Sunway City - Wasteland to Wonderland (ST3: Climate Responsive Cities)

The very birth of Sunway Group was grounded in the concept of sustainable development, with the development of Sunway City, located just 10 miles from the national capital, Kuala Lumpur.

Four decades ago, the area was a barren land of disused and abandoned mining pools. Today, the rehabilitation of Sunway City has made it home to a thriving community of more than 200,000 people living, working and playing in Malaysia's first integrated green township. Apart from residential units, it houses 10 educational institutions, including three universities, hotels, one of the country's largest malls, a medical centre and Malaysia's first-ever theme park.

Through massive efforts in green landscaping, which saw more than 25,000 trees transplanted here, a complete eco-system was restored. Almost 50% of the City is open space and 24% of the city is green space. Today, there are more than 150 species of flora and fauna within Sunway City. Sunway City is conveniently connected to the Kuala Lumpur international airport and downtown Kuala Lumpur through Malaysia's first elevated Bus Rapid Transit – Sunway Line public transport system, with eco-friendly electric buses that run on dedicated lanes. The city is also interconnected through elevated covered walkways that will harness solar energy for self-sustainability.

Sunway has built certified green buildings and has led major advances towards urban freshwater management by constructing our own water treatment plant — the first of its kind in Malaysia — to purify water from a local urban lake to meet potable water standards. We have initiated a whole range of energy-saving and efficiency measures in retrofitting existing buildings, an exercise in harmonising old and new technologies.

The unique integration of components within Sunway City drives community development. With the establishment of the not-for-profit Sunway Innovation Labs, the convergence of research and academia will accelerate market-driven innovation and technology, enabling the swift scaling-up of solutions to benefit the community.

Through our commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals, Sunway is entering the next phase of its sustainability agenda. We are looking to work closely with partners in a live lab to explore innovative solutions towards sustainable development and integrate technology even more deeply in the transformation of Sunway City from an integrated township into a model 'Smart Sustainable City' of the 21st century.