Académique Documents
Professionnel Documents
Culture Documents
Abstract - Sustainability has moved from a trend to a goal, and now, it has become a necessity in the urban environment. The
term sustainability or green has been widely used as a vernacular to express the meaning of environmental friendly. There is a lot
of Sustainable Building Rating System (SBRS) available globally. The nature and characteristics of the various SBRS in
different countries make it difficult to understand especially for companies operating overseas. This makes quite difficult to
choose to serve as a benchmark as responds to sustainable development. This study aims to examine and analyze the most
popular international SBRS by country with a focus on the comparison and analysis of the various characteristics. This study also
discusses and analyzes the justification for the selection of GBI as SBRS model in implementation in Malaysia built environment.
The research methodology is through content analysis of materials in the form of articles, procedures or guidelines of SBRS
worldwide. The result revealed and focused on 11 most prominent SBRS around the world in terms of names and the countries
involved as well as, the regulating body, climate suitability, the applicable assessment criteria, building types covered, and rating
awarded. This study will help the investors for a better decision making to invest in international property development. With the
benchmark available, the firms will have a clearer route in guiding them to build green in different countries.
Keywords - Sustainability, Green Development, Sustainable Building Rating Systems (SBRSs), Green Building Index (GBI)
Malaysia
1. Introduction
Sustainability has moved from a trend to a goal, and now, it
has become a necessity in the urban environment. As society
moves forwards in the 21st Century, sustainable development
will be increasingly seen to be a resilient issue of protecting
and enhancing our quality of life within ever decreasing
environmental limits. The term sustainability or green has
been widely used as a vernacular to express the meaning of
environmental friendly. Thus, as mentioned by Spiegel &
Meadows (1999) green building is not a comment on the
shade of paint, but on the impact that the building has on the
environment.
Buildings are typically designed to meet building code
requirements. As for green building design, it challenges
architectures or building designers to go beyond the codes to
improve the overall building performance meanwhile
minimizing life-cycle environmental impact and cost. As we
are aware of, building green is the current vogue and thereby
the emerge of green building rating systems to transform this
design goal into specific performance objectives and provide
a framework to assess the overall design. The green building
2. The Issues
The phenomenon of global warming is no longer the
peripheral discussion topic in conjunction with developments.
It has become the amidships of all issues especially issues
related to the occurrence of extreme weather conditions and
catastrophes. Professionals have thought of all kinds of
alternatives to cope with the above issue such as introducing
Sustainable Building Rating Systems (SBRSs) to urge
12
3. Methodology
The research methodology is through content analysis of
materials in the form of articles, procedures or guidelines of
SBRS worldwide. Analysis and discussion is to compare 11
most prominent SBRS around the world in terms of names
and the countries involved as well as the regulating body, the
applicable assessment criteria, building types covered, and
rating awarded. In the second part of the study focused on the
GBI Malaysia with emphasis on the justification for the
selection of GBI Malaysia adopted in the built environment.
4. Related Works
4.1. Overview of the Movement of Sustainability
Awareness towards the significance of green development has
been urged by the resilience of people due to several
detrimental environmental issues occurred. One of the
highlights will be the climate change of the globe. Concern for
the environment is relatively a minor part of most property
development previously. However, driven by the swift wave
of awareness on environmental protection due to the depletion
of non-renewable resources, global warming and extremity of
destruction to ecology and biodiversity impact as mentioned
earlier, this issue have gained wider attention of the real estate
practitioners worldwide. Efforts are being poured in the
determination of attaining sustainability. As a result, the
direction of the industry is now shifting from developing with
environmental concern as a small part of the process into
having the development process being integrated within the
wider context of the environmental agenda. This shift of
ideology is illustrated in Figure 2.
