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With the exponential growth in development of cities and increasing demand for construction, which is one of the factors in environmental degradation, the need for CO2 emissions control is essential. In order to balance carbon emissions along the life-cycle of concrete structures; in this paper, we have analysed the carbon emissions and assessed the carbon footprint of selected concrete structures in a tropical city. For this purpose, the carbon footprint has been evaluated using Life-Cycle Sustainability Assessment (LCSA) approach at different stages concrete structures' life-cycle, which are production, construction, operation, and demolition stages, where the CO2 footprint of two residential buildings in Malaysia have been analysed as case studies. The findings indicated that the energy consumption, and the production phase in the life-cycle of a concrete structure are the main contributors of CO2 emission. In addition, detailed analysis of the carbon cycle in structures and their interaction with other components involved in the regional eco-system can lead to a significant reduction in CO2 emission, and thus to the improvement in reducing environmental deterioration and its consequences. Moreover, optimised design and customisation to the constituents of concrete, as well as improving citizens' consumption agenda can significantly reduce the carbon emission of concrete structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to examine the relationship between CO2 emission, economic growth, and energy use in Malaysia. The Johansen co-integration model was then applied. The results show that one co-integrating equation exists, thus implying the long-term relationships between carbon dioxide emission, energy consumption, and economic growth and the results are affirmed by the VECM test. The results of the Granger causality model show that in Malaysia, energy use influence economic growth and also carbon dioxide emission. The findings in our study are highly important in policy implementation. Energy consumption can trigger environmental problems in Malaysia. Nevertheless, energy conservation policies remain complex in Malaysia. Increasing energy consumption to enhance economic growth can escalate carbon dioxide emission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Sustainability policies that have quantitative emission or carbon footprint measurements are important in view of climate change and current rapid urbanization in developing countries like Malaysia. Although sustainability policies are mentioned in national development plan as early as in the 1990s, many of these policies are piecemeal and expressed qualitatively. In achieving environmental sustainability, planning of city or a region can be more functional and implementable by using low carbon city concept. Planning a low carbon city uses sustainable development principles; this demonstrates a high level of energy efficiency using low carbon energy sources and production technologies. It also adopts patterns of consumption and behavior that are consistent with low levels of greenhouse gas emissions in the urban areas. The planning of the fast developing region of Iskandar Malaysia, which is located in southern part of Peninsular Malaysia, provides a good opportunity for urban managers to incorporate the ideas of low carbon cities in this proposed high growth urban conurbation. This paper aims to explore implementation of the concept and vision of low carbon scenarios and examine the strategies toward the reduction of CO2 emission. This study also prepares a quantitative scenario study on the establishment of low carbon urban development in Iskandar Malaysia. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The emissions from road transport are serious threats to urban air quality and global warming. The first step to develop effective policies is to determine the source and amount of emissions produced. This paper attempts to review emissions from road transport using COPERT 4 model and examined possible emission mitigation strategies. In road transport, results have show that passenger cars are the main cause of CO2, N2O and CO emissions, while motorcycles are main source of hydrocarbon (HC) emissions. However, light duty vehicles and heavy duty vehicles are the main contribution of particulate matters. The total CO2 equivalent emissions for road transport in Malaysia are 59,383.51ktonnes for year 2007. Further results show that CO2 emission is the primary source of greenhouse gas pollution which is 71% of the total CO2 equivalent. A parametric study was conducted to estimate the potential emission mitigation strategies for road transport by taking the emissions in 2007 as a reference year. It was observed that promoting the public transport is an effective strategy to reduce emissions and fuel consumption from the technical view point. It can totally save up to 1044ktonnes of fuel consumption and total CO2 equivalents emissions can be decreased by 7%. It was noted that, fleet renewal and promoting natural gas vehicles will significantly contribute in the reduction of emissions in Malaysia. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Malaysia, as one of the top energy subsidizing countries, has announced to remove energy subsidies necessarily, not only to reduce energy consumption and the government budget deficit but also to improve overall efficiency and air quality. Therefore, this study evaluates the impacts of rationalizing energy subsidy and its energy efficiency improvement during 2010–2030 using a dynamic recursive computable general equilibrium model. Results revealed that reducing energy subsidies decreases energy consumption and emissions of all air pollutants. While the economic performance of the country improves in the long run due to stimulation in capital demand and investment, it reduces in the short run. Energy efficiency also improves by 1.1% and 2.3%, in the short run, in response to a reduction of 10% and 100% in energy subsidies, respectively. Energy efficiency improvements decrease the negative effects of pure subsidy policies on real GDP, trade, investment, and household consumption. The efficiency improvement policies also are effective in reducing more level of the rebound effect and lead to more energy saving in the economy, particularly in the petroleum products sector. The impacts on the rebound effect also differ across economic sectors. The results of this study provide new insights for energy subsidy policy and energy efficiency and suggest that additional tools and policies are required for improving the energy efficiency caused by phasing out energy subsidies. Malaysia, as one of the top energy subsidized countries, attempts to reduce the level of energy subsidies over time and, consequently, decline the use of fossil fuels in the economy. Therefore, this study analyzes the impacts of different subsidy reform policy on energy efficiency and, consequently, on economic and environmental performance and rebound effect of Malaysia by a recursive dynamic computable general equilibrium model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon emissions in Malaysia are escalating due to rapid urbanisation wherein their sources are claimed to be generated by the construction industry, including urban park development. Upon completion of the urban park project, the vegetation will supposedly function immediately as a carbon sequester. However, the processes of building, maintaining, and renewing built features and plantings can emit additional carbon dioxide (CO2) than the storage. Rigorous CO2 release across the maintenance and renewal stages may be contributed by park management activities, such as planting grooming, built feature rectification, and park maintenance works. This study investigated carbon footprint derived from built features and planting works during the construction, maintenance, and renewal stages of park management. Taman Bandaran Kelana Jaya and Taman Aman Petaling Jaya were chosen as the study sites as they were located at urban areas. Continued use of the parks resulted in a swift deterioration of its facilities, whereby this scenario would ensure recurrent maintenance and renewal works were conducted for them. As-built drawings were utilised to identify the lists of inventories and work breakdown structure for every built feature and planting work to approximate the indirect CO2 emissions, which was aided by EToolLCD software. This study revealed that the amount of CO2 sequestered by the manicured vegetation was only 28.7% out of the total CO2 emission produced since its construction stage. Hence, urban parks can be perceived as a carbon source instead of a carbon sink medium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]