Department of Building Surveying
Faculty of Built Environment
BIB1006: Building Services
Semester 2 2021/2022
CASE STUDY ABOUT THE GREEN BUILDING TECHNOLOGY: DESIGN, INSTALLATION, NEEDS
AND LIMITATIONS OF GREEN BUILDING SYSTEM IN MENARA KERJA RAYA
Prepared by:
Lim Qian Yi S2037164
Submission Date:
13th June 2022
Abstract
Building services are the systems used in the buildings to increase the functionality,
efficiency and safety of the building performance (Archi-Monarch, 2021). These
includes water supply system, Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC)
system, drainage and plumbing system, sewerage system and the green building
system. Aside from providing a serviceable environment, building services today aim
greater to reduce energy consumption and increase sustainability.
In this assignment, the main discussion will be on the green building technology.
Green building services involve the energy and water efficiency which aims to
minimize the environmental impact and achieve better energy performance. It is
increasingly popular today as more research are being conducted to reduce carbon
emissions and make efficient use of resources throughout the whole building life
cycle from the design, construction, operation, maintenance, and removal.
The findings of this assignment will explain and analyse the common green building
services system used in various buildings and its impact on the whole building life
cycle which takes into the account of the resource utilisation and the needs of
maintenance. Furthermore, this finding also provides the advantages and limitations
of the services as well as the fully annotated diagram which shows the designation
and location of the system.
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Acknowledgement
First of all, I would like to express my deep appreciation to our lecturers, Dr. Raha
binti Sulaiman and Dr. Au Yong Cheong Peng for giving me an opportunity to carry
out this case study. The writing of the assignment would not be possible without their
valuable suggestions, endless support and understanding throughout the
assignment. I would like to express our gratitude to Madam Sila for the approval
letter given that allows me to collect resources from relevant authorities.
Next, I would also wish to acknowledge the help provided by Universiti Malaya for
providing us all the necessary library resources and access to various online
databases. Aside from that, I would like to express my gratitude to the Malaysia Green
Building Council in providing necessary information about the certified green buildings
in Malaysia.
Lastly, I express my gratitude to the seniors and everyone that involved and gave
several inspirations and ideas in finalising my work. In short, I am immensely grateful
and appreciative to all involved in the project because without their inspiration and
useful insights, our assignment will not be completed within the stipulated time.
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Table of Contents
Abstract 2
Acknowledgement 3
List of Figures & List of Table 5
1.0 Introduction 6
1.1 Study Background 6
1.2 Objectives 7
1.3 Methodology 7
2.0 Literature Review of Green Building Technology 8
2.1 Introduction to Green Building Technology 8
2.2 Water Efficiency 8-11
2.3 Energy Efficiency 11
2.4 Building Automation System 11
3.0 Case Study Findings 12
3.1 Background of Case Study 12
3.2 Findings of the Green Building Technology 13-15
4.0 Conclusion 16
Reference 17
Appendix A 18-19
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List of Figures
No Figure Page
1 Dual-flush toilet 9
2 How Composting Toilet works? 9
3 Waterless Urinals 10
4 Rainwater Harvesting System 10
5 Merana Kerja Raya 12
6 The Catchment Area 13
List of Tables
No Table Page
1 GBI Rating Registry 7
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1.0 Introduction
1.1 Study Background
Green building is defined as the building that in its design, construction and
operation can create positive impact towards the environment and encourage
preservation of energy (World Green Building Council, 2022). Green building
services play an imperative role in green building rating tools and certifications as
this system as it is related to the long-term energy saving, clean water and
sanitation, responsible consumption and production which are laid down under
the sustainable development goals. For example, in LEED green building rating
system, approximately 15% of the credits impact water resources which indicates
that the building whereas for the assessment criteria in the Green Building Index
(GBI) rating system in Malaysia, about 45 out of 100 points are allocated for
energy and water efficiency (Refer to Appendix A).
The prevalence of green buildings today has indicated the importance of green
building technology. Studies have proven that buildings account for around 38%
to 50% of the greenhouse gas emissions and one-third of the world’s total energy
has been consumption in the built environment, thus, promoted green building
request and supply may participate to 35% mitigation of carbon dioxide (CO2)
emissions and as much as 50% mitigation of total energy use as well as 40%
mitigation of water usage (Saleh M. Algburi and A. A. Faieza, 2016). Hence, the
green building technology can be applied within Malaysia to improve the built
environment in this country.
Fortunately, the continuous rise in amounts of green buildings in Malaysia has
demonstrated the rise in public awareness against green products and green
buildings. Until 2022, there are about 601 certified green buildings in Malaysia
with different ranking as shown in Table 1 which including the Menara Kerja
Raya, Sunway City Iskandar Puteri, Nucleus Tower, Euro Atlantic Warehouse
and other types of buildings. Most of the buildings consist of incorporation of
latest technology to ensure water and energy efficiency.
