Mandala Club is First Singapore Heritage Building to Install Rooftop Solar Panels
Mandala Club, Singapore’s private membership club community, has today announced that it has become the first conserved building in Singapore’s historic Chinatown district to receive approval from the Urban Development Authority (URA) of Singapore to install rooftop solar panels on the roof of its Singapore location. Slated for completion in the third quarter of 2024, this milestone sees Mandala Club becoming the first conserved building in Singapore to install rooftop solar panels, partnering with technology-driven renewable energy supplier Flo Energy for this latest development in Singapore’s urban landscape.
Owned by K. M. C. Holdings Pte Ltd, Mandala Club’s premises are located at 31 Bukit Pasoh Road, a three-storey Art Deco building constructed in 1928, which received the prestigious URA Architectural Heritage Awards in 2006. Marking a first in Singapore’s urban landscape, this latest development underscores Mandala Club’s commitment to sustainability and its role as a market leader in integrating energy conservation into its business operations and corporate blueprint.
Historic Milestone in Singapore’s Sustainability Landscape
With this latest development, Mandala Club has set a precedent for other businesses and owners of conserved buildings to emulate. The installation of photovoltaic panels at Mandala Club, slated to be completed by the third quarter of 2024, marks a pivotal step in maintaining Mandala Club’s net-zero carbon emissions status. This effort aligns with Singapore’s Green Plan 2030 and the United Nation’s Race to Zero campaign, in which Mandala Club was the first hospitality business in Singapore to participate, through the SME Climate Hub.
“We are incredibly proud to lead the charge in sustainable innovation not only within the hospitality industry but also within heritage conservation areas,” said Lilly Milligan Gilbert, Chief Sustainability Officer of Mandala Club. “This achievement has been months in the making, and we are deeply appreciative that our application to install rooftop solar panels on the premises has been approved, in alignment with the Singapore Government’s efforts to promote sustainability.”
“As a technology-driven renewable energy supplier, we are proud to partner with Mandala Club in their journey to be the market leader towards a greener future. The climate crisis affects all of us, and we are heartened by Mandala Club’s efforts to make incremental, sustainable change by being the first conserved building in Chinatown to incorporate rooftop solar panels on their premises. We are excited to be part of this history and we hope to inspire future solar deployments on more conserved buildings,” said Matthijs Guichelaar, Chief Executive Officer of Flo Energy.
Launching the Mandala Solar Collective
In conjunction with the approval to install solar panels on the Club’s premises, Mandala Club is thrilled to introduce the Mandala Solar Collective, a business-to-business initiative that aims to assist local business owners in understanding the benefits and challenges of renewable energy adoption, as well as form a common knowledge share for best practices. Commencing in Q3 2024, the initiative will feature a series of roundtable discussions involving local businesses, designers, and partners, culminating in a flagship event in September 2024 to celebrate the successes of the project and share insights gleaned from the pioneering initiative.
“At Mandala Club, we aspire to be stewards of the neighbourhood and environment which we call home, and being at the forefront of sustainability is of paramount importance, not only to the Club’s leadership but more importantly, to our members,” said Ben Jones, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Mandala Group. “This approval is a testament to Mandala Club’s commitment to sustainability and our dedication to enriching the lives of our members and working in tandem with the community to make a positive impact on the world around us.”
Businesses are encouraged to sign up and be a part of the Mandala Solar Collective.