The potential of spent mushroom substrate from saw dust in vermicomposting were found out through... more The potential of spent mushroom substrate from saw dust in vermicomposting were found out through the growth and reproduction of earthworms including the nutrient elements of vermicompost produced at the end of vermicomposting. Five treatments in different ratio of cow dung : spent mushroom substrate were prepared as feed materials with four replicates for each treatment namely; 80:20 (T1), 60:40 (T2), 50:50 (T3), 40:60 (T4) and 20:80 (T5). After 3 weeks of pre-composting followed by 7 weeks of vermicomposting, T4 showed the highest percentage of growth and reproduction where mean of earthworms’ numbers increases (M = 295.00, SD = 17.32, n = 4) while (M = 28.86, SD = 5.97, n = 4) for earthworms’ weights. Furthermore, with the higher ratio of cow dung to spent mushroom substrate in T1, vermicompost produced, showed highest percentage of macronutrient elements; N (1.90%), P (0.57%), and K (2.74%) compared to other treatments. Overall, the results reveal that spent mushroom substrate can be decomposed through vermicomposting by using Lumbricus rubellus with right ratio together with cow dung.
Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to present the efficiency of electricity use and potentia... more Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to present the efficiency of electricity use and potential of electricity reduction at 12 residential colleges located at University of Malaya Campus, Kuala Lumpur.
Design/methodology/approach
– The work presented applies an energy audit when energy consumption data were collected and analysed for a five‐year period. The total savings of electricity used at residential colleges were identified through the difference between average total energy use in a year (kWh) and minimum electricity usage.
Findings
– The study finds that residential colleges with special features of building layout and arrangement performed better with regard to electricity consumption due to the prior group's superior utilisation of day lighting and natural ventilation. The floor area of the rooms, volume, density, enclosure and facade design, including window design, window area, and window‐to‐wall ratio also influenced the total electricity usage of the residential college buildings. Also, through adaptation of the corridor area to include more natural ventilation and daylight, approximately 40 to 90 percent of average electricity usage could be conserved in a year.
Research limitations/implications
– The methodology is limited to energy audit for a five‐year period of metered data and walk‐through analysis.
Practical implications
– The findings raised some issues related to thermal comfort of the residents.
Originality/value
– The study can be used as baseline data for a tropical region particularly on current electricity usage and potential of energy conservation in residential building.
Three residential colleges located in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, were selected for energy performanc... more Three residential colleges located in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, were selected for energy performance analysis in regards to its implementation of bioclimatic design strategies. Specifically, passive design strategies on daylighting and natural ventilation were examined. In Malaysia, the residential college or hostel is a multi-residential building providing accommodation to university students. The three residential colleges in this study, namely C1, C2 and C3, were built in different years with different designs and forms, particularly with regards to enclosure and facade design, solar control devices, passive daylight concepts, and natural ventilation strategies. The building designs were carefully studied and an electric consumption analysis was carried out in each residential college. This study revealed that the wide-scale implementation of bioclimatic design strategies in college C2 help reduced the annual energy consumption. The building bioclimatic design features that are accountable to reduce energy consumption are the internal courtyard and balconies on each unit of floor area, as shown in C3.Results from this study highly recommend internal courtyard and balcony building combination for multi residential building design, especially in tropical urban regions.
Post Occupancy Evaluation (POE) by using a set of questionnaire was conducted to assess the perce... more Post Occupancy Evaluation (POE) by using a set of questionnaire was conducted to assess the perception and comfort level required by residents in a college building with the best practice of bioclimatic design strategies, particularly natural ventilation and daylighting. The questionnaire was based on a five-point Likert scale, covering various performance criteria of building, specifically on the architectural elements, thermal comfort, indoor air quality, visual comfort, acoustic comfort and landscape elements. The initial outcomes showed a positive relationship between perceptions and building performance criteria.
Vermicomposting of sewage sludge (SS) using spent mushroom compost from Pleurotus sajor-caju as f... more Vermicomposting of sewage sludge (SS) using spent mushroom compost from Pleurotus sajor-caju as feed material was conducted to determine the effect on the concentration of heavy metals, namely Cr, Cd, Pb, Cu, and Zn. Previous studies have reported the feasibility of brandling worms, Eisenia foetida, for vermicomposting SS, whereas we conducted vermicomposting by employing red worms, Lumbricus rubellus, with a combination of different percentages of SS and spent mushroom compost (SMC) for 70 days subsequent to 21 days of precomposting. The vermicompost produced in treatments with a low percentage of SS were fine in texture, dark in colour and odourless in contrast to the initial physical characteristics. Results indicate that growth in earthworm numbers and biomass gain was maximum at 25 : 75 (TD) of SS : SMC compared to other treatments with 5 and 8 fold increases, respectively. The heavy metals contained in vermicompost were 0.25 ~ 11.57-fold higher than the initial concentration due to mineralization and excretion of non-accumulated heavy metals existent in the earthworms’ gut, which were present prior to treatments. Even so, the concentration was below the limits set by EU and US biosolid compost standards and safe to be utilized as a biofertilizer and soil conditioner.
Three residential colleges located in a university campus at the capital city of Kuala Lumpur and... more Three residential colleges located in a university campus at the capital city of Kuala Lumpur and built in different decades were selected for landscape studies with respect to species and position of the trees, as well as the effects of the current landscapes as a shelter in reducing solar radiation on buildings, as a pre-assessment for the Low Carbon Cities Framework (LCCF) and assessment system. These landscape settings were carefully studied through on-site observation. The name and location of the mature trees were redrawn and visualised with standard normal photographs. These studies revealed that the old residential college landscape is dominated by tropical forest trees which are able to provide a significant shade to the buildings and become a sustainable carbon sequestrations tool. For low maintenance and fast growing effect, palms and hybrid fruit trees were extensively cultivated in the new residential colleges.
Vermicomposting using Lumbricus rubellus for 49 days was conducted after 21 days of pre-compostin... more Vermicomposting using Lumbricus rubellus for 49 days was conducted after 21 days of pre-composting. Three different combination of treatments were prepared with eight replicates for each treatment namely cow dung : kitchen waste in 30:70 ratio (T1), cow dung : coffee grounds in 30:70 ratio (T2), and cow dung : kitchen waste : coffee grounds in 30:35:35 ratio (T3). The multiplication of earthworms in terms of numbers and weight were measured at the end of vermicomposting. Consequently, only T2 showed significant increase (from it initial stage) compared to other treatments. The presence of coffee grounds in T2 and T3 showed higher percentage of nutrient elements in vermicompost produced. The data reveal that coffee grounds can be decomposed through vermicomposting and help to enhance the quality of vermicompost produced rather than sole use of kitchen waste in vermicomposting.
Vermicomposting for 140 days by using Lumbricus rubellus was conducted after 21 days of natural p... more Vermicomposting for 140 days by using Lumbricus rubellus was conducted after 21 days of natural pre-composting. Five treatments in different ratio of goat manure: spent mushroom substrate were prepared as feed materials with four replicates for each treatment namely; 20:80 (TA), 40:60 (TB), 50:50 (TC), 60:40 (TD) and 80:20 (TE). As for control, each treatment without earthworm was prepared. On the basis of nutrient elements, goat manure and spent mushroom substrate can be decomposed through both methods of vermicomposting and natural composting. Findings of this study indicated that the higher usage of goat manure with longer duration resulted in the production of improved organic fertilizer.
Vermicomposting using Lumbricus rubellus was conducted in two different durations, 10 and 30 week... more Vermicomposting using Lumbricus rubellus was conducted in two different durations, 10 and 30 weeks in the same plots. Three different of treatments combination were prepared with eight replicates for each treatment namely cow dung : kitchen waste in 30:70 ratio (T1), cow dung : coffee grounds in 30:70 ratio (T2), and cow dung : kitchen waste : coffee grounds in 30:35:35 ratio (T3). Macronutrients elements in the vermicompost from each treatment were measured in the tenth and thirtieth week. Comparatively longer duration of vermicomposting by using Lumbricus rubellus enhanced the quality of vermicompost by the increase of the macronutrient elements while reducing the heavy metal concentration and CIN ratio.
