Sarawak Energy and Curtin University Malaysia To Conduct Research on Energy Efficiency and Energy Management of Buildings

Sarawak Energy and Curtin University Malaysia are partnering on a joint research project into energy efficiency and energy management in green architecture to promote prudent energy management and efficiency, reducing overall greenhouse gas emissions while enhancing the workspace environment for occupants.

The research effort will explore via an open innovation model the energy efficient building performance of Sarawak Energy’s premises which is supported by Sarawak’s predominantly green electricity. Menara Sarawak Energy, the company’s headquarters in Kuching, is the first certified green building in East Malaysia.

Both parties signed an agreement yesterday to commit to the research collaboration involving an integrated analysis of energy consumption, indoor environmental quality, and occupant satisfaction in Sarawak Energy’s premises. The research focus will be on improving energy efficiency in all the buildings, some of which were built decades ago before there was a green architecture movement.

The signatories were Datu Haji Sharbini Suhaili, Sarawak Energy Group Chief Executive Officer; George A.W. Chapman, Sarawak Energy General Manager for Legal; Prof. Simon Leunig, Curtin University Malaysia’s Pro-Vice Chancellor, President and Chief Executive, and Prof. Vincent Lee Chieng Chen, Curtin University Malaysia’s Deputy Pro-Vice Chancellor.

Also present from Sarawak Energy were Dr. Mak Met, Senior Vice President for Human Resources, and Dr. Ng Sing Muk, General Manager for Research and Development.  

Curtin representatives included Fiona Notley, Curtin University Chief Operating Officer from Perth; Ir. Pieter Willem Pottas, Curtin Malaysia’s Chief Operating Officer; Prof. Tuong-Thuy Vu, Dean of Faculty of Engineering and Science; Prof. Andreas Zins, Dean of Faculty of Business; Prof. Agus Saptoro, Deputy Dean of Research and Development and the research project leader; Ir. Meheron Selowara Joo, project team member; Assoc. Prof. Garenth Lim King Hann, Head of Intelligent System, Design and Control Research Cluster, Faculty of Engineering and Science; and Dr. Oladokun Nafiu Olaniyi representing the Faculty of Business’ Associate Dean of Research and Development.

In his speech, Sharbini said that the collaboration demonstrated Sarawak Energy’s ongoing commitment to improve sustainability in its business and operations.

“One of the main objectives of this partnership is the development of modelling software to build an energy management system that can monitor and control energy performance in buildings. This will promote prudent resource use, energy efficiency and cost savings at our offices and reduce overall greenhouse gas emissions from our non-generation buildings, while simultaneously providing employees with a comfortable workspace,” he said.

“We look forward to the outcome of this research collaboration so we can implement similar energy efficiency standards and performances at our other buildings and commercialise it for our customers in the future.”

Meanwhile, Prof. Leunig said the extensive experience of Curtin University Malaysia’s researchers in renewable energy, smart technologies and data analytics, environment and sustainability, as well as the state-of-the-art research and testing laboratories at its campus, will bode well for this research collaboration.

“Much of our research is multi-disciplinary and broad in scope, encompassing a range of fields in science, engineering, health, society, business and more. We have extensive experience in applied research and the relevant expertise, both at our campus and at our main campus in Perth, to carry out this research with our partners at Sarawak Energy,” he said.

Prof. Leunig added that Curtin University Malaysia’s research endeavours are underpinned by its strong partnerships with industry, business and government that allow it to find new avenues of innovation to provide mutually beneficial outcomes for society.

“We truly value this collaborative relationship with Sarawak Energy, that will see us work together,” he said

All the research activities under the agreement will be done by the research and development teams of Curtin University Malaysia and Sarawak Energy with the Sarawak Energy Miri Regional Office serving as the research site.

Following the signing ceremony, the Sarawak Energy delegation was taken on a tour of Curtin Malaysia’s electrical and computer engineering and green energy laboratories.