High Performance Building Characteristics

What characteristics make a building high performance? These characteristics are adapted from the CHPS Best Practices Manual for schools (www.chps.net), but apply to all high performance buildings.

Health

First and foremost, a high performance building is healthy. We spend significant amounts of time indoors and we need effective ventilation so that if the guy down the way sneezes, everyone in the building doesn’t get sick. We also should select materials that do not use harmful chemicals which can “off gas” into the building. Air quality is especially important in schools because, children are more susceptible to chemical exposures because of their still-developing respiratory systems. If we are sick less, we are obviously more productive. Absenteeism is a good benchmark for a healthy building.

Comfort

High performance buildings are also more thermally, visually, and acoustically comfortable. In a high performance building, we are able to perform our tasks and be neither hot nor cold. Balanced daylight and electric light provide adequate, uniform, and glare-free illumination for all our visual tasks. The space is quiet so we are not distracted by outside noises or sounds from our neighbors. We understand quite a bit about thermal, visual, and acoustic comfort. Research has shown that comfort is not an absolute concept, but instead a state of mind that varies from person to person. If you follow ASHRAE’s thermal comfort standards exactly, only 80% of occupants are satisfied.

Efficiency

High performance buildings are efficient in every respect – energy, water, and materials. Efficiency translates to lower costs for construction and operation, meaning that more money can be used in other areas more central to the underlying purpose of the organization. Of all the features in a high performance building, energy efficiency is the best understood. We have been working for 30 years to develop analysis tools, cost effectiveness criteria, and design strategies to improve energy use. Water efficiency is also well understood, but material efficiency is the newcomer. At this time, we do not have complete information about material efficiency (i.e. the embodied energy of production, shipping, and construction) and even if we did, it is difficult to quantify material efficiency, since one product may be recyclable, yet contain high embodied energy. We do not yet have the theory to weigh these different factors when evaluating a product’s material efficiency.

Maintenance

Systems in high performance buildings are easy to use and maintain. Users have control over the temperature, airflow, acoustics, and lighting in the building, and are trained how to most effectively use the systems. Some so-called high performance buildings have complicated systems designed for “rocket scientists.” However, the best high performance buildings are based on simple principles. While energy management systems may be quite sophisticated to monitor and diagnose problems, their operation must be simple to the building user.

Commissioning

High performance buildings are commissioned to ensure that they actually function as intended. Commissioning is a form of “systems check” for the facility that should begin during the design phase to assure the design intent carries through the specifications and continues through the construction phase to to verify that key building systems perform properly at the highest levels of efficiency and comfort. Modern construction practice is fragmented with lots of specialists. It is easy for equipment to be installed incorrectly or not be properly wired. Commissioning can reduce these problems.

Environmentally Responsive

High performance buildings are environmentally responsive. To the extent possible, existing natural areas on the site are protected and restored; stormwater runoff is minimized and erosion is controlled; construction does not introduce pollutants or degrade the site; and materials are selected that minimize the environmental impact related to extraction, harvest, production, and transportation.

Security

High performance buildings are safe and secure. Occupants and visitors feel safe anywhere in the building or on the grounds. A secure environment is also open to the community, at least in selected areas. Security is achieved through site zoning and the smart use of building layout, visual surveillance, and other techniques.

Stimulating Architecture

Finally, high performance buildings feature stimulating architecture that invoke a sense of pride and are considered a genuine asset not only for the owner, but also for the entire community.

Modular construction: Pros and Cons for lab building

By Greg Muth

A combination of factors—such as unprecedented construction cost escalation, demand for instant research space driven by shortened funding cycles, and challenges in finding qualified construction labor—are forcing design professionals and their clients to look for new ways of designing and constructing laboratories. Facilities professionals are considering alternatives to the traditional approach to construction projects, and this has led to a rise in the use of modular techniques for research laboratories.

Modular design, of course, is standard practice for most of today’s research building projects and for many other types of lab buildings as well. Modular design is characterized by regular repetition of structural elements and mechanical and utility infrastructure within the floorplate of a traditional “stick-built” facility: one constructed on site from the ground (or underground) up. Modular construction, however, means literally creating a building from discrete modules fabricated off-site.

