In 2023, YTL Cement managing director Michael Yeoh said the Malaysian construction industry should prioritise sustainability even as firms attempt to recover from the impact of the pandemic.
Speaking at the inaugural run of the Embracing Sustainability in Construction and Real Estate Symposium by The Edge Malaysia and YTL Cement, Yeoh said the industry had been grappling with the challenge of “maintaining our financial performance while simultaneously improving our ESG performance”.
“Conversations around this are gaining momentum, and there is a pressing need for all of us to step up. We must re-evaluate our actions, strategies and objectives... Creating a sustainable future necessitates partnerships, collaborations and joint actions,” said Yeoh, son of the late YTL Corporation founder Yeoh Tiong Lay.
Since 2023, YTL Cement has made steady progress in integrating sustainability into its core business, says executive director Michelle Yeoh. “We view environmental performance and strong business outcomes as mutually reinforcing.”
The regional market has evolved, with developers, contractors and regulators increasingly prioritising greener materials and efficient construction methods, adds the younger Yeoh. “This has reinforced our strategic direction and encouraged collaboration across the industry.”
YTL Cement is an integrated building materials group, a subsidiary of Bursa-listed infrastructure conglomerate YTL Corporation. For over 70 years, it has been an integral part of Malaysia’s construction landscape, with a proven track record of delivering some of the country’s most iconic projects, such as KLCC, Terminals 1 and 2 of the Kuala Lumpur International Airport and the Kuala Lumpur Tower.
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“We offer not only cement, but also ready-mixed concrete and precast concrete solutions that enhance productivity, quality and sustainability,” says Yeoh. “Maintaining this balance requires close engagement across the value chain, helping customers and partners adopt more sustainable practices while achieving business objectives.”
An Eastern Pretech precast plant in Beranang, located in Hulu Langat District, Selangor, Malaysia. Eastern Pretech is a subsidiary of Singapore-listed NSL Limited, which YTL Cement acquired in 2024
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‘Deep roots’ in Singapore
After three successful editions in Malaysia, bringing the Sustainable Construction Symposium to Singapore marks an important step in YTL Cement’s regional journey, says Yeoh to City & Country. “Singapore is widely recognised as a global leader in sustainable urban development and green building standards, making it an ideal platform to deepen dialogue on the future of sustainable construction.”
The half-day symposium, happening April 29 at the Pan Pacific Orchard, is “particularly meaningful” given the “close interdependence” between Singapore and Malaysia in the built environment sector, adds Yeoh. “Malaysia supplies essential building materials to Singapore, creating a strong and longstanding partnership that supports the region’s infrastructure and urban development.”
YTL Cement’s core business in Singapore is the sale and distribution of basic building materials islandwide. It holds the largest storage capacity with four bulk terminals at Pulau Damar Laut, Jurong Port. The terminals are connected to Jurong Port’s cement unloading facilities with three wharves dedicated to handling cement and cementitious products.
YTL Cement also has deep roots in Singapore through its many businesses, which include YTL Cement Singapore, LCS, Jurong Cement, Alliance Concrete, Eastern Pretech and NSL OilChem Waste Management. The latter two are subsidiaries of Singapore Exchange Mainboard-listed NSL Limited, which YTL Cement acquired in 2024.
“Together, these companies have contributed to many of Singapore’s major infrastructure and building projects, while supporting the nation’s sustainability agenda through solutions such as precast construction and responsible waste management,” Yeoh says.
Yeoh will deliver the welcome address at the Sustainable Construction Symposium 2026. “We hope to share insights, showcase low-carbon building solutions and strengthen collaboration among developers, engineers, contractors and material producers to accelerate the decarbonisation of the built environment.”
YTL Cement’s core business in Singapore is the sale and distribution of basic building materials islandwide. It holds the largest storage capacity with four bulk terminals at Pulau Damar Laut, Jurong Port
Building an ecosystem
Sustainable building products and innovation should not be confined by national boundaries, says Yeoh. “Sustainable construction requires a collaborative ecosystem of industry, government, academia and professional institutions. YTL Cement actively builds partnerships across the value chain to drive innovation, raise standards and accelerate adoption of greener practices.”
As the industry transitions towards a lower-carbon future, new solutions must be shared across the region. The CDL Academy is YTL Cement’s training and development arm, launched in 2019 as an extension of YTL Cement’s Construction Development Laboratory (CDL).
“We work with universities, professional bodies and industry partners to advance skills, knowledge sharing and technical excellence. We also collaborate with government agencies and research institutions on low-carbon materials, sustainable construction methods and workforce development,” says Yeoh.
Since its inception in 2019, CDL Academy has delivered over 100 seminars and learning engagements, benefitting more than 10,000 participants across the construction and engineering ecosystem.
In January, the CDL Academy signed a memorandum of understanding with Universiti Teknologi Malaysia to strengthen collaboration in talent development, applied learning and sustainable construction practices for Malaysia’s built environment sector.
The CDL, located in Petaling Jaya, Selangor, is a research and development facility dedicated to developing customised cement and concrete solutions. According to Yeoh, YTL Cement plans to expand the CDL to other countries, “creating regional hubs for research, innovation and the development of sustainable building materials”.
Photos: YTL Cement
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