SUSTAINABLE BUILDINGS IN SOUTH-EAST ASIA: OPPORTUNITIES & IMPLEMENTATIONS

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1 SUSTAINABLE BUILDINGS IN SOUTH-EAST ASIA: OPPORTUNITIES & IMPLEMENTATIONS F.Shafii 1, M.Z.Othman 2 1 Centre for Sustainable Construction and Tall Buildings, Institute Sultan Iskandar, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia 2 Faculty of Civil Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, UTM Skudai, Johor, Malaysia 1 faridahshafii@yahoo.co.uk, 2 zahry1@hotmail.com Abstract The construction industry plays a major role in improving the quality of the built environment, but it also impacts on the wider environment in a number of ways. Too many buildings are environmentally inefficient and do not make best use of limited resources such as energy and water. The energy used in constructing, occupying and operating buildings contribute to climate change, of which the impacts are clearly showing strains upon the environment. In this context, sustainable building and construction have the potential to regenerate the natural environment and community culture while enhancing the value of products and services to business, customers and society in general. In order to meet the emerging scientific and technological challenges associated with the concept of sustainability, new design thinking, methods and tools are required. The Green Building Mission launched recently by the Malaysian Government is an indication of a promising effort to ensure sustainable production and delivery of the construction industry products. Many other initiatives have since been established to propel and facilitate efforts towards a more environmental conscious building and construction industry in the region. The paper highlights the opportunities for sustainable building and construction in South-East Asia and their implementations. The paper concluded with strategies for implementations and establishing clear policy targets for achieving sustainable development in the region. KEYWORDS: Sustainable Building, Malaysia, Public initiatives, Private initiatives, Green Building Mission, Policies 1. Introduction The building and construction sector is a key sector for sustainable development. The cradle to grave aspects of building and construction linked to the creation, use and disposal of built facilities generate social and economic benefits to the society however, at the same time constitute negative impacts upon the environment. Areas of main concern include energy use with associated greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, waste generation, construction materials consumption, water consumption and their discharge, and integration of buildings with other infrastructure and social systems (SBCI-UNEP 2007, van der Putte, 2007). This implies that the construction industry and the sustainability of its products, principally buildings, faces an environmental challenge, greater than any other industrial sector, in order to become more sustainable in the long term. Recent reports (SBCI- UNEP 2007) recommended on the construction of sustainable building as a means to mitigate global warming and climate change. The benefits of sustainable buildings are widely documented (WBDG, UNEP 2002, Shafii, 2005, Shafii et al. 2006). In Malaysia there is increasing public awareness and interest in how buildings affect the environment, worker productivity and public health. As a result, both the public and private sector are beginning to demand buildings that optimize energy use; promote resource efficiency; and improve indoor environmental quality. Developers, owners, operators, insurers, and the public at large are beginning to value and market the benefits of sustainable building. 1

2 The paper describe the opportunities for sustainable buildings in the region and their implementations in the context of the stakeholders perspectives. 2. Movement Towards Sustainability Whilst in industrialized countries some actions have been taken to encourage the use of sustainable buildings and arrest the implications of resource depletion and environmental degradation caused by construction activities, the situations in developing countries are far more different. In developing countries of South-East Asia, as construction rapidly develops to fulfil the infrastructures needed to support its growth, conflicting issues between the construction industry needs and environmental concerns become constant arguments. The impacts of construction activities upon global warming and the general local environment such as land clearings for construction; pollutions due to materials extraction; pollutions due to manufacturing resulting in air pollution, emissions to water and toxic waste in addition to the respective energy usage for extracting and processing the raw material into the products; all add up to the challenges of implementing sustainable building and construction in these countries (Shafii et. al, 2007). Sustainability agenda in the region focus on relationship between construction and human development and alleviation of poverty. These together with the lack of resources and capacities to improve technologies tend to marginalise the environmental aspects. 3. Developments of Sustainable Buildings in South-East Asia The status of Sustainable Building in South-East Asia as reported at the Conference on Sustainable Building South-East Asia (2004 series) and the Asia-Pro Eco Programme (Shafii et. al, 2005) is highlighted below. 3.1 Awareness on sustainable building Sustainability is still a relatively new concept for the construction industry in the developing countries and has not yet received sufficient attention. However, generally, there is an increase in awareness on sustainable building and construction (SBC) in the region however not across the whole spectrum of the building and construction sector. Participants highlighted that education about the principles and concepts of sustainable building is most essential in main streaming SBC as it requires changing behaviour which in turn requires changing attitudes. Technical training which follow after education will provide better a understanding of sustainability issues to support implementations. The need for a definition of sustainability and sustainable building in the regional context was highlighted by many stakeholders. Participants expressed about the need for more education (not only for building professionals, but for the public at large) about what sustainability is all about and why we should strive for it in buildings and in general. Many important stakeholders (contractors, manufacturers, developers) in South-East Asian construction industry are not even aware of the concept of sustainable building, and so are naturally resistant to change. Hence, the greatest barrier to implementation is the lack of understanding of the NEED for sustainable design. The economic barriers are also inextricably linked to the awareness mentioned above, because markets are based on demand. 3.2 Special and cutting edge projects Majority of sustainable building projects in South-East Asia (SEA) are special and cutting-edge rather than the norm. Currently, the extent of sustainable building practices are limited to office and commercial buildings (Kristenssen, 2005). The sophisticated nature of the projects involved only major organizations/corporations and those with the resources and capability to undertake such major projects. 2

