KUALA LUMPUR: By 2050, Greater Kuala Lumpur is projected to become one of the world’s megacities, surpassing 10 million residents. How a city grows into that future, decarbonising, adapting to climate risks, and remaining economically competitive, is a question now facing policymakers, developers, and investors worldwide.
That question will take centre stage at the International Green Build Conference (IGBC), the flagship event of International Sustainability Week (ISW) 2026. Now in its sixth edition, IGBC brings together policymakers, urban planners, architects, financiers, and industry players from 10–11 September 2026 at Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre, Kuala Lumpur, to bridge the gap between sustainability ambition and real-world implementation.
This year’s conference will be led by keynote addresses from Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Amar Haji Fadillah Haji Yusof, who is also Minister of Energy Transition and Water Transformation, and Hannah Yeoh, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Federal Territories). Fadillah will discuss Malaysia’s sustainability and energy transition priorities, while Yeoh, responsible for Kuala Lumpur, will open Day 2 with the city’s own pathway to net zero.
While net zero remains the global benchmark, sustainability leaders are increasingly looking beyond carbon neutrality towards net positive development — where buildings and cities actively restore ecosystems, enhance biodiversity, and generate positive environmental and social outcomes.
Leading this discussion will be Joan Ko, Arup’s Global Environment, Climate, and Sustainability Leader.
Rising temperatures, extreme weather, flooding, and rapid urbanisation are reshaping how cities must be planned and managed.
A panel moderated by TPr. Ts. Norliza Hashim, Founder and Group Managing Director of APUDG, will include panellists such as Geetanjali Prasad, Vice President – Marketing & Growth at the Global Network for Zero (GNFZ); Dr. Shipra Narang Suri, Senior Policy Advisor at UN-Habitat; and Datin TPr. Dr. Chee Ping Ngang, Director of Research & Development at PLANMalaysia. They will explore how resilient infrastructure and inclusive governance can protect communities while strengthening long-term economic value.
Grounding this discussion in a concrete case study, Prof. Emeritus Dato’ Seri Ir. Dr. Zaini Ujang, Chairman of the Malaysian Qualifications Agency and former Secretary-General of the Ministry of Environment and Water, will examine how decades of urban expansion have eroded Kuala Lumpur’s flood retention capacity and the reforms needed to restore it.
The programme will also explore how thoughtful design and placemaking translate policy into liveable, net-zero-ready communities. Larry Ng, Former Group Director of Architecture & Urban Design Excellence at URA Singapore, and Chris Law, Founding Director of The Oval Partnership Ltd (Hong Kong), will share lessons from Singapore and China on high-density, transit-oriented cities that remain people-centric and adaptable.
The cross-city dialogue extends into policy and governance, with Panellists Tim Lo, Head of Business & System Development at BEAM Society Limited (Hong Kong), and Alvin Ong, Managing Director of EdgeProp Malaysia, discussing how progressive policies, effective governance, and public-private collaboration can align stakeholder priorities.
Delivering sustainable development requires commercially viable solutions that support growth and long-term competitiveness.
Moderated by Prof. Ir. Dr. Tiong Sieh Kiong FASc, Dean of the College of Graduate Studies at Universiti Tenaga Nasional, this panel includes experts like Eric Ingersoll, Founding Director & Co-CEO of Terra Praxis (USA), recognised as a Champion of Change in Renewable Energy by the Obama White House in 2012. They will examine how clean energy, digital innovation, and policy can accelerate decarbonisation.
Datuk Seri FD Iskandar, Chairman of GreenRE Sdn Bhd and Co-Chair of ISW 2026, stated: “For years, the conversation focused on why sustainability matters. Today, it has evolved to how we implement it, measure its impact, and scale it across our cities. Through ISW 2026, GreenRE aims to bring together global expertise and industry leadership to help organisations move beyond commitments towards tangible outcomes.”
Having certified over 500 million square feet of green developments, GreenRE has seen sustainability transform from a compliance exercise into a strategic advantage — and ISW 2026 is where those ideas become practical solutions for the built environment.
Richard Teo, Executive Chairman of Qube Integrated Malaysia and Co-Chair of ISW 2026, added: “ISW 2026 was created to extend this conversation beyond any single conference. IGBC brings together policymakers, industry leaders, and global voices to share policy insights, technical solutions, and lessons shaping this industry’s next phase. It’s an opportunity for practitioners to hear directly from those driving this agenda and to forge partnerships they can implement in their own organisations.”
Themed “From Certification to Transformation- Building a Net Zero Future Together,” ISW 2026 also features GreenScape: the International Green Innovation Exhibition, highlighting sustainability priorities and investment opportunities across future cities and real estate, as well as showcasing low-carbon, resilient technologies for the built environment.
Organised by Qube and co-organised by GreenRE, with support from MATRADE, the event’s lead sponsors include Starken Drymix Solutions Sdn Bhd, Starken AAC Sdn Bhd, Ajiya Roofing Sdn Bhd, and Ajiya Safety Glass Sdn Bhd. BEAM Society Ltd. is a corporate sponsor, BSD Consultancy Sdn Bhd is the carbon partner, and EdgeProp is the official media partner.
Strategic partners are REHDA Malaysia and REHDA Federal Territories, with supporting partners CIDB Malaysia and the Malaysian Green Technology and Climate Change Corporation.-pr/BNN
