Real Estate Housing Developers Assocation's youth arm (Rehda Youth)
is ready to go full swing with the GreenRE environmental-friendliness
rating tool that it launched in March.
It would be rolling out pilot projects in the third quarter to test the tool once it is done setting up the rating team.
Rehda Youth deputy chairman Sam Tan said it intended to set up an independent board to oversee the certification process.
“That way we can create credibility,” he said after launching Green Tour 3 yesterday.
“We are setting up the team infrastructure and training the team to ensure it is running smoothly.”
Tan
said that more than a handful of developers were already committed to
the GreenRE rating tool, offering to participate in the pilot projects.
The developers are Bandar Utama Development Sdn Bhd, Sunway Bhd, IJM Land Bhd, Paramount Corp Bhd, Ken Holdings Bhd and OSK Property Holdings Bhd.
“We have not identified how many or which developments to take on as pilot projects yet,” Tan said.
GreenRE,
albeit less rigid than the long-existing Green Building Index, was
developed based on the international Green Mark standards.
Tan
said while the rating criteria were based on an international standard,
they were also tailored to suit the Malaysian environment. According to
Rehda vice-president Datuk Ricque Liew, the tours educate developers on the accessibility of green ratings and encourage a sharing of ideas.
“Most members think that it'll cost you an arm and a leg to get a Gold Mark rating, but not necessarily so,” he said.
Liew
said the global demand for green-rated building had triggered local
demand as multinational companies setting up shop here had specific
requirements for the buildings they operated in.
While Rehda
Youth has not tabulated the number of developers who have gone green in
recent three years, Tan said the number of green-rated buildings had
risen, indicating increasing awareness.
“Because we are still
early in this (rating) cycle, there are only some completed buildings
rated green but a lot under planning and construction are getting
green-rated now and I think in a year or two, there will be many in the
market.”
The annual Green Tour, third to be organised locally,
was created to further raise the awareness to go green among developers,
engineers and architects.
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
Thursday, April 18, 2013
Marriage And Happiness: Will Marriage Make You Happy?
What's the scoop on marriage and happiness? Will marriage make you happy? Or will it make you unhappy?
Despite our fascination with weddings, roughly half of those who make it to the alter end up in divorce court . . . and divorce is a messy business that ill-affects children and casts a long shadow on the future. It is costly in terms of money, stress and emotions. So, ever wonder what the latest research says about marriage? Will it make you happy?
Or could it contribute to your unhappiness, misery and discontent?
Research Findings
Here's the good news on marriage and happiness. A positive relationship between marriage and happiness has been reported in the research for many years. Several large surveys show generally how much happier married people are than those who are unmarried. Married people report greater happiness than those who have never been married, and those who are divorced, widowed or separated.
But it's not just saying the vows that does the trick. Studies show that people who live with a partner are also happier than those who live alone. Both married men and married women are happier than unmarried individuals, but some studies suggest that marriage may confer slightly greater benefits on men than women.
And . . .
Marriage tends to:
-- make people consistently happy
-- help them to experience positive emotions and find deep levels of life satisfaction
-- Marriage may protect people against life's hardships by offering support and friendship from the spouse, who can serve as a friend and confidant
-- A spouse can serve as a valued and trusted decision making partner, lowering a person's stress level
People who live alone may feel the brunt of life's hardships, whereas married folks benefit from the kind of close, strong support a partner can afford.
To better understand the relationship between marriage and happiness, let's take a look at life satisfaction. Happily married people report greater levels of life satisfaction than others, and marriage can really boost a person's happiness or sense of subjective well being.
Joy, a sense of belonging and inner peace may flow from a happy marriage. When a marriage is really good, the benefits may be even greater, including a sense of euphoria with life or a real sense of ecstacy.
Of course, the problem is having a really good marriage! Maybe the question should be, Will a good marriage make you happy? A truly exceptional marriage will go a long way toward helping you gain true and lasting happiness.
Happy Individuals
Naturally, happy people tend to make the best possible mates or spouses, and they create the happiest marriages. Research indicates happy people may have the best chance of getting married, too.
Keep in mind, happiness, like depression, is contagious. Being around unhappy people will make most people less happy, whereas happy friends tend to lift us up!
Unfortunately, not many people know how to manage a marriage and get the most out of it. The art of building a happy marriage can be elusive . . .
And most married people could use some training in the area of making their marriages better. Or in responding favorably to their spouses. Especially important is learning how to respond to your mate when things are not going well.
