SGD to AUD: It matters where you change

My recent trip to Perth, Western Australia was fruitful and an eye-opener. In fact, given its relatively short travelling time of 5 hours away from Singapore, I highly recommend a trip down for a vastly different experience. You would be able to experience a different culture, decent cuisine, wonderful scenery and the best part is that you need not travel obscene hours and transit a couple of flights to experience a western environment like Europe or USA. 

Here are some tips to take note when travelling in Perth:

Skip the immigration queue

I think one of the first things to note is that YES, YOU CAN PASS THROUGH THEIR SMARTGATE with your Singaporean biometric passport (See article). I saw quite a number of Singaporeans join the long immigration queue, but there is absolutely no necessity in that.

Culture shock as shops close early!

In Perth, if you are expecting 24 hours shopping or restaurants like Singapore, I am afraid you will be disappointed. In fact, shops close as early as 5pm and most restaurants start closing at 8pm. Anything later than 8pm you will have to head to Northbridge where most of the nightlife congregates.

Best place to change SGD to AUD

My experience on comparing rates and places to change from Singapore dollars to Australian dollars:

• I changed at the ARCADE which offered me SGD1.074 for AUD$1
• My neighborhood currency exchange was offering in a region of SGD1.2 for One Australian dollar 
• The currency exchange in Perth had very unattractive rates as well
• My spending on the credit card (OCBC) offered a rate of SGD1.103

If I had paid my accommodation of AUD2000 in cash instead of through my credit card, I would have saved $58!

Do make sure you change enough AUD at the good places in Singapore(My recommendation is at the Arcade in Raffles Place) as this is one currency you can see the savings if you make the effort.

Hope this was useful for you
EUFASS

Singapore Dry spell and 4 water-saving buildings

The dry spell has been persisting since February, though I did notice a trace of drizzle for a few minutes in Tampines today. To deal with the ongoing dry weather, I saw on the news that contingency plans to step up desalination and NEWater production is already in place. Compared to challenging times where water rationing is needed, our lives are just a little bit inconvenienced by the scorching weather.

This thought triggers the realization that we Singaporeans are actually quite complacent and that there will always be enough water supply for the citizens. There was some talk about the possibility of water rationing last year, but I believe no one would have imagined that really happening. The level of confidence we have in our water security is ironically, worrying.

Given our climate, we can be sure that dry spells recur every year. However, exercises to urge citizens to take ownership on water conservation have been largely unsuccessful. Yet this problem has to be addressed and it seems that one of the solutions is to have sustainable green architecture with water-saving features. 

Let’s look at some of these examples:

Jem Retail Mall

Jem is the first mixed use development in Singapore to achieve BCA’s Green Mark Platinum Version 4.0 award, the highest certification for sustainable buildings..

Some of the water saving features include a 

• Rainwater harvesting system 
• Condensate water collection

Water Savings: Estimated 265,160 m3/year  (~1000 times of an Olympic size swimming pool (250m3))

PARKROYAL on Pickering   

      

PARKROYAL on Pickering is situated in the heart of Raffles place and has a distinct nature lanscape amidst its architecture.

Some of the water saving features include a 

• Rainwater harvesting and use of NEWater, 
• Water efficient fittings
• Automatic sensors to regulate water usage

Water Savings: Estimated 6,900 m3 /year

W Singapore – Sentosa Cove

Been here for a friend's wedding once, it feels like you never stepped out of nature.

Some of the water saving features include 

• Water efficient fittings
• Rainwater harvesting system to collect rainwater for irrigation and nonpotable use
• Condensate water collection

Water Savings: Estimated 22,200 m³/year

Solaris

Tucked in a corner of One-North business district, Solaris is a two-tower building with innovative green furnishments.

Some of the water saving features include 

• Eco-cell and rainwater harvesting via a network of siphonic drainage systems

As mentioned on this year’s Budget, “sustainable urban solutions” is one of the 5 growth areas. I believe we will see more of such green buildings in the near future.

Other interesting trivia on Singapore’s dry spell

• Singapore is 140km north of the equator and will encounter dry weather in February due to shifting of the monsoon season.
• The record so far of the dry spell is set in 2014 where minimal rain was recorded for 27 days. The previous record was an 18-day dry spell in 2008. If no rain is to persist this month, there is possibility of setting a new record.
• Though dry months are typically January to March, May and June are the hottest months of the year. Singapore's hottest temperature recorded was in March 1998, when the highest temperature was 36 degrees Celsius.

Hope that this post will spark your appreciation for the water conservation efforts taking place behind the scenes, and do your part to save water!

EUFASS

Source of buildings and their water-saving features and data : http://www.bca.gov.sg/newsroom/others/pr11092013_IGBCA.pdf