Introduction
Nowadays, marketers are more concerned about the environmental sustainability when doing business. This is because it will give a great impact to our global due to the global warming. The Millennium Goals also recognizes that the environmental sustainability is part of the global economic and social well-being. Environmental sustainability is the rates of renewable resource harvest, pollution creation, and non-renewable resource depletion that can be continued indefinitely. Among many approaches that are taken such as inculcating and practicing the environmental conservation activities as part of their business operations, the most energy-efficient building at the ASEAN Energy Awards (AEA) 2012, the Energy Commission’s headquarters, was designed and built through four main aspects, namely Energy Efficiency, Water Efficiency, Indoor Environmental Quality and Outdoor Environmental Quality.
The seven-storey Diamond Building is the first office building in Malaysia to obtain the Green Building Index platinum rating and the first building outside Singapore to obtain the island state’s Green Mark platinum rating. This building is projected to have an energy index of 85 kWh/m2/year, in contrast with the standard index of 135 kWh/m2/year (de engineer 2012).
Picture 1: Diamond Building – Malaysia Energy Commission HQ
Source from: http://www.hpbmagazine.org/images/cache/cache_8/cache_7/cache_b/Diamond_p17-c3bf9b78.jpeg?ver=1469759190&aspectratio=1.3333333333333
2.2 Noise Pollution
The acoustic comfort for occupants is enhanced in the work environment with the use of the slab cooling system, which significantly reduces the air ventilation rate resulting in the minimisation of noise from air ducts. The greenery landscape provide a function to absorb sound which enables prevention of noise pollution. This is because the building is located in the city where many transports are frequently passing this area. Thus, this sound insulation is needed for the building.
2.3 Waste Pollution
Malaysia Energy Commission HQ also promotes the use of the environment-friendly materials sourced from the sustainable sources and recycling which they are trying to reduce waste pollution. They use all green label items on the equipment in their office. The ceiling is built by the recycled plasterboard. This is because it can help the builders to reduce the cost of waste disposal and help the environment. It can help to lower the environmental impact (Gyprock 2017).
The ceiling and wall are painted by low VOC paint which is eco-friendly to environment. VOC stands for Volatile Organic Compound. Using the low VOC paint will reduce the amounts of volatile organic compounds. They won’t off-gas as much as traditional paints. It is an environment sustainable to use low VOC paint as it is easy to find and less odour. This may help to reduce waste pollution as it is eco-friendly (Lauren Flanagan 2017).
The floor carpeting that they use is recycled content carpet. This recycled carpet is made by at least 10% recycle content such as recycled plastic bottle and have low VOC emission. Not only can reduce waste disposal, it also can make the carpet become long-lasting. This patented process takes premium PET from the highest-grade polymer, strengthens the fibre, and removes dirt-attracting residue with a multi-step purification system (Everstrand 2017).
Recycle bins are provided to each occupant’s workstation and every printer’s rooms. These are then collected daily by the cleaners and store at the allocated recycle bins for collection on a weekly basis by the recycling company appointed by the local authority. It is also the way to reduce waste disposal.
Energy Commission operates a rainwater harvesting system. This is to reduce the burden of surface run off to the public drainage system. There is stainless steel gutter which is used to collect the rainwater and after that the harvested rainwater will flow into the downpipe. They then flow to the rainwater harvesting tanks to store the water for the toilet flushing system. The rainwater storage capacity is 2400 gal and it can save 818m3 water per year. This will reduce the waste of water. The grey water is also recycled to use in the central irrigation system. The water can also be using to transport cooling to the rooms. Water can increase the thermal comfort and reduce peak-load. It is more efficient than air-conditioning. It is eco-friendly.