3 3.3 Sustainable Housing In regions marked by poverty and economic problems, it is very difficult to establish environmental sustainability as a national priority. Sustainable construction in South-East Asia tends to focus on the relationship between construction and human development hence marginalising the environmental aspects. The development of sustainable housing projects, as well as related research in this area is still in its infancy. Currently, there is no guideline/policy available to address sustainable housing construction. 3.4 Project delivery Project delivery is a major issue in developing countries. Due to the fragmented nature of the construction industry, project delivery is complex. Sustainability has added to this complexity. The quality of construction delivered is a major issue which in many respects are linked to the far wider issues of educating the population and promoting investment. Just like developed countries, it need effective procurement and regulations to ensure satisfactory in project delivery. 3.5 Public policies and regulatory frameworks In some countries, public policies and regulatory frameworks do not encourage the development of the construction sector. Policies that negatively affect the growth of the industry are often related to technology imports, government subsidies for certain materials, distribution and pricing control of the industry. 3.6 Energy efficiency driven Sustainable building and construction practices concentrated on energy efficiency designs. The cost of sustainable building options is a barrier to the routine use of sustainable strategies in the construction profession. Some respondents quoted The construction industry won t go sustainable unless it saves money somehow. Majority of clients focused on energy efficiency issues, which is believed to lead to an immediate payback. 3.7 Need of demonstration projects The lack of interest from clients was cited as one of the significant barrier to more widespread sustainable building practice in South-East Asia. There is a clear need of further examples of SBC practices and demo/pilot projects to convince construction stakeholders to adopt sustainable building concepts. Builders and architects illuminate the perceived discord between profits and environmental protection within the construction industry. Many designers, especially from small-medium enterprises (SMEs) perceived sustainable design and construction to involve extra costs, thus reducing the competitiveness of their tenders and potentially resulting in loss of business. High cost is also the result of unfamiliarity of design teams and contractors with sustainable methods. The lack of education about the economic benefits of this approach is one of the barriers to mainstreaming SBC. The environmental issues are not yet seen as a central business concern for most small-medium enterprises although lip service was paid to sustainability issues. This is because that small firms are not subjected to the same stakeholder pressure for environmental management of large corporations. Although they acknowledged that their industry should be at the forefront of sustainability, most firms felt they could not push the environmental agenda forward for fear of alienating their clients, who were reportedly driven by commercial rather than environmental or social concerns. Clearly, these market dynamics have a major impact on the supply chain as builders perceived a low demand for sustainable buildings and construction methods, and therefore have no incentive to improve their environmental performance. 3

4 Additionally, small firms lack resources and support systems and do not have the capacity to carry out such measures. Whilst it appears that the environment is not a priority for policymakers or stakeholders, hence it become even less priority for small firms. In conclusion, a policy emphasizing on voluntary action tend to place the environment as a peripheral issue. 3.8 Stakeholder involvement at early design stage In some projects stakeholders participation came at the later stage of construction. Hence, there is a need to make clear the importance of stakeholders involvement in the early design of the project. Implementing sustainability issues starts at the strategic and concept planning and project programming stage where the technical and economic feasibility of alternatives will be compared in order to select the best possible project. Sustainability decisions made at the beginning of a project life cycle have a far greater influence than those made at later stages since design and construction decisions will influence the continuing operating costs and, in many cases, revenues over the building s lifetime. 3.9 Participation of stakeholders in construction process The participatory approach to sustainable building need to be emphasized to all stakeholders to encourage successful implementation of projects Holistic design concept There is need to encourage the use of holistic building concept (Integrated Design Process). Basic understanding of the concept will lead to appreciation of integrated design team which encourages involvement of stake holders from the beginning Financial support Financing of sustainable building projects are major problems facing stakeholders in South-East Asia unless if it is government- driven Public-Private partnership From case studies in South-East Asia, most economic players agree that to undertake sustainable building projects a purely public or purely private mechanism will no longer fit the bill. It can be seen that Public- Private Partnerships (PPPs) are not simply a budgetary tool, but a fully-fledged instrument that encourages co-development and contributes at an operational level to general socio-economic growth. 4. Opportunities and strategies for Implementation Strategies are needed to encourage sustainable building and construction and the first steps involved improving standards in the industry. DTI/DETR (2000) listed the following strategies for implementations: Re-use existing built assets Design for minimum waste Aim for lean construction Minimise energy in construction and in building use Avoid polluting the environment 4

