by webmaster FAB | May 22, 2012 | News, Uncategorized

UTM students capturing their moment of victory at prize giving ceremony held in UiTM Puncak Alam.
JOHOR BAHRU, 19 May: A big congratulation to Quantity Surveying and Construction Students of Quantity Surveying Department, who managed to won 4 out of 9 awards at the 4th RICS-RISM International Conference for Undergraduates 2012 held on 18 and 19th May at UiTM Puncak Alam Campus.
The conference is a series of annual event jointly organized by Royal Institution of Surveyors (RICS) and Institution of Surveyors Malaysia (RISM) host together with participating Universities on a rotation basis. This year, it was hosted by Universiti Teknologi Mara at Puncak Alam Campus. The conference provides a platform for undergraduates from the various accredited surveying courses in Malaysia as well as Asia Pacific Regional Universities to share and exchange ideas, promote understanding and networking apart from exposing the students to present their undergraduate research publicly.
The 4th RICS-RISM International Surveying Conference for Undergraduate 2012 was opened to both national and international participating universities within the Asia Pacific Region. The participating university comprises of Universiti Malaya, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Universiti Teknologi Mara, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman and Taylor’s University, Assumption University (Thailand), Thammasat University (Thailand), Hong Kong Polytechnic University, University of Hong Kong, ChongQing University (China) and Huazhong University of Science and Technology (China).
Our students have managed to monopolise the Best Speakers Award category by grabbing 3 out of 5 awards in the competition. Mean while, for the Best Special Mention Paper category, we managed to grab 1 from 3 awards in the competition. All in all, UTM students have indeed monopolised the awards by grabbing in total 4 out 9 awards competed. The winners for the Best Presenters are Chan Shuk Yan (QS), Tan Jian Siang (Constr.) and Lau Sook Cheng (QS). Lau Sook Cheng also managed to grab the Special Mention Paper Award entitled “Quantity Surveyors’ Cost Estimating Skills as Applied in Consulting and Contracting Firms.
The papers were judged by both academicians and prominent industry players that includes Dato’ Mani Usilappan (RISM), Prof. Omar Munir (UTAR), Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ting Kien Hwa (UiTM), Sr. Dr. Azlan Shah Ali (UM) and Dr. Nazirah Zainul Abidin (USM). The adjudicators for the parallel session were randomly selected from the participating universities to choose the best speaker during each parallel session. All in all, 23 papers were vetted and presented.
The plenary session of the conference was chaired by Bill Jones, the President of RICS Asia Pacific Region and the presenters includes Sr. Hj Sihak Ismail (IM Global Property Consultants Sdn. Bhd), Prof. Dean Kashiwagi (PBSRG), Sr. Dainna Baharuddin (RISM), Sr Wong Chong Wei (RICS) and Sr. Low Han Hoe (RICS). Topics presented at the plenary session were in conjunction with the conference theme ‘Enriching Young Surveyors: Beyond Borders’.
The awards were presented by Sr Teo Chee Hai, the President of International Federation of Surveyors Malaysia. There were 3 categories of award at the competition namely the Best Presenters, Special Mention Paper and Best Paper. The next competition will be hosted by Taylor’s University in 2013.
Once again the students of Quantity Surveying and Construction Programme have managed to outshine other contenders’ prom participating universities within the Asia Pacific region and repeated last year’s success to remain the best in country. Kudos to all!
by webmaster FAB | Apr 30, 2012 | News, Uncategorized
On 21st April 2012, 60 landscape architectural undergraduates and Dr Ismail Said participated in a community service program, Mangrove Rehabilitation at Kampong Pengkalan Hulu, Serkat. The main purpose of the program was to collaborate with a non-governmental organization, JARING (Jaringan Kebajikan dan Pendidikan Nelaysan Pantai Malaysia) to collect mangrove seeds and to plant them in polyethylene bags as nursery stock.
The program began with a lecture from JARING on mangrove ecosystem at the information centre of mangrove rehabilitation in Kukup town. With the ecosystem knowledge, the students proceeded to Kukup Island with Encik Jamaluddin Mohammad as the guide. They were taught on the roles of mangrove and its intricate correlation with the coastal community of Kukup and Serkat. It was an interesting experience, traversing the forest on boardwalk and walking on hanging bridge in a rainy morning. Students were exposed to the elements of the ecosystem as well with its fauna; lizards, wild pigs, molluscs, crustaceans, monkeys, and snakes. They were taught on the characteristics of the mangrove species which was dominated by Rhizophoraceae. With the short experience, they were brought to Kampong Pengkalan Hulu, 7 km from Kukup town.
After completing Zohor prayer at the Serkat mosque, the students were served by the villagers with a lunch; rice, chicken fried with soya sauce, cabbage masak lemak, and chilly fried shrimp. It was a splendid meal. Then the rehabilitation program divided the students into two groups: (A) collecting Rhizophora seeds, and (B) filling polyethylene bag with silt. As the group A dispersed into the forest, they encountered the battle of getting their feet stuck into the soft, silty ground. Those who walked slowly were bound to struggle to pull their feet from the mud. Hence, to avoid getting stuck, some students ran fast on the mangrove forest floor. Each student was instructed by JARING to collect 10 seeds. And, all managed to get the required volume. On the other hand, group B ploughed the silty ground excavating mud and filling it into hundred of polyethylene bags. Beyond their expectation, the task was difficult but enjoyable because it was their first time experience doing it. After a short rest, the task for collecting the seeds was continued by group B. Likewise, group A sowed the elongated seeds into all the bags with lots of laughter seeing each one struggle to walk on the soft ground. Once both tasks completed, the students had another experience; washing the sticky mud from their shoes, feet and hands.
At 5:30pm, the community service program ended with presenting a sum of cash to Encik Jamaluddin Mohammad. The money was collected by the students for the Kampong Pengkalan Hulu community. The participatory event with the community taught a good lesson to all students on mangrove ecosystem as well as caring the environment for the future generation.
by webmaster FAB | Apr 30, 2012 | News, Uncategorized
On 25th April, 27 members from Green Innovation Research Group (GIRG) participated with 9 members from Centre of Advanced Studies for Architecture (CASA), National University of Singapore, in a colloquium. The gathering was held at CASA. GIRG was led by Dr Ismail Said and accompanied by Dr Remaz and Dr Hisyam whereas CASA was headed by Prof Johannes Widodo. The aim of the gathering to allow postgraduate students from UTM and NUS to present their research works, thus to gain feedback how to improve the research quality. All research focused on Asian centric studies on built environment and human behaviour.
Ten papers, five from each laboratory, were presented—view schedule of presentation. The papers were categorised into three themes: comfort and leisure, historic places, and urbanism.
The next colloquium is in September 2012 at UTM.

