Low Carbon City Framework

When you’re sharing a planet with 7 billion people and countless living beings, it’s possible to underestimate the impact of one’s lifestyle choices on the environment. Do seemingly modest actions like carpooling, or composting kitchen scraps, actually make a difference? And on a bigger scale, what can cities do to facilitate the lifestyle and infrastructural changes needed for a better future?

In Malaysia, Cyberjaya is one of two cities spearheading the way as a pioneer green township (the other being the country’s administrative capital of Putrajaya). It’s a natural fit, as technology plays a key role in enabling sustainable living.

The goal is to cut carbon emissions in the city by 21% by the year 2020. To achieve this, a Low Carbon City Framework was formulated to align and mobilise green efforts, covering Urban Environment, Urban Transportation, Urban Infrastructure and Building.

Through this framework, it is hoped that Cyberjaya will become a catalyst for positive change, not only in business and technology, but also as a model for sustainable future cities.

District Cooling System

Running off two plants and a 15km underground network, the District Cooling System (DCS) supplies chilled water for the air-conditioning needs of 40 multi-storey buildings within Cyberjaya’s flagship zone, including Wisma Shell, Multimedia Development Corporation (MDeC), and various government agencies. The system utilises off-peak electricity at night to chill water for the buildings’ air-conditioning use during the day, thus reducing electricity usage by more than 65% compared to traditional air-conditioning systems.

Besides reducing the environmental impact, DCS also helps lower the cost of doing business in Cyberjaya. The system is managed by Pendinginan Megajana Sdn Bhd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Cyberview Sdn Bhd.

Compostech Machines

The average Malaysian throws away 1.64kg of waste per day. According to a World Bank report, that is 0.44kg more than the average worldwide city dweller at 1.2kg.

To reduce the amount of waste sent to landfills, Cyberjaya provides three Compostech machines for the community’s use, located at the SME Technopreneur Centre 1, MaGIC, and the Cyberjaya Community Clubhouse. These Compostech machines recycle organic kitchen and garden waste into compost within a speedy 24 hours, which is then used as nutrient-rich fertiliser for landscaping purposes around Cyberjaya. 

FURTHER READING

Compostech Technology

Recycling Centre

Strategically located at a section of the Park and Ride facility, the new Cyberjaya Community Recycling Collection Centre (CCRCC) stands out with its unique design and solar panel roof. Items accepted for recycling include paper, tin/aluminum, plastic, used cooking oil, glass, and e-waste. Green-minded Cyberians can now bring in their recyclable trash during the facility’s opening hours which are from 9am to 5pm, three days a week. 

  Operating Days: Monday, Wednesday & Friday  Operating Hours: 9.30am–4.30pm (Lunch break 1.00–2.00pm)     Location: Park & Ride Cyberjaya, Persiaran Rimba Permai +603 88901764
 +603 8890 1805      mazveen@alamflora.com.my

Recyclables	Price (MYR/kg)
Plastic & Bottles	0.30
Old newspaper	0.20
Black & white paper	0.30
Old corrugated carton/boxes	0.18
Old magazine	0.20
Mixed papers	0.15
Beverage carton/tetrapak	0.50
Tin/Metal	0.30
Aluminium	2.50
E-waste 1. CPU 2. Monitor 3. Notebook 4. Server 5. Printer 6. TV 7. Refrigerator 8. Vacuum 9. Microwave	Per unit 5.50 4.50 3.50 15.00 3.00 4.00 5.00 1.50 3.00
Used cooking oil	0.80
Others	0.20

Bulk Collection:
Collection at the source with minimum 250 kg/trip.

Green Buildings

Imagine a workspace filled with natural daylight bouncing off its white walls. As evening falls, more lights come on, powered by the solar energy collected during the day. Yesterday’s heavy rainfall has been harvested for reuse, while the air-conditioning utilises off-peak energy to cool the building. 

Intelligent, sustainable building design is fast making inroads in Cyberjaya. New residential and commercial buildings are being developed with renewable energy and water conservation in mind, while existing buildings are being retrofit to reduce power and resource consumption.

A number of buildings in Cyberjaya have been accredited with a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) and/or Green Building Index (GBI) certification. They are Wisma Shell (Malaysia’s first LEED Gold Building), CX5 Data Centre, Rimba Digital – Cyberjaya3 Data Centre, and CJ1 Data Centre. Meanwhile, the Cyberjaya Mosque, Masjid Raja Haji Fisabilillah is the first mosque in Malaysia to be awarded with Platinum Rating in Green Building Index. The upcoming Hospital Cyberjaya is also aiming for Platinum Rating in Green Building Index. 

Solar Power

Not only does sunshine have the power to make people feel happy, it also has the potential to power up our devices, buildings, and more. In Cyberjaya, where sunlight is abundant all year round, solar power is increasingly being used as an alternative energy source, thus reducing the city’s dependence on fossil fuels.

So far, solar panels have been installed on five bus shelters, two Green Nomad Kiosks, and on several rooftops, including the new Cyberjaya Community Recycling Collection Centre (CCRCC). The energy stored in the solar-powered bus shelters is turned into electricity at night, lighting up the bus stand. In the future, Cyberjaya’s car park shelters will also run off solar energy. Another interesting solar-powered project is Masjid Raja Haji Fisabilillah, which is the world's first mosque equipped with a Building-Integrated Photovoltaic (BIPV) System to harvest energy from the sun. 

Bicycles Routes

Cycling is cheap, eco-friendly, and a great way to explore the local sights and sounds of Cyberjaya. Besides being a healthy workout, every ride also means one less car on the road.

A comprehensive network of cycling paths in Cyberjaya is currently being planned in addition to the existing 17km cycling track along the city to encourage cycling and to reduce the city’s carbon footprint. Once completed, cyclists will be able to ride safely from their homes to key public transportation hubs such as bus stations, where they can continue their journey onwards via public transport.

For now, you can join Cyberjaya’s pedal power community along the completed bicycle lanes at Persiaran APEC, Persiaran Rimba Permai, and Persiaran Ceria. Just don’t leave home without that helmet!

Air Quality Monitoring

Cyberjaya’s Air Quality Index (AQI) sensors enable the provision of detailed and reliable real-time data on key environmental parameters including temperature, humidity and air quality using PM2.5 sensors. The installation of the temperature and humidity sensors allow the measurement of the surrounding air which would then prevent elements like periods of heat wave affecting the community. The AQI sensors utilise Cyberjaya city-wide LoRa network, and is updated every 2 minutes.

The AQI sensors is a pilot project by Cyberview Sdn Bhd, a government-own company that spearheads the development of Cyberjaya, and its partner, Atilze Digital Sdn Bhd.