Solar and Wind powered prefabricated office

Imagine you are building a temporary office in a remote area where connecting to the power grid is impossible or not practical. Or, for the 'kick' of it, you want a self-sufficient small office behind your backyard.

Why not consider a pre-fabricated one such as this, designed by Victor Vetterlein. In case you were wondering, this is an actual practical unit published at inhabitat, (well sort of) it's just a concept but it's workable):

Ready-made and easy to install

Power is obtained from wind and solar 

It is modular, so, you can add few units in series to build bigger home/office.

What is it

The designer calls it the MOSS, a prefabricated 13 foot octagonal structure intended for home office, powered by clean, renewable energy.


Energy efficient design concept

It has very minimal environmental impact while still providing a comfortable and professional working environment. The main structural frame is laminated tree farm wood and steel connection plates, while the interior consists of insulated panels for energy efficiency.

During daytime, lighting is provided by natural light via the provision of 'sunroof'.


Renewable initiative

The rooftop solar panels provide energy for electricity, as well as providing shade from the scorching sun during hot weather. Shading is achieved by slightly lifting the solar PV panels off the roof to provide ventilation. Small wind turbine is also fitted.


For further reading, I suggest that you visit inhabitat where you can read the full article. All images were adopted from the website.

12 Government buildings save RM3.5mil in electricity bills

Electrical Energy Manager requirement in Malaysia

Efficient Management of Electrical Energy Regulations 2008 (EMEER) that was gazetted on December 15, 2008 is aimed at getting big energy users to meet requirements in respect of the efficient use of electricity. This Regulation, among others require users with total consumption of 3,000,000 kWh or more over 6 consecutive months to appoint a Electrical Energy Manager (EEM) and implement efficient electrical energy management.

If your organisation is drawing 700 kW of power consistently, energy consumption would be 16,800 kWh per day or 3,057,600 kWh over 182 days (6 months). This will qualify you - or rather require you - to notify Energy Commission and appoint a EEM. It's a legal requirement!

As a guideline, if you have a 1,000 kVA transformer installed at your premise, you most likely fall under this Regulation. Example: hotels/resorts, universities, water treatment plans/pumping stations, big shopping complexes, government buildings, sky-scrappers, etc.


Government took the lead-by-example approach!

This was in the news, so, expect stricter implementation of the Regulation by Energy Commission, EC, in the near future. You might get a surprise visit from EC officials:-

Government Buildings Saved RM3.5m In Electricity Bills This Year
Putrajaya - Nov.30, 2012

Twelve government buildings identified as the biggest consumers of electricity, registered savings of RM3.5 million or 10.3 per cent in power usage, between January and October.

Energy, Green Technology and Water Minister Datuk Seri Peter Chin Fah Kui said, this was achieved after an energy manager was appointed for each building which used more than 3,000,000 kilowatts per hour in six consecutive months, and suggested steps for energy conservation for implementation.

Among the buildings are the Finance Ministry building which recorded savings of 20 per cent and the Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Ministry building with 9.8 per cent, he told reporters after meeting with ministry personnel here today.

Chin said, they could increase savings by using energy-saving bulbs such as light-emitting diode (LED) or compact fluorescent lamp (CFL), whereby RM800 million could be saved a year, should all buildings be fitted with such bulbs. He said the ministry was still discussing with the Finance Ministry on implementing the change to energy-saving bulbs as it would involve high costs.

"We are now looking at working with producers to come up with their proposal on how they can implement this for the government.

"If they can work with us on the implementation, for example, they are paid according to the savings (made from the usage of the bulbs). Then, the government will be able to implement this much faster," he said.

Government buildings currently spend more than RM2.7 billion on electricity a year. - Bernama

Apply green technology in development projects

It maybe too soon for some developers to aim for GBI rated buildings now, but it is achieveable and in a long run, it will benefit both the environment and the future generations. We already have our   first green building - the Art Gallery Conservation Centre located in Jalan Penampang which can save as much as RM400,000 a year in energy.

In simple terms, buildings will be awarded the GBI rating based on 6 key criteria, namely Energy Efficiency,  Indoor Environmental Quality, Sustainable Site Planning & Management, Material and Resources, Water Efficiency, and Innovation.