Picture 2: The Rainwater Harvesting System
Source from: https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwisyMiM8ovVAhWHNY8KHeoFAQwQjRwIBw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.aseanenergy.org%2Fevents%2Fevents-mys%2Faces-participation-in-the-9th-asian-school-on-renewable-energy%2F&psig=AFQjCNFuCzFk5F5WTPh-eUj8Tz1e_q2kdQ&ust=1500228655562350
Furthermore, the Malaysia Energy Commission operation system had 30% of construction materials such as carpets, ceiling and interior paint which contains recycled contents as an environmentally friendly idea.
2.4 Air Pollution
The Malaysia Energy Commission has an extensive landscaping and a sunken outdoor garden which ensure not only a green space but also provide a cool and shaded environment for the occupants. Soft landscaping and water features create a serene outdoor ambience, complementing the concept and functionality of the Diamond Building. This, coupled with a green roof helps to further provide insulation, lower the air temperature and combat the heat island effect whereby the hardscape areas are reduced and replaced with soft green landscape. The water walls that flank the glass canopy at the entrance exuberates a welcoming feel whilst the streetscape lined with tall trees giving a shading effect. Buildings near or surrounded by greenery have lower ambient temperature than the ones away from the greenery and it is seen as an effective way to lower the ambient temperature (Suruhanjaya Tenaga 2015).
A sunken garden was carefully incorporated into the building design to provide natural ventilation. The greenery within the sunken and landscaped garden on the ground floor helps to reduce the heat gain into the building. The wetland on the ground floor is not only irrigated by grey water from the building, it is also the home to species of Malaysia’s herbs and flora (Suruhanjaya Tenaga 2015).
Reserved parking lots are provided for green vehicles, thereby encouraging the use of such vehicles and carpools. Bicycle racks and showers are also provided in the building to encourage occupants who stay within the vicinity to cycle rather than to drive to work. These may help to reduce the carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide release and prevent air pollution (Suruhanjaya Tenaga 2015).
2.5 Conclusion
As a conclusion, Malaysia Energy Commission HQ is now one of the Malaysia’s industry that is concern about the environmental sustainability issues. Although an electricity and gas supply industry has a lot of tasks to concentrate on, but Malaysia Energy Commission is different. They are also concern about the environmental issue in order to save the earth by building the green building so that it can give contribution to the earth.
Malaysia Energy Commission environmental sustainable program is corporate initiative to tackle this major challenge that will affect the earth. Therefore, Malaysia Energy Commission had focus their attention to addressing a climate change aggressively within the sphere of influence. Based on a conservative strategy, it can reduce 30% of our carbon footprint by 2012. However, they had decided to set an even greater challenge which is to reduce 50% of our carbon footprint by 2012. Hence, to achieve this goal, Malaysia Energy Commission are embarking on various initiatives through a two-prong approach under the eco-green programme.
To sum up, the Malaysia Energy Commission brings many advantages to the environment through this green building. In the late 1960’s the environmental awareness has increased dramatically and particularly since the organized environmental movement emerge. Issues ranging from global warming to animal rights to species preservation to the protection of wetlands are now prominent in the media and in the minds of consumers. In short, Malaysia Energy Commission had achieved the objective of saving the earth and make people feel safe and comfortable in this world.
Picture 3: Malaysia Energy Commission HQ
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2.1 Introduction
There is another international building that used to do research in Part I if the assignment is the Beijing National Aquatics Centre. It is also known as the Water Cube. It was built alongside Beijing National Stadium in the Olympic Green for the swimming competitions of the 2008 Summer Olympics. Although the nickname of the building is Water Cube, the shape of the building is a cuboid, not an actual cube. The Water Cube plan is a square with 177 m on each side, 31m height from the street-level and it has 17.000 seats. It contains five pools and an organic shape restaurant. The Water Cube’s design was initiated by a team effort. It references the Chinese symbolic architecture. The Water Cube is covered by the membrane of brightly lit blue bubbles. It is incredible in look but the main purpose is related to the environmental level.
