Gone are the days when “sustainable living” or “going green” was just a catchphrase; today, it has become a way of life for many.

We even can see a significant shift towards eco-friendly practices across diverse industries, notably within the construction and real estate development.

Being one of the leading property groups in Malaysia, Tropicana Corporation Berhad consistently prioritises environmental stewardship. This commitment is evident in its landscape architecture and design, which seamlessly integrates residents with their surroundings.

A tapestry of green features

Speaking on behalf of Tropicana, its Managing Director, Ixora Ang said “In designing Tropicana’s township master plan, we aspire to provide a thriving and sustainable township. Guided by our 8 DNAs, (Accessibility, Connectivity, Amenities, Facilities, Innovative Concepts and Designs, Generous Open Space, Multi-tiered Security, Quality), we believe that we can give better value to the community,  investors, environment and even to the adjacent area that would benefit from the spill-over effects”.  

Since 2016, the Group has stayed ahead of the curve, achieving numerous sustainability milestones, such as cultivating over 375 acres of green lungs, planting more than 6,500 trees,  and 4,000 samplings in the central park of Tropicana Aman to create a diversified woodland and building more than 11 km of biking and walking trails across its signature townships.

“Knowing that the property development and real estate industry accounts for approximately 40%  of global carbon emission, we try to minimise the impact through our commitment to delivering developments that are rated by GreenRE or Green Building Index (GBI), where we incorporate  concrete measures to enhance a site’s water and energy efficiencies, indoor environmental  quality, lower carbon emissions, optimise the use of construction materials and energy-efficient  features, which can help to reduce occupants’ energy consumption compared to normal building usage. By delivering a green-rated development, we believe we can create an impact by providing  sustainable solutions to the investment community and residents,” said Ixora.

Tropicana’s landed property and high-rise blends eco-consciousness with comfort

For landed property, Tropicana has roofline insulation to maintain a cooler attic environment, reducing  energy consumption and enhancing comfort. It's a win-win for homeowners and the planet. Apart from that, the property also has high-end air filtration and mechanical ventilation systems to maintain optimal indoor air quality while saving energy.

To reduce energy consumption, Tropicana illuminates these homes with LED  lights. These bulbs consume less energy compared to conventional ones, promoting sustainability while providing ample lighting throughout the house. Tropicana also provides option for user to adopt renewable energy solution such as in Tropicana Aman where we provide solar-powered water heaters in customised package units. This would help users to reduce energy consumption by leveraging solar usage.

For high-rise developments, Tropicana creates vertical green spaces on building facades.

Climbers are planted on the exteriors of Tropicana Grande and Tropicana Metropark Pandora Residences, which help to clean the air, decrease and regulate the temperature, and keep the environment healthy.

“Our high-rises incorporate energy-saving elements such as at Tropicana Gardens, where we installed regenerative lifts, energy-efficient light fittings, landscaped roof garden with rainwater harvesting system and low-emissivity glass to reduce energy usage,” said Ixora.  

The ESG evolution in Malaysia is gaining significant momentum

There is an increasing awareness among developers, investors, and consumers about the  importance of ESG considerations in decision-making.

“We can see more active participation from industry associations and organisations in promoting ESG in property development. These collaborations provide platforms for knowledge  sharing, training, and certification programs to enhance ESG practices. The Malaysian Institute  of Architects, Real Estate and Housing Developers' Association (REHDA), and Green Building  Council Malaysia are some of the prominent organisations driving ESG initiatives.

Giving back to the community

“As a township builder, we directly and indirectly have an impact on the community. Through Tropicana Foundation, our corporate social responsibility programme, we pledge our commitment to uplift the underprivileged society, incorporate environmental sustainability, enhance economic development, improve health, and education programmes”

“Last year, we impacted 3,375 individuals through 24 NGOs in various programmes. The largest event that we held last year was The World of DC Exhibition where we hosted about 600 underprivileged children around Klang Valley.  We have partnered with Kechara Soup Kitchen to help homeless and marginalised communities by providing food to 675 individuals”

“On the social aspect, internally for our diverse employees, we provide support by creating a safe  and conducive workplace. We empower our staff through fair practices and inclusivity”

“During the fasting month leading to Hari Raya, Tropicana Foundation, the charity arm of Tropicana, organised a string of social outreach programmes across Malaysia. The Foundation reached out to 107 children at the official launch of Santapan 29 Malam at Tropicana Golf & Country Resort and subsequently engaged with 400 community members during its CSR event at Tropicana Gardens Mall. The dedicated Tropicana’s Marketing & Sales team (“M&S”) partnered up with Tropicana Foundation to activate a series of 11 social outreach programmes. Respective teammates from Tropicana Alam, Tropicana Aman, Tropicana Metropark, Tropicana Gardens, Tropicana Cenang, Tropicana Danga Cove, Tropicana Danga Bay and Tropicana Uplands also engaged with 8,724 community members consisting of members of the public, old folks and orphanages. They were also entrusted with delivering groceries, dates, bubur lambuk and specially curated bento boxes from De.Wan by the popular Chef Wan and other caterers.

Earlier this year, we kicked off with a Chinese New Year charity event, in partnership with Tropicana  Foundation, VitaHealth and Hazukido, and now we are organising a series of social outreach programme as well as green initiatives for the community.” concluded Ixora.

For 2024, the developer will continue with their ESG commitments by rolling out #TropicanaGoGreen  #TropicanaGoAssist #Tropicana2050 and also applying best practices in adapting and mitigating climate change in their support towards Net Zero 2050. All of Tropicana’s planned ESG initiatives and events are in place to support their commitment, in the area of People, Planet and Partnership, according to their project area.

To find out more on their green initiatives, you are welcome to visit https://www.tropicanacorp.com.my/sustainability.

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.

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