Datuk Hajiji Hj. Noor (centre) representing the Chief Minister at the conference. Photo: Insight Sabah

Let's go for green building

Recently, Chief Minister Datuk Musa Aman called on everyone, especially developers, to apply green technology in all development projects and programmes in Sabah so as to ensure a clean, safe and harmonious environment for the people.

Speaking at the launching of the Sabah Planning Conference, held in conjunction with the World Town Planning Day 2012, he said, the event is aptly conducted and in line with the government's effort to ensure development with a green technology concept.

"The conference also displays the commitment of the government through its agencies in implementing green development in Sabah," he said in a speech delivered by Local Government and Housing Minister, Datuk Hajiji Noor.

Development, he said, is a measurement stick to gauge the level of progress of a nation or state.

But, he said, apart from the various development programmes that were carried out, the green wealth and natural beauty of the State must be preserved.

It is for this reason, Musa said, that all professionals and researchers from the public and private agencies as well as NGOs should continue cooperating with one another in developing the State without sidelining the natural environment.

"I am confident and believe that if we create green towns in the State, and at the same time ensure the development that we are implementing are integrated, the people would surely live in an environment that is clean, safe and harmonious," he said.

Hence, he urged everyone involved to ensure the application of green technology in all development for the common benefit of everyone.

He said a well-planned and well-organised development must also provide spaces for leisure and recreation activities by integrating green technology into the project, be it housing, commercial and industrial development. - D.Express

Energy Commission HQ in Putrajaya wins top award for Energy Efficiency

When Malaysia scoured the region to study some of the sustainable and energy-efficient buildings around South-east Asia back in 2005, there was going to be only one outcome - 'a first'.

It is the first building outside Singapore to obtain the island state's Green Mark platinum rating. Also, it is the first office building in Malaysia to obtain the Green Building Index, GBI platinum rating. Let's hope this will become a catalyst for other corporations and individuals to build more green buildings in the future.

The Diamond Building, double-platinum award winner. Picture by ACICC Malaysia Sdn Bhd via The Star


The most energy-efficient building in SEA

Energy Commission headquarters, the Diamond Building in Putrajaya was named the most energy-efficient building at the Asean Energy Awards (AEA) 2012 held on September 12, in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

The Diamond Building won the top prize in the category of “New and Existing Buildings”, which was open to buildings that were not more than 5 years old. The AEA, which began in 2000, is an annual awards programme that recognises “outstanding work for excellence, creativity, practicality and dedication to a cause in the field of energy”.

The seven-storey Diamond Building is the first office building in Malaysia to obtain the Green Building Index platinum rating and the first building outside Singapore to obtain the island state's Green Mark platinum rating.

Local firm NR Architect was involved in the design of the building, with Thai architect Dr Soontom Boonyatikam as the principal architect and IEN Consultants as the sustainability consultant.

The Diamond Building uses mostly natural light and its energy consumption is about one-third of a normal building. - via The Star


Quick facts about the Diamond Building

Officially launched           : May 2011 by DPM, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin
Owner                            : Energy Commission of Malaysia
Principal Architect           : Dr Soontorn Boonyatikarn (Thailand)
Main Contractor              : Putra Perdana Construction Sdn Bhd
Savings                          : RM1mil annually in operating costs – about RM950,000 from energy efficiency
                                       and RM45,000 from solar power generation.

Reduced CO2 emissions : 1,400 tonnes per year, equivalent to taking 700 cars off the road.
                                        (Assuming each car has travelled 12,000km.)
Building energy index      : 65kWh/m2 per year (without solar PV), 56kWh/m2 per year (with PV).
                                       (The index is the annual amount of electricity used per sq. metre of a building)

Solar PV cells installed   : 71.4kWp, which yields about 1,400kWh/m2 a year.

Energy savings              : 53% to 61% in overall electricity usage, including lighting and computers,
                                      and 34% in cooling.

Lighting savings of 77% compared to the Green Mark base, but is expected to increase once task lights are distributed. The Green Mark base uses a reference building which is representative of buildings in the country.

The eco-friendly measures cost RM3.4mil – about 6% of the total construction cost. The estimated payback period is 3.5 years.

Water-efficient fittings, rainwater harvesting and grey water recycling (water saved corresponds to consumption of 12 households)


Source: IEN Consultants Sdn Bhd (The consultant for the Diamond Building) & The Star.

