We know green cities are the future.

In the 21st century, the world’s urban centers are now aiming to cut 80 percent of CO2 emissions. There are some
major projects, which will cost billions of dollars.

Actually there is already an exact statistic about the expenses of creating green cities. According to the official statistics, 350 trillion will be spent on creating
green urban infrastructure.

This amazing figure is growing, simply because the global population continues to grow. It isn’t easy to build an entirely new infrastructure and some of the
projects will surely be closed.

Some people aren’t so optimists about it, but the truth is – despite the green cities are a hyper expensive goal, they are going to save the environment and
the nature, because in the same time the world population grows, the pollution grows too.

The main goal of the environmentalists is to cut down the fossil-fuel use, to use only sustainable materials for building and to expand the so called “green
space”, in order to clean the air quality.

Energy efficiency is also an issue, so far a disturbing issue, especially for the biggest urban centers on the planet.
For instance, the project of San Francisco’s Treasure Island, California is praised as the greenest project of the future, but its building and realization will
take lots of time and money. Yet, this project will include anything one can need for an entirely green urban existing.

Just imagine: there will be built a 20-acre city operated organic farm, which will supply all the residents with organic food.

The solar and the wind- farms will power the city as it is expected by 2020 the solar panels to cover 70 percents of the town – this mean that annually they
will be able to generate 30 million kilowatt / hour of electricity.

The project will replace the old electricity system and this will cut down the pollution with 80 percents by 2020. The bad news is that its releasing isn’t going
to be easy. In a time of recession, launching projects like this are more than expensive.

So is the latest project of Victoria, British Columbia. The town can praise with Dockside Green project, an ambitious project that will turn the town into a
carbon-neutral one by 2012.

The project is so far under analysis, but it isn’t very sure that it will ever become a reality, simply because it will take billions of dollars to fund a project like
this. The dream of the environmentalists is useful and surely will save the planet, but the process to its completion remains too long and sometimes, too
harsh.

The Green Buildings – What Are They All

About?
Posted on Dec 13, 2010 | Comments 0

Generally, constructing a green building is seen as a very expensive adventure. According to a recent study from World Business Council for Sustainable
Development, the costs for a green building will rise to 300% over the cost of a standard one in spite of the fact that so far the cost increase was estimated
only at 17 %.
 All over the world, the architects and engineers endeavor in such daring
project with the purpose of making the public more receptive to the alternative options for building a house. The results of their work are futuristic works of art
whose purpose is to make the best of living comfortably and protecting the environment.

A green building is a building that uses resources efficiently whether those resources are energy, water or building materials. It improves human health by
improving the air.

Under the circumstances that show the standard buildings as being some of the major pollutants in the world, the green building can be more that just an
attempt to make a better world.

More and more daring projects are considered by the large building companies because, in spite of the higher price, the market encourages the immobile
trend to follow a “greener” approach towards building investments.

New Green Tower from Miami looks like a giant piece of Swiss cheese because of the uniform holes in the shell that covers the building. The shell is actually
an exoskeleton and consists of a structure that isolates the building sustaining the turbines that offer shade and a natural ventilation.

The sky–scraper is 116 meter tall. It is the daring result of a creative cooperation from Chad Oppenheim (architecture and design), Buro Happold and Ysreal
Seinuk from energy consultancy.

The building that cost 40 million dollars incorporates residential space as well as commercial space. The price of the residential space is rising from 400000
dollars per apartment to 1 million dollars/commercial space.

The green technologies are the wind turbines, photovoltaic panels and solar water heating. As a plus the floors are made of recycled glass and bamboo.

The designers hoped that this amazing architectural piece would attract tenants with a taste for green lifestyle and they were not wrong because nowadays
more and more corporate enterprises choose to conduct their businesses in eco friendly buildings.

About Green Cities

Green Cities™ is designed to advance the business and science of sustainability in a conference format. Conferences promise to deliver impressive,
relevant, and interactive experiences to governments and businesses providing tools and resources needed to improve policies, operations, and
materials for sustainable decisions that save money, generate jobs, and protect the environment.

Dear EarthTalk: What is the "green cities" movement? - John Moulton, Greenwich, Conn.
Ads by Google
YOKOGAWA Sustainability - Yokogawa contributes to customers' sustainable future - yokogawa.com/sustainability

Best described as a loose association of cities focused on sustainability, the emerging "green cities movement" encompasses thousands of urban areas
around the world all striving to lessen their environmental impacts by reducing waste, expanding recycling, lowering emissions, increasing housing density
while expanding open space, and encouraging the development of sustainable local businesses.
Perhaps the archetypal green city is Curitiba, Brazil. When architect and urban planner Jamie Lerner became mayor in 1972, he quickly closed six blocks of
the city's central business district to cars, delighting residents and business owners alike. Today the pedestrian-free zone is three times larger and serves as
the heart of the bustling metropolis. Lerner also put in place a high-tech bus system, greatly reducing traffic, energy usage and pollution; the move also
encouraged density around transit hubs and thus preserved open space in other areas that would have likely turned into suburbia. Today the bus system still
goes strong, and three-quarters of the city's 2.2 million residents rely on it every day.
Another green cities leader is Rekyjavik, Iceland, where hydrogen-powered buses ply the streets and renewable energy sources - geothermal and
hydropower - provide the city's heat and electricity. London, Copenhagen, Sydney, Barcelona, Bogota and Bangkok, not to mention Sweden's Malmo,
Ecuador's Bahia de Caraquez and Uganda's Kampala, also score high for their green attributes and attitudes.
Green cities abound in North America, too. In 2005, Portland, Oregon became the first U.S. city to meet carbon dioxide reduction goals set forth in the
landmark (if ill-fated) Kyoto Protocol, an international agreement forged to mitigate the threat of global warming. Seattle, Washington also committed to
meeting Kyoto's goals and has persuaded 590 other U.S. cities to do the same under the U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement. And Vancouver, British
Columbia draws 90 percent of its power from renewable sources while its metro area boasts some 200 parks and more than 18 miles of accessible
waterfront.
San Francisco is a leader in green building, energy efficiency and alternative energy, and has been on the forefront of the battle to reduce plastic usage.
Austin, Texas is fast becoming a world leader in solar equipment production and has made great strides in preserving open space. Chicago has invested
hundreds of millions of dollars revitalizing its parks and neighborhoods, and has built some of America's most eco-friendly downtown buildings. It is also
working to provide affordable clean power to low-income families. Of course, many would argue that New York City - with its densely packed housing,
reliance on mass transit and walking, and recent green policy moves by Mayor Bloomberg - may be the greenest of all.
While there is no formal green cities organization, per se, many groups have sprung up to help urban areas achieve their sustainability goals. GreenCities
Events, for one, hosts conferences around the U.S. at which local experts, policymakers and business leaders share ideas for greening their region. And
International Sustainable Solutions takes urban planners, developers and elected officials on tours so they can check out some of the world's greenest cities
to glean first-hand what works and what can be applied back home.
___
(c) 2009, E/The Environmental Magazine
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.

SINGAPORE is Asia's greenest city, while Kuala Lumpur ranks average in a green city survey, together with the likes of Bangkok, Jakarta, Beijing, Shanghai and Delhi.

