Our first green shopping mall

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2012/6/24/nation/11541593&sec=nation  

Sunday June 24, 2012    enghock@thestar.com.my

SHAH ALAM: The country's first green shopping complex was opened to much fanfare and looks set to be a hit with big name retailers. Setia City Mall, designed to save energy and water, is the first to receive the Malaysian Green Building Index accreditation with a provisional Silver Certificate. “We oriented the building so it doesn't get too hot and harvest rainwater to water the landscaping,” said its development director Robert Spinks. The building also comes with green car park bays, which can recharge electric cars. “As soon as the cars are sold, the bays will be ready,” said Spinks. Besides the accreditation, the mall is also the first in the country to provisionally receive Singapore's Building and Construction Authority's Green Mark gold award. With the mall's opening yesterday, Setia Alam is fast becoming a self-sufficient township. With more than 230 retailers, residents of Shah Alam and Klang do not need to travel far to get to big names such as Parkson, Golden Screen Cinemas, Harvey Norman and Fitness First. The Sultan of Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah graced the launching. SP Setia president and CEO Tan Sri Liew Kee Sin expressed pride in the project, which is fully tenanted. “With over 700,000 sq ft of lettable area, the mall will create more than 2,000 jobs.” He added that a convention hall, the largest in the Klang Valley, will also be built in Setia Alam. Setia City Mall was jointly developed by SP Setia and Asian Retail Investment Fund.