Abstract

Malaysia, like other developing countries, is still in the progress of understanding the sustainable housing. However, efforts to implement sustainability, particularly in the housing sector, have slowly and progressively developed and have become an important innovation to be incorporated into every aspect of life. Housing, an essential aspect of life, is also significant for sustainable development. According to GBI Sdn Bhd, the rating for the housing sector to get recognition and certification of green buildings is very few. Many housing developers have claimed that their development has been recognized, and accorded recognition by various parties, as sustainable housing. Although housing developers have made sustainability a key theme for their housing development they do not seem to meet the criteria for sustainable homes. There are also those who seem to sell the concept of sustainable housing as a bait to get more home buyers to purchase their homes. Is the application and introduction of a few sustainable elements enough to entitle them to claim the sustainable status? What criteria, and to what extent, do developers have to fulfill before they are accorded sustainable development status? This paper will discuss the current issue on housing development and the elements of sustainable housing. It will focus on developing indicators to determine the level of sustainable status. It will also identify the importance of sustainable housing development and discuss the conceptual approach and issues pertaining existing sustainable housing in Malaysia.