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Thu, 09 Apr 2026

Thu, 09 Apr 2026 Hot in the city: Energy crisis tests Singapore's air-con addiction

The rise in energy prices has hit Asia particularly hard as many nations are heavily reliant on Gulf oil.

* Singapore has instructed its government employees to raise office temperatures to at least 25C (77F) due to rising energy prices caused by the Iran war.
* The city-state's public offices will also install power-efficient technology such as LED lights and smart sensors to conserve energy.
* Other countries in South East Asia, including Thailand, have implemented similar measures to save energy.
* Singapore is heavily reliant on oil and gas shipments that pass through the Strait of Hormuz, which has been shut since the war began.
* The country's former prime minister Lee Kuan Yew famously credited air-conditioning with enabling work indoors despite the heat outside in 1999.
* Temperatures in Singaporean offices are often maintained at low levels, with employees bringing in cardigans or sweaters to wear in office hours.
* The government is urging workers to switch to fans and take public transportation to cut fuel use, and businesses and members of the public have been encouraged to do the same.
* Fuel prices in Singapore have risen due to the war, with the authorities warning of potential economic disruptions.