AS Sarawak pushes for greener development under its Post COVID-19 Development Strategy (PCDS), developers are beginning to integrate sustainability into the way they plan, design and build.
HSL’s green projects – AIR and Langit
Hock Seng Lee (HSL) has been doing this through landmark projects that combine design, ecology, and community.
Neat Plan, the property division of HSL, has treated each development as a learning process.
Director Yu Ji said that La Promenade in Kuching was an important lesson on how landscaping and green planning could add value.
He said that thousands of trees were planted, including 1,800 Norfolk Pines and more than 22,000 tea leaf shrubs, shaping what HSL described as ‘a township within a park’.
“The success of La Promenade showed us that people are willing to pay a premium for homes in a well-planned green environment.
“Houses there sold well, and much of that came from residents appreciating the landscaping,” he told Sarawak Tribune.
Building on that experience, HSL launched AIR, a project designed to go beyond greenery and integrate sustainability into every layer of urban design.
He noted that for AIR, they not only want greenery in the end product, but they also want to preserve as much as possible original trees, plants, topology and even streams from the natural site.
“This is a big challenge. We want to marry the built environment together with the natural environment. On top of that, the project must fulfil all government requirements, which are getting stricter (and thus costlier), while ensuring the entire project is sustainable.
“This is why we held a national competition for AIR. We seek the best ideas from architects, town planners and landscapers nationwide to make the best use of AIR’s challenging 13.5-acre site,” he said.
If AIR represents a community-scale vision of sustainability, Langit shows how the same philosophy can be applied to high-rise living.
Yu Ji said Langit was HSL’s first national competition for a vertical project, and the goal is to create a building that stands the test of time.
“After all, the truest meaning of being sustainable is to ensure longevity. This building must be good from the start, and relevant for as long as possible. This will prevent waste, and ensure Langit is sustainable because it is designed and built to last.
“For both projects, we want to ensure there is public access, so that the green sustainable portions can be enjoyed by all. Unlike most high-rises, Langit will not have a guardhouse,” he said.
Yu Ji explained that the AIR competition was a masterplan competition at the earliest possible stage of development.
He added that the masterplan sets out an outline for the project in all aspects – how much green to keep, roads, pedestrian links, carparks, and units.
“The masterplan of the project is like a ‘constitution’ of a country. It guides the entire project.
“We are working with the competition winners to draft out the best masterplan for AIR. Buildings on it will adopt Green Building Index (GBI) recommendations like double-glazed glass, cross ventilation, smart air con systems, and LED lights, all while applying low-hanging fruits like 3R waste programmes,” he said.
For Langit, he said GBI recommendations are equally central, but applied differently to suit its urban, vertical form.
“Energy-saving features like smart air conditioning and eco-glass are more expensive to install initially, but they will save on long-term electricity usage. For the hotel portion of Langit, which is under Ascott’s Citadines brand, energy savings is one of the criteria.
“We are also taking lessons from HSL Tower, our own HQ, which was the first privately built GBI office in Sarawak. That building is at least 25 per cent more energy efficient than normal, thanks to features like custom triple-glazed glass that allows natural light while keeping heat out.”
“Nevertheless, both AIR and Langit projects will follow GBI guidelines, but each in their own way,” he said.
The conversation about sustainability cannot end at design as he emphasised that what matters next is evidence of performance, proper upkeep, and measurable results over time.
Measurable benefits and outcomes
Yu Ji said that GBI definitely costs more initially, but the long-term savings justify the investment.
He explained that the greater challenge is implementing a long-term maintenance plan, since GBI certification must be renewed every three years.
“For our own office, HSL Tower, it is easy to convince ourselves of GBI because we can control usage, renovations and maintenance.
“To have GBI homes is harder, as the onus falls on individual owners to ensure their renovations are compliant, for example they cannot block natural lighting and must maintain cross ventilation, and that they have sufficient maintenance plans,” he said.
As GBI is data-driven, he added, certification can be revoked if there is no supporting evidence. This makes public education and awareness crucial.
“When energy savings translate into lower electricity bills, homeowners are very keen on GBI. They are also willing to pay more for landscaping. But, as mentioned, long-term maintenance and renovation rules are important factors.
“For our tenants inside HSL Tower and La Promenade Mall, the benefits are clear. They have lower electricity bills, enjoy natural lighting and greener surroundings, and work in healthier spaces with higher overall standards.
“This is why we are bringing green elements to Langit and AIR,” he said.
Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS) Faculty of Built Environment lecturer, Prof. Dr Azhaili Baharun, added that green building practices bring measurable economic benefits such as lower utility bills, enhanced asset value, improved well-being and productivity, and quicker returns through depreciation recapture.
He noted that sustainable infrastructure is also becoming a powerful tool to attract ESG-conscious investors, boost eco-tourism appeal, and create green jobs in construction, facilities management, and clean energy.
He explained that while initial costs may be slightly higher, payback is often rapid. Life cycle savings are estimated at four to six times the initial premium over 20 years, and globally green buildings deliver returns within just a few years.
“Green buildings cost a bit more initially, but they pay off many times over through lower energy and water bills, reduced maintenance, higher property value, better health and comfort, and stronger rental returns.
“For stakeholders in Malaysia, those savings and quality of life gains make green building financially and socially compelling,” he said.
Lessons and broader implications
While these outcomes reflect how developers design and measure sustainability, the true test lies in how residents experience daily comfort, liveability, and affordability.
Yu Ji further highlighted that beyond financial savings, green buildings directly improve the quality of daily life.
He explained that GBI guidelines do not just address energy and water efficiency, but also cover aspects such as indoor air quality and ambient sound, which affect comfort and well-being.
“Everyone in GBI-certified buildings will notice the air is fresher and the environment quieter. For many of our staff inside HSL Tower, they often comment on how quiet it is indoors.
“We never hear traffic, despite being along the busy Kuching-Samarahan Expressway,” he said.
He stressed that people are more likely to embrace green practices when they can see and feel these kinds of benefits in their daily environments.
“Energy savings are long term. Something that will push more developers to build greener immediately would be ‘green incentives’.
“For instance, a high-rise planned as GBI compliant should be allowed more floor space. This is the norm in places like Singapore, where buildings with sky gardens are given additional floors,” he said.
