Building Sustainable Communities

The number of people moving to urban areas, coupled with the increase of energy consumption has heightened the need to create sustainable cities that are climate positive.
Ir Looi Hip Peu, President of the Malaysia Green Building Confederation said, “Malaysia has one of the highest per capita consumption of energy and it is expected that we will become a nett energy importing country by the next decade.

Local resources are increasingly being strained, making it necessary for a more rational use of primary resources.”

Malaysia has seen an increase in green developments over the past years, evident through office buildings like Pusat Tenaga Malaysia Green Energy Office Building and the DiGi Technology Operation Center.

Countries in Southeast Asia are beginning to realize this, and is actively supporting a greener built environment encouraging eco-friendly designs and practices in the construction of sustainable, energy efficient buildings and infrastructure.

“Sustainability and the issue of resource conservation are quickly becoming high priority subjects across governments and businesses around the world.

As the demand for green buildings in the region continue to increase collaboration is vital to support green building efforts,” said Mann Young, Asia Pacific Regional Network Manager for World Green Building Confederation.

Issuing these problems, both Hip Peu and Mann will be speaking at this year’s international Green Building Conference (IGBC) 2012, organized by the Singapore Green Building Council (SCBC) and held in conjunction with Build Eco Xpe (BEX) Asia 2012.

BEX Asia 2012 will be held from 10 to 12 October at the Marina Bay Sands Convention Centre.