FACULTY OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING

2016

CHE 675
ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING

ASSIGNMENT
REPORT : GREEN TECHNOLOGY ( GREEN BUILDINGS)

NAME : AHMAD SIDDIQ BIN AHMAD SANI ( 2013467436 )

NUR AFIQAH BINTI ANUWAR ( 2013279908 )

NUR RADIAH BTE MOHD YUSOF @ MAD YUSOF ( 2013201196 )

SHAHIRAH BINTI BORHAN ( 2013603592 )

GROUP : EH220 7A

LECTURER : PROF DR. KU HALIM KU HAMID

TABLE OF CONTENT

NO CONTENT PAGE

1.0 Introduction

2.0 Green Technology in Malaysia

3.0 Green Buildings

3.1 What is Green Buildings
3.2 Objectives and Goals of Green Buildings
3.3 Benefits of Green Buildings
3.4 Importance of Green Buildings
3.5 Limitations of Green Buildings

4.0 Green Buildings in Malaysia

5.0 Green Buildings Around the World

6.0 Conclusion

7.0 References
1.0 INTRODUCTION

Technology is an application of knowledge for practical purposes. While Green

Technology is the technology which is environmentally friendly, developed and used in
such a way that doesnt disturb our environment and conserves natural resources thus
minimizing and reducing the impact of human activities to our mother nature. Green
technology can also be known as environmental technology or clean technology.

Many developed as well as the developing countries are turning to green technology
nowadays to secure the environment from the negative impacts such as pollution, global
warming and the greenhouse effect. Unlike the technological waves in recent decades,
green technology is almost entirely materials science based. Relying on the availability
of alternative sources of energy, its main objective is to find ways to create new
technologies in such a way that do not damage or deplete the planets natural resources
thus expressing less harm to human, animal and plant, as well as damage to the world
generally.

Based on the earth condition now, our environment needs immediate recoup from
pollution. Human need to realize that we need to stop or at least slow down our intrusion
to the environment and starting to adopt a healthier ways towards life. By adopting green
technology wisely, we can save a better world for the future generation.

efficient utilization
independence and promote
Energy - Seek to attain energy Economy - Enhance the national
economic development through
the use of technology
Four Pillars of
Green Technology
Policy

Environment- Conserve and for all

minimize the impact on the Social- Improve the quality of life
environment
 Development of alternative fuels, new means of
Energy generating energy and energy efficiency.

The invention, design and application of chemical

Green chemistry products and processes to reduce or to eliminate the
use and generation of hazardous substances.

Green building encompasses everything from the

Green building choice of building materials to where a building is
located.

Environmentally Involves the search for products whose contents and

methods of production have the smallest possible
preferred purchasing impact on the environment.

Involves the manipulation of materials at the scale

Green nanotechnology of nanometer where the application of green
chemistry and green engineering principles take
place.

Examples of green technology subject areas

2.0 GREEN TECHNOLOGY IN MALAYSIA

Malaysia has recognized green technology as one of the key drivers of national
economic growth. To achieve this, the Government is currently reorienting its policies
to promote and develop green production. In developing the Green Industry in
Malaysia, the Malaysian Government had introduced the National Green Technology
Policy on 24 July 2009. The policy focused on 4 pillars, namely Energy, Environment,
Economy and Social. Green Technology shall be a driver to accelerate the national
economy and promote sustainable development.

At the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)

Conference of Parties 15 (COP-15) in Copenhagen back in 2009, our Prime
Minister, YAB Dato' Sri Mohd Najib bin Tun Abdul Razak made a pledge that
Malaysia would reduce her carbon intensity by 40 percent as compared to 2005
levels by the year 2020, subject to financial and technological help from the
developed countries.

The Government is determined to see Malaysia becoming a major player in green

technology and renewable energy industry not just in our region but globally, and
hope that this will in turn translate into an increase in the number of green jobs and
green business opportunities. Going green can unlock opportunities for economic
growth by contributing to fiscal consolidation, enhancing productivity through greater
efficiency in the use of natural resources, opening up new markets for green
technologies, goods and services.

