Vol.50
No.1
The Malaysian
m2
06
Effectiveness of Green
Building Concept through
Post Occupancy Evaluation:
An Indicative Study
Syahrul Nizam Kamaruzzaman, Farid
Akashah, Nurashikin Mohammed Thohir,
Chen Jia Woon
12
User’s Satisfaction towards
Library Facilities in Malaysia
Syahrul Nizam Kamaruzzaman *, Seri Intan
Md Sidik, Chen Jia Woon
22
How to enjoy a stress-less
holiday?
Mohd Nurfaisal Baharuddin shan,
Syamilah Yacob , Mohd Dzulkarnaen
Sudirman, Nur Fadhilah Bahardin
2015
(x, y)
x
3
President
Sr Hasan Jamil, FRISM
Hon. Secretary General
Sr Chan Keat Lim, MRISM
EDITORIAL BOARD
Editor
Prof. Sr Dr. Ting Kien Hwa, FRISM
Members
Sr Firdaus Musa, FRISM
Sr Dr. Yasmin Mohd Adnan, FRISM
Assoc. Prof. Sr Dr. Syahrul Nizam Kamaruzzaman, FRISM
Assoc. Prof. Sr Dr. Adi Irfan Che Ani, MRISM
Dr. Norngainy Mohd Tawil
Prof. Sr Dr. Wan Muhd Aminuddin Wan Hussin, FRISM
Sr Dr. Tan Liat Choon, MRISM
Sr Dr. Zulkiflee Abd. Latif, MRISM
Prof. Sr Dr. Shattri Mansor, FRISM
Sr Mohamad Shazali Sulaiman, FRISM
Secretary to the Board
Zarinah bt. Danial
INTERNATIONAL ADVISORY BOARD
Prof. Chitra Weddikkara
University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka
Prof. Graeme Newell
University of Western Sydney, Australia
Sr Noushad Ali Naseem Ameer Ali, PPRISM
Massey University, Auckland, New Zealand
Prof. Michael Riley
Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, United Kingdom
Contents
Peer Review Articles
Pg6 Effectiveness of Green Building Concept through
Post Occupancy Evaluation: An Indicative Study
Syahrul Nizam Kamaruzzaman, Farid Akashah, Nurashikin Mohammed
Thohir, Chen Jia Woon
Pg12
User’s Satisfaction towards Library Facilities
in Malaysia
Syahrul Nizam Kamaruzzaman *, Seri Intan Md Sidik, Chen Jia Woon
Managing Stress
Pg22 How to enjoy a stress-less holiday?
Wan Hussin W.M.A.
RISM Activities
Pg26 2014 RISM BOWLING CARNIVAL
06
Royal Institution of Surveyors Malaysia
3rd Floor, Bangunan Juruukur
No. 64-66, Jalan 52/4
46200 Petaling Jaya
Selangor Darul Ehsan
t: +603 7954 8358 (hunting line) / 7956 9728 / 7955 1773
f: +603 7955 0253
e: editor@rism.org.my
w: www.rism.org.my
12
Subscription Rates for Non-Members (Quarterly 4 issues)
LocalRM48
Overseas ASEAN countries
US$30
Asia & Australia
US$40
Europe, Africa & America
US$55
PUBLISHING CONSULTANT & CREATIVE DESIGN
Paul & Marigold (DeCalais Sdn Bhd)
G-1-1, Plaza Damas, 60, Jalan Sri Hartamas 1
Sri Hartamas, 50480 Kuala Lumpur
T +603 6201 0725/6206 3497
F +603 6210 0756
E: arvind@paulandmarigold.com
Peer
Peer Review
Review
Syahrul Nizam Kamaruzzaman *, Farid Akashah, Nurashikin Mohammed Thohir, Chen Jia Woon
Department of Building Surveying, Faculty of Built Environment, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur.
Email: syahrulnizam@um.edu.my
Tel: 0379676833
Effectiveness of Green Building
Concept through Post Occupancy
Evaluation: An Indicative Study
With a vigorous economy, increasing standards of living while preserving the nature is
a kind of ideal things to be done. The aim for greener Malaysia should be targeted while
the existence of green building is still a new concept to be implemented. This paper
aims to study the six main criteria of green building. The effectiveness of the green
building concept based on the available criteria is clarified through evaluation that is
done towards the post occupancy where tenant satisfactions are taken into account. A
questionnaire study was carried out with selected office building within Putrajaya. From
the result that is earned, the white ceiling, quality of bin provided, indoor air quality, green
roof, water tap with irrigation and recycle material is the most effective way to be applied
for the green building office in Malaysia.
