Zuhairi Abd Hamid, PhD Creating sustainable green construction in Malaysia Read Zuhairi Abd Hamid views on how Malaysia is creating sustainable standardized green construction. Sustainability is a New Economic Model (NEM) development pillar that Malaysia hopes will help ensure it becomes a high income economy by 2020. Zuhairi Abd Hamid, Executive Director, Construction Research Institute of Malaysia (CREAM) said construction and green buildings are integral sustainable NEM components that contribute to long-term growth that have been highlighted under Malaysia s Construction Industry Master Plan. 1 Sustainable construction and green buildings have been highlighted under the Malaysian Construction Industry Master Plan (2005 2015). 1 This article is primarily based on Dr. Zuhairi Abd Hamid s presentation at the 3 rd Annual Affordable Housing Projects in Kuala Lumpur, July 2012 Asia-Pacific Housing Journal 24
Affordable and green housing in Asia The construction industry in Malaysia plays an important role generating wealth to the country, he said at a Kuala Lumpur housing conference in July this year. At the same time, however, he said it was also widely recognized as major consumer of non-renewable resources and a massive producer of waste, and the operation of buildings is responsible for about half of the country s total CO 2. The implementation of sustainable green construction in Malaysia, he said have been slowed by the lack of research and innovation and also by the inability to evaluate and articulate green technology implementation costs and benefits. Lack of skill and capacity, overlapping roles among government agencies and slow industry follow-through on government programs have also been key detriments. Sustainable green industrialized building systems (IBS) Hamid said Malaysia has long recognized the need for developing sustainable green industrialized building systems (IBS) that would ultimately result in the lowest-cost housing for its citizens. IBS began in Malaysia in the early 1960 s when the Ministry of Housing and Local Governments visited several European countries and evaluated their housing development programs. 2 After their successful visit in 1964, the government began its first IBS project that hoped to build high quality affordable houses in shorter delivery times. About 22.7 acres of land along Jalan Pekeliling, Kuala Lumpur was dedicated to the seven blocks of 17 stories flat project with 3,000 low-cost flats and 40 shop areas. This project was awarded to Gammon & Larsen Nielsen that used a Danish large panel pre-fabricated system. The IBS systems, he said were known for their persistent quality standards because most products are manufactured in factories. Continuous IBS developments As early as 1999, Malaysia adopted a IBS S t r a t e g i c P l a n t h a t w a s a p p r o v e d by Cabinet. An IBS Roadmap was also developed for 2003 to 2010 and a Construction Industry Master Plan was developed for 2006 to 2015. 2 W A Thamnoon, Lee Wah Peng, Mohd Razali Abdul Kadir, Mohd Saleh Jaafar and Mohd Sapuan Salit, The Essential Characterisiics of Industrialized Building System, International Conference on Industrialized Building Systems, Kuala Lumpur, September 2003. 25 Asia-Pacific Housing Journal
Today, Malaysia is operating under an IBS Roadmap 2011 to 2105. In October 2008, the Malaysian Treasury issued an IBS circular to all Federal Ministries, Head of Departments, State Governments, Regulatory bodies and local authorities. The circular adopted open-system methodology through the use of Modular Coordination MS 1064 and most importantly required 70 per cent IBS content in all government projects. A national IBS secretariat was named as the coordinator through the Ministry of Works and Prime Minister s Department s Implementation Coordination Unit was appointed as the monitoring unit. An IBS Center was established as a onestop center. Benefits of IBS adoption According to Hamid, in addition to increasing construction speed, IBS also has brought Malaysia tremendous intangible benefits. Well planned IBS project that reduce construction time, have in turn reduced financing costs and cause less pollution, he said. At the same Malaysia s economy will be more competitive with speedier construction projects. Ultimately, the government aim is to produce the lowest-cost high-quality housing for all its citizens. Using IBS requires less on-site construction workers and invariably reduced Malaysia s foreign labor dependency. Foreign labor he said also tends to remit funds to their own countries. Green technology While industrialized building systems would do much in reducing construction costs, Hamid also spoke of the need for green technologies in areas such as building design, construction and the use of materials. Efficient energy use and conservation are critical green opportunities that must be explored in develop new efficient constructions methods. Energy storage and transportation for residents are also key green development components. Successful green technologies require public and private sector participation. The public sector can contribute greatly through planning, energy provision and usage. Green buildings strategies must include an integrated framework of design, construction, operations and demolition practices that encompass the environmental, economic and social impacts of buildings. 3 Building practices recognizing the interdependence of the natural and built environment and seek to minimize the use of energy, water and other natural resources while providing a healthy and productive indoor environment. 4 3 Hillsborough Building and Planning, US 4 ibid Asia-Pacific Housing Journal 26
