GREEN BUILDING INDUSTRY IN SINGAPORE : CRITICAL EVALUATION OF COMFORT OF GREEN MARK RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS

Abstract

Building Construction Authority (BCA) launched building assessment certification system Green Mark Scheme in 2005 to drive building and construction industry towards sustainability and change the culture of construction industry. The Green Mark Scheme contains indicators that attend to reduce energy consumption in residential buildings, which account for 20% of electrical energy consumption in Singapore. The notion that Green Mark awarded residential buildings which provide more comfortable space and promote green living habit is challenged in this study. Thermal comfort and lighting comfort which are directly affected by air-conditioning and electrical lighting use are chiefly concerned in this dissertation. Interviews were conducted surveying the perceived comfort of residents in buildings approved by Green Mark and compared with that of residents in non Green Mark buildings. Correlation between performance of residential building and Green Mark as a policy instrument was found to be very weak. The dissertation also includes recommendations to improve Green Mark and promote more holistic criteria for its evaluation of comfort.