Low carbon society blueprints and primitive attempts of green buildings of existing buildings

Abstract

Rapid development of cities around the world has been the pulling factor for the increased in the rural migration to the cities. It is expected that urban population will increase to more than 60% by 2050 and the biggest growth is expected in the developing countries in Asia. The urban challenges and stresses are contributing to the main issue of climatic changes. One movement to combat and mitigate climate change in the cities is to culture a low carbon urban society. This paper shares the experience of preparing the Low Carbon Society (LCS) Blueprints specifically in matters involving Green Buildings for Iskandar Malaysia and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The focus is on the existing buildings that make up more than 80% of building stocks in the cities. Furthermore, it is easier to manage and regulate new buildings through building submissions whereby the new building has to be designed as green building that will be vetted by respective local authority failing which the building plan will be rejected! Thus, clearly in order to make LCS successfully implemented and achieving target of green building, the most important is the caring for the existing buildings. The paper shares the strategies outlined in the LCS Blueprints and possible approaches to rejuvenate existing buildings into targeted green buildings using low lying fruit strategies before embarking into more expensive active technologies. The layman strategies adopted by house owner in a typical terrace house is used as an interesting case study that is simple and easy to follow with reference to the low-lying fruit principles. The paper discusses on incentives and rewards systems to drive green buildings awareness and implementations of LCS Blueprints for Iskandar Malaysia and Kuala Lumpur. It concluded by showing the illustration of Low Carbon City of the future.