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Table 1: GBI Rating Registry
Source: greenbuildingindex, 2022
1.2 Objectives
This study aims to provide information about the green building services system
and its importance in the building industry nowadays. Throughout the research,
the assignment aims to analyses and discusses the installation, location, design
as well as the needs and limitations of the green building technology based on
the case study, Menara Kerja Raya in Kuala Lumpur. Furthermore, aside from
the water and energy efficiency, this assignment will also discuss briefly
regarding to the building automation system which refer to the use of smart
appliances or Heating, Ventilation and Air-Conditioning (HVAC) system.
1.3 Methodology
The research for this assignment is carried out in based on desktop study and
library research. During the writing of literature review, information is obtained
through online databases such as journal articles, books, official published
magazines, annual reports and the website. Moreover, the lecture slides are also
the main references during the writing of this assignment.
For the case study, Menara Kerja Raya is located within Kuala Lumpur and site
visit is carried out. However, there are several limitations of study at which there
is no reply received from the email sent to the Jabatan Kerja Raya (JKR) while
obtaining the permission to enter the department offices within the building.
However, there are several information and data about the building provided
online by the JKR official website, the Green Building Council Malaysia in their
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annual report as well as the journal article published in Journal of Design and
Built Environment.
2.0 Literature Review of Green Building Technology
2.1 Introduction to Green Building Technology
Green Building Technology is defined by the Office of the Federal Environmental
Executive (OFEE) US as the practice of increasing the efficiency use of energy,
water and materials as well as reducing the building impact on health and
environment through better design, construction, operation and maintenance
(Sam Kubba, 2017). Owing to increasing public awareness of sustainable
development concept, the application of green building technology in different
type of buildings keeps increasing today because of the constantly research and
innovation done to reduce the cost of implementation. For example, the
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)-certified buildings can
cut greenhouse gas emissions and water consumption by nearly 50%, while
costing 25% less to operate and enjoying nearly 30% higher occupant
satisfaction and lower interest rates (Sam Kubba, 2017).
Based on the World Green Building Council, aside from the commonly used
global rating tools such as Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design
(LEED), BCA Green Mark Scheme used in Singapore and Green Star SA created
in South Africa, the Energy Star Rating System is created and applied in US
which assess the building’s energy and water use. Moreover, there are water-
related legislations and codes which govern the water management within the
building such as Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA) Section 438 that
is related to stormwater (Stephanie Vierra, 2019).
In Malaysia, under the GBI framework, points will be awarded when the building
incorporating environmental friendly features such as energy efficiency,
sustainable site management, water efficiency, green material and resources,
innovation and indoor environmental quality. For instance, the energy efficiency
can be achieved when there is best practice in building services including use of
renewable energy whereas water efficiency can be achieved through proper
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designation of rain water harvesting system, water recycling and water fittings
(Greenbuildingindex, 2020).
2.2 Water Efficiency
Today, water conservation is now becoming a main feature of a green building.
This is mainly caused by the scarcity of freshwater as the projected freshwater
demand is expected to double within next three decades. Moreover, water
conservation can lead to energy conservation and savings. By just 1 in every 10
homes in US installing water saving faucets or aerators in their bathrooms could
result in a saving of about 6 billion gallons of water, which save more than
$50million in the energy costs to supply, heat, and treat that water (Sam Kubba,
2017). Hence, this shows the need of water efficiency as one of the water
conservation methods.
First, the low-flow or ultra-low-flow fixtures can be installed as it can reduce water
used by 30-40% for every household. Plumbing fixture replacement to replace
old, higher flow water closet can make tremendous water savings. However, old
buildings today might refuse to update the fixture due to the risk of clogging. This
can be shown when low-flow fixtures can only be able to flush out solid waste in
at least four or five attempts.
Hence, selecting the right water fixtures will be important to reduce needs of
water supply. For example, gravity tank toilets with steeper sides can allow more
rapid cleaning during the flushing process whereas the dual flush toilets as
shown in Figure 1 are widely seen in the commercial buildings today as it gives
the users a choice of flushes and it can save up to 68% more water than a low-
flow toilet (Sam Kubba, 2017). Moreover, the composting toilet is water efficient
as it requires little or no water to function. However, its installation requires proper
ventilation to prevent the spread of bacteria as shown in Figure 2. Next, the
water-free urinals also promote water saving at which it can employ a special trap
with lightweight biodegradable oil that lets urine and water pass through but
prevents odour from escaping into the restroom as shown in Figure 3. Moreover,
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it is cost efficient and can be installed easily. Therefore, maintenance is only
required to maintain liquid seal device.