5 Preserve and enhance bio-diversity Conserve water resources Respect people and their local environment Set targets for benchmarks & performance indicators Initiatives also need to be taken further with a look to the introduction of more complex sustainability plans, for example in the whole life costing of buildings; implementation of site waste management plans and gaining a wider adoption of key performance indicators throughout industry. Making buildings and the construction process sustainable and environmentally friendly is a complex process that needs different inputs and skills/expertise from different stakeholders. These stakeholders include mayors and urban managers, government officials (as developers and as regulators), architects, planners, builders, and developers. Every stakeholder has a role to play in taking different actions at different stages of the life cycle of a building. Some examples of these roles include: Providing opportunities for incorporating sustainability. Controlling those conditions and situations that may lead to unsustainability. Educating the people and groups they interact with on sustainability principles. Programming their projects and work plans to clearly include sustainability. Legislating for sustainability, particularly at the local level, with codes, rules and regulations, procedural requirements etc. Maintaining a strong commitment to sustainability through development and management systems. Financing projects and companies that have a good record in incorporating sustainability. For the government Much of the local government s influence in the push towards sustainable building is in governance: rules and regulations, issuance of building permits, and as a major builder itself, demonstrating its greenness by building sustainably, having a green purchasing strategy, working with companies that have ISO14001 rating etc. For architects, planners, designers, engineers Architects, designers and engineers have a fundamental role to play in achieving sustainability in the building and construction sector, and a large number of other stakeholders as an extension building material suppliers, engineering and technology companies etc. Their decisions and choices affect not only the immediate fabric of the building, but also long-term issues with the use of the building. 5

6 For building users Ultimately, the decisions and choices made, and the ethics/values espoused by the user of the building on a daily basis determines on how to save electricity, reduce waste, use less water, procure recycled goods that cumulatively helps in a sustainable building achieving its goals. 5. Green Building Mission Achieving sustainable development requires collaboration among sectors and institutions, and the participation of all stakeholders and individuals. These include campaigning networks, communities of practice, knowledge networks, public-private partnerships, multi-stakeholder partnerships and strategic alliances. These have all become important mechanisms for identifying priorities, undertaking joint research and for engaging other stakeholders in developing workable solutions. By combining these efforts, members of networks and partnerships are able to have a greater impact on policy and practice than they would have on their own. With these realizations, the Malaysian government launched the Green Building Mission in March 2007 with the aim of raising the level of awareness, promoting and consolidating efforts in achieving sustainable building and construction in Malaysia. The government, private sector and non-profit organisations met to discuss sustainability and environmental issues in construction. At the policy dialogue delegates were asked to deliberate on critical issues, possible solutions and recommendations for sustainable building policies in Malaysia. Recently, the construction industry has moved a step further to establish the Malaysian Sustainable Building Council, with the aim of supporting the government goals towards sustainable building. 6. International Cooperation In general the awareness on sustainability issues in the building and construction sector is still low and developing countries like Malaysia have only just began to address the challenges of sustainable construction. There is a need for stimulation of activities for breaking down the barriers which hold back the development of sustainable building and construction in the country. The initiatives to promote sustainable building and construction (SBC) in Southeast Asia were undertaken through the EU Asia-Pro Eco programme, an international cooperation between European Commission, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), The United Nations Sustainable Building and Construction Initiatives (SBCI), The International Council for Research and Innovation in Building and Construction (CIB), with Institute Sultan Iskandar, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, as local host. The Asia Pro-Eco Programme was aimed to develop Asian-led and Asian-owned action agendas for implementation of SBC practices, methods, policies and market mechanisms in the building and construction sector. A seminar on Mainstreaming SBC in Southeast Asia and The Conference on Sustainable Building Southeast Asia (SB04SEA) were organised to raise awareness amongst construction stakeholders in Malaysia and the region (SBCI 2007). Further to these activities, The Centre for Sustainable Construction & Tall Buildings of Institute Sultan Iskandar, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, in collaboration with The United Nations SBCI, CIB and iisbe are organising the next Conference on Sustainable Building Southeast Asia, 2007, as part of the initiatives to promote implementations of SBC in the region and enhancing closer cooperation and networking amongst constructions stakeholders in the region for future development. 6

