Green building rating system to encourage green industry development

KUALA LUMPUR, March 4 (Bernama) -- The Works Ministry is drawing up a green building rating system that can be applied by the public and private sectors in promoting the green industry development in the country. Its minister, Datuk Seri Shaziman Abu Mansor said in ensuring the success of the effort, the ministry had decided that building construction use the Industrialised Building System (IBS) technology. "For example, materials used in the IBS for building schools, especially in the rural areas should be able to reduce temperatures up to two degrees Celsius.

"This can indirectly reduce electricity usage and give comfort to the users," he said at a dinner and prize-presentation of the Greentech House Competition 2011 (GTH 2011) at the Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) international campus here, tonight.
Also present UTM vice-chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Zaini Ujang.
In regard to this effort, he said, his ministry was discussing with the Finance Ministry to obtain an allocation to replace the normal street lights to the light-emitting diode (L.E.D) which could reduce electricity consumption by 50 to 55 per cent.
Besides that, he said, his ministry was also building tunnels in certain areas to reduce cutting of hills.

Shaziman said the National Green Technology policy launched by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak in 2009 also spurred demand for green industry as the first choice in providing products and services. "The main aspect emphasised in this policy is to reduce dependence on fossil fuel and to promote energy efficiency. "The government's effort in incorporating green technology covers two aspects, namely innovation involving the creation and development of green technology and usage or application of green technology in the work processes," he said.

On the competition, Shaziman said it focused on innovative research based on green technology and was the best platform to educate society towards creating a healthier nation based on green technology.

The GTH Competition 2011, organised by UTM and BE-Basic, showcased creative concepts of residential buildings that promote sustainability, energy conservation, use of building materials from natural sources and alternative energy sources.

Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) with its 'Superhomes' project and the Zenith Team from UTM with the 'Infinity where the limitation powers the innovation' project were adjudged joint winners, each collecting RM5,000 and a certificate.

Source:
http://www.mysinchew.com/node/70976
http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v6/newsindex.php?id=649865

Conference Di Venice Italy

The ICEESD 2011 : International Conference on Ecosystems, Environment and Sustainable Development in Venice, Italy. Berlangsung dari 28-30 Nov 2011, Dua kertas kerja hasil penyelidikan bersama JKR dan dengan geran JKR bernilai RM450,00 telah dihasilkan khas untuk persidangan ini. Prof Dr Mohd Hamdan turut hadir dan membentangkan kertas kerja di persidangan ini.

i. SURVEY OF SURFACE REFLECTANCE, WORK PLANE ILLUMINANCE LEVEL AND UNIFORMITY IN MALAYSIAN GOVERNMENT
OFFICE BUILDINGS
ii. INVESTIGATING DAYLIGHT QUALITY IN MALAYSIAN GOVERNMENT OFFICE BUILDINGS THROUGH DAYLIGHT FACTOR AND SURFACE LUMINANCE

Satu kesempatan yang baik dapat bertemu dengan para penyelididk luar negara.
Venice sebuah bandaraya air yang unik. Bandar sekitarnya sangat mesra pengguna, mempraktikkan kehidupan hijau dengan menyediakan fasiliti pejalan kaki dan berbaskial disekitar bandar yang sempurna.

Click HERE for pdf full paper

Click HERE for pdf full paper

Melawat ke BedZed

Sudah lama mengimpikan untuk melihat sendiri rekabentuk, pembangunan di Beddington Zero Energy Development (BedZed) di pinggir kota London. Perjalanan dengan tube underground agak lama dan kemudian dengan London Bus. Bersama Prof Dr Mohd Hamdan Ahmad, ALhamdulillah akhirnya sampai juga walaupun agak lewat. Maklumlah musim sejuk di England, waktu siangnya agak pendek.
Beberapa keping gambar dapat dirakam dan kekagumanku adalah kerana komitmen dan kesungguhan kumpulan perekabentuk dan organisasi yang inginkan kehidupan yang mampan.
(Nov 2011).





Laman web boleh dilawati di http://www.bioregional.com/what-we-do/our-work/bedzed/

Bill Dunster, Architect of BedZed;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TXpWb2D5ifI

Video BedZed:
1. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWhQVGZPFZI
2. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nYOSfcHCDmI
3. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KcY26StEWCo
4. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3UsfJZErc0g
5. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZx_lKMyQpI
6. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMFEm_7Y_lI

One Planet Living Communities: Lodon, Euro, South Africa, S America, 1 Brighton, One Planet Product:
1. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMsUsa8XaCw

One Planate Living Brighton & California:
1. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMsUsa8XaCw

Off The Grid 2012;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4j5BcCoXW0

Carbon Calculator;
http://calculator.carbonfootprint.com/calculator.aspx
Ecological Footprint Calculator: http://myfootprint.org/en/visitor_information/

Ecological Footprint;
http://www.sustainablescale.org/conceptualframework/understandingscale/measuringscale/ecologicalfootprint.aspx

Others;
Amsterdam Public Library : http://www.jocoenen.com/jcau/index5.html#

JKR-UTM Research Progressing Well

Overall research activities have been going very well according to the schedule. Several technical meetings and monitoring meeting lead by SPI JKR satisfy with the progress. For the time being for paper has been produced for International Conferences. Another papers is prepared for conferences and Journals.