Dayasari RC is an old low-rise multi residential building which was established in the year 1966 ... more Dayasari RC is an old low-rise multi residential building which was established in the year 1966 and is located in the University of Malaya (UM) campus in the capital city of Kuala Lumpur. This building was designed with the internal courtyard that allows numerous implementations of bioclimatic design strategies, especially in regard of natural ventilation. Eight unoccupied student rooms were selected to represent ten different scenarios, where two from eight selected rooms had been chosen to represent two different scenarios. The scenarios are concerned with the level of radiation and penetration of sunlight that influence the values of temperature and relative humidity. Different natural ventilation approaches were introduced simultaneously in all selected rooms for four weeks. Initially, the effectiveness of different ventilation approaches is obviously influenced by the position/floor level rather than the orientation of the selected rooms. The night ventilation is the most effective approach due to the lower mean temperature and higher relative humidity values. The recorded mean temperature values were below than 30 °C with the relative humidity values exceeding 70%. Other ventilation approaches namely; daytime, full-day, and no ventilation, were more than 30 °C and had exceeded 32 °C at certain rooms. The ranking of the effectiveness of the ventilation approaches was in the following order; night ventilation>daytime ventilation>full-day ventilation>no ventilation.
Successful implementation of bioclimatic design strategies not only reduces energy use, but more ... more Successful implementation of bioclimatic design strategies not only reduces energy use, but more importantly increases the resident’s satisfaction. A post-occupancy evaluation, a form of survey method, was used in assessing the satisfaction and perception of residents in two residential colleges, at the University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur. Both Case Study A (CS-A) and Case Study B (CS-B) represent the uppermost and moderate implementation of bioclimatic design strategies. The results showed that 414 questionnaires were retrieved fully filled by occupants at CS-A while 155 respondents from CS-B returned their questionnaire. The questionnaire was based on a 5-point Likert scale. Respondents were asked to rate the levels of satisfaction and perception with various aspects of the building, including the immediate environment. A detailed survey on thermal comfort had also been done by adopting the predicted mean vote index. As initial findings, the implementations of bioclimatic design strategies at the selected residential colleges were able to provide comfort for the residents.
The internal courtyard of the residential building creates a micro-environment that provides a co... more The internal courtyard of the residential building creates a micro-environment that provides a comfortable indoor environment. The acceptance of the courtyard by residents is disreputable even though its benefits have been scientifically proven. A survey using a set of questionnaire was carried out at two residential colleges to gauge the acceptance level of residents towards an existing internal courtyard. Results show that the majority of respondents of both residential colleges have given positive feedbacks, which include the perception on building and landscape designs in general, the quality of the landscape setting at the internal courtyard, the frequency of the time spent at the internal courtyard in a day, and the influence of the landscape setting at the internal courtyard on the quality of life. These feedbacks are not influenced by the gender aspect holistically. Indirectly, it indicates that the internal courtyard is positively relevant to be applied to the building design, particularly low-rise residential buildings.
The internal courtyard of the residential building creates a micro-environment that provides a co... more The internal courtyard of the residential building creates a micro-environment that provides a comfortable indoor environment. The acceptance of the courtyard by residents is disreputable even though its benefits have been scientifically proven. A survey using a set of questionnaire was carried out at two residential colleges to gauge the acceptance level of residents towards an existing internal courtyard. Results show that the majority of respondents of both residential colleges have given positive feedbacks, which include the perception on building and landscape designs in general, the quality of the landscape setting at the internal courtyard, the frequency of the time spent at the internal courtyard in a day, and the influence of the landscape setting at the internal courtyard on the quality of life. These feedbacks are not influenced by the gender aspect holistically. Indirectly, it indicates that the internal courtyard is positively relevant to be applied to the building design, particularly low-rise residential buildings.
A satisfaction and perception survey was carried out to assess the effects of recent adoption of ... more A satisfaction and perception survey was carried out to assess the effects of recent adoption of bioclimatic design strategies in influencing the residents’ comfort levels and the appropriateness of an old building to meet the needs of contemporary life. This residential building is located in Kuala Lumpur and was recognised as a residential college building with the most considerate implementation of bioclimatic design strategies, particularly in terms of the daylighting and natural ventilation. As relying on 95% confidence level and ±5% margin of error from the overall population, a total of 266 responses retrieved were fully supplied by the respondents. The majority of respondents are satisfied and feel comfortable with regards to all performance indicators including the architectural elements, visual comfort, thermal comfort and indoor air quality. Numerous differences were discovered by comparing the responses among the race and ethnic groups, obviously on visual comfort, thermal comfort and indoor air quality, the usage pattern of windows and ceiling fan, and thermal sensation which was based on 7 point of scale. As conclusion, the bioclimatic design strategies including daylighting and natural ventilation at an old residential building are still appropriate to meet the needs of contemporary life. However, there is still room for improvement, especially on the acoustic. The racial and ethnic composition considerably influence the satisfaction and the perception level of respondents and these aspects should be highly considered in implementing the improvement measures to ensure the comfort level of the room.
The assessment through field measurement with the use of climatic devices and survey by using a s... more The assessment through field measurement with the use of climatic devices and survey by using a set of questionnaire was conducted in a residential college building with the best practice of bioclimatic design strategies. The recorded values of indoor climate are in the range of 29-30°C of the mean temperature with 72-77% of relative humidity. The comfort level was successfully maintained with a good adaptation of living behaviour including the activity in the room, garment dressed, and usage of room opening, curtains and ceiling fan.
Building sector has been identified as a major energy consumer with nearly half of the world’s en... more Building sector has been identified as a major energy consumer with nearly half of the world’s energy used is associated with providing environmental conditioning in buildings. Approximately, two third of this is for heating, cooling and mechanical ventilation. Therefore, there is a need for optimizing the building design which collaborates with surrounding environment in enhances the energy conservation programme. Energy consumption evaluation and audits for buildings is the most important step that can contribute to energy conservation. As preliminary studies to this research, four low-rise residential college buildings with specific layout were selected in finding the relationship between green/passive building strategies and energy performance. The study initial approach was to critically analyse the design of the selected buildings through scaled drawings and site visits. Comparison of the two were carefully made to obtain current and post renovation conditions and surroundings as most of the drawings were drawn 30 to 40 years back. The elements of bioclimatic design were implemented as matrixes or criteria, particularly on natural ventilation and day lighting. Then, the energy performance was crucially audited to find out Building Energy Performance (BEP) acknowledged as energy use per unit floor area, and Energy Efficiency Index (EEI) to elaborate the kWh/m2/year of each residential college for five years duration. As initial findings, the implementations of appropriate green building strategies is able to provide positive impacts to the overall energy performance of the residential colleges.
By using Lumbricus rubellus, vermicomposting started after 3 weeks of pre composting. Five treatm... more By using Lumbricus rubellus, vermicomposting started after 3 weeks of pre composting. Five treatments in different ratio of cow dung : spent mushroom substrate were prepared as feed materials with four replicates for each treatment namely; 80:20 (T1), 60:40 (T2), 50:50 (T3), 40:60 (T4) and 20:80 (T5). After 7 weeks of vermicomposting, macronutrient elements of vermicompost produced were measured and the process continues with composting when all the earthworms were taken out from the treatments. Macronutrient elements of compost produced were also measured after 20 weeks of composting. The data reveals that 7 weeks for vermicomposting of cow dung and spent mushroom substrate is sufficient to produce good vermicompost rather than continuing process with 20 weeks of post composting. Therefore, it can be concluded that the duration and quality of vermicomposting is better than composting particularly in vermicompost production.
