Green is in!

Doing your bit for the environment can start from home and it is really easy by following these tips from iProperty.com

With talks about global warming and climate change these days, it is difficult not to feel a sense of urgency to do our part to help the situation. This is why us folks at iProperty.com have compiled some quick tips to make your home a little friendlier to the environment as well as find out how some developers in the country are doing their part.

5 Eco-friendly tips
You can make your home a little friendlier to Mother Nature by…

1. Start recycling!
Start separating your trash to sort out what can be recycled and what could not. Here are some examples of items that can be recycled: Paper, Plastic bottles, glass, corrugated cardboard, clothing and more.

Some items, like electronics and batteries, have to be disposed of properly to prevent them polluting the environment. Call the manufacturers of these products to see if they have specialised collection centres for this purpose.

Remember! Sorting out recyclables and non-recyclables is only the first step. You still have to bring the sorted materials to recycling collection centres to complete the process on your part. Alternatively, just simplify lifestyles to reduce waste.

For more information on where to find recycle bins, log on to Kementerian Perumahan Dan Kerajaan Tempatan (KPKT) recycling website at http://www.kpkt.gov.my/kitarsemula/

2. Tap the sun
While tapping solar energy for mass usage is not cost effective yet, prices are now slightly more affordable than yesteryears. One of the more common usages of solar panels in homes today is for water heaters.

While it will still probably take years to realise the full energy-cost saving returns for ploughing money into having solar panels installed at home, the bit that you are doing for the environment is truly priceless. For one, solar energy is a form of clean energy which does not have carbon emissions. It is also a renewable form of energy.

3. I am not a plastic bag
Shopping is fun, but it has a nasty bi-product and it is called plastic bags! Next time, bring a non-woven bag or two along before you head off to the supermarket for groceries and say no to plastic bags at the cashier.

Non-woven bags can be reused countless times and are recyclable. Doing so not only earns you brownie points with Mother Nature, but you will soon reduce the clutter of having plastic bags stashed everywhere at home.

4. Conserve energy
Where does the energy that powers your fridge, air-conditioner, TV, water heater, etc, come from? High chances are that they are powered from non-renewable energy sources that have a sizeable carbon footprint.

We are not saying that we should cut off usage of electricity altogether and live in the dark ages. Instead, we can be savvier in our energy consumption habits. For example, we can use energy saving light bulbs, washing machine, air-conditioners and the like.

We should also to always remember to switch off the power for the electronics that are not in use. After all, standby mode for gadgets does not equal to zero-energy consumption mode.

One way to determine how much energy that appliances actually use is to have them measured with a power consumption meter. It is a device that is plugged to a power point and the appliance in question connected to it to measure energy used.

Start saving!

5. Get to know your furniture
No, there is no need to greet your furniture every morning. What we mean is to find out where the materials that are used to make them come from. See if they are made from renewable or recycled materials like bamboo, rubberwood, silk, cotton and such. This way, you know that the manufacturer is not depleting earth from its valuable natural resources and are not giving back.

Taking it a step further, you could try finding out if your furniture supplier actually conforms to environmental standards which also covers the process methodology that manufacturers use to produce their products.

Green Building Index

There is a new green rating initiative in Malaysia called the Green Building Index (GBI) which is jointly developed by Pertubuhan Arkitek Malaysia (PAM) and the Association of Consulting Engineers Malaysia (ACEM). It is established to rate buildings based on six criteria: energy efficiency, indoor environmental quality, sustainable sit planning and management, materials and resources, water efficiency, and innovation.

While there are many green rating systems like US’ LEED, Australia’s Green Star and Singapore’s BCA Green Mark, GBI is designed specifically for the tropical climate and the country’s priorities and needs. The BCA Green Mark is the only other rating system developed for countries with tropical climate.

Although getting buildings GBI certified is a voluntary process, the existence of the rating helps creates awareness among those directly involved in the property construction and development industry as well as members of the public.

How consumers will benefit from these rating systems is that they will have an eco-benchmark to consider when it comes to buying or renting a residential or commercial property.

Although the GBI is only recently established, property developers in Malaysia are not new to the concept of building environmentally friendly buildings. Ken Holdings was the first developer in the country to be awarded the BCA Green Mark GoldPLUS Award with Ken Bangsar, a 15-storey serviced apartment tower.

Among the many environmentally friendly efforts that is employed in Ken Bangsar is a specially designed water feature that cools the building’s double-volume lobby as well as lift lobby. On top of that, a heat pump harvests hot air from the air conditioner compressor to produce energy for hot water that is used for common toilets. Rainwater is harvested to water plants.

Despite it being a first for the country, the application for Green Mark certification was an afterthought by Ken Holdings and Ken Bangsar was not designed with the ratings in mind.

Developer Naza TTDI latest launch of The Valley TTDI linked villas also has the environment in mind. According to the developer, eco-friendly materials are used to construct the homes while solar panels on the roof harvest energy for use.

Another developer, Sepang Gold Coast uses timbre sourced only from a sustainable forest and a waste management system that does not discharge waste into the straits. Although the development is built on stilts, the coastal waters of the Straits of Malacca where it is built on flows freely.

Many other developers have also adopted environment conscious development methods for both commercial and residential properties.

While it is still too early to tell the impact of GBI on how consumers and developers will adopt the effort, the situation is changing for our neighbours Singapore. The BCA Green Mark system used there was launched in January 2005 and will be made compulsory for all commercial buildings in Singapore in the future.