Green Build Conference 2023 aims to foster long-term sustainability

• Minister of Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad: The repercussions of climate change are being seen worldwide, including recent heatwaves that have affected many Asian countries, increasing sea levels, and more regular flooding in our backyards. We’re looking into revising and strengthening existing policies to orient Malaysia on the right path in combating climate change.

PETALING JAYA (Aug 1): The third installment of the Green Build Conference (GBC) 2023, which was held on Tuesday (Aug 1), highlighted the importance of long-term sustainability in the country’s real estate industry by urging stakeholders to plan their climate ambitions accurately and demonstrate their commitment and ability to take decisive climate actions.

Attended by over 300 participants, the conference was jointly organised by GreenRE Sdn Bhd and Rehda Institute. With the theme “Realising Low Carbon Real Estate”, the full-day conference featured panel discussions, presentations and talks by 14 speakers from all over the world.

In his opening speech, GreenRE chairman and Glomac Bhd managing director Datuk Seri FD Iskandar said that it is without a doubt that the construction industry needs to be greener. “With buildings accounting for over 40% of carbon emissions and more than a third of electricity consumption, reducing a building’s carbon emissions can go a long way in enabling us to achieve our nation's goal of net zero emissions. The actions we take this decade are critical to set us on the right path toward this target.

“Investors are progressively calling on businesses to evaluate their climate risks and plan for transitioning to a low-carbon future through mitigation and adaptation. “Building for the future” must be the mantra of the real estate sector. In tandem with heightened attention on ESG reporting and benchmarking, the property development industry can leverage on robust green building certification to sustain a high-performance lifecycle,” FD Iskandar added.

Endorsing the GBC 2023, Minister of Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad said the conference showcased the industry’s commitment towards advancing sustainable real estate in the country.

“The repercussions of climate change are being seen worldwide, including recent heatwaves that have affected many Asian countries, increasing sea levels, and more regular flooding in our backyards. We’re looking into revising and strengthening existing policies to orient Malaysia on the right path in combating climate change.

“We also know that energy efficiency and the wider sustainability agenda is a significant undertaking, to say the least. It cannot simply be legislated into existence. We must also acknowledge that not only consumers but even big companies and builders, to say nothing of small-and-medium enterprises (SMEs), will find the process daunting,” he said.

Nik Nazmi continued, “The principles of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) are now imperatives for trade and investment. Malaysia must master them, but companies will have to also work hard to accommodate these demands”.

The conference was segmented into three sessions: the first panel discussion titled “Pricing Carbon in Malaysia”, second panel discussion titled “Energising ESG Through Green Financing” and several presentations under the theme “Building Through Innovation”.

The first panel discussion focused on how setting a signal for carbon can drive the price economic case for carbon abatement, creating systemic change and accelerate progress. Panelists included The Asia Foundation (Malaysia) climate consultant and World Bank (Malaysia) climate specialist Darshan Joshi and Climate Governance Malaysia council member Gary William Theseira with United Nations Global Compact Network Malaysia; and Brunei state director (Johor) Edey Suresh as the moderator.

Panelists of the second panel discussion included International Finance Corp chief industry specialist of green buildings and climate-smart cities Prashant Kapoor, as well as United Overseas Bank (UOB) Ltd managing director and sectors solutions group head of real estate & hospitality and construction & infrastructure Jasper Wong Soong Ling, with moderator Rehda Institute chairman and UOB (Malaysia) Bhd chairman Datuk Jeffrey Ng Tiong Lip. This panel discussed the new innovations and levers that are being implemented, together with their implications for the property sector and how they will affect risk, compliance and investment.

In the “Building Through Innovation” session, six speakers took the stage to present their respective topics. This included AB Consulting Canada principal Albert Bicol, who talked about “Designing the Future of Net-Zero Energy Buildings for Resilient and Sustainable Communities”; NABERS Australia (Sydney) head of market development Magali Wardle on “Naber's Embodied Carbon Framework: How Measuring and Managing Drives World Class Performance on Buildings”; Progressture Solar co-founder and chief operating officer Ng Yew Weng on “The Future of Renewable Energy in Malaysia”, as well as TSA Management Sdn Bhd regional director for South East Asia, Gandhi Suppiah, who spoke on “The Role of Zero Emission Transport for Sustainable Urban Centres Planning Management”.

More speakers in the session included Frasers Property Australia (Melbourne) sustainability advisor Ruvini Silva, who shared her case study “Raising the Bar on Sustainability at the Burwood Brickworks Retail Centre Melbourne” and TR Hamzah Yeang Sdn Bhd executive director Datuk Ken Yeang, who shared on “Nature-based Green Architecture and Planning”.

Meanwhile, the conference also witnessed the launch of GreenRE’s Sustainable Real Estate Book in conjunction with its 10-year anniversary.

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