ISW 2026: Malaysia’s cities need to move beyond ‘doing less harm’

KUALA LUMPUR (Sept 10): Cities must move beyond simply reducing their environmental impact and instead become climate-resilient and give back to the environment, said Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability (NRES) Minister Datuk Seri Arthur Joseph Kurup.

Speaking at the opening of the sixth International Green Build Conference (IGBC) today, Arthur said the transformation of Malaysia’s built environment would require collective action across the industry, from architects and engineers to developers, financiers, policymakers and communities.

“The transformation of our built environment will not happen through a single policy or project. It will happen through thousands of decisions made daily by architects, engineers, planners, developers, financiers, policymakers and communities.

“It is no longer enough for cities to just do less harm. They must become climate-resilient and actively give back to the environment,” Arthur said.

The IGBC, the thought-leadership and policy-dialogue anchor of International Sustainability Week (ISW) 2026, brings together 18 industry leaders, policymakers, developers and consultants over a two-day conference focused on the future of sustainability in Malaysia’s built environment.

It will discuss the latest advancements and solutions in sustainable and green-building practices.

Held in conjunction with World Green Building Week 2026, the event runs from Sept 10 to 11 at the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre (Mitec).

Themed “From Certification to Transformation: Building a Net Zero Future Together”, ISW 2026 is organised by Qube Integrated Malaysia Sdn Bhd and co-organised by GreenRE Sdn Bhd.

Also present at the opening ceremony were Qube Integrated Malaysia managing director Jessie Teo, and GreenRE chairman and ISW 2026 chair Datuk Seri FD Iskandar, who delivered the opening remarks.

The conference kicked off with a keynote address by Arup global climate and sustainability leader Joan Ko, who spoke on international best practices for organisations seeking to transition from net zero to net positive carbon emissions in the built environment.

The second session, a panel discussion titled “Climate-Resilient Cities: Designing for Adaptation, Equity and Long-Term Value”, explored how cities must evolve from mitigation-focused planning towards resilience-led urban transformation as climate risks intensify.

The panellists were PLANMalaysia research and development director Dr Chee Ping Ngang; Development Impact Advisors founder and principal, and former UN-Habitat senior policy adviser Dr Shipra Narang Suri; and Global Network for Zero vice-president of marketing and growth Geetanjali Prasad.

The discussion was moderated by APUDG founder and group managing director TPr Ts Norliza Hashim.

The panel explored how climate-responsive design, infrastructure adaptation and inclusive governance models can safeguard long-term urban value while addressing social vulnerability.

It highlighted issues including heat stress, flooding, resource scarcity and population growth, as well as the role of nature-based solutions, climate-adaptive architecture and data-driven planning in reducing exposure to climate shocks.

The conference’s special guest speaker, Expo City Dubai executive director Nadia Verjee, spoke in the third session, titled “Shaping Sustainable Urban Futures: Strategic Partnerships for Global Impact”.

ISW 2026 comprises two components: IGBC 2026 and GreenScape 2026, the exhibition component showcasing green innovations, technologies, services, solutions and financing models that support sustainable project delivery.

GreenScape runs concurrently with the two-day conference.

The conference today will feature six sessions with 10 speakers, including Sarawak Deputy Minister for Energy and Environmental Sustainability Datuk Dr Hj Hazland Abang Hj Hipni.

The conference will continue tomorrow for its second day, shifting its focus to the theme “Path to Sustainable Cities for All: The Urban Transition Towards Net Zero”.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Federal Territories) Hannah Yeoh is scheduled to deliver a keynote and industry session tomorrow at 9am titled “Vision Charting KL’s Net Zero Pathway”.

This will be followed by a session by Asean Governors & Mayors Forum strategic adviser Lee Yoong Yoong, titled “From ASEAN Vision to Local Action: Building Sustainable, Smart and Liveable Cities”.

Three more sessions will follow before the conference draws to a close.

For more information on the IGBC and ISW 2026, visit the official conference schedule.

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