The UN Foundation made a statement that said, Governments should exploit

energy efficiency as their energy resource of first choice because it is the least
expensive and most readily scalable energy option. Efficiency is the low hanging
fruit of the worlds energy challenge. The Malaysian Government has identified
promoting energy efficiency as one of our top priorities for the coming years. This is
because energy may be the defining challenge of our time, the one issue, more than
any other, which will shape the fate of our planet, our economies, and our nations. It
also may well be one of the greatest economic opportunities of the 21st century; an
 opportunity that could help put millions of people to work in high-skill, high-wage
jobs.

Developed markets have far been adopting green growth in their economic
sustainability. This can be seen from number of companies that are well-known for
their green concerns in their branding or actively undertaking R&D activities to
produce more eco-products for their company. To name a few: First Solar from
Germany, Panasonic & Sony from Japan. With many regulations related to green
have already being in placed, and also part of the standards, this makes green
criteria sooner or later, no longer a voluntary adoption but a mandatory requirements
for producers to market their products in that particular country.

Recognising the importance of adopting green technology, the Government has

made available several incentives as well as policies to promote the adoption of
green technology by industry, namely:-

o Pioneer tax incentives for companies in areas such as energy conservation

and generation, renewable energy, waste recycling, natural gas vehicles and
hybrid cars.

o 100% import duty waiver for electric and hybrid cars until end 2013. The
government will soon announce the revised National Automotive Policy which
will help to spur the growth of this electric and hybrid cars segment.

o The Government has established a fund called the Green Technology

Financing Scheme (GTFS) amounting to RM1.5 billion. This fund provides
soft loans to companies that supply and utilize green technology such as
retrofitting of energy efficient appliances into their businesses. For companies
planning to adopt green technology, the maximum amount is up to RM10
million while for producers of green technology, the amount is up to RM50
million. The Government will subsidize two percents of the total interest rate.
In addition, the Government will also provide a guarantee to the lenders for
60% of the loan amount. Loan applications can be made through the
Malaysian Green Technology Corporation.

o There are also incentives provided by the Government to promote green

buildings. Building owners obtaining green building certification from 24
 October 2009 until 31 December 2014 are given income tax exemption
equivalent to the additional capital expenditure in obtaining such certificates.

o On the other end of the spectrum, buyers purchasing buildings with green
building certification from developers are given stamp duty exemption on
instruments of transfer of ownership. The exemption amount is equivalent to
the additional cost incurred in obtaining the green building certification. This
exemption is given to buyers who execute sales and purchase agreements
from 24 October 2009 until 31 December 2014.

The National Renewable Energy Policy and Action Plan which was approved by the
Government on 2nd April 2010 is a result of a study to overcome the main obstacles
hindering the growth of Renewable Energy (RE) in the country. Among the element
of this policy was the introduction of the Renewable Energy Act which entails the
implementation of the feed-in tariff (FiT) system. The FiT is a premium in which the
RE power is sold according to each RE sources. The introduction of the RE Act also
provide a mandatory requirement for the utility to accept and buy RE power. Both the
RE Act and the FiT System was enforced 1st December 2011. On 1st September
2011, Sustainable Energy Development Authority of Malaysia (SEDA Malaysia) was
officially established and operational to undertake the role of a one stop centre for
anything relating to sustainable energy and to help facilitate the RE industry.

