Penang South Islands: Making a green mark on the global stage
←
→
Page content transcription
If your browser does not render page correctly, please read the page content below
Penang South Islands: Making a green mark on the
global stage
channelnewsasia.com/penang-south-islands-making-green-mark-global-stage-2060366
Imagine a sustainable township that features car-lite options, water canals plied by eco-
friendly water taxis, energy-efficient power systems and green buildings, and tech-
forward company campuses lining the streets. That is the utopian vision of the Penang
South Islands (PSI) project, a new urban development that encompasses work sites and
homes off the coast of the Malaysian state.
“PSI is meant to be an Internet of Things (IOT)-enabled smart city to complement George
Town – one that’s modelled on sustainable and green living, incorporating
environmental, social and governance (ESG) principles, with the aim of creating a top
investment destination in the region,” said Penang Chief Minister Mr Chow Kon Yeow.
Among its green ambitions, PSI aims to achieve a 50 per cent reduction in CO2e
emissions compared to ‘business as usual’ by 2030. This will be accomplished through
various means, including a 40 per cent reduction in urban planning emissions and an 80
per cent reduction in transport emissions. For those who will work and live there, this
would mean no traffic jams, reduced air pollution and a cleaner living space.
1/5
An extensive network of landscaped waterways and public locales add to the utopian feel. Artist's
impression: Gamuda
More than 20 per cent of the land will also be set aside for open spaces, parks, beaches
and esplanades, all of which will be accessible to the public. In addition to open green
spaces, canals and coastal buffers will serve as flood retention basins as part of the urban
stormwater management system.
SILICON VALLEY OF THE EAST
Penang already enjoys a good reputation. The state is known as the Silicon Valley of the
East and has the highest gross domestic product per capita among Malaysian states. It
also has a youth literacy rate of 99.5 per cent as of 2014, making it a great place for MNCs
to set up operations.
Global technology giants such as Micron, Motorola, Intel and National Instruments are
already engaged in high-value, high-tech activities present in Penang, with many situated
at the Bayan Lepas Free Industrial Zone. With its focus on sectors such as software and
integrated circuit design development, as well as chip product manufacturing, PSI will
make an ideal location for tech firms to expand their footprint in Penang.
The PSI project will see 1,820ha of space divided into three man-made islands – Island A
(930ha), Island B (566ha) and Island C (324ha).
Some 15,000 job opportunities are expected to be created once the reclamation of Island
A starts. The island will be where an industrial zone called the Green Tech Park is to be
built, with vacant possession ready by 2024. This 283ha development will provide a
sustainable environment that will not only be a place for existing businesses to expand,
but also provides a location for new businesses to establish themselves in Penang,
amongst the robust ecosystem that has been in place over the past 50 years.
2/5
The Green Tech Park is designed with comprehensive green features to cater for the next generation of
technology players. Artist's impression: Gamuda
The GTP will also be accessible to residential, commercial and recreational facilities – key
features to attracting and retaining talent, something that is high on the priority list of
companies when considering venturing or expanding into a new location.
Island A will see an array of world-class tourist attractions such as botanical gardens,
aquarium and underwater museum, waterfront esplanade, fishermen wharf and other
exciting attractions, complementing the old-world charm of Georgetown.
A GREEN INITIATIVE
The project is set to be built against a robust PSI Green Plan. Mr Chow shared that the
project will be supported by sustainable master planning, smart mobility, renewable
energy, super low energy (SLE) building technology, smart features, as well as efficient
waste and water management.
Gamuda, the construction company in charge of the project, has benchmarked against
best practices in accordance with ESG principles.
3/5
PSI will feature global business service campuses, set in highly-connected park-like environments.
Artist's impression: Gamuda
“Embracing ESG principles will position PSI on a global stage in an environment where
investors are looking at their investment’s wide-ranging impact in various ways, beyond
the straightforward financial returns,” explained Mr Chow.
To promote green mobility, everything on PSI is designed to be within easy reach to “put
bicycles and pedestrians ahead of cars”. Together with the seamless integration of public
transport modes such as water taxis, e-trams and LRT, this move will help to reduce
carbon emissions.
The planners have envisioned a wide range of incentives to coax more residents into
embracing low-impact mobility. “The development is aimed to be carbon-neutral,
climate-resilient and highly livable, right from the start, and this can be seen in how the
masterplan and integrated transportation network are sustainably laid out on the PSI,”
said Mr Chow.
Meanwhile, power consumption on PSI will be moderated using smart grids, buildings
that rely on energy-efficient cooling systems, and a host of other smart tech features that
optimises cooling, ventilation, lighting, irrigation and security systems to make this built
environment a low-impact one.
4/5
The bio-diverse Green Plan is PSI's anchor in achieving carbon neutrality. Image: Bjarke Ingels Group
PSI will also employ green building designs that embrace passive cooling through the
alignment of the city grid and buildings to prevailing winds. This essentially creates a
wind tunnel effect to maximise natural ventilation and reduce the dependence on air
conditioning.
Find out more about the Penang South Islands project.
5/5You can also read