JKR-UTM Research Collaboration MOA Signing Ceremony

22nd July 2010 marked an important milestone for UTM and JKR when MoA was signed for the Research Collaboration between Researchers from Built Environment Research Group (BERG), FAB UTM and Architect Branch JKR Research Group. The MoA was signed by Y Bhg Dato' Prof. Ir. Dr. Ashari Mohamad, Pengarah kanan Bhg Latihan & Penyelidikan JKR on behalf JKR and Prof Dr. Ruzairi Rahim, RMC Director on behalf of UTM. The signing ceremony held in UTM Admin Building in Skudai attended by officers and academic staff from UTM including the Dean of FAB, the Dean of SUTRA (Sustainable Research Alliance), Researchers from both parties staff from FAB, RMC and JKR. The RM450,000.00 research allocation is awarded by JKR to BERG headed by Associate Prof Dr Mohd Zin Kandar as Principle Researcher (PI) together with JKR counterpart headed by Mdm Young Razidah. The research title is "Developing Comfortable & Energy Efficient Government Office Building Design" will take 20 months to complete and the ultimate output will be in a form of EE Office Building Design guideline for designers.

Collaborative Research between JKR & FAB UTM

Developing A Comfortable and Energy Efficient Government's Office Building Design
A Collaborative Research between Building Technology & Innovation Section, Architectural Branch, JKR and UTM Built Environmental Research Group.


JKR has over the years become the driving forces on development and construction of government buildings such as office, schools, police stations and residential quarters for government staff. JKR has design standard office building for government since 1960’s. Currently some buildings for government office were design by appointed consultants.

The current trends on office building design worldwide has shifted on office that is not only efficient and environmental friendly but also provides high level of comfortable and user response space layout in order to suite to new office space usage. Thus the future standard for government office building design must be responsive with dynamic works environment focusing on the whole building design solution, which are comfortable, energy efficient and create productive environment.

The question is does the government office design comfortable to employee? In providing comfortable works area, are office buildings designs with Energy Efficient criterion?

Studies shows current office building in Malaysia consumes high energy with average Building Energy Index (BEI) of 200 to 300 kWh/m2/yr, whereas the BEI between 65 to 135 kWh/m2/yr is achievable if the building were design with high consideration on climatic and energy efficient consideration as demonstrated by GEO in Bangi and LEO Building in Putrajaya.

In hot and humid climates like in Malaysia, natural sunlight have draw back of increasing heat gain into the building, which in turn increases the use of air-condition load if designer does not carefully understood the impact of solar radiation. Use of daylighting is not considered as an important design criterion in most government buildings. The main reason is the misconception of differentiating sunlight and daylight characteristics.

Generally sunlight transmits solar heat gains but proper daylight do not consist of heat gain. Direct use of natural light (sunlight & daylight) contribute to direct solar heat gain and glare on the office occupants. Furthermore high cooling load and energy consumption are unresolving issues that the building owners have to bear.

Although there were effort to protect direct solar radiation by introducing shading device, there are little guideline found. Some researches previously studied the impact of solar shading, window size and room geometry on building daylight distribution and energy consumption as demonstrated by Zain-Ahmad (2002); Sharifah and Sai (2004); Ossen (2005); Loutzenhiser et al. (2007); Havid et al. (2008); Lim et al. (2009). However, environmental research demonstrates that the performances of building elements are not really applied the occupant comfortable in office building as a whole. So far, there is lack of focus of integrating the building system to fulfill building environmental performance requirements and occupant comfort.

This study investigates the effect of natural lighting on existing office building designs and the impact on occupant comfort as well as energy efficiency in office building. The research will begin with the investigation of a number of existing government offices. The study will be conducted using both social or field survey and computer simulation modeling software. The findings of the study will be in the form of reports and guideline for building designer. The proposed office building design guideline will not only comply with the MS: 1525 building performance criterion but also look for innovative solutions appropriate for Malaysia climate and office space requirement today and in future.

This RM450K research project headed by Associate Profesor Dr Mohd Zin Kandar. Other co-researcher are Prof Dr. Mohd Hamdan, A.P Dr Aminatuzuhariah, Dr Delsan Remaz and five researchers from JKR headed by Mdm Young Razidah.

SB10 SEA IN KL FOCUSED ON SUSTAINABLE BUILDING

SB10 SEA held in KL Convention Centre near KLCC from 4-6 May 2010, attended by experts and professionals from South east asia, Europe, South America and Middle East. Institute Sultan Iskandar UTM is the main organiser focused on sustainable building or green architecture. Geo Building and Leo Building in Malaysia and Zero energy building Singapore is among green initiatives highlighted and elaborated in the conference. Low Carbon emission and green materials are also issues debated and to be resolved by professionals in building industry.