This photo was taken after the colloquium between GIRG and CASA at School of Design and Environment, National University Singapore on 25th April 2012
by webmaster FAB | Mar 7, 2012 | News, Uncategorized

KUALA LUMPUR, 4 Mac – Majlis Makan Malam dan Penghargaan Pertandingan GreenTech House Competition 2011 (GTH 2011) telah berjaya disempurnakan oleh Y.B Datuk Seri Shaziman Bin Abu Mansor, Menteri Kerja Raya Malaysia dan turut dihadiri oleh YBhg. Prof. Dato’ Ir. Dr. Zaini Ujang, Naib Canselor UTM serta pegawai-pegawai kanan UTM.
Pertandingan tersebut diadakan bersempena dengan Seminar ‘Biorenewable Sustainable House Design’ yang telah dianjurkan pada 3 hingga 4 Oktober 2011.
GTH 2011 merupakan anjuran Institut Pembangunan Bioproduk (IBD) dengan kerjasama Fakulti Alam Bina (FAB) dan BE-Basic, sebuah konsortium awam-swasta dari Netherlands.
Selain itu, GTH 2011 telah mendapat sokongan daripada Malaysian Commonwealth Studies Centre (MCSC) dan Cambridge Malaysian Education and Development Trust (CMEDT) serta ditaja oleh The Youth Trust Foundation (Myharapan).
Pertandingan tersebut buat julung kalinya diadakan merupakan satu konsep pertandingan baru merekabentuk rumah untuk mempromosikan konsep pelestarian, penjimatan tenaga, penggunaan bahan binaan daripada sumber semulajadi dan penggunaan sumber tenaga alternatif dengan menggunakan bahan-bahan yang mempunyai nilai yang boleh diperbaharui.
Tujuan utama pertandingan ini diadakan adalah sebagai salah satu langkah bagi memacu semula perumahan bandar tropika yang disertai dengan infrastruktur yang lebih lestari. Penyertaan melibatkan mahasiswa bukan sahaja dari UTM malahan dari universit lain seperti UiTM dan USM.
Tempat pertama telah diungguli oleh dua kumpulan iaitu kumpulan Zenith Team dari UTM dan USM dan juga kumpulan Superhome dari UiTM Shah Alam dengan membawa pulang hadiah bernilai RM5000. Manakala, tempat kedua pula telah dimenangi oleh kumpulan Canterra dari UTM Kuala Lumpur dan kumpulan Seven dari UTM Johor Bahru dengan hadiah bernilai RM3000.
Sementara itu, pelbagai kategori telah dipertandingkan iaitu Persembahan Poster dan Video Terbaik, Adaptasi Paling Kreatif Terhadap Cabaran Yang Diberi, Rekabentuk Lestari Terbaik, Penggunaan Terbaik Bahan Bio-Boleh Diperbaharui, Aplikasi Kehendak Pengguna Terbaik serta Komunikasi Umum dan Laman Web Terbaik.
by webmaster FAB | Mar 1, 2012 | News, Uncategorized

