Part of Sarawak’s digital economy agenda is transforming its existing urban areas into smart cities.
Defining smart cities differ from country to country; for example, in Malaysia’s context, as described in its Smart City Framework, they are “cities that use ICT and technological advancement to address urban issues including to improve quality of life, promote economic growth, develop sustainable and safe environment and encourage efficient urban management practices.”
Sarawak’s smart city initiative comprises several components that include housing and urban development, with one of its objectives being to create environmentally friendly urban living and workspace to improve the city-living experience of its growing urban population.
One of the measures undertaken to achieve this aim is the construction and promotion of green buildings across Sarawak.
Buildings, while an essential part of a city’s infrastructure, account for 36 percent of global energy use and 40 percent of energy-related carbon dioxide emissions in 2017, according to a United Nations report.
Thus, transforming existing buildings or constructing new ones based on the green concept allow cities to increase energy efficiency and reduce their carbon footprint as well as operational cost.
According to Malaysia’s green rating tool Green Building Index (GBI), green buildings are centred on improving efficiency of resource use – i.e. energy, water, materials – while decreasing building impact on human health and the environment during these buildings’ lifecycles.
Through greater methods of siting, design, construction, operation, maintenance and removal, GBI adds that green buildings “should be designed and operated to reduce the overall impact of the built environment on its surroundings.”
Green buildings provide long-term and wide-ranging benefits towards organisations, communities and overall environment.
As pointed out by GBI, well-constructed green buildings can save energy and resources, recycle materials and minimise toxic substance emission throughout their lifecycles.
Businesses and organisations that operate in green buildings are able to save on operational cost, as well as utilising resources efficiently, boosting workplace productivity, and earning positive reputation for being eco-friendly.
Within a locality, green buildings are harmonising with the area’s local climate, traditions, culture and the surrounding environment.
Above all, they can ensure sustainability and improvement of the quality of human life, at the same time upholding the capacity of the ecosystem locally and globally.
Sarawak uses the GBI rating tool for its green buildings as a means to promote environmental sustainability and reduce carbon impact to the environment in its urban development, beginning with new government and private non-residential buildings in major cities and towns.
These buildings assessed under the tool based on six main criteria: Energy Efficiency, Indoor Environmental Quality, Sustainability Site Planning and Management, Materials and Resources, Water Efficiency, and Innovation.
Presently, based on updates by Sarawak Multimedia Authority as of September 2020, seven government buildings have been assessed under the GBI rating tool.
These buildings are Miri City Council’s Green Community Centre (currently in the midst of Completion and Verification Assessment); Kuching South City Council; Kota Samarahan Municipal Council; Sibu Central Market; Kuching North City Hall; Padawan Municipal Council; and Tegas Digital Village in Samajaya, Kuching.
