Green buildings: Need for bigger public sector role

The public sector and government agencies should lead the development of green buildings, rather than making it mandatory for the private sector to do such projects.



Energy, Green Technology and Water Minister Datuk Seri Peter Chin said he was talking to a few other ministers on the prospect.

"I am hoping that the public sector will spearhead the development of green buildings. Maybe we can start with new government hospitals or schools developed by the Public Works Department."

Chin spoke to reporters after visiting the Energy Commission's (EC) new "green" headquarters in Putrajaya yesterday.

Called Diamond Building, the headquarters is the country's third green building after Chin's ministry's Low Energy Office and Malaysian Green Technology Corp's Green Energy Office in Bangi, Selangor.

The Diamond Building is the country's first office building to be certified with the highest Green Mark Platinum environmental rating (provisionally) by Building and Construction Authority of Singapore.

The EC is investing RM94 million on the eight-storey headquarters, which is said to be 46 per cent more energy-efficient than a typical office tower.

Construction started in September 2007. The EC is ready to relocate and fully occupy the building from June 28 this year, the commission officials said.

The Diamond Building is targeted at reducing energy usage by 65 per cent with an energy index of 85 kWh/m2 per year at 2,800 hours of use.

A normal office building in Malaysia has an energy index of 250 kWh/m2 per year.

By Business Times