INDOOR ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY PERFORMANCE OF A GREEN MARK PLATINUM BUILDING IN RELATION TO GREEN ASSESSMENT TOOLS, LEGISLATIONS AND STAKEHOLDERS' COMMITMENT

Abstract

The Building and Construction Authority (BCA) Green Mark Scheme (GMS) encourages greater energy efficiency, water efficiency, good Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ), sustainable and innovative features to encourage building sustainability as well as occupancy well-being. However, recent studies have shown that green buildings need not necessarily equate to better IEQ, as some non-green rated buildings have proven to have comparable or even better IEQ.

The purpose of this study is to (1) assess the IEQ scoring system of the GMS in comparison to the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) and British Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM) schemes, (2) to identify and evaluate on the contribution and potential impact of assessment criteria on IEQ, and (3) to evaluate if the Green Mark Platinum building exceeds the regulatory and supporting requirements by a substantial margin.

The research hypotheses are that (1) the GMS has undermined the importance of IEQ, (2) there are other possible assessment criteria excluded from the GMS which have an impact on IEQ, and (3) the Green Mark Platinum building exceeds the regulatory and supporting requirements by a substantial margin.

The analysis of this study includes a thorough literature review, data from past dissertations, current legislations related to the GMS, stakeholders’ commitment and an interview conducted in a Green Mark Platinum rated office. Findings show that the GMS have placed more emphasis on energy components and are less focused on aspects of IEQ. The assessment criteria in the IEQ is observed to be brief and generalised compared to the LEED and BREEAM. Potential assessment criteria are identified from these schemes in an attempt to improve the GMS with respect to IEQ. This will result in better IEQ standards for green buildings.

The limitations of this study include the lack of data from the Facility Manager of the Green Mark Platinum building and the limited number of buildings surveyed. More extensive surveys should be conducted with tenants of the green office, in relation to the importance of excluded assessment criteria in the GMS. Contextual considerations of the LEED and BREEAM assessment criteria should also be emphasized.