The Aga Khan University’s Institute for the Study of Muslim Civilisations (AKU-ISMC) proudly announces that Professor Jeff Tan has been awarded the prestigious British Academy’s ODA Challenge-Oriented Research Grant under the theme of “culture, heritage and climate action” for his innovative project, ‘Harnessing Heritage: Reducing Heat and Carbon Emissions through Traditional Building Design and Materials in a World Heritage Site in Malaysia’.
Professor Jeff Tan, who also serves as the Head of Education and Learning at AKU-ISMC and Chair of AKU’s Ethics Review Committee for the Social Sciences, Humanities and Arts, holds a PhD in Economics from the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London. His research interests include privatisation, industrialisation, corruption, urban infrastructure, entrepreneurship, and Islamisation. Professor Tan previously consulted for the UN Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights to Safe Drinking Water and Sanitation and was the principal investigator on a British Academy-funded project on community-based water management in Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan.
The “Harnessing Heritage” project is a collaborative effort involving AKU-ISMC, Think City, (a research institute and delivery partner in Malaysia), and the Centre for Global Archaeological Research (CGAR) at Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), working with the Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC). The research focuses on George Town in Penang, Malaysia, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, aiming to explore how traditional building techniques and materials can be harnessed to reduce heat and carbon emissions, thereby improving community well-being.
By studying the traditional architectural practices of George Town, this project seeks to uncover sustainable methods to adapt to and mitigate the impacts of climate change in urban environments. Utilising these time-tested building techniques and materials offers innovative solutions to modern challenges, promoting sustainable development and resilience against climate change.
This project not only marks a significant achievement for Professor Tan and his team but also represents a substantial contribution to AKU-ISMC’s research efforts in climate change and sustainable development. It highlights the critical importance of integrating traditional knowledge with contemporary scientific approaches to tackle urgent environmental issues. The theme of the award, "Culture, Heritage, and Climate Action," underscores this integration.
Professor Tan commented, “This is a significant award that aligns ISMC’s research with AKU’s focus on SDG 13 and climate action. Inter-disciplinary collaborations such as this are essential for tackling global warming by providing the empirical evidence for policy action.”
