Introduction

CETDEM, which always promotes the sustainable use of energy and energy efficiency, launched this project on 1st March, 2004. The aim of this project is to enhance public awareness on this issue by sharing information and demonstrating sustainable energy solutions. The main target group are urban households who have comfortable houses with air-conditioning and hot water supply. This project can educate Malaysians to contribute to sustainable development by promoting renewable energy as a “fifth fuel” and to increase awareness among urban households about sustainable – energy solutions.

Background

A documentation & demonstration centre on sustainable energy usage is to be established in an urban house in Petaling Jaya. The results from the operation of this demonstration centre will be shared/disseminated throughout the country and reinforced with training of urban communities to conduct their own household energy audits.

Efforts will also be made to motivate housing developers and government agencies to make future housing stocks more sustainable in their energy usage. In order to ensure that the lessons are translated into policy, a National Seminar will be held towards the end of the project period to propose a comprehensive National Energy Policy.

Since no such demonstration house exists in the country, it would be a pioneering and modelling effort to have such a demonstration house in Malaysia. Its success would encourage more middle class Malaysians to undertake changes when they next renovate their homes.

In addition, it would provide housing developers of a new approach in building for a growing market of discerning buyers. The Ministry of Housing & Local Government could be motivated to draft an action plan to promote such housing in the 9th Malaysia Plan.

The multiplier effect is certainly possible but by also raising the concerns about modifying lifestyles, the project would contribute towards sustainable development and in the process help the evolution of a comprehensive energy policy.

As local funding for such a project is still not forthcoming. DANIDA support is needed in order to advance existing Danced support in the energy, climate change & NGO sectors in Malaysia.

The Danish partner for this project is The Danish Organisation for Renewable Energy (OVE) that was founded in 1975. OVE is a non-profit, non-governmental organisation (NGO) working for an energy policy based 100% on the use of renewable and sustainable energy.

Objectives

The objectives of DDC are to:

a. Promote Sustainable & Energy Efficient Lifestyle;
b. Promote Household Energy Audit;
c. Propose a comprehensive National Energy Policy.

Demonstration Cool House

A double-storey house was selected to undergo renovation / retrofitting to become Energy Efficient.

Before Renovation / Retrofitting

As part of the demonstration effort of the project, we have renovated a house in SS2, Petaling Jaya, Selangor to achieve a comfortable temperature the sustainable way. The demo house also utilises the sun to generate electricity and produce hot water.

Although this house does not have air-conditioning, it is quite cool indoor even on a hot sunny day. After renovation works, we have been consistently getting indoor temperatures around 28-30 °C during the day.

What’s more, we are making available publicly the renovation work, its cost and other measures taken to achieve this comfort.

Renovation efforts

The home gains heat mainly from the roof and secondly through the windows. Therefore, the first step we have taken is to insulate the roof with rockwool and provide a “breathing space” between the insulation layer and the roof tiles. The attic space is also kept cool by ventilation.

After – Features of the Cool Demonstration House

Then we shaded the windows from direct sunlight with aluminum sunshades and lots of plants. Plants are really good at providing shade. They look pretty, create oxygen, cool down the air and may attract a wandering squirrel. What more can you ask for?

Besides shading the windows, we also actively manage ventilation of the demo house. Let us first of all visually split the house into 2 sections – the first floor and the ground floor.

The first floor windows are opened in the evening and left open during the night to bring in the cool night air. Throughout the day, the windows are kept closed to avoid the hot afternoon air from entering the house. Heat from cooking is taken out by an exhaust fan. Because no one resides in the ground floor during the night, for security reasons, the windows are opened only early in the morning and closed by late morning. But an exhaust fan at the back of the house is turned on from 9pm until 8am to draw cool air into the house through air vents in the front of the house.

A photovoltaic (PV) panel and solar hot water system is installed on the roof to utilise the power of the sun. The PV panel generates electricity that is sold to the grid. At the end of the month, the electricity bill will show a net of electricity used and sold.

Methodology

Exhibitions

Energy Efficiency Exhibitions to be held around the country to promote Energy Efficiency to the general public.