13
Figure 2. The movement for greener construction (Das Gandhi et. al., 2006)
4.2. Sustainable Building Rating System (SBRS) in the
Context of Malaysia
In accordance to Shari et al. (2007), the adoption of
sustainable approaches in the Malaysian building industry is
rather crucial with the alarming increase of environmental
issues pertaining to development activities. For this reason, in
a developing country like Malaysia, the adoption of
sustainable building rating system (SBRS) is becoming
necessary to encourage the building sector to get onto the
sustainable bandwagon. A State government also
implemented the Project on Strategies for Sustainable
Development and Agenda 21 (Selangor) in 2003 (Hezri &
Hasan, 2006).
Given the fact that there are several assessment methods
and rating systems already in use in the developed world, it is
tempting to import one of them for use in Malaysia. However,
it is important to note that an adoption of existing SBRS in
Malaysia is rather inappropriate (Shari et. al., 2007).
4.3. Green Building Index (GBI)
The Green Building Index (GBI) is an environmental rating
system for buildings developed by PAM (Pertubuhan Arkitek
Malaysia / Malaysian Institute of Architects) and ACEM (the
Association of Consulting Engineers Malaysia). The Green
Building Index is Malaysias first comprehensive rating
Figure 3. GBI assessment criteria (Adopted from GBI assessment criteria, 2010)
14
Figure 4. GBI certification process flowchart (Adopted from GBI Assessment Process, 2010)
Rating ranks awarded depending on the scores achieved,
that are Certified, Silver, Gold and Platinum. Further
discussion on GBI will be stated in part 2 (two) of this article.
4.4. Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design
(LEED)
LEED is an internationally recognized green building
certification system, providing third-party verification that a
building or community was designed and built using
strategies aimed at improving performance across all the
metrics that matter most: energy savings, water efficiency,
15
Figure 6. BREEAM assessment criteria (Adopted from BREEAM Building Assessment Criteria, 2010)
4.6. Comprehensive Assessment System for Building
Environmental Efficiency (CASBEE)
CASBEE is a relatively new system developed for the
Japanese market that is available in English, but has not been
tested in the U.S. However, CASBEE is potentially applicable
in the U.S. market and offers the unique BEE approach to
representing the performance evaluation data. CASBEE
evaluates the environmental efficiency of the building by
considering two spaces divided by the virtual boundary of
premises borders etc. of the building, and designates Q for
Figure 7. CASBEE assessment criteria (Adopted from CASBEE Rating System, 2009)
4.7. National Australian Built Environment Rating System
(NABERS)
National Australian Built Environment Rating System,
NABERS is a government performance-based rating system
for existing buildings. NABERS rates a building on the basis
of its measured operational impacts on the environment, and
provides a simple indication of how well you are managing
16
Figure 9. Green Globes assessment criteria (Adopted from Green Globes, 2010)
4.9. High Quality Environmental Standard (HQE)
HQE is an approach that leads to a certification that approves
the consideration of environmental issues in the construction
of a building. It is a systematic approach, taking into account
both the complexity and lifespan of a construction, and
creating a synergy among the actors. This approach is divided
into 14 targets distributed in 4 families and each target
decomposes itself into a number of sub-targets. Frances HQE
(High Environmental Quality) focuses on reducing
17
Figure 10. HQE assessment criteria (Adopted from The HQE, 2006)
5. HK-BEAM
HK- BEAM is Hong Kong's leading management tool to
measure, improve and label the environmental sustainability
of buildings. It is a comprehensive standard and supporting
process covering all building types, including mixed use
complexes, both new and existing. BEAM is the means by
Figure 11. HK-BEAM assessment criteria (Adopted from BEAM Society, 2003)
5.1. Green Mark Scheme
The BCA Green Mark Scheme was launched by the Building
and Construction Authority (BCA) in January 2005 as a green
building rating system to evaluate buildings for its
environmental impact and performance and also to promote
environmental awareness in the construction and real estate
sectors. It is a benchmarking scheme which aims to achieve a
sustainable built environment by incorporating best practices
in environmental design and construction, and the adoption of
green building technologies. It is now a mandatory
18
Figure 12. Green Mark Scheme assessment criteria (Adopted from Building & Construction Authority, 2006)
5.2. GBTool
Green Building Tool (GBTool) was initially developed as an
assessment tool within the international green building
challenge. It is now also used as a design checklist, for
teaching and research purposes. GBTool adopts a life cycle
approach in the assessment of the use of primary energy,
emission of Green House Gases from initial production and
operations as well as Lifecycle cost. It takes site selection,
project planning and development, environmental loadings,
energy and resource consumption, indoor environmental
19
Figure 14. Green Star assessment criteria (Adopted from Green Building Council Australia, 2010)
5.4. Results and Discussions
It is generally accepted that the current era of rating tools
commenced in 1990 with the introduction of the BREEAM
rating tool which was then followed by the French system
6.
