Sustainability Report
Our Environment

Environmental Footprint

Energy, generated from both renewable and non-renewable sources, continued to be the main resource consumed in the provision of our services.

In 2016, our mobile networks, offices and data centre operations used 62,387,979kWh of electrical power, 2.5% higher than 2015. This was to support increased business requirements including the deployment of approximately 200 new base station sites to enhance coverage and support customers’ growing data needs, as well as testbed projects such as our upcoming NB-IoT and HetNet networks. In 2016, we included our fibre operating centre’s energy usage, based on data provided by the fibre network company NetLink Trust and our own meter readings.

We also operate three offshore base stations, at Pulau Satumu, Pulau Tekong and St. John’s Island. These islands are not connected to Singapore’s power grid, and therefore on-site diesel generators are required to provide power for the base station equipment. The three sites used 48,774 litres of diesel fuel in 2016, 5.6% lower than 2015, primarily driven by the upgrade of the solar hybrid battery on our Palau Satumu site in January 2016.

Our fleet of vehicles support our field engineers who are responsible for installing new mobile equipment, performing drive tests, and conducting site maintenance and repairs. In 2016, fuel consumption for our diesel vehicle fleet was 26,635 litres, 10.2% higher than the year before, and 11,273 litres for our petrol vehicle fleet, 10.8% lower than the year before, as we shifted usage to diesel vehicles in covering our expanded networks.

M1’s retail operations used an estimated 322,310kWh of electrical power in 2016, 2% higher compared to 2015. In addition to energy, water is used for drinking, cleaning and equipment cooling purposes in our daily operations.

In 2016, total water consumption was 60,996m³, marginally lower compared to 2015. We began using NEWater for cooling purposes in our new data centre in 2015, and in 2016 we increased our usage of NEWater, thereby reducing the usageof potable water. NEWater is reclaimed water for industrial use and has a lower environmental impact.

ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION

We continually review our business operations to identify ways to help us increase productivity and reduce impact to the environment, and at the same time, deliver consistent quality service to our customers.

Our key efforts are in the following areas:

NETWORKS

Our base stations network, which enables us to deliver mobile voice and data services to our customers, makes up approximately half of our energy consumption. We continually review our base station operations to identify ways to reduce energy consumption, including upgrading our base stations with multi-radio units that do not require air conditioning. This has yielded annual power savings of 6,876,600kWh.

We deployed solar photovoltaic (PV) power systems to supplement the use of diesel power generators for our offshore base station sites on Pulau Satumu and St. John’s Island, and this initiative has enabled us to reduce the use of diesel over the years. As the terrain on Pulau Tekong does not the permit the installation of solar PV power systems, the base station’s generators were overhauled. This overhaul, completed in January 2015, has enhanced the generators’ efficiency and reduced annual diesel usage by 17%.

Following a successful trial, more small cells were deployed at selected high traffic sites such as malls, libraries and MRT stations in 2016. Small cells enable us to enhance the mobile data experience in a more targeted and energy-efficient manner, compared to using a base station. We will continue to roll out more small cells in 2017.

FACILITIES

M1’s 4,214sqm five-storey annex building, sited next to our MiWorld building in Jurong, is fitted with environmentally-friendly features such as LED lights and rainwater harvesting tanks. The building, which has successfully achieved the Building and Construction Authority’s Green Mark Gold certification, also utilises reclaimed NEWater and condensate water, instead of potable water for cooling purposes.

All our buildings, in Jurong and Aljunied, are fitted with energy-efficient LED lights and this yields an estimated power savings of 450,000kWh a year.

GENERAL OPERATIONS

Our M1 Shop retail outlets are designed to enhance productivity and customer experience, as well as minimise our carbon footprint. In-shop light fittings were changed to LED where possible, and our streamlined transaction process using wireless tablets enables us to cut down on the use of printed brochures, receipts, forms and other non-recyclable materials by an estimated 20% annually.

M1 uses sustainably sourced, environmentally-friendly Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified paper for all our printing needs. Through an e-billing programme, we have migrated all employees from paper to electronic bills and payment, and are progressively migrating our customers as well.