Energy Efficiency Briefing around Malaysia

Energy Efficiency briefings are arranged and conducted for building professionals, government agencies and school children either at their premises or in a hotel. An Energy Audit exercise is included in the briefing.

Stakeholders Workshop

Stakeholders workshops to be held with professional bodies such as IEM and REHDA. Opportunity to discuss draft Energy Policy Paper and to exhibit project materials including DDC House and Energy Audit exercise.

House Briefing in SS2 Petaling Jaya

You are welcome to come visit and view our demonstration house. House visits are arranged upon request only and usually conducted on a Saturday morning. 1 week’s notice is required. We also conduct briefings to interested houseowners, building professionals, government agencies and school children. Recommended group size is 5-10 persons. Minimum group size is 5, maximum size is 20 persons.

Results

Rockwool Insulation

Cross-section View of the Roof

Aluminium Sun-breakers

Internal House Temperature monitoring

Cross-section of House (Temperature Before & After)

Solar Water Heater

Solar Photo Voltaic Panels (1kWp)

PV Output

Rainwater Harvesting

On 5 Feb 2007, CETDEM Chairman personally submitted the Memorandum on a Comprehensive Malaysian Energy Policy to the Minister of Water, Energy and Communications, Malaysia.

Click here for the Memorandum on a Comprehensive Malaysian Energy Policy (2007)

Diary of Events

2004

Date —————	Event ————————————————————————————
1 Mar	DDC Project begins.
Mar-Dec	Planning, selection of premises, renovation work.
29 Oct	Commissioning of Photo-Voltaic system.

2005

Date —————	Event ————————————————————————————
Jan-Feb	Completion of preparatory work.
12 Mar	House visit by a group of house owners.
14 Mar	Official Launch of Demo house by YB Dato Seri Dr Lim Keng Yaik, Minister of Energy, Water & Communications
19 March	House visit by Child NGO.
19 March	Briefing on energy saving to housing developers in Seremban.
—————	————————————————————————————
14 April	Briefing on energy saving to school children in Penang.
27 April	Exhibited at MPPJ in conjunction with the Best Neighbourhood Contest.
3 May	House visit by lecturers and students of UIA Dept. of Building Technology & Engineering.
6-8 June	Exhibited in MENGO Conference 2005
14 June	House visit by Local Agenda 21 officers of Majlis Bandaraya Ipoh (MBI), Dewan Bandaraya Kota Kinabalu, Majlis Perbandaran Seberang Perai & Majlis Perbandaran Petaling Jaya (MPPJ).
25 June	Exhibition of DDC house in conjunction with the launch of the Low Energy Office (LEO) which is also the new office for the Ministry of Energy, Water and Communications in Putrajaya.
29 June	Briefing to Engineering students of INTICollege, Nilai, Negeri Sembilan
—————	————————————————————————————
29 July	Briefing to MalaysianUniversityConsortium for Environment & Development (MUCED) at Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur
22 Aug	Briefing to planners from Jabatan Perancangan Bandar & Desa (JPBD) Selangor and Malaysian Institute of Planners (MIP) followed by a visit to Demo House.
27 Aug	Briefing to a crowd of 20 individuals from CETDEM Kitchen Gardening Group (KGG).
15 Sept	3rd Stakeholders Workshop held in Kuching Sarawak in association with the Institution of Engineers Malaysia (IEM) Sarawak Branch. Draft Energy Policy Paper was presented and discussed for the first time. Project materials including DDC House and Energy Audit exercise were exhibited as well.
—————	————————————————————————————
1 Oct	House visit by concerned home owners
13 Oct	Exhibition at University Malaya, Environmental Awareness Week by Geography Department
22 Oct	Briefing to NGOs in Ipoh
24 Oct	House Visit by concerned developer, planner and architect professionals
12 Nov	Briefing to Sokkagakkai Buddhist Society (SBS) in Muar, Johor.
3 Dec	House visit by architects
9 Dec	House visitors from Kelantan
10 Dec	Briefing to Rotary Club members and general public in Tampin, Negeri Sembilan
13 Dec	Treasure Hunt for a group of 20 primary school students & teachers at an Organic Farm Resort
14 Dec	House visit by students and teachers from Sussex Downs Park College, England through UKM LESTARI Programme

