Started in May this year, the competition was introduced to raise awareness about the importance of sustainable development and green buildings, as well as expose current and future academicians, students and professionals in the building industry to the concepts of sustainable development and affordable housing. The competition received a total of 28 entries from 34 architecture students from Department of Architecture, University Technology Mara and Faculty of Built Environment, University of Malaya.

Today, the winners of the competition were honoured at a prize giving ceremony held at the Sime Darby Convention Centre in Bukit Kiara. The first prize was awarded to Muhammad Qhawarizmi Norhisham from Department of Architecture, UiTM Shah Alam who won RM3,000, while Nuriana Bt Mohd Hashim and Siti Yisrime Bt Yusoff from Faculty of Built Environment, University Malaya won the second prize and third placing went to Faiz Azri Bin Che Soh from Department of Architecture, UiTM Shah Alam who received RM2,000 and RM1,000 respectively. The Top 3 winners received their prizes from the Managing Director of Sime Darby Property, Dato Tunku Putra Badlishah, H.E Dr Guenter Gruber, the German Ambassador and H.E Marc Barety, the French Ambassador respectively. Six other students received Honorable Mention Prizes of RM 500.00 each.

Speaking at the prize-giving ceremony, Dato Tunku Putra Badlishah said,  We are pleased to collaborate with our partners who share the same vision with us to encourage our budding Malaysian architects to start thinking early in their career about the importance of sustainable architecture. It is hoped that this competition has given participants the opportunity to showcase their architectural talent while learning from industry professionals to ensure they get maximum benefit from the experience . Dato Tunku Putra Badlishah also commended the participants for taking up the challenge to design affordable housing for the future.

Meanwhile, Goethe Institute Malaysia Director, Dr Volker Wolf said that the Goethe Institute Malaysia is very glad to have been able to play a part in raising awareness, educating and challenging the minds of Malaysia s future building industry professionals on the applications of green building technology and sustainable development.

Director of Alliance Francaise, Bruno Plasse said  the exposure to industry professionals from Europe and Malaysia during the program that was held in conjunction with the competition was very beneficial for the students as it allowed them to realize that green building technology had become mainstream and was rapidly being adopted as a standard practice to achieve sustainability.

Participants were required to design an affordable green housing scheme in any central urban site in the country taking into consideration the Malaysian Green Building Index criteria. Participants had to formulate and design affordable green housing with social infrastructure (e.g. encounter areas like playgrounds, sporting facilities etc), flexible space (minimum of three bedrooms and two bathrooms), at an estimated cost of below RM100,000 per unit, in a central urban area of medium rise (5-8 stories), high density building.

The entries were judged on concept, sustainability and energy efficiency of the dwelling, practicality and aesthetics of the design. The participants also received guidance and education in the form of lectures on Green Buildings by design and environmental experts from France, Germany and Malaysia, as well as free training and design input programmes which were further complemented by site visits and workshops to provide additional theoretical, technical and practical knowledge.