INVESTMENT IN SUSTAINABILITY UNIVERSITY GREEN CAMPUS PROJECTS: THE CASE OF UNIVERSITI MALAYA, MALAYSIA
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.21837/pm.v23i38.1815Keywords:
Sustainable investment, Universiti Malaya, university green campusesAbstract
Sustainability has become a central priority in higher education, with universities worldwide investing in initiatives to reduce environmental impact and promote long-term responsibility. Despite this trend, there remains limited comparative research on Universiti Malaya’s (UM) sustainability practices concerning established green campuses. This study addresses this gap by examining UM’s sustainability investments and identifying areas for improvement. A quantitative approach was adopted, involving a questionnaire survey of 361 UM employees. Data were analysed using the Relative Importance Index (RII) to rank the significance of sustainability initiatives. The findings reveal waste management and external stakeholder collaborations are the most prominent investment areas. At the same time, other initiatives are perceived at medium to high levels of importance, indicating a solid foundation for UM’s sustainability efforts. The study recommends strengthening institutional strategies by benchmarking UM’s practices against international green campus models. The results contribute to advancing UM’s environmental responsibility and aligning its efforts with broader sustainability goals.
Downloads
References
Alhazemi, A. A. (2024). Transformative approaches to sustainable education: Technology, leadership and SDGs in higher education institutions. International Journal of Learning, Teaching and Educational Research, 23(5), 41–67.
Al-Sakkaf, A., Bagchi, A., Zayed, T., & Mahmoud, S. (2021). Sustainability assessment model for heritage buildings. In a Smart and sustainable built environment. Emerald Group Publishing Ltd. https://doi.org/10.1108/SASBE-03-2021-0049
Arizona State University. (2013). Zero Waste | Arizona State University. https://cfo.asu.edu/zerowaste
Arizona State University. (2020, October 14). Arizona State University Orange Mall Green Infrastructure Project | Landscape Performance Series. https://www.landscapeperformance.org/case-study-briefs/ASU-orange-mall
Bea, G., Kim, Q., Perrine, H., & Jordy, W. (2019). Using Nature to Tackle Water Infrastructure Challenges: Frontiers of Green Infrastructure Research at Stanford. https://waterinthewest.stanford.edu/news-events/news-insights/using-nature-tackle-water-infrastructure-challenges-frontiers-green
Bhattacharyya, S. (2020). Green Campus Initiative: Response from a Self-financed Educational Campus—A Case Study. In S. K. Ghosh (Ed.), Sustainable Waste Management: Policies and Case Studies (pp. 321–331). Springer Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-7071-7_29
Boffo, R., & Patalano, R. (2020). ESG investing: Practices, progress and challenges. Éditions OCDE, Paris.
Bryony, R. (2023). A new bio-inspired solar leaf design with increased harvesting efficiency | Imperial News | Imperial College London. https://www.imperial.ac.uk/news/246833/bio-inspired-solar-leaf-design-with-increased/
Fallah Shayan, N., Mohabbati-Kalejahi, N., Alavi, S., & Zahed, M. A. (2022). Sustainable development goals (SDGs) as a framework for corporate social responsibility (CSR). Sustainability, 14(3), 1222.
Gajdzik, B., Wolniak, R., Nagaj, R., Grebski, W. W., & Romanyshyn, T. (2023). Barriers to renewable energy source (RES) installations as determinants of energy consumption in EU countries. Energies, 16(21), 7364.
Gana, A. (2020). Transformative solar power agreement will help Emory reduce greenhouse gas emissions | Emory University | Atlanta GA. https://news.emory.edu/stories/2020/05/upress_solar_installation/index.html
Hajam, Y. A., Kumar, R., & Kumar, A. (2023). Environmental waste management strategies and vermi transformation for sustainable development. Environmental Challenges, 13, 100747.
