KUCHING: A three-day course on Green Building Index Facilitator (GBIF) is now being held for the first time in Sarawak to help accelerate participation in the “green movement” in line with the state’s green initiative.
The course, jointly organized by Pertubuhan Akitek Malaysia Sarawak Chapter (PAMSC) and Malaysia Green Building Council (MGBC) is aimed at exposing the participants to green rating tools for buildings.
This is to promote sustainability in the built environment and raise awareness of administrators, developers, architects, engineers, planners, designers, contractors and the public about environmental issues and our responsibility for future generations.
Permanent Secretary of the Local Government and Housing Ministry, Bakrie Zaini, said the course is to enable the building industry and local authorities to address the importance of green building in mitigating global warming.
“The course is a response to a call by Chief Minister Abang Johari Tun Openg to implement the green initiative and bring green knowledge to the state,” he said.
He also mentioned that for the course, MGBC has brought in top experts to run the 40th session in Kuching.
“I am sure that our participants will benefit from the sharing of knowledge, and I hope that this will encourage more people to take part,” he said.
The course covers all aspects of the Green Building Index (GBI) certification process, including all the tools and application procedures.
The state Local Government and Housing Ministry has been appointed by Sarawak Multimedia Authority (SMA) to lead the execution of “Sarawak Digital Economy Initiatives: GBI Projects for Sarawak”.
This is to create awareness of the aspects of green buildings methodology and approach to the industry as it is crucial in realising the drive to promote Sarawak GBI initiatives via the concept of leadership by example.
The course organized by MGBC and PAMSC and fully supported by GBI and MLGH started today at the CIDB Convention Centre Sarawak. It will end Saturday.
In a press conference, Bakrie told reporters that the good attendance of the course would be the basis and reference point for the green initiative.
“In realising the implementation of the initiatives, public support is needed to develop a sustainable built environment in Sarawak,” he said.
“The initiatives promote and stimulate demand for sustainable buildings through incentives and awareness campaigns pertaining to matters affecting sustainability.