As the facts demonstrate, a good marriage is worth the effort. Since marriage is important, and it can make you happy, I've added a list of powerful but simple tips you can use to improve your marriage.
Even if you have a good marriage, these tips can make your relationship more satisfying and enjoyable.
Happy Marriage Tips: A Baker's Dozen
1. Look on the bright side -- always try to be as positive and optimistic as you can be. A spouse's positive attitude leads to positive behaviors and a more satisfying relationship. Marriage and happiness will go hand-in-hand for you.
2. Talk often and be honest with your spouse -- don't play communication games.
3. If you think of yourself as being superior to your spouse, better get some help for your marriage. A perceived sense of superiority can trash a relationship fast!
4. Take time to have fun and be kids again -- remain youthful and avoid taking yourselves too seriously!
5. If you have an argument or melt-down, repair the problem quickly -- be quick to understand, forgive and forget.
6. Be responsible for your own happiness and avoid blaming your spouse for your problems or unhappiness.
7. Learn to respond effectively to your spouse when you feel he/she is making you unhappy or upset. Avoid responses that will worsen the situation.
8. Give big problems or serious issues time to heal.
9. Each spouse should give the other plenty of support and encouragement to be all he or she can be in life . . . support, suport, support!
10. Each spouse should receive input and accept influence form the other. Stay clear of arrangements whereby one spouse influences the other, but it does not go both ways.
11. Marriages that distribute power evenly among both spouses are often happiest, as both spouses feel equally important and vital to the marriage, and no one feels inferior, less important, or left out.
And toxic resentment won't build up.
12. Avoid forcing changes upon your partner. Offer support and inspiration, but trust him/her to make needed changes. Don't nag or pressure your spouse, and watch your marriage and happiness grow together!
13. Put your best foot forward -- remember to strive to be your best every single day. Make sure you don't stop being polite and sensitive just because you got married. Don't stop listening. Don't start being a slob or acting like a lazy bum! Treat your spouse like the special person he/she really is . . . and don't stop, ever!
Try these tips and you'll enhance your chances of making your marriage a happy one -- one that fills you both with contentment and helps you to reach your personal goals, yielding great happiness and joy for both partners.
Marriage and Happiness: The Bottom Line
Will marriage make you happy? Despite the complications, yes, it can certainly help . . .
especially if you can follow simple but effective steps to make your marriage the best it can be.
If your marriage or romantic relationship is in trouble or facing significant problems, you may need to get professional help. Your marriage is worth it. Don't forget that marriage and happiness are two peas in a pod, so take good care of your marriage.
Remember: by learning how to respond to your partner wisely and effectively, you will change your entire life and revitalize your most precious relationship. Get more information on marriage and happiness, and our relationship coaching services here. Research on marital communication helps us predict whether a marriage will succeed or not. Marriages headed for failure tend to have plenty of red flags. They relate to bad habits that spouses have learned -- habits which are often difficult to break, even when people want to learn better ways of coping.
Traditional marital counseling often fails because it focuses on helping people to fight fairly or to keep the fights to a minimum. What works better is helping couples learn how to behave like other successful couples. In other words, the focus should be on learning success-oriented skill sets and good habits . . .
good, effective habits that will help you to easily and painlessly get the most of your marriage.
When both spouses are highly skilled at relationships, and each is working on improving himself/herself, both the marriage and happiness level will flourish.
Despite our fascination with weddings, roughly half of those who make it to the alter end up in divorce court . . . and divorce is a messy business that ill-affects children and casts a long shadow on the future. It is costly in terms of money, stress and emotions. So, ever wonder what the latest research says about marriage? Will it make you happy?
Or could it contribute to your unhappiness, misery and discontent?
Research Findings
Here's the good news on marriage and happiness. A positive relationship between marriage and happiness has been reported in the research for many years. Several large surveys show generally how much happier married people are than those who are unmarried. Married people report greater happiness than those who have never been married, and those who are divorced, widowed or separated.
But it's not just saying the vows that does the trick. Studies show that people who live with a partner are also happier than those who live alone. Both married men and married women are happier than unmarried individuals, but some studies suggest that marriage may confer slightly greater benefits on men than women.
And . . .
Marriage tends to:
-- make people consistently happy
-- help them to experience positive emotions and find deep levels of life satisfaction
-- Marriage may protect people against life's hardships by offering support and friendship from the spouse, who can serve as a friend and confidant
-- A spouse can serve as a valued and trusted decision making partner, lowering a person's stress level
People who live alone may feel the brunt of life's hardships, whereas married folks benefit from the kind of close, strong support a partner can afford.