Ian, S. (2022). Landscape Management & Maintenance Plan. https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/media/lancaster-university/content-assets/documents/facilities/grounds/2.PublishedManagement&MaintenancePlan-UpdatedFeb2022.pdf
Kamarudin, H., Kadir, S. A., Alias, R., & Othman, R. D. (2023). Transportation barriers confronted by mobility-challenged travellers in Klang Valley. Planning Malaysia, 21.
https://planningmalaysia.org/index.php/pmj/article/view/1274
Kelly, T. C., Mason, I. G., Leiss, M. W., & Ganesh, S. (2006). University community responses to on-campus resource recycling. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 47(1), 42–55.
Khoshbakht, M., Gou, Z., & Dupre, K. (2019). Campus green buildings: Policy implications for the implementing, monitoring and evaluation of campus green building initiatives. IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, 294(1), 012004. https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1755-1315/294/1/012004/meta
Kimmell, T., Kimmell, P., Sorensen, M., Ruggiero, C., & Coit, B. (2020). Investing in a green future: Universities and renewable energy. Bryant University Undergraduate Journal, 1(1), 5.
Krosnick, J. A. (2018). Questionnaire Design. In D. L. Vannette & J. A. Krosnick (Eds.), The Palgrave Handbook of Survey Research (pp. 439–455). Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-54395-6_53
Lorente, D. B., Joof, F., Samour, A., & Türsoy, T. (2023). Renewable energy, economic complexity and biodiversity risk: New insights from China. Environmental and Sustainability Indicators, 18, 100244.
Martini, A. (2021). Socially responsible investing: From the ethical origins to the sustainable development framework of the European Union. Environment, Development and Sustainability, 23(11), 16874–16890. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10668-021-01375-3
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. (2023). Green Building Infrastructure Renewal, Building 54. https://capitalprojects.mit.edu/projects/building-54-infrastructure-renewal
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. (2024). Energy Efficiency | MIT Sustainability. https://sustainability.mit.edu/energy-efficiency
Mensah, J. (2019). Sustainable development: Meaning, history, principles, pillars, and implications for human action: Literature review. Cogent Social Sciences, 5(1), 1653531. https://doi.org/10.1080/23311886.2019.1653531
Moezzi, M., & Janda, K. B. (2014). From “if only” to “social potential” in schemes to reduce building energy use. Energy Research & Social Science, 1, 30–40.
Mohd Muhiddin, A. A., Mohd Isa, H., Md Sakip, S. R., Mohd Nor, O., & Sedhu, D. S. (2023). Green Campus Implementation in The Malaysian Public Universities: Challenges and Solutions. Planning Malaysia, 21(25). https://doi.org/10.21837/pm.v21i25.1239
Mohd-Rahim, F.A., Abd-Rahim, M.S., Zainon, N., Chuing, L.S., & Abd-Samad, Z. (2018). Project life cycle risk of public-private partnership (PPP) projects for construction sustainability. Journal of Design and Built Environment, (Special Issue), 39–53. https://doi.org/10.22452/JDBE.SP2018NO1.4
Mustafa, M. F., Isa, M. R. M., Rauf, U. F. A., Ismail, M. N., Shukran, M. A. M., Khairuddin, M. A., Wahab, N., & Safar, N. Z. M. (2021). Student perception study on smart campus: A case study on higher education institution. Malaysian Journal of Computer Science, 1–20.
Onuselogu, N., & Shahzad, A. (2023). Impact of sustainable investment on the financial performance.: Evidence from Pakistani banking sector. https://www.diva-portal.org/smash/record.jsf?pid=diva2:1779242
Pauer, E., Wohner, B., & Tacker, M. (2020). The influence of database selection on environmental impact results. Life cycle assessment of packaging using gabi, ecoinvent 3.6, and the environmental footprint database. Sustainability, 12(23), 9948.
