Malaysia, Singapore green real estate players ink MOU to strengthen collaboration

• The “four-party” MOU was inked by GreenRE Sdn Bhd, the Real Estate and Housing Developers’ Association Malaysia (REHDA), the Real Estate Developers’ Association of Singapore (REDAS) and the Singapore Green Building Council (SGBC).

PETALING JAYA (Sept 8): Four “green real estate players” from Malaysia and Singapore signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Tuesday to strengthen collaborative efforts for the cross-adoption of green building solutions, innovations and best practices between both countries.

The “four-party” MOU was inked in Singapore by GreenRE Sdn Bhd, the Real Estate and Housing Developers’ Association Malaysia (REHDA), the Real Estate Developers’ Association of Singapore (REDAS) and the Singapore Green Building Council (SGBC).

“The MOU will deepen collaboration between organisations from both sides of the Causeway and is anchored on information exchange, organising of joint learning, research and development activities, facilitating of Singapore-Malaysia business collaborations as well as promoting products certified by the Singapore Green Building Product (SGBP) certification scheme with GreenRE building certification for Malaysian developments,” stated REHDA in a media release.  

Signing on behalf of REHDA, president N K Tong said that his association “along with our members, recognise our important nation-building role and we strive to provide quality, affordable homes to all Malaysians”.

“We are committed to adopt environmentally-friendly and green features that are sustainable for the benefit of our future generations. It is with this spirit in mind that we welcome the signing of the MoU today.

“We believe that the collaboration between all four entities will further enrich the progress of the housing and property industry in the respective nations, and we look forward to mutual learning and sharing with our MOU partners,” Tong added.

Besides firming the ties between Singapore and Malaysia’s green real estate players, the MOU will also facilitate Singapore developers with projects in Malaysia to leverage on the Republic’s green building ecosystem of proven and certified green building solutions for their Malaysian developments, specifically products certified by the SGBP certification scheme.

“The threat of climate change cuts across national and geographic boundaries, which is why we must all work closer together to effect positive climate action,” said Ar. Tang Kok Thye, president of the SGBC.

“With this collaborative framework in place, green building expertise from both countries can be more meaningfully exchanged to achieve greater sustainable outcomes for Singapore’s and Malaysia’s built environment sectors. The MOU will also create greater business opportunity for local enterprises, strengthening business ties with our Malaysian counterparts,” he added.

Meanwhile, Datuk Muztaza Datuk Muztaza Mohamad, GreenRE head of management committee said GreenRE aims to synergise efforts to advance the green building agenda in Malaysia, adding that “I am confident that this MOU will foster a productive exchange of ideas that will guide us to emulate the Singapore model for driving the green building agenda.”