2006

Date —————	Event ————————————————————————————
3 Jan	Visitors from Building Industry
13 Jan	Briefing to the members of the Institution of Engineers Malaysia (IEM) @ PJ HQ
14 Jan	Follow-up visit from the Institution of Engineers Malaysia
17 Jan	Participated in SS2 CARES Chinese New Year Carnival celebration/exhibition
21 Jan	Briefing to environmental NGOs in Kuala Lumpur
18 Feb	Briefing to SS2 CARES Resident Associations, among other community groups
20-24 Feb	5-Day Exhibition at MPPJ Lobby Area in collaboration with Local Agenda 21 Office
23 Feb	Project Coordinator invited to speak (on air, live) at national television (Wanita Hari Ini, TV3) on Energy Savings @ Household Level
25 Feb	Briefing to Lions Clubs members and Malaysian Interfaith Network at MPPJ
4-5-March	Exhibition at Port Dickson in conjunction with MNS Raptor Watch 2006
11 March	House visit by young engineers (G&S) from the Institution of Engineers Malaysia (IEM)
13 March	Briefing to hotel staff in Kuantan, Pahang
15 March	Briefing to students & staff at University Tuanku Abdul Rahman (UTAR) Setapak, Kuala Lumpur
17 March	House visit; PTM Technical Teams
18 March	House visit from MNS Selangor
31 March	House visit; PJ SEGi College
—————	————————————————————————————
5 April	Stakeholders Workshop with Housing Developers in association with REHDA
9 April	Briefing to Taiping Buddhist Society & senior citizen groups
15 April	Briefing in Kuala Terengganu
18 April	House visit by TESCO Malaysia and DANIDA
28-30 April	Participated in 3-Day Exhibition at MAPEX Seremban organised by REHDA, NS Branch.
6 May	House visit; mixed groups/individuals after Star newspaper report on May 2nd, 2006.
7 May	IEM Open House Exhibition @ JKR Hall, KL.
9 May	House visit; mixed groups/individuals after Star newspaper report on May 2nd, 2006
19-21 May	Exhibition in Penang
23 May	House visit; mixed groups/individuals including UNITEN lecturers after Star newspaper report.
26 May	Interview by ntv7 (Mandarin, national program) on Energy Savings @ Household level
27 May	House visit; mixed groups/individuals including UTM researchers from Skudai campus.
3 June	DDC House Project on ntv7 Siasat (Mandarin)
4 June	DDC Demo House in China Press newspaper (Chinese language)
6 June	House visit by mixed group, presented in Mandarin
16-18 June	Exhibition in Centrepoint, Kota Kinabalu
17 June	Talk at Sek Men Dato Peter Mujuntin, KK
19 June	Briefing for IEM and PAM in KK
24 June	House visit by mixed group
28 June	Talk in KUIM
—————	————————————————————————————
28-31 July	House visit by KL Bar Council Environmental Group
29 July	Exhibition in Berjaya Times Square
12 Aug	House visit by WCPJ participants
15 Aug	House visit by MNS members
19 Aug	House visit by Negara Properties
22 Aug	House visit by general public
31 Aug	Exhibition in Miri
3 Sept	House visit by UTM Students
16 Sept	Briefing in Melaka
18 Sept	DDC Workshop for Govt Officers
19 Sept	House visit by UIAM Architecture students
—————	————————————————————————————
4 Nov	House visit by General public
10 Nov	Exibition in Infineon, Melaka
18 Nov	Briefing for Klang Valley
29 Nov	House visit by Vietnamese delegates
4-6 Dec	National Seminar on a Comprehensive Energy Policy
13 Dec	December Exhibition in OMRON, PJ
28 Dec	House visit by Kumpulan Hartanah Selangor

2007

Date —————	Event ————————————————————————————
6 Jan	House visit by Persatuan Ching Hai KL
5 Feb	Memorandum on Sustainable Energy Policy submitted personally to the Minister of Water,  Energy and Communications, Malaysia.
14 Feb	A Press conference was held to disclose memorandum to the media
28 Feb	DDC Project Officially ends

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