Blog post -

Malaysia's 3 Green Property Hotspots to Watch

According to the Department of Statistics Malaysia, the country's GDP is on a steady growth path, with the economy recorded to be expanding at 5.8 per cent at the end of 2014.

As further investment into Malaysia persists, population growth will naturally follow, and as existing urban areas become overcrowded, developers are looking towards previously untapped areas for further development. Wanting to avoid the mistakes made in the world's most polluted cities and emulate the standards set by the world's cleanest cities, developers are making sustainable development a greater priority.

Klang Valley

Klang Valley, Malaysia

The southern Klang Valley, near Kajang and Seminyih, is touted as an area worth watching. Real estate prices are lower in this area, but with major transportation links in the works, the area is ripe for growth for property investments. The proposed KL-LATAR Expressway will reduce driving time to Kuala Lumpur to 30 minutes and the MRT railway line in Sungai Buloh is nearing completion.

Flat, undeveloped land in the Klang Valley provides ideal residential and mixed commercial and residential development spaces. This property hotspot is a potentially lucrative area for future sustainable developments.

Klang Valley has caught the attention of the Eco World Development Group. Eco Sky, its first project in the area, is a commercial and residential development on a 3.88 hectare parcel of land. It will have Singapore's BCA Green Mark,US Green Building Council's LEED and Malaysia's Green Building Index (GBI) certifications. Eco Sky will be followed by the much larger township, Eco Majestic, which will cover 434 hectares and is slated to be the largest strata title development in Malaysia.

In collaboration with the Malaysian Ministry of Education, Panasonic Malaysia has been organising its Global Eco Learning Programme annually since 2011 towards educating the younger generation in Klang Valley on the importance of sustainable development.

Penang

The world famous wall mural in Penang, Malaysia

Penang is another area in Malaysia thatcould see exponential growth in green property investments.

In response to concerns about environmental sustainability following rapid property growth, The Penang Green Council launched a 'Be Green, Make a Difference' campaign in 2014 to encourage sustainable building. The council doubled funding for its Penang Green Innovation Incentive and added funding for Penang Green Innovation Incentive and Rainwater Harvesting Incentives in 2015.

The completion of the second Penang bridge boosted property development interest in the Batu Kawan area, with the most ambitiousproject being Aspen Vision City. A mixed commercial and residential development on a 245 acre parcel of land, Aspen Vision City is being built with sustainability in mind. According to Group CEO of the Aspen Group, Dato' M. Murly, "As the developer, we are committed to the eco-town concept. We believe Aspen Vision City will be the finest fully integrated eco township of the future city."

"After almost two years of detailedstudy and planning, we believe Batu Kawan is the future city of Penang and we look forward to spearheading the development of Batu Kawan's Central Business District," said Murly.

Sabah

Langkawi, Malaysia

Sabah, located in Borneo, is one of the world's hottest tourist destinations because of its abundance of natural wonders. From its pristine beaches and islands to its rich variety of flora and fauna in Kota Kinabalu and other national parks, eco-tourists flock to Sabah for its unspoiled beauty.

In 2014, Sabah recorded a 21 per cent increase in tourism. Occupancy rates in Sabah hotels stand at 92 per cent and according to officials, another 5000 hotel rooms are still needed to accommodate the influx of tourists. This means that Sabah holds huge potential for growth in the hospitality and building industries.

To ensure that future projects don't harm the natural surrounding environment, Brunei, Malaysia and Indonesia have agreed on a Heart of Borneo (HoB) initiative to ensure Sabah and all of Borneo retains its biodiversity and natural beauty. Adopted measures include emission reduction policies, feed-in tariffs for renewable energy and public and private partnerships for biodiversity conservation.

Property investors in the region will find that many current and future projects in Malaysia now have sustainability in mind. With support from both the government and local residents, it can be said that Malaysia is truly showing the way forward in Asia's green building landscape.