Malaysia’s first green library

Not too long ago, I wrote about Sabah's first ever Green Building in the form of Sabah Art Gallery Conservation Centre in Luyang Kota Kinabalu. Of course there's another one, the IEM Centre at KKIP but I'm unsure if the engineers' building has been completed yet.

The new library in Tanjung Aru will be the first Green Library in Malaysia when completed and made available to the public in 3 year's time.

"Itu dia!" (That's it), says Deputy Chief Minister, Yahya Hussin as Wong Vui Ying, director of Sabah Library nodded in agreement. Together with him are Azizah Dun, Welfare Minister and Jainab Ayid, an Assistant Minister in the Ministry of Resource Development and IT. Photo by: Ille Tugimin


Green library gets support from private sector

It is Malaysia’s first green library. But half of the RM40million ($12.9mil) of the cost of the Kota Kinabalu regional library has come from a private company, the Lahad Datu Water Supply Sendirian Berhad. It is also the first such building funded by the private sector, according to Deputy Chief Minister Yahya Hussin who launched it at a groundbreaking ceremony in Tanjung Aru on Tuesday, September 4, 2012.

“This is a very good cooperation between the private sector and the government,” he said. The library is expected to be ready by 2015.

Like the Sabah art gallery, the library will turn to solar energy, harvest rain water and use materials that will not add to carbon dioxide emission to keep global warming in check.

Steven Tan, managing director of Lahad Datu Water Supply Sendirian Berhad, says the funding is part of his company’s corporate social responsibility. - via Insight Sabah


TheGreenMechanics' two cents:

It's really good that we are waking up to realise the need to conserve energy and save the environment. This is the common practice for many architects and building designers in West Malaysia. I should make the trip to Tanjung Aru and take a look at this building soon.

But the real deal is Singapore with its achievement of more than 1,000 green building as at the beginning of this year.

Nurture practice of efficient energy use

Illustration of Energy Efficient house.

The practice of using energy efficiently should be nurtured and cultivated in the society and should be applied at home or at the office to avoid power wastage.

During the launching of the Energy Efficiency Audit Demo Programme on Monday August 13, 2012 in Kota Kinabalu, Minister of Infrastructure Development, Pairin Kitingan, said although society has developed significantly in the past hundred years, consumer behaviour has not changed much due to lack of awareness and concern for natural resources and the environment.

Electricity generation mix in Sabah in 2011 is as follows (DE, Aug 14, 2012):
50%    : fuel gas,
40%    : diesel and medium fuel oil (MFO),
6.5%   : hydro sources
Others : renewable energy sources.

The industrial sector and electricity generation represent two-thirds of the total emission of carbon dioxide, and Malaysia is the 3rd biggest contributor to carbon dioxide (CO2) emission in ASEAN and the 31st in the world per person, at 4.5 tonne/person. It also recorded one of the highest growth rate of CO2 emission in the world at 7.9% and sits at 27th in the world as the culprit of CO2 emission at 0.69%. We apparently did not fare badly in the race for environment pollution.


Energy Efficiency Audit Programme

An Energy Efficiency Audit Programme funded by Electricity Supply Industry Trust Account (AAIBE) saw two large buildings in Kota Kinabalu city picked for a one-of demo Energy Efficiency Audit exercise  worth more than RM160,000. They are Wisma Sedco and Kinabalu Daya Hotel.

Wisma Sedco, Kota Kinabalu. Photo: lokmansunggim.blogspot

The energy audit is the first step towards a better energy management system. Generally, energy audit is a survey to review how energy was utilised in a building and to identify opportunities to save energy.

Consumers can save between 10% to 30% of their electricity bills if they adhere to the recommendations made by the auditors.

Best Western Kinabalu Daya Hotel in Kota Kinabalu. Photo: virtualtourist.com

So this programme should encourage owners of the two demo buildings to implement the efficient energy initiative, and as catalyst for other building owners to take similar initiative to get the Green Building status. This reminds me of Sabah's first Green Building, the Art Gallery Conservation Centre I wrote about last month.


What you and me can do to contribute

There is this policy adopted by the Energy, Green Technology and Water Ministry for government buildings' temperature to be maintained at  24° Celsius. You and me can help conserve energy by setting our office temperature at 24°C or higher. Of course, you don't have to be a government servant to practice this.