Green strategies

Tuesday, March 16, 2010


Green strategies to be communicated at Malaysia’s first carbon-neutral property conference



Coming together for a green cause. Minister of Housing and Local Government Y.B. Dato’ Seri Kong Cho Ha (seated, third from left) holding a sample of an environmentally compliant certificate.

REHDA (Real Estate and Housing Developers Association Malaysia) Institute, EAROPH (Eastern Regional Organisation for Planning and Human Settlement) Malaysia, and Sime Darby Property is organising Malaysia’s first carbon-neutral real estate conference - Green Solutions Property Conference 2010.

At a media briefing on the conference on March 11, Minister of Housing and Local Government Y.B. Dato’ Seri Kong Cho Ha stressed on the importance of mitigating climate change and global warming.

“Energy saving technology, rainwater harvesting and so on; these topics will be discussed in detail at the Green Solutions Property Conference. Speakers will talk on various topics and incentives by the government to promote green technology in both building centres and property centres,” Kong added.

He also commended on Sime Darby’s involvement, as it shows industry players’ commitment in supporting our Prime Minister’s call for a 40% GHG (Green House Gases) reduction by 2020.

Mr Lincoln Lee, Chairman of EAROPH GTi as well as the conference’s organising chairman, feels that the conference and its content are both timely and vital to Malaysia’s current building industry.

“40% or more of our carbon footprint is from the building industry. If you go green, it doesn’t mean that it’ll cost you more – in fact it can even make you further revenue. It forms a real shift of paradigm in all industries,” Lee says.

Director of REHDA Institute, Mr Y. K. Wong, believes the element of carbon neutrality will play a major role in the effectiveness of the conference and hopes that it will provide a tangible example of what is demanded of contemporary industry professionals. He says it symbolises the “plausible future trend in housing, namely going green and reducing carbon emissions in the process.”

The conference will be held on April 6 at Sime Darby Convention Centre and will be Malaysia’s first carbon-neutral real estate conference. It will also be included into the Malaysia Book of Records.

There will be seven speakers at the conference and they are:
• Ar Dr Tan Loke Mun, Director of ArchiCentre Sdn Bhd and Chairman of PAM Green Building and Sustainability Committee

• Mr Matthias Gelber, Initiator, Maleki GmbH, Germany

• Mr Jason Pomeroy, Director of Broadway Malyan, Singapore

• Mr Lincoln Lee, Chairman, Council of EAROPH-GTi (Green Technology Innovation) and Executive Director of Lucas Works Sdn Bhd

• Ms Ng Say Guat, Executive Director of Pricewaterhouse Coopers Taxation Service Sdn Bhd

• Mr B. K. Sinha, Founder and Director of C2C Project Managers Sdn Bhd

• Mr Ed Cotter, Head of BREEAM Communities

For more information on Green Solutions Property Conference 2010, call 03-7803 2987 or send an e-mail to syahiidah@rehdainstitute.com / ong_huitse@rehdainstitute.com

By The Star