Many emerging economies have also started to move towards a sustainable

development model that makes green industries competitive and serves green
technology markets. China, for example, has become the worlds top installer of both
wind turbines and solar photovoltaic systems. India is strongly encouraging the rapid
expansion of bio-gas, solar and other forms of low-carbon energy in rural areas
through renewable energy certificates. Existing efforts to create awareness on going
green and introduce Malaysian companies that are producing green products or
services to new markets have started to show positive results. To quote some
examples on the green products that have been exported overseas, this can be
seen in 2011 whereby Malaysias total exports of photosensitive semiconductor
device, photovoltaic (PV) cells and light emitting diodes (LED) were valued at
RM8.34 billion.
 Whereas, exports of green building materials also showed major increase in 2011.
Insulation materials, used to reduce heat transfer and energy consumption such as
slag wool, rock wool and similar mineral wools recorded total exports amounted to
RM88.21 million. In ASEAN, countries such as Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia,
Thailand and Vietnam have already established Green Building Council at national
level. This shows commitment to support construction of new green buildings and
also refurbishment of old buildings to the greener ones. With embark on construction
green buildings, relatively demand for green building materials have also increased.
Malaysia also has made its step towards recognising and promoting green
townships. The Green Building Index has been introduced towards implementing the
Low Carbon City Framework (LCCF), in order to promote low carbon developments
in our cities and townships. This LCCF system is a comprehensive system that
serves as a guide to local authorities, developers and town planners for the
development of Low Carbon Cities. Apart from the transport and power sectors,
buildings are a significant contributor to the ever-increasing carbon emission and its
impact on global warming. With rapid urbanization, millions of people in developing
countries are migrating to cities. Along with this, comes the need to build factories,
hospitals, universities and recreation facilities. Buildings are said to consume over
32% of the worlds resources, including 12% of its water, and up to 40% of its energy,
and account for 40% of greenhouse gas emissions. The construction of green
buildings contributes to achieving tainable development. The Government foresees
that the construction of green buildings will be an important step for us to achieve the
goals of sustainable development.
3.0 GREEN BUILDINGS

3.1 What is Green Buildings?

Green building or also known as green construction or sustainable building refers

to both a structure and the using of processes that are environmentally
responsible and resource-efficient (energy, water and materials) throughout a
building's life-cycle. It is to reduce the building impact on human health and the
environment from all stages starting from siting to design, construction,
operation, maintenance, renovation and demolition.

In other words, green building design involves finding the balance between
homebuilding and the sustainable environment. This requires close cooperation
of the design team, the architects, the engineers and the client at all project
stages. The Green building practice expands and complements the classical
building design concerns of economy, utility, durability and comfort.

The ideal green building would be a building project that would allow us to
preserve most of the natural environment around the project site, while still being
able to produce a building that is going to serve a purpose. The construction and
operation will promote a healthy environment for all involved and it will not disrupt
the land, water, resources and energy in and around the building.

The U.S. EPA says, Green building is the practice of creating structures and
using processes that are environmentally responsible and resource-efficient
throughout a buildings life-cycle from siting to design, construction, operation,
maintenance, renovation and deconstruction. This practice expands and
complements the classical building design concerns of economy, utility, durability,
and comfort. Green building is also known as a sustainable or high performance
building.

3.2 Objectives and Goals of Green Buildings

Although new technologies are constantly being developed to complement

current practices in creating greener structures, the common objective of green
buildings is to reduce the overall impact of the built environment on human health
and the natural environment by :

i. Efficiently using energy, water, materials and other resources

ii. Protecting occupant health and improving employee productivity
iii. Reducing waste, pollution and environmental degradation

3.2.1 Reducing environmental impact

Globally buildings are responsible for a huge share of energy, electricity, water
and materials consumption. Buildings account for 18% of global emissions today
or the equivalent of 9 billion tonnes of CO 2 annually. According to the United
Nations Environment Program, if new technologies in construction are not
adopted during this time of rapid growth, emissions could double by 2050. Green
building practices aim to reduce the environmental impact of building. Since
construction almost always degrades a building site, not building at all is
preferable to green building. The second rule is that every building should be as
small as possible. The third rule is not to contribute to sprawl, even if the most
energy-efficient, environmentally sound methods are used in design and
construction. The International Energy Agency released a publication that
estimated that existing buildings are responsible for more than 40% of the worlds
total primary energy consumption and for 24% of global carbon dioxide
emissions.