This was the finding of the Asian Green City Index survey carried out by the independent Economist Intelligence Unit.

The EIU examines the environmental performance of 22 major Asian cities in eight categories - energy and CO2 (carbon dioxide), land use and buildings, transport,
waste, water, sanitation, air quality and environmental governance.

Singapore stands out in particular for its ambitious environmental targets and efficient approach towards achieving them.

"Overall, the index is a good reflection of where Kuala Lumpur stands in terms of its sustainability.

"Ranking average overall is a great start for Kuala Lumpur and this index is a stepping stone for us to move forward to improve our city's livability factor," Siemens
Malaysia Sdn Bhd president and chief executive officer Prakash Chandran said in a statement.

Kuala Lumpur scores well for better-than-average levels of sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and suspended particulate matter. Average daily sulphur dioxide emissions
are particularly low here at 6 micrograms per cubic metre.

Kuala Lumpur also ranks average in terms of environmental governance, land use and buildings. With 44 sq m of green space per person, the city is above the index
average of 39 sq m.

According to the study, energy and CO2 are among the biggest challenges facing Kuala Lumpur's environmental condition.

"Automobiles have driven annual CO2 emissions per capita past the index average of 4.6 tonnes to an estimated 7.2 tonnes," according to the statement.

Sanitation is also another issue where only an estimated 70 per cent of the city's population has access to sanitation, while a significant number of households are still
served by primary sewage treatment plants, such as septic tanks.

Meanwhile, the city centre's waste generation is 816 kg per capita per year, more than double the index average of 375 kg.

Rapid population growth and relatively poor waste collection and disposal played a major factor in determining the scores for the city in this category.

The study also found that Kuala Lumpur was well below average in the water category, due to a combination of relatively high water consumption and one of the highest
leakage rates in index, with water leakages running at an estimated 37 per cent, compared with the index average of 22 per cent.

Read more: Malaysia ranks 'average' in Green City survey http://www.btimes.com.my/Current_News/BTIMES/articles/simmy/Article/#ixzz1EUk7zkog

Published: Tuesday January 26, 2010 MYT 8:42:00 PM

Updated: Tuesday January 26, 2010 MYT 8:44:07 PM

Putrajaya, Cyberjaya to go green ASAP!

By MAZWIN NIK ANIS

mazwin@thestar.com.my

PUTRAJAYA: Putrajaya and Cyberjaya will be developed as pioneer townships in green technology in the “shortest time possible” to reflect the
Government’s commitment towards environmentally sound and sustainable practices.

In announcing this, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak the decision was made during the inaugural Green Technology Council meeting
which he chaired Tuesday, adding that this was among efforts undertaken by the Government to ensure the use of renewable energy and green
technology was actively pursued.

“The Government realises that countries adopting sustainable energy and green technology will be winners in the 21st century as it will be the
core of economies. This is not an option but a reality that all nations must face.

“The use of renewable energy and green technology will be an important part of the Government’s agenda and it will go beyond the responsibility
of the Energy, Green Technology and Water Ministry to further promote and propogate its use.

“It is our committment to bequeath our future generation with an environment which is pristine and healthy,” he said at the launching of the
RM1.5bil Green Technology Financing scheme.
The Prime Minister said the fund was aimed at encouraging investment in green technology, green construction and innovation, adding the
scheme would also encourage much-needed foreign direct-investment and would support technology transfer and capacity building for local
companies.

He said as an added incentive, the Government would play its role by covering 2% of the loan’s interest rate and providing guarantee of 60% on
the financing while the remaining 40% would be covered by banks.

He said that since the scheme was launched on Jan 1, 186 companies have responded to the initial soft loan offer.

“I am confident in the long-term strengths and benefits of this scheme for companies that invest in green technology as well as financial
institutions that see it as a smart and strategic investment.

“This is the role of the financing scheme -- to stimulate investment and the development of Malaysia’s green technology marketplace, That, in
turn, will support business growth, job creation and prosperity,” he said.

Najib said Malaysia was committed to playing its role in addressing climate change issues, including setting a carbon reduction goal of 40% by
2020 while investing in green technology, adding that the investments would allow the Government to build a progressive and low carbon
economy.

He said the Government has placed an emphasis on high-potential sectors of growth which include green technology, and it believed that “green
jobs” and “green innovation” would be part of a dynamic and fast-growing economic landscape.

“These are ambitious plans for an ambitious nations. We must all play our roles -- government and private sector alike. We need to train the next
generation of entrepreneurs and scientists to invest in new businesses of the future and to chart a path for green technology and infrastructure
that drives our nation forward,” he said.

Energy, Green Technology and Water Minister Datuk Seri Peter Chin Fah Kui said his ministry was also working on several plans and roadmaps
such as the Energy Efficiency Master Plan, the Renewable Energy Policy and Action Plan, and the Green Technology Action Plan.

He said these initiatives, among others, were aimed at reducing dependency on fossil fuels and increasing generating capacity from renewable
sources such as biomass, hydro and solar.

“We hope that with the creation of these plans, we will be able to spur the economy by encouraging entrepreneurs to construct green buildings,
hydro power plants, manufacture solar panels, wind turbines and industrial and building energy efficient equipments,” he said.

Wednesday April 28, 2010

Islamic fund for green technology sector

World Bank and IFC officials to discuss its set-up in KL next month

WASHINGTON: Officials from the World Bank and the International Finance Corp (IFC) will be in Malaysia next month to discuss the
establishment of an Islamic financing facility for the green technology sector, Second Finance Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Husni Hanadzlah said
on Monday.

The officials will be in Kuala Lumpur from May 10 for discussions with Bank Negara and the Ministry of Energy, Green Technology and Water to
develop a suitable model in the creation of a syariah-compliant US$200mil fund.

The first Islamic fund of its kind in Asia, the financing facility would focus on the environmentally-friendly sector, Husni told Bernama following a
series of meetings with World Bank and IFC officials, senior US officials and his counterparts from Iran and Egypt.

The minister wrapped up his working visit to Washington DC on Monday after leading the Malaysian delegation to the International Monetary
Fund (IMF) and World Bank Spring Meetings from April 23.

The IMF projected Malaysia’s GDP growth at 5.7% in 2010 with growth in the new key targeted areas that include oil and gas, electrical and
electronics, agriculture, tourism and financial services.
 »There is strong interest on the part of the US to develop closer relations with Asean in terms of trade and investment« DATUK SERI AHMAD
HUSNI HANADZLAH

Husni said, in his meetings with top US officials and the American private sector, that there was strong interest to establish closer US-Malaysia
economic relations following Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak’s working visit to the US recently.

“There is strong interest on the part of the US to develop closer relations with Asean in terms of trade and investment. In this context, Malaysia is
viewed as a strategic partner of the US,” he said.

American companies seemed to be excited by Malaysia’s New Economic Model and viewed it as an impetus for new opportunities in various
sectors, including services, and the research and knowledge-based industries, Husni said.

He had meetings with Deputy US Trade Representative Demetrios Marantis, Treasury Under Secretary for International Affairs Lael Brainard, and
Assistant Secretary of State for East Asia and Pacific Affairs Kurt Campbell, among others.

