‘Green buildings command higher selling price’

KUALA LUMPUR: Going green allows building owners to command an additional selling price of RM25 to RM50 per square feet above the market, according to Malaysian Institute of Architects president Chan Seong Aun.
He said there are 500 green buildings in the country that have generated 100 million sq ft of space.
“The green building trend here is headed by Green Building Index (GBI) and they are working in collaboration with the Malaysian Green Building Confederation, which is a member of the World Green Building Council,” Chan said recently.
Speaking at a media conference to announce the upcoming Archidex 2014 — the 15th International Architecture, Interior Design and Building Exhibition, he said GBI was started on May 15 2009 and within a short span of five years, GBI has registered close to 500 building in Malaysia alone, offering a total up to 100 million sq ft of green space.
Chan said in the next few months, the GBI will form a new organisation, called the Green Building Index Foundation, which is designed to boost the advocacy to all the local authorities in the country.
A key component of Archidex 2014 — to be held from June 25 to 28 at Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre — is the Green Building Forum, alongside DATUM:KL (International Architectural Design Conference), KLDF (Kuala Lumpur Design Forum) and the 16th Asian Congress of Architects (ACA 16).
A total of 1250 exhibition booths have already been sold out for Archidex 2014, which will see 552 participating companies from around the world.
Austria, Germany, Singapore, South Korea and China will be setting up country pavilions. Visitors who visit the German pavilion stand a chance of winning two air tickets to Munich, Germany.
Last year, 32,300 visitors attended Archidex 2013.
Meanwhile, Chan said Archidex 2014 is working together with Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation to conduct international business matching programme during Archidex 2014 as a huge number of overseas buyers are expected to fly in to close deals with the local exhibitors.
~ By BUSINESS TIMES