October 26, 2024 -Saturday

Tuesday 13/12/2022

Photo caption: Ar. Sarly says the launch of the online system will further ensure that GBI remains the top and leading green building certification mark in Malaysia.

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 13 (Bernama) -- Greenbuildingindex Sdn Bhd (GSB), which owns and administrates Malaysia’s premier and international green rating tool for buildings and townships – Green Building Index (GBI) – has launched its online system to facilitate the various GBI certification processes.
 
Aptly named “GreenUp”, the online certification system was uploaded and has been accessible via the GBI website (www.greenbuildingindex.org) from 1 December 2022.
 
GSB Chairman, Assoc. Prof. (Ind.) Ar. Sarly Adre Sarkum, said this latest initiative is to enhance efficiency in the submission and registration processes by GBI Facilitators and project owners right through to the final certification of building and township projects by GBI.
 
“Besides ensuring the highest standards in our certification processes, we also move with the times in adopting modern technology and methods to ensure that GBI remains the top and leading green building certification mark in Malaysia.
 
“Since our establishment in 2009, GBI has been entrusted by more than 1,100 building owners to have their buildings green-certified. These include international and national organisations and companies, federal and state government ministries and agencies, public and private universities and individual residences.
 
“Of these 1,100 building projects, GBI has certified 627 buildings alone as at 31 October 2022. In terms of Gross Floor Area (GFA), these 627 buildings account for 285.9 million square feet of GBI rated building GFA. With several buildings reaching the final assessment stages, we should be able to exceed 300 million square feet of GBI rated building GFA within 2023,” he enthused.  
 
GBI Accreditation Panel Chairman, Ar. Dr. Serina Hijjas, is confident that the online system, GreenUp, will be very well received especially by the GBI Facilitators, who provide consultancy services to property owners towards attaining GBI accreditation for their projects.

“It has taken much time and effort and involved many GBI professional volunteers, secretariat staff and GBI Facilitators to work diligently with the system vendor to develop and fine-tune the system.
 
“GreenUp ensures that the entire GBI processes of certifying buildings and townships are conducted professionally and timely,” said Ar. Dr. Serina who foresees an increased demand for GBI-certified buildings in the years ahead as governments, organisations, companies and society in general move towards realising their Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) goals.  

Backgrounder on GSB (Greenbuildingindex Sdn Bhd)

Pertubuhan Arkitek Malaysia (PAM)’s architects have over the years been developing and working more and more towards a more sustainable and green architecture. In 2008, the need for a localised Green Building rating tool became more evident especially in the light of increasing demand from building end-users for green-rated buildings that would not overly and adversely contribute to the destruction of the environment. This was also in line with the objectives of many companies today where good corporate social responsibility (CSR) calls for them to only support environmentally friendly initiatives including their office premises.

In August 2008, the PAM Council endorsed and approved the formation of the new Sustainability Committee who was tasked primarily to develop and set-up the Green Building Index (GBI) and the accompanying Panel for certification and accreditation of Green-rated buildings. In addition, Greenbuildingindex Sdn Bhd was incorporated in February 2009, a wholly-owned subsidiary of PAM and the Association of Consulting Engineers Malaysia (ACEM), to administrate GBI accreditation and training of GBI Facilitators and Certifiers.

GBI accreditation for buildings is separated into three tiers. At the highest level is the GBI Accreditation Panel, the independent regulatory body for GBI accreditation. At the intermediate level are the GBI Certifiers, consisting of experienced professionals who conduct the assessment and accreditation of project submissions. On the front-end level are the GBI Facilitators, professionals who work together with clients and design teams to enhance their projects to meet or exceed GBI rating system requirements. 

SOURCE: Greenbuildingindex Sdn Bhd (GSB)

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: 
Name: Wan Nurul Ain Wan Sazali (Wan Ain)
Project Coordinator
Tel: +6017 915 0362
Email: wanain@greenbuildingindex.org

Name: Andrew Kong
General Manager
Tel: +6012 6818838 
Email: andrew@greenbuildingindex.org

--BERNAMA