In his bilateral talks with his counterpart from Iran, Seyed Shamsuddin, they discussed ways to enhance trade and investment between Malaysia
and Iran.

Husni said Iran wanted Malaysia to increase its investment in that country, especially in Islamic banking and finance.

Meanwhile, Egyptian Minister of Investment Mahmoud Mohiedin was interested in a stronger Malaysia-Egypt collaboration in Islamic financing. —
Bernama

Right lights, green city

By MICHAEL CHEANG
star2green@thestar.com.my

With the right kind of lighting system, cities can light up with minimal energy.

BIG cities need bright lights. Unfortunately, bright lights consume a lot of electricity – 19% of the world’s electricity is used to light up our lives,
whether at home, in the office, in the shopping mall or even out on the street.

Unfortunately, most of the installed technology today is not energy-efficient, which means energy wastage.
 Olivier Piccolin, senior vice president and chief commercial officer of Philips Lighting Asia Pacific, says governments can promote
energy-efficient lighting by offering tax breaks and incentives, and by making energy efficiency compulsory.

According to Olivier Piccolin, senior vice president and chief commercial officer of Philips Lighting Asia Pacific, about 40% of the total energy used
for lighting can be saved with the right lighting solutions.

Using energy-efficient lighting is one of the most efficient ways to cut carbon dioxide emissions and new innovative lighting solutions could save
up to 40% of the energy used for lighting. In the Asia Pacific region, this translates to an annual saving of RM166bil in energy costs – or 245
million tonnes of CO2 emissions.

Piccolin, who was in Kuala Lumpur recently to speak on the impact of lighting on urban development at the Environmental Asia Conference, says
Kuala Lumpur is very much in line with other global cities, where almost 75% of the lighting installed is not energy-efficient.

“In Malaysia, there are especially big opportunities in street and road lighting, because a lot of the road lights are obsolete in terms of light
technology,” he points out.

Two elements need to be addressed when planning a city’s lighting systems – energy efficiency and life enhancement. While the former is
obvious enough, the latter is a little trickier because of the need to strike a balance between being energy sustainable while at the same time
enhancing the lives of the city’s denizens by giving them nicer, safer and more vibrant places to live in.

“It’s not that one has to choose between having energy efficiency or nice lights. With the current technology in energy efficient lighting systems,
you can improve the light and save energy at the same time,” says Piccolin.

“For example, the Philippines had a big problem with safety in parking lots. We installed a solution that not only saved 50% of the energy
consumed, but also provided comfortable lighting in parking lots, so that people feel safer.

“In Europe, we replaced street lighting in cities with whiter and better lights, which saved 50% of energy and subsequently, the crime rate
decreased by 25%.” ”

The simplest and most obvious step to conserving energy, from a lighting point of view, is by replacing old incandescent light bulbs with more
energy-efficient solutions.
 City lights: Like many world metropolises, Kuala Lumpur has
yet to install energy-efficient lighting. – Art Chen/The Star

“Incandescent bulbs produce 95% heat and 5% light. If we replace it with cheaper and more energy-efficient bulbs, up to 80% of that energy can
be saved,” he said, adding that the Malaysian Government had taken a big step in the right direction with the recent plan to ban incandescent light
bulbs in 2014. “That is a very good step to accelerate the adoption of energy-efficient technology in Malaysia.”

A proper system to control the lights is also important. Some 80% of lighting in buildings today consists of old technology and only about 1% of all
buildings use technology such as presence detection or daylight controls.

“Very few buildings use lighting control systems. For example, you don’t need full light in a warehouse all the time, only when you are picking up
goods. You can save energy by having a simple control system that dims the light when no one is in that area,” says Piccolin. “Similarly, in the
office, where you have some natural light coming in, you can have a control system that balances the light and dims the light when you are close
to the window. Philips has that system in our office in Singapore, and just by using that, we save 25% of our energy.”

There is one stumbling block to wholesale renovations of lighting systems, though – the initial investment, which inevitably tends to run quite high.

“To capture the savings, you need enough investment. The initial financial investment (of renovation) might be an issue to stakeholders. To help
with this, Philips has gone beyond providing lighting solutions alone, by helping to bring in banks for financing solutions, or coming up with
solutions that make it easier for stakeholders to invest in the renovation,” says Piccolin.

The good news is that after the systems are in place, the return of investment tends to take a relatively short period of time, and the long-term
benefits far outstrip the initial cost.

“The payback in energy-efficient lighting investments is relatively short. For individual homes, it can be as short as three to six months whereas
for more complex systems like road lighting, the return on investment is generally between two and four years, depending on the cost of energy
and how energy-efficient the new technology is.”

Piccolin stresses that governments play a big part in accelerating the renovation of existing lighting systems, whether its by giving tax breaks and
incentives, or making energy-efficiency compulsory.

Philips has helped cities around the world form long-term visions on proper lighting. “Every city is a different end user. Certain cities want to be
international metropolises which are iconic and attractive to foreign investors. Other cities want to be green and minimise their carbon footprints.
So it is very important to first understand what the decision-makers, mayor or council want for the city. Then we can start proposing solutions.

“It is also important that they do not try to cut corners or go for cheaper short-term solutions, because they might actually end up paying more in
the long run for the energy usage. They need to stay in control of what they want for the city.”

What are 'green cities'?

March 23, 2009 By E/The Environmental Magazine, Emagazine.com

Dear EarthTalk: What is the "green cities" movement? - John Moulton, Greenwich, Conn.
Ads by Google
YOKOGAWA Sustainability - Yokogawa contributes to customers' sustainable future
- yokogawa.com/sustainability

Best described as a loose association of cities focused on sustainability, the emerging "green cities movement" encompasses thousands of urban areas
around the world all striving to lessen their environmental impacts by reducing waste, expanding recycling, lowering emissions, increasing housing density
while expanding open space, and encouraging the development of sustainable local businesses.
Perhaps the archetypal green city is Curitiba, Brazil. When architect and urban planner Jamie Lerner became mayor in 1972, he quickly closed six blocks of
the city's central business district to cars, delighting residents and business owners alike. Today the pedestrian-free zone is three times larger and serves as
the heart of the bustling metropolis. Lerner also put in place a high-tech bus system, greatly reducing traffic, energy usage and pollution; the move also
encouraged density around transit hubs and thus preserved open space in other areas that would have likely turned into suburbia. Today the bus system still
goes strong, and three-quarters of the city's 2.2 million residents rely on it every day.
Another green cities leader is Rekyjavik, Iceland, where hydrogen-powered buses ply the streets and renewable energy sources - geothermal and
hydropower - provide the city's heat and electricity. London, Copenhagen, Sydney, Barcelona, Bogota and Bangkok, not to mention Sweden's Malmo,
Ecuador's Bahia de Caraquez and Uganda's Kampala, also score high for their green attributes and attitudes.
Green cities abound in North America, too. In 2005, Portland, Oregon became the first U.S. city to meet carbon dioxide reduction goals set forth in the
landmark (if ill-fated) Kyoto Protocol, an international agreement forged to mitigate the threat of global warming. Seattle, Washington also committed to
meeting Kyoto's goals and has persuaded 590 other U.S. cities to do the same under the U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement. And Vancouver, British
Columbia draws 90 percent of its power from renewable sources while its metro area boasts some 200 parks and more than 18 miles of accessible
waterfront.
San Francisco is a leader in green building, energy efficiency and alternative energy, and has been on the forefront of the battle to reduce plastic usage.
Austin, Texas is fast becoming a world leader in solar equipment production and has made great strides in preserving open space. Chicago has invested
hundreds of millions of dollars revitalizing its parks and neighborhoods, and has built some of America's most eco-friendly downtown buildings. It is also
working to provide affordable clean power to low-income families. Of course, many would argue that New York City - with its densely packed housing,
reliance on mass transit and walking, and recent green policy moves by Mayor Bloomberg - may be the greenest of all.
While there is no formal green cities organization, per se, many groups have sprung up to help urban areas achieve their sustainability goals. GreenCities
Events, for one, hosts conferences around the U.S. at which local experts, policymakers and business leaders share ideas for greening their region. And
International Sustainable Solutions takes urban planners, developers and elected officials on tours so they can check out some of the world's greenest cities
to glean first-hand what works and what can be applied back home.
___
(c) 2009, E/The Environmental Magazine
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.

