residences across 15 countries[1] in Asia Pacific and Europe. ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001 are globally recognised standards for environmental management, and occupational health and safety management of businesses respectively. The certifications were awarded to Ascott by internationally established certification organisation, TÜV SÜD.

Water, Energy, Paper and Waste Reduction

Ascott targets to reduce water and energy consumption by 15% by 2015, using 2008 as the base year. By 2012, Ascott had achieved its target of 15% savings in water consumption. The 447,000 cubic metres of water saved can fill about 180 Olympic-sized swimming pools. Ascott also recorded savings of 8% in energy consumption compared with 2008. The 17,000 megawatt hours of energy saved can power some 3,000 average Singapore households for a year.[2]

With paper as the main source of waste generated at its offices, Ascott has also taken steps to reduce paper consumption. These include having double-sided and black-and-white printing as the default print settings, encouraging staff to reduce printing by using soft copies, and promoting the recycling of used paper and envelopes. At Ascott's corporate offices in Singapore, paper consumption in 2012 has been reduced by more than 20% from 2011, saving over 1,300 kg of paper.

Green Buildings, Green Products and Stakeholder Engagement

Ascott is also focusing on other areas to realise its green vision:

  • incorporating sustainable features into all new properties to be built or renovated;
  • increasing the use of green products at its serviced residences; and
    - engaging staff, residents and business partners in going green

Ascott received the BREEAM 'Very Good' rating for its Citadines Prestige Trafalgar Square serviced residence in London following the property's refurbishment last year. BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method) is an internationally recognised measure of a building's sustainability. The green features in Citadines Prestige Trafalgar Square London include a building management system to monitor water and electrical utilities usage and maximise operational efficiency, chiller gas leak detector to prevent refrigerant loss, energy efficient lighting system with motion sensors, and proper waste management system that involves monitoring, reducing, reusing and recycling waste. Ascott aims to attain green certifications from established green building rating systems for all new and renovated properties.

Ascott's other green accolades include the 'Highly Commended for Green Achievement' award received at the 2011/2012 Re:locate Awards and 'Green Model' award at the 2012 China Economy Summit.

In conjunction with Earth Hour on Saturday, 23 March 2013, Ascott's offices and properties worldwide will turn off beacon signage lights and other non-essential lightings for extended hours starting from 8.30pm. Staff and residents are encouraged to dress down or wear warmer clothing as the air-conditioning or heater temperatures will be adjusted to conserve energy. These initiatives are also carried out during Ascott Earth Day, which takes place every first Friday of the month.

To further spread the message of conservation, Ascott will be organising various activities for its residents and staff. These range from a tree planting event and recycling workshop in Vietnam, giving out of small pots of plants or packets of herb seeds carrying notes on conservation in Indonesia, to the screening of the documentary film about global warming, 'An Inconvenient Truth' in China, and a green tea light party in the United Kingdom.

Other initiatives implemented as part of 'Go Green @ Ascott' include offering long-stay residents the option to play a part by reducing the frequency of housekeeping, and providing recycling bins and reusable eco-bags or shopping trolleys that reduce the use of disposable grocery bags. At Ascott's serviced residences such as Ascott Jakarta, Somerset Greenways Chennai, Somerset Hoa Binh Hanoi  and Somerset Youyi Tianjin, its Cubbies Kids' Club playrooms feature wall murals with a green message, encouraging young residents to love and care for the environment. Ascott also adopts the use of green products such as biodegradable laundry bags, FSC (Forest Stewardship Council)-certified paper and bathroom amenities with recyclable packaging to reduce wastage at its properties.

For further information on 'Go Green @ Ascott', please visit www.theascottlimited.com/aboutus/gogreen/index.html.

[1] Australia, Belgium, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Spain, Thailand, United Kingdom and Vietnam

[2] Water and energy consumption savings are calculated based on per square metre of gross floor area.

About The Ascott Limited

Since pioneering Asia Pacific's first international-class serviced residence with the opening of The Ascott Singapore in 1984, Ascott has grown to be a trusted hospitality company with more than 940 properties globally. Headquartered in Singapore, Ascott's presence extends across more than 220 cities in over 40 countries in Asia Pacific, Central Asia, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the USA.

Ascott's diversified accommodation offerings span serviced residences, co-living properties, hotels and independent senior living apartments, as well as student accommodation and rental housing. Its award-winning hospitality brands include Ascott, Citadines, lyf, Oakwood, Quest, Somerset, The Crest Collection, The Unlimited Collection, Preference, Fox, Harris, POP!, Vertu and Yello; and it has a brand partnership with Domitys. Through Ascott Star Rewards (ASR), Ascott's loyalty programme, members enjoy exclusive privileges and offers at participating properties.

A wholly owned business unit of CapitaLand Investment Limited, Ascott is a leading vertically-integrated lodging operator. Harnessing its extensive network of third-party owners and in-market expertise, Ascott grows fee-related earnings through its hospitality management and investment management capabilities. Ascott also expands its funds under management by growing its sponsored CapitaLand Ascott Trust and private funds.

For more information on Ascott's industry record of 40 years and its sustainability programme, please visit www.discoverasr.com/the-ascott-limited. Connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and LinkedIn.

About CapitaLand Investment Limited

Headquartered and listed in Singapore, CapitaLand Investment Limited (CLI) is a leading global real estate investment manager (REIM) with a strong Asia foothold. As at 30 September 2023, CLI had S$133 billion of real estate assets under management, and S$90 billion of real estate funds under management (FUM) held via six listed real estate investment trusts and business trusts, and more than 30 private vehicles across Asia Pacific, Europe and USA. Its diversified real estate asset classes cover retail, office, lodging, business parks, industrial, logistics and data centres.

CLI aims to scale its FUM and fee-related earnings through fund management, lodging management and its full stack of operating capabilities, and maintain effective capital management. As the investment management arm of CapitaLand Group, CLI has access to the development capabilities of and pipeline investment opportunities from CapitaLand's development arm.

As a responsible company, CLI places sustainability at the core of what it does and has committed to achieve Net Zero carbon emissions for scope 1 and 2 by 2050. CLI contributes to the environmental and social well-being of the communities where it operates, as it delivers long-term economic value to its stakeholders.

Visit http://www.capitalandinvest.com/ for more information.

Tan Hock Lee
Manager, Corporate Communications
(65) 6823 3266
The Ascott Limited