Keywords: Green building; office, Malaysia, survey
6
Effectiveness of Green Building Concept through Post Occupancy Evaluation: An Indicative Study
Vol.50 No.1 2015
G
1.0 Introduction
reen building has advanced building principles
and methods that go beyond all present
building codes in establishing a better internal
environment whilst decreasing the impact to
the world. The concerns are basically about
energy efficiency, excessive consumption of
raw materials, the amount of construction wreckage in landfills
together with the health concerns (Sensible House, 2013).
Green building is about processes that are environmentally liable
and resource-efficient throughout a building’s life. It grows and
complements the classic building design, which is concern about
the economy, utility, durability, and comfort. Green building is also
known as a sustainable or high performance building (EPA, 2013).
At present, the development of office buildings and its operation
are generally having direct and indirect impacts. Based on
the Whole Building Design Guide (WBDG) in 2013, buildings
need resources such as energy, water and raw materials,
generate waste and discharge dangerous things to the
atmosphere. According Moa and Yang (2005), green building
has characteristics such as saving resources, reducing energy
consumption, lessening pollution together with improving
environmental quality. As based on the 10th Malaysia plan
and 2010 budget, the government offers RM1.5 million loan to
company that applies green building technology. Nowadays,
the demands for green buildings will continue to rise as
environmental awareness grows and more companies embrace
corporate social responsibility (CSR). The multinational companies
will be at the head of the trend of progressively implementing to
lease green office space wherever possible. The government also
plays a role to endorse it with providing soft loan to investor and
contractors to build a green building including offices.
2.0 The Criteria of Green Building
The criteria that are applied for green buildings are different from
normal building. The criteria of green building would be energy
efficiency, water efficiency, indoor air quality, material resources
and innovation together with sustainable site planning and
management.
Table 1: Difference between Normal Building and Green Building
Main
Criteria
Element
Green building
Normal building
Energy
Type of current
Energy generate
Equipment for lighting
Direct current from sun
Renewal energy by Solar and Photovoltaic Panel
Natural Lighting
Alternative current by TNB
Electricity
Electricity
Water
Supply
Efficient water fittings
System
Rain water harvesting
Apply
Grey water recycling
Local Authority for landscaping
Not applied
Direct from supply pipe
Indoor Air
Quality
System
Thermal Comfort
Acoustic Comfort
Natural Ventilation
Normal Air Condition
Nil
Nil
Material
Method
Recycle Material
Gases for
air conditional
Painting
Natural Gas
Not Implants The
Recycle Method
Carbon Dioxides
Eco-Friendly
Painting (non
hazardous)
Painting (Hazardous)
Appliance
Recycle Bin
Normal Bin
Greenery and Roof
Roof Without Garden
Nil
Innovation
Sustainable Design
Site
Structure
Insulate Concrete
Roof And Floor Slab
7
Peer
Peer Review
Review
The Malaysian Surveyor
Green building has some distinctiveness
such as saving resources, reducing energy
consumption, reducing pollution, improving
environmental quality of living room stated
(Mao and Yang, 2005). The element of
green building applied is better than the
traditional concept applied for occupant.
3.0 Research
Methodology and
Findings
The scope of the study is focusing
on the issue of green building with
the emphasis of the post occupancy
evaluation and facility management of
green building in Malaysia. The green
building together with the facility is
narrowed down to an office building
located in Putrajaya, Malaysia. The
main reason of this building is chosen
is because it is located at the Federal
Government Administrative Centre of
Malaysia. The building selected for this
study is also the first office building in
Malaysia that earns the Green Building
Index platinum rating, and the first
outside of Singapore which obtain the
Green Mark platinum rating. Green Mark
is the Singapore’s certification scheme
for green building.
Following a literature review, a
quantitative method of data collection
is adopted in this study. 100 sets of
questionnaire are distributed to the
people occupying an office building
and 50 sets of valid response are
received. The respondents are among
the staffs and visitor that have been
selected in order to complete the
study. The questionnaire comprises
two sections. Section A is more focus
on the demographic aspects of the
respondents’ related information to make
the result accurate. Whereas Section
B focus on the satisfaction level of
the respondents towards the element
applied in the studied building.
50
45
40
35
30
Low Glass
25
PV Panel
20
Natural Lighting
15
White Ceiling
10
5
0
Strongly agree
Agree
Natural
Disagree
Strongly
Disagree
Figure 1: The Effective Ranking of Energy Element Based on Equipment Applied
From the response received, most of the building users are satisfied with the energy
element in the building. There is a high number of respondents strongly agreed for the
white ceiling (46%), 46% level of agree for natural lighting, 44% for low E glass and 40%
for PV panel.
