theSun Property October 2017

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GREENSERIES
IN line with the environmental
sustaining goings-on around
the nation during this month of
October, our property section
will run a series of articles in sync
with the “green” theme. Having
featured our “green-inspired” ID
piece last week, todaywe share an
article by Schneider Electric’s
country president forMalaysia, Soo
PowLeong, on “urbanisation”.
For a start, we look over the
definition of urbanisation – a social
process whereby cities develop and
growwhile societies becomemore
modern. Perhaps amore to-the-point,
short and catchy termwould be
“citified”. While there are some who
are of themindset that modernisation
and development have adverse effects
on the environment, Soo begs to
differ, provided ...
URBANISATION INASIA
Environmental sustainabilitymust be
addressed in order to build urban
resilience, as well as mitigate and adapt
to climate change. This is one of the
most crucial concerns in Asia, being
one of the world’s most climate
vulnerable regions and a growing
emitter of greenhouse gases in its own
right, accounting for more than 40%of
the total. The region is urbanising at a
more rapid rate, more than any other
region in the world. By 2050, some 64%
of Asia will become urban.
Meanwhile, with estimates
suggesting that cities are responsible
for 75%of global CO2 emissions –
transport and buildings being among
the largest contributors – it is not
surprising that many Asian
governments and the private sector are
coming together to rethink how the
urbanisationmegatrend can be
leveraged to further, rather than to
hinder, sustainable development.
To derive at environmental
advantages fromurbanisation, city
planners and governments are
considering running a city as a
multinational company by gathering
key data, utilising information
effectively, and having a clear
long-term strategy.
This is why the private sector is
essential as it contributes its various
industry expertise and byworking
withmunicipalities and partners, it
ensures that city leaders have all of the
necessities in place to run a city like an
MNC. This might involve tracking,
managing and forecasting
sustainabilitymetrics such as carbon,
water andwaste, optimising the
performance of building infrastructure,
as well as developing long-term
sustainability plans to address
priorities, needs and issues.
Asian cities to-date are actively
evolving and innovating in using smart
technologies to achieve the goals of
sustainability, liveability and
responsiveness. Their efforts can be
seen in three key areas – buildings,
water and energy.
SMART BUILDINGS
According to the UNEnvironment
Programme, energy consumed by
buildings has escalated to around 40%
of total consumption, worldwide.
At the same time, studies have
shown that only a quarter of a
building’s costs are associatedwith
capital expenses. The remaining three-
quarters go toward operating a
building over its lifecycle. Tomake
matters worse, the energy use in
buildings is only going to rise as the
International Energy Agency predicts
energy demand to increase by 50%by
2050.
Integrated buildingmanagement
solutions are an excellent way to
enable smart, sustainable ecosystems
inside and outside buildings, regardless
the age of the buildings.
SMARTWATER
Inmany Asian cities, the combination
of population growth and a sharp
increase in demand for energy and
manufacturing has major
repercussions onwater as a resource.
TheWorld Bank forecasts a global
deficit of 40%between anticipated
demand and available water resources
by 2030.
Smart water solutions, such as
improving water management systems
and networks, preventing and reducing
leaks, and optimising processing, are
critical in addressing this challenge.
When implemented in EastWater’s
water pipe network – Thailand’s most
advanced, efficient and complete water
pipeline at approximately 400km long
– such solutions reducedwater loss in
the pipeline by 17% (from 20% to 3%),
and reduced energy consumption by
5%.
SMART ENERGY
Demand for energy in Asia is expected
to double within the next 15 years,
largely expected in cities. As fossil
fuels remain themain source to power
Asian cities, generating electricity in a
sustainable waywill pose a great
challenge. Thankfully, the growth in
alternative sources of energy has
created newopportunities for
governments and companies in Asia
to integrate renewable energy sources,
using solar andwind, with smarter
upgrade projects across the region.
One such example is the San
LorenzoWind Farm in the Philippines.