3.2.2 Designing the structure efficiently

The root or the foundation of any construction project is the concept and design
stages. The concept stage, in fact, is one of the major steps in a project life cycle,
as it has the largest impact on cost and performance. In designing
environmentally optimal buildings, the objective is to minimize the total
environmental impact associated with all life-cycle stages of the building project.
However, building as a process is not as streamlined as an industrial process
and varies from one building to another, which means it never repeat itself
identically. In addition, buildings are much more complex products, composed of
a multitude of materials and components each constituting various design
variables to be decided at the design stage. A variation of every design variable
may affect the environment during all the building's relevant life-cycle stages.
3.2.3 Using energy efficiently

One of the goals of green buildings is to minimize the use of energy. Therefore,
usually green buildings will include measures to reduce energy consumption both
the embodied energy required to extract, process, transport and install building
materials and operating energy to provide services such as heating and power
for equipment. Studies such as the U.S. LCI Database Project show buildings
built primarily with wood will have a lower embodied energy than those built
primarily with brick, concrete or steel. To reduce operating energy use, designers
use details that reduce air leakage through the building envelope (the barrier
between conditioned and unconditioned space). They also specify high-
performance windows and extra insulation in walls, ceilings and floors. Another
strategy, passive solar building design, is often implemented in low-energy
homes. Designers orient windows and walls and place awnings, porches and
trees to shade windows and roofs during the summer while maximizing solar gain
in the winter. In addition, effective window placement (day lighting) can provide
more natural light and lessen the need for electric lighting during the day. Solar
water heating further reduces energy costs. Onsite generation of renewable
energy through solar power, wind power, hydro power or biomass can
significantly reduce the environmental impact of the building. However, power
generation is generally the most expensive feature to add to a building.

3.2.4 Using water efficiently

Reducing water consumption and protecting water quality are key objectives in
sustainable building. One critical issue of water consumption is that in many
areas, the demands on the supplying aquifer exceed its ability to replenish itself.
To the maximum extent feasible, facilities should increase their dependence on
water that is collected, used, purified and reused on-site. The protection and
conservation of water throughout the life of a building may be accomplished by
designing for dual plumbing that recycles water in toilet flushing or by using water
for washing of the cars. Wastewater may be minimized by utilizing water
conserving fixtures such as ultra-low flush toilets and low-flow shower heads.
Bidets help eliminate the use of toilet paper, reducing sewer traffic and increasing
possibilities of re-using water on-site. Point of use water treatment and heating
improves both water quality and energy efficiency while reducing the amount of
water in circulation. The use of non-sewage and grey water for on-site use such
as site-irrigation will minimize demands on the local aquifer.

3.2.5 Using materials efficiently

Building materials typically considered to be 'green' include lumber from forests

that have been certified to a third-party forest standard, rapidly renewable plant
materials like bamboo and straw, dimension stone, recycled stone, recycled
metal and other products that are non-toxic, reusable, renewable and/or
recyclable. For concrete a high performance or Roman self-healing concrete is
available. The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) also suggests using
recycled industrial goods such as coal combustion products, foundry sand and
demolition debris in construction projects.

3.2.6 Enhancing the indoor environmental quality

Not only conserving the outdoor environment, green building also require to
secure the indoor environmental quality for the occupants as well. It is crucial to
control the accumulation of moisture (dampness) that can lead to mold growth
and the presence of bacteria and viruses as well as dust mites and other
organisms and microbiological concerns. Water intrusion through a building's
envelope or water condensing on cold surfaces on the building's interior can
enhance and sustain microbial growth. A well-insulated and tightly sealed
envelope will reduce moisture problems but adequate ventilation is also
necessary to eliminate moisture from sources indoors including human metabolic
processes, cooking, bathing, cleaning, and other activities. Solid wood products,
particularly flooring, are often specified in environments where occupants are
known to have allergies to dust or other particulates. Wood itself is considered to
be hypo-allergenic and its smooth surfaces prevent the buildup of particles
common in soft finishes like carpet. The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of
American recommends hardwood, vinyl, linoleum tile or slate flooring instead of
carpet. The use of wood products can also improve air quality by absorbing or
releasing moisture in the air to moderate humidity.

