SHAH ALAM: The country's first green shopping complex was opened to much fanfare and looks set to be a hit with big name retailers.
Setia City Mall, designed to save energy and water, is the first to receive the Malaysian Green Building Index accreditation with a provisional Silver Certificate.
“We oriented the building so it doesn't get too hot and harvest rainwater to water the landscaping,” said its development director Robert Spinks.
The building also comes with green car park bays, which can recharge electric cars.
A preview: Liew showing Sultan Sharafuddin a model of the Setia Alam township as (from left) Selangor state secretary Datuk Khusrin Munawi, SP Setia Foundation chairman Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye, Lend Lease Asia CEO Rod Leaver and Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim look on.
“As soon as the cars are sold, the bays will be ready,” said Spinks.
Besides the accreditation, the mall is also the first in the country to provisionally receive Singapore's Building and Construction Authority's Green Mark gold award.
With the mall's opening yesterday, Setia Alam is fast becoming a self-sufficient township. With more than 230 retailers, residents of Shah Alam and Klang do not need to travel far to get to big names such as Parkson, Golden Screen Cinemas, Harvey Norman and Fitness First.
The Sultan of Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah graced the launching.
SP Setia president and CEO Tan Sri Liew Kee Sin expressed pride in the project, which is fully tenanted.
“With over 700,000 sq ft of lettable area, the mall will create more than 2,000 jobs.”
He added that a convention hall, the largest in the Klang Valley, will also be built in Setia Alam.
Setia City Mall was jointly developed by SP Setia and Asian Retail Investment Fund.
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2012/6/24/nation/11541593&sec=nation#1340510932015410&if_height=503
Sunday, June 24, 2012
Thursday, June 21, 2012
Avoid using air-conditioners at home to reduce power usage
I read with interest the story “Green developers to be rewarded” inStarMetro recently. Thank you for championing environment-related issues.
I am glad that the country has a renewable energy policy and a small renewable energy power programme since 2001, although development has been slow. Everyone has a role to play in the pursuit of a sustainable future.
I am glad that green technology is taking shape in Malaysia. It is truly a noble aim for global environmental sustainability.
The green developers policy, too, is an initiative to make sure our descendants get to enjoy a healthy life in a clean world.
But will making all buildings in the country green be the answer to all environmental ills and save the planet from global warming?
The largest carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions come from the transport sector and power generation, so our efforts should be aimed at reducing emissions.
The biggest electricity guzzlers are usually air-conditioners, and the Government’s directive that the temperature in air-conditioned buildings be set at 24˚C is one way to reduce electricity use.
But an even more effective way to reduce electricity consumption is to not use air-conditioners, yet still have a conducive living and working environment.
While it may be difficult to do away with air-conditioning in commercial buildings, it should be possible to design houses that provide comfortable living with just fans.
Recent promotions for environment-friendly buildings have advocated the use of “green walls” (or vertical gardens) as a method of insulating the exterior of buildings to help reduce the amount of power used for cooling.
This method can be used for houses as well as industrial and commercial buildings.
Such methods are in addition to green roofs (rooftop gardens) which are now becoming a common sight in Malaysia.
So let us adopt the right way of being green and sustainable as a first step toward reducing our carbon emissions in our efforts to leave a cleaner world for us and future generations.
Bulbir Singh,
Seremban.
Article Source http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2012/6/12/central/11385480&sec=central
Thursday, June 7, 2012
PJ council offers 'green' rebates
THE Petaling Jaya City Council will offer assessment rebates of up to 100 per cent to house owners who observe the six key green components.
The council has set the key components to help residents focus on their green efforts. The components include the usage of energy, water, waste management, transportation, bio-diversity and other creative initiatives.
“I encourage everyone to practise at least three of the six green initiatives,” said Petaling Jaya mayor Datuk Mohamad Roslan Sakiman.
He recently announced that 45 households have received assessment rebates for their green initiatives this year.
House owners who practise at least three of the six green components are eligible for assessment rebate.
Among house owners who enjoyed the rebates were those who have installed solar-powered water heaters in their homes. Others have practised rain water harvesting and used only energy saving bulbs.
All decisions to offer assessment rebate will be made only after house inspection by the council officers.
Head of One-Stop Centre and Secretariat of Low Carbon Green City of Petaling Jaya task force Lee Lih Shyan said the electricity rebate would be implemented soon.
“This is to encourage city folks, especially those from the lower-income families, to do their share for the environment,” he said.
Lee added that the average electricity usage in Petaling Jaya was 113 kilowatt-hour (kWh) per person in a month.
The rebate will be determined based on a household’s electricity bill. As for water consumption, a person in Selangor uses 237 litres of water per day, much higher than the world average of 165 litres of water per person per day.
Lee said he will be representing the council at the upcoming Rio + 20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
“Treat each day as a World Environment Day. The council can’t force you but can only influence your decisions,” he said.
Since 2010, the council has introduced many incentives to encourage residents to adopt green initiatives.
The council will be holding a Food Bank on June 26 at 8th Avenue in Section 8. This is aimed at avoiding food wastage, especially in the food industry while at the same time helping the needy. Hotels, eateries and individuals can donate cooked food to be distributed to the needy.
Within the next six months, city folk will also see new solar-powered recycling bins in the city. Known as the 3R Box, the bins will also act as an advertising tool to promote recycling. It will be placed in public places such as busy walkways. This is to encourage the public to help reduce, reuse and recycle.
