Abstract

Globally, environmental concerns and the progressively increasing high cost of energy have resulted in renewed interest in alternative forms of energy conservation and efficiency. The aim of this study is to describe various energy policies that the government of Malaysia has been adopted in order to ensure long-term reliability and security of energy supply for sustainable social economic development in the country. Improved living standards in developing nations have led to higher demand for energy, which requires nations to review their energy efficient strategies. While a significant portion of the total primary energy is consumed by buildings in developed nations, developing nations like Malaysia are proactively addressing the energy consumption issue. This review describes the standards and energy efficient codes for buildings, introduces low-energy building concepts and provides information on energy consumption of buildings in Malaysia. Alternative energy options like biomass, solar, wind and mini-hydro energy to ensure reliable, sustainable and secure supplies of energy in this country are considered.

Keywords:

Building energy efficiency, energy demand, Malaysia, policy,

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Competing interests

The authors have no competing interests.

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