Melaka Vows to Emulate Zero-Carbon Heroes in Melbourne

On May 12, Melaka, a Malaysian state with a population and area about the size of Honolulu announced that it will emulate Melbourne, Australia, by implementing its own “green technology town program” by the year 2020.

In March 2010, the Victorian Government and the City of Melbourne launched the 1,200 Buildings program, part of a bold Zero Net Emissions by 2020 Strategy. The first of its kind in Australia, the program challenges two-thirds of Melbourne’s commercial buildings to retrofit their premises. The goal is to improve energy efficiency by 38 percent—mitigating greenhouse gases by as much as 383,000 tonnes of CO₂. That’s equivalent to nearly 8 million black balloons, according to city officials.

This program promises to effect the largest transformation to Melbourne in 160 years, and is expected to create 800 jobs and generate $1.3 billion in economic activity. It will cover all facets of energy efficiency; ranging from simple strategies including swapping out of light bulbs, to the more complex such as the installation of solar power systems and computerized building monitoring systems. Buildings will be rated under NABERS (the National Australian Built Environment Rating System), which evaluates structures on the basis of their measured operational impact on the environment.

Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam of Melaka said that his state government would set up a Green Building Council similar to the one in Melbourne to supervise and monitor the use of the green technology in all buildings. The chief minister said he would chair the council and that it would be officially launched soon.

“Under the council, there will be several categories— such as rivers and beaches, [and] open ground for buildings —which would be given ratings by non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in terms of the use of green technology,” he told reporters at Seri Negeri, the Melaka State Government Complex.

As for Melbourne’s Lord Mayor Robert Doyle, he is counting on a "green gold rush" and has predicted that the program will put Melbourne at the cutting edge of the green building movement. "Buildings that meet high environmental standards, use [fewer] resources, and save … money in the long -term are also much more attractive stock for buyers and tenants. It’s smart economics." said the Lord Mayor.