To better understand the relationship between marriage and happiness, let's take a look at life satisfaction. Happily married people report greater levels of life satisfaction than others, and marriage can really boost a person's happiness or sense of subjective well being.
Joy, a sense of belonging and inner peace may flow from a happy marriage. When a marriage is really good, the benefits may be even greater, including a sense of euphoria with life or a real sense of ecstacy.
Of course, the problem is having a really good marriage! Maybe the question should be, Will a good marriage make you happy? A truly exceptional marriage will go a long way toward helping you gain true and lasting happiness.
Happy Individuals
Naturally, happy people tend to make the best possible mates or spouses, and they create the happiest marriages. Research indicates happy people may have the best chance of getting married, too.
Keep in mind, happiness, like depression, is contagious. Being around unhappy people will make most people less happy, whereas happy friends tend to lift us up!
Unfortunately, not many people know how to manage a marriage and get the most out of it. The art of building a happy marriage can be elusive . . .
And most married people could use some training in the area of making their marriages better. Or in responding favorably to their spouses. Especially important is learning how to respond to your mate when things are not going well.
As the facts demonstrate, a good marriage is worth the effort. Since marriage is important, and it can make you happy, I've added a list of powerful but simple tips you can use to improve your marriage.
Even if you have a good marriage, these tips can make your relationship more satisfying and enjoyable.
Happy Marriage Tips: A Baker's Dozen
1. Look on the bright side -- always try to be as positive and optimistic as you can be. A spouse's positive attitude leads to positive behaviors and a more satisfying relationship. Marriage and happiness will go hand-in-hand for you.
2. Talk often and be honest with your spouse -- don't play communication games.
3. If you think of yourself as being superior to your spouse, better get some help for your marriage. A perceived sense of superiority can trash a relationship fast!
4. Take time to have fun and be kids again -- remain youthful and avoid taking yourselves too seriously!
5. If you have an argument or melt-down, repair the problem quickly -- be quick to understand, forgive and forget.
6. Be responsible for your own happiness and avoid blaming your spouse for your problems or unhappiness.
7. Learn to respond effectively to your spouse when you feel he/she is making you unhappy or upset. Avoid responses that will worsen the situation.
8. Give big problems or serious issues time to heal.
9. Each spouse should give the other plenty of support and encouragement to be all he or she can be in life . . . support, suport, support!
10. Each spouse should receive input and accept influence form the other. Stay clear of arrangements whereby one spouse influences the other, but it does not go both ways.
11. Marriages that distribute power evenly among both spouses are often happiest, as both spouses feel equally important and vital to the marriage, and no one feels inferior, less important, or left out.
And toxic resentment won't build up.
12. Avoid forcing changes upon your partner. Offer support and inspiration, but trust him/her to make needed changes. Don't nag or pressure your spouse, and watch your marriage and happiness grow together!
13. Put your best foot forward -- remember to strive to be your best every single day. Make sure you don't stop being polite and sensitive just because you got married. Don't stop listening. Don't start being a slob or acting like a lazy bum! Treat your spouse like the special person he/she really is . . . and don't stop, ever!
Try these tips and you'll enhance your chances of making your marriage a happy one -- one that fills you both with contentment and helps you to reach your personal goals, yielding great happiness and joy for both partners.
Marriage and Happiness: The Bottom Line
Will marriage make you happy? Despite the complications, yes, it can certainly help . . .
especially if you can follow simple but effective steps to make your marriage the best it can be.
If your marriage or romantic relationship is in trouble or facing significant problems, you may need to get professional help. Your marriage is worth it. Don't forget that marriage and happiness are two peas in a pod, so take good care of your marriage.
Remember: by learning how to respond to your partner wisely and effectively, you will change your entire life and revitalize your most precious relationship. Get more information on marriage and happiness, and our relationship coaching services here. Research on marital communication helps us predict whether a marriage will succeed or not. Marriages headed for failure tend to have plenty of red flags. They relate to bad habits that spouses have learned -- habits which are often difficult to break, even when people want to learn better ways of coping.
Traditional marital counseling often fails because it focuses on helping people to fight fairly or to keep the fights to a minimum. What works better is helping couples learn how to behave like other successful couples. In other words, the focus should be on learning success-oriented skill sets and good habits . . .
good, effective habits that will help you to easily and painlessly get the most of your marriage.
