Avaland launches Sustainability Roadmap

PETALING JAYA (Sept 7): Avaland Bhd, previously known as MCT Bhd, has launched its Sustainability Roadmap to reinforce its commitment to integrate sustainable and eco-friendly features in all projects to benefit its customers.

At the launch event of the Sustainability Roadmap on Thursday, its chief operating officer Aw Sei Cheh noted that sustainability has been prioritised to fulfill the company’s mission in creating communities and enhancing lives for generations.

“This approach will help ensure the creation of lasting economic, environmental and social value for all stakeholders involved,” he said.

At the press conference, Aw said that Avaland is currently working on other green initiatives with the Real Estate and Housing Developers’ Association (Rehda). “We are also open to work with NGOs (on green and ESG-related initiatives).”

Guided by its parent company Ayala Land Inc’s sustainability framework, Avaland’s Sustainability Roadmap is developed in line with its product standardisation manual — with four key focus areas: site resilience, resource efficiency, people mobility and connectivity, as well as local economic development.

Green materials and energy-efficient technologies will be incorporated in Avaland’s projects. For example, all of its projects will utilise efficient air-conditioning mechanism, water-efficient sanitary wares, and fittings and green cement.

Green initiatives

Its green initiatives have borne fruit as six of its projects — Aetas Damansara (Platinum), Alora Residences (Gold), Amika Residences (Gold), Alira Subang Jaya (Silver), Sanderling (Bronze) and Casa Embun (Bronze) — have received GreenRE certifications.

The event also witnessed the presentation of the GreenRE certifications to Avaland by Datuk Muztaza Mohamad, who is head of GreenRE Management Committee and trustee of Rehda Institute.

In his speech, Muztaza emphasised the importance of green properties and that only 1% of property in Malaysia is green-certified.

“We want to educate the public about ‘green’, not just GreenRE, to save our future. Better late than never,” he said.

At the same event, Avaland also signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Alliance Bank Malaysia Bhd for the Alliance Bank Green Mortgage Financing Package, which aims to encourage home ownership of green-certified properties.

This collaboration enables purchasers of Avaland’s green-certified properties to enjoy lower interest rates by 10 basis points from the current preferential rate, subject to customer’s lending profile.

Alliance Bank group chief consumer banking officer Gan Pai Li noted that the collaboration reinforces the bank’s commitment to fostering sustainable community and environment, while supporting its customers’ home ownership journey.

“We look forward to expanding our reach to key target market, enabling more businesses and customers to adopt sustainable practices, and creating more meaningful impact for the community,” she said.