City & Country: Perfect Eagle takes off

Tags: Green Building Index | Puan Sri Alice Su

Written by Racheal Lee

Monday, 23 August 2010 00:00

Perfect Eagle Development Sdn Bhd may not immediately ring a bell
but it is a name to watch. The eight-year-old property developer is
unlocking the value of its landbank, comprising more than 650 acres
in Ampang, Shah Alam, Puchong and Melaka.

Regular users of the Middle Ring Road 2 (MRR2) in Kuala Lumpur

would pass the Tesco hypermarket near the highway on the Kuala
Lumpur side of Ampang. The land it occupies is part of a 58-acre
tract that was once a squatter settlement but is now a township known
as Dataran Pandan Prima Ampang.

The township, with a gross development value (GDV) of RM170

million, is among the newer developments in this part of Ampang and
was Perfect Eagle’s first project back in 2003.
Part of Dataran Pandan Prima

Ampang. Photo by Abdul Ghani

Ismail

Perfect Eagle’s
founders, however,
are no strangers to
the Chinese
community. The
husband-and-wife team of Tan Sri Koo Yuen Kim and Puan Sri Alice
Su also heads Perfect Resource (M) Sdn Bhd and Perfect (China) Co
Ltd.

Funded by Perfect Resources, Perfect (China) Co was incorporated in

1994 to market consumer products such as health food, personal care,
skin and beauty care as well as household products, with its main
focus in Zhongshan and Yongzhou in China.

The multilevel marketing company has expanded since then and set
up offices in Malaysia, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Thailand and
Singapore. The China operation recently opened a factory in
Yangchou in Jiangsu province.

Property development
Su, 42, is the co-founder and chief executive of Perfect Eagle. In her
maiden interview with the media, she tells City & Country she and
her husband decided to invest profits from their multilevel marketing
business in land to build wealth for “the next generation so they have
something to hold”.

The idea of going into property development arose when Tesco Stores
(Malaysia) Sdn Bhd approached them with a proposal to acquire the
land now occupied by the hypermarket in Dataran Pandan Prima
Ampang back in 2003.
Su says Phase 2 of Aquila, offering 145 units of terraced houses, in the 28-acre Alam Sutera will be launched by the middle of next

year

“When they approached us, we thought if the hypermarket is

interested in it, we should tap on the opportunity to develop the
remaining land as well,” recalls Su.

As it was new to property development, the company engaged

professional expertise. “Property development is very new to us as we
don’t have the experience. A project with a GDV of RM170 million
is not small so we engaged some professionals to assist us in running
the show.

“We were very excited from the very first day we started ... we
wanted to know how the product would turn out. Some people said
the pricing was too low but as a developer, we have already made our
profit. We want our investors and buyers to profit too so that later,
they will come back to us,” Su says.

About 13 acres were sold to Tesco Stores at RM100 psf in 2003. The
developer had paid only RM25 psf for the tract earlier that year that it
acquired from a privately-owned company.
Now, only two acres in the township remain undeveloped. The
township comprises 2-storey shopoffices, 2-storey semidee cluster
homes, 2-storey terraced homes, a petrol station and the Tesco
hypermarket.

Two projects are planned for the remaining two acres. One is a
serviced residence called Amber Residency with 126 units sized from
950 sq ft to 1,800 sq ft. This project is currently in the planning stage.

As for the second, the initial plan for the land, with frontage to the
highway, was for a second petrol station. However, the developer is
now looking at a 21-storey office block, named Eagle Tower, to
house the headquarters of Perfect Eagle Development. The
development plan has been approved and the building plan is being
fine-tuned.
An artist's impression of Eagle Tower in Ampang

Su says the developer is looking at Green

Building Index (GBI) certification for both
projects.

Like most things in life, success did not come

immediately. The early days were challenging,
Su says. “After we sold the land to Tesco
Stores, we needed to put up the infrastructure
like roads, sewage system and water supply in
10 months as Tesco Stores would complete the
construction of its store in eight months. At the
same time, the construction of 17 units of 2- to 5-storey shopoffice
units was going on, followed by the residential component six months
later.

“I’m very proud of Dataran Pandan Prima Ampang because the

purchasers are very happy. They are waiting for the two upcoming
projects because they know that before the building is completed, the
value would appreciate more than 50% (from the selling price). We
sold the shopoffices for RM600,000 back then, and they were already
selling at RM1.1 million even before completion,” she adds.

The beginning
Before going into multilevel marketing with her husband, Su was
doing sales and accounts in a construction firm.

“After I finished my STPM, I came down to Kuala Lumpur from Ipoh

to look for a job. However, many companies require you to have
working experience. When you don’t have experience, what can you
do? You do sales, so I went into the insurance line ... I took the exam
and I become an insurance agent and met my husband, who was also
in the insurance line,” she adds.

The couple joined a multilevel marketing company before Su took up

a part-time accounting job in a construction firm, while also caring
for their first child. It was then that she had her first taste of property
development — overseeing the construction of their bungalow in the
Tropicana Golf & Country Resort.

“I monitored the construction of my 2½-storey bungalow (with a

built-up 6,000 sq ft) on a 10,000 sq ft piece of land from scratch. It
was very interesting and we learned about construction from there.
Construction is all about the details. If you overlook that, it will get
you into big problems. You need to answer to the authorities while
the purchasers may not want to come back to you again,” she notes.
An artist's impression of Amber Residency in Ampang

Perfect Eagle Development got off the ground with

only a handful of employees; consultation and
engineering needs were outsourced. Back then, the
couple depended on architects, engineers,
consultants and quantity surveyors for advice
throughout the process.

“We went through a lot of brainstorming ... the

consultants even asked us to attend technical seminars,” says Su.

After eight years, the work force has grown to 35 to 40 employees.

While Su takes charge of the property development activities, Koo
focuses on the multilevel marketing business in China.

Why the name Perfect Eagle? “We want to be perfect but at the same
time we also understand that we can’t score 100% in everything,”
says Su.

