Global built environment consultancy Arup has received two accolades at the MalaysiaGBC Leadership in Sustainability Awards 2026, recognising both its organisational leadership and its work to improve the environmental performance of Malaysia’s growing digital infrastructure.

Arup received the Business Leadership in Sustainability – Industry award. NEXTDC KL1 Kuala Lumpur, for which Arup served as sustainability consultant, received the Leadership in Sustainable Design and Performance award in the Commercial – New Building category.

The awards recognise organisations and projects advancing climate action, resilience, and sustainable development across Malaysia’s built environment. They were presented in conjunction with Cities Climate Connect 2026.

Fazidin Faisal, Arup’s Malaysia Country Leader, said, “Digital growth and sustainable development cannot be treated as separate ambitions. NEXTDC KL1 Kuala Lumpur shows how energy efficiency, water resilience, and operational reliability can be considered together from the earliest stages of design. We are proud that MalaysiaGBC has recognised both this project and our wider business leadership and technical expertise.”

Arup’s organisational award recognises how sustainability is embedded across its governance, business strategy, operations, and client work. In Malaysia, this includes investing in specialist capability, improving the environmental performance of its workplaces and helping clients deliver more sustainable outcomes. The firm is also working towards its science-based net-zero targets by 2040, while supporting greater climate leadership and sustainability knowledge across the industry.

Located in Petaling Jaya, NEXTDC KL1 Kuala Lumpur will have a total IT capacity of 65MW, supporting the rapid growth of artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and critical digital services across Southeast Asia. The project brought together NEXTDC and Arup to integrate energy efficiency, water resilience, and operational reliability into the facility’s design.

The project’s first phase (Stage 1) has achieved GBI Platinum Provisional certification and Provisional BCA Green Mark Award Platinum. With advanced energy optimisation strategies in part developed by Arup, the facility is targeting a power usage effectiveness (PUE) of 1.36. 

Aligned with the World Green Building Council’s global and Asia-Pacific priorities, the award programme reflects a shared commitment to advancing net-zero carbon, resilience, and wellbeing across the built environment.