The effect of vermicomposting duration to macronutrient element in vermicompost was investigated.... more The effect of vermicomposting duration to macronutrient element in vermicompost was investigated. Three different treatments were prepared with eight replicates for each treatment namely cow dung: kitchen waste in 30:70 ratios (T1), cow dung: coffee grounds in 30:70 ratio (T2), and cow dung: kitchen waste: coffee grounds in 30:35:35 ratios (T3). Vermicompost produced by Lumbricus rubellus were analyzed in week tenth and thirtieth. In conclusion, longer duration of vermicomposting will enhance the quality of vermicompost. This is shown by the percentage increase of macronutrient elements (N & P) and declining of C/N ratio.
The potential of spent mushroom substrate from saw dust in vermicomposting were found out through... more The potential of spent mushroom substrate from saw dust in vermicomposting were found out through the growth and reproduction of earthworms including the nutrient elements of vermicompost produced at the end of vermicomposting. Five treatments in different ratio of cow dung : spent mushroom substrate were prepared as feed materials with four replicates for each treatment namely; 80:20 (T1), 60:40 (T2), 50:50 (T3), 40:60 (T4) and 20:80 (T5). After 3 weeks of pre-composting followed by 7 weeks of vermicomposting, T4 showed the highest percentage of growth and reproduction where mean of earthworms’ numbers increases (M = 295.00, SD = 17.32, n = 4) while (M = 28.86, SD = 5.97, n = 4) for earthworms’ weights. Furthermore, with the higher ratio of cow dung to spent mushroom substrate in T1, vermicompost produced, showed highest percentage of macronutrient elements; N (1.90%), P (0.57%), and K (2.74%) compared to other treatments. Overall, the results reveal that spent mushroom substrate can be decomposed through vermicomposting by using Lumbricus rubellus with right ratio together with cow dung.
Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to present the efficiency of electricity use and potentia... more Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to present the efficiency of electricity use and potential of electricity reduction at 12 residential colleges located at University of Malaya Campus, Kuala Lumpur.
Design/methodology/approach
– The work presented applies an energy audit when energy consumption data were collected and analysed for a five‐year period. The total savings of electricity used at residential colleges were identified through the difference between average total energy use in a year (kWh) and minimum electricity usage.
Findings
– The study finds that residential colleges with special features of building layout and arrangement performed better with regard to electricity consumption due to the prior group's superior utilisation of day lighting and natural ventilation. The floor area of the rooms, volume, density, enclosure and facade design, including window design, window area, and window‐to‐wall ratio also influenced the total electricity usage of the residential college buildings. Also, through adaptation of the corridor area to include more natural ventilation and daylight, approximately 40 to 90 percent of average electricity usage could be conserved in a year.
Research limitations/implications
– The methodology is limited to energy audit for a five‐year period of metered data and walk‐through analysis.
Practical implications
– The findings raised some issues related to thermal comfort of the residents.
Originality/value
– The study can be used as baseline data for a tropical region particularly on current electricity usage and potential of energy conservation in residential building.
Three residential colleges located in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, were selected for energy performanc... more Three residential colleges located in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, were selected for energy performance analysis in regards to its implementation of bioclimatic design strategies. Specifically, passive design strategies on daylighting and natural ventilation were examined. In Malaysia, the residential college or hostel is a multi-residential building providing accommodation to university students. The three residential colleges in this study, namely C1, C2 and C3, were built in different years with different designs and forms, particularly with regards to enclosure and facade design, solar control devices, passive daylight concepts, and natural ventilation strategies. The building designs were carefully studied and an electric consumption analysis was carried out in each residential college. This study revealed that the wide-scale implementation of bioclimatic design strategies in college C2 help reduced the annual energy consumption. The building bioclimatic design features that are accountable to reduce energy consumption are the internal courtyard and balconies on each unit of floor area, as shown in C3.Results from this study highly recommend internal courtyard and balcony building combination for multi residential building design, especially in tropical urban regions.
Post Occupancy Evaluation (POE) by using a set of questionnaire was conducted to assess the perce... more Post Occupancy Evaluation (POE) by using a set of questionnaire was conducted to assess the perception and comfort level required by residents in a college building with the best practice of bioclimatic design strategies, particularly natural ventilation and daylighting. The questionnaire was based on a five-point Likert scale, covering various performance criteria of building, specifically on the architectural elements, thermal comfort, indoor air quality, visual comfort, acoustic comfort and landscape elements. The initial outcomes showed a positive relationship between perceptions and building performance criteria.
Vermicomposting of sewage sludge (SS) using spent mushroom compost from Pleurotus sajor-caju as f... more Vermicomposting of sewage sludge (SS) using spent mushroom compost from Pleurotus sajor-caju as feed material was conducted to determine the effect on the concentration of heavy metals, namely Cr, Cd, Pb, Cu, and Zn. Previous studies have reported the feasibility of brandling worms, Eisenia foetida, for vermicomposting SS, whereas we conducted vermicomposting by employing red worms, Lumbricus rubellus, with a combination of different percentages of SS and spent mushroom compost (SMC) for 70 days subsequent to 21 days of precomposting. The vermicompost produced in treatments with a low percentage of SS were fine in texture, dark in colour and odourless in contrast to the initial physical characteristics. Results indicate that growth in earthworm numbers and biomass gain was maximum at 25 : 75 (TD) of SS : SMC compared to other treatments with 5 and 8 fold increases, respectively. The heavy metals contained in vermicompost were 0.25 ~ 11.57-fold higher than the initial concentration due to mineralization and excretion of non-accumulated heavy metals existent in the earthworms’ gut, which were present prior to treatments. Even so, the concentration was below the limits set by EU and US biosolid compost standards and safe to be utilized as a biofertilizer and soil conditioner.
Three residential colleges located in a university campus at the capital city of Kuala Lumpur and... more Three residential colleges located in a university campus at the capital city of Kuala Lumpur and built in different decades were selected for landscape studies with respect to species and position of the trees, as well as the effects of the current landscapes as a shelter in reducing solar radiation on buildings, as a pre-assessment for the Low Carbon Cities Framework (LCCF) and assessment system. These landscape settings were carefully studied through on-site observation. The name and location of the mature trees were redrawn and visualised with standard normal photographs. These studies revealed that the old residential college landscape is dominated by tropical forest trees which are able to provide a significant shade to the buildings and become a sustainable carbon sequestrations tool. For low maintenance and fast growing effect, palms and hybrid fruit trees were extensively cultivated in the new residential colleges.
Vermicomposting using Lumbricus rubellus for 49 days was conducted after 21 days of pre-compostin... more Vermicomposting using Lumbricus rubellus for 49 days was conducted after 21 days of pre-composting. Three different combination of treatments were prepared with eight replicates for each treatment namely cow dung : kitchen waste in 30:70 ratio (T1), cow dung : coffee grounds in 30:70 ratio (T2), and cow dung : kitchen waste : coffee grounds in 30:35:35 ratio (T3). The multiplication of earthworms in terms of numbers and weight were measured at the end of vermicomposting. Consequently, only T2 showed significant increase (from it initial stage) compared to other treatments. The presence of coffee grounds in T2 and T3 showed higher percentage of nutrient elements in vermicompost produced. The data reveal that coffee grounds can be decomposed through vermicomposting and help to enhance the quality of vermicompost produced rather than sole use of kitchen waste in vermicomposting.
