In line with the Singapore Green Plan 2030, the government is subsidising specific home fixtures and fittings for residents living in HDB flats.
The idea is simple: Each household receives $300 to spend on energy- and water-efficient products. This initiative could help reduce the country’s overall energy and water usage.
First introduced in November 2020 for families residing in one- to three-room HDB flats, the government has expanded the scheme to all HDB households. Since April 15, Singaporeans and permanent residents have been able to claim $300 worth of climate vouchers online at go.gov.sg/cv-claim.
The vouchers, which expire on Dec 31, 2027, can be used to buy 10 types of energy- and water-efficient household products, such as certain air-conditioners, refrigerators and basin taps. These products must have received certain ratings under the National Environment Agency’s (NEA) tick-rating system to qualify.
Refrigerators, for example, must be rated three-ticks and above to qualify. Direct current fans and LED lights must be rated two-ticks and above. Air-conditioners, one of the biggest guzzlers of electricity in the home, must carry at least a five-tick rating to qualify.
The vouchers can be used at 14 participating retailers, such as Audio House, Cold Storage, Courts and FairPrice. They are valid for in-store purchases only and must be presented for physical payment, as they cannot be used for online transactions.
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The voucher has been a “welcome subsidy”, says Justin Yeo, 29. Yeo and his wife will move into their five-room resale flat in Hougang later this month. “It helped us manage the costs of renovating our new home,” adds the healthcare administrator.
During the renovations, Yeo used the vouchers to offset the cost of purchasing four KDK ceiling fans from the electronics retailer Audio House. The final cost was $1,369. He says the vouchers “didn’t influence” his decision, as he was already about to purchase the fans. “The vouchers were easy for me to claim from the website and the Audio House staff helped redeem them when I was paying for the fans.”
Another couple spent their vouchers on a relative instead. Vanessa Tan, 29, and Matthias Goh, 30, say the vouchers were a “huge factor” in purchasing a $280 fan for Goh’s grandmother, who lives in Yishun.
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“We got the fan because of the heatwave; it was blistering… [Her flat in] Yishun has poor ventilation and is very warm,” says Tan. “Her air-conditioning unit is terrible and expensive to replace because it’s an old flat.” The couple only learnt about the vouchers from staff at Best Denki in Great World City. “If not for the vouchers, I wouldn’t have bought the fan,” says Goh.
Like Yeo, the couple found the vouchers easy to use and likened it to the Community Development Council (CDC) vouchers, first launched in June 2020. “All I had to do was claim them first; Best Denki already had a QR code to the link,” adds Goh.
Retailers offer incentives
Some retailers are marketing their promotions alongside the vouchers to get customers to purchase larger-ticket items. Consumer electronics retailer Harvey Norman says its in-store customers can “save up to $1,200”, subject to a few conditions. The store’s “energy-efficiency rebates” are grouped into tiers, and customers who spend at least $7,000 can expect a $700 rebate.
Harvey Norman offers an additional $100 rebate on selected five-tick heat-pump dryers if customers purchase a four-tick washer. Those who purchase a refrigerator rated three-ticks and above will also receive a $100 rebate when they add selected three-tick dishwashers to their cart.
Meanwhile, Audio House offers customers $20 cashback, in the form of an e-voucher for subsequent purchases, for every $100 spent. This cashback is capped at $600, or a total spend of $3,000 in a single receipt.
Needs versus wants
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While the vouchers have been a welcome subsidy to most, some Singaporeans have held off on using them. When the vouchers were first announced in March, Sheryl Teo, 30, says “there was quite a big discussion” among her neighbours in her estate’s group chat. However, homeowners in Teo’s Tampines BTO estate received their keys just two years ago.
“Since we just moved in, the vouchers weren’t very relevant to us, as our current appliances weren’t due for a renewal yet. Some of my neighbours did use it, like replacing the HDB toilet bowls with other ones from retail shops. Of the people talking about it, I think less than half have used it,” says Teo, a mother of two.
She also thinks conditions around the use of the vouchers could have been better explained to the public. “My in-laws don’t know how to use it. My father-in-law asked me if he could buy an iPad with it.”
Another homeowner thinks some people use the vouchers for wants and not needs. “I feel that most people who have yet to use the voucher do not find the expenditure a necessity,” says David Tan, 55.
Tan, who lives in a five-room HDB flat with his wife and two children, used his vouchers when purchasing two air-conditioners from Audio House. “I decided to spend the vouchers on air-conditioners simply because I needed [them]. I did not spend the vouchers to spend them but because it was a necessity.”
Extending coverage
Adrian Reindo, 46, has yet to use his vouchers. Reindo, who lives in an HDB in Bukit Batok with his wife and two children, thinks usage of the vouchers is “quite limited” as they are restricted to certain appliances. “We aren’t going to buy [items] we do not need just because of the climate vouchers.”
Reindo thinks the vouchers should be extended to homeowners of all residential types. “Just because [someone] stays in a landed [property], it does not mean [they] do not need new appliances as well.”
Meanwhile, Goh thinks the voucher should have been “tiered” based on the ages of the flats. “It shouldn’t be $300 for everyone. People who live in older flats, especially older people, should be able to apply for higher [amounts].”
In terms of scope, Tan feels the vouchers should be extended to everyone, including those living in condominiums and landed property homes.
He adds:“Since the vouchers aim to address climate and sustainability issues, I feel that this should [be] extended to everyone and should be a standard for all.”
