Policy on Energy-Efficient Renovation and Building

Universiti Sains Malaysia has an established policy ensuring that all renovations and new building projects adhere to energy efficiency standards. This is outlined in the USM Energy Policy (Revised 2025) (pp. 1–2), which guides the university’s approach to sustainable energy generation, distribution, transmission, and consumption.

The policy emphasizes USM’s commitment to leading, sustaining, and innovating in the management of sustainable energy across its campuses while maintaining optimal infrastructural energy needs to support the university’s mission. It explicitly requires energy efficiency in all development and upgrading works, promoting the use of environmentally responsible materials, technologies, and systems that minimize energy wastage.

In its Energy Targets (pp. 2), the policy mandates that the Overall Building Energy Index (OBEI) for all university buildings must comply with Malaysian Standard MS 1525:2007, which sets the national benchmark for energy efficiency in non-residential buildings. This ensures that every renovation or new construction meets recognized energy performance criteria.

Additionally, the policy sets long-term sustainability goals, including a 10% reduction in energy consumption based on the 2015 baseline and an increasing integration of renewable energy sources within campus operations. These objectives demonstrate USM’s continuous commitment to aligning building development with national energy efficiency standards and sustainable construction practices.

Plan to Upgrade Existing Buildings to Higher Energy Efficiency

Universiti Sains Malaysia has established a comprehensive plan to upgrade existing buildings to higher energy efficiency standards, as detailed in the USM 5-Year Sustainability Action Plan 2021-2025 (pp. 32–33). The plan focuses on reducing energy consumption while ensuring full compliance with the Malaysian Standard MS 1525:2007 for energy efficiency in non-residential buildings.

Under the Energy domain, USM outlines key strategies to enhance energy performance through the renovation, retrofitting, and alteration of existing buildings to meet modern energy efficiency benchmarks. The plan includes the installation of energy-efficient equipment and appliances, improvements to building envelopes and lighting systems, and the integration of smart monitoring tools to optimize energy use.

These actions are complemented by the university’s targets to reduce energy consumption by at least 2% annually, increase compliance with energy efficiency standards to 50%, and progressively expand the use of renewable energy sources, particularly solar power, across campuses.

Through this structured approach, USM ensures that all existing facilities undergo systematic upgrades to achieve higher energy efficiency, aligning with national sustainability goals and reinforcing the university’s commitment to responsible energy management and climate action.

Process for Carbon Management and Emission Reduction

Universiti Sains Malaysia has established a structured process for carbon management and the systematic reduction of carbon dioxide emissions through the USM Sustainability Policy (Revised 2025) and the USM 5-Year Sustainability Action Plan 2021-2025. These documents serve as the foundation for implementing energy efficiency, renewable energy adoption, sustainable transportation, and green building practices across all campuses.

Section 7.3.4 (pp. 9) of the USM Sustainability Policy affirms the University’s commitment to responsible consumption and production patterns by prioritizing low-carbon development and the minimization of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. It also highlights the importance of integrating carbon reduction strategies into planning, operations, and decision-making processes to ensure measurable progress toward sustainability.

The USM 5-Year Sustainability Action Plan (p. 21) operationalizes this policy through the Environment Domain – Energy Focus Area, which outlines practical actions such as:

• Energy efficiency upgrades, including retrofitting of campus buildings with energy-saving systems.
• Renewable energy integration through the expansion of solar photovoltaic (PV) installations to increase clean energy generation.
• Sustainable mobility initiatives, including hybrid and electric vehicle adoption, improved pedestrian pathways, and campus shuttle services.
• Carbon monitoring and reporting, conducted annually through the Efficient Management of Electrical Energy Report submitted to the Energy Commission of Malaysia.

USM’s carbon management process also requires all new infrastructure and refurbishment projects to assess environmental impacts and energy performance before approval. This integrated approach reflects a long-term institutional commitment to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2030, reinforcing the University’s role in advancing national and global climate goals.

