Malaysia gears up with Southeast Asian neighbours in Green City Drive

With new partnerships and greater content, BEX Asia 2013 is set to lend strong support to SEAsia’s green agenda

Kuala Lumpur, 3 July 2013 – Malaysia is on the right track in its efforts to increase the country’s green development credentials. Since Malaysia began practicing certification using the fully-Malaysian Green Building Index (GBI) tools introduced by the Malaysian Architects' Association (PAM) and the Association of Consulting Engineers Malaysia (ACEM) in 2009, more than 50 million square feet of building space has achieved Green Building status , with 137 projects having been certified as of Q2 this year .

This greening momentum, together with targets such as the country’s pledge to reduce carbon emission by up to 40% by 2020 and new efforts such as the Construction Industry Development Board Malaysia (CIDB)'s new planning guidelines for green construction and GreenRE, the green building and carbon-rating tool developed by the Real Estate and Housing Developers' Association Malaysia (REHDA), fits closely with its ASEAN and Asian neighbours’ focus on the future of green technology in development.

From L-R Ar Boon Che Wee, Chairman of Green Building Index Accreditation Panel and Past President of Malaysian Institute of Architects, Ms Louise Chua, Project Director of Reed Exhibitions (Organiser of BEX Asia) and Mr Koh Lin Ji, Group Director of International Development Group, Building and Construction Authority Singapore.

Besides Malaysia with its ever-growing efforts, other countries in the region have been moving ahead with new initiatives this year. Singapore launched the Sustainable Blueprint under the Sustainable Singapore drive which aims to make the city a lively and livable one. Thailand has its “Low Carbon City” initiative which aims to help achieve reductions in GHG emissions and catalyse this shift into a low carbon society while the Philippines too has its green initiative that will serve to enhance the quality of life for citizens.

Nevertheless, Green Buildings are only part of each country’s green efforts that help the environment, as maintaining sustainable development of a nation requires strong collaboration between the government, private sector and the people. As the nations within Southeast Asia each pushes its green agenda forward, some, such as Singapore, are constantly highlighting the importance of Public Private Partnership (PPP) for its green-city drive to gain greater momentum. Singapore’s efforts are in line with the view that a city can only be considered truly green if residential, industrial and commercial infrastructures all consciously incorporate green elements into its design and functionality.

“Since 2008, BEX Asia has taken the lead to drive the industry green movement by providing a platform for regional interaction. Through the provision of this platform to facilitate the exchange of technologies and ideas, we hope to be able to help propel the industry to its next stage and encourage companies to take a more integrated approach in terms of adopting green technologies and methods,” said Ms Louise Chua, Project Director of Reed Exhibitions which organises BEX Asia.

BEX Asia 2013 – Greater emphasis on energy efficiency solutions
As a key green show in the region that promises a multi-disciplinary showcase of the latest green solutions for residential and commercial developments, it is imperative that BEX Asia too is always ahead and aware of the latest market trends. In line with the increase in demand for energy efficiency solutions, BEX Asia 2013 will see a brand new Energy Efficiency Trail that aims to offer a comprehensive range of green solutions from green system software to Heating, Ventilation and Air-Conditioning (HVAC) systems.

BEX Asia 2013 – New participation and collaborations

On top of the greater depth in the energy efficiency content offered this year, BEX Asia 2013 will also provide greater business opportunities and see new country participation from Switzerland and Japan. In particular, Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO), a government-affiliated organization, will be leading more than 15 Japanese companies to BEX Asia 2013.

BEX Asia 2013 will be held in conjunction with the inaugural edition of the World Engineering Expo (WEE) 2013, World Engineering Summit (WES) 2013 and also the International Green Building Conferences (IGBC) 2013, making it a truly holistic and all-encompassing green show.

While BEX Asia 2013 offers green solutions for residential and commercial properties, WEE focuses mainly on engineering services, consultancy, product and services, and WES touches on larger issues like infrastructure, industrial developments and climate change. Together, they complement each other to provide a comprehensive platform of thought leadership and practical architectural, design and engineering solutions for the industry in the region.

To be held between 11 and 13 September 2013 at the Marina Bay Sands Convention Centre, BEX Asia 2013 will see more than 300 international exhibitors come together, showcasing the largest range of green products in Southeast Asia.