Green Building

Hello everyone, how's your holiday? It's the school holiday season now and everywhere is packed with people (Malacca, KL, Singapore, Johor, Genting Highlands, etc.) I just went to Legoland  yesterday and I can say there are hundreds of people flocking that place. It was a hot & humid day and yet the parents are willing to bring their precious to here & enjoy their break.

But while I was wondering around that place, it makes my brain to start spinning again: What if this was not an open space but it's in an enclosed building? Will it consume a lot of energy just to cool down the place? Do you need many lights just to brighten up the place? How do the people get the fresh air into the building?

This has reminded me of a Green Building Concept that currently has been applied around the globe and that includes Malaysia.

What is a Green Building?

Green Building, otherwise known as green construction or sustainable building, is a structure that utilizes processes that are environmental friendly and resource efficient throughout its life cycle; from sitting to design, construction, operation, maintenance, renovation and demolition. It involves the searching of the right balance between homebuilding and sustainable environment.

Of course this type of balance requires the cooperation of many expertises which include the designer, the engineer, the architect and the client. Green Building prioritize the classical building design what consist of economy, utility, durability and comfort.

Although new technologies are being developed constantly to complement current practices in creating greener structures, the common concept that green buildings have is to reduce the overall impact of the built environment on human health and the natural environment by:

• Efficiently using energy, water, and other resources
• Protecting occupant health and improving employee productivity
• Reducing waste, pollution and environmental degradation

Green construction principles can easily be applied to retrofit work as well as new construction. It often emphasizes taking advantage of renewable resources, e.g., using sunlight through solar power, and using plants and trees through green roofs, rain gardens, and reduction of rainwater run-off. Many other techniques are used, such as using low-impact building materials or using packed gravel or permeable concrete instead of conventional concrete or asphalt to enhance replenishment of ground water.

How to rate a Green Building?

There are many green building rating that is available in this world. Each country or region has its own standards but the concept is still the same. The reason why there are multiple standard ratings are due to different regions contribute to different weather and ecological system.

For example in the United Kingdom, the standard available at there is called BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Methodology). By using independent licensed assessors, BREEAM assesses scientifically-based criteria to cover a range of issues in categories that evaluate energy and water use, health and well-being, pollution, transport, materials, waste, ecology and management processes.

Another example would be Malaysia, which is using GBI (Green Building Index). It is a profession-driven initiative to lead the property industry towards becoming more environmental friendly. It will be the only rating tool for the tropical zones other than Singapore Government’s GREENMARK. GBI has been appointed by Malaysian Green Technology Corporation (GreenTech Malaysia) as a verification body for any sustainable buildings.

There are many more standards such as GREENMARK in Singapore, LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmetal Design) in United States and Canada, DGNB (German Sustainable Building Council) in Germany, CASBEE (Comprehensive Assessment System for Built Environment Efficiency) in Japan, GREENSTAR in Australia and others.

Pros & Cons

So with all these information, some people will ask the common question: Is Green Building really necessary for my structures? I have listed down the upside and the downside of this Green Building concept.

Pros :- 

1. Green buildings incorporate energy and water efficient technologies that are not as readily available in traditional buildings. These technologies create a healthier and more comfortable environment as they utilize renewable energy, reduce waste, and decrease heating and cooling expenses.
2. Green buildings typically involve less maintenance. For example, green buildings generally do not require exterior painting every three to five years. This simple method helps saves the environment, as well as a consumer time and money.
3. With green buildings, the indoor air quality is improved via natural and healthy materials. Green buildings utilize clean energy sources such as solar and wind power, rather than burning coal.
4.  Considering the average life cycle of a building, 50 to 100 years, certain green building measures, such as installing solar panels or doubling the amount of installation, can yield a strong return on investment and lead to higher resale values.
5. Green building methods make the most out of energy, resources, and materials. As enforced by energy regulatory bodies, builders and design professionals must adhere to energy code requirements.

Cons :-

1. Many believe the costs associated with green building make the building methods cost-prohibitive.
2. When utilizing green building cooling components, such as natural ventilation, consumers do not have a precise mechanism to increase or decrease exact temperatures. This is a difficult hurdle for many green building occupants to overcome.
3. In order to best optimize Sun exposure, green building may demand structural positioning opposite of other neighborhood homes, causing friction among neighbors. In addition, differences in structural orientation will affect how natural daylight enters the building structure. With this in mind, there may be a need to install more overhangs, blinds, or shades.
4. In general, green roofs are comprised of multiple layers including a vegetation layer, growing medium, drainage or water storage, insulation, a waterproofing membrane, and roof support. Since they are usually heavier than a traditional roof, builders need to improve upon the existing roof’s strength in order to install a green roof.
5. Labor law compliance requirements, in regards to green building, have not fully solidified. For this reason, it is advisable to seek experienced legal counsel in order to avoid costly liabilities.

Impact To Us

As we all know, buildings bring impact to our environment, economy and communities. The health impact of buildings reach us both inside and outside of home. Studies have found that indoor air can be five times as polluted as outdoor air.

Building products chosen for use in homes must meet low- or non-toxicity standards. Toxins such as formaldehyde are often found in conventional fiberboard and furniture, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are commonly found in conventional paints and other interior building materials. The same toxins that pollute indoor air and cause respiratory aggravation also manifest in the outdoor environment as smog and greenhouse gas emissions, contributing to global climate change. The decision to use less toxic building products and materials not only benefits residents but also the community as a whole.

A closer look at residential and commercial buildings reveals that they are responsible for almost half of all greenhouse gas emissions annually, and that the carbon dioxide emissions from buildings in the United States equal the combined building emissions of Japan, France and the United Kingdom.

The economic impacts of energy use are as significant on wallets as they are on the planet. Buildings account for 72% of all electricity use and account for 80% of all electricity expenditures.

Of all world's greenhouse gas emissions, 16% are generated from the energy used in homes worldwide. Energy generated in homes comes from the burning of fossil fuels at power plants, which contributes to smog, acid rain and climate change. Simply put it, the less energy we use in our homes, the more money we save and the less pollution we generate. 

This savings extends to the community as a whole, ensuring that the community, by making more informed decisions today, can prevent having to bear the growing costs of pollution in the future.