“Wherever we are, we must go for the best. I’m very particular [in
what she wants] and kind of a perfectionist. I want number one
quality workmanship and my requirements are very high. If you don’t
have high standards, life will be plain and ordinary and I can’t stand
that. The eagle is a strong bird that flies very high. Once it has set
eyes on its target, it won’t let go. We want to be like the eagle,” the
mother of two adds.

O2 City
Besides the two upcoming projects in Dataran Pandan Prima
Ampang, the developer is also planning a green city called O2 City in
Puchong, located diagonally opposite the D’Alpinia development by
Hap Seng Land Sdn Bhd.

Q2 City is a low-rise stratified gated and guarded project with

commercial and residential components. The developer is also aiming
for green certification for the 64-acre leasehold project. The plans are
expected to be submitted soon to the authorities.

“O2 City means twice the oxygen and minimising carbon dioxide. It
needs a lot of planning, and we want to aim for green certifications,”
says Su of the project which will be developed over 10 to 12 years.
An artist's

impression of O2

City in Puchong

The plan
includes an eco-friendly 10,000-sq-ft sales gallery that will ultimately
be converted into a function hall for lease. The 252m monsoon drain
on the site will be covered with arches as part of the landscaping.
For Su, being green is not only about planting trees but also adopting
green techniques like rainwater harvesting, energy saving, building
direction, solar panels, low-emissive glass, crystal window films as
well as recycling and reusing.

“Our household rubbish can be turned into fertiliser for plants, then
we will have natural fertiliser rather than chemical fertiliser.

In O2 city, we intend to design a machine that allows the residents to

decompose, without any odour, garbage into fertiliser.

Then they can just take the fertiliser for their plants... we want
everybody to do it. We also want to put everything — living, work,
play and study — in one place. That is my dream... ,” says Su who
emphasises that going green is not about trends.

Jasin, Melaka
Perfect Eagle’s biggest piece of land by far is in Jasin, where it owns
a 600-acre leasehold tract, on which it is planning to develop a
township. To popularise the address, the developer plans to give away
50 acres for international schools to set up their campuses — for free.
Says Su, “We are going to create job opportunities in that township.
We will have hotels, resort homes, serviced apartments, bungalows,
terraced houses and commercial components. This township can be a
second home for foreigners, especially those from China.”

The launch however, will not be for another eight years. In the
meantime, the developer is acquiring smaller parcels around the site
to improve its access. “For those parcels that we can’t buy, we will
talk to the authorities, especially on relocation of the squatters,” says
Su.

On the land are two lakes totalling 100 acres which the developer
plans to turn into an extreme water sports park. There will also be a 9-
to 18-hole golf course.

Green will also be the buzzword here with the township focusing on
eco-plantation, eco-tourism and eco-education. “I think many city
children don’t even know what a chicken looks like. In Jasin, we will
have breeding area for chickens and ducks.

Then we have two very deep and nice lakes. It will be a resort-themed
project and it will be one of the main attractions for Malaysian
tourism later,” Su says.

Other projects
Meanwhile, in Kuala Lumpur, the developer is keen to build green
highrise condominiums. The company recently launched phase 1 of
Aquila — the landed home component of in its 28-acre Alam Sutera
— in Puncak Alam, Shah Alam. Offering a total of 121 terraced
houses priced from RM268,584, the first phase saw a take-up rate of
30%.

Phase 2 of Aquila, which is scheduled to be unveiled by the middle of

next year, will have 145 units of terraced home. The GDV of the
Aquila project is RM80 million.

The township, located diagonally opposite Universiti Teknologi

MARA, will also have an apartment component with units sized from
750 sq ft to 850 sq ft. The project is scheduled to be launched next
year and the building plan has been submitted to the authorities.

“We are not in a hurry to launch. We will launch projects slowly and
steadily,” she adds.

>> ASIAONE / BUSINESS / NEWS / STORY

 Tue, Jan 19, 2010
New Straits Times

Top of Form

Bottom of Form
Carbon-neutral city being planned

MALAYSIA is mulling the building of its first carbon-neutral city as one of the
projects to be undertaken by a joint venture between Abu Dhabi's Masdar and
1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB).
Related link:
» Malaysia to depend less on fossil
Masdar, a wholly-owned fuel, says Najib

subsidiary of Abu Dhabi's

Mubadala Development Company,
and 1MDB signed a cooperation
agreement in Abu Dhabi on Sunday
to jointly explore clean technology
Both companies will also cooperate
and invest in carbon reduction
projects and clean technology
venture capital.

If fully implemented, the

cooperation agreement will lead to
the development of new catalytic
projects worth about US$100
million (RM338 million).
The agreement was signed by
Masdar chief executive officer Dr
Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber and his
1MDB counterpart, Shahrol Halmi, and witnessed by Prime Minister Datuk Seri
Najib Razak and Abu Dhabi's Crown Prince Gen Sheikh Mohammad bin Zayed Al
Nahyan.
Najib is here on an official visit and to attend the World Future Energy Summit
where he delivered a keynote address.
"We value this partnership with Malaysia and applaud its move to actively pursue
and invest in new green technologies," Sultan Ahmed said.
Incorporated in 2006, Masdar is a company focusing on renewable energy and
sustainability.
"It is our intention to explore business opportunities relating to the development of
an environmentally friendly carbon-neutral city in Malaysia," Shahrol said.
1MDB is a strategic development company owned by the Malaysian government. It
serves as a catalyst for long-term sustainable economic development through a
new economic model based on innovation, creativity and high-value creation.
It has a planned initial funding of RM11 billion and the first tranche of RM5 billion
 was raised through the issuance of Islamic bonds guaranteed by the government.
The agreement came close after 1MDB set up a joint US$2.5 billion investment
fund with Saudi Arabia's PetroSaudi, which would also target renewable energy
sources and long-term sustainable economic development projects in Malaysia and
abroad.
Najib arrived in Abu Dhabi late on Saturday in his Middle East swing that also
included an official visit to Saudi Arabia. He is scheduled to visit India, on his way
home.
Earlier, Najib visited several key projects undertaken by Malaysian companies in
Abu Dhabi, including the Sheikh Zayed Sport City development being built by a
joint venture company involving Malaysia's Sunway Group.
He toured the almost-completed Yas Island Formula One race track which was
built by a joint venture involving Bahrain-based Cebarco and Malaysia's WCT
Engineering Bhd.
He also toured the Al Reem mixed-development project undertaken by a
consortium of four Malaysian companies comprising IJM Bhd, Sunway Construction
Sdn Bhd, Zelan Holdings Bhd and LFE Engineering Sdn Bhd.

Malaysia ranks ‘average’ in Green City survey

• Malaysia Properties News

• February 15th, 2011

SINGAPORE is Asia’s greenest city, while Kuala Lumpur ranks average in a green city survey, together with the likes of Bangkok, Jakarta, Beijing, Shanghai and
Delhi.

This was the finding of the Asian Green City Index survey carried out by the independent Economist Intelligence Unit.

The EIU examines the environmental performance of 22 major Asian cities in eight categories – energy and CO2 (carbon dioxide), land use and buildings,
transport, waste, water, sanitation, air quality and environmental governance.