Related links

Topics

  • Building, property

Categories

  • homes & living
  • housing
  • technology
  • malaysia
  • panahome

Related content

Malaysia’s position in the rising solar panel industry

The solar panel industry has seen significant growth worldwide over the last decade. Southeast Asia, particularly Malaysia, is becoming a major player in this area of manufacturing.

Mass-market green living: Net-zero homes

Is the choice between a “net-zero” home and high energy bills (and inadvertently contributing to global warming) an easy one to make?

Smart living: Smart lighting for your home and office

Advancements in technology have enabled the development of lighting as an automated function within a room or home to adjust to prevailing conditions, hence improving energy efficiency. Here's a look at how smart lighting could benefit living spaces.

4 Simple Steps to go Eco-friendly in Your Home

Eco-friendly home modifications are good for the environment, but that's not the only reason they're worth investing in. Here's a look at how having eco-friendly features in your home can make your life more comfortable and save you money.

Asia's Green Ambitions Should Start from Urban Environments

It is estimated that urban environments account for a large percentage of greenhouse-gas emissions. As such, governments are beginning to realise that efforts to reduce a country's carbon footprint should start in its rapidly growing cities.

Working in Eco-Luxury: Malaysia's Green Commercial Architecture

Luxury coupled with sustainability are the hallmarks of office developments in Malaysia today. The trend began with modestly sized government office buildings, but newer commercial high-rise developments are now taking centre stage.

Interview with an Eco-Housing Expert: Jason Pomeroy (Part 2 of 2)

In part two of our interview with Professor Jason Pomeroy, Panasonic speaks to the eco-architect, master planner and academic about the green-building landscape in Southeast Asia.

Interview with an Eco-Housing Expert: Jason Pomeroy (Part 1 of 2)

Panasonic speaks to award-winning eco-architect, master planner and academic Prof. Jason Pomeroy, principal and founder of Singapore-based architectural firm Pomeroy Studio. In part one of a two-part interview, he talks about the key issues, drivers and trends of green buildings in Southeast Asia.

Three Malaysian Green-building Joint Ventures to Watch

Developers in Malaysia are exhibiting further commitment to environmental preservation with more green-building developments. These joint ventures highlight continued efforts towards environmental sustainability in the country.

Iskandar Malaysia: A Look at SEA’s Next Eco-friendly Economic Hub

With an abundance of land and the determination to lead the way towards a sustainable future, Malaysia is poised to become the hub of green-building growth in Asia with developments like Iskandar Malaysia underway.

The Future of Urban Infrastructure: Sustainable Smart Cities

As digital technologies get more and more integrated into our way of life, these smart cities offer a glimpse into the future of sustainable living.

Bamboo in Construction: Today's Renewable Building Resource

Bamboo is highly regarded as a reliable, renewable and versatile building material in many tropical regions. The plant is one of the world's oldest natural building materials and serves as an important resource for sustainable building in today's eco-conscious world. Panasonic explores ways on bamboo usage as a renewable building resource.

Three examples of smart living spaces of today

Imagine a home you can control with the touch of a button or your voice. Smart technology is revolutionising living spaces, combining automated living with comfort and convenience.

Remarkable green building technologies you can experience today

As countries are better able to make use of technology to support sustainable building, remarkable strides are being made in green technology, giving us a glimpse of what's to come.

Go green and save money with passively-cooled features in your home

Homeowners and building developers can save on their energy bills by employing passive cooling strategies in their designs. At the same time, they are helping the country become greener.

Evolution of Green Building Technologies in Asia [Infographic]

In recent years, Asia has seen much advancement in eco-friendly and sustainable building technologies, from establishing government regulations to support green building, to the development of entire smart cities. Here's a top down look at how green building technologies have developed in Asia over the last decade.

