Malaysia-based Bandar Utama City Centre Sdn Bhd (BUCCSB), the operator of 1 Utama Shopping Centre (1 Utama), has appointed Solarvest Energy Sdn Bhd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of clean energy expert Solarvest Holdings Berhad (Solarvest), to install Malaysia’s largest on-site solar photovoltaic (PV) panels and building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) panels (the Solar Power System) on mall.
Solarvest said in a statement on Monday that the solar system covers around 273,300 square feet of the mall’s rooftop and carpark to generate more than 5,700 kWp of renewable energy to power 1 Utama.
According to the statement, Solarvest will undertake the engineering, procurement, construction, and commission (EPCC) works for the installation of the Solar Power System.
At the current project stage, Solarvest said it has conducted studies at the site to assess the optimum clean electricity generation capacity to suit 1 Utama’s energy needs in a cost-effective manner and the installation is nearing completion.
“At 1 Utama, we are committed to pioneering many sustainability initiatives, driving change in the shopping mall industry to enhance the retail experience for our shoppers, tenants and staff,
“As the first green mall in Malaysia since 1995 ranked amongst the top ten world’s largest malls, we recognize the important role we play to promote sustainable practices, manage environmental impact and invest in impactful long term solutions for a circular economy and climate mitigation,” Public Relations and Sustainability Senior Manager of 1 Utama Shopping Centre Lee Li Lian said.
According to her, 1 Utama consistently sets new standards by integrating green features and meaningful eco-campaigns in its building and facilities such as its Rainforest enclave with 100 species of forest trees and rooftop Secret Garden, the largest in South East Asia.
“We are now proud to be adopting solar energy and innovative green technology to further reduce our carbon footprint,
“This is a step forward for 1 Utama to achieve our environmental, social, and governance (ESG) and zero energy building goals, and we are excited to partner with Solarvest to make this vision a reality,” she added.
Meanwhile, Solarvest Chief Executive Officer Davis Chong Chun Shiong said that shopping malls can be energy-intensive, especially in terms of air-conditioning and
lighting.
“By installing the Solar Power System, this helps us save electricity costs and reduce reliance on fossil fuels,” he said.
With solar energy being a reliable and responsible source of electricity, he said the firm is looking forward to implementing more projects in the future to reduce energy consumption and optimize resources.
“We are pleased to collaborate with 1 Utama Shopping Centre on their sustainability initiatives aimed at curbing carbon emissions,” he said.
He also said they are seeing a growing interest in clean energy adoption, particularly among the commercial and industrial players.
“Our expanded tender book in Malaysia from 1.6GW last year to 2.8GW this year signifies an acceleration of clean energy adoption toward achieving Malaysia’s Net Zero Goals,
“At Solarvest, we are committed to energizing our customers on their decarbonization journey by making clean energy more reliable and accessible,” he added.
Solarvest is a clean energy expert with a multi-national presence across Asia-Pacific in seven countries.
The Malaysia-founded company started as a one-stop solar photovoltaic system solution provider for residential, commercial and industrial, and utility-scale solar farms.
Today, the firm has accumulated a renewable energy portfolio of over 1,200MW (on-going and completed).
The company is currently venturing into other clean energy solutions including, among others, hydrogen, battery storage, data center, energy efficiency, low-carbon mobility, and renewable energy certificates.