Introduction

Sustainable Tropical Environmental Design Exhibition 2010 (STEdex‘10) aims to promulgate ideas from creative and innovative sustainable solutions in the design and planning of the tropical environment. This exhibition is timely as it is an avenue to share new and improved knowledge among multi-disciplinary professionals towards a common goal in sustainability. Sustainable Tropical Environmental Design is a niche area for the Faculty of Design and Architecture, Universiti Putra Malaysia as outlined in the faculty’s strategic plan. This idea is continuously being instilled through our teaching and learning to students, research activities and professional services.

This year’s STEdex‘10 showcases for the first time, artefacts and design ideas from architecture, landscape architecture and industrial design departments as well as a special chapter on winners of design competitions. It reflects a consolidated effort and work of all faculty members and their students. The selected artefacts for the exhibition have undergone meticulous reviewing process at departmental and faculty levels by invited prominent juries. STEdex’10 underlines and highlights our perspective on tropical design process and emphasises the achievements and understandings on the importance of addressing issues and problem-solving solutions towards sustainability.

It is hoped that STEdex‘10 will be a source for further dialogue in sustainable design and practice in discovering new approaches and meaningful sustainable solutions for our tropical environment.