It adopted an end-to-end solution that
protects the wind farm frommany
system faults and ensures reliable
production all-year round. And is
capable of generating over 120GWh
of electricity annually and can
sustain the energy demands of 48,000
households.
Smart grid solutions are also
transforming the power industry. By
letting businesses knowhowmuch
power they are using and calculating
the costs in real-time, businesses have
the necessary tools tomeasure and
reduce energy consumption.
Companies are leveraging on the
“Internet of Things (IoT)” and smart
grids to buildmore efficient energy
infrastructure in cities. When electrical
systems of buildings are connected to
smart grids, the grids detect power
usage and divert power to places
where it is neededmost.
As urbanisation rapidly transforms
the face of Asia and the lives of its
people, everyone frompolicymakers
to companies and residents have an
important role to play in ensuring that
the benefits that urban expansion
brings is efficient, inclusive and
sustainable, and life is “on” for
everyone, everywhere at every
moment.
The article by Soowas inspired by
the report that the PrimeMinister’s
Office inMalaysia had saved 40% in
energy after adopting Schneider
Electric’s Building Automation and
EnergyMonitoring System. This
retrofitting project also helpsMalaysia
meet its Copenhagen promise, to
reduce 40%of carbon emissions by
2020.
With proper collaboration, the right
use of data, creativity, science and the
IoT, urbanisation is said to be the smart
and sustainable way forward, amore
progressive and constructive approach
to a better future.
Most populatedcities inAseancountries in2015
Number of inhabitants
More than 5 million
More than 2 million
More than 1 million
More than 500,000
Capital
Myanmar
Naypyidaw
Yangon
Laos
Vientiane
Hanoi
Thailand
Bangkok Vietnam
Cambodia
Phnom Penh
Ho Chi Minh City
Brunei
Bandar Seri Begawan
Malaysia
Kuala Lumpur
Medan
Singapore
Indonesia
Jakarta
Bandung
Surabaya
Manila
Philippines
Retrieved
Projected demographic growth of Asean countries
Population
in millions
ASEAN 632 665 721 785
Brunei 0.43 0.45 0.50 0.55
Cambodia 16 17 19 23
Indonesia 256 269 293 321
Laos 7.02 7.65 8.81 10.6
Malaysia 31 33 37 42
Myanmar 54 56 59 59
Philippines 102 110 128 157
Singapore 5.62 6.05 6.58 7.06
Thailand 67 68 68 62
Vietnam 93 97 102 104
2015 2020 2030 2050
Retrived
THE newphase of JesseltonVillas
by Berjaya LandDevelopment
Berhad is expected to be launched
in the second half of next year.
Berjaya Land Berhad (B-Land)
senior general manager (Properties
Marketing Division) Tan TeeMing
said the next phase of Jesselton
Villas will feature three-storey
bungalows in the 13.78 acre plot of
Parcel 3 and three and a half-storey
super link houses in Parcel 4,
spanning 11.74 acres. The
company’s focus for now, is on
completing KensingtonGardens,
Parcel 1 of JesseltonVillas which is
expected to be fully completed by
the first quarter of 2018 saidTan.
“Our immediate plan is to finish
Parcel 1 first and thenwewill
proceedwith Parcel 3 and 4,” he
said during a press conference after
the launch of the newproperty
gallery at JalanMasjidNegeri.
“The gross development value for
the newphase is about RM1 billion,
and it will consist of 66 units of 3-
storey bungalows in Parcel 3 and three
and a half-storey super link houses in
Parcel 4,” Tan added.
The gallery launch beganwith a
lion dance performance and a tour of
the newgallerywhichwill serve
customers looking for their ideal
property in Penang. The grand
opening saw a crowd of about 70
guests, comprising corporate clients,
business associates andmembers of
themedia.– By Imran Hilmy
NewB-Landpropertygallery inPenang
Urbanaids
>Urbanisation and its benefits on the environment
Berjaya Group
executive
director Nerine
Tan (left) and Tan
receive the ‘ong
lai’, symbolising
prosperity
during the official
opening of the
property gallery.
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theSun ON FRIDAY | OCTOBER 13, 2017