Singapore stands out in particular for its ambitious environmental targets and efficient approach towards achieving them.

“Overall, the index is a good reflection of where Kuala Lumpur stands in terms of its sustainability.

“Ranking average overall is a great start for Kuala Lumpur and this index is a stepping stone for us to move forward to improve our city’s livability factor,”
Siemens Malaysia Sdn Bhd president and chief executive officer Prakash Chandran said in a statement.

Kuala Lumpur scores well for better-than-average levels of sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and suspended particulate matter. Average daily sulphur dioxide
emissions are particularly low here at 6 micrograms per cubic metre.

Kuala Lumpur also ranks average in terms of environmental governance, land use and buildings. With 44 sq m of green space per person, the city is above the
index average of 39 sq m.

According to the study, energy and CO2 are among the biggest challenges facing Kuala Lumpur’s environmental condition.

“Automobiles have driven annual CO2 emissions per capita past the index average of 4.6 tonnes to an estimated 7.2 tonnes,” according to the statement.

Sanitation is also another issue where only an estimated 70 per cent of the city’s population has access to sanitation, while a significant number of households
are still served by primary sewage treatment plants, such as septic tanks.

Meanwhile, the city centre’s waste generation is 816 kg per capita per year, more than double the index average of 375 kg.

Rapid population growth and relatively poor waste collection and disposal played a major factor in determining the scores for the city in this category.

The study also found that Kuala Lumpur was well below average in the water category, due to a combination of relatively high water consumption and one of the
highest leakage rates in index, with water leakages running at an estimated 37 per cent, compared with the index average of 22 per cent.

By Business Times

10 Ways To Make KL A Cleaner & Greener City

POSTED BY SHLOKE 23 NOVEMBER 2009
 (Now is the time to clean up KL City for future
generations)
My Cartoon Doodle

Kuala Lumpur (KL) is fast becoming a modern and sophisticated city. Over one and a half million people are living and working in KL. It is
still a preferred destination for lavish lifestyle, delicious food, unique skyscrapers and amazing shopping experiences. Many city dwellers
often find it hard to give up the luxuries they have been accustomed to in their urban homes.

Unfortunately, the massive development has contributed to air pollution and bottleneck traffic jams. The excessive traffic jams are the
main cause of environmental pollution. In addition, KL is getting dirtier by the minute. The city is littered with rubbish. I've seen people
throw plastic bags, wrappers and other garbage out of their cars as if the whole country is just one big garbage dump - handiwork of ugly
Malaysian.

Recently, I've participated in numerous campaigns organized by Dewan Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur (translation: KL City Hall) to clean up
my residential area. Sadly, public awareness only last for two weeks. After that, people return to their filthy habits. Its' the infamous
'TIDAK APA' attitude among Malaysians. Despite the massive development, Malaysians seem to have little regard for the environment
and cleanliness.

A greener and cleaner city is a desirable place for living and working. The cleanliness of our streets and rivers says a lot about who we
are and what our values are. We need to discard our old habits before it’s too late. I am proposing 10 simple yet effective ways to make
KL a livable city.

#STEP 1 - Use Public Transportation

 A typical bus can take 40 single-passengers cars off the road.

Picture taken with my Nikon D60

Air pollution is at the top of the list of problems caused by motor vehicles. Cars take up too much space in KL where 4 out of 5 trips are
made by car. This congestion costs us dearly. One third of drivers in KL City spend the equivalent of three workweeks in bumper to
bumper traffic every year.

Solution:

Use public transportation whenever possible. It will saves more than 109 million liter of petrol per year in Malaysia. Take bus, train or car
pool. A RapidKL's bus can take 40 single-passengers cars off the road. As of 13th November 2009, RapidKL buses have 2.7 million
ridership a week, carrying 380,000 passengers daily, in a total of 165 bus routes from 980 housing estates in Klang Valley (Ridership
Numbers Adapted From: The Star).

Getting Around In KL:

Kuala Lumpur's public transport system consists of 3 LRT (Light Rail Transit) lines operated by RapidKL, the semicircular KL Monorail
looping through the Golden Triangle and the KTM Komuter for trips to the outer northern, southern & western suburbs.

• RapidKL Official Portal: http://www.rapidkl.com.my/

• KL Monorial Official Portal: http://www.monorail.com.my/
• KTM Official Portal: http://www.ktmb.com.my/
 #STEP 2 - Help Clean Up A River

Cry Me a `Clean' River! Gombak/Klang river confluence next to Masjid Jamek, KL

Picture taken with my Nokia hand phone

According to Department of Irrigation & Drainage (DID), our rivers provide 97% of our water supply. Among the 189 river basins, 30 of
them function as reservoirs which supply the 26.9 million people living in Malaysia with clean water that flows through our taps. Solid
waste deposited by irresponsible individuals has badly affected the quality of water in our rivers.

Kuala Lumpur mayor Datuk Ahmad Fuad Ismail, had said on numerous occasions that people should change their perception of rivers and
look at them as a resource rather than their rubbish dumping ground. The main causes of river pollution are industrial effluents and
domestic waste disposal. This is aggravated by industrialisation and urban migration which results in squatter problems.

DBKL (KL City Hall) and KWP (Ministry of Federal Territories) need to actively promote public awareness on the importance of rivers and
to highlight the critical state of pollution faced by our rivers. Local nature conservation groups regularly organize river clean up
operations. These involve removing the waste that pollutes a water course and cleaning riverbanks. We need more campaigns to clean
our dying rivers!

Solution:

These operations always need volunteers. Do not be afraid to join one. It is an opportunity to help the environment and learn more about
the stream, its banks, and the flora and fauna that live there.
 #STEP 3 - Say NO to Plastic Bag & Styrofoam

My mom's eco-friendly reusable shopping bag :)

Picture captured with my Nikon D60

Plastic bag and Styrofoam require fossil fuels to produce and takes centuries to degrade. The flyaway pieces that do break off can
endanger wildlife. Several hypermarkets in KL have banned plastic bag. That's not enough. We need to pressure DBKL (KL City Hall) and
KWP (Ministry of Federal Territories) to pass similar initiatives. We should follow Penang and create a “NO PLASTIC BAG DAY” on every
Monday.

The following is a press statement released by Lim Guan Eng (The Chief Minister of Penang) in George Town on Friday, 9th October 2009:

“No Plastic Mondays” have reduced plastic bag consumption by more than 580,000 plastic bags over 13 days.

Solution:
Avoid plastic bag and Styrofoam takeout. Bring along your cloth bag during shopping. Ask you workplace to replace Styrofoam coffee
cups with reusable mugs or drinking glass.

#STEP 4 - Stray Cats & Dogs

(Adopt A Pet From Your Local Animal Shelter)

Let's create a better world for animals.

A stray dog in Pulau Ketam. Picture captured with my Nikon D60.

According to SPCA Malaysia, each year thousands of cats and dogs enter shelter (over 7, 000), yet only 17% are adopted from there. By
adopting a cat or a dog from a shelter, you're giving a homeless pet a new chance of life.