Vermicomposting for 140 days by using Lumbricus rubellus was conducted after 21 days of natural p... more Vermicomposting for 140 days by using Lumbricus rubellus was conducted after 21 days of natural pre-composting. Five treatments in different ratio of goat manure: spent mushroom substrate were prepared as feed materials with four replicates for each treatment namely; 20:80 (TA), 40:60 (TB), 50:50 (TC), 60:40 (TD) and 80:20 (TE). As for control, each treatment without earthworm was prepared. On the basis of nutrient elements, goat manure and spent mushroom substrate can be decomposed through both methods of vermicomposting and natural composting. Findings of this study indicated that the higher usage of goat manure with longer duration resulted in the production of improved organic fertilizer.
Vermicomposting using Lumbricus rubellus was conducted in two different durations, 10 and 30 week... more Vermicomposting using Lumbricus rubellus was conducted in two different durations, 10 and 30 weeks in the same plots. Three different of treatments combination were prepared with eight replicates for each treatment namely cow dung : kitchen waste in 30:70 ratio (T1), cow dung : coffee grounds in 30:70 ratio (T2), and cow dung : kitchen waste : coffee grounds in 30:35:35 ratio (T3). Macronutrients elements in the vermicompost from each treatment were measured in the tenth and thirtieth week. Comparatively longer duration of vermicomposting by using Lumbricus rubellus enhanced the quality of vermicompost by the increase of the macronutrient elements while reducing the heavy metal concentration and CIN ratio.
Dayasari RC is an old low-rise multi residential building which was established in the year 1966 ... more Dayasari RC is an old low-rise multi residential building which was established in the year 1966 and is located in the University of Malaya (UM) campus in the capital city of Kuala Lumpur. This building was designed with the internal courtyard that allows numerous implementations of bioclimatic design strategies, especially in regard of natural ventilation. Eight unoccupied student rooms were selected to represent ten different scenarios, where two from eight selected rooms had been chosen to represent two different scenarios. The scenarios are concerned with the level of radiation and penetration of sunlight that influence the values of temperature and relative humidity. Different natural ventilation approaches were introduced simultaneously in all selected rooms for four weeks. Initially, the effectiveness of different ventilation approaches is obviously influenced by the position/floor level rather than the orientation of the selected rooms. The night ventilation is the most effective approach due to the lower mean temperature and higher relative humidity values. The recorded mean temperature values were below than 30 °C with the relative humidity values exceeding 70%. Other ventilation approaches namely; daytime, full-day, and no ventilation, were more than 30 °C and had exceeded 32 °C at certain rooms. The ranking of the effectiveness of the ventilation approaches was in the following order; night ventilation>daytime ventilation>full-day ventilation>no ventilation.
Successful implementation of bioclimatic design strategies not only reduces energy use, but more ... more Successful implementation of bioclimatic design strategies not only reduces energy use, but more importantly increases the resident’s satisfaction. A post-occupancy evaluation, a form of survey method, was used in assessing the satisfaction and perception of residents in two residential colleges, at the University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur. Both Case Study A (CS-A) and Case Study B (CS-B) represent the uppermost and moderate implementation of bioclimatic design strategies. The results showed that 414 questionnaires were retrieved fully filled by occupants at CS-A while 155 respondents from CS-B returned their questionnaire. The questionnaire was based on a 5-point Likert scale. Respondents were asked to rate the levels of satisfaction and perception with various aspects of the building, including the immediate environment. A detailed survey on thermal comfort had also been done by adopting the predicted mean vote index. As initial findings, the implementations of bioclimatic design strategies at the selected residential colleges were able to provide comfort for the residents.
The internal courtyard of the residential building creates a micro-environment that provides a co... more The internal courtyard of the residential building creates a micro-environment that provides a comfortable indoor environment. The acceptance of the courtyard by residents is disreputable even though its benefits have been scientifically proven. A survey using a set of questionnaire was carried out at two residential colleges to gauge the acceptance level of residents towards an existing internal courtyard. Results show that the majority of respondents of both residential colleges have given positive feedbacks, which include the perception on building and landscape designs in general, the quality of the landscape setting at the internal courtyard, the frequency of the time spent at the internal courtyard in a day, and the influence of the landscape setting at the internal courtyard on the quality of life. These feedbacks are not influenced by the gender aspect holistically. Indirectly, it indicates that the internal courtyard is positively relevant to be applied to the building design, particularly low-rise residential buildings.
The internal courtyard of the residential building creates a micro-environment that provides a co... more The internal courtyard of the residential building creates a micro-environment that provides a comfortable indoor environment. The acceptance of the courtyard by residents is disreputable even though its benefits have been scientifically proven. A survey using a set of questionnaire was carried out at two residential colleges to gauge the acceptance level of residents towards an existing internal courtyard. Results show that the majority of respondents of both residential colleges have given positive feedbacks, which include the perception on building and landscape designs in general, the quality of the landscape setting at the internal courtyard, the frequency of the time spent at the internal courtyard in a day, and the influence of the landscape setting at the internal courtyard on the quality of life. These feedbacks are not influenced by the gender aspect holistically. Indirectly, it indicates that the internal courtyard is positively relevant to be applied to the building design, particularly low-rise residential buildings.
A satisfaction and perception survey was carried out to assess the effects of recent adoption of ... more A satisfaction and perception survey was carried out to assess the effects of recent adoption of bioclimatic design strategies in influencing the residents’ comfort levels and the appropriateness of an old building to meet the needs of contemporary life. This residential building is located in Kuala Lumpur and was recognised as a residential college building with the most considerate implementation of bioclimatic design strategies, particularly in terms of the daylighting and natural ventilation. As relying on 95% confidence level and ±5% margin of error from the overall population, a total of 266 responses retrieved were fully supplied by the respondents. The majority of respondents are satisfied and feel comfortable with regards to all performance indicators including the architectural elements, visual comfort, thermal comfort and indoor air quality. Numerous differences were discovered by comparing the responses among the race and ethnic groups, obviously on visual comfort, thermal comfort and indoor air quality, the usage pattern of windows and ceiling fan, and thermal sensation which was based on 7 point of scale. As conclusion, the bioclimatic design strategies including daylighting and natural ventilation at an old residential building are still appropriate to meet the needs of contemporary life. However, there is still room for improvement, especially on the acoustic. The racial and ethnic composition considerably influence the satisfaction and the perception level of respondents and these aspects should be highly considered in implementing the improvement measures to ensure the comfort level of the room.
The assessment through field measurement with the use of climatic devices and survey by using a s... more The assessment through field measurement with the use of climatic devices and survey by using a set of questionnaire was conducted in a residential college building with the best practice of bioclimatic design strategies. The recorded values of indoor climate are in the range of 29-30°C of the mean temperature with 72-77% of relative humidity. The comfort level was successfully maintained with a good adaptation of living behaviour including the activity in the room, garment dressed, and usage of room opening, curtains and ceiling fan.
Building sector has been identified as a major energy consumer with nearly half of the world’s en... more Building sector has been identified as a major energy consumer with nearly half of the world’s energy used is associated with providing environmental conditioning in buildings. Approximately, two third of this is for heating, cooling and mechanical ventilation. Therefore, there is a need for optimizing the building design which collaborates with surrounding environment in enhances the energy conservation programme. Energy consumption evaluation and audits for buildings is the most important step that can contribute to energy conservation. As preliminary studies to this research, four low-rise residential college buildings with specific layout were selected in finding the relationship between green/passive building strategies and energy performance. The study initial approach was to critically analyse the design of the selected buildings through scaled drawings and site visits. Comparison of the two were carefully made to obtain current and post renovation conditions and surroundings as most of the drawings were drawn 30 to 40 years back. The elements of bioclimatic design were implemented as matrixes or criteria, particularly on natural ventilation and day lighting. Then, the energy performance was crucially audited to find out Building Energy Performance (BEP) acknowledged as energy use per unit floor area, and Energy Efficiency Index (EEI) to elaborate the kWh/m2/year of each residential college for five years duration. As initial findings, the implementations of appropriate green building strategies is able to provide positive impacts to the overall energy performance of the residential colleges.