7 7. Recommendations The importance of appropriate government policies on building codes, energy pricing and financial incentives that encourage sustainable buildings must be taken seriously in taking forward the agendas and implementation of sustainable buildings in South-East Asia. Opportunities exist for Governments, industry and consumers to take appropriate actions during the lifespan of buildings that will help mitigate the impacts of global warming. Additionally, the building sector stakeholders themselves, including investors, architects, property developers, construction companies, tenants, etc., need to understand and support, such policies in order for them to function effectively. In order for the construction industry to move towards sustainability, the following recommendations have been proposed. (a) Education and training should incorporate sustainable development concepts and made it well known and accepted by all people. Education is seen as an important tool in promoting sustainable development and improving the capacity of the people to address environment and development issue. This will increase the level of awareness both among the actors in the entire construction process, as well as the general public. (b) Initiatives involving planning and construction should be through adapted regulations, standards or fiscal measures and incentives. (c) Building owners and clients should play important roles in disseminating sustainable construction. (d) Understanding sustainable construction through common definitions and language to address the issues. (e) Designers adopting an integrated approach to design (integrated design approach). (f) Improvement of the building construction process as opposed to the traditional methods (g) Building users should consider the environmental issues as one aspect of productivity. (h) Manufacturers of building materials/ products taking life cycle considerations as the basis of product development. (i) Building maintenance organisations should consider environmental consciousness as a factor of competitiveness (j) The development of tools to help in decision making. These including development of building rating tools, legislations to raise the standards of building environmental performance. 7

8 8. Conclusions Making buildings and the construction process sustainable and environmentally friendly needs different inputs and skills/expertise from different stakeholders at different stages of the building life cycle. The public and private stakeholders need to work together in implementing SBC. To develop strategies and recommendations aimed at promoting more sustainable construction in Malaysia,, before addressing further issues, priority need to be given to educate the stakeholders, developing strategies for environmentally friendly construction materials, energy efficiency in buildings and construction and demolition waste management. Clearly, there is a need of technologies and tools in decision making in achieving sustainable building in Malaysia. The Government plays a crucial role in reversing the trends and ensuring the development of a sustainable construction industry. They can do this both indirectly, through legislation and planning controls, and directly, through their involvement as client, designer, supervisor and/or producer in the construction process itself. The formulation of general economic and social policies for the enactment and enforcement of legislation ensures that policies are carried out. Therefore, the government can indirectly stimulate construction in the public as well as private sector, through fiscal and monetary policies. It can also influence the construction sector through the enactment and enforcement of building codes and planning legislation that encourages sustainable building. International cooperation is an important consideration linking local to global initiatives and facilitate collaboration and knowledge sharing between research organisations and role-players in the industry. Knowledge networks, public-private partnerships, multi-stakeholder partnerships and strategic alliances are important mechanisms for identifying priorities, undertaking joint research and for engaging other stakeholders in developing workable solutions for sustainable building and construction. Most importantly, organisations must possess adaptive capacity that enables them to recognize the need for change and to respond to it appropriately. References Agenda 21 for Sustainable Construction in Developing Countries) - A Discussion Document, CIB & UNEP- IETC Publication, CSIR Building and construction Technology, South Africa, 2002 DTI/DETR, Building a Better Quality of Life, 2000 Ike van der Putte, Monitoring Climate Change, AWE International, March 2007 Issace, J. Sustainable Development Planning and Construction in Putrajaya, Putrajaya, Sustainable Building and Construction in South-East Asia, Proceedings of The Conference on Sustainable Building South- East Asia, April 2005, Malaysia Kristensen, P.E.,, Khalid, R., Tang, C.K, The PTM ZEO Building, Proceedings of the Conference on Sustainable Building South-East Asia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, April 2005, pp 167 8

9 Kristensen, P.E., Design Strategies for Energy Efficient Building in Hot Humid Climate ; The Case for ZEO Building, Proceedings of SB07 Seoul, 2007 SBCI, UNEP, Buildings and Climate Change- Status, Challenges and Opportunities, United Nations Environment Programme (SBCI), April 2007, ISBN Shafii, F., Othman, M.Z., Sustainable Building and Construction in South-East Asia, Proceedings of The Conference on Sustainable Building South-East Asia, April 2005, Malaysia Shafii, F., Arman Ali Z., Othman, M.Z., Achieving Sustainable Construction in the Developing Countries of Southast Asia, Asia Pacific Structural Engineering Construction, Malaysia, 2006 Shafii, F. and Othman, Z., Sustainable Building in the Malaysian Context, Proceedings of SB07 Seoul, 2007 Shafii, F., Ng. R., Kristensen, P., Othman, Z (2007), Adapting SB Tool for Sustainable Building Framework in Malaysia, Proceedings of SB07 Seoul, 2007 WBDG, Whole Building Design Guide, 9