In a significant move to accelerate Malaysia’s transition to a low-carbon built environment, Daikin Malaysia recently hosted its “Daikin Strategy Partnership & Certification Ceremony.” Held under the theme “Beyond Cooling: Daikin Sustainable Cooling Lifestyle,” the event aligned with the overarching vision of ISW 2026, “From Certification to Transformation: Building a Net Zero Future Together.”
The ceremony marked three pivotal milestones in Daikin’s sustainability journey:
- The signing of a Memorandum of Collaboration (MoC) between Daikin Malaysia and GreenRE.
- The signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Daikin Malaysia, GreenRE, and Sunway University.
- The presentation of the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) Sustainable Refrigerant & Resources Recovery Certification.
Strengthening Collaboration for Greener Buildings
The new strategic partnership between Daikin Malaysia and GreenRE is set to drive greater adoption of sustainable practices within Malaysia’s built environment. The collaboration will focus on promoting sustainable cooling solutions and supporting building stakeholders in integrating energy efficiency and environmental considerations throughout the entire building lifecycle.
Mr Toshiharu Tsurumaru, Chief Operating Officer of Daikin Malaysia Sdn. Bhd.
Mr Lawrence Song, Managing Director of Daikin Malaysia Sales & Service Sdn. Bhd.
Ir Ashwin Thurairajah, Executive Director of GreenRE Sdn. Bhd.
Mr Jason Hiang, Management Committee Member of GreenRE Sdn. Bhd.
Mr. Lawrence Song, Managing Director of Daikin Malaysia, emphasised the necessity of a holistic approach: “At Daikin, our philosophy ‘Beyond Cooling’ means taking full accountability for the lifecycle impact of our solutions. But true decarbonization across Malaysia’s built environment cannot be achieved by any single company alone. It requires strong alignment between industry innovators and sustainability standard-setters. Today’s Memorandum of Collaboration with GreenRE establishes that exact bridge. Through this partnership, DMSS is actively encouraging building owners and developers to adopt GreenRE standards, while opening opportunities for joint pilot initiatives using our latest high-efficiency HVAC technologies.”
Bridging Industry, Education, and Innovation
Further strengthening the sustainability ecosystem, the MoU between Daikin Malaysia, GreenRE, and Sunway University aims to foster greater knowledge exchange and industry-academia collaboration. This partnership will bridge practical industry expertise with academic knowledge, nurturing future-ready talent and innovative approaches to sustainability.
Professor Sibrandes Poppema, speaking at the ceremony, highlighted Sunway University’s commitment: “Sunway University is partnering with the corporate sector to construct the region’s first net-zero carbon building; through passive cooling technology and material innovation, the project aims to offset the embodied carbon from construction within 18 years, thereby achieving the goal of a zero-emission campus by 2030.”
Mr Jason Hiang, Management Committee Member of GreenRE Sdn. Bhd.
Ir Ashwin Thurairajah, Executive Director of GreenRE Sdn. Bhd.
Mr Lee Wai Kok, General Manager of Daikin Malaysia Sales & Service Sdn. Bhd.
Mr Lawrence Song, Managing Director of Daikin Malaysia Sales & Service Sdn. Bhd.
Professor Sibrandes Poppema, President & Vice-Chancellor of Sunway University Sdn. Bhd.
Professor Ir Denny Ng, Dean and Professor, Faculty of Engineering and Technology of Sunway University Sdn. Bhd.
Advancing Responsible Refrigerant and Resource Management
A key highlight of the event was the presentation of the MIDA Sustainable Refrigerant & Resources Recovery Certification, which reinforces Daikin Malaysia’s efforts in responsible refrigerant management and resource recovery. This initiative underscores the importance of managing refrigerants throughout their lifecycle, a critical component of Malaysia’s environmental agenda.
Datuk Sikh Shamsul Ibrahim Sikh Abdul Majid, Chief Executive Officer of MIDA, commented on the initiative’s impact: “MIDA sees strong potential for industry-led efforts such as Daikin Malaysia’s sustainable refrigerant recovery and equipment retrofitting initiatives to contribute to Malaysia’s energy transition. Our experience with the MIDA Sentral Headquarters retrofit reinforces the value of working closely with industry to turn sustainability objectives into practical action. The initiative represents a reduction in emissions equivalent to the carbon absorption of 88,858 rain trees, highlighting the tangible environmental benefits that can be achieved through responsible asset management. Such collaboration supports the broader aspirations of the New Industrial Master Plan 2030 (NIMP 2030) and National Energy Transition Roadmap (NETR).”
Mr Lawrence Song, Managing Director of Daikin Malaysia Sales & Service Sdn. Bhd.
Mr Toshiharu Tsurumaru, Chief Operating Officer of Daikin Malaysia Sdn. Bhd.
Mr Yusri Hasnan Chu Abu Bakar, Executive Director of Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA)
Mr Ryan Ooi from Department of Environment, Senior Principal Assistant Director and Head of National Ozone Unit
Beyond Cooling Towards a Sustainable Lifestyle
Daikin Malaysia’s participation at ISW 2026 reflects its ongoing commitment to supporting Malaysia’s sustainability goals. A notable example is its collaboration with MIDA Sentral to transform the building’s ageing HVAC system. Initiated in 2021, the pilot project combined Daikin’s Remote Monitoring System (RMS) with VRV Health Check to diagnose and optimise system performance, achieving a significant 27% efficiency improvement. This success provided the foundation for a full VRV replacement programme carried out from July 2025 to August 2026.
Going beyond equipment replacement, the project also integrated responsible refrigerant management, successfully recovering 1,021.359 kilograms of R410A—equivalent to approximately 2,132.6 tonnes of CO₂. This initiative demonstrates Daikin’s holistic approach to sustainability by combining energy efficiency, digital monitoring, refrigerant recovery, and responsible asset lifecycle management.
As Malaysia progresses towards its decarbonisation goals, Daikin Malaysia remains committed to working alongside its partners to create healthier, more energy-efficient, and environmentally responsible spaces for generations to come.