By using Lumbricus rubellus, vermicomposting started after 3 weeks of pre composting. Five treatm... more By using Lumbricus rubellus, vermicomposting started after 3 weeks of pre composting. Five treatments in different ratio of cow dung : spent mushroom substrate were prepared as feed materials with four replicates for each treatment namely; 80:20 (T1), 60:40 (T2), 50:50 (T3), 40:60 (T4) and 20:80 (T5). After 7 weeks of vermicomposting, macronutrient elements of vermicompost produced were measured and the process continues with composting when all the earthworms were taken out from the treatments. Macronutrient elements of compost produced were also measured after 20 weeks of composting. The data reveals that 7 weeks for vermicomposting of cow dung and spent mushroom substrate is sufficient to produce good vermicompost rather than continuing process with 20 weeks of post composting. Therefore, it can be concluded that the duration and quality of vermicomposting is better than composting particularly in vermicompost production.
The effect of vermicomposting duration to macronutrient element in vermicompost was investigated.... more The effect of vermicomposting duration to macronutrient element in vermicompost was investigated. Three different treatments were prepared with eight replicates for each treatment namely cow dung: kitchen waste in 30:70 ratios (T1), cow dung: coffee grounds in 30:70 ratio (T2), and cow dung: kitchen waste: coffee grounds in 30:35:35 ratios (T3). Vermicompost produced by Lumbricus rubellus were analyzed in week tenth and thirtieth. In conclusion, longer duration of vermicomposting will enhance the quality of vermicompost. This is shown by the percentage increase of macronutrient elements (N & P) and declining of C/N ratio.
Vermicomposting using Lumbricus rubellus for 49 days was conducted after 21 days of pre-compostin... more Vermicomposting using Lumbricus rubellus for 49 days was conducted after 21 days of pre-composting. Three different combination of treatments were prepared with eight replicates for each treatment namely cow dung : kitchen waste in 30:70 ratio (T1), cow dung : coffee grounds in 30:70 ratio (T2), and cow dung : kitchen waste : coffee grounds in 30:35:35 ratio (T3). At the end of study, there was a significant difference between numbers of earthworms among the three different treatments (p < 0.05). In contrast with weights of earthworms there was no significant difference (p > 0.05) among the three treatments. By comparing the numbers and weights of earthworms in each treatments (T1, T2 & T3) only T2 indicated the difference was significant (p < 0.05). Therefore it can be concluded that coffee grounds influenced the development of earthworms’ population. Nutrient elements in the vermicompost from each treatment were measured and relatively showed high percentage in C, N, P, and K. The presence of coffee grounds in vermicomposting in resulted significant reduction in C/N ratio and increase in mineral N. The data reveals that coffee grounds can be decomposed through vermicomposting by using Lumbricus rubellus into value-added material. With the correct ratio and suitable condition of kitchen waste, coffee grounds can also be used as stabilizer in vermicomposting.
A study was conducted for 21 days of pre-composting and 49 days of vermicomposting under laborato... more A study was conducted for 21 days of pre-composting and 49 days of vermicomposting under laboratory condition by using earthworm (Lumbricus rubellus). Three different combination of treatments were prepared with eight replicates for each treatment, namely cow dung : kitchen waste in 30:70 ratio (T1), cow dung : coffee grounds in 30:70 ratio (T2), and cow dung : kitchen waste : coffee grounds in 30:35:35 ratio (T3) were used for this study. By comparing the numbers and weights of earthworms in each treatment, only T2 indicated significant difference (p< 0.05) which it can be concluded that coffee grounds influenced the development of earthworms’ population. Nutrient elements in the vermicompost from each treatment were measured and relatively showed high percentage in C, N, P, K, Ca, and Na. Contrast for Mg and other micronutrient elements, the result showed small percentage in Zn, Cu, Fe, Mn, B, and crude fat. The data reveals that coffee grounds can be decomposed through vermicomposting by using Lumbricus rubellus into value-added material. With the correct ratio and suitable condition of kitchen waste, coffee grounds can also be used as stabilizer in vermicomposting.
Preliminary studies of twelve residential colleges located in the University of Malaya campus, Ku... more Preliminary studies of twelve residential colleges located in the University of Malaya campus, Kuala Lumpur were conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of their current implementation of bioclimatic design strategies, as well as their performance in terms of electricity usage. It was found that residential college buildings designed with an internal courtyard and balconies for each room achieve the most efficient electricity use, within a range of between 24 to 33 kWh/m2/year, while other residential college buildings recorded annual electricity use of between 40 to 125 kWh/m2/year. One of them, 5th residential college (5th RC) was selected for the case study due to its best implementation of bioclimatic design strategies that encourage efficient energy use. Furthermore, its uniform building layout minimises uncontrolled variables in further field investigation and evaluations. The satisfaction and perception surveys show that a majority of respondents at 5th RC are at a comfortable level. This is based on findings from all performance indicators of functional elements, thermal comfort and indoor air quality, as well as, visual comfort and landscape elements. The 5th RC is capable to provide a comfortable living space with indoor temperatures ranging from 28°C to 30°C with 70% to 78% relative humidity. Different locations have different effects on room conditions and higher temperatures were recorded at rooms on the top level of the building compared to rooms at the lower levels. There were no significant differences detected owing to different orientation of rooms which are largely due to the effects of the green landscape. Higher values of daylight intensity were recorded in the corridor compared to the daylight intensity in the rooms which even varies in amount at different areas within the same room. Further analysis show that night ventilation provides better thermal comfort for residents compared to other ventilation options like full-day and daytime ventilation or no ventilation at all. The living behaviour assessment reveals that residents of 5th RC have adapted well to maintain the comfort level in their rooms. Only light activities were conducted in the rooms which reduces the metabolic heat production. Ceiling fans were fully utilized at the maximum speed of five for maintaining air circulation in the rooms where the operable windows are closed most of the time due to the safety issues. Light clothing was worn at most times, especially on sunny days. In fulfilling the need for privacy, curtains have been overused and leading to the use of artificial lighting. The study concludes, residential college buildings that implement the appropriate bioclimatic design strategies, particularly to address natural ventilation and daylighting issues tend to achieve a desired comfort level and efficient electricity usage. With a well-planned design improvement, better results can be achieved without sacrificing the needs and comfort level of the residents.
A study was conducted for 21 days of pre-composting and 49 days of vermicomposting under laborato... more A study was conducted for 21 days of pre-composting and 49 days of vermicomposting under laboratory condition by using earthworm (Lumbricus rubellus). Three different combination of treatments were prepared with eight replicates for each treatment, namely cow dung : kitchen waste in 30:70 ratio (T1), cow dung : coffee grounds in 30:70 ratio (T2), and cow dung : kitchen waste : coffee grounds in 30:35:35 ratio (T3) were used for this study. At the end of study, there was a significant difference between numbers of earthworms among the three different treatments (p < 0.05). This is in contrast with weights of earthworms that resulted with no significant difference (p > 0.05) among the three treatments. By comparing the numbers and weights of earthworms in each treatment (T1, T2 & T3) only T2 indicated significant difference (p <0.05). Therefore it can be concluded that coffee grounds influenced the development of earthworms’ population. The use of kitchen waste as feed materials either by its own or being mix up with coffee grounds in the same ratio did not influence the development of earthworms’ population. Nutrient elements in the vermicompost from each treatment were measured and relatively showed high percentage in C, N, P, K, Ca, and Na. Contrast for Mg and other micronutrient elements, the result showed small percentage in Zn, Cu, Fe, Mn, B, and crude fat. The data reveals that coffee grounds can be decomposed through vermicomposting by using Lumbricus rubellus into value-added material. With the correct ratio and suitable condition of kitchen waste, coffee grounds can also be used as stabilizer in vermicomposting.
