Dr Stephen Tay, Senior Lecturer from the Department of Building at NUS School of Design and Environment, has won the Young Green Building Advocate Award under the SGBC-BCA Sustainability Leadership Awards 2019.
Jointly launched by Building and Construction Authority (BCA) and the Singapore Green Building Council (SGBC), the SGBC-BCA Sustainability Leadership Awards recognises outstanding industry practitioners and professionals for their consistent contribution and significant achievements in the development of a green and sustainable built environment.
Supported by the Singapore National Research Foundation (Clean Energy) Scholarship, Dr Stephen Tay obtained his PhD from Imperial College London in 2015. It was then that he realised the need for sustainable solutions for urban environments. Subsequently, he joined the Solar Energy Research Institute of Singapore (SERIS) where he led a team assisting government agencies with solar feasibility studies for the SolarNova programme. In addition, his contributions to solar photovoltaic (PV) deployment in the built environment was evidenced by his invitation as an invited expert panel member to the 4th International Panel of Experts for Sustainability in the Built Environment organised by BCA. Furthermore, Dr Tay was invited to contribute towards the solar PV segment of the Building Construction Authority's (BCA) "Super Low Energy Building Technology Roadmap". The roadmap functions as a key guide for a wide range of emerging sustainable technologies for adoption in the tropical urban context.
At the international space, Dr Tay was also actively involved with a chapter contribution for the World Bank Group's report titled "Where Sun Meets Water Floating Solar Market Report". The report provides policymakers and practitioners insights to the market potential, deployment costs, and policy implications for floating solar PV systems. In the ASEAN context, Dr Tay was engaged with the ASEAN-German Energy Programme (AGEP) to train decision-makers from Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam and Myanmar.
Beyond engaging with companies and solar professionals, Dr Tay is also involved with nurturing young minds for a sustainable future. He is actively involved in outreach activities for students from Primary 6 to university students from local and overseas schools.
Currently, Dr Tay continues to advocate for solar PV deployment as a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Building, and an Adjunct Researcher in SERIS. He is a working group member on Energy Resources by the Singapore Standardisation Programme. He assists the Singapore Standard for Renewable Energy Certification and is active in outreach activities advocating the deployment of solar photovoltaics.