3.2.7 Optimizing the operations and maintenance

No matter how sustainable a building may have been in its design and
construction, it can only remain so if it is operated responsibly and maintained
properly. Ensuring operations and maintenance (O&M) personnel are part of the
project's planning and development process will help retain the green criteria
designed at the onset of the project. Every aspect of green building is integrated
into the O&M phase of a building's life. The addition of new green technologies
also falls on the O&M staff. Although the goal of waste reduction may be applied
during the design, construction and demolition phases of a building's life-cycle, it
is in the O&M phase that green practices such as recycling and air quality
enhancement take place. O&M staff should aim to establish best practices in
energy efficiency, resource conservation, ecologically sensitive products and
other sustainable practices. Education of building operators and occupants is key
to effective implementation of sustainable strategies in O&M services.

3.2.8 Waste reduction

Green architecture also seeks to reduce waste of energy, water and materials
used during construction. For example, in California nearly 60% of the state's
waste comes from the commercial buildings . During the construction phase, one
goal should be set which is to reduce the amount of material going to landfills.
Well-designed buildings also help reduce the amount of waste generated by the
occupants as well, by providing on-site solutions such as compost bins to reduce
waste going to landfills. When buildings reach the end of their useful life, they are
typically demolished and hauled to landfills. Deconstruction is a method of
harvesting what is commonly considered "waste" and reclaiming it into useful
building material. Extending the useful life of a structure also reduces waste by
building materials such as wood that are light and easy to work with make
renovations easier.
3.3 Benefits of Green Buildings

With new technologies constantly being developed to complement current

practices in creating greener structures, the benefits of green building can range
from environmental to economic to social. By adopting greener practices, we can
take maximum advantage of environmental and economic performance. Green
construction methods when integrated during the design and construction phase
provide most significant benefits. Benefits of green building include:
Environmental Social Benefits
Economic Benefits
Benefits
Reduce wastage Reduce operating Improve occupant
of water costs health and comfort
Conserve natural Improve occupant Improve quality of life
resources productivity Minimize strain on
Improve air and water Create market for local infrastructure
quality green product and
Protect biodiversity an services
d ecosystems
Save energy as it
depends on renewable
energy resources such
solar power, hydro-
power and wind power
3.4 Importance of Green Buildings

i. Represents an intelligent approach to energy

In every stage in the lifecycle of the green building, it minimizes the

consumption of energy thus making the new building more comfortable
and less expensive to be maintained. It also integrated technologies that
encourage the use of renewable energy such as solar energy in order to
reduce the carbon dioxide emission to the environment while still ensuring
the building is provided with the optimal supply of energy resources. With
the optimal use of energy in the building, it will eventually help the
occupants of the building to learn on how to use the energy efficiently as
the energy resources are becoming more expensive and unavailable now.

ii. It reduces waste and encourages recycle

Green building reduces waste by using the building materials that have
the high quality and longevity in order to minimize the construction waste
production. It also includes the right calculation of the duration of the
lifecycle of a building starting from the design stage to the demolition
stage. Besides, it also promotes recycling to the owners and users of the
building so that the materials can be reused.
iii. It promotes well-being of all occupants and users of the buildings

Green building promotes good health of the occupants by providing them

with sufficient supply of fresh air throughout the building premises by
having a good ventilation system. It will maintain the indoor air quality
which makes the occupants feel comfortable and healthy. It also
encourages the maximum use of natural light to illuminate rooms to give
the building users the nice view of surrounding while reducing the need
for artificial room lighting. Furthermore, by providing a pleasant indoor
temperature regardless of the season or the outside temperature by the
uses of the intelligent building solutions, it creates a good atmosphere
and a pleasant microclimate in rooms where people spend most of their
time. It is a design that appeals to both eyes and ears which plays a
crucial role in providing an ambience that is good and perfect for
concentration, recovery as well as for enjoying work or learning session
spending time in ones own home.

