Malaysia’s building materials group YTL Cement has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Construction Research Institute of Malaysia (CREAM) to support the transition of the local construction industry to sustainable construction. CREAM is a subsidiary under the Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) Malaysia responsible for the research and development for the construction industry.
YTL Cement will be supporting CIDB’s initiatives in developing the construction industry’s workforce, research and innovation, and in enhancing the understanding of sustainable construction practices among industry players.
“This MOU marks the beginning of a meaningful collaboration between government and industry to achieve construction excellence and promote sustainable practices, in line with the nation’s 2050 carbon-neutral aspiration,” said YTL Cement.
Datuk Ir. Ahmad ‘Asri Abdul Hamid, chief executive of CIDB, said, “CIDB is dedicated to building Malaysia’s sustainable future by developing a socially and environmentally responsible industry. Through this MOU, we hope to drive meaningful change as we develop the capacity and capability of the construction industry as well as set the standards for sustainable construction practices in Malaysia. We are glad to be able to collaborate with like-minded players like YTL Cement, as we share a common goal to future-proof the construction sector.”
“YTL Cement has been part of Malaysia’s growth for over 70 years and we want to continue supporting the nation’s development and construction needs,” added Dato’ Sri Michael Yeoh, managing director of YTL Cement. “This collaboration gives us the opportunity to contribute our expertise and experience to support CIDB in their many initiatives.”
The MOU between CREAM and YTL Cement focuses on three key areas: human resource development, research & development, and supporting the construction sector to transition to sustainable construction.
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Human resource development
CIDB and YTL Cement will jointly design training programmes for youths to be certified as concrete technicians and develop the training syllabus for accreditation programmes of qualified personnel in operations. It is hoped that this will assist in attracting, retaining and growing skilled workers in the construction industry. -
Research & development (R&D)
YTL Cement is offering access to its laboratory and testing facilities. CREAM will work together with YTL Cement’s team of experts to conduct R&D on lower embodied carbon alternatives in materials and construction methods. -
Support the construction sector’s transition to sustainable construction
CIDB and YTL Cement will work together to increase awareness on the embodied carbon of construction sector by providing channels for discussions and knowledge transfer among industry practitioners and experts.
In moving forward, YTL Cement and CIDB will be forming joint working committees to drive the initiatives under these three key areas.