Figure 1: Dual-flush toilet
Source: 500eco, 2013
Figure 2: How Composting Toilet works?
Source: Sam Kabba, 2017
Figure 3: Waterless Urinals
Source: Sam Kabba, 2017
Next, the electronic control of water fixtures can also help to reduce water
consumption A great example would be the electronic faucets which have sensor
features to prevent the faucets from excess dripping which could cause extensive
water wastage later.
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Aside from changing the plumbing fixtures, the water efficiency can also be
achieved through rainwater harvesting system. This is a modified system to
collect and reuse the rainwater for sanitary, landscaping irrigation and other non-
drinking purposes as shown in Figure 4. Rainwater collection involves collecting
and holding on-site rainfall using the catchment area, roof and direct the water
into the cisterns or underground tanks after the pre-storage filtrations to remove
large particulates and debris out of the water storage. Next, a pump will be used
to deliver the water to the point of use. Lastly, the water can then be used during
the dry periods by the irrigation system or flushing system.
Figure 4: Rainwater Harvesting System
Source: Great Home, 2022
Greywater system is also installed today to reuse and utilise the wastewater
before discharge it to the sewerage system. This includes the water soiled by the
washing machine, bathroom sinks, basin and showers. The greywater is usually
filtered and then used for watering landscape or can be used mainly for flushing
toilets indoors. Aside from household usage, the greywater can be reused for
other applications including construction activities, concrete mixing, and cooling
water for power plants.
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2.3 Energy efficiency
Throughout the whole building cycle, the use of energy within the building can be
classified into the initial embodied energy during construction stages,
occupational energy during the building lifetime, maintenance energy and the
demolition energy (Dejan Mumovic, 2019). Hence, building services often
associated with the occupational energy and maintenance energy. This includes
the energy efficient elevator system. Elevator system nowadays often
incorporates the use of software and sensors in monitoring and controlling the
elevator. For instance, the sensors can turn the elevator into the idle mode and
turn off the lights, screen, and music when unoccupied to reduce the energy
used. Furthermore, there is dispatch control software that could make fewer
stops and minimize the waiting time by batching the stop requests.
2.4 Building Automation System
Building Automation System refers to a computerized, intelligent network of
electronic devices designed to monitor and control the building services. This
system is not only able to reduce the use of energy but it can help to increase the
efficiency and the lifespan of the system. A great example will be the automated
lighting system which can be automatically switched on during night time. Next,
the system can also make interlocks. This simply means that the appliances can
be linked to one another and hence this can minimize the operation of unused
system or machines which can reduce the energy consumption.
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3.0 Case Study Findings
3.1 Background of case study
The case study chosen is an awarded prestigious Green Building Index Platinum
certification building for non-residential category located along Jalan Sultan
Salahuddin, Kuala Lumpur, the Menara Kerja Raya as shown in Figure 6. This
skyscraper has a gross floor area of 51516 square meters with approximately
175 meters tall. This building consists of 37 storeys and the offices of Minister of
Works. Menara Kerja Raya received the Platinum certification from GBI rating
starting from 2019 as it incorporates the features such as reduce energy
consumption, improve occupant comfort, reduce material usage impact and make
used of recyclable resources (IEN Consultants, 2020). Moreover, the building
adopted green building technology by maximizing the efficient use of water
resources, improving the indoor environmental quality and using daylighting for
50% of the office floor areas to reduce energy used as shown in Figure xx. Even
the building incorporates the natural daylight, its thermal comfort is maintained by
the well-insulated building envelope. Hence, this green building are designed not
only to save energy and resources but also to decrease the operational savings
and increase workplace productivity.
However, in this case study, the main discussion will focus more on the water
efficiency and energy efficiency such as the rainwater harvesting system and the
use of automated system as a building service within the building.
Figure 5: Merana Kerja Raya
Source: Site Visit, 2022
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3.2 Findings of the Green Building Technology
Design, Installations and Location
Menara Kerja Jaya has made several efforts to promote water efficiency
which includes the use of ultra-low-flow fixtures, rainwater harvesting
system and the waste water treatment system. First, the low-flow fixtures
at the toilets and ablution, as well as low cooling load resulting in lower
cooling tower water usage reduce the water consumption per square
meter floor area by 70% compared to another neighbouring JKR office
tower (IEN Consultants, 2019). Next, the rainwater harvesting system
located underneath the roof structure which resembles a crown as shown
in Figure 7 acts as the catchment area to collect the rainwater. Next, the
400 cubic meter underground rainwater harvesting tank captures plenty of
rainwater to be used and a pump is used to direct the water for the
flushing systems within the building and landscape irrigation as outdoor
purposes.
Furthermore, Menara Kerja Raya is the first building in Malaysia that
incorporate a waste water treatment system that is able to treat the
greywater from wash basins, floor traps and ablution to be reused. Hence,
greywater is treated before being redirect to the fixtures.
