Green-Building-Index-Assessment-Criteria-Based Comparative Evaluation of Interlocking Blocks as an Alternative to Conventional Masonry for Residential Buildings in Malaysia

Abstract Major residential construction projects adopt clay bricks as masonry, which can contribute to high carbon emission, primarily due to their high embodied carbon. Furthermore, the adoption of conventional masonry, including clay bricks, may lead to the use of high amounts of mortar and contribute to a lot of wastage. Therefore, an alternative system that can potentially replace conventional masonry is required to reduce the wastage as well as carbon emission. Interlocking blocks, which adopt a lock and key system has the potential to replace conventional masonry as they employ locally available materials, save construction time, use less mortar and are less dependent on highly skilled masons. In view of their potential, the adoption of interlocking blocks in residential buildings were evaluated comparatively to conventional masonry, namely clay and cement sand bricks, based on the Green Building Index Assessment Criteria for Residential New Construction (GBI-RNC) tool. Overall Thermal Transfer Values of test models that employed conventional masonry and interlocking blocks were calculated. Approximately, based on the GBI-RNC tool, with an increase of 17-18 points achieved from the EE, MR and IN criteria, a Silver rating can be achieved with the adoption of interlocking blocks.

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An empirical survey of the perceived benefits of executing BIM and sustainability practices in the built environment

Construction Innovation ◽

10.1108/ci-08-2018-0065 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 19 (3) ◽

pp. 321-342 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Timothy Oluwatosin Olawumi ◽

Daniel W.M. Chan

Keyword(s):

Built Environment ◽

Construction Projects ◽

Green Building ◽

Information Modeling ◽

Content Type ◽

Empirical Survey ◽

Building Information ◽

New Construction ◽

Sustainability Practices ◽

Diverse Groups

Purpose The increasing urbanization of the built environment has bolstered the need to promote green Building Information Modeling (BIM) initiative in new construction projects and the rehabilitation of old premises. This study aims to explore and examine the key benefits of the implementation of BIM and sustainability practices in the built environment. Design/methodology/approach The study gathered the worldwide perceptions of 220 survey participants from 21 countries which were analyzed using descriptive and inferential analytical methods. The identified individual benefits of green BIM were further categorized into their underlying clusters using factor analysis. Findings The key benefits are related to enhancing project efficiency and productivity, ensuring real-time sustainable design and multi-design alternatives, facilitating the selection of sustainable materials and components, together with reducing material wastage and project’s environmental impact, among others. The study analyzed and compared the perceptions of the diverse groups of the respondents as well. Practical implications Effective blueprints and insightful recommendations for enhancing the various stakeholders’ capacities to implement green BIM in their construction projects were put forward to achieve the aim of sustainable smart urbanization. Originality/value The study identified salient benefits of the adoption of BIM and sustainability practices. The proper integration of these concepts and the execution of the recommended useful strategies by construction stakeholders, policymakers and local authorities will enable the built environment to reap the gains of its implementation.

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A Structured Review on the Improvement of GBI-RNC

MATEC Web of Conferences ◽

10.1051/matecconf/201820302001 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 203 ◽

pp. 02001

Author(s):

Sayang Syazanna Raf'ee ◽

Mohd Shahir Liew ◽

Noor Amila Zawawi ◽

Kamaluddeen Usman Danyaro

Keyword(s):

Sustainable Development ◽

Developing Country ◽

Emission Reduction ◽

Carbon Emission ◽

Green Building ◽

Rating System ◽

Residential Construction ◽

Carbon Emission Reduction ◽

New Construction

This paper presents the reviews of studies with regards to the development of Green Building Index- Residential New Construction (GBI-RNC). GBI-RNC is considered since the development of Residential Construction is expected to increase every year since Malaysia is considered as a developing country. The Carbon Emission of Residential Construction is evident thus one of the ways to control and commit to Carbon Emission reduction is by promoting Sustainable Development. Even though GBI-RNC has been introduced to the industry since 2009, participation increased just slightly by the year and to reach a rating more than ‘Certified’ are low. Furthermore, a national green rating system is proposed by JKR, to assist with all residential government projects. Therefore, this paper shall present the suggested modifications that should be made to GBI-RNC to improve its elements and gain more influence to maintain as the most used green rating system for residential construction.

