THE Penang government will reward developers of green buildings, state local government exco Jagdeep Singh Deo said.

Developers with new buildings awarded the Green Building Index (GBI) gold or platinum rating before January 1, 2022, will receive a two-thirds rebate on the developmental charges they pay to local councils, he said.

The rebates can be claimed over three stages – one third at Completion and Compliance Certificate (CCC) stage, one third a year after the CCC stage, and followed by the last one-third at stage three.

Eligible developers will also get 10% annual assessment rebates for maintaining their GBI certifications.

Jagdeep said developers that retrofit their buildings to earn GBI gold and platinum ratings starting from January 1, 2022 will also be rewarded with 100% assessment rebates in the first three years.

They can also apply for 10% annual assessment rebates for maintaining their GBI certifications after that, he said.

“The state government will also bear the renewal fee for projects that are successful for GBI certificate renewals,” he said today as he officiated the Green Buildings and GBI Certification seminar at the SPICE Convention Centre in Bayan Lepas. 

The GBI is an environmental rating system developed by the Malaysian Institute of Architects and the Association of Consulting Engineers Malaysia for the local tropical weather; environmental and developmental contexts; cultural and social needs. 

The index evaluates buildings’ environmental design and performance based on six criteria – energy efficiency, indoor environment quality, sustainability site planning and management, materials and resources, water efficiency and innovation.

Jagdeep said developers would be helping themselves by building green.

“You are doing yourselves a favour. You will make savings, such as cutting your electricity bills, by going green.”

Jagdeep also said there should be no reason why private developers could not make their projects green when the state government’s low-medium and affordable housing project at SP Chelliah in George Town had become the first development of its kind in Malaysia to earn a GBI rating.

He said the state has however not yet set a target for the number of GBI certified buildings to be achieved in Penang.

“Setting a target should be considered but let’s put the incentives out there to encourage developers to work towards GBI certification.”

Penang Island City Council (MBPP) mayor Yew Tung Seang said the state has the third highest number of GBI certified buildings in the country after Kuala Lumpur and Selangor, with 43 buildings, or a gross floor area of 16.3 million sq ft, that have reduced carbon emissions by 45kg tonnes annually.

“Green buildings is one of our top priorities to counter global warming and climate change. With other sustainable measures, it can mitigate climate change, lessen catastrophic outcomes and allow mother earth to heal,” he said at the opening of the seminar.

Yew said buildings consumed about 40% of the world’s energy generation and 12% water; and contributed 40% of the waste sent to landfills. – December 3, 2018.