By SHEILA SRI PRIYA
PETALING JAYA
streets@nstp.com.my
ENTIVE:House owners stand to enjoy up to 100 per cent off assessment
The council also offers three months of free council parking for city folk who purchased hybrid cars from car dealers in the city. This is to encourage low carbon emission.
Based on the Petaling Jaya 2020 Special Area Draft Plan, battery-powered modern trishaws would be introduced in the city. The trishaws are not only environmental friendly but also a cheaper mode of public transport compared to the taxis.
Starting this year, the council encourages its staff on Fridays to use their own food containers instead of getting their food packed in polystyrene containers.
The council’s public relation officer Zainun Zakariah said she has a stainless-steel food container which she uses to buy food since the campaign was launched.
“My husband said my food container looks just like the ones used by foreign construction workers. I say so be it. I do not think it is embarrassing to bring your own food containers,” said Zainun.
To promote healthy living, the council encourages its staff to go vegetarian on Mondays. Guests who attend council-related events on Mondays will also be served vegetarian dishes.
Council staff Norshalizawati Baharudin said the idea of going “meatless” is foreign to her. But since the campaign was introduced, she realised there were many vegetarian food choices.
“Vegetarian meals do not necessary mean we must only eat green vegetables. There are soy-based products which do taste similar to meat but only healthier,” she said.
Early this year the council also launched a campaign to fix energy-saving bulbs at the back portion of some 400 houses here. This is also part of the council’s effort to prevent crime.
Starting last year, all new developments in the city must also be installed with energy-saving lights.
Last September, several councillors cycled, took the public bus and even one walked to the council’s full-board meeting to show their support for the Car-Free Day.
Campaign to curb litterbugs called the “Anti Kutu Sampah” was also launched last year. This is to instill good civic consciousness among the public to help keep their environment clean.
Article Source http://www.nst.com.my/streets/central/pj-council-offers-green-rebates-1.91129
The council has set the key components to help residents focus on their green efforts. The components include the usage of energy, water, waste management, transportation, bio-diversity and other creative initiatives.
“I encourage everyone to practise at least three of the six green initiatives,” said Petaling Jaya mayor Datuk Mohamad Roslan Sakiman.
He recently announced that 45 households have received assessment rebates for their green initiatives this year.
House owners who practise at least three of the six green components are eligible for assessment rebate.
Among house owners who enjoyed the rebates were those who have installed solar-powered water heaters in their homes. Others have practised rain water harvesting and used only energy saving bulbs.
All decisions to offer assessment rebate will be made only after house inspection by the council officers.
Head of One-Stop Centre and Secretariat of Low Carbon Green City of Petaling Jaya task force Lee Lih Shyan said the electricity rebate would be implemented soon.
“This is to encourage city folks, especially those from the lower-income families, to do their share for the environment,” he said.
Lee added that the average electricity usage in Petaling Jaya was 113 kilowatt-hour (kWh) per person in a month.
The rebate will be determined based on a household’s electricity bill. As for water consumption, a person in Selangor uses 237 litres of water per day, much higher than the world average of 165 litres of water per person per day.
Lee said he will be representing the council at the upcoming Rio + 20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
“Treat each day as a World Environment Day. The council can’t force you but can only influence your decisions,” he said.
Since 2010, the council has introduced many incentives to encourage residents to adopt green initiatives.
The council will be holding a Food Bank on June 26 at 8th Avenue in Section 8. This is aimed at avoiding food wastage, especially in the food industry while at the same time helping the needy. Hotels, eateries and individuals can donate cooked food to be distributed to the needy.
Within the next six months, city folk will also see new solar-powered recycling bins in the city. Known as the 3R Box, the bins will also act as an advertising tool to promote recycling. It will be placed in public places such as busy walkways. This is to encourage the public to help reduce, reuse and recycle.
By SHEILA SRI PRIYA
PETALING JAYA
streets@nstp.com.my
ENTIVE:House owners stand to enjoy up to 100 per cent off assessment
The council also offers three months of free council parking for city folk who purchased hybrid cars from car dealers in the city. This is to encourage low carbon emission.
Based on the Petaling Jaya 2020 Special Area Draft Plan, battery-powered modern trishaws would be introduced in the city. The trishaws are not only environmental friendly but also a cheaper mode of public transport compared to the taxis.
Starting this year, the council encourages its staff on Fridays to use their own food containers instead of getting their food packed in polystyrene containers.
The council’s public relation officer Zainun Zakariah said she has a stainless-steel food container which she uses to buy food since the campaign was launched.
“My husband said my food container looks just like the ones used by foreign construction workers. I say so be it. I do not think it is embarrassing to bring your own food containers,” said Zainun.
To promote healthy living, the council encourages its staff to go vegetarian on Mondays. Guests who attend council-related events on Mondays will also be served vegetarian dishes.
Council staff Norshalizawati Baharudin said the idea of going “meatless” is foreign to her. But since the campaign was introduced, she realised there were many vegetarian food choices.
“Vegetarian meals do not necessary mean we must only eat green vegetables. There are soy-based products which do taste similar to meat but only healthier,” she said.
Early this year the council also launched a campaign to fix energy-saving bulbs at the back portion of some 400 houses here. This is also part of the council’s effort to prevent crime.
Starting last year, all new developments in the city must also be installed with energy-saving lights.
Last September, several councillors cycled, took the public bus and even one walked to the council’s full-board meeting to show their support for the Car-Free Day.
Campaign to curb litterbugs called the “Anti Kutu Sampah” was also launched last year. This is to instill good civic consciousness among the public to help keep their environment clean.
Article Source http://www.nst.com.my/streets/central/pj-council-offers-green-rebates-1.91129
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