During the past 10 years, the pharmaceutical industry has used modular construction to provide production facilities to meet tight manufacturing schedules and extremely rigorous FDA requirements. Today, that schedule and quality pressure is moving up the drug discovery timeline into the research sector. The time allocated to design, bid, and build some laboratory projects is now just too short to accommodate traditional methods. In addition, the quality of construction labor available in some locations is simply not appropriate for today’s complex laboratory environments. Project teams and clients must consider multiple factors when investigating modular lab construction. An owner must be well aware of these issues should be careful when approaching the “stick-built vs. modular” decision.

Modular construction: An overview Modular laboratories are constructed from compartments to form a cohesive building. A laboratory is manufactured in modules in a production facility, assembled for pre-testing, disassembled for shipping, then transported to the construction site and reassembled.

Modular science buildings have been used for more than 20 years, historically for pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities as well as the ubiquitous “trailers” found on most research campuses that provide temporary and swing space. With today’s demands, however, modular lab producers are teaming with design firms to develop full-blown laboratory facilities delivered in a shorter time and with attractive solutions that go beyond the standard “shipping container” aesthetic.

Working with the owner, a team of experienced architects, engineers, and other design professionals first develop a schematic design for a proposed laboratory that considers the opportunities and challenges of modular construction and compares it carefully to conventional construction. Only after the schematic design is fully developed does the owner enter into a contract agreement for a modular lab building. This agreement would be similar to a design/build arrangement; an owner would contract with a manufacturer to complete the design, then manufacture and construct the building.

Working with the owner and the design review team, the manufacturer takes responsibility for design, construction methods, and costs. The manufacturer then designs the facility, in many cases with the help of an architect specializing in laboratory design. The manufacturer then constructs the modules inside a factory in a controlled environment.

One big advantage of modular construction is that the construction schedule is not subject to the seasons and weather patterns. In addition, factory construction allows for parallel paths for different systems and simultaneous work on separate modules in different stages of completion. There is access to the work from all directions, and there is standardization of repeated activities. The manufacturer is able to reuse designs for standard building blocks so that there is less fundamental engineering. These factors result in a significantly compressed construction schedule. Owners have reported time savings of six to 12 months from a traditional fast-track project.

Modular construction: Pros and cons
Pros:• Can cut six to 12 months off the project schedule.• Reduces cost escalation compared with a traditional project by virtue of speed. • Allows for construction of complex, high-quality projects in areas where there is a shortage of skilled tradespeople.• Increases quality of final product due to factory-style quality control.• Minimizes site disruption due to reduced need for on-site staff, lay-down areas, and machinery. • Increases safety due to less on-site effort.

Cons:•Costs can be greater than stick-built, depending on transport costs. These costs may be mitigated by lower labor costs in some local markets.• Changes in the design after manufacturing begins can be difficult and expensive to accommodate.• Clients may worry that exterior systems may not deliver the desired image.• Height and area limitations exist due to construction type.• The code compliance and inspection process will likely be more complex than with a stick-built facility.• Future flexibility and adaptability may be reduced to a degree.• The potential exists for creating a labor dispute with local unions.

Greg Muth is an associate and laboratory planner with Flad & Associates in San Francisco. Flad & Associates (www.flad.com) is a national planning and design firm with 250 staff serving the science and technology, healthcare, and higher education markets from five offices throughout the U.S.

INSEP - 2nd Intake for IBS trainee

Industrial Skills Enhancement Programme (INSEP)
> for graduates who seek fresh knowledge in IBS <

NOW OPEN!
Book your place as soon as possible as this will be on a first come first serve basis. Only limited placement available. Please contact:

Pn. Maniza Ismail o3-8315 7843

What is Industrialised Building System (IBS)?

"Construction technique in which components are manufactured in a factory, on or off site, positioned and assembled into a structure with minimal additional site works” - IBS definition by Construction Industry Development Board of Malaysia (CIDB)

Why INSEP?

INSEP is a unique FREE training programme for graduates who are looking for job and would like to enhance their knowledge and skills in specialized fields. It is a collaboration programme between the Government of Malaysia and Malaysian Industries which involves local and international expertise.

It's FREE! Fixed monthly allowance of RM500! Up-to-date industry knowledge & work experiences & much more!