When both spouses are highly skilled at relationships, and each is working on improving himself/herself, both the marriage and happiness level will flourish.
Monday, December 31, 2012
2013
Wishing you good health, happiness, and success in the coming year and always .May joy, peace, and harmony be yours throughout the year ahead. Have a blissful New Year
Monday, December 17, 2012
Monday, November 26, 2012
Why You Should Wake-up Earlier
I read an amazing article on why you should get up earlier. As you know, the first hours of the day are crucial to the rest of your day. Not just the first hours.. actually i’d like to say the first 10 minutes will make up how the rest of your day will go. Wake-up with a positive mind-set and your day will amazingly..full of happiness and peacefulness. Wake-up with negative thoughts and you will miss opportunities in front of you, lose your temper and you know the rest.
The most successful people know how to leverage those early hours to accomplish more. Studies have shown that early risers are more likely to be optimistic, have better performance, greater career success and higher wages.
Here are the morning routines of 10 successful people that I hope will inspire you:
1. Anna Wintour, editor-in-chief, Vogue
The infamous fashion editor wakes up every day pre-dawn to get her adrenaline pumping. At 6:45 a.m., she’s already played an hour of tennis, then it’s off to have her hair styled into her signature bob. She’s in the office by 9 a.m.
2. David Karp, founder, Tumblr
At 25 years old, Karp is the founder and CEO of Tumblr, a growing microblogging platform that has reached over 26.9 million users. As demanding as his schedule is, Karp makes sure he doesn’t check his email until he gets in the office around 9:30 a.m. As quoted in Inc. Magazine, “Reading e-mails at home never feels good or productive . If something urgently needs my attention, someone will call or text me.”
3. Tony Robbins, self-help writer and motivational speaker
As a self-help guru, Robbins helps motivate people to become better leaders and achieve greater success. He says that the thing that changed his life was when he decided he wasn’t living up to his standard, so he changed his habits and way of thinking. His advice is to do an “Hour of Power ” every morning, which includes motivational sayings and visualization.
4. Matt Ouimet, president and CEO, Cedar Fair Entertainment Company
Ouimet was president of Disneyland Resort then Starwood Hotels & Resorts before becoming CEO of the North American amusement park company. Like many CEOs, he wakes up early to get a head start at work. He’s at the office by 6 a.m., when it’s quiet, to answer emails.
5. Craig Newmark, founder,Craigslist
The internet entrepreneur founded the classified advertisement website that has grown to service over 50 countries since 1995. According to a Fast Companyarticle, Newmark starts his day focusing on customer service and answering complaints, which he says anchors him to reality.
6. Obie Mackenzie, managing director, BlackRock
The award-winning business executive spends 84 minutes every morning chatting with his wife on their morning commute. He says, “It keeps us connected all day.”
7. Steve Reinemund, former Chairman and CEO, Pepsi
According to What the Most Successful People Do Before Breakfast , the now business school dean does a four mile run at 5 a.m. every morning, followed by prayer, reading the news and breakfast with his teenage kids.
8. Michelle Gass, president, Starbucks
For over 15 years, the coffee queen has woken up each morning at 4:30 a.m. to go running. She believes her morning routine has helped boost her happiness and business success .
9. Steve Jobs, late Apple CEO
Jobs spent his mornings re-evaluating his work and desires. In his speech to a graduating class at Stanford , Jobs said, “For the past 33 years I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: ‘If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?’ And whenever the answer has been ‘No’ for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something.”
10. Jane Francisco, editor-in-chief, Chatelaine
Jane wakes up every morning at 6:30 a.m. and spends half an hour doing work before her son wakes up at 7 a.m. Between 7 a.m. and 7:30 a.m., she spends quality time with her son (cuddles in bed!) before getting him dressed and ready herself. By 8:30 a.m., she’s out the door for a 9 a.m. office start.
By Caroline Cakebread
The most successful people know how to leverage those early hours to accomplish more. Studies have shown that early risers are more likely to be optimistic, have better performance, greater career success and higher wages.
Here are the morning routines of 10 successful people that I hope will inspire you:
1. Anna Wintour, editor-in-chief, Vogue
The infamous fashion editor wakes up every day pre-dawn to get her adrenaline pumping. At 6:45 a.m., she’s already played an hour of tennis, then it’s off to have her hair styled into her signature bob. She’s in the office by 9 a.m.