Solution:

Visit SPCA, to view guidelines for adopting a pet. If you decide that you and your family are ready to make this commitment, don't spend
money needlessly in a pet shop, thus encouraging even more pets to be raised. Find your next family member at the local animal shelter
instead. Currently, there are close to 400 kittens, cats, puppies and dogs at the SPCA Animal Shelter in Ampang Jaya. Click here to read
FAQ aboutPet Adoption
SPCA Contact Details:

SPCA Selangor

Jalan Kerja Air Lama,

68000 Ampang, Selangor.

Animal Shelter & Admin Dept: 03-4256 5312/ 4253 5179 (8.30am - 4pm Daily)

Public Relations Dept & Inspectorate: 03-4253 5312 (10am – 6.30pm Daily)

Fax: 03-4252 8382

Email: enquiries@spca.org.my

Official Portal: http://www.spca.org.my/v51/index.php

#STEP 5 - Do Not Drop Your Garbage

Indiscriminately When Traveling
 It's SMELLY, UGLY & DIRTY - somewhere in KL

Picture taken with my Nikon D60

Across Malaysia, the average rate of recycling is less than 20%. In some KL places, rubbish bins are rare or altogether absent.

Solution:

Do not drop your trash just anywhere - especially if you are on an excursion - even if the environment already appears to be dirty or
strewn with dumped waste. Take your trash back to where you are staying and disperse of it properly.

#STEP 6 - Introduce Environmental Education to

Schools

Work with WWF and spread the Green Message

Many local environmental NGOs (e.g. MNS - Malaysia Nature Society & WWF - World Wide Fund For Nature) offer free or low cost
education presentations or field trips for school-aged children. They usually focus on the natural features it has to offer.
Solution:

Spend some time organizing environmental awareness programs with these NGOs. It is a good way to increase awareness among
students, teachers and parents.

WWF Official Portal: http://www.wwf.org.my/

MNS Official Portal: http://www.mns.my/

#STEP 7 - File Your Income Tax Electronically

GO GREEN, GO E-FILING! A screenshot of Malaysian Income Tax BE Form.

Each tax season, IRB (Inland Revenue Board of Malaysia) issues nearly 2 millions paper forms or the equivalent of nearly 75 000 trees. E-
filing which now accounts for 30% of all returns significantly reduces the amount of paper used. The IRB has set a goal to have 80% of
the returns e-filed, but this can't be achieved unless consumers continue to use the service and urge tax professionals to e-file whenever
possible.

Solution:
File your personal income tax returns online. You'll save paper and get your refund faster.

Official Portal of IRB: http://www.hasil.org.my/

#STEP 8 - Reduce Traffic Jams & Pollution

(Take Your Children to School on Foot)

School bus is COOL! "I Am Doing My Part to Save the Earth"

Fewer than 15% of children walk or bike to school; although some take buses, nearly 60% are driven. Cars already produce a fifth of
carbon dioxide emissions, and their numbers will increase considerable over the coming decades to meet growing demand in Malaysia.
Almost 35% of morning commuters are parents and kids on their way to school.

Solution:

Instead of taking your children to school by car, send them by public transportation or school bus or accompany them on foot or by bike.
 #STEP 9 - Plant A Tree
(Make KL A Green City Not A Concrete City)

A canopy tree in Bukit Nanas Forest Reserve, KL

Picture taken with my Nikon D60

Today, less than a third of the world is still forested. Worldwide, over the last 10 years, forest has been reduced by 2.4%.

Solution:

Plant a tree. You will be joining the fight against global warming and the atmosphere pollution caused by CO2 emissions.

#STEP 10 - Practice Sustainable Tourism

 Visitors to Bazaar Ramadan at Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman, KL

Picture taken with my Nikon D60

When you travel in KL, you can also have a positive impact. Follow these five simple steps to support local tourism.

• Patronize local businesses as much as possible.

• Give back to the community by supporting humanitarian projects and social works.
• Use local sources for everything from public transportation to restaurant food.
• Use tour operators that respect fragile habitats and can show visitors what local conditions are really like.
 10 Ways to Make KL City Cleaner & Greener:

1. Use Public Transportation

2. Say NO to Plastic Bag & Styrofoam
3. Adopt A Pet From Your Local Animal Shelter
4. Help Clean Up A River
5. Do Not Drop Your Garbage Indiscriminately When Traveling
6. Introduce Environmental Education to Schools
7. File Your Income Tax Electronically
8. Reduce Traffic Jams & Pollution
9. Plant A Tree
10. Practice Sustainable Tourism

I LOVE to hear your creative ideas to spruce up KL. Feel free to drop your comments.

Friday, 26 March 2010 09:14

What Makes a City Green?

When looking at the strengths of environmental programs across the country for our
green cities survey, Paul and Sara from the Green Guide (National Geographic) settled on twelve criteria that affect all cities
regardless of geography or age. Below is the list.
Air Quality: Exposure to polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from fuel exhaust and cigarette smoke has been reported to
increase the risk of breast cancer by 50 percent, as noted in the 2002 Long Island Breast Cancer Study. In order to measure air
quality, we based our score on the EPA's Air Quality Index (AQI) and smoking bans noted on the Smoke Free World website.
About 60 percent of cities surveyed have passed a smoking ban. AQI values are broken into five different ranges with lower
values indicating less polluted air (Good 0-50, Moderate 51-100, Unhealthy for Sensitive Individuals 101-150, Unhealthy 151-
200, Very Unhealthy 201-300 and Hazardous 301-500). Anchorage, Alaska, had the best median AQI at 19 while the worst was
a 79 in Saint Louis. The average value was 43.5 for cities participating in this study.
Electricity Use and Production: Close to 40 percent of U.S. emissions of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide (CO2) comes from
electric utilities. Since coal accounts for over 90 percent of these emissions, we asked survey respondents to note each city's
energy mix from resources including coal, oil, biomass, geothermal, hydroelectric, nuclear, oil, solar and wind. Also included
were incentives for the home use of solar or wind power, such as rebates or property tax exemptions.
Environmental Perspective: City administrators were asked to rank from 1 (highest) to 9 (lowest) nine issues in order of
importance to city residents—education, employment, environmental concerns, health care, housing costs, public safety,
reliable electricity and water service, property taxes and traffic congestion. Scores were assigned depending on the ranking
given to environmental concerns. Out of a total of nine, the average ranking for the importance of environmental concerns was
5.4.
Environmental Policy: In our survey, we asked city officials whether the city has an environmental policy, a specific indication of
concerted effort at the municipal level to better the environment. Thirty-six cities, or 58 percent of respondents, had such
statements.
Green Design: The resource-conserving, non-toxic standards of USGBC's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design
(LEED) program have become the basis for many cities' green building projects. Recognizing this, we based scores not only on
survey responses about policies and incentives for green design but also on LEED projects listed on the USGBC's website. While
we collected data on the degree of LEED certification (Certified, Silver, Gold and Platinum) buildings achieved, this did not
affect scoring. Additional points were given to cities reducing sprawl. A total of 29 cities, or 46.8 percent of participants,
reported having a policy to encourage green design. Forty cities, or 64.5 percent of respondents, reported having a city policy
to help prevent sprawl. In Malaysia the PAM (Persatuan Arkitek malaysia, malaysian Architects Association) launched the Green
Building Index in 2009 and is spearheading its way to more earth friendly buildings in the country.
Green Space: Survey respondents were asked to identify the variety of green spaces, including athletic fields, city parks, public
gardens, trail systems and waterfronts, along with any additional spaces. This question was designed to elicit the variety of
outdoor amenities available and was scored on the total number of different types of green spaces present. Scoring also
considered the percentage of overall city area occupied by green space.
Public Health: Scores were based on Robert Weinhold's rankings of the 125 healthiest U.S. cities as published in the March 2004
Organic Style.
Recycling: Survey respondents were asked to indicate which items their city recycles from a list that included aluminum,
cardboard, glass, hazardous materials, paper, plastic, tin and other. Cities that had more then seven categories of recyclable
items were given the highest scores.
Socioeconomic Factors: Cities scored well for having less than the national average of families and individuals earning below
the poverty rate. Participants also gained points for having a city minimum wage and for the availability of housing affordable
to families earning the area's median income according to the National Association of Home Owners' Housing Opportunity
Index.
Transportation: Wishing to recognize efforts to get people out of their cars (reducing greenhouse gases, traffic congestion and
smog), we asked survey respondents about the transportation options available, including bicycle paths, bus systems, carpool
lanes, dedicated bicycle lanes, light rail, sidewalks/trails and subways. As a follow up to this, we also asked about the
percentages of residents who used public transportation, rode bicycles to work and carpooled.
Water Quality: In order to assess this complicated factor, we drew on data from the EPA's Safe Drinking Water Information
System (SDWIS) and noting violations of the Safe Water Drinking Act, with the greatest weight given to health violations.
Each of these factors was equally weighted, with a maximum score of 1 point per criterion, to create an overall maximum
possible score of 11 points, though only one city we looked at, Eugene, Oregon, scored 9 or better.

