Greening government's office buildings: PWD Malaysia experiences

Abstract

Tackling the challenge of climate change is about confronting the critical question of how we should value sustainability. The built environment is a reflection of our understanding through growing awareness of the solutions to issues that confront us. Public Works Department Malaysia (PWD) has taken steps progressively to create, adapt and apply a sustainable building project management throughout building lifecycle; planning, design, construction, monitoring and maintenance as to achieve a green nation by 2020. This approach focus on energy efficiency and energy saving in building sector thus in line with Malaysia's target to reduce carbon emission of 40% from 2005 level by 2020 as mentioned by Prime Minister of Malaysia at COP15 in Denmark, December 2009. Indeed, PWD has taken serious action significantly to lead this mission by implementing and achieving sustainable projects towards healthy and quality environment by using Green Building criteria to achieve sustainable building design. This aim is a collective approach from government agencies such as Ministry of Green, Technology and Water, Standard & Industrial Research Institute of Malaysia (SIRIM), Ministry of Natural Resources & Environment and Ministry of Housing & Local Authority with cooperation from the professional bodies namely Malaysian Institute of Architects and Association of Consultant Engineer Malaysia. The government has built several energy efficiency and green demonstration projects such as Low Energy Office (LEO), Green Energy Office (GEO) and Energy Commission Building. This paper outlines some of PWD experiences in implementing sustainable practices for government buildings that particularly focus on office buildings. In line with the Malaysian Plan, PWD has produce its sustainable plan towards achieving the goals that focuses on green government building initiatives for new and existing buildings. The approach for new building includes of Energy Efficiency Programmes; that focus on designed, constructed or retrofitted, operated and maintained in a manner that reduces the use of energy. Other than that, Industrialised Building System, Rain Water Harvesting and Environmental Management System (JKR EMS 14001: 2004) are also considered. These criteria will be implemented into new government buildings design such as the future Ministry of Works Complex 2. For existing buildings, efforts has been done especially through energy audit on selected government buildings all over Malaysia, energy saving programmes, energy performance contract, and retrofitting works. In becoming a world class service provider, PWD also has embarked a way forward in implementing sustainable design and green project management through Research and Development. Currently, the research field focus on Developing a Comfortable and Energy Efficient Government's Office Building Design and the outcome will be a guideline for the designers. PWD Malaysia has put plans and strategies on energy efficiency and greening of government buildings that aims to improve the quality of life for the population.