Tech Weekly | 19 – 25 May 2025
Solar Skins & Smart Sites — Malaysia’s Net-Zero Build Momentum
Main Story — Façades That Make Their Own Power
Malaysia’s race toward carbon-neutral construction received a bright boost this week with the spotlight on energy-harvesting façades—building skins that double as vertical solar farms. A CIDB “Heights” feature (23 May) details how building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) are moving from niche to necessity in dense tropical cities where roof space is scarce. Using the 24-storey Sinar Mas Tower case study, experts showed that 6,800 m² of photovoltaic glass can generate 800 kWp and slash 324 t CO₂ annually—equal to planting almost 18,000 trees. Designers now run irradiance and glare simulations at concept stage, custom-tint modules for aesthetics and route power through smart inverters to the grid. With Kuala Lumpur basking in sunshine year-round, engineers argue that façades are “evolving from static envelopes into smart, self-financing climate buffers.” Expect BIPV demand to accelerate as Malaysia’s forthcoming ESG roadmap links planning approvals to lifecycle emissions, nudging developers to turn every high-rise wall into clean-energy real estate.
Innovation Snippets
Smart Construction = Lower Emissions
Speaking at the Smart Housing, Sustainable Property & Innovative Cities forum (20 May), Works Minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi called smart construction “a paradigm shift that optimises resources and embeds AI, IoT sensors and digital twins across the asset lifecycle.” The ministry expects over RM400 billion in infrastructure by 2030 and wants Digital-Twin--enabled bridges, AI-driven maintenance and low-carbon materials to be the new normal.Counter-Drone Tech Lands at LIMA 2025
At Langkawi’s aerospace expo (21-24 May) Australian firm DroneShield demonstrated portable counter-UAS systems now being pitched to Malaysian contractors for high-risk sites. The company says its RF- and camera-based sensors can protect tower cranes, data-centre builds and highway corridors from illicit drone incursions—an emerging safety and security concern on megaprojects.Construction 4.0 Outlook Signals Digital Surge
A CIDB “Heights” analysis released 19 May projects 6.1 % sector growth in 2025, driven by mega-projects and the Construction 4.0 Strategic Plan. The brief notes rising adoption of BIM, prefabrication and green-building certification, positioning Malaysia to “align with global best practice” while tackling labour shortages and material price volatility.
Global Innovation Watch
Low-Carbon Cement Deal — Microsoft signed a binding agreement (22 May) with US startup Sublime Systems to procure up to 622,500 t of electro-chemically produced “green cement,” tackling Scope 3 emissions from its data-centre building spree. The move underscores growing demand for clinker-free materials that Southeast Asian suppliers could soon license.
Digital-Twin Market Soars — A new forecast (20 May) pegs the global construction digital-twin market at US $64.9 bn in 2025, rising to US $155 bn by 2030 (17 % CAGR), with Asia-Pacific among the fastest adopters thanks to cloud platforms and government incentives—reinforcing Malaysia’s own twin-highway pilots.
Expert Insight
“Smart construction—leveraging technology and data across design, build and operation—will ultimately lead to more sustainable buildings and infrastructure.”
— Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi, Minister of Works