THE Penang government plans to construct affordable housing with green features in the coming six months through a collaboration with the Malaysian Institute of Architects (PAM) and the Institute of Engineers Malaysia (IEM).
State executive councillor for housing and environment Datuk Seri S. Sundarajoo said that the state through the Penang Green Council will work with PAM and IEM to incorporate greenery guidelines into those projects that are under construction now.
He believes that Penang is the first state in the country to provide greenery features for affordable housing.
This applies to units costing in the RM42,000 to RM300,000 range, he said after inking a memorandum of understanding with IEM and PAM to formally commence a collaborative effort with the two professional bodies yesterday.
Representing IEM was its national president Norlida Buniyamin and PAM northern region president Datuk Loh Chiak Eong.
Sundarajoo said that the state will first discuss how to offer incentives to developers so that they incorporate greenery measures into their housing projects.
“This will cover the landscaping and buildings, from having recycling zones to more trees, while also encouraging the adoption of a circular economy for residents living there,” he said.
He noted that Penang is also focusing on providing affordable housing to 100,000 fresh graduates to retain the talent pool for the state’s manufacturing and services sectors.
“We can offer green features for houses built for our graduates. That would be good,” he said.
QR codes on trees
Sundarajoo wants developers to focus more on mainland Seberang Prai where the development costs are relatively lower compared to those on the island.
The state will aim to ensure that there is affordable housing provided for 50% of the population soon. This can be expedited if the developers are willing to explore building more of such units on the mainland, he added.
On the suggestion by Loh to paste QR codes on several large trees in the state to generate awareness about their importance, Sundarajoo responded that this is an excellent idea which the state will explore with the help of the Green Council.
Loh outlined that the QR code can be placed on each tree to educate people, especially the young, about the usefulness of such greenery to protect them against climate change. The code can also measure the level of oxygen that a particular tree can generate.
Earlier, Green Council general manager Josephine Tan Mei Lin stressed that the need to reverse global warming is more evident now, as the world is on track to record its warmest temperatures ever.
“We are on the brink of a climate collapse in real time, so we need to begin taking precautions sooner than later,” she said.
Norlida also offered to have IEM share the architects’ expertise in the field of sustainability for the benefit of the public. – The Vibes, December 2, 2023
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