Affordable and green housing in Asia 4. Improving national talent base 5. Transforming economic structure and technical base 6. Reforming fiscal framework As with most Asia-Pacific middle-income countries, Hamid said Malaysia must also break its current logjam of vested interests through political will and leadership as well as prepare the general public for change. The risk he said is failing into a downwardspiral middle-income trap. Sustainable programs key to escaping middle income trap Hamid said that NEM s three pillars of high income (targeting $US15,000 to $US20,000 per capita by 2020), inclusiveness (enabling all communities to fully benefit from the country s wealth) and sustainability (meet current needs without compromising future generations), together will contribute to better quality of lives for the general public. The NEM s policies and strategic initiatives are critical for a coherent big push to boost transformation and growth and will include: 1. Improving labor market s functioning 2. Increasing private sector profile 3. Re-engineering public institutions What is an industrialised building system? Hamid said that IBS is essentially a construction technique in which components are manufactured in a controlled environment (on-or-off site), transported, positioned and assembled into a structure with minimal additional site works. IBS can be classified into five common types based on structural aspects of the system including: Type 1 Precast concrete framing, panel and boxing systems includes precast concrete columns, beams, slabs, walls, 3 D components, permanent concrete and formworks, etc. 27 Asia-Pacific Housing Journal
Type 2 Steel formworks systems includes tunnel forms and permanent steel formworks. Type 3 Steel-framing systems steel beams and columns and portal frame systems. Type 4 Prefabricated timber framing systems prefabricated timber trusses, beams and columns etc. Type 5 Block work systems include interlocking concrete masonry units and lightweight concrete blocks. The growing demand for affordable housing, increasing construction costs, lower productivity rate, and heightened concern for energy-efficiency, Hamid said has prompted Malaysia s construction industry to realize IBS s immense benefits. Asia-Pacific Housing Journal 28
Affordable and green housing in Asia Standardized components By using IBS, Malaysia is moving forward by industrializing construction through standardization. Certain IBS systems such as precast concrete beams and columns and panels have been used since the 1960s. 5 Over time, Hamid said IBS standardized components have been used for structural components, built-in components, window components, door components and railing components. Open and closed systems Malaysia has adopted an open system building system technology wherein the system is designed so that its subsystems are interchangeable with like subsystems. Its subassemblies are interchangeable with like subassemblies, and its components or building elements are interchangeable with like building components or elements of other systems. 6 5 Thanoon et al 6 McGraw Hill 29 Asia-Pacific Housing Journal
Open systems tend to create more design flexibility and provide maximum designer and precast manufacturer coordination. The system is plausible because it allows the precaster to produce a limited number of elements with a predetermined range of product and at the same time maintain architectural aesthetic value. At the same, an open system mitigates closed-system joint and connection problems. This is because similar connection technology must be observed in order to achieve greater structural performance. Closed IBS systems can normally be divided into two categories including production that is based on a client s design. The design may require additional spaces for different building functions and to accommodate special architectural requirements. The second closed system category can be production that is based on precast manufacturers own specific designs especially for standard building with ordinary components such as schools, parking garages, gas stations and low cost housing. Inherent IBS benefits Using standardized mass-produced construction materials under an IBS Hamid said invariably results in more accurate, higher quality construction products. Ready to install construction components also provide cleaner and safer construction sites and reduce construction costs because projects can be completed more quickly. IBS has been successfully adopted in Germany, Japan, Finland and Sweden. Much of its success has been attributed to its use of new and innovative techniques rather than requiring a revolution away from conventional methods and trades. As IBS evolves and matures and becomes much more industrialized, it begins to play a greater role in construction project life cycles. It will include the introduction and adoption of whole life cycle costing and green procurement, Hamid said. Life cycle project costing will begin from planning and continue through to the project s maintenance and ultimate refurbishment. To ensure IBS is successfully implemented, government and other sectors must participate in integrated, coordinated cooperative efforts. Environmental considerations must be integrated into all development stages, including program planning, policy making and implementation. At the same time human capital development, training and education must continue. Research and development is the best way to improve and expand knowledge and technology; while at same time benchmarking and technology transfer from developed countries. Asia-Pacific Housing Journal 30