Indonesian Eco Resorts: Showing the way forward

A recent Trip Advisor survey cited by the International Ecotourism Club found that 79 percent of travellers feel it's important that "accommodation providers have eco-friendly practices." Explore how Indonesia is showing the way forward with a few noteworthy eco-friendly resorts.

Driving Malaysia's Green Building Industry

Thanks largely to government incentives and the adoption of a green rating system, Malaysia is now at the forefront of the green movement in Southeast Asia.

A Green Awakening in Indonesia

Indonesia's capital has mandated that buildings must be more energy efficient, while market demand for green projects throughout the country is picking up.

Building Your Dream Green Home Part 2: Technology for the Eco-friendly home

An eco-friendly home uses green technology at its heart, working with nature instead of against it. Homeowners and developers can look to a few green-living solutions that have made luxurious green-living an achievable reality.

Building Your Dream Green Home Part 1: Features of a luxurious, sustainable home

Visitors to Kuala Lumpur often comment on the city's stunning architecture. Take a closer look and discover that modern Malaysian architecture is as green as it is beautiful.

Get environmentally friendly with low-e glass and shading devices

Thanks in part to government-led green initiatives, Malaysia is emerging as a leader in sustainable housing development. Low-emission (also known as low-e glass) and other shading technologies are amongst the country’s solutions to the problem of wasteful conventional energy.

How a Geothermal-powered Home Reduces Environmental Impact and Saves Money

Geothermal energy promises to reduce dependence on coal and other carbon-emitting sources of energy. While geothermal energy is important, it is not our only alternative. Large-scale geothermal plants can provide electricity to millions when combined with solar power in individual homes, drastically reducing energy costs with minimal environmental impact.

Where is Green Building Headed in SEA?

As the world's population increases, more and more people in urbanised areas. Sustainable building is now entering the mainstream as a way to conserve natural resources, save costs in the long run and support population increase in major countries around the world. We take a look at where green building is headed in Southeast Asia.

Sustainable residential design: Is it worth the money?

One of the main reasons why home builders don't embrace sustainable design is because of the extra costs involved. However, while the initial cost of a sustainable home may be higher, if you look at this as an investment in future savings, the picture changes. In the long run, a sustainable home is a more economical home.

Flood-proofing lessons for every home

The devastating floods in Malaysia in 2014 highlighted the importance of taking measures to ensure that home are flood-safe. Here, we examine some effective ways to flood-proof existing homes as well as other methods for flood-proofing future developments.

Green Building and Sustainability Explained

'Green building' and 'sustainability' are terms we hear frequently. Are the two terms synonymous or are there differences between them? How can an existing building be made more sustainable? What are developers doing to make their projects greener and more sustainable?

The Onset of the Smart Nation Shows a Sign of Things to Come in Modern Urban Living

Singapore is suited to become the world's first fully integrated Smart Nation. Much of the infrastructure is already in place and the government's new Smart Nation initiative is designed to give the country the boost it needs to make the vision a reality.

Rainwater Harvesting and Water Management Systems for Greener Living

Recent flooding in Malaysia and Indonesia highlight the need for improvements in water management systems. We take a look home water management systems which can be used to mitigate the effects of heavy rainfall and also make water available for use in times of drought.

How green buildings are advancing Indonesia’s progress

Image Source: Photo by Bart Speelman/CC by 2.0
Here’s how the archipelago of Indonesia is making headway in the green building industry, despite being slightly late in taking action compared to the rest of Southeast Asia.
More than half of the world’s population now live in cities. Despite Indonesia comprising more than 17,000 islands – many off the main city areas and still in various stage

Green housing trends in Malaysia

Image Source: Photo by Adamina/CC by 2.0
The green building sector in Malaysia is set to grow tremendously, influenced by these three housing trends.
Sustainable architecture is set to take Asia by storm, and Malaysia is no exception. Since the establishment of both the Malaysia Green Building Confederation (MGBC) and Malaysia Green Building Index (MGBI) in 2009, the initiative has gained h