SEPANG – klia2 Terminal achieved another remarkable milestone for its environmental efforts by being the first to earn the prestigious Gold LEED building certification in Southeast Asia. The prestigious LEED or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification is based on standards set by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), the foremost program for buildings, homes and communities that are designed, constructed, maintained and operated for improved environmental and human health performance. LEED-certified buildings are resource efficient in terms of water and energy usage as well as carbon dioxide gas emission reduction. klia2 Terminal, the second terminal of KL International Airport is also the 4th airport building in Asia to be certified as Gold LEED.
The LEED Green Building Rating System is a third-party certification programme that is designed to maximise economic and environmental performance of the airport infrastructure by adopting sustainability concepts for aviation facilities. Besides that, the programme also ensures site development and management for sustainable airport functions, the efficient management of materials and resources to facilitate reduction of waste generated, and the optimization of indoor environment qualities for the comfort of the occupants, At a special ceremony in klia2 Terminal today, the GOLD LEED certificate was presented to Y.A.M. Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Syed Anwar Jamalullail, Chairman of Malaysia Airports by Y.Brs. Dr Puteri Shireen Jahn Kassim, Advisor of klia2 LEED Sustainable and witnessed by YB Dato’ Sri Liow Tiong Lai, Minister of Transport Malaysia. klia2 Terminal is currently practicing a rainwater harvesting system that collects rain to be treated, saving the airport about 9% in water consumption that is equivalent to RM215,000 per year. Apart from that, green features such as low emissivity glazing, high solar reflecting roof, LED lighting, jet diffusers and variable air volume cooling have also led to electricity savings of 7% which is equivalent to 3,082 CO2 in between 2015 to 2016.
In YB Minister of Transport’s speech, he congratulated Malaysia Airports’ on achieving this prestigious certification. “This certification is a testament to Malaysia Airports’ continuous commitment to identify, control and improve the environmental and social impacts of its operations. It is also a recognition of the efforts by those whose hard work had ensured that not only the terminal was developed based on green concept but had also maintained its operations in accordance to the prescribed practices.”
“In tandem with the government’s commitment to reduce carbon emission intensity by 40% by the year 2020, Malaysia Airports has achieved the certification from ACI under its Airport Accreditation Programme for Reduction where based on the 2014 Greenhouse Gas and Inventory and Carbon Management Plan, we have reduced our carbon emission by 42.86% from 2012. Moving forward, our Carbon Management Plan 2015-2020 is aimed at reducing direct carbon emission by a further 9% by 2020 and ultimately achieving carbon neutrality,” Syed Anwar explained in his welcome remarks.
Further to that, Syed Anwar extended his gratitude to the airport’s business partners for their joint efforts in ensuring consistent practice of day-to-day operations that are environmental friendly. He said that one of the pillars in the company’s strategy themes and objectives is sustainability. Therefore, this Gold LEED accreditation is an important milestone in the organisation’s pursuit for environmental excellence and a sustainable future.