Cavendish banana is the second most cultivated species in Malaysia due to its high potassium and ... more Cavendish banana is the second most cultivated species in Malaysia due to its high potassium and vitamin B6 content. However, there has been little commercialisation of Cavendish banana in jam making to date because of its unappealing physical characteristics and unsavoury taste. In the present study, response surface methodology was used to determine the optimum quantity of sugar (175-275 g)-pectin (3-7 g)-citric acid (150-234 mL) (SPC) on water activity, °Brix, colour analysis, pH, total titratable acidity (TTA), and sensory attributes of formulated banana jams. The amount of sugar-pectin-citric acid was found to have an effect on the TTA and pH of the banana jams. Conversely, water activity and °Brix were only affected by the amount of sugar. The lightness, L* of the banana jams was influenced by the quantity of pectin and the volume of citric acid added. Sensory analysis using 30 panellists showed that there were changes in the colour, taste, aroma, texture, and overall acceptab...
Leucaena biomass could serve as a new commodity for bio energy production. It is well established... more Leucaena biomass could serve as a new commodity for bio energy production. It is well established as a feedstock for animal husbandry, due to its nutrient content and lower cost. However, the existence of mimosine caused loss of hair among ruminants. This paper provides a short review of current uses of Leucaena, from agriculture to bio energy. In the next section, the techniques to remove Leucaena toxicity caused by the toxic non-protein amino acid mimosine will be discussed. A common mimosine inactivation technique adopted for animal rations is dosage-dependent on the Leucaena portion and inclusion of iodine, iron, copper or sulphate in the diet. However, this technique is inefficient. Other approaches such as enzymes from ruminal microbes or soil bacteria and low-mimosine Leucaena clones have become new strategies to overcome this problem, although the toxicity is reduced it still can be seen. Future research is needed to if possible fully eliminate the toxicity and realize the g...
International Journal of Built Environment and Sustainability
The development of liveable space made from shipping containers becomes a trend even in Malaysia ... more The development of liveable space made from shipping containers becomes a trend even in Malaysia with the hot and humid climate persisting throughout the year. For sustaining the indoor comfort, building insulation is well adapted to increase thermal resistance and reduce the dependency on the mechanical cooling systems. The prospective of a shipping container as an efficient construction material and bamboo as a sustainable insulation material is well documented but basic information on the internal environment that has an impact on a person, particularly risk potential towards sick building syndrome (SBS) has been absent. Therefore, the measurements of both indoor and outdoor temperatures, relative humidity and CO2 concentration with two different conditions were done by using different sets of data loggers for at least 70 days under each condition. The first condition is a bare unit of the shipping container and followed by the installation of untreated bamboo as insulation for t...
PurposeThis paper will identify people's experience of visiting selected neighborhood parks a... more PurposeThis paper will identify people's experience of visiting selected neighborhood parks and their overall evaluations of selected neighborhood parks. The study is notably done by gathering data from the residents based on their neighborhood parks' experiences, including the landscape features and facilities related to their experiences.Design/methodology/approachThe Likert scale questions on user's experience of using park features at the neighborhood parks, open-ended questions were being applied in order to achieve more data on respondents' feelings and experiences on their thoughts. Then, the feedback from the information gathered from a minimum number of respondents (n = 382) will get into the development of semi-structured interview questions to discuss possible suggestions and recommendations for a better neighborhood park by interviewing a landscape architect and a planner.FindingsThe paper provides empirical insights on three particular themes that arise ...
Natural mycelial biomass (MB) and exopolysaccharides (EPS) of Malaysian tiger milk mushroom Ligno... more Natural mycelial biomass (MB) and exopolysaccharides (EPS) of Malaysian tiger milk mushroom Lignosus rhinocerus are considered high-end components due to their high commercial potential value in drug discovery. This study aims to evaluate the toxicity of the mushroom extracts’ generated in a bioreactor using the zebrafish embryo toxicity (ZFET) model assay as a new therapy for treating asthma. Both MB and EPS extracts, at concentrations 0.16–10 mg/mL, were tested for ZFET and early development effects on Zebrafish Embryos (ZE) during 24–120 h post-fertilisation (HPF). Findings revealed that MB was deemed safe with an LC50 of 0.77 mg/mL; the EPS were non-toxic (LC50 of 0.41 mg/mL). Neither MB nor EPS delayed hatching nor teratogenic defects in the treated ZE at a 2.5 mg/mL dose. There were no significant changes in the ZE heart rate after treatments with MB (130 beats/min) and EPS (140 beats/min), compared to that of normal ZE (120–180 beats/min). Mixing both natural compounds MB and...
The sustainability of food security is a global concern, and one of the priorities related to it ... more The sustainability of food security is a global concern, and one of the priorities related to it is the ability to identify effective efforts that can protect food security along the food supply chain (FSC). The present study demystifies the relation of sustainability and food security and structurally identifies the sustainable drivers, and the pragmatic interventions that can critically contribute to the sustainability of food security within each stage of the FSC. A systematic review of articles from six databases was implemented. Thematic analysis was engaged to detect the sustainable drivers and interventions practised at each stage in the FSC for food security purposes. Six main themes of the drivers and interventions were derived from the analysis: food security governance involvement, input resource management, output management, information sharing, income, and technology. The result identifies the potential that quality management has on the mediating effect towards sustai...
Natural mycelial exopolysaccharide (EPS) and endopolysaccharide (ENS) extracted from bioreactor-c... more Natural mycelial exopolysaccharide (EPS) and endopolysaccharide (ENS) extracted from bioreactor-cultivated European Ganoderma applanatum mushrooms are of potential high commercial value for both food and adjacent biopharmaceutical industries. In order to evaluate their potential toxicity for aquaculture application, both EPS (0.01–10 mg/mL) and ENS (0.01–10 mg/mL) extracts were tested for Zebrafish Embryo Toxicity (ZFET); early development effects on Zebrafish Embryos (ZE) were also analyzed between 24 and 120 h post-fertilization (HPF). Both EPS and ENS are considered non-toxic with LC50 of 1.41 mg/mL and 0.87 mg/mL respectively. Both EPS and ENS did not delay hatching and teratogenic defect towards ZE with <1.0 mg/mL, respectively. No significant changes in the ZE heart rate were detected following treatment with the two compounds tested (EPS: 0.01–10 mg/mL: 176.44 ± 0.77 beats/min and ENS: 0.01–10 mg/mL: 148.44 ± 17.75 beats/min) compared to normal ZE (120–180 beats/min). Thes...
This paper probes into the relationship between Neighbourhood Parks and their efficiency as a pot... more This paper probes into the relationship between Neighbourhood Parks and their efficiency as a potential stress reliever from the outdoor environment. It consists of the introduction to the relationship between stress and outdoor environment, background research on recent issues of Neighbourhood Park and it then continues with the context of perceiving Neighbourhood Park as a stress reliever. This paper looks into the previous studies that employed observations, survey, interviews and instruments as methods in proving Neighbourhood Parks as a potential stress reliever. Relevant findings were highlighted and recommendations for improving the design and planning were suggested to generate more quality living environment in the future.
The evaluation through a set of questionnaire and field measurement with the use of climatic devi... more The evaluation through a set of questionnaire and field measurement with the use of climatic devices was conducted in an old residential college building with the best practice of bioclimatic design strategies, particularly on the implementation of daylighting and natural ventilation. Initially, the implementation of these strategies has a significantly positive impact on the satisfaction level of the residents. Temperature and relative humidity range that is accepted as thermally comfortable by university students are 29-30°C and 72-77%, respectively. The comfort level was successfully maintained with a good adaptation of living behaviour including the activity in the room, garment dressed, usage of room opening and electronic devices. Unfortunately, further improvements on natural daylighting are still required based on the negative feedbacks given by the majority of respondents.