Picture 4: Beijing’s Olympic Aquatic Centre
Source from: https://img.newatlas.com/8767_6020855905.jpg?auto=format%2Ccompress&fit=max&h=670&q=60&w=1000&s=36a879ba46175d2e9eb1023e2b62f16d
Picture 5: Structure of Water Cube
Source from: https://www.e-architect.co.uk/images/jpgs/beijing/watercube_ptw051208_2.jpg
2.2 Noise Pollution
There were a lot of myths about the use of ETFE, regarding the material growing mould and being ineffective in muting external noise, which had to be dispelled. The designers had carried out many conducting extensive tests and making some adjustments to the material that would reduce the acoustic impact of outside noise. The athlete in the building can concentrate during the competition as they do not distract by the noise. The audience will also not disturbed by the external noise when watching the competition.
2.3 Waste Pollution
The Water Cube consists a unique transparent plastic called ETFE (Ethylene Tetrafluoroethylene). It is measured as 0.2mm thick. It can absorb solar radiation and reduce thermal loss. There is 100000 sq m of ETFE in the Water Cube. ETFE is recyclable and light, but strong and capable of bearing up to 400 times its own weight. It will reduce 30% energy costs in the Water Cube as it allows more light and heat penetrate inside the building and better insulate than glass. The blue bubbles outside the National Aquatics Centre comprise over 3,000 air cushions, which actually relatively independent from each other, providing convenience for replacement of individual cushions when needed. The Water Cube spans 80,000-sq-m and was constructed with 6,700 tons of steel, but as EFTE spans greater distances than glass it needed less supportive steel structure beneath it. This will reduce the cost of waste disposal and reduce waste pollution (Jude Garvey 2008).
Moreover, the solar rays that hit the building are 90% absorbed by the ETFE bubble and reused to heat the pools and interior areas. Another important issue is the fact that the roof of the Water Cube catches 80% of the water, which is reused and recycled for the building needs. There is an incredible LED lighting system turns the Water Cube into a beautiful kaleidoscope at night (Bridgette Meinhold 2008).
The Water Cube also has nora rubber floorings. It provides an excellent walking comfort and anti-slipped properties. Rubber floorings produced by nora are sustainable products. It is made from the renewable natural rubber that is extracted from the sap of tropical rubber plants and industrial rubber. The nora rubber floorings contain natural minerals that supplement the high-quality natural and industrial rubber qualities. It is more environmental compare to the colour pigments that are free of lead and other heavy metals.
Picture 6: ETFE facade
Source from: https://yeswebim.files.wordpress.com/2015/04/v301348_958_480_426-2.jpg
Picture 7: The interior of Water Cube
Source from: http://assets.inhabitat.com/files/watercubex02.jpg
Picture 8: Night view of Water Cube
Source from: http://assets.inhabitat.com/files/watercubex03.jpg
Picture 9: Sustainability issues
Source from: https://yeswebim.files.wordpress.com/2015/04/typical.jpg
2.4 Air Pollution
The space between the air-pillow walls which has been completely sealed off creating a layer of insulation. During summer, a 1m-high vent regulates the indoor temperature of the building through heat exchange by drawing out the inside warm air and letting in the outside cool air. The vent is sealed off during winter maintaining the warm temperature inside the venue. The Water Cube is specifically designed to act as a greenhouse. This allows high levels of natural daylight into the building. Harnesses the power of the sun to passively heat the building and pool water as swimming pools require a lot of heating. This sustainable concept has the potential to reduce the energy consumption of the leisure pool hall by 30 per cent, equivalent to covering the entire roof in photovoltaic panels.
2.5 Conclusion
The Beijing Olympic Aquatics Centre is one of the green building in China. It is designed based on the eco-friendly condition and prevent the great impact to the environment. This building is not only built for the Olympics competition, but maintain the environmental sustainability. Compare with Malaysia Energy Commission HQ, both of the buildings represents the symbol of eco-friendly. They prevent the waste disposal, noise pollution and air pollution according the structure and function of building.