The infrastructure project takes a significant step forward towards environmental sustainability
MRCB George Kent Sdn Bhd made history recently for being the first infrastructure project to receive a 5-star rating for environmental sustainability, which is a strategic thrust under the Construction Industry Transformation Plan 2016-2020 (CITP). CIDB Malaysia awarded the company with a 5-star Sustainable INFRASTAR certification for the design phase of the Light Rail Transit Line 3 (LRT3) project, spanning from Bandar Utama to Johan Setia.
The certificate of recognition was presented by Tuan Baru Bian, the then-Minister of Works in conjunction with a working visit to the LRT3 construction site. The Minister also witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between CIDB and MRCB George Kent Sdn Bhd to enhance environmental sustainability programmes and good practices in construction works.
Launched in March 2019, Sustainable INFRASTAR is an assessment tool for infrastructure projects on key sustainability factors, such as land use, impact of equipment use, resource and waste management on construction sites. It covers infrastructure construction, including highways and roads, water treatment plants, airport rail links, jetties and marinas, sewerage pipe networks, wastewater treatment plants and telecommunication networks. Sustainable INFRASTAR complements other tools, such as the Malaysian Carbon Reduction and Environmental Sustainability Tool (MyCREST) for building construction by CIDB, and Malaysia Green Highway Index by the Malaysian Highway Authority.
Projects assessed during the design stage will be given provisional rating and the full rating will be granted upon completion. The projects are rated from one-star (starting from a 40 per cent score) with five-star being the highest score.
The Sustainable INFRASTAR rating system was developed with the collaboration of industry players from the private and government sectors through various committees established and coordinated by CIDB. The tool is benchmarked against similar rating tools or systems used internationally such as CEEQUAL from the UK, Envision from the US, ISCA from Australia and Pearl Estidama from the UAE.
“Industry players who participate in the sustainable INFRASTAR assessment stand to reap many benefits, including reducing construction and operation costs, provided that they incorporate sustainability elements during the design stage ,” said Datuk ‘Asri.