A satisfaction and perception survey was carried out at a residential college building in Kuala L... more A satisfaction and perception survey was carried out at a residential college building in Kuala Lumpur. It was acknowledged as an energy efficient building due to the most considerate implementation of bioclimatic design concept. Currently, there is no specific preference studies were done in this type of building in the equatorial climate region. 266 respondents were received, relying on 95% confidence level and ±5% margin of error from the overall population. The satisfaction and perception levels of residents are found to be positive with the concept of bioclimatic design. A majority of them are at a comfort level in all performance indicators including the internal courtyard, thermal comfort and indoor air quality, day lighting and landscape features, which contributed to the increased work productivity. Indirectly, it shows that the bioclimatic design concept at an old residential building is still appropriate to meet the needs of contemporary life while increasing the efficien...
Residential buildings that were designed with internal courtyards offer a comfortable and pleasan... more Residential buildings that were designed with internal courtyards offer a comfortable and pleasant indoor environment. Past research on the benefits of internal courtyards have been scientifically proven, however, the results seemed disreputable in terms of its satisfaction by occupants of a building. A survey using a set of questionnaire was conducted at two selected residential colleges in the University of Malaya to gauge the satisfaction level of residents towards an existing internal courtyard. It is evident that the majority of respondents at both colleges have given positive feedback on the satisfaction of the building layout quality, comfort level in terms of the natural daylighting, thermal comfort and indoor air quality as well as the degree of their work productivity. These findings indicate that the internal courtyard is relevant to be applied when designing a building, particularly low-rise residential buildings in the equatorial climate region.
The evaluation through a set of questionnaire and field measurement with the use of climatic devi... more The evaluation through a set of questionnaire and field measurement with the use of climatic devices was conducted in an old residential college building with the best practice of bioclimatic design strategies, particularly on the implementation of daylighting and natural ventilation. Initially, the implementation of these strategies has a significantly positive impact on the satisfaction level of the residents. Temperature and relative humidity range that is accepted as thermally comfortable by university students are 29-30°C and 72-77%, respectively. The comfort level was successfully maintained with a good adaptation of living behaviour including the activity in the room, garment dressed, usage of room opening and electronic devices. Unfortunately, further improvements on natural daylighting are still required based on the negative feedbacks given by the majority of respondents. Abstrak Penilaian menggunakan satu set soal selidik dan pengukuran di lapangan menggunakan peranti berkaitan iklim telah dijalankan di sebuah bangunan kolej kediaman lama dengan amalan terbaik strategi reka bentuk bioiklim, terutamanya pada perlaksanaan pencahayaan siang dan pengudaraan semulajadi. Pada asasnya, pelaksanaan strategi ini mempunyai kesan positif yang ketara kepada tahap kepuasan penduduk. Julat suhu dan kelembapan relatif yang diterima sebagai selesa oleh mahasiswa adalah 29-30 °C dan 72-77%. Tahap keselesaan telah berjaya dikekalkan dengan pengadaptasian terbaik tingkah laku kehidupan termasuklah aktiviti di dalam bilik, pemakaian, penggunaan pembukaan bilik dan peranti elektronik. Walaubagaimanapun, penambahbaikan pencahayaan siang masih diperlukan berdasarkan kepada maklum balas negatif yang diberikan oleh majoriti responden. Kata kunci: Reka bentuk bioiklim, skala likert, tingkah laku kehidupan, post occupancy evaluation (POE), bangunan kolej kediaman
A satisfaction and perception survey was carried out at a residential college building in Kuala L... more A satisfaction and perception survey was carried out at a residential college building in Kuala Lumpur. It was acknowledged as an energy efficient building due to the most considerate implementation of bioclimatic design concept. Currently, there is no specific preference studies were done in this type of building in the equatorial climate region. 266 respondents were received, relying on 95% confidence level and ±5% margin of error from the overall population. The satisfaction and perception levels of residents are found to be positive with the concept of bioclimatic design. A majority of them are at a comfort level in all performance indicators including the internal courtyard, thermal comfort and indoor air quality, day lighting and landscape features, which contributed to the increased work productivity. Indirectly, it shows that the bioclimatic design concept at an old residential building is still appropriate to meet the needs of contemporary life while increasing the efficiency of electricity usage. Nevertheless, the positions of the rooms should be highly considered in implementing the improvement measures for increasing the comfort level of the room when this aspect, rather than the gender aspect, considerably influences the satisfaction and perception levels of respondents.
Dayasari residential college building was designed with the internal courtyard that allows for nu... more Dayasari residential college building was designed with the internal courtyard that allows for numerous implementations of bioclimatic design strategies, especially on daylighting. The field measurement was conducted at eight unoccupied student rooms, selected as samples to represent ten scenarios and orientations that concerned with the level of radiation and penetration of sunlight. This study reveals the contribution of the internal courtyard in the residential college which allows the daylight penetration at the corridor areas and interior of the rooms through the transom over the entrance door, up to ten hours daily. Different amounts of daylight were measured in specific room scenarios to suggest on the most comfortable indoor living space. The recorded mean value for indoor varied from 37 to 286 lux, while in the corridor area 192 to 3,848 lux. However, the use of the large overhangs over the windows, wall openings in the room and trees with large canopy in the landscape setting should critically justify when the adequacy of daylight was drastically reduced in certain rooms.
Post Occupancy Evaluation (POE) by using a set of questionnaire was conducted to assess the perce... more Post Occupancy Evaluation (POE) by using a set of questionnaire was conducted to assess the perception and comfort level required by residents in a college building with the best practice of bioclimatic design strategies. The survey was based on a five-point Likert scale, covering various performance criteria of the building (architectural elements, thermal comfort, indoor air quality, visual comfort, acoustic comfort and landscape features). The positions of the rooms should be highly considered in implementing the improvement measures for increasing the comfort level of the room when this aspect considerably influences the satisfaction and perception levels of respondents. 2180-4567
This paper probes into the relationship between Neighbourhood Parks and their efficiency as a pot... more This paper probes into the relationship between Neighbourhood Parks and their efficiency as a potential stress reliever from the outdoor environment. It consists of the introduction to the relationship between stress and outdoor environment, background research on recent issues of Neighbourhood Park and it then continues with the context of perceiving Neighbourhood Park as a stress reliever. This paper looks into the previous studies that employed observations, survey, interviews and instruments as methods in proving Neighbourhood Parks as a potential stress reliever. Relevant findings were highlighted and recommendations for improving the design and planning were suggested to generate more quality living environment in the future.
Green spaces in residential areas have great demand in Western countries but not in Asia, Malaysi... more Green spaces in residential areas have great demand in Western countries but not in Asia, Malaysia. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia's metropolitan capital city, is one of the fastest-growing economic cities moving towards sustainability by promoting livable and intelligent growth planning through green space. However, the study on how people across Kuala Lumpur respond and connect to green spaces in their daily life not broadly done. Thus, this paper explores a neighborhood park's residents' experience in a residential area at two out of six strategic zones in Kuala Lumpur: Taman Tun Dr. Ismail and Bandar Tun Razak. Using a set of Likert scale questionnaires and interviews, an understanding of how and why the residents use green spaces at nearby neighborhood parks day-today reported. Recommendation on the planning wise is to guide local authority and professionals' actions to design preferred neighborhood park in Kuala Lumpur.