iv. It protects our water resources

Starting from the design stage to the construction stage and throughout
the lifecycle of the green building, it always find for ways to manage water
resources, drinking water and waste water effectively. Through the use of
innovative methods for collecting water for safe use indoors and reduction
of water use in the building construction sector, minimization of water
consumption can be achieved. Moreover, considering the impact of built
environment on rainfall and rainfall runoff drainage system, green building
ensures the use of technologies which foster healthier interaction
between water, soil and the whole environmental system.

v. It produces resilient and flexible building structures while keeping

our landscape green

It designs flexible and dynamic spaces by foreseeing changes in their use

through time thus avoiding the need for their demolition, rebuilding or
 renovation in future. It is also easily adapt with the changes in the
environment and resistant to natural hazards such as floods and
earthquakes which make it safer for people. At the same time, it ensures
the conservation or special monitoring of flora and fauna diversity as well
as of soil quality and creates green areas through remediation of
contaminated soil. It looks for ways in which it can make our urban areas
more productive and in which it can bring agriculture into our cities or
even on our rooftop.
3.5 Limitations of Green Buildings

i. Availability of Green Building Materials

Some eco-friendly products are not available everywhere so maybe

trouble will arise to find the construction materials needed. If the order
need to be placed from a distant supplier or need to be imported, the
shipping cost can be a burden to the owners.

ii. Cost

Besides the shipping cost of the materials from outside the country, some
green construction materials do cost more than conventional building
materials. For example, if the building is build with SIPs (structural
insulated panels), the initial cost will be slightly higher than a traditional
stick built building. However, over time, an incredible savings in energy
costs will be achieved and the building will be a peaceful and comfortable
place to live in.

iii. Indoor Air Pollution

Green building is well-known for its energy efficient and minimizing the
pollution to the environment. However, it does have problem with the
indoor air quality if the building is not maintain well. As the building is so
covered and sealed, it can lead to the indoor pollution. This can prove to
be detrimental to the health of the inhabitants of such buildings. The
indoor air quality may further suffer if the builder uses a recycled product
which contain some harmful chemicals that emit toxins in the indoor air. In
case the builder replaces the bulbs in the green building with fluorescent
 lights, the same are capable of emitting radiation which can cause many
health problems in people.

iv. Location

Since these buildings depend on sun for energy, they need to be located
in position that will have the best sun exposure. This which may demand
placing them opposite to other neighborhood homes that could block the
home from a good environment view or make traffic busy at the area.

v. No air cooling features

These buildings run on heat to generate power, so they are not designed
for hot areas as they do not have any ventilation systems. The air
conditioners will be required but it is encouraged not to be installed which
will make these buildings anything but Eco-friendly.

vi. Green Home Builders

Many builders and contractors are simply not familiar with newer
construction methods, including green buildings. It may be hard to find
someone who is experienced and many builders do not want to take the
time to learn new methods.

From what we can see, there are limitations as far as green buildings are
concerned. However, many of these limitations, particularly high initial costs and
unavailability of materials, will be countered in the near future, as such buildings
become more and more popular. In the end, it is advised that professionals who
have a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification are
consulted when constructing green buildings, so that all the legal issues
concerning them can be taken care of.
7.0 REFERENCES

i. http://www.gpnm.org/e/articles/Definition-of-Green-Technology-by-KETTHA-Ministry-
of-Energy-Green-Technology-and-Water-a5.html
ii. http://www.green-technology.org/what.htm
iii. http://www.deepgreenrobot.org/green-technology-definition.html
iv. http://www.matrade.gov.my/en/foriegn-buyers-section/70-industry-write-up--
services/555-green-technology-services
v. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_building
vi. http://www.greenbuildingindex.org/why-green-buildings.html
vii. https://us.sunpower.com/what-green-building/
viii. http://www.gbccroatia.org/stranice/The%20importance%20of%20green
%20building/49/en.html
ix. https://blog.weetas.com/green-buildings-advantages-and-disadvantages/
x. http://www.survivalrenewableenergy.com/pros-and-cons-of-green-buildings/
xi. http://www.everything-log-homes.com/sustainable-house/disadvantages-of-green-
building/
xii. http://www.buzzle.com/articles/what-are-the-disadvantages-of-green-buildings.html