INSEP is conducted by Advanced Manufacturing Institute (AMI) Shah Alam; an institution dedicated in providing quality training and education programs. In collaboration with industry, education and professional institutions, we invite YOU to join our programme in Industrialised Building System (IBS)

What does INSEP offer?
Participants will undergo intensive skills development programme conducted by highly capable trainers. It is aimed to increase the employability and marketability of participants. The programmes are as follows:-

1. Personal Development Series (2 months)
a. Communication English
b. Presentation & Negotiation Skills
d. Experiential Learning
e. Project Management
f. Problem Solving & Decision Making

2. Technology Series (3 months)
a. Introduction to Construction/IBS Industry
b. Construction & Materials Technologies
c. Green Card Course
d. Design & Analysis
e. Modular Coordination (MC) & MS1064
f. IBS Content Scoring System
g. Manufacturing Process and Management
h. Site visits

3. Industrial Attachment (7 months)
Attachment at IBS company throughout Malaysia

Am I qualified?
If you meet these 3 requirements, you're exactly the person we're looking for.

1. Malaysian graduates from 2oo3 onwards from public or private higher learning institutions either local or overseas.

2. No previous employment history related to the degree/diploma. Part-time job history is acceptable.

3. Degree or Diploma graduates in
a. Civil Engineering
b. Architecture
c. Building Engineering
d. Mechanical Engineering
e. Electrical Engineering
f. Quantity Survey
g. Design / Production Engineering
h. Other related field

Is it recognised?
Yes, INSEP certification will be awarded by the Advanced Manufacturing Institute (AMI) and technology partners.

Inquiries
For further details on INSEP, IBS or interview attendance confirmation, please contact :-
Pn. Maniza Ismail Tel : o3-8315 7843 Fax : o3 8888 8232 e-mail : maniza@might.org.my

MiGHT's initiatives in Construction and Housing

One of the most significant contributors to the economy, the Construction and Housing sector is often thought of as being a difficult industry. It is seen as a labour-intensive and fraught with difficulties and is often regarded as the least efficient and productive of all the industrial sectors. As the country developed it is imperative to ensure that the growth in construction and in particular the growth in the housing sector, matched the growth of the economy. Providing quality and modern infrastructure would be a step toward achieving developed nation status, which would in turn help increase the quality of life and well being of the general public. At the same time, costs would have to be competitive to ensure that housing was not only of good quality but also affordable.

The industry itself is as old as the country but there has been little in the way of development, particularly in terms of technological innovation. To further compound the problem, the construction industry is heavily dependent on foreign labour. Recognising the need for improvement, Malaysian Industry-Government Group for High Technology (MIGHT) formed its MIG in Construction and Housing in 1994. It was determined that there were various key issues that needed to be addressed.

Among the issues highlighted are the prolonged dependence on foreign labour has led to the industry continuing to use labour intensive production techniques. In its attempts to introduce innovation to the construction industry as well as overcoming the labour dependence and shortage, MIGHT has determined that the way to move forward is to keep abreast with new technology in order to be more competitive. The implementation of a new method of construction, which was based on a modular concept, would result in a greater output of more affordable housing units.

Industrialised Building Systems (IBS) is a method which enables a company to move away from the conventional labour intensive method of construction to a more technological based. With this approach, components of the building are manufactured off-site, in modules so to speak, and brought on site to be assembled. The standardisation of elements and fittings of houses will ultimately lead to an increase in efficiency, better quality and less wastage of time and materials. Most importantly it will provide for a lower cost structure. The cost structure is important here as affordable housing can be built to support the governments low-income housing schemes.

The industrialised modular concept also allows for the manufacture of large or small units as the components are interchangeable and easily assembled. The pre-fabricated composite materials can also be used to further develop the industry by catering to the export market.

At present there are pockets and elements in the industry that could become the basic ingredients for the industrialisation process through the IBS concept. With over fourty years of laissez faire implementation in Malaysia, IBS has not become widely accepted or used. Experiences in countries like Singapore, Denmark, Norway etc. indicates a strong government intervention is needed for change in the construction industry and a successful implementation of IBS. The MIG in Construction & Housing is committed to ensure the success of IBS implementation that will form the impetus for the migration of the traditional insitu industry to one where the supply of components will form the basis of construction delivery.

Industrialised Building Systems - An Overview

“The Industrialised Building Systems (IBS) promises elevated levels of expertise throughout the industry, from manufacturers, installers, engineers, planners, designers, and developers. The benefits of IBS are numerous and far reaching. Reduced construction time, better site management, reduced wastage are but a few of these benefits, that will ultimately produce better products for the population.”