International Journal of Built Environment and Sustainability, 2021
The development of liveable space made from shipping containers becomes a trend even in Malaysia ... more The development of liveable space made from shipping containers becomes a trend even in Malaysia with the hot and humid climate persisting throughout the year. For sustaining the indoor comfort, building insulation is well adapted to increase thermal resistance and reduce the dependency on the mechanical cooling systems. The prospective of a shipping container as an efficient construction material and bamboo as a sustainable insulation material is well documented but basic information on the internal environment that has an impact on a person, particularly risk potential towards sick building syndrome (SBS) has been absent. Therefore, the measurements of both indoor and outdoor temperatures, relative humidity and CO2 concentration with two different conditions were done by using different sets of data loggers for at least 70 days under each condition. The first condition is a bare unit of the shipping container and followed by the installation of untreated bamboo as insulation for the second condition. This research reveals that high temperatures were recorded up to 40°C in both conditions and untreated bamboo as insulation increased the relative humidity levels up to the maximum, 100%. The mean values of CO2 concentration are in the range of 1,869 ppm to 2,938 ppm and they reach up to 5,000 ppm at the most of the intervals, indicating a significant contribution to SBS. The condition of the equatorial climate denies the compatibility of the shipping container to be used as the building material of liveable space. The quality and treatment of the bamboo must be the ultimate priority.
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– The purpose of this paper is to present the efficiency of electricity use and potential of electricity reduction at 12 residential colleges located at University of Malaya Campus, Kuala Lumpur.
Design/methodology/approach
– The work presented applies an energy audit when energy consumption data were collected and analysed for a five‐year period. The total savings of electricity used at residential colleges were identified through the difference between average total energy use in a year (kWh) and minimum electricity usage.
Findings
– The study finds that residential colleges with special features of building layout and arrangement performed better with regard to electricity consumption due to the prior group's superior utilisation of day lighting and natural ventilation. The floor area of the rooms, volume, density, enclosure and facade design, including window design, window area, and window‐to‐wall ratio also influenced the total electricity usage of the residential college buildings. Also, through adaptation of the corridor area to include more natural ventilation and daylight, approximately 40 to 90 percent of average electricity usage could be conserved in a year.
Research limitations/implications
– The methodology is limited to energy audit for a five‐year period of metered data and walk‐through analysis.
Practical implications
– The findings raised some issues related to thermal comfort of the residents.
Originality/value
– The study can be used as baseline data for a tropical region particularly on current electricity usage and potential of energy conservation in residential building.
(T1), 60:40 (T2), 50:50 (T3), 40:60 (T4) and 20:80 (T5). After 7 weeks of vermicomposting, macronutrient elements of vermicompost produced were measured and the process continues with composting when all the earthworms were taken out from the treatments. Macronutrient elements of compost produced were also measured after 20 weeks of composting. The data reveals that 7 weeks for vermicomposting of cow dung and spent mushroom substrate is sufficient to produce good vermicompost rather than continuing process with 20 weeks of post composting. Therefore, it can be concluded that the duration and quality of vermicomposting is
better than composting particularly in vermicompost production.
– The purpose of this paper is to present the efficiency of electricity use and potential of electricity reduction at 12 residential colleges located at University of Malaya Campus, Kuala Lumpur.
Design/methodology/approach
– The work presented applies an energy audit when energy consumption data were collected and analysed for a five‐year period. The total savings of electricity used at residential colleges were identified through the difference between average total energy use in a year (kWh) and minimum electricity usage.
Findings
– The study finds that residential colleges with special features of building layout and arrangement performed better with regard to electricity consumption due to the prior group's superior utilisation of day lighting and natural ventilation. The floor area of the rooms, volume, density, enclosure and facade design, including window design, window area, and window‐to‐wall ratio also influenced the total electricity usage of the residential college buildings. Also, through adaptation of the corridor area to include more natural ventilation and daylight, approximately 40 to 90 percent of average electricity usage could be conserved in a year.
Research limitations/implications
– The methodology is limited to energy audit for a five‐year period of metered data and walk‐through analysis.
Practical implications
– The findings raised some issues related to thermal comfort of the residents.
Originality/value
– The study can be used as baseline data for a tropical region particularly on current electricity usage and potential of energy conservation in residential building.
(T1), 60:40 (T2), 50:50 (T3), 40:60 (T4) and 20:80 (T5). After 7 weeks of vermicomposting, macronutrient elements of vermicompost produced were measured and the process continues with composting when all the earthworms were taken out from the treatments. Macronutrient elements of compost produced were also measured after 20 weeks of composting. The data reveals that 7 weeks for vermicomposting of cow dung and spent mushroom substrate is sufficient to produce good vermicompost rather than continuing process with 20 weeks of post composting. Therefore, it can be concluded that the duration and quality of vermicomposting is
better than composting particularly in vermicompost production.
earthworms in each treatment, only T2 indicated significant difference (p< 0.05) which it can be concluded that coffee grounds influenced the development of earthworms’ population. Nutrient elements in the vermicompost from each treatment were measured and relatively showed high percentage in C, N, P, K, Ca, and Na. Contrast for Mg and other
micronutrient elements, the result showed small percentage in Zn, Cu, Fe, Mn, B, and crude fat. The data reveals that coffee grounds can be decomposed through vermicomposting by using Lumbricus rubellus into value-added material. With the correct ratio and suitable condition of kitchen waste, coffee grounds can also be used as stabilizer in vermicomposting.
One of them, 5th residential college (5th RC) was selected for the case study due to its best implementation of bioclimatic design strategies that encourage efficient energy use. Furthermore, its uniform building layout minimises uncontrolled variables in further field investigation and evaluations.
The satisfaction and perception surveys show that a majority of respondents at 5th RC are at a comfortable level. This is based on findings from all performance indicators of functional elements, thermal comfort and indoor air quality, as well as, visual comfort and landscape elements. The 5th RC is capable to provide a comfortable living space with indoor temperatures ranging from 28°C to 30°C with 70% to 78% relative humidity. Different locations have different effects on room conditions and higher temperatures were recorded at rooms on the top level of the building compared to rooms at the lower levels. There were no significant differences detected owing to different orientation of rooms which are largely due to the effects of the green landscape. Higher values of daylight intensity were recorded in the corridor compared to the daylight intensity in the rooms which even varies in amount at different areas within the same room. Further analysis show that night ventilation provides better thermal comfort for residents compared to other ventilation options like full-day and daytime ventilation or no ventilation at all.
The living behaviour assessment reveals that residents of 5th RC have adapted well to maintain the comfort level in their rooms. Only light activities were conducted in the rooms which reduces the metabolic heat production. Ceiling fans were fully utilized at the maximum speed of five for maintaining air circulation in the rooms where the operable windows are closed most of the time due to the safety issues. Light clothing was worn at most times, especially on sunny days. In fulfilling the need for privacy, curtains have been overused and leading to the use of artificial lighting.
The study concludes, residential college buildings that implement the appropriate bioclimatic design strategies, particularly to address natural ventilation and daylighting issues tend to achieve a desired comfort level and efficient electricity usage. With a well-planned design improvement, better results can be achieved without sacrificing the needs and comfort level of the residents.
treatment, namely cow dung : kitchen waste in 30:70 ratio (T1), cow dung : coffee grounds in 30:70 ratio (T2), and cow dung : kitchen waste : coffee grounds in 30:35:35 ratio (T3) were used for this study. At the end of study, there was a significant difference between numbers of earthworms among the three different treatments (p < 0.05). This is in contrast with weights of earthworms that resulted with no significant difference (p >
0.05) among the three treatments. By comparing the numbers and weights of earthworms in each treatment (T1, T2 & T3) only T2 indicated significant difference (p <0.05). Therefore it can be concluded that coffee grounds influenced the development of
earthworms’ population. The use of kitchen waste as feed materials either by its own or being mix up with coffee grounds in the same ratio did not influence the development of earthworms’ population. Nutrient elements in the vermicompost from each treatment were measured and relatively showed high percentage in C, N, P, K, Ca, and Na.
Contrast for Mg and other micronutrient elements, the result showed small percentage in Zn, Cu, Fe, Mn, B, and crude fat. The data reveals that coffee grounds can be decomposed through vermicomposting by using Lumbricus rubellus into value-added material. With the correct ratio and suitable condition of kitchen waste, coffee grounds can also be used as stabilizer in vermicomposting.