BY JONATHAN ROBERTS
jonathan@propwall.com

Propwall.my meets Tan Lee Siang.

As concerns over rapid climate change become increasingly evident, stakeholders and industry players are urged to look to sustainable building and encourage the adoption of energy conservation. Green building is a buzzword that has been thrown around loosely, but how much do we truly understand about the concept of green building?

To delve deeper into this topic, Propwall.my spoke to World Green Building Council chairperson Tai Lee Siang at the Build Eco Xpo (BEX) and Mostra Convegno Expocomfort (MCE) Asia 2016 held in September 2016.

Tai Lee Siang who was appointed as the chairperson of the World Green Building Council’s (WorldGBC) Board of Directors is currently the honorary advisor to the Singapore Green Building Council (SGBC).

Q:   Can you share with us the history / background of the World Green Building Council?

A: The World Green Building Council (GBC) is a network of national green building councils in more than one hundred countries, making it the world’s largest international organisation influencing the green building marketplace.

Green building councils are member-based organisations that empower industry leaders to effect the transformation of the local building industry toward sustainability.  With one hundred thousand buildings and almost one billion square metres of green building space registered, the influence and impact of this global network is a significant force for social and environmental change.

Our mission is to strengthen green building councils in member countries by championing their leadership and connecting them to a network of knowledge, inspiration and practical support.

Q:   What is a green building?

A: The definition of a green building mainly revolves around the building’s ability in energy efficiency, on top of other green factors. The second factor that is the most important is that green buildings have to improve the quality of life. There are many rating tools to determine this aspect of the building, so as to determine whether it’s green.

Q:  Why is there a need for green buildings?

A: Against a backdrop of accelerating climate change and rapidly increasing population growth, the call for more energy and cost-efficient buildings in Southeast Asia is immediate – especially since we have the most number of new buildings as compared to the rest of the world. Buildings need to be able to keep up with the demands of the users – reducing the amount of wear and tear – so as to be more cost efficient in the long run as well.

Q: Which green buildings certification standards are there in the world?

A: There is a range of green building certification standards, and various tools/rating systems to be utilized when determining if a building is green.

Green Building Councils (GBC), which are members of the WorldGBC network, administer and develop the majority of the world’s ratings tools. To name a few:

• GBC Australia and GBC South Africa administer Green Star;
• Singapore GBC works closely with the Singapore Building and Construction Authority’s on Green Mark; 
• USGBC develops and administers LEED in partnership with many other GBCs;
• India’s GBC has a full range of proprietary rating tools that they developed closely with industry and government.

By 2014, our GBCs had rated over 1.2 billion square metres of green building area all over the world, and many GBCs are committing to certification targets over the next 5-10 years as part of WorldGBC’s COP21 Better Build Green campaign.

Q: When it comes to lighting, what practical things should building owners and tenants consider to make buildings greener?

A: Views of nature. Several studies have estimated productivity gains as a result of proximity to windows, which provides not just better lighting but also a connection to nature.

Q: What are the easiest ways for green builders to save?

A: The easiest ways for green buildings to save is to select the right kind of product for the various parts of the buildings – for example, building chillers which are put to use almost 24/7 – and reduce the amount of wear and tear. This way, there is no need for constant maintenance, or even the end result of having to replace the entire chillers which would be very costly.

Q: How does green buildings contribute to economic growth?

A: Reports have shown that green buildings contribute to economic growth in various ways. One report titled “The Business Case for Green Building: A Review of the Costs and Benefits for Developers, Investors and Occupants,” examines whether it’s possible to attach a financial value to the cost and benefits of green buildings.

Today, it is estimated that green buildings can be delivered at a price comparable to conventional buildings, and investments can be recouped through operational cost savings and, with the right design features, create a more productive workplace.

Key findings of the report as follows:

• Operating costs: Green buildings have been shown to save money through reduced energy and water consumption and lower long-term operations and maintenance costs. The energy savings alone typically exceed any cost premiums associated with their design and construction within a reasonable payback period;
• Workplace Productivity and Health: There is an emerging body of evidence suggesting that the physical characteristics of buildings and indoor environments can influence worker productivity and occupant health and well-being, resulting in bottom line benefits for businesses;
• Risk Mitigation: Sustainability risk factors can significantly affect the rental income and the future value of real estate assets, in turn affecting their return on investment. Regulatory risks have become increasingly apparent in countries and cities around the world, including mandatory disclosure, building codes and laws banning inefficient buildings.

