KUALA LUMPUR (March 11): The Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) is targeting US$900 million in business matching transactions at the upcoming Ecobuild Southeast Asia 2016, a leading exhibition in the region for the construction and energy market.

At last year’s event, the transactions achieved a total of US$848.69 million.

This year’s event will take place on April 12-14 at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC), alongside with the International Construction Week (ICW) 2016.

CIDB chief executive Ahmad Asri Abdul Hamid said the board will be showcasing the advantages of Industrialised Building System (IBS) at ICW 2016, to promote wider adoption of the technology.

“CIDB will use this opportunity to continue to highlight the benefits [of] IBS, especially in helping to achieve housing targets to meet demand,” he told a news conference.

Noraini Bahri, the general manager of CIDB’s IBS and Mechanisation Division, said the take-up of IBS usage in the government sector was 24% in 2014, though it is increasing. Meanwhile, the take-up in the private sector amounted to 46% as at December 2015.

To recap, in line with the target of IBS Roadmap 2003-2010, Budget 2005 declared all new government building projects are compulsory to have at least 50% IBS content. In order to attract private clients, the second announcement was on the levy exemption for housing projects that have a minimum IBS Score of 50%.
 
Other major initiatives include the release of the Treasury Circular Letter No. 7 Year 2008 and the announcement of the Action Plan for IBS Implementation in Government Projects. They replace the previous instruction released in 2005 for the usage of 50% IBS content in all government projects.

Released on Oct 31, 2008, the essence of the instruction is the usage of Open Building, MC design and 70% IBS Score for all projects. Exemptions are offered for certain classes of projects.