ETHNOGRAPHIC INSIGHTS INTO TERRACE HOUSE RETROFIT PRACTICES: A CASE IN PETALING JAYA, MALAYSIA

Abstract

Existing residential buildings contribute to significant energy demand and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Malaysia – dominant with the landed residential building were constructed under past building codes with limited attention to energy efficiency. Retrofitting this stock represents both a pressing challenge and a golden opportunity to promote national decarbonization efforts. However, retrofitting practices are often ad hoc and complicated, influenced by homeowners’ physical extensions rather than environmental considerations. This research addresses the gap by exploring the retrofit practices of Malaysian terrace houses through an ethnographic, visual case observation approach. Fieldwork was conducted across four sites in Petaling Jaya, where alterations were systematically documented using field notes, sketches, photographs and video taking. These observations were supported by documentary analysis of existing retrofit policies and guidelines. Cases were classified according to scales of intervention – minor, intermediate, major and complete, reflecting both local authority definitions and practices observed in situ. The study uncovered widespread informal interventions, which were primarily motivated by functionality, privacy and cultural preferences rather than energy performance. The findings underscore the limitations of current retrofit policies, which remain advisory rather than mandatory, and highlight the need for frameworks that account for socio-cultural practices and homeowner decision-making. By adopting an ethnographic lens, this study demonstrates how retrofit strategies can be made more socially grounded, practical, and widely adopted, ultimately bridging global low-carbon ambitions with local housing realities.