By greening our built environment at the neighbourhood and city scales, the green building industry can deliver on large-scale economic priorities such as climate change mitigation, energy security, resource conservation and job creation, long-term resilience and quality of life.

Q: What are the trends for residences / offices / retails in green buildings?

A: The trends for residences, offices and retails in green buildings varies as follows:

• Offices – For offices, green building emphasize better Indoor air quality, thermal comfort, lighting and views of nature, noise and acoustics, all of which would lead to better workplace satisfaction, improvement in health and wellbeing of building dwellers.

• Retail – The trends for retail revolves around the health, wellbeing and productivity with a focus in improving the shopping experience for customers and potentially increase tenants’ profits by providing greener, healthier stores.

• Residential – Apart from the location and the physical building, our homes influences almost every aspect of our lives – from how well we sleep, to how often we see friends, to how safe and secure we feel. Because we spend the most time at home, green residences will focus on the mental, social and physical health and wellbeing of the people who occupy the homes we build and retrofit.

Q: What is the biggest challenge of green buildings?

A: The biggest challenge faced is the adoption of green buildings. Over the years, the awareness for the need for green buildings has been raised significantly, but the adoption rate is still increasingly slowly.

Additionally, the idea of retrofitting existing buildings might not sit well with building owners due to the costs. Developers are still sceptical about green buildings, as it might cost more to develop or retrofit, however, the return of interests (ROI) in the long run would be worth it.

Q: Why do you think people believe green building is more expensive? How can explaining these misconceptions help advance the industry?

A: The common misconception that green buildings could be more expensive is due to the initial costs involved in developing the building. In the past, green buildings cost 10 to 20% more than standard buildings.

However, due to greater demand for green technology, this additional costs have reduced significantly to between 0 to 3% depending on the type of technologies employed. As green technologies continue to evolve, there are building owners who are willing to invest in cutting edge technologies to try to achieve net zero carbon status and they see this as a long term investment.

In the same vein, we also look towards ramping up awareness in letting people know that the extra amount of money in initial investment would be worth it in the long run. One way is to educate them as they attend key trade and business networking events such as the Build Eco Xpo (BEX) Asia and Mostra Convegno Expocomfort (MCE) Asia held during the Singapore Green Building Week annually.

Both events incorporated thought leadership seminars – Green View and Mostra Xchange – which provided a platform for participants to understand not just the practical side of things but also the underlying technical expertise. That will help advance knowledge for the issue of environmental sustainability as companies look towards innovative solutions. This year for example, we saw a strong line-up of industry stakeholders as follows who shared their thoughts and also spoke at length about their solutions:

• Alex Herceg, Analyst, Lux Research;
• Pamela Phua, Director, ED&I Southeast Asia, Middle East and Exterior, Wallpaint Expertise Group, R&D Global, Akzo Nobel Paints (Singapore);
• Florence Chan, Managing Director, Camfil Singapore;
• Malcolm Laverick, Executive Director, Building Engineering Singapore, AECOM Singapore;
• Kelly Franklin Williams, Business Development Manager, Big Ass Solutions.

Q: We spend 90% of our time inside buildings, so how do this could influence our health and wellbeing?

A: It influences our health to a large extent. Take for example – you’re in a building that is coated with a paint that emits toxins in the air. Naturally, the rate of people falling sick is higher, and it deteriorates your quality of life.

Additionally, since the buildings are in use so regularly, the amount of strain put into the parts of the buildings is higher. For example, air-conditioner and lights are switched on for longer periods of times, and this in turn contributes to higher energy use which then translates to higher pollution. In a full cycle, it would impact the quality of the air outside too, making the quality of life lower than it should.

Q: Will there be any impacts towards the property market on the green building implementations? Maybe in terms of prices or rentals?

A: As sustainability and energy efficiency initiatives take hold around the world, firms are finding business value and opportunities from green building, including the opportunity for new environmentally responsible products, according to McGraw-Hill Construction’s latest SmartMarket Report in partnership with the WorldGBC. The report, “World Green Building Trends - Business Benefits Driving New and Retrofit Market Opportunities in Over 60 Countries,” is based on a study of global green building trends and aims to discern drivers of the green building marketplace.