Figure 6: The Catchment Area
Source: greenbuildingindex, 2022
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Furthermore, this building has installed solar panels to reduce energy
consumption, increase energy efficiency and contribute the general grid in
the future. These solar panels with efficient lighting design and energy
efficient air conditioning system help to save the government
approximately RM2.5 million per year in electricity charges (Balancing
Development and Sustainability, 2018).
From the aspect of energy efficiency, the availability of daylighting and
efficient lighting design with a low 8W/m2 lighting power density and
automated control has resulted in turn off of 40% of the office lights during
daytime. Moreover, the proper installation and design of air conditioning
system is also able to reduce fan power down by more than 50% on
reduced load days.
Needs and Limitations
The green building technology adopted in the Merana Kerja Jaya has
contributed to greater water and energy efficiency within Malaysia. The
greywater treatment system allows the water to be treated which this
could minimize the risk of disease transmission through the bacteria
exists in the soiled water. Furthermore, the incorporation of daylighting
can reduce the use of office lights substantially and the automated control
can help to provide light source during rainy or shady moment without
additional energy consumptions.
However, there are several limitations at which the surrounding
developments are not being integrated along with the Menara Kerja Raya.
Moreover, the implementation cost for the low-flow fixtures might be
higher than low rise building at which the plumbing system has to be
designated with the pumps to ensure sufficient pressure for toilet
appliance during the flushing process.
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3.2.1 Fully Annotated Diagram
Rainwater Harvesting System
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4.0 Conclusion
In short, the green building technology is imperative to ensure sustainability in built
environment and better building performance which could benefit the environment,
community and the ecosystem in the long run. However, government role is
necessary to promote the significance of energy efficiency to ensure lower
implementing and installation cost of building automation system. Furthermore,
reusing the greywater or rainwater will help to reduce substantial amount of water
consumption and therefore reducing the risk of water crisis. Hence, rainwater
harvesting system should be introduced in every household or commercial buildings
and incentives have to be taken in order to incorporate water recycling such as the
recovering water and water treatment plant.
Today, the green building technology will be the vital objectives for the developers
and government around the world. Even though there are several barriers to achieve
efficient resource management such as the lack of support from professionals in
making Green Building design and the high installation cost due to the lack of
availability of green products, our country in recent years has strived to demonstrate
some advance and continuous development in this field. Therefore, all stakeholders
should be able to combat and support the implementation of green building
construction in the future.
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References
Balancing Development And Sustainability. (2022).
https://www.cidb.gov.my/sites/default/files/2020-04/BINA-MAMPAN-VOL.4.pdf
Davies, J. (2022). Rainwater Harvesting Systems - Great Home. http://great-
home.co.uk/rainwater-harvesting-systems/
GBI Assessment criteria for NON-RESIDENTIAL NEW CONSTRUCTION (NRNC). (2022).
https://www.greenbuildingindex.org/Files/Resources/GBI%20Tools/GBI%20NRNC%20Non-
Residential%20Tool%20V1.0.pdf
GBI RATING SYSTEM – Green Building Index. (2022).
https://www.greenbuildingindex.org/how-gbi-works/gbi-rating-system/
Hall, F., & Greeno, R. (2009). Building services handbook. London: Butterworth-Heinemann.
Profil | Kementerian Kerja Raya Malaysia (KKR). (2022).
https://www.kkr.gov.my/ms/organisasi/profail-kkr
Kubba, S. (2016). Handbook of Green Building Design and Construction, 2nd Edition. [Place
of publication not identified]: Butterworth-Heinemann.
Menara Kerja Raya. (2022). Ien Consultants. https://www.ien.com.my/projects/menara-kerja-
raya
M., K., J., D., & M, S. (2018). Review of Green Building Index GBI in Malaysia. International
Journal Of Trend In Scientific Research And Development, Special Issue(Special Issue-
ICAEIT2017), 18-22. doi: 10.31142/ijtsrd19117
Mumovic, D., & Santamouris, M. A handbook of sustainable building design and
engineering.
Sharif, S., Kamaruzzaman, S., & Pitt, M. (2017). Implementation Framework of Green
Building for Government Building: Menara Kerja Raya, Malaysia. Journal Of Design And
Built Environment, 17(2), 27-36. doi: 10.22452/jdbe.vol17no2.3
Tobias, M. (2022). 20 Green Design Features for Buildings. https://www.ny-
engineers.com/blog/20-green-design-features-for-buildings
Vierra, S. (2022). Green Building Standards and Certification Systems | WBDG - Whole
Building Design Guide. https://www.wbdg.org/resources/green-building-standards-and-
certification-systems
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Appendix A
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