YBhg. Dato’ Seri S. Samy Vellu
Minister of Works, Malaysia


Industrialised Building System is an alternative approach of construction that will definitely change the scenario of the current local construction industry towards a systematically approach of mass production of construction materials. Prefabricated components of buildings which are conceived, planned, fabricated from factories will be transported and erected on site. With this method, the process would involve planning; management and sustained improvement of the production process to eliminate waste and ensure the right components are produced and delivered at the right time, in the right order and without defect. In this respect, the construction industry has a great deal to learn from the manufacturing sectors that have long been emphasizing on quality and minimising defects. IBS will definitely among others reduce unskilled workers in the country, less wastage, less volume of building materials, increased site cleanliness and better quality control.

In the Malaysian context, five common types of fully developed IBS have been identified as shown.

1) Pre-cast Concrete Framing, Panel and Box systems

2) Steel Formwork Systems

3) Steel Framing Systems

4) Prefabricated Timber Framing Systems

5) Block Work Systems

IBS Projects in Malaysia

IBS is not new in Malaysia and have been around since the early sixties. The first pilot project was initiated by the Government and it was along Jalan Pekeliling which involved 3,000 units of low cost flats and 40 shop lots. However, developments in IBS after that failed to gain support from the industry and consumers. From a survey done by CIDB on 2003, it was found that the percentage usage of IBS in the local construction industry is only at a mere 15%. However, several major world class developers in Malaysia have used some percentage of IBS in their projects. Several projects that use IBS can be seen as follows.

i) KLIA
ii) Government Quarters in Putrajaya
iii) Petronas Twin Towers
iv) KL Sentral

Among the reasons that have made IBS not very popular with the developers would be the abundance of cheap foreign labours in the country. Currently there are about 250,000 workers in the construction industry. The Government’s effort to reduce the foreign workers to not more than 15 percent of the country’s labour force in the next five years would be an impetus for the local developers to use IBS. By using a superior construction technology that requires highly skilled workers, the dependence on foreign workers would significantly be reduced.

IBS Roadmap 2003 – 2010

On October 2003, an IBS Roadmap 2003 – 2010 has been tabled by the Ministry of Works to the Cabinet and subsequently has been endorsed by the Cabinet to be the blueprint document for the industrialisation of the Malaysian construction sector. The blueprint that have been produced by the IBS steering committee and working groups, organized by CIDB will be a reference point for all parties to implement all the programmes towards industrializing the Malaysian construction sector. The programme’s that will be implemented is hoped to meet the objective of total industrialization of Malaysia’s construction sector by 2010.

Under this roadmap, MIGHT through the Office of the Science Advisor have been tasked to develop an IBS vendor programme for the nation together with the Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Entrepreneur and Co-operative Development. The IBS vendor development programme will consist of existing and new industry players and covering a wide spectrum of activities, from preliminary design to the assembly and installation of housing projects. Towards this end, MIGHT is constantly in consultation with other stakeholders such as the Ministry of Housing and Local Government, Construction Industry Development Board, Ministry of Entrepreneur and Co-operative Development, SIRIM and other related agencies to develop a comprehensive vendor development programme.

Several ingredients will need to be in place for the development of the vendor programme. Among them are identifying the vetting agencies that will provide a control uniformity of design and quality of the components produced by the vendor. The vetting agencies will also maintain standards and ease the legislative problems. The investment requirements for setting up a factory to manufacture components by the vendor are estimated to be about RM1.25 million (excluding land) and dependable on the type of components to be produced. This level of investment is within the reach of small and medium contractors.

With Budget 2005 announced recently, the Government is committed in ensuring IBS implementation by providing an additional of 100,000 units of affordable homes to be implemented using IBS. Budget 2005 also reveals Government intention in increasing the IBS usage in Government building projects from 30 percent currently to 50 percent starting from 2005.

On achieving a wider scale implementation of IBS scale for Malaysia, the Government will also give full exemption on levy imposed by CIDB for developers who utilize IBS components exceeding 50 percent. These wise decisions made by the Government will definitely create a lot of interest from the industry to use IBS as an alternative approach of construction. The next stage of IBS would be to explore the ‘export’ of the system to overseas market. The success of these efforts will enable the local construction industry to be competitive and penetrate the global market.

Reference:

Industrialised Building Systems (IBS) Roadmap 2003 – 2010. 2003. Construction Industry Development Board.

Waleed A.M. Thanoon, Lee Wah Peng, Mohd Razali Abdul Kadir, Mohd Saleh Jaafar and Mohd Sapuan Salit. September 2003. The Experience of Malaysia and other countries in Industrialised Building System Universiti Putra Malaysia

Foreign Labour to be limited to 15 percent. 12 September 2004. New Straits Times Press

Budget 2005. 10 September 2004. Ministry of Finance