The Real Greenie

Shelter 101 Project – I would like to share some of my April’s adventure on this project.

To be honest, with the sky high prices of properties these days, landed property is something that is beyond my reach. However, I also do not need such a big space. An apartment or a condominium will be just nice. I’m a very simple person. My family home doesn’t have to boast with super trendy interiors, expensive furniture, the latest entertainment systems, luxury touches here and there. Most important, this is where my family can eat together, modest & eclectic…it’s already good enough for me. I’ve got an area in mind and a whole lot of requirements such as there is a need for a lift, 5th floor & below, 1100 square feet, non-bumi lot, no leaks, low density area, peaceful, harmony, quiet, strategic location (as in walking-distance convenience to the banks, shops, etc), clean etc.

Nonetheless, there is one landed property project that I am quite fancy with. It’s called Ken Rimba.

Ken Rimba is a recent mixed development which is situated within the established vicinity of Shah Alam. It is developed by Ken Rimba Sdn Bhd which is known for their award winning green developments. The developer has put the area’s address as Shah Alam, but it is actually in the vicinity of Padang Jawa. In and out of Padang Jawa is actually fill with Malay kampungs but I laud the developer foresight in developing the area because it is a strategic location which is situated between Shah Alam & Bukit Raja, Klang. And also it’s close proximity to i-City and the Federal Highway.

The development comprises of freehold shop-offices, condominiums and double-storey terrace link houses. Once completed, Ken Rimba will consist of 2 phases of terrace link house known as Legian (328 units) and Jimbaran (168 units); 2 phases of condominiums with a total of 240 units in phase 1 and 679 units in phase 2. On the other hand, there will be a total of 109 units of shop-offices. Houses within Ken Rimba typically comes between built-up sizes of 1,840 sf to 2,215 sf which has a total of 4 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms. There will be a total of 26 corner units that comes with their very own private pool. Starting prices for the houses is at RM545K. I would say that it is a reasonable pricing as compare to Setia Alam, Subang and PJ area where the properties prices there have touch the RM700K benchmark. Shop-offices on the other hand have varying designs and layout – intermediate-lots have 1,800 sf built-up, followed by end-lots which have 2,100 sf and corner-lots with a total of 2,800 sf.

Now here is its unique features as to compare with the other developers: Ken Rimba is particularly unique in the sense that it has been awarded with the BCA Green Mark Gold (Provisional) as well as the Green Building Index Award – which in recent times have been increasingly an issue of concern. As such, the eco-friendly design places this development in higher regards over similar competitors. It could be speculated that in the future, developments that carries the green badge will be of higher value than those without. The added benefits of an eco-friendly development, is its ability to cost-reduction when it comes to energy usage. The additional features of rain water harvesting (the developer actually provide rainwater harvesting tanks in the backyard), coupled with efficient water fittings could potentially reduce water bill. Large window doors and windows along with transparent skylight ensure that sufficient natural light are able to pour through, illuminating the interiors thus reducing the need for artificial lighting. Breathe-able roofs and Australian adjustable glass louvred windows ensures good air-circulation and ventilation rendering the home that much cooler. Furthermore, Ken Rimba features extensive landscaping in common areas, providing a sense of peace and serenity as well as fresh air and maintaining the temperature within. That coupled with the heat reflective paint which is used on the facade that will effectively reduce a lot of heat. Another plus point is where all of the houses back lanes and its surrounding landscapes are based on the Balinese style. It is also cute to note that there is a small plot of land in the living room that can be used as an indoor garden. It is an overall an ideal home with eco-friendly features.