Ready and Willing to Adopt Green Tech

Singapore-based companies that are ready to green their IT systems are receiving some help from U.S.-based power and heating firm APC. The company constructed a 25,000-square-foot facility in Ang Ko Mio that will let companies test new technologies before investing massive amounts of dollars into their IT systems. George Kong, APC's Asian vice president, claims energy-efficient systems can help save companies up to 30 percent in power bills. Kong says green tech may come with a premium, but it usually pays for itself in two to three years.

The premium that comes with the adoption of green technology has brought a negative connotation for some consumers. An EcoPinion survey says the majority of American consumers are not yet ready for green technology. The report found that many people are reluctant because many forms of green technology are cost prohibitive, difficult to understand and maintain, or aesthetically unappealing. While this contrasts with a National Technology Readiness Survey, the 46 percent of those surveyed who had adopted green technology were very positive about the move.

The NTRS reports that 71 percent of adults are interested in green technology and that the market has the potential to generate $104 billion in sales this year.