Shaping Healthy Interior Design with Innovation

The importance of living in a healthy environment is becoming increasingly apparent with today's homeowners. This is especially noticeable during the covid-19 pandemic when people are cooped up at home 24 hours a day.

As a result, interior design and home products have evolved to meet the needs of a healthy home by becoming smarter, simpler, sleeker, and more functional, making living smarter and healthier. Wellness-focused interior design can have a significant impact on both our physical and emotional health.

Taiwan Excellence has recently teamed up with Malaysiakini to organise a webinar titled, Shaping Healthy Design with Innovation, to discuss how home products have become smarter through the integration of technology with design. The webinar feature three panels of industry experts; Mr Tommy Lim, Director of MolecQ Sdn Bhd, Mr Elwin Ng, Sales Manager of Keding Enterprises Sdn Bhd and Dr Ooi Boon Seong, Chief Executive Officer of Ooi Design & Associates.

Taiwan Excellence is the name that carries the honour of Taiwan’s premium products, it is the symbol of recognising outstanding and innovative products from Taiwan. Companies have surpassed the stringent judging criteria and process to be nominated for the annual Taiwan Excellence Award. The webinar featured two Taiwan Excellence’s award-winning products - antibacterial Prefinished Veneered Panels from KD Panel and Flow2one Single Room Fresh Air Exchanger from TUMÄ.

About Keding Enterprises Sdn Bhd

Established in 2002, Keding focused on the production and application of wood products, specializing in prefinished wood veneered panels. With consistent innovation and a rigorous approach, the company is committed to providing the best products to meet the consumers’ demands. This has enabled them to become the leading brand in the construction materials industry with a team of 1000 employees globally.

With the dedication and hard work of their team, their products obtained certification for ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 standards and were awarded Taiwan Green Building Materials certification in 2008.

About MolecQ Sdn Bhd

Established in 2004, MolecQ Sdn Bhd is the sole distributor of TUMÄ products in Malaysia. The award winning TUMÄ Flow2one Single Room Fresh Air Exchanger is designed to deliver continuous air exchange by reducing stale air and introducing outdoor fresh air into your home. As a result, you'll be able to live in a healthy, well-ventilated environment without the need for opening windows throughout the day and night.

In addition, the TUMÄ Flow2one Single Room Fresh Air Exchanger can regulate indoor temperature, reduce humidity, and remove harmful pollutants such as dust, mould, germs, carbon monoxide, and formaldehyde.

Ooi Design & Associates (OD&A)

Ooi Design & Associates (OD&A) is a multi-award-winning interior design firm that offers its customers a complete interior design solution, from initial design, construction, and complements, to finishing touches such as accessories and decor.

Registered under the MIID (Malaysia Institute Interior Designer) and Lembaga Architect Malaysia (LAM), OD&A has earned multiple awards including the BCI Asia Award, Reka International Design Award, and Interior Federal of Interior Award. The interior design firm's expertise and experience include high-end residential, show units for developers, sale galleries for developers, corporate offices, offices, and restaurants.

As modern homeowners, we are constantly on the lookout for healthier, smarter products for the benefit of our families. How do we define a product that is both healthy living and innovative?

According to Mr Elwin Ng, Sales Manager of Keding Enterprises, a product that is both healthy and innovative should be environmentally friendly, non-toxic and made from a renewable resource.

“Produced from a tree log, KD wood veneers are suitable for use in modern times because we have received various Green Label certifications to ensure that our customers receive safe and healthy certified products. With a variety of certifications, our products ensure only high-quality products and earn the trust of our valued customers resulting in our products being used not only in residential houses but also in hospitality,” said Elwin.

“With the ever-evolving technology and innovating that will continue to change in about two to three years, bringing value to our customers in terms of eco-friendly, kid-friendly and even pet-friendly is a must because I believe that consumers place a higher value on value rather than the product itself,” said Tommy Lim, Director of MolecQ Sdn Bhd.

The Flow2one Single Room Fresh Air Exchanger from TUMÄ is designed to fit into a modern living environment that prioritises healthy living. It is environmentally friendly, energy-efficient, quiet, water-resistant, and fire-resistant.

From the standpoint of an interior designer, Dr Ooi Boon Seong, Chief Executive Officer of OD&A feels that good healthy design begins with the basics. “Fresh indoor air and exposure to natural light are excellent for both physical and psychological health, therefore a room should have plenty of windows where air can circulate and remain fresh,” said Ooi.

“In addition to good air ventilation and natural light, technology can also help you to create a stress-free environment. There are a variety of smart home devices, such as lighting mood, that can help you relax,” he added.

In most people's minds, healthy and eco-friendly products are usually more expensive. Is this correct?

“Yes, I believe that these types of products are more expensive. However, rather than focusing on the price, you should consider the product's value. If you buy based on value, you will not only be able to create a healthy lifestyle, but you will also receive a return on investment,” said Tommy.

Ooi agrees with Tommy's statement that a product's price will be higher if it is labelled as smart, organic, natural, or eco-friendly.

“In Malaysia, there is little awareness of these environmentally friendly items, and demand is low. This is one of the main reasons why it commands such a premium price. However, I believe these products will become less expensive and more common in the future,” said Ooi.

Elwin believes that eco-friendly products, particularly wood veneers sold by KD Enterprises, aren’t necessarily expensive as they can be tailored based on the customer’s budget.

“We have more than 300 colours and variations of wood veneer that customers can select to suit different tastes and budgets. Natural veneer, matte finishing veneer, and unfinished veneer are just a few examples. With a large selection of wood veneer, we can provide high-quality products that can benefit everyone, regardless of their budget,” said Elwin.

Most people nowadays, especially post-pandemic, require more flexible spaces, healthier, smarter, and more sustainable living environments, especially post-pandemic. As an industry expert, how do we find practical and effective design solutions to meet the needs of the post-pandemic lifestyle?

“When renovating your new home, think about natural ventilation first. If you reside in a home with poor air circulation, technologies such as the TUMA Flow2one Single Room Fresh Air Exchanger can be used as a secondary option to improve air circulation,” said Tommy.

“Air ventilation systems/purification are wonderful investments for your home because they are especially useful during the seasonal haze, which happens in Malaysia, on occasion and prevents us from fully opening all of our windows to allow for natural ventilation,” said Ooi.

As we’re living in the Covid-19 pandemic, our home has become an office, dance studio, entertainment centre and so on. This prompted us to find innovative solutions to adapt to the new norm. For example, as hand sanitising become a common practice, homeowners are becoming more cautious about where they place their sanitising station or whether or not to invest in touchless soap dispensers,” Ooi added.

“Aside from that, furniture selection and how the furniture is being displayed can also have an impact on the overall comfort of your living space. For example, as houses are getting smaller, you need the space to be more flexible, so the selection of furniture should be lighter and multi-functional,” Ooi added.

“The KD wood veneer is made of a tree log, therefore each layer is unique giving your furniture a highly exclusive and natural look when compared to other building materials. This will help enhance the overall look of your home and to create a more comfortable environment especially since people are spending most of their time indoors during the pandemic,” said Elwin.

For more information on purchasing products and getting better insights on KD Wood Veneer Panel, Flow2one Single Room Fresh Air Exchanger from TUMÄ log on to their websites respectively www.twkd.com and www.tuma.com.my.

To discover more Taiwan Excellence premium products, visit here: https://world.taiwanexcellence.org/en.

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