Sustainable Design Approaches of Heritage Shophouses in Malaysia

The heritage shophouse building is one of the unique architectures in Malaysia and is rich in historical value. Heritage shophouses in Malaysia generally adopt a sustainable approach in their building design, which can help reduce electricity usage and save maintenance costs. However, studies on the sustainability elements of these heritage shophouses have not been widely conducted and are not comprehensive. This study will focus on two main objectives which are to identify the sustainability elements in the design of heritage shophouses in Malaysia and to discuss the suitability of the sustainable approach elements found in heritage shophouses in Malaysia to be applied to contemporary multi-story commercial terrace buildings. This study employs triangulation methodology techniques using three main methods: literature review, observation (case studies), and questionnaires. Heritage shophouses incorporate 16 sustainable design approaches that are suitable for application to modern shophouses today. Meanwhile, the case study reveals 7 sustainable design approaches, such as the use of air wells, water wells, and clay building materials, large openings with louvres, steep roof designs, and flexible interior layouts. This study not only can raise awareness about the value and importance of preserving and conserving these heritage buildings, but also the unique design elements, with their sustainable approaches, have the potential to be applied to contemporary commercial buildings.