Date: 11–12 October 2017
Company: Malaysia Green Building Confederation (MGBC)
The International Urban Sustainability & Green Building Conference (IUSGBC) 2017, held in conjunction with the International Greentech & Eco Products Exhibition & Conference Malaysia (IGEM), showcased Malaysia’s lead in ASEAN in becoming a Green community by 2030, with more than 180 million square feet of Green buildings.
With the availability of new technologies and expertise today, many countries have set a technically feasible road map for net zero buildings by 2030. With the built environment contributing to 30 per cent of the world’s carbon emission, net zero buildings will significantly limit carbon emissions.
Divided into two tracks—Finance & Green, and Health & Wellbeing—IUSGBC IGEM facilitated an exchange of knowledge on the latest global developments, opportunities, challenges and success stories in the Green building industry.
“Mainstreaming Green development is becoming more critical,” said Tang Chee Khoay, MGBC’s honorary secretary and IUSGBC IGEM committee chair.
“Over the years, we have learned that moral and ethical arguments are not enough to spur Green development, especially if it means paying more for it. At IUSGBC-IGEM, we will hear from experts from the world over on how we can reduce Green development cost while increasing its value. Green developments are more financially advantageous for both developers and consumers than conventional ones; we just need to share this knowledge.”
Recognising the growth potential in Green building in the region, MGBC president Ir Ahmad Izdihar Supaat said, “It is not about how much potential Green building has in Malaysia; it is actually a question of can we actually afford not to build Green. We are fast approaching the point of no return for climate change, and Green buildings are not a choice but a necessity.”
MGBC’s research committee chair Dr Zalina Shari added, “The MGBC Research Committee is committed to promoting research that supportsthe national vision on sustainability. We identify and regularly reassess critical research needs for market transformation and develop strategies for effective dissemination of existing research relevant to the greening of the built environment. We are particularly excited about research and programmes that help advance our understanding and awareness on how our workplaces really affect us as human beings.”
More than 30 international and local Green building experts—from World Green Building Council (WGBC), Ministry of Energy, Green Technology and Water (KeTTHA), UK Green Building Council, Hong Kong Green Building Council, IHUG Australia, Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark, Malaysia Energy Services Company, Malaysian Industry–Government Group for High Technology, Malaysia Investment Development Authority, the Czech Republic’s Ministry of the Environment, and Think City—shared their knowledge on reducing Green building capital and running costs, increasing Green building value and achieving high return of investment.
