PETALING JAYA (Aug 19): Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming stressed the need to build future developments and cities that are sustainable and resilient against climate change, when presenting his morning ministerial keynote address at the International Green Build Conference (IGBC) 2025 held at the One World Hotel, Petaling Jaya on Tuesday.

“The escalating impacts of climate change, manifested through rising temperatures, extreme weather events and rising sea levels are no longer distant threats, but immediate realities for Malaysia and the Asean region,” he said. “These realities demand urgent, innovative and comprehensive action. We cannot afford to treat sustainability as an afterthought or optional. It must be the very foundation upon which we design, develop and build our future cities and communities.”

Attended by over 800 participants, the conference was co-organised by Real Estate and Housing Developers’ Association (Rehda) Institute and GreenRE Sdn Bhd. With the theme of “Adaptation Through Sustainable Innovation”, the full-day conference featured panel discussions and talks by nine speakers from across the globe.

In his opening speech, GreenRE chairman Datuk Seri FD Iskandar said that the property and construction industry must find solutions to reduce its emissions.

“For decades, the building and construction sector has been a major part of the problem. We are responsible for nearly 40% of global emissions but that can and must be changed. We must stop being part of the climate problems and start becoming the structural backbone of the solution,” he said.

Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister and Energy Transition and Water Transformation Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof, in his afternoon ministerial keynote address, stressed the importance of energy efficiency in the built industry as it aligned with the upcoming Energy Efficiency and Conservation Act.

“The Energy Efficiency and Conservation Act 2024 provides the legal foundation to advance our national energy efficiency agenda. This act covers both electrical and thermal energy, placing focus on managing demand comprehensively while promoting efficient energy use across industrial, commercial and domestic sectors. For the building sector, the act is especially significant as it encourages the adoption of energy-efficiency designs in new construction as well as improved energy management in existing ones.”

Source: The Edge