Parc3 @ KL South seamlessly integrates craftsmanship and sustainability.
Eupe devotes its efforts to sustainable development for the future
As climate change forces up temperatures and drives more erratic weather, the need to increase our resilience to a changing climate is becoming even more important. Eupe Corporation Bhd (Eupe) contends that adapting to climate change is not just a government or individual responsibility.
Property developers have a critical role in designing and building homes that help meet the challenges of living in a changing climate. After all, residential developments are not just shelters. They are a key determinant of health and well-being for the family.
Like many companies, Eupe supports the imperative of reducing carbon emissions and tackling climate change at its source. It measures its annual carbon footprint and based on these figures, is putting in place steps to minimise its greenhouse emissions. It is also committed to the Malaysian government’s target of achieving net zero emissions by 2050 through transitioning to renewable energy.
But as global temperatures continue to break annual records, Eupe also believes property developers must prepare for a future where temperatures continue to climb. The impacts of a warming world on our environment - particularly water scarcity - are likely to grow.
A trifecta of resilience
Air wells in Eupe’s developments are designed to facilitate cross ventilation and passive cooling.
That is why it approaches the design of its high-rise residential developments with a three-pronged climate resilience framework. The first and most important feature of the framework is the building design that facilitates passive cooling.
In effect, passive cooling design draws on the lessons from traditional Malaysian shop houses that were designed to cool naturally through the placement of openings and voids in roofs to capture outside air, then cool it through internal water features and plants.
Eupe’s high-rise buildings are designed to harness similar airflow dynamics, through the placement of multiple voids and openings in their facades.
Eupe allocates green spaces that far exceed the amount mandated by planning requirements. These spaces are lushly planted with an abundance of foliage, creating a green haven for urban living while also cooling the air that flows into the building.
Parc3 @ KL South - Eupe’s second high-rise development in KL completed in 2021 - demonstrates the company’s commitment towards ensuring comfortable, sustainable living with passive cooling techniques such as atriums, air wells and a green roof that reduce heat build-up.
Likewise, Novum @ South Bangsar - Eupe’s maiden KL project completed in 2019 - was designed with multiple voids and gardens to provide a natural barrier against the adverse effects of heat.
Eupe recently commissioned independent studies of Parc3 @ KL South and Sky Residences (its first high-rise residential tower in Kedah which also has a passive cooling design) by measuring the thermal comfort of its units. Conclusion: Its high-rises are within the thermal comfort range without the use of artificial air-conditioning.
The study also ran calculations on user energy savings and carbon reduction at Sky Residences and Parc3. Due to the buildings' natural cooling effect attributed to lower air-conditioning usage by residents, it recorded a 35.4% (for Sky) and 60.5% (Parc3) reduction in electricity usage, which resulted in a 35.4% (Sky) and 60% (Parc3) reduction in carbon emissions.
The second climate resilience approach helps address potential water shortages by incorporating water-efficiency measures such as rainwater harvesting and water-saving fittings.
Eupe adheres to a holistic system of plant selection, ensuring a range of drought-resistant species is planted on residential grounds. Ground floor areas are equipped with porous paving that allows rainwater to soak through and recharge the underground water supply.
Completing its trifecta of solutions, Eupe emphasises resilience against floods and landslides, with particular attention given to challenges faced by Malaysians during the monsoon season. Its projects provide above-ground parking to ensure safe accessibility to parking bays and thus avoid basement flooding woes.
Areas prone to flooding such as lobbies and corridors are given full ventilation to minimise the risk of water-ponding. Active drainage ventilation in every development is to manage water pressure in the piping and ensure a sturdy system of overflow prevention.
Beyond homes
Novum’s Sky Gardens are not only a green haven for residents but also provide cool air flowing into the building.
Even subtle design choices are aimed at minimising earthworks and landslide erosion from constant rainfall. Terracing design and a hand-dug caisson method were used in Est8 @ Seputeh - Eupe’s third KL project now under construction - to minimise disruption to the surrounding neighbourhood.
Eupe believes that homes play such a vital role in shaping our well-being and health. As such, the spaces we inhabit should not only meet our current needs. They should also anticipate and meet future challenges and changes such as those presented by climate change. For more information, visit https://eupe.com.my/.
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