Page 92 - GreenRE_Sustainable Real Estate Book

A shelter they can call home

When a fire razed their home, the Child Care Centre, run
by the Women’s Aid Organisation (WAO) received a new
lease of life, through a collaboration with REHDA Youth (RY).
The home offered shelter for underprivileged, abused and
neglected children and functioned as a base for specialised
childcare counselling for victims of domestic abuse. It is
located in a residential enclave in Petaling Jaya.

Determined to rebuild the home for the children, REHDA
Youth signed an MOU with WAO in 2016 to create a new
sanctuary promising the children security, privacy and
comfort. Designed around sustainable architecture, the
facility also provides separation between the children who
stayed there for the long term and those who visited for
day therapy. It functions as a home for the children’s play
and rest needs, with comfortable spaces allocated for the
caretakers.

Assembling the industry partners made up of suppliers and
consultants to pitch in towards this cause, the project not
only created a home, it brought together the community
in a kindred spirit. Approximately 80% of the fixtures,
electrical appliances and building materials were donated
or sponsored. RY transformed the project into an exemplary
green home earning the certification as Malaysia’s First
GreenRE Platinum Certified Women & Child Care Shelter.

Revival of bygone days

The sculptural physique of its feature wall at the front of the
building while eye-catching, is also an impressive feat of
sustainable architecture reuse. Constructed from roof tiles
salvaged from the shelter’s fire-razed bungalow, the architect
has ingeniously repurposed and integrated it as part of the

81 SUSTAINABLE REAL ESTATE | Our 10-Year Journey