KUALA LUMPUR, Apr 28 – The Faculty of Artificial Intelligence (FAI), through the Research and Innovation Office and the Construction Quality & Maintenance (CQM) Research Group, successfully hosted the second series of the AI Tech Tarik @ FAI for 2026. The virtual session, themed “Innovating Sustainable Solutions for the Built Environment,” was moderated by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mohamad Syazli Fathi, Leader of the CQM Research Group.

The program successfully merged three powerful streams of thought—strategic port infrastructure, human capital development, and public utility management—to advance the central tenets of the UTM ASCEND 2030 goals.

Strategic Innovation in Maritime Infrastructure

The session opened with Assoc. Prof. Ir. Ts. Dr. Syuhaida Ismail, who presented a new maritime innovation framework. Her presentation focused on hybridizing technology with nature, making a compelling case that integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI) with Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) is essential for the future of Malaysian port development. Dr. Syuhaida established that sustainability is the ultimate driver of biodiversity conservation and land degradation control, rather than a competing interest to economic efficiency.

The Human Element and Stakeholder Management

The discussion then pivoted to the most vital component of innovation: the human being. Ts. Dr. Nor Fazilah Mohd Hashim, a Smart Engineering & Advanced Technology Department Lecturer and core CQM member, shared invaluable insights from her industrial attachment. She reminded the audience that academic theory and advanced tools—such as Digital Terrain Mapping (DTM), 3D Modelling, and their application in flood mitigation or river improvement—are only as effective as the professional experience driving them. Her session highlighted that direct industry immersion is a critical requirement for generating the specialized, industrially relevant upskilling required of modern built environment leaders.

Socio-Technical Data Integration

Finally, Abdul ‘Izz Mohamad Kamil grounded the discussion in the management of essential public resources. He proposed a Socio-Technical Digital Twin Framework for Malaysia’s water distribution networks. His presentation demonstrated that AI must move beyond raw engineering data to account for human and social complexity, showing how technology can bridge operational fragmentation to enhance the safety and performance of utilities that every citizen depends on

A Unified Vision: “One Built Environment”

In his concluding remarks, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mohamad Syazli Fathi emphasized that Innovating Sustainable Solutions cannot be achieved in silos. He noted that true sustainability is reached only when innovation integrates across professionals (lecturers, regulators, engineers), technologies (NBS, AI, Digital Twins), and infrastructure types (ports, water, buildings).

“We must move past traditional divisions to view and manage the built environment as a singular, complex ecosystem,” Dr. Fathi stated. He further cautioned that these multi-layered complexities are exactly the challenges researchers must consider when developing future AI systems and applications.

The program concluded with an invitation for participants to continue the dialogue through the FAI and CQM Research Group’s ongoing initiatives.

About CQM Research Group: Led by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mohamad Syazli Fathi, the CQM Research Group is a multidisciplinary cluster at UTM dedicated to enhancing the built environment across its full asset life cycle, focusing on digitalization, smart infrastructure, and risk governance. For further information, please contact syazli@utm.my