Sunway City Bhd (SunCity), which first made its foray into property development two decades ago, has in recent years reinforced its reputation as an integrated property development player.

The high intensity of human activity in cities around the world, brought about by rising urbanisation, spells a world that’s becoming increasingly unsustainable.

Depending on who you ask, sustainable development may or may not be cool. While some will have no qualms about giving up long hot showers, a relaxing bubble soak or anything remotely trendy for fear of incurring the wrath of Mother Nature, there are those who remain oblivious to or uncaring about what could be in store for mankind.

We are seeing it everywhere around us — signs of global warming, warnings of depleting natural resources, shocking degradation of the environment and so on. It seems that every other day we read about one animal or other coming close to extinction. Being environmentally conscious is becoming increasingly urgent, in fact, essential for mankind’s survival.

The 1,000-acre Elmina East in Shah Alam is a project to watch.

When I was a child, it never dawned on me that the traditional Malay kampung house utilised sustainable products and technologies that could be ideal for modern tropical buildings. It is this humble abode that has been reinterpreted as Sime Darby’s Idea House.

It has been said that we do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children. But in what condition will this world be when we hand it over to future generations?Towards the end of the last century, the energy and transport sectors were identified as the two main culprits responsible for the degradation of our environment.

Some call it hype, some call it a passing fad but everywhere, architects around the world are giving high priority to the green agenda in their creations. One cannot deny that sustainability is the way forward as it could spell the survival of our rapidly declining earth. More and more green structures are dotting the skylines around the globe.

Can you imagine living in a house made out of loofah? Better still, these house panels made out of loofah, also known as patola, can also be recycled. Loofah, a plant originally from Asia, easily grows and is available in abundance in Paraguay. If harvested before it is completely ripe, loofah can be eaten.

In Holland — the home of windmills, clogs and tulips — lies an eco-friendly city that’s considered “one of the greenest cities in Europe”.