2. David Karp, founder, Tumblr
At 25 years old, Karp is the founder and CEO of Tumblr, a growing microblogging platform that has reached over 26.9 million users. As demanding as his schedule is, Karp makes sure he doesn’t check his email until he gets in the office around 9:30 a.m. As quoted in Inc. Magazine, “Reading e-mails at home never feels good or productive . If something urgently needs my attention, someone will call or text me.”
3. Tony Robbins, self-help writer and motivational speaker
As a self-help guru, Robbins helps motivate people to become better leaders and achieve greater success. He says that the thing that changed his life was when he decided he wasn’t living up to his standard, so he changed his habits and way of thinking. His advice is to do an “Hour of Power ” every morning, which includes motivational sayings and visualization.
4. Matt Ouimet, president and CEO, Cedar Fair Entertainment Company
Ouimet was president of Disneyland Resort then Starwood Hotels & Resorts before becoming CEO of the North American amusement park company. Like many CEOs, he wakes up early to get a head start at work. He’s at the office by 6 a.m., when it’s quiet, to answer emails.
5. Craig Newmark, founder,Craigslist
The internet entrepreneur founded the classified advertisement website that has grown to service over 50 countries since 1995. According to a Fast Companyarticle, Newmark starts his day focusing on customer service and answering complaints, which he says anchors him to reality.
6. Obie Mackenzie, managing director, BlackRock
The award-winning business executive spends 84 minutes every morning chatting with his wife on their morning commute. He says, “It keeps us connected all day.”
7. Steve Reinemund, former Chairman and CEO, Pepsi
According to What the Most Successful People Do Before Breakfast , the now business school dean does a four mile run at 5 a.m. every morning, followed by prayer, reading the news and breakfast with his teenage kids.
8. Michelle Gass, president, Starbucks
For over 15 years, the coffee queen has woken up each morning at 4:30 a.m. to go running. She believes her morning routine has helped boost her happiness and business success .
9. Steve Jobs, late Apple CEO
Jobs spent his mornings re-evaluating his work and desires. In his speech to a graduating class at Stanford , Jobs said, “For the past 33 years I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: ‘If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?’ And whenever the answer has been ‘No’ for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something.”
10. Jane Francisco, editor-in-chief, Chatelaine
Jane wakes up every morning at 6:30 a.m. and spends half an hour doing work before her son wakes up at 7 a.m. Between 7 a.m. and 7:30 a.m., she spends quality time with her son (cuddles in bed!) before getting him dressed and ready herself. By 8:30 a.m., she’s out the door for a 9 a.m. office start.
By Caroline Cakebread
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
Red Velvet Cake History
Often used as an alternative to the traditional birthday cake, the classic red velvet cake is a rich, layered dessert consisting of a mild chocolate flavor with a distinctive red color, and white frosting that both fills between the layers and covers the cake, usually made of cream cheese or butter cream.
The Mystery of the Red Velvet Cake Origin
The true origin of the Red Velvet Cake is a mystery. The earliest story or documentation involving this decadent chocolate cake was believed to be around 1959, when a woman dining at the elegant Waldorf-Astoria hotel in New York City
To get her revenge on the NYC Hotel, she shared the kitchen’s Red Velvet Cake recipe in the form of chain letters, which she sent to hundreds of individuals, therefore exposing the “secret” and exploding the popularity of and demand for the Red Velvet Cake as a birthday cake and elegant dessert.
Although it’s possible that the first recipe for the Red Velvet Cake was created at the Waldorf Astoria, others believe that its story began at the bakery of the Eaton’s department store in Canada, even though the first Eaton’s documentation appeared in a 1961 newspaper announcing the “new” Red Velvet Cake, which would position Eaton’s as the second “founder” of this desired dessert.
Still others say that it is a U.S.
Today's Red Velvet Cake Popularity
Regardless of where it first appeared, the Red Velvet Cake is suddenly all the rage. If they didn’t already offer it at one time, bakeries all over the United States New York City
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
February 29.... Wedding
I am so excited to be having a February wedding. I would like to have my wedding on 2/29/2012. I just love the idea of a winter wedding, with all of your wedding pictures including snow :)
February is such a rare month for weddings/anniversaries/birthdays it's so awesome I love it! Also, i've heard the prices are lower, so why would anyone want to go for something cliché
Try something different from everyone else, that is my advice for everyone! I'm sure i'll be one of the only people who is getting married in February 29, just because it's a very original idea - but I just love Feb…. Sahsa Abdullah
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