UTM students capturing moment with Dato' Seri Mohamed Khalid Nordin at prize giving ceremony at Shah Alam.
JOHOR BAHRU, 20 February: CONGRATULATIONS!!!! UTM Architecture students have done it again!
In less than three months, as if the recent winning in the UAC Building Manufacture of Malaysia competition is not enough, UTM architecture students have once again made UTM proud. They have won another national competition, the AUTODESK MALAYSIA DESIGN COMPETITION 2011.
Besides grabbing the 1st, 3rd and two consolation prizes in the whiz and open categories, with additional two consolation prizes in the engineering categories, UTM students have indeed monopolized the awards.
The fourth and final year students have bagged lots of cash prizes home after being handed in more than RM5000.00 in total for their winning entries. Roughly, there were RM100,000 worth of cash and prizes have been offered, making the “ Autodesk competition offering the biggest incentives for students and lecturers in
the country” – said Prof Dr Mohd Hamdan Ahmad, the Executive Director of Institute Sultan Iskandar, who is also the chairman for the Secretariat of Autodesk Malaysia Design Competition 2011.
The AUTODESK MALAYSIA DESIGN COMPETITION 2011 was opened to Public Higher Institution in Malaysia such as Government Universities, Community Colleges and Polytechnics and recognized by MOHE, MQA and JPA. The use of Autodesk® software products is mandatory.
The design were judged based on the professional and skilful used of the software integrating several criteria including creativity and originality of design, green building and design principles that are consistent with the three selected themes, a) Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC): b) Manufacturing and Product (MID): and c) Media and Entertainment (M&E).
YB Dato’ Seri Mohamed Khaled bin Nordin, Minister of Higher Education of Malaysia officiated and presented the respective awards in the prize giving ceremony, which was held on 14thFeb at Politeknik Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah, Shah Alam. Also present was Dr Abu Hasan Ismail, the CEO of Prestariang Systems Sdn Bhd, whose company has actively involved and co-sponsored the event.
A total of twenty-one institutions have participated and eight hundred participants of lecturers and students from higher institutions, officers from the Ministry of Higher Education and several corporate members from the industries attended the event. By far, it has been a successful event, proudly commented by Prof Hamdan.
Topping the cherry on the cake on that Valentine’s day, UTM has also doubled shined itself when pronounced the institution with the most winning entries making it the highest institutional winner. UTM has beaten all twenty-one other higher institutions contenders such as Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), polytechnics and college communities.
Without a doubt, our architecture school shines – stands itself out, remains the best in country. Way to go Jabatan Senibina, Hooray!!
Source : news.utm.my
by webmaster FAB | Jan 9, 2012 | News, Uncategorized

JOHOR BAHRU: Pelajar tahun akhir senibina, Fakulti Alam Bina, Tan Choon Wah memenangi Anugerah Rekabentuk Pelajar Senibina 2011 (ASDA 2011) anjuran UAC Berhad, 2 Disember lalu.
Beliau memenangi hadiah bagi Kategori B untuk pelajar tahun lima dengan membawa pulang hadiah wang tunai RM2,000 menewaskan Lee Jian Zhou daripada Universiti Lim Kok Wing dan Muhammad Taufik Abdul Wahab dari Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM).
Hasil rekabentuk pelajar diadili berdasarkan kepada beberapa kriteria antaranya kreativiti dan keaslian rekabentuk, prinsip bangunan hijau dan rekabentuk yang selaras dengan tema.
Pertandingan itu disertai oleh pelajar dari Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Malaysia (UIAM), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) dan Univesiti Lim Kok Wing.
Hasil lukisan senibina peserta dinilai oleh panel hakim profesional yang terdiri daripada pemaju Mutiara Damansara Dato’ Ghazali Mohd. Ali, arkitek ternama daripada MAA Arkitek Sdn. Bhd,Tuan Hj. Ar. Sharuddin Md. Yunos, Ar Dr. Tan Loke Mun dari ArchiCentre Sdn. Bhd dan Ar. David Tan dari Harley Consult.
Hadiah telah disampaikan oleh Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif merangkap Pengarah Urusan UAC Koo Hock Fee.
Sumber : news.utm.my