Mohamad Nidzam Rahmat

Success Factors of Implementing Green Building in Malaysia

Green building is an outcome of a design which focuses on energy efficiency, thus reducing building impacts on human health and the environment during the building’s lifecycle. Modern building shows little regard for environmental and social impact over its entire life. Realizing this, a paradigm shift to build green buildings is needed. The Malaysian development commitment towards green building is still at an infancy stage. Therefore, the objective of this study is to identify the critical success factors (CSFs) for the implementation of green building in Malaysia. The policies and incentives that are supported by the government in promoting, encouraging, and emphasizing green building were determined. Literature review was conducted to derive the key factors of green building implementation. Various variables from different authors were summarized based on the frequency of occurrence. Seventeen variables of CSFs of implementation green building were obtained from this study. The variables were supported by structured interview and comparative of five green buildings in Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya as case studies. The findings were used to establish the CSFs that determine the best practice for implementation of green building in Malaysia.

Strength Properties of Sustainable Palm Oil Fuel Ash (POFA)—Stabilized Landfill

Laboratory investigations were carried out to establish the potential utilization of palm oil fuel ash (POFA) in stabilizing landfill soil. POFA is a waste material from the palm oil industry in Malaysia. Currently, the disposal of this ash from a burning process to heat up boilers and generate electricity is a problem for palm oil companies, and hence an environmental pollution concern. Landfill on its own and in combination with laterite clay soil was stabilized using POFA either on its own or in combination with lime or Portland cement (PC). The traditional stabilizers of lime or PC were used as controls. The main aim was to investigate the potential of utilizing POFA as sustainable stabilizer material as a partial replacement of the traditional one. Compacted cylinder test specimens were made at typical stabilizer contents and moist cured for up to 60 days prior to testing for compressive and water absorption tests. The results obtained showed that landfill soil combined with laterite clay (50:50) stabilized with 20 % POFA: hydrated lime (50:50) and POFA: PC (50:50) recorded the highest values of compressive strength compared to the other compositions of stabilizers and soils. However, when the amount of POFA increased in the system the compressive strength values of the samples tended to decrease. It indicated that, high amount of POFA reduces the pozzolanic reaction and cementitious compound, which has a negative effect on soil particle bonding. These results suggest technological, economic, as well as environmental advantages of using POFA and similar industrial by-products to achieve sustainable infrastructure development with near-zero industrial waste.

Transfer of Development Right (TDR) as a Tool in Heritage Building Conservation in Kuala Lumpur

Heritage buildings are significanct forms and elements of a city. Preservation of these buildings is important for its historical values and knowledge for future generations. In the developing country like Malaysia, particularly in the city of Kuala Lumpur, where rapid development is progressing, these heritage buildings are facing the threat of being demolished. The existence of legislations, the latest being the G. O. Malaysia, National Heritage Act 2005 (Act 645), 2011, seems not to be effective in curbing the demolition of these kinds of structures. The legislation has succeeded in preserving government-owned buildings but not the private-owned buildings. There are imbalances between the economic development and the heritage preservation. It is believed that the lack of awareness of the buildings’ significance, the lack of incentive to encourage conservation, and the lack of options the heritage building owners could choose in developing their sites contribute to the factor of the disappearing of these invaluable urban fabrics. The aim of this chapter is to study the transfer development rights (TDR) potential which might be used for heritage buildings in Kuala Lumpur. This chapter dwells into the problem by seeking information on awareness and feedbacks in regard to heritage matters from the people involved in the city planning and development as well as the heritage building owners. Subsequently, the study looks into the transfer of development rights (TDR), an incentive program, as a tool used in conservation of heritage buildings. All information was obtained through questionnaires requiring respondent’s opinions and feedbacks to the related matters. It is suggested that the TDR program can be utilized by the heritage building owners as an option to balance the economic and preservation needs and thus, preserving the heritage and historical building in Kuala Lumpur.

Compressive Strength and Density of Unfired Lightweight Coal Ash Brick

Coal-fired thermal power plant produces million tons of coal ash which constitute of fly ash and bottom ash annually throughout the world. They were by-product and significant to be developed as brick to substitute the existing widely used traditional material such as clay and sand brick which were produced from depleting and dwindling natural resources. In the present study, the coal ash from coal-fired thermal power plant was used as the main raw material for the fabrication of unfired lightweight brick. The blended binder comprising of Hydrated Lime (HL)-Ground Granulated Blastfurnace Slag (GGBS) and Portland Cement (PC)-GGBS were used to stabilize the coal ash in the fabrication process. Foam was used to reduce the weight of the brick. The compressive strength in accordance to BS EN 772-1 and ambient density in accordance to AS/NZS 4456.8 were evaluated on the brick samples. The results indicated that the coal ash brick incorporating PC-GGBS system achieved higher compressive strength compare to the HL-GGBS system. However, as the quantity of foam increase, the strength and density for both brick systems decreased.

Compressive Strength and Density of Cementless Unfired Lightweight Brick Utilizing Coal Ash from Coal-Fired Thermal Power Plant

Millions tons of coal ash which constitute of fly ash and bottom ash were produced annually throughout the world. They were significant to be developed as masonry brick to substitute the existing widely used traditional material such as clay and sand brick which were produced from depleting and dwindling natural resources. In the present study, the coal ash from coal-fired thermal power plant was used as the main raw material for the fabrication of cementless unfired lightweight brick. The binder comprising of Hydrated Lime (HL)-activated Ground Granulated Blastfurnace Slag (GGBS) system at binding ratio 30:70, 50:50 and 70:30 were used to stabilize the coal ash in the fabrication process of the brick. Foam was used to lightweight the brick. The compressive strength and ambient density were evaluated on the brick. The results indicated that the brick incorporating HL-GGBS system achieved higher strength of 20.84N/mm2 at 28 days compare to the HL system with strength of 13.98N/mm2 at 28 days. However, as the quantity of foam increase at 0%, 25%, 50%, 75% and 100%, the strength and density for the brick decreased.