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50 years; ii) introduce planting species that help sequester carbon efficiently and; iii) less impact
methods used to construct green spaces. The carbon footprint research is essential in the Landscape
Architecture Field to understand and contribute new findings in mitigating the global warming
issues. It is reported from previous researches [2, and 7] that CO2 were being released into the
atmosphere originates from urbanization activities including the green spaces provision. Scenario
example of indirect carbon emission caused from the fuel usage on automotive travel to client and
consultant meetings and during the construction stage of the green spaces. However, the amount of
CO2 released can be stored in natural elements such as trees, grasses, landscaped green spaces to
offset part of the CO2 that had been generated. In order to let the CO2 to be offset and neutralized,
ample timeframe (years) are recommended for carbon sequestration to happen. According to
Pocock (2007), the landscape design process consisted of four stages which are i) design, ii)
implementation, iii) maintenance (to ensure long green space life span) and iv) life span [7 and 4].
However, this research is focusing on beyond the green space life span which is the ‘Renewal Stage’.
Renewal stage is defined as the act to renew a design if it did not meet the community’s
expectations, whether that is physical comfort, durability, safety, inappropriate land use or aesthetic
issues.

This research is focusing on the role of landscape architects in identifying the source of carbon
footprint right from the planning towards the implementing stage. If the carbon footprint source had
been identified, landscape architect must foresee and anticipate the carbon neutral landscape
design to help mitigate Malaysia’s carbon emission phenomena. Previous research [3] proved that
landscaping activities are carbon negative and therefore offsets carbon emissions and mitigate the
carbon footprint of the building structure created. Providing the landscaped green space itself is
carbon negative, however, the amount of carbon sequestered is still low. Thus, there is in need to
look in detail the factors contributing to such carbon emissions such as the green area, tree biomass,
and construction and maintenance activities of the created landscape. This research will focus on the
role of green spaces as land cover to facilitate carbon neutral landscape projects for future
sustainable cities.

2. Methods
2.1. Study Sites

The study sites were chosen based on criteria such as green spaces’ vibrant activities, well
equipped facilities, years of establishment and maturity. The green spaces purposely chosen aged
more than 5 years old in order to give ample time for the green spaces to be worn out after over a
period of time. Due to worn out factor, those green spaces most likely to be renewed. The green
spaces selected were Public Park Nilai (PPN) and Seremban 2 City Park (S2CP), Negeri Sembilan aged
7 and 13 years old respectively. PPN is a project developed by Nilai Municipal Council with the total
of 8 acres in size. The green space was completed on 2010. This green space was claim as one of its
kind in Negeri Sembilan. This green space serves as gathering area for the nearby residents. The
green space is equipped with 2km of jogging tracks, fitness station, fields, open space, play courts,
playgrounds, shelters and park amenities (refer figures 2.1).