Improving Learning Environments in National Schools by Retrofitting

During the recent heatwave in Malaysia more than 86,000 students were asked to stay home. Why? Because "classroom conditions intensify heatwave" as aptly reported in the news. In other words, already warm classrooms become unbearably hot during heatwaves because of inadequate school building design. In our recent audit of 10 national schools in Malaysia, we reached the same conclusion. We also identified which school retrofit measures will significantly improve the indoor environment of the school classrooms hereby enhancing the learning environment, too.

The IEN team with our Green School Retrofit poster

Our findings were presented this week at the launch of the Program Sekolah Hijau Kebangsaan (National Green School Program), a national initiative advancing climate-resilient, low-carbon school infrastructure in Malaysia—supporting healthier, more comfortable classrooms while strengthening resilience to heat and extreme weather across the national school system.

Download links for:

• The strategic report "Program Sekolah Hijau Kebangsaan: A National Blueprint for Better Learning Environments and Zero-Carbon Schools": https://www.mgbc.org.my/sekolahhijau

• The poster showing school retrofits and student learning improvements after retrofit (green school program poster link)
  

The launch took place on 22 April 2026 and was hosted by the Danish Embassy in Malaysia. The program is lead by the Malaysian Green Building Council (malaysiaGBC), with key collaboration partners being Rockwool Malaysia and IEN Consultants Sdn Bhd, most of whose staff to part in the school audits.

Gallery from launch event:

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  Launch event of National Green School Program hosted by the Danish Embassy in Malaysia

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  Attendees at National Green School Program launch, 22 April 2026

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  Headmasters of the 10 schools in Wangsa Maju holding CarbonScore certificates

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  Gregers Reimann (IEN Consultants) talking about the recommended national school retrofits

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  Speakers: H.E. Kirstine Vangkilde Berner, Ar. Serina Hijjas, Ron Pickering, Gregers Reimann

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  Signing ceremony welcoming malaysiaGBC as a knowledge partner under the Green Transition Alliance

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  Denmark (Ambassador Kirstine Vangkilde Berner) and malaysiaGBC (Ar. Serina Hijjas) GTA collaboration

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  Gregers Reimann, Mitch Gelber, Logen Chetty, Kirstine Vangkilde Berner, Serina Hijjas, Ron Pickering

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  Sarah Salim, Cindel Soo Yung Yung and Gregers Reimann (IEN) at school retrofit poster

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  Classrooms intensify heatwave, article in The Star newspaper, 30 March 2026

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  Coffee cup label with green facts: Queen Mary of Denmark rides cargobike with her children

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More coverage of the Program Sekolah Hijau Kebangsaan (National Green School Program) by project partners:

• Write-up by the Malaysian Green Building Council (malaysiaGBC): https://www.linkedin.com/posts/malaysiagbc_malaysiagbc-sekolahhijau-greenschools-activity-7452647420863209472-OoB8?

• Write-up by Rockwool Malaysia: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/logen-chetty-48a83820_from-conversation-to-commitment-malaysia-activity-7453654028288278532-Lfpn?