Source: by Paul McRandle and Sara Smiley Smith, The Green Guide , National Geographic

http://www.ecoknights.com/resources/human-health-a-the-environment.html

Home > Campus News: Media Releases 2010

Understand the complexities of environmental concepts, Dr Chan tells students

Miri - 2 July 2010 – Miri is gearing up to become the first green city in the country and efforts are ongoing to make the dream a reality, according to Sarawak Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Dr George C
is also the state Minister of Tourism and Heritage and Minister of Industrial Development.

He related this when officiating at the first Miri Youth Green Symposium for secondary school students hosted by Curtin University of Technology, Sarawak Malaysia (Curtin Sarawak) at its campus here on Monday.

“I am pleased to see that Curtin Sarawak is very supportive of Miri City’s efforts in trying to create a new Malaysian record as the country’s first Green City,” commented Dr Chan, who is also the chairman of the Curti

Also present were the Pro Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive of Curtin Sarawak, Professor Ian Kerr, and senior university staff and academicians.

Dr Chan said the country needed young people and educators to come together to understand how best to co-exist with nature in a sustainable manner.

“The classroom is the best place to introduce topics such as pollution, conservation and ecology. I encourage teachers to take the initiative in bringing the outside world to the students, to build their foundational knowle
concerns. It is often the awareness teachers instill in young children that helps them understand the complexities of environmental concepts and motivates them to adopt habits that help protect the environment,” said Dr

The symposum, organised by The Learning Centre of the university as part of its ongoing OutReach Programme initiatives, was held to commemorate Miri’s fifth anniversary as a resort city, as well as help raise awaren
the role society has in preserving our natural environment and the efficient use of our natural resources.

It provided an opportunity for the participants to contribute innovative ideas to environmental issues such as climate change, nature conservation, energy, pollution, waste management and resource management, and co
of their opinions.

About 120 secondary school students from seven schools in Miri accompanied by their teachers took part.
Dr Chan remarked that only in Miri fish and trees in the jungle died of old age while in other parts of the world both fish and trees died young due to human greed.

“We still have blue sky, but in other parts of the world, people cannot see blue sky because of massive pollution. We do not want this to happen to our beloved country,” said Dr Chan.

“Young Malaysians should take the lead in informing society to be more environmentally friendly and work hand-in-hand with school authorities, government agencies and non-government agencies to make their cities
more energy-efficient,” he added.

Meanwhile, Professor Kerr said one of the strategic priorities of Curtin Sarawak for 2010 was to advocate ‘going green’ initiatives and to promote energy efficiency processes at the university.

“We are pleased to work with the Miri City Council and the Miri community in supporting their green efforts and are committed towards developing a culture of conservation at the university and promoting sustainable
students and staff,” he said.

“This symposium today will provide an avenue for students from Miri to engage in conversation on a range of topics, from understanding environmental issues, to managing and using resources competently. More imp
will be shared with the community at large, and this is, I believe, a great preparatory step,” added Professor Kerr.

“We may not be able to reduce global warming, or save endangered species on our own, but together we can show the community how to make choices in our daily lives that are earth-friendly. Students can champion a
to show that ‘Reduce’, ‘Reuse’ and ‘Recycle’ are not just catch phrases,” he concluded.

Today, many city mayors are working to get their cities focused on the environmental movement. For many of those mayors, their goal is to convert their city into a green
city. By thriving to achieve green city status, leaders are acting to improve the quality of the air, lower the use of non-renewable resources, encourage the building of green
homes, offices, and other structures, reserve more green space, support environmentally-friendly methods of transportation, and offer recycling programs.
On 16 February 2005, an international agreement regarding climate disruption, the Kyoto Protocol, was ratified by over 140 countries. At that time,
the mayor of Seattle, Greg Nickels, decided to promote the aspirations of the Kyoto Protocol in Seattle. He also encouraged other cities in the United States
to follow suit by urging those in positions of leadership to consider adopting the principles of the Kyoto Protocol through the Climate Protection Agreement;
thereby creating a green city. By June of 2005, 141 mayors had signed on. By early 2009, the Agreement had been signed by 935 mayors, affecting over 83
million citizens.

The Climate Protection Agreement is part of the base structure for a green city. Through the Agreement, cities agree to three points of action:

1. Attempt to meet or exceed the targets set forth in the Kyoto Protocol for their own cities through anti-sprawl policies to the restoration of forests to
educating the public on environmental issues;
2. Encourage state and federal government to establish policies to meet or exceed the greenhouse gas reduction target set by the Kyoto Protocol for the
United States – which was a reduction of the levels from 1990 by 7% by 2012;
3. Encourage legislation to reduce greenhouse gases and establish a system for handling national emission of greenhouse gases.

Every year the top cities are urged to submit an application for an award proving that they are a green city. There are quite a few cities that consistently
reach that status: Boulder, Colorado; Portland, Oregon; Seattle, Washington – to name just a few. Each year, new cities are added to the list as the
importance of environmentalism becomes more widespread.

for people looking to start their lives in a green city, a little research can tell wonders on the path the city is taking. For example, a green city will have little
fuel exhaust pollution. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) has an Air Quality Index that ranks theozone and particulate found in
the air for cities through out US. In addition, a green city will support and encourage public transportation that is environmentally-friendly and provide carpool
lanes, bike lanes, and plenty of sidewalks and inner city walking trails.