20
8. Conclusion
This study provides a better understanding on 11 international
prominent SBRS model. It facilitates stakeholder to review
and understand the SBRS model to be implemented in
different countries. The second part of this study was to give
justification on selection of GBI to apply in Malaysia.
The research outcomes will increase the level of
awareness towards the importance of maintaining the balance
21
References
Abu Mansor, S. (2009). Launch of Green Building Index. Retrieved March
19, 2010, from
http://www.kkr.gov.my/files/teks%20Ucapan%20Green%20Building
%20Index.pdf.
BRE Global Ltd. (2013). What is BREEAM? Retrieved 4 July 2013,
http://www.breeam.org/about.jsp?id=66.
BRE Global Ltd (2012). BRE Environmental & Sustainability Standard BES
5058: Issue 1.3 Retrieved 4 July 2013,
http://www.breeam.org/filelibrary/BREEAM%20In%20Use/BES_505
8_Issue_1_3_BREEAM_In_Use.pdf.
Building and Construction Authority (BCA) (2013). BCA Green Mark
Assessment Criteria and Application Forms. Retrieved January 31,
2013, http://greenmark.sg/BCA_green_mark_criteria.html
Cadman, D. (2007). Centre for the Study of Sustainable Building: The
Carbon Challenge. Retrieved March 19, 2010, from http
http://www.bne.uwe.ac.uk/cssb/docs/carbonchallenge_davidcadman.p
df
Das Gandhi, N. M., Selladurai, V., & Santhi, P. (2006). Unsustainable
Development to Sustainable Development: A Conceptual Model.
International Journal of Management of Environment Quality, 17(6).
Department of Environment Climate Change and Water (DECC) (2010).
NABERS. Retrieved January 31, 2010, from
http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/government/nabers.htm
ECD Energy & Environment Canada Ltd. (2004). Green Globes Design for
New Buildings and Retrofits. Retrieved January 31, 2010, from
http://www.greenglobes.com/design/Green_Globes_Design_Summar
y.pdf
ESD Building Standard Assessment Criteria (2009). BREEAM Assessment
Criteria. Retrieved January 31, 2010, from
http://facilities.anu.edu.au/IARU/ESD-Building-Standards-Assessmen
t-Criteria.pdf
Green Bim (2007). CASBEE Rating System Japan. Retrieved January 31,
2010, from
http://greenbim.blogspot.com/2007/07/casbee-rating-system-japan.ht
ml
Greenbuilding. CA (2001). GBTool Overview (v.107 used for GBC2000
assessments). Retrieved January 19, 2010, from
http://www.greenbuilding.ca/gbc2k/gbtool/gbtool-main.htm
Greenbuildingindex Sdn. Bhd. (2010). GBI Assessment criteria for
RESIDENTIAL NEW CONSTRUCTION (RNC). Retrieved January
19, 2010, from
http://www.Greenbuildingindex.org/Resources/GBI%20Tools/GBI%2
0RNC%20Residential%20Tool%20V1.0%20Final.pdf
Greenbuildingindex Sdn. Bhd. (2010). GBI Procedure Presentation.
Retrieved January 19, 2010, from http://www.greenbuildingindex.org/
Resources/20091116%20%20GBI%20Update%20On%20Incentives/
20091116%20%20GBI%20Procedures%20Presentation.pdf
Greenbuildingindex Sdn. Bhd. (2010). The GBI Classification. Retrieved
January 19, 2010, from
22
http://www.greenbuildingindex.org/how-GBI-works2.html#Classifica
tion
Greenbuildingindex Sdn. Bhd. (2010). What is Green Building Index?