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CARBON EMISSION-BASED MEASUREMENT OF FLOOR AREA RATIO BONUS FOR RESIDENTIAL GREEN BUILDINGS IN CHINA

Journal of Green Building ◽

10.3992/1943-4618.13.2.84 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 13 (2) ◽

pp. 84-97 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Yanhui Mao ◽

Xuemei Gong ◽

Yun Ye

Keyword(s):

Carbon Emissions ◽

Carbon Emission ◽

Residential Buildings ◽

Green Building ◽

Green Buildings ◽

Area Ratio ◽

Floor Area ◽

Floor Area Ratio ◽

Set Up ◽

Assessment Standard

Green building development in China relies mainly on compulsory measures that lack incentive policies to motivate the enthusiasm of real estate developers. A floor area ratio bonus is encouraged by the Chinese State Council. In order to ensure the feasibility of a reward quota, residential buildings that met the requirement for energy efficiency during the official assessment in Ningbo in 2014 were selected as research objects. The amount of energy and water savings in terms of the Assessment Standard for Green Building is converted into carbon emissions. Carbon emissions of different star-rated green buildings are then measured in accordance with the actual water and power consumption of residential dwellings in 2014. A regression equation is set up concerning the floor area ratio and index for residential land per capita. A carbon emission-based method is proposed for measuring the reward quota associated with floor area ratio and recommendations are given for development using green building.

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Economic Feasibility of Greening Foundation Engineering

Baikal Research Journal ◽

10.17150/2411-6262.2021.12(3).15 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 (3) ◽

Author(s):

Oleg Presnov ◽

Nikita Tatarintsev ◽

Daria Mikhailova

Keyword(s):

Construction Projects ◽

Green Building ◽

Economic Benefits ◽

Economic Feasibility ◽

Economic Effects ◽

Foundation Engineering ◽

Construction Sector ◽

Resource Saving ◽

Construction Time ◽

Special Equipment

This article examines the main economic effects associated with the greening of the construction sector in general, and foundation construction, in particular. The paper identifies the key advantages and economic benefits from the introduction of environmental innovations for the state, developers and the population. The central barriers hindering the development of "green building" in Russia are outlined. The economic efficiency of the complex application of resource and energy saving technologies in the construction sector on the example of specific domestic construction projects has been revealed. On the basis of existing theoretical and empirical studies, it was concluded that the economic feasibility of introducing resource-saving technologies in foundation engineering is to minimize labor intensity (without the involvement of special equipment), material costs, metal consumption and construction time, achieve high quality and operational characteristics of construction projects, their economical operation, including reducing heat loss and repair costs.

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Readiness Assessment of Green Building Certification Systems for Residential Buildings during Pandemics

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su13020460 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (2) ◽

pp. 460

Author(s):

Aidana Tleuken ◽

Galym Tokazhanov ◽

Mert Guney ◽

Ali Turkyilmaz ◽

Ferhat Karaca

Keyword(s):

Residential Buildings ◽

Health And Safety ◽

Green Building ◽

Round Table ◽

Global Changes ◽

Wastewater Management ◽

Residential Housing ◽

Readiness Assessment ◽

Daily Lives ◽

Distributed Attention

One of the consequences of COVID-19 pandemic is the momentum it has created for global changes affecting various aspects of daily lives. Among these, green building certification systems (GBCSs) should not be left behind as significant potential modifications may be required to ensure their versatility for residential buildings due to the new pandemic reality. The present study aims to evaluate the readiness of chosen GBCSs for a proper assessment of existing residential housing sustainability in a post-pandemic world. Based on a literature review of the state-of-the-art data sources and round table discussions, the present study proposes a particular set of sustainability indicators covering special sustainability requirements under pandemic conditions. Then, those indicators are used to evaluate the readiness of selected GBCSs (BREEAM, LEED, WELL, CASBEE) to meet new pandemic-resilient requirements based on their responses to the indicators. The assessment shows that none of the reviewed GBCSs are fully ready to cover all the proposed indicators. GBCSs have differing focuses on particular sustainability pillars, which also affected their responses to pandemic-resilient categories. For instance, WELL rating system successfully responded to the health and safety category, whereas LEED showed better preparedness in terms of environmental efficiency. BREEAM and CASBEE systems have a more evenly distributed attention to all three pandemic-resilient categories (Health & Safety, Environmental Resources Consumption, and Comfort) with an accent on the Comfort category. On a specific note, all GBCSs are insufficiently prepared for waste and wastewater management. In the future, GBCSs should be modified to better adapt to pandemic conditions, for which the current work may provide a basis. As an alternative, brand new standards can be created to face newly arising and evolving post-pandemic requirements.