Figure 2 shows most of the respondents agree with the satisfaction level from water
element in their office buildings. 46% from the respondents agree with equipment
60
50
40
Agree with equipment
waterless urinal applied
30
Waterless urinal give
more benefit to user
20
Water tap with irrigation
is suitable to applied
10
0
Strongly
agree
Agree
Natural
Disagree
Strongly
Disagree
Figure 2: The Effective Ranking of Water Element Based on Equipment Applied
8
Effectiveness of Green Building Concept through Post Occupancy Evaluation: An Indicative Study
Vol.50 No.1 2015
waterless urinal applied, 44% from
waterless urinal give more benefit to
user, 50% from water tap with irrigation
is suitable to be applied.
In terms if green roof is really helpful in
order to reduce heat inside the green office
building, it can be seen that the higher of
agree level is 44% towards the green roof,
where it is really helpful in reducing heat
inside that particular building. The 36% is
strongly agreed and the left response is
both of natural and disagreed with 10% of
respondents. Besides that, the green roof
can reduce the noise during rainy day; it
shows that the level agreed towards the
green roof can reduce noising during the
rainy day. The higher one is strongly agree
with 40% and followed with 36% of agree
of respondents, the next is 20% of natural
and least is 4% of disagree by respondents
of green roof can reduce noise during
rainy day. Moreover, the colour of roof can
give more attraction to the occupants’
show the highest response, which is
42% of agree and followed by 30% of
natural respondents. The following is 14%
strongly agree and disagree with 10% of
respondents and small percentage that is
4% of strongly disagree.
Regarding the green building become
more effective by using recycles
material, the highest level is 40% agree
response and followed by 36% of
strongly agree, 14% of natural answer
and the lowest is 10% respondents
answered for strongly disagree by green
building become more effective by
using recycle materials. Plus, the green
building will contribute a good health for
the building occupants illustrate above
shown that the highest level is 42% for
strongly agree answer followed by 34%
of agree and 14% of natural level, 8%
respondents strongly disagree and the
lowest is 2% for disagree level towards
the green building will contribute a
good health for the green building
occupants. For the green building
would help to contribute the sustainable
environment by using recycle materials,
as illustrated below shows the highest
percentage level with 44% for strongly
agree, followed by 38% for agree, 10%
for strongly disagree and the remaining
is 6% for natural together with the lowest
is 2% for disagree level. Furthermore,
the useful material would contribute to
more safety for building occupant shows
that 44% respondents are strongly agree
and 42% are happy with choosing agree
answer. Next are 10% for natural answer
by respondents and 4% chose strongly
disagree. The useful materials would
50
45
40
35
Green Roof is helpful to
reduce heat inside the
building
30
25
Green roof can reduce the
noising during raining day
20
15
The colour of roof can give
more attraction to
occupants
10
5
0
Strongly
agree
Agree
Natural
Disagree
Strongly
Disagree
Figure 3: The Effective Ranking of Sustainable Site Element Based on
Equipment Applied
60
Green building become more
effective by using recycle
materials
50
Green building will contribute
to a good health for occupant
40
Green Building would help to
contribute to a sustainable
environment by using recycle
materials
30
20
The useful material would
contribute to occupant’s safety
10
the useful materials would
save overall costs
0
Strongly
agree
Agree
Natural
Disagree
Strongly
Disagree
Figure 4: The Effective Ranking of Materials Element Based on Equipment
Applied
9
Peer
Peer Review
Review
The Malaysian Surveyor
save the overall costs shows that the 48%
respondents are agree while another 46%
are strongly agree. The remaining 2%
for each natural, disagree and strongly
disagree by the building occupants.
For comfortable with temperature inside
the green office building, as illustrated in
figure 5, shows that the highest response
is agree with 50% of the comfort abilities
with the temperature there. While 26% was
a strongly agree with the temperature and
next is 20% for the natural level and the
least is 4% for strongly disagree level of
temperature inside the building. Besides
that, for satisfaction with the indoor air
quality, the provided survey displays the
highest with 50% respondents agreed and
followed by strongly agree with 32% and
remaining is natural with 10% and both
disagree and strongly disagree with 4%
of respondents. As for the temperature
in this building is more practical during
all time, it shows the highest response as
agree with 42% of level for temperature in
this building are more practical during all
time. While the strongly agree with 26%
and followed by natural with 20% and
last is disagree with 12% of respondents
towards the temperature in this green
office building.
Figure 6 shows the quality of recycle bin
provided in the case study building with
the highest percentage which is 40% for
agree voting and 32% for strongly agree
respondents and followed by 18% for the
natural voting by the green office building
occupants and the lowest is disagree
answers that gain 10% of respondents.
