Interview with Ir. Leong Siew Meng

Leadership recall interview with Ir. Leong Siew Meng 

1. How did you become an engineer? Was it your childhood ambition?

I was a science student in secondary school and during my time, there was not much information and choices of tertiary courses. Since most of my classmates pursued technical courses, I basically followed suit. Thereafter, engineering just seemed to be a very natural, wide-ranging field to get myself into based on my education background and interest in mathematics and sciences.

2. Tell us briefly about your career as an engineer.

I started my engineering career in Melbourne, Australia after completing my studies in mechanical engineering. I had the opportunity of working on design and commissioning of industrial furnaces and ovens in Australia. After returning to Malaysia, I joined a consulting firm, Tenaga Ewbank Preece Sdn Bhd working on the first two phases of Kapar power station project in Selangor and the first phase of Paka combined cycle power plant in Terengganu. Thereafter, I joined ICI Malaysia Bhd working on the design and construction of chlor-alkali chemical plant including HAZOP studies, for a new plant in Pasir Gudang, Johor. I then moved on to a fire protection contracting company, which undertook fire protection system installations in commercial and industrial sectors as well as other interesting projects such as electronics work at the Sepang F1 racing circuit, M&E work at Traders Hotel, Equatorial Hotel and Sedonia Hotel in Myanmar, and the Institute of Land & Surveying (INSTUN) campus, Perak.

In 2002, I returned to the consulting line by joining JS Mahir Sdn Bhd working on various commercial and industrial projects including management and engineering audits of IPP power plants and central utility facilities at petrochemical complex, and fire safety audits at Nestle plants in Peninsula Malaysia. Then I got myself involved in energy efficiency work after joining Pusat Tenaga Malaysia (now Malaysian Green Technology and Climate Change Corporation), and energy studies for Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA).

I seized the opportunities of continual learning and attended the Power Station Technology in University of Western Australia in 1987, the energy efficiency and conservation (EEC) training conducted by the Energy Conservation Center Japan (ECCJ) in 2007 and 2008 in Japan, GBI Facilitator (GBIF) and Commissioning Specialist (CxS) competency courses in 2009 and 2016 (at the age of 64) respectively, and also the UNIDO Energy Management System (EnMS) expert training in 2012-13.  

3. When did you become an ASHRAE member and when did you become active in the local Chapter?  What were some of the main events that you contributed and gave you satisfaction and good memories? (Please give a brief description)

I became an ASHRAE member in 1998 after being invited as a committee member of IEM Building Services Technical Division, by ASHRAE Malaysia Chapter to jointly organise the 4^th Asia Pacific conference on Built Environment (APCBE) in November 1997. There was no looking back since!

4. How can ASHRAE contribute to society especially on issues like energy efficiency, indoor air quality and global warming? Please provide your opinions.

Air-conditioning systems are acknowledged to be the largest energy consumer in buildings in hot and humid climate. IAQ is getting more attention after having gone through a horrid time during the pandemic. Global warming has been a global concern and Malaysia is no exception. ASHRAE is well positioned to help address these critical issues to the nation and communities by sharing and promoting greater awareness on mitigating measures and best practices in HVAC&R, IAQ and refrigerant management due to its abundant research information, guidelines, standards and position documents.   

5. Green technology and sustainable energy are current topics of interest. How can Malaysia improve in these areas? How do you see MASHRAE can play a role in such areas?

ASHRAE is at the forefront of HVAC&R, IAQ, sustainability, decarbonization, refrigerant management technologies with resources in the following areas:

• Education resources and online programs
• Guidelines and measures
• Technical guidance and training
• Design and equipment applications
• Research and standards development

MASHRAE can play a significant role in collaboration programs with government departments in the above-mentioned areas to help Malaysia achieve our national aspirations on net zero carbon emissions by 2050.

6. Are you proud of being an engineer and an ASHRAE member? Describe how ASHRAE has enhanced your career.

I feel happy and blessed to be an ASHRAE member. The vast resources and information made available by ASHRAE has been particularly useful in my career. It has also provided an excellent platform for me to expand my scope of work throughout the country as well as ASEAN and East Asia region including EE studies for Mongolia. Being a global society with worldwide recognition in the field of heating, refrigerating, air-conditioning, ventilating and allied fields, I feel that ASHRAE membership is accorded with respect. Throughout my voluntary work with MASHRAE and to some extent with ASHRAE Region XIII, I have thoroughly enjoyed the fellowship and the spirits of sharing and caring that existed in my interactions during various events and activities since 1998!    

7. What is your advice to young engineers?

Firstly, for young engineers, I would advise that they should take interest in continual professional development through joining national bodies of engineers such as the Board of Engineers Malaysia and the Institution of Engineers Malaysia. In addition, it is important to join a professional body which is internationally recognised, and is resourceful and dedicated to advancing and promoting the arts and sciences of their chosen field of engineering such as ASHRAE. 

ASHRAE, founded in 1894, is a global society dedicated to advancing human well-being through sustainable technology, backed by research, technical contributions from members, standards, guidelines, publications and continuing education, for the built environment. Young engineers will be able to expand their horizons from the abundant learning opportunities and also by networking with fellow like-minded professionals and by grasping all the opportunities that will come by being an ASHRAE member – even better, consider volunteering your time and energy to help further develop and expand the ASHRAE Chapter here in Malaysia, while acquiring organisational skills in the process of their voluntary contributions.

Had the opportunity of leading the development and publication of EEC  Electrical & Thermal Guidelines published by the Ministry of Energy in 2007-2010.

 

Presented an EEC topic in APCBE, Hong Kong in 2015

 

Facilitated Stakeholders Thermal Workshop in 2018 in the preparation of thermal energy study as part of the preparation of EECA.

 

Certificate of appreciation for the preparation of thermal energy study in the demand side management preliminary study for EPU and UNDP in 2017-2018.

 

Undertook energy statistics study for Myanmar at Naypyidaw in 2018

 

Provided guidance to Mongolian Energy Economics Institute in conducting energy consumption survey and establishing energy efficiency indicators (EEI) for Mongolia at Ulaanbaatar in 2019.

 

ERIA-ERIN-MASHRAE seminar in 2013 and 2017