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Embodied Carbon as a Material Selection Criterion: Insights from Sri Lankan Construction Sector

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su13042202 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (4) ◽

pp. 2202

Author(s):

Amalka Nawarathna ◽

Muditha Siriwardana ◽

Zaid Alwan

Keyword(s):

Sri Lanka ◽

Construction Projects ◽

Material Selection ◽

Selection Criterion ◽

Green Building ◽

Vital Role ◽

Low Carbon ◽

Rating Systems ◽

Embodied Carbon ◽

The Government

The choice of materials is crucial in responding to the increasing embodied carbon (EC) impacts of buildings. Building professionals involved in material selection for construction projects have a vital role to play in this regard. This paper aimed to explore the extent to which building professionals in Sri Lanka considered EC as a material selection criterion. A questionnaire survey was conducted among a sample of building professionals in Sri Lanka. The results indicated that the consideration of EC as a material selection criterion remained low among key professionals, such as architects, engineers, and sustainability managers, despite their reasonable influencing powers and knowledge of EC. Those respondents who had considered EC as a selection criterion said they had been primarily driven by green building rating systems and previous experience. Those respondents who had not considered EC during material selection commonly reported that they had been prevented from doing so by the lack of regulations and the lack of alternative low carbon materials. Respondents believed that the involvement of actors, such as the government, professional bodies, environmental organizations, activist groups, and the public, may be significant in promoting the greater consideration of EC during material selection.

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Assessing Architecture-and-Landscape Integration as a Basis for Evaluating the Impact of Construction Projects on the Cultural Landscape of Tourist Seaside Resorts

Land ◽

10.3390/land10010017 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (1) ◽

pp. 17

Author(s):

Wojciech Bal ◽

Magdalena Czalczynska-Podolska

Keyword(s):

Construction Projects ◽

Cultural Landscape ◽

Negative Impact ◽

Residential Buildings ◽

Evaluation Criteria ◽

Development Project ◽

Clear Trend ◽

Original Culture ◽

Construction Plans ◽

The Impact

The coastline of Western Pomerania has natural and cultural assets that have promoted the development of tourism, but also require additional measures to ensure the traditional features and characteristics are protected. This is to ensure that new developments conform to a more uniform set of spatial structures which are in line with the original culture. Today, seaside resorts are characterized by a rapid increase in development with a clear trend towards non-physiognomic architectural forms which continually expand and encroach on land closer to the coastline. This results in a blurring of the original concepts that characterized the founding seaside resort. This study evaluates 11 development projects (including a range of hotels, luxury residential buildings and hotel suites) built in 2009–2020 in the coastal area of Western Pomerania. An assessment of architecture-and-landscape integration for each development project was made, using four groups of evaluation criteria: aesthetic, socio-cultural, functional and locational factors. The study methodology included a historical and interpretative study (iconology, iconography, historiography) and an examination of architecture-and-landscape integration using a pre-prepared evaluation form. Each criterion was first assessed using both field surveys and desk research (including the analysis of construction plans and developer materials), and then compared with the original, traditional qualities of the town. This study demonstrates that it is possible to clearly identify the potential negative impact of tourism development on the cultural landscape of seaside resorts, and provides recommendations for future shaping, management and conservation of the landscape.