Besides that, for the quantity of bin
provided in this building, it is illustrated that
the highest level of the agreed occupants
with quantity of bin provided is 36% for
strongly agree answer and followed by
30% for agree and next is 22% for natural
level and the least is 12% for the disagree
level of quantity of bin provided. Other
than that, the colour of bin is very helpful
in recycling method showing the highest
10
60
50
Comfortable with
temperature
40
30
Satisfaction with indooe air
provide
20
The temprature in this
building is more practically
during all time
10
0
Strongly
agree
Agree
Natural
Disagree
Strongly
Disagree
Figure 5: The Effective Ranking of Indoor Air Quality Element Based on
Equipment Applied
45
40
35
30
25
Quality of recycle bin
20
Quantity of recycle bin
15
Colour of bin
10
5
0
Strongly
agree
Agree
Natural
Disagree
Strongly
Disagree
Figure 6: The Effective Ranking of Innovation Element Based on
Equipment Applied
level of agreed occupants with 38% and
followed by natural 30% and agrees with
28% and the bottom one is both disagree
and strongly disagree with 2% of level
answered by the said respondents.
4.0 Discussion
In general, it can be said that the office
building are applying and implementing the
Green Building criteria well. The findings
Effectiveness of Green Building Concept through Post Occupancy Evaluation: An Indicative Study
Vol.50 No.1 2015
are based on the response provided by the green officebuilding occupants.
From the finding, it has been found that the most effective
equipment apply based on available criteria for energy is white
ceiling. It shows that most of the respondents strongly agree that
white ceiling is the most effective equipment if compared with
other equipment like low E glass, photovoltaic (PV) panel and
natural lighting. For the innovation, quality of recycle bin is the
most effective to apply, compare with other equipments such as
quantity of bin and colour of bin. This is because enough quantity
is able to help the building to be always clean and clear. It is better
compared with the quality and colour where they are not really
helping to be better green buildings.
For indoor air quality, respondents are satisfied with temperature
and indoor air quality that is provided. This is because the people
occupying the green building are suitable with the temperature
there. It shows that, the statement saying that indoor quality is
warm is really depending on which green building referred to.
Besides that, for the sustainable site section, green roof is really
helping to reduce heat inside. Reduce heating in the building also
can reduce the bill of electricity. This green roof is really able to
reduce heat inside compared with the ability of green roof where
it can reduce the noise during rainy days and the colour of roof
can give more attraction to occupants.
For the water aspects, applying water tap with irrigation is the
most effective compared with applying the waterless urinal and
waterless urinal give benefit to the building. This is because
the water tap with irrigation applied can reduce the usage of
wastewater. For materials used, the most effective material and
effective equipments would save overall cost. This is because
the material applied is from the green labeled, which already has
certificate from the US. Furthermore, the green material is more
secured than other materials.
construction stages. Consequently, from the analysed result that
has been getting, it can also help the owner of the said building
to know which equipments are suitable to be applied or not.
The owner also can detect which one of them is not effective
equipments and should not be applied, thus helping to avoid
future mistake.
Post occupancy evaluation is one of the best ways to assess
the occupants’ satisfaction in the green building together with
its management in Malaysia office building. Government should
provide initiative to help private firms to be involved in green
building developments. Various parties should encourage
each other to get involve in the green building development
in Malaysia. Further research is suggested to provide a more
comprehensive study through the interview with the building
manager or facilities management in gaining more details
and involve numerous case studies with involvement of more
respondents in questionnaire survey.
Reference
Epa.gov. Why Water Efficiency | WaterSense | US EPA. [online]
Retrieved from: http://www.epa.gov/watersense/our_water/why_
water_efficiency.html [Accessed: 2 Aug 2013].
Mao, Y. and Yang, G., (2005). Sustainable Development Drivers
for Green Buildings: Incremental Cost Benefits Analysis of Green
Building [Accessed: 4 Aug 2013].
Sensiblehouse.org. Green Building - A definition. [online] Retrieved
from: http://www.sensiblehouse.org/con_gbdef.htm [Accessed: 29
July 2013].
Wbdg.org (2013). Sustainable | Whole Building Design Guide. [online]
Retrieved from: http://www.wbdg.org/design/sustainable.php
[Accessed: 21 July 2013].
5.0 Conclusion
In conclusion, the result shows that the related appliances
present at the green building overall are in good condition based
on the measurement of their correlated criteria. Besides that, the
point of view from the respondents are very important to know
whether the people occupied at the said building are suitable or
not with the green building concept and equipments applied.
The effectiveness of green building concept based on available
criteria stated can also be analysed. The effectiveness is helping
out in choosing the materials and equipments during the
11