USM Energy Policy

Policy review. The Energy Policy 2021 was reviewed in October 2025 and the revised policy took effect on 22 December 2025, with the University Sustainability Council as its endorsing body.

The policy is operationalised through the USM Low Carbon Campus Blueprint Implementation Document 2019–2025 (Strategies and Actions table, p. 15). Strategy S2, Compliance to MS 1525:2007 in all university buildings, requires all existing buildings to be renovated, retrofitted or altered to comply with MS 1525:2007 (Action 2) and all new buildings to comply with MS 1525:2007 (Action 3). The Blueprint sets an OBEI target of less than 136 kWh/m²/year, assigns responsibility to the Department of Development and Asset Management (Jabatan Pembangunan dan Pengurusan Aset, JPPA) and records the status of both actions as ongoing.

Responsibility for Action 3 rests with the Department of Development and Asset Management (Jabatan Pembangunan dan Pengurusan Aset, JPPA), which the Blueprint names as a partner that strategises, implements, manages and monitors the energy element (p. 11). Compliance is verified through the energy consumption report, so performance against the OBEI of less than 136 kWh/m²/year is reported through that document. The policy custodian is the Centre for Global Sustainability Studies (CGSS), and the policy is endorsed by the University Sustainability Council.

The energy efficiency plan is set out in the USM Low Carbon Campus Blueprint Implementation Document 2019–2025 (p. 15) and in Program Kecekapan Tenaga USM v1.0 (USM Energy Efficiency Programme v1.0). Strategy S1 of the Blueprint, Reduce energy consumption without compromising productivity, plans to change the energy consumption behaviour of the university community and to install energy efficient equipment and appliances, with targets of 2% (EMGS 1 star) by 2022, 5% (EMGS 2 star) by 2025 and 10% (EMGS 3 star) by 2030. The Blueprint’s tangible targets include a 10% reduction in energy bills by 2030 and attainment of Energy Management Gold Standard (EMGS) certification under the ASEAN Energy Management Scheme (AEMAS) (p. 7).

As stated on page 3 of Program Kecekapan Tenaga USM v1.0, USM is committed to “effective, efficient and sustainable energy management”. Under Section 4: Objectives (p. 5), the programme sets long-term objectives to establish a continuous energy management system, increase electricity savings, adopt more efficient technologies and align energy management with MS ISO 50001, and short-term objectives over one to three years that include strengthening energy awareness and training and implementing “NO COST,” “LOW COST” and “MEDIUM COST” energy-saving measures. Section 5: Energy Policy Guidelines (p. 6) addresses consistent and efficient energy use, improvements to building systems, enhanced energy monitoring and regular maintenance of equipment with significant energy requirements.

Policy review. The Energy Policy 2021 was reviewed in October 2025 and the revised policy took effect on 22 December 2025, with the University Sustainability Council as its endorsing body.

The USM Low Carbon Campus Blueprint Implementation Document 2019–2025 (p. 15) puts the shift to low-carbon alternatives into action through Strategy S3, Increase renewable energy generation in university campus, which utilises university land and buildings to generate solar electricity, and Strategy S4, which replaces university vehicles periodically based on hybrid technology compliance. USM’s low-carbon energy supply comes mainly from solar photovoltaic systems under the Net Energy Metering scheme at the Main and Engineering Campuses.

The process is set out in the USM Low Carbon Campus Blueprint Implementation Document 2019–2025, which states that USM is committed to achieving its 2050 carbon-neutral target in line with Malaysia’s commitment (p. 2). The Blueprint was developed through a five-step process: appointment of committee members, an action plan outline setting SDG priorities, focus group discussions by domain with relevant stakeholders, a final action plan with narratives, and integrated action plans (p. 4). It organises action under four elements, Energy, Mobility, Waste and Water, and records strategies, actions, means of verification, target years, responsibilities and implementation status for each (pp. 15–16 for Energy).

For energy, the Blueprint’s strategies are to reduce energy consumption without compromising productivity (S1), to comply with MS 1525:2007 in all university buildings (S2), to increase renewable energy generation on campus (S3) and to use hybrid-technology university vehicles (S4). The Blueprint records installed measures that reduce energy demand and carbon emissions, including solar PV installations, LED lighting across the campus, smart sensor lighting and solar-powered lamp posts (p. 16).