Penn. (2024). Stormwater Management | Penn Sustainability. https://sustainability.upenn.edu/stormwater-management
Plaut, J., Cress, C. M., Ikeda, E. K., & McGinley, P. (2013). Partnering in tough times: Service-learning for economic vitality. https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/elp_fac/7/
Qi, F., Abu-Rumman, A., Al Shraah, A., Muda, I., Rosario, H-S., Tran Hi, H.Y., Abdul-Samad, Z., & Michel, M. (2023). Moving a step closer towards environmental sustainability in Asian countries: focusing on real income, urbanization, transport infrastructure, and research and development. Economic Research Ekonomska Istrazivanja, 36(1), 3576–3595. https://doi.org/10.1080/1331677X.2022.2111317
Salleh, H., Ying, C. K., Hanid, M., Abdul Samad, Z., Mohamed Sabli, N. A., & Syed Khuzzan, S. M. (2022). Development of guidance for the adoption of circular economy in construction and demolition waste management. Planning Malaysia, 20(24). https://doi.org/10.21837/pm.v20i24.1216
Selamat, I. A. M., Sharif, S. M., & Gobilik, J. (2017). Green Infrastructure Development As Education For Sustainable Development Model In Universiti Malaysia Sabah. Journal of BIMP-EAGA Regional Development, 3(1), 43–55.
Stanford University. (2023). Transportation | Sustainable Stanford. https://sustainable.stanford.edu/systems/transportation
Tholibon, D. A., Nujid, M. M., Mokhtar, H., Rahim, J. A., Aziz, N. F. A., & Tarmizi, A. A. A. (2021). Relative Importance Index (RII) in Ranking the Factors of Employer Satisfaction towards Industrial Training Students. Online Submission, 2(4), 493–503.
UCL. (2018, June 12). Ethical Investment. Sustainable UCL. https://www.ucl.ac.uk/sustainable/about-us/ethical-investment
Universiti Malaya. (2021). Sustainability Policies, Blueprint, Plans and Guidelines. https://sustainability.um.edu.my/sustainability-policies-blueprint-plans-and-guidelines
Universiti Malaya. (2022). UM Waste Management Report. https://sustainability.um.edu.my/doc/Sustainability%20UM/Sustainability%20Reporting/UM%20Waste%20Management%20Report%202022.pdf
Universiti Malaya. (2024). UM Living Labs (UMLL) @ UMSDC. https://sustainability.um.edu.my/um-living-labs-umll
Universiti Malaya. (2025). UM Fact Sheet. https://www.um.edu.my/um-fact-sheet
University of Auckland. (2024). Minimising waste. https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/about-us/about-the-university/the-university/sustainability-and-environment/sustainable-campus-and-operations/sustainable-practices/waste.html
University of British Columbia. (2019). LEED at UBC. https://sustain.ubc.ca/campus/green-buildings/leed-ubc
University of California. (2021). ITS About—ITS. https://its.ucdavis.edu/about/
University of California. (2023). Energy Efficiency | UCOP. https://www.ucop.edu/energy-services/programs-initiatives/energy-efficiency.html
University of California. (2024). Going Solar | Sustainability & Carbon Solutions. https://sustainability.berkeley.edu/carbon-solutions/going-solar
University of Edinburgh. (2020, September 11). University invests £5 million in green projects. The University of Edinburgh. https://sustainability.ed.ac.uk/news/2020/responsible-investment-hsbc-pri
University of Nottingham. (2021). Monitoring and reporting—The University of Nottingham. https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/sustainability/strategy/monitoringreporting.aspx
University of Nottingham. (2024). Carbon and energy—The University of Nottingham. https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/sustainability/carbonmanagement/carbonmanagement.aspx
University of Toronto. (2024). Climate Positive Campus. https://climatepositive.utoronto.ca/
University of Vermont. (2024). Responsible Investing. https://www.uvm.edu/sustainabilityoffice/responsible-investing#gsc.tab=0
University of Washington. (2024). Energy. https://sustainability.uw.edu/campus/energy
Yuvarani, S., & Nurulaini, A. S. (2019). Are We Doing Our Part for Sustainability? https://um.edu.my/sustainability
Zhang, N., Williams, I. D., Kemp, S., & Smith, N. F. (2011). Greening academia: Developing sustainable waste management at Higher Education Institutions. Waste Management, 31(7), 1606–1616.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 Unported License.
Copyright & Creative Commons Licence
eISSN: 0128-0945 © Year. The Authors. Published for Malaysian Institute of Planners. This is an open-access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license.
The authors hold the copyright without restrictions and also retain publishing rights without restrictions.