Today’s modern and fast-paced business world makes it more important than ever to maintain a healthy work-life balance. In fact, more and more Malaysians are putting themselves under pressure to meet the ever-increasing demands of their jobs and deliver results. According to a recent report by The Straits Times of Singapore, Malaysians work an average of 15 hours more than their contracted hours each week, surpassing Hong Kong, Australia and even Singapore.

A Workplace Wellness survey by insurance company AIA Bhd points out a growing workplace trend — 64% of Malaysians are physically inactive, 56% sleep less than seven hours a night and 53% have at least one dimension of work-related stress.

With the added hours and unhealthy side-effects piling up, it is important to strike a work-life balance to maintain not only personal and social relationships but also long-term productivity at the workplace.

Such a balance can be accomplished by separating one’s professional and personal environments. This means not letting anything work-related to spill over into your personal and social environments.

Choosing the right home environment is equally important to promote wellness and follow an active lifestyle. With full emphasis on health and personal well-being, Sime Darby Property has embarked on a plan for its up-and-coming township, the City of Elmina in Shah Alam, that has generated substantial buzz among homeowners wanting a vibrant and progressive neighbourhood to call their own.

From the outset, the City of Elmina has been envisioned and developed with sustainable healthy living in mind. This meant adopting a design ethos that embraced eight main pillars, covering social, environmental, intellectual, familial, occupational, physical, emotional and spiritual wellness.

Spanning 5,000 acres of prime freehold land, the City of Elmina comprises the townships of Denai Alam, Bukit Subang, Elmina East and Elmina West, and an integrated city centre and well-planned facilities to promote a healthy and holistic lifestyle. Its jewel in the crown is its 300-acre central park, which in itself is an extension of a lush 2,700-acre forest reserve that surrounds it. The City of Elmina is also poised to be the home of a 90km cycling and jogging track that promises to get its residents moving and mingling as a community without having to fork out hard-earned money for a gym membership elsewhere.

Another feature that was built with the well-being of the residents in mind is the Elmina Living Heritage Park, a restoration project to protect endangered tree species and provide both an aesthetic and educational experience for the residents and visitors alike.

The City of Elmina’s population need not travel far for healthcare as the township has plans to provide a cluster of wellness services at its one-stop centres dedicated to complementary, curative, rehabilitative and preventive healthcare. As with any modern township, security is a top priority for the developer with the City of Elmina adopting the Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) principles of town planning as well as having a dedicated auxiliary police force.

One of the City of Elmina’s latest offerings is LIANA, a low-density residential development comprising only 72 two-storey superlink homes with a standard lot size of 30ft by 100ft. The houses are built in a loop to create a sense of closely knit community living. By highlighting natural lighting and adopting a design aesthetic that seamlessly integrates the indoor and outdoor spaces, LIANA comes with a host of benefits for the modern homeowner.

The homes have an open-plan layout with the living, dining and kitchen areas boasting modern cleans lines and a focus on maximising indoor space. Wide and airy patios provide not only openness but also shade and privacy when needed. A spacious family area is flooded with natural light, encouraging interaction, and also provides access to the lower levels of the house.

The last phase of the successful 30ft by 100ft superlink homes, LIANA is positioned right at the centre of Elmina Gardens, giving it lush surroundings. This phase is also within walking distance of an upcoming row of commercial shoplots.

Ferrea, Denai Alam, is another new phase of homes in the exciting City of Elmina that promises the peace and calm of the countryside and the opulence of city living. The Denai Alam township was inspired by traditional Malay kampung communal living. It features a 4.8km landscaped footpath or “denai” and a low-density layout that ensures privacy and personal space for the residents. The footpath that runs seamlessly through the township not only segregates pedestrians from vehicles for enhanced safety but also promotes a sense of community and closeness among neighbours who regularly cross paths along this scenic route.

Ferrea features 228 units of 22ft by 70ft and 22ft by 75ft two-storey linked homes that combine the best of modern architecture with traditional design to create a unique living environment for young and old alike.

Staying true to the overall blueprint of active living, Ferrea boasts two pocket parks and abundant recreational areas to encourage participation in outdoor activities and events.

Accessibility is Ferrea’s strong suit with links to the Guthrie Corridor Expressway, the NKVE, the Shah Alam Expressway, the ELITE highway and the upcoming DASH that is slated for completion in 2020, when travel time from Denai Alam to the city centre will be halved. Residents will be able to enjoy the best of both worlds by working in the heart of Kuala Lumpur and coming home to an idyllic and peaceful suburb.

By weaving together the best elements of health and living with sustainable and responsible design, the City of Elmina is paving the way for homebuyers looking for that perfect work and life balance. With additional expansion plans already well on the way, the wellness elements of the townships are not merely concepts on paper but will inspire residents to lead a life well lived.

LIANA and Ferrea are now open for sale at RM1,121,888 and RM760,888 respectively (not inclusive of applicable bumiputera discount). For more information, call (03) 7831 2253 or visit www.simedarbyproperty.com.