USM, CIDB to promote sustainable infrastructure developments

KUALA LUMPUR (Sept 9): Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) and Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) will join forces to strengthen public awareness on the sustainable infrastructure development.

A memorandum of understanding (MOU) will be signed between both organisations within the year to promote the idea of sustainable infrastructure projects, said Dr Choong Kok Keong, the organising chairman of Awam International Conference on Civil Engineering (eco-AICCE’ 15) and associate professor in Universiti Sains Malaysia.

eco-AICCE’ 15 is held in conjunction with the International Construction Week (ICW) 2015, which kicked off on Sept 7 and will end on Sept 11 at Putra World Trade Centre. ICW is an annual event organised by CIDB and supported by the Ministry of Works Malaysia.

“The collaboration will see more activities being held to promote the concept of infrastructure sustainability,” Choong told theedgeproperty.com after his opening remarks at eco AICCE.

Choong said both organisations are looking at ways to establish a checklist, or reference tool, to evaluate project development sustainability.

“It can be a list, measurement or rating tool in which people could follow step-by-step to start planning in the beginning stage to ensure their projects could meet the requirements of sustainable development,” he explained.

Choong said Malaysia has a good vision for infrastructure planning, but industry players still lack awareness when it comes to sustainable infrastructure development.

“From a societal aspect, lack of sustainable development mindset may have greater social impact on our daily lives such as the loss incurred during road or bridge closure due to damages,” he explained.

Choong emphasised that government enforcement has to be enhanced to ensure there will be follow ups such as routine maintenance and conservation activities to prolong the infrastructure’s lifespan.

“Policy makers, engineers and all the stakeholders of the construction industry need to have a mindset of [building] sustainable development to ensure the infrastructure is well maintained in the long term, for at least 15 years,” he added.