Retrieved January 19, 2010, from http://www.greenbuildingindex.org/
Green Globe Design (2010). What is Green Globe Design? Retrieved January
31, 2010, from http://www.greenglobes.com/design/about.asp
Green Globe Design (2010). Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about
Green Globes Design. Retrieved January 31, 2010, from
http://www.greenglobes.com/design/faq.asp
Green Globe Design (2010). Design Privacy. Retrieved January 31, 2010,
from http://www.greenglobes.com/design/privacy.asp
Hezri, A. A., & Hasan, M. N. (2006). Towards sustainable development? The
evolution of environmental policy in Malaysia. Retrieved March 19,
2010, from
http://www.apimal.org/blogcms/media/13/File/Sus%20Development
%20Msia_Hezri%20n%20Hasan.pdf
Japan Sustainable Building Consortium (JSBC) (2009). CASBEE Certified
Buildings. Retrieved January 19, 2010, from
http://www.ibec.or.jp/CASBEE/english/certified_bldgs.htm
Japan Sustainable Building Consortium (JSBC) (2009). Welcome to
CASBEE Website. Retrieved January 19, 2010, from
http://www.ibec.or.jp/CASBEE/english/index.htm
Myers, G., Reed, R., & Robinson, J. (2007). The Relationship between
Sustainability and the Value of Office Buildings. Retrieved January 21,
2010, from
http://www.prres.net/papers/Myers_Reed_Robinson_The_Relationsp_
Between_Sustainability.pdf
NABERS (2008). Official Website - Welcome. Retrieved January 31, 2010,
from http://www.nabers.com.au/
Shari et. al., (2007). The Potential of Sustainable Building Rating System in
the Malaysia Building. Retrieved January 23, 2010, from
http://psasir.upm.edu.my/2466/1/1-Zalina_pdf.pdf
Spiegel, R. & Meadows, D. (1999). Green Building Materials: A Guide to
Product Selection and Specification. New York: John Wiley & Sons.
Ting, K. H. (2009). Promoting Green Building. Retrieved January 4, 2010,
from
http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/4/1/business/338
0625&sec=business
Tun Abdul Razak, M. N. (2009). The 2010 Budget Speech. Retrieved
December 16, 2010, from
http://www.lawnet.com.my/lawnetpublic/2010BudgetSpeech.pdf
U.S. Green Building Council (2010). Intro - What LEED Is? Retrieved
January 31, 2010, from http://www.usgbc.org/ Display Page. aspx?
CMS Page ID=1988
World Green Building Council (2009). Green Building Rating Systems.
Retrieved January 23, 2010, from
http://www.worldgbc.org/green-building-councils/green-building-rati
ng-tools
Appendix 1
Existing Sustainable Building Rating Systems
23
24
Appendix 2
The Comparison of 11 Prominent International SBRS towards Green Development
GBI
MALAYSIA
LEED
UNITED
STATES
BREEAM
UNITED
KINGDOM
CASBEE
JAPAN
REGULATING
BODY
ASSESSMENT CRITERIA
Tropical
without
GBI Accreditation
extremely high
Panel (GBIAP)
temperatures.
CLIMATES
BUILDING TYPES
COVERED
RATING
RANKS
i. Residential
ii. Non-Residential
Certified
Silver
Gold
Platinum
Variable
climate
changing from
day to day.
Overall climate
is Temperate
Maritime.