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Estidama and the Pearl Rating System: A Comprehensive Review and Alignment with LCA

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su13095041 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (9) ◽

pp. 5041

Author(s):

Ayyagari Ramani ◽

Borja García de Soto

Keyword(s):

Construction Projects ◽

Rating System ◽

Practical Relevance ◽

Rating Systems ◽

Sustainable Buildings ◽

System A ◽

Robust Implementation ◽

New Construction ◽

Main Components ◽

Sustainability Standards

Multiple sustainability standards and rating systems have been developed to draw attention to constructing sustainable buildings. The Pearl Rating System (PRS) is a mandate for all new construction projects in Abu Dhabi. Hence, it is important to understand the main components, advantages, and limitations of the PRS. The feasibility and the practical relevance of the PRS are still being studied. This paper addresses this gap and critically evaluates the PRS against some of the well-established rating systems like LEED and BREEAM. The analysis suggests that the PRS considers the cultural aspect of sustainability, in addition to the environmental, societal, and economic aspects. It was also found that most rating systems, including the PRS, have a very superficial inclusion of life cycle assessment (LCA). The paper finally concludes with other observations and outlook for a more robust implementation of the PRS.

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Evaluation of Greenhouse Gas Emissions for Leisure Hotels

Advanced Materials Research ◽

10.4028/www.scientific.net/amr.183-185.1374 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 183-185 ◽

pp. 1374-1377

Author(s):

Yi Chin Huang ◽

Shin Hao Yang ◽

Chin Hsiang Luo

Keyword(s):

Greenhouse Gas ◽

Carbon Emission ◽

Energy Use ◽

Carbon Dioxide Emission ◽

Green Building ◽

Data Series ◽

Agenda 21 ◽

Sustainable Operations ◽

Travel And Tourism ◽

Leisure Industry

According to the IPCC WGII Fourth Assessment Report, more than 89% of observational data series and studies are consistent with the greenhouse gas change, which is produced from human activities, as a response to global warming. In the previous point, the tourism and leisure industry is regarding as the non-smokestack industry. However, with an increase of leisure and tourism activities, the carbon dioxide emission and energy use have been growing. Recognizing these risks, the Agenda 21 for the Tourism and Travel Industry promulgated by the World Travel and Tourism Council, the WTO and the Earth Council addressed energy consumption as a key issue of concern. The buildings are a major part of the leisure industry. Therefore, this work aims to investigate the energy use and carbon emission of a hotel building, located in the middle of Taiwan, for four seasons. The consumption generated from each visitor activating in the building also were conducted. The results will be used as a reference for further investigations into the reduction of energy use and carbon emission in the leisure buildings. By investigation of proposed carbon neutral model, the willing price to pay is highly larger than both of the shifted and non-shifted prices. Most people has always inclined to pay for self-related GHG emission. Green development and sustainable operations in the leisure industry should be attended because the real costs of a green building are less than you think.

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Strategies for Effective Waste Reduction and Management of Building Construction Projects in Highly Urbanized Cities—A Case Study of Hong Kong

Buildings ◽

10.3390/buildings11050214 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (5) ◽

pp. 214

Author(s):

Ann T. W. Yu ◽

Irene Wong ◽

Zezhou Wu ◽

Chi-Sun Poon

Keyword(s):

Hong Kong ◽

Waste Management ◽

Construction Projects ◽

Management Practices ◽

Green Building ◽

Waste Reduction ◽

Government Support ◽

Design Stage ◽

Construction Waste ◽

Waste Management Practices

Hong Kong is a densely populated city with high-rise developments, and as in other metropolitan cities, the amount of waste generated from construction projects in the city is increasing annually. The capacity of existing landfills is expected to be saturated by the 2020s. Construction waste management has been implemented for years but the performance is still not satisfactory. The aim of this research paper is to explore and formulate strategies and measures for effective construction waste management and reduction in highly urbanized cities such as Hong Kong. A desktop study on construction waste management practices was carried out for a preliminary understanding of the current situation in Hong Kong. Semistructured interviews and focus group meetings were further conducted to shed light on how to improve construction waste reduction and management in Hong Kong. The main contributions of this research study are the potential short-term, medium-term, and long-term strategies, which are related to the design stage, tender stage, construction stage, and government support. The five major strategies recommended are financial benefits to stakeholders, public policies in facilitating waste sorting, government supports for the green building industry, development of a mature recycling market, and education and research in construction waste minimization and management.

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