GREEN ARCHITRENDS
The most energy-efficient buildings in ASEAN in 2008
By Amado de Jesus
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 21:48:00 08/15/2008
Filed Under: Environmental Issues, Construction & Property
(First in a series)
MANILA, Philippines—What we can do to mitigate climate change? A quick answer is reducing the amount of energy we use to operate buildings. Buildings account for almost half of global energy use.
The 10 nations in Asean have worked to achieve a greener complexion in the region through a 10-year annual competition of the greenest, most energy-efficient buildings in Asean. Entries were judged in Bangkok in May this year, the ninth year of the competition.
The winners
Singapore’s Republic Polytechnic, Thailand’s Thai Airways Operations Center and Malaysia’s Perbadanan Putrajaya Complex, garnered the winner, first and second runner-up awards respectively in the new and existing building category during the recently concluded Asean Energy Awards 2008.
The Asean Energy Awards provides international prominence and recognition to outstanding companies and individuals who consciously apply the concepts, systems and technologies of energy efficiency and conservation.
Entries are prequalified by the Department of Energy in each country. Awardees are chosen through a competition by a board of judges made up of one representative from each country of Asean.
Categories
The four categories in the competition are:
• New and existing building
• Retrofitted building
• Tropical building
• Special submission
Qualified building types
Offices, schools, libraries, retail/shopping malls, hotels and hospitals have been selected as building types due to their predictable hours of operation.
Prequalification needs
Candidates are screened according to prequalification criteria that include the energy efficiency standards established by the board of judges. The energy audit or evaluation conducted by the Department of Energy, at no cost to the applicant for joining the competition, is a basic requirement to record energy efficiency and conservation measures employed and to determine their effectiveness.
The winner: The Republic Polytechnic Centre (RP), Singapore
The Republic Polytechnic Centre or RP is Singapore’s fifth and the newest polytechnic located in the northern part of Singapore. It is a vibrant campus built on the scenic grounds of a nature park.
RP has a land area of about 200,000 square meters and was completed in 2006. The campus has 9 major buildings with a height of 3 to 14 stories.
The campus is barrier-free, allowing the public, staff and students to enjoy the campus and park facilities.
Other design features are the sunken courtyards, the stream and the reflecting pool, which all contribute to create a synergistic relationship between nature and the educational facilities in the campus.
Republic Polytechnic’s air-conditioning system takes up only 36 percent of total power consumption. This is lower than most buildings where the air-conditioning system takes up more than 50 percent of total building energy consumption.
Its active design includes energy efficient air-conditioning centralized plant room and the use of a thermal energy storage system, which enables the chillers to operate in a more efficient condition at night at optimum load conditions when outdoor temperature is lower.
Energy-efficient features include lighting, electronic ballasts, photocells, energy-efficient lifts and escalators with motion detectors.
Its passive design includes the use of low E glass with ceramic frit, perforated aluminum sunshades, proper orientation and natural lighting.
RP uses a building management system (BMS) which controls and monitors the building operations including a booking system for the use of air conditioning in meeting rooms. Air conditioning for these rooms will only be available for the period reserved from the BMS only.
First Runner-up: Thai Airways Operations Center (OPC), Thailand
OPC occupies a land area of about 36,000 square meters. Completed in 2006, it is designed to be the center of flight operation, management and Air Crew Terminal. The site maximizes the use of ground-covering plants and palm trees to provide shade and reduce heat around the building.
The building is designed for protection from heat and the noise of aircraft through the use of insulated double glazing and insulated aluminum composite cladding. Walls are predominantly metallic silver, white and blue-tone glass.
Natural light and ventilation are utilized through an open well in the middle of the building.
The OPC uses 4 high-efficiency water-cooled chillers. Two operating and one standby centrifugal chillers are provided for day-load operation while a small screw chiller has been provided to match with the night load. Other notable features include start/stop escalators, photo sensors, carbon monoxide monitors, energy-efficient lighting. The building uses a Building and Premises Management Information System (BMIS), developed by the company itself.
Second Runner-up: Perbadanan Putrajaya Complex (PPj), Malaysia
PPj occupies a site area of about 66,600 square meters and was completed in 2004. The building has 3 basements and 9-stories with a floor area of 119,200 square meters.
Putrajaya is envisioned as the city of the new millennium conceptualized in accordance with the Putrajaya Master Plan concepts of “City in Garden and the Intelligent City.”
The main building comprises four simple volumes integrated within courtyards and arcades that open up to incorporate a landscaped walkway. It has meeting rooms that are suspended to give an impressive façade. A continuous suspended garden tops the crown of the gallery to provide views of the waterfront.
The conference facilities and auditorium are designed as a complex of low-rise buildings connected by pedestrian links with boutique retail spaces. The façade is a network of arcades with elegant intricate mesh screens of geometric patterns that provide protection from the sun.
The energy-efficient features of the PPj Complex include the shape of the building, its orientation, native plant gardens around the building, window protection from direct sunlight, efficient planning, CO2 sensors, motorized blinds and rain sensors.
It is equipped with a Building Energy Management System (BEMS) which is designed to be a part of the Building Control System (BCS).
For comments or inquiries, e-mail amadodejesus@gmail.com.
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