Energy Efficiency Plan to Reduce Overall Energy Consumption

Universiti Sains Malaysia has a formal energy efficiency plan in place to reduce overall energy consumption, as outlined in the Program Kecekapan Tenaga USM v1.0. The policy section (p.3) affirms USM’s commitment to “effective, efficient and sustainable energy management”, establishing a clear institutional direction toward reducing energy use across all campuses.

The plan is anchored in national legislation, referencing the Electricity Supply Act 1990 and the Efficient Electrical Energy Regulations 2008, which appear on pp.3–4. These regulatory requirements guide USM in applying responsible, continuously monitored and efficiency-oriented electricity management practices.

Under Section 4: Objectives (p.5), USM sets long-term targets to establish a continuous energy-management system, increase electricity savings, adopt more efficient technologies, and ensure alignment with MS ISO 50001. Short-term (1–3 year) targets include strengthening awareness and training programmes, improving operational processes, and implementing “NO COST,” “LOW COST” and “MEDIUM COST” measures to achieve measurable reductions in energy consumption.

Operational strategies for reducing energy demand are detailed in Section 5: Energy Policy Guidelines (p.6). These guidelines require consistent and efficient use of energy, upgrading building systems to enhance performance, improving energy monitoring systems, and prioritising regular maintenance of high-impact equipment to sustain efficiency gains.

Through its structured objectives, regulatory alignment and practical implementation measures, USM demonstrates a clear and comprehensive institutional plan to reduce overall energy consumption.

Energy Reviews and Identification of Energy Wastage

Universiti Sains Malaysia actively undergoes comprehensive energy reviews to identify areas where energy waste is highest, as reported in 2024.

These reviews, coordinated by the JPPF, are conducted systematically across all major campus facilities. The process involves continuous monitoring of electrical energy consumption, detailed analysis of usage trends, and comparison with baseline performance data to detect inefficiencies. By assessing operational patterns and load distribution, USM effectively pinpoints high-consumption zones that require corrective measures.

Key components of the energy review include:

• Building Energy Intensity (BEI) analysis to evaluate efficiency levels across buildings.
• Monthly and regression-based consumption tracking to identify deviations from normal usage.
• Energy Saving Measures (ESM) evaluations to determine areas with the greatest potential for improvement.

In 2024, USM conducted comprehensive energy reviews through the Energy Commission to identify areas of highest energy wastage. JPPF monitored consumption trends, analysed Building Energy Intensity, and assessed Energy Saving Measures to pinpoint inefficient buildings and systems. From June to November, USM recorded 17.57 million kWh with a BEI of 48.069 kWh/m², revealing a 7.43% variance from the BAU model. These findings guide targeted upgrades and behavioural interventions to reduce wastage.

This structured and data-driven approach ensures that energy reviews at USM are not merely compliance exercises but serve as a foundation for continuous improvement. The findings guide future efficiency planning, equipment upgrades, and staff awareness initiatives, reinforcing USM’s commitment to sustainable energy management and reduction of wastage.

Policy on Divesting Investments from Carbon-Intensive Energy Industries

Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) has established a firm commitment to divesting from carbon-intensive energy industries, notably coal and oil, as outlined in the USM Energy Policy (Revised 2025) (p. 2). The policy clearly states that all carbon-intensive university assets will be divested to low-carbon alternatives, demonstrating USM’s dedication to supporting the global transition toward cleaner and more sustainable energy sources.

Complementing this, the USM Sustainability Policy (Revised 2025) (pp. 5) reinforces the university’s strategy to reduce dependency on non-renewable energy, minimize greenhouse gas emissions, and prioritize renewable and low-carbon technologies in its operations and investments.

Together, these policies ensure that USM’s investment and development decisions align with its sustainability goals by systematically phasing out carbon-intensive assets and promoting low-carbon innovation. This approach strengthens USM’s leadership in sustainable energy governance and supports Malaysia’s national transition toward a low-carbon economy, in alignment with SDG 7 and SDG 13.