MALAYSIA NEEDS TO INTRODUCE GREEN BUILDING INDEX - PAM

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 24 (Bernama) -- Green Building Index (GBI), a voluntarily
professional-driven initiative, will be introduced in Malaysia in April this
year to promote higher environmental-friendly compliance in buildings in the
country.

Malaysian Institute of Architects (PAM) and the Association for Consulting
Engineers Malaysia (ACEM) had been working hand-in-glove since August last year
for the setting of the index, which had been implemented in other countries such
as Singapore and Australia.

PAM Chairman Tan Loke Mun said the PAM would liaise with the governement
next week to see what incentive could be given to support the GBI initiative in
enhancing sustainability in the environment and reducing the nation's urban
carbon footprint.

Tan said Malaysia put little emphasis on transport emission in which energy
use was high.

"For instance, 70 per cent of Malaysians use cars and thus, we need to
encourage the use of public transport to reduce energy consumption," Tan said at
a talk on "Green Global Cities and an Introduction to Green Building Index
Malaysia" at the PAM headquarters here Tuesday.

He said that the climate had definitely changed and action needed to be
taken now for a sustainable city that was able to feed and power itself with
minimal reliance.

He said the age of automobile had ended while the age of technology was
declining.

The next generation would be the age of green, he added.
-- BERNAMA