According to the study, firms are shifting their business toward green building, with 51 percent of respondents planning more than 60 percent of their work to be green by 2015. Out of which, 76 percent report that green building lowers operating costs.

Q: Do you think the emerging market developers are interested in building green?

A: We are putting in place more tools and measures to help developers plan out the expectancy of their buildings should they go green, which might in turn motivate them to develop green buildings. There are also incentive plans in place in various cities, which will reward the building owners when they develop a green building. However, the biggest incentive of all would be the amount of money saved in the long run by building owners when they build/retrofit a green building.

Q: Which industries could benefit or get more opportunities from green buildings?

A: Green buildings are bringing the convergence of energy technologies and construction in an unprecedented way. However, traditional construction methods have to be adjusted to achieve greater efficiency.

On both ends, new innovations in renewables and buildable construction methods are likely to be the biggest gainers in the future. For example, renewable technologies fused with construction materials are going to be more attractive for building owners. Additionally, fast and effective construction methods will save time and depend less on labour intensive processes.

Q: In your opinion, what does the future of green buildings look like? 

A: From the WorldGBC standpoint, all future new green buildings must be net zero carbon. This is in line with our commitment made at COP21 to advance net zero buildings only by 2050.

Q: What are the important things that the public should know about green buildings?

A: The most important thing that the public should know is that green buildings does not necessarily refer to the exterior of the building. The interiors of the buildings are equally important, and in fact, play a large role in making the building sustainability.

Q: What do you expect the attendees will discover from the BEX/MCE exhibitions?

A: As key trade events during the Singapore Green Building Week, attendees can definitely expect practical solutions that they can readily put to play. The future of the green building industry is facing a high degree of complexity and uncertainty due to climate change and the disruptive nature of innovation. We’ve seen how advancements in technology are disruptive to the ecosystem, and the green building industry is of no exception. BEX and MCE Asia are excellent trade platforms to encourage information sharing amongst industry practitioners.

This year, BEX Asia bridged conversations around regenerative approach to building designs via a strategic three-way rollout of the exhibition and seminar to focus on green architectures, smart technologies and energy efficient solutions. Exhibiting companies included industry leaders like: Azko Nobel Paints, Fuji SMBE, ST Electronics (Satcom & Sensor Systems) Pte Ltd and Tuas Power Supply Pte Ltd. MCE Asia showcased energy efficient solutions around four main themes – Cooling, Water, Renewable Energy and Heating to educate and raise awareness of selection and maintenance of building systems. Exhibiting companies like BELIMO Actuators Limited, Camfil Singapore Pte Ltd, Daikin Airconditioning (Singapore) Pte Ltd, ebm-papst SEA Pte Ltd, ICE-Spazio Italia, Intertecnica Italy, Impresind, SMARDT Chillers Pte Ltd, and Tatung Co have helped steer conversations in the HVAC-R space.

A slew of product launches also paved the way for the show as a platform for transformative changes in the industry. There were various new product offerings from exhibitors present including Green Koncepts, Anacle Systems and Green Material Innovation from BEX Asia and Ariston Thermo, ERRECOM and George Fischer from MCE Asia. Business matching and networking opportunities with delegations from Malaysia, Indonesia and Vietnam were also available.

I’m confident that all attendees had taken away valuable information that will continue to inspire them as they continue their journey to ensure environmental sustainability for their organization and clients.

Q: Singapore is among the countries that already started to build green buildings. What are the target or main goals to achieve this green building status?

A: The goal for Singapore is to achieve 80% of green buildings by 2030. This can be done by retrofitting current buildings, instead of building new green buildings from scratch.

As Singapore is a fast developing economy that is located at the tropics, the climatic context provides one of the greatest challenges and that is the over reliance on air-conditioning. In order to achieve the long term target and to achieve more net zero carbon buildings, there is a need to embark on R&D which can pave the way for new solutions that provide conducive indoor environment whilst keeping energy consumption to a minimum.

The other areas of R&D that is essential is the development of new renewable energy source as Singapore faces limitations on solar power and wind power.

Ultimately, to achieve the 80% target, Singapore must demonstrate bold new initiatives in the area of greening existing buildings. This requires both technical solutions as well as policy changes.