Green Building Index(GBI) Committee Kick-Off Meeting

 

By Engr. Mohd Hifzan bin Shafiee, Grad IEM

The meeting, on “Green Building Index Committee Kick-Off” has been held on 13^th November 2009 at IEM (Penang Branch), attended by 6 committee member of IEM. The main agenda in the meeting is to create and increase awareness of green concept among IEM member. Green economic has seen as one of the near future economics. People around the globe have already aware needs to prevent and reduce emissions. Worlds have aggressively promoting green tech especially in automotive, energy production and manufacturing sector.

Early this year, U.S.A President’s, Barrack Obama is announced a stimulus package that will include a heavy dose of spending on environmentally friendly projects aimed at creating “green-collar jobs” and saving energy. As USA has known as high tech manufacturing country, it is just a matter of time for those technologies to come to Malaysia. Mean time, IEM Penang initiatively to urge all engineers to prepare and aware the green wave before it knocking to our market.

In needs of national green system, Pertubuhan Arkitek Malaysia (PAM) and Association of Consulting Engineers Malaysia (ACEM) has launches Green Building Index (GBI) to promote green concept for buildings. GBI has created an assessment framework to rate the building. The provisional assessment will be rate during design stage and the award given after one year the building is being occupied. Every three year, building will be re-assessed to maintain GBI rating and to ensure the buildings are well maintained.

Buildings will be awarded the GBI Malaysia rating based on 6 key criteria [1]:
• Energy Efficiency
• Indoor Environmental Quality
• Sustainable Site Planning and Management
• Materials and Resources
• Water Efficiency
• Innovation

Currently GBI has published ‘GBI Assessment Criteria for Non- Residential New Construction (NRNC)’, ‘GBI Assessment Criteria for Residential New Construction (RNC)’ and ‘Design Reference Guide’ for both Assessment Criteria above.

The ratings are not going to stop there only. It needs to support with establishment of standards, specifications, guidelines, manufacturer recommendations, case studies and other technical data. IEM Penang has foreseen a need of IEM members to participate in GBI seminars and activities. Meantime, awareness of green technology among engineers is increasing and move parallel with GBI popularity.

Green engineering are not limited to building only. There are many type of engineering facilities that also require green rating such; waste management, plantation, facilities, manufacturing, automotive, water and etc. As IEM have a large source of technical manpower, it is possible to create committees that are only focus in “Green Tech”.

Reference

[1]www.greenbuildingindex.org

Hujan Emas di Negeri Orang

Dalam pemerhatian aku di pejabat yang sekarang aku tinggal. Kebanyakan chinese mempunyai title Ir di Penang adalah berasal dari negeri lain, seperti Kedah, Perak,KL dan lain-lain, Adakah ini menunjukkan Chinese Penang juga berhijrah ke negeri lain untuk berkembang. Ada seorang engineer, Ir dari Penang tapi menetap di Perak dan berjaya di Perak. Ini menunjukkan betapa pentingnya HIJRAH dalam kehidupan seseorang untuk meningkat prestasi dan keupayaan diri masing2. Nampak nya orang bukan Islam lebih mengutamakan Hijrah dari umah kita sendiri. Begitu jaga dengan golongna mamak di Penang, asal usulnya bukan di Penang tapi India. Selepas begaul dengan orang melayu, sedikit sebanyak ada perubahan budaya berlaku. Dan mereka begitu berjaya di KL dan Penang. Bagaimana dengan melayu Islam di Penang?

Oleh kebanyakkan dari kita adalah bekerja di luar negeri masing2, mungkin kita akan mencapai sesuatu yang mungkin orang yang bekerja di dalam negeri tidak akan dapat. Kesungguhan dan keazaman dan juga survivor skill. Kalau dulu orang survivor di dalam hutan rimba, sekarang keadaan berubah, survivor di hutan batu adalah lebih susah dan sukar.

Ada seorang kawan aku berumur 24 tahun, draughter di pejabat aku tinggal sekarang, gaji nya lebih kurang RM1+++.00. Selepas 6 bln bersama company aku, dia cabut dan pergi ke Abu Dhabi. Gaji yang ditawar RM4+++. Hampir 3 kali ganda dari yang dia dapat sekarang. Pada mulanya dia takut jugak untuk ke Abu Dhabi, tak ada sesiapa untuk menjaga makan dan minum. Tetapi sekarang aku chat nya dia, happy jer. Duit cukup. Makan OK. Kerja rilexs. Rumah orang bagi. Complete. Aku rasa jarang fresh grad engineer dapat harga tu kalau masih stay di negara sendiri.

Bagi yang masih tak mempunyai kerja lagi atau tidak berpuas hati dengan kerja yang ada sekarang mungkin boleh kita fikir-fikirkan bersama Option ini. Tidak salah untuk kita mencuba dan terus mencuba.