The Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) has obtained a 20-year SGD 84 million green loan from DBS to finance the land costs in relation to its campus. This is the university’s first green loan. DBS is also the green loan advisor for SUTD’s Green Loan Framework, which outlines the criteria and guidelines to allocate and manage the proceeds raised from the green loan.

SUTD campus facade

Ang Teck Wee, Head of Government-linked Corporations, DBS, said, “Supporting the transition of the education sector towards a low-carbon future is important as it forms the very foundation that shapes the way our children, youths and future generations view sustainability. Addressing climate change is an urgent imperative, and providing financing to support green structures such as SUTD’s campus forms one of several necessary steps needed to achieve a climate-aligned future together. Looking ahead, we look forward to partnering SUTD on its sustainability journey for the long term.”

Giselia Giam, Vice President of Administration and Chief Financial Officer, SUTD, said, “SUTD is pleased to partner DBS for our first green loan to help realise SUTD’s multi-faceted Sustainability Plan – using design thinking and technology to build a more sustainable and happier world by design. Together, we have also developed a Green Loan Framework that will guide our efforts as we transform our campus into a living lab for new sustainable technologies, processes and products, making SUTD campus a green catalyst for Singapore.”

The green loan will be used to realise and finance SUTD’s Sustainability Plan launched in December 2021, which sets out to achieve the university’s mission of ‘A Better World by Design’. The SUTD state-of-the-art green campus won the SG Mark Gold award in 2016 and achieved the Green Mark (Platinum) certification from Singapore’s Building Construction Authority (BCA). The SUTD campus utilises natural ventilation principles alongside cooling techniques to counteract the conditions of Singapore’s tropical climate. With the incorporation of facade planters, green roof terraces, sky gardens and green pockets planted with native trees and flowering plants, the overall campus design responds to the natural landscape of Singapore. In addition, SUTD commits to meet or exceed Singapore Green Plan Goals for carbon emissions, energy, water and waste by initiating new green research, test-bedding new technologies and incorporating sustainability into education and culture.

DBS’ sustainability efforts

The SUTD green loan aligns with collective efforts under the Singapore Green Plan 2030, which is a whole-of-nation movement to advance Singapore’s national agenda on sustainable development and to work towards a net-zero future. It is also in line with DBS’ broader efforts to provide sustainable financing to more corporates to support their transformations towards a low-carbon future. In testament to its efforts, DBS committed a total of SGD 20.5 billion in sustainable financing transactions in 2021, taking the bank’s cumulative efforts to SGD 39.4 billion – achieving almost 80% of the bank’s SGD 50 billion sustainability financing target by 2024.

The bank is also on track to achieve its goal of net-zero operational carbon emissions in Singapore by 2022. In July 2021, the bank announced that its four-storey office building in Newton will be transformed into a net-zero property with climate-friendly features – the first by a bank in Singapore.

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About DBS
DBS is a leading financial services group in Asia with a presence in 18 markets. Headquartered and listed in Singapore, DBS is in the three key Asian axes of growth: Greater China, Southeast Asia and South Asia. The bank's "AA-" and "Aa1" credit ratings are among the highest in the world.

Recognised for its global leadership, DBS has been named “World’s Best Bank” by Euromoney, “Global Bank of the Year” by The Banker and “Best Bank in the World” by Global Finance. The bank is at the forefront of leveraging digital technology to shape the future of banking, having been named “World’s Best Digital Bank” by Euromoney and the world’s “Most Innovative in Digital Banking” by The Banker. In addition, DBS has been accorded the “Safest Bank in Asia” award by Global Finance for 13 consecutive years from 2009 to 2021.

DBS provides a full range of services in consumer, SME and corporate banking. As a bank born and bred in Asia, DBS understands the intricacies of doing business in the region’s most dynamic markets. DBS is committed to building lasting relationships with customers, and positively impacting communities through supporting social enterprises, as it banks the Asian way. It has also established a SGD 50 million foundation to strengthen its corporate social responsibility efforts in Singapore and across Asia.

With its extensive network of operations in Asia and emphasis on engaging and empowering its staff, DBS presents exciting career opportunities. For more information, please visit www.dbs.com.

About SUTD
The Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) is one of the first universities in the world to incorporate the art and science of design and technology into a truly holistic interdisciplinary education and research experience that culminates in real-world design innovations. SUTD seeks to advance knowledge and nurture technically-grounded leaders and innovators to serve societal needs. SUTD also topped a list of emerging engineering schools in the world in a study commissioned by MIT.

A research-intensive university, SUTD is distinguished by its unique East and West academic programmes that incorporate design thinking, human-centred innovation, entrepreneurship, coupled with local and international industry collaborations. SUTD’s key focus areas are Healthcare, Cities and Aviation, with Artificial Intelligence/Data Science and Digital Manufacturing capabilities across all of them. Multiple post-graduate opportunities are available. Skill-based professional education and training courses are also available at SUTD Academy. www.sutd.edu.sg

SUTD secures first green loan from DBS to finance campus land cost