Temperate;
Subarctic &
Subtropical
i. Management
ii. Ecology
iii. Energy use
iv. Health and well-being
v. Pollution
vi. Transport
vii. Land use
viii. Materials
ix. Water
i. Indoor environment
Industry-academicii. Quality of services
government
iii. Outdoor environment on site
collaboration with
iv. Energy
the support of the
v. Resources and materials
Ministry of Land,
vi. Reuse and reusability, and
Infrastructure,
avoidance of CFCs and halons
Transport and
vii. Off-site environment
Tourism
Certified
Silver
Gold
Platinum
i. Courts
ii. Homes
iii. Industrial
iv. Multi-Residential
v. Prisons
Pass
vi. Offices
Good
vii. Retail
Very Good
viii. Schools
Excellent
ix. Bespoke system for
buildings that fall outside the
standard BREEAM categories
i. Office
ii. School
iii. Retail shop
iv. Restaurant
v. Assembly place
vi. Hospital
vii. Hotel
viii. Housing complex
ix. Factory
S
A
B+
BC
NABERS
AUSTRALIA
GREEN
GLOBES
CANADA
CLIMATES
REGULATING
ASSESSMENT CRITERIA
BODY
Tundra;
Subarctic;
Humidcontinental &
Green Building
Initiative (GBI)
Impacts
vi. Indoor Environment
Semiarid
HQE
FRANCE
HK - BEAM
HONG KONG
Temperate
Maritime;
Continental;
Mountain
climate where
temperatures
are influenced
mainly by
altitude &
Mediterranean
Humid
Subtropical
i. Site
ii. Energy
iii. Water
iv. Resources
v. Emissions, Effluent and other
HQE Association
BEAM Society
i. Eco-construction
ii. Eco-management
iii. Comfort
iv. Health
i. Site considerations
ii. Material usage
iii. Energy aspects
iv. Water consumption
v. Indoor environmental quality
vi. Innovations
BUILDING TYPES
COVERED
i. Office buildings
ii. Hotels
iii. Shopping centres
iv. homes
25
RATING
RANKS
1Star
2Star
3Star
4Star
5Star
i. Attraction
ii. Business (Whole Sale /
Retail)
III. Congress Center
iv. Meeting Venue
v. Events
vi. Golf Course
vii. Hotel & Resort
viii. Transportation (Mass
1Globe
Transportation, Bus Company, 2Globes
Limousine Service, Car Rental) 3Globes
4Globes
ix. Organization
5Globes
x. Restaurant
xi. Spa
xii. Health Center
xiii. Travel Industry (Tour
i. Residential
ii. Commercial institutional
buildings
iii. Mixed use complexes
iv. Both new and existing
Very Good
Good
Basic
Bronze
Silver
Gold
Platinum
26
GREEN MARK
SINGAPORE
GBTOOL
INTERNATIONAL
CLIMATES
Tropical Wet
Tropical; Dry;
Moderate;
Continental &
Polar
Temperate;
REGULATING
ASSESSMENT CRITERIA
BODY
Building and
Construction
Authority (BCA) of
Singapore
i. Site Selection
ii. Project Planning and
Development
International
iii. Environmental Loadings
Framework
iv. Energy and Resource
Committee for the
Consumption
Green Building
v. Indoor Environmental Quality
Challenge
vi. Functionality
vii. Long-Term Performance
viii. Social and Economic Aspects
Green Building
GREEN STAR
Tropical; Arctic;
Council of Australia
AUSTRALIA
Arid & Semiarid
i. Energy Efficiency
ii. Water Efficiency
iii. Site/Project Development &
Management (Building
Management & Operation for
existing buildings)
iv. Good Indoor Environmental
Quality & Environmental
Protection
v. Innovation
i. Environmental management
ii. Indoor environment quality
iii. Energy use
iv. Transport access
v. Water use
vi. Use of materials
vii. Land use & ecology
viii. Emissions
ix. Innovation
BUILDING TYPES
COVERED
RATING
RANKS
i. Residential Buildings
ii. Non-residential Buildings
iii. Existing Buildings, Overseas
Projects
Certified
iv. Office Interior
Gold
v. Landed House
Gold Plus
vi. Infrastructure
Platinum
vii. New and existing parks and
district
i. Commercial offices
ii. Retail centres
iii. Education facilities
iv. Other buildings ( health
care, multi-unit residential
etc.)
1
2
3
4
5
1Star
2Star
3Star
4Star
5Star
6Star