Towards Sustainable Housing: Challenges in Architectural Design for Green Retrofitting in Malaysia

In Malaysia, there are several alternatives available to minimize the environmental impact from the construction industry, including the adoption of green building construction. Many studies, however, show that creating new green buildings may have negative influences on the environment, such as improper waste management and a rise in building stocks in Malaysia. Thus, green retrofitting is an effective measure since it utilizes existing buildings in Malaysia to retrofit buildings with sustainable elements, such as additional window openings for natural lighting. However, the application of the green retrofitting concept as a factor in sustainable development in Malaysia is still critically low, and it is not extensively applied in the construction industry. The aim of this paper is to gain an insight and in depth understanding on the challenges in implementing green retrofitting concept in Malaysia. Quantitative study is applied through the conduction of questionnaires distributed among architects working in Kuala Lumpur. It is showed that architects are aware and facing the challenges in designing green retrofitting concept for residential housing in Malaysia.

Malaysia, construction industry, green retrofitting, architectural design, sustainable housing

1. H. Abdul Rahman, “Climate change scenarios in Malaysia: Engaging the public,” International Journal of Malay-Nusantara Studies, vol. 1, no. 2, 2018. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

2. Soo Zi Hao, “Developing a Motivation Framework for Retrofitting Buildings in Construction Industry,” 2019. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

3. N. K. Mustaffa and S. A. Kudus, “Challenges and way forward towards best practices of energy efficient building in Malaysia,” Energy, vol. 259, 2022, doi: 10.1016/j.energy.2022.124839. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

4. T. Mari, O. K. E. R. Sin, S. Gunasagaran, and S. Kuppusamy, “The Key Constraints Underlying Energy Retrofit Of The Residential Buildings In Malaysia,” Journal of Engineering Science and Technology, vol. 17, 2022. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

5. M. Amirkhani, I. Martek, and M. B. Luther, “Mapping research trends in residential construction retrofitting: A scientometric literature review,” 2021. doi: 10.3390/en14196106. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

6. Q. He, M. U. Hossain, S. T. Ng, and G. L. Augenbroe, “Retrofitting high-rise residential building in cold and severe cold zones of China-A deterministic decision-making mechanism,” Sustainability (Switzerland), vol. 12, no. 14, 2020, doi: 10.3390/su12145831. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

7. M. S. N. Lee, M. A. N. Masrom, S. Mohamed, K. C. Goh, N. Sarpin, and N. Manap, “Examining Risk as Guideline in Design Stage for Green Retrofits Projects: A Review,” in IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering, 2020. doi: 10.1088/1757-899X/713/1/012043. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

8. X. Sun, Z. Gou, and S. S. Y. Lau, “Cost-effectiveness of active and passive design strategies for existing building retrofits in tropical climate: Case study of a zero energy building,” J Clean Prod, vol. 183, 2018, doi: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2018.02.137. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

9. M. F. F. Fasna and S. Gunatilake, “Energy retrofits to enhance energy performance of existing buildings: A review,” in World Construction Symposium, 2019. doi: 10.31705/WCS.2019.31. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

10. F. Pardo-Bosch, C. Cervera, and T. Ysa, “Key aspects of building retrofitting: Strategizing sustainable cities,” J Environ Manage, vol. 248, 2019, doi: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2019.07.018. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

11. Q. Nazri et al., “The need for retrofitting to achieve sustainability of Malaysian buildings,” J Teknol, vol. 75, no. 10, 2015, doi: 10.11113/jt.v75.5286. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

12. S. Bu, G. Shen, C. J. Anumba, A. K. D. Wong, and X. Liang, “Literature review of green retrofit design for commercial buildings with BIM implication,” 2015. doi: 10.1108/SASBE-08-2014-0043. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

13. Y. Yang, R. Sun, J. Dai, M. Zhu, and Y. Yang, “Evolutionary analysis of stakeholder behavior in green retrofitting of traditional residential buildings based on dissemination and game models,” PLoS One, vol. 18, no. 3 March, 2023, doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0282314. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

14. T. Hipwood, “Understanding low-carbon housing retrofit within a wider nexus of practices,” Journal of Architecture, vol. 26, no. 4, 2021, doi: 10.1080/13602365.2021.1925328. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

15. P. Davies and M. Osmani, “Low carbon housing refurbishment challenges and incentives: Architects’ perspectives,” Build Environ, vol. 46, no. 8, 2011, doi: 10.1016/j.buildenv.2011.02.011. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

16. A. S. Ali, “Design information in managing refurbishment projects in Malaysia,” International Journal of Physical Sciences, vol. 5, no. 6, 2010. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

17. X. Shi, Z. Tian, W. Chen, B. Si, and X. Jin, “A review on building energy efficient design optimization rom the perspective of architects,” 2016. doi: 10.1016/j.rser.2016.07.050. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

18. H. H. B. Mohidin, A. Aminuddin, A. Rosni, E. Sediadi, and F. M. Razif, “Architectural profession and its role towards the design of administrative architecture in Malaysia,” Journal of Design and Built Environment, vol. 19, no. 3, 2019, doi: 10.22452/jdbe.vol19no3.6. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

19. L. M. Miu, N. Wisniewska, C. Mazur, J. Hardy, and A. Hawkes, “A simple assessment of housing retrofit policies for the UK: What should succeed the energy company obligation,” Energies (Basel), vol. 11, no. 8, 2018, doi: 10.3390/en11082070. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

20. C. Manteuffel, D. Tofan, P. Avgeriou, H. Koziolek, and T. Goldschmidt, “Decision architect - A decision documentation tool for industry,” in Journal of Systems and Software, 2016. doi: 10.1016/j.jss.2015.10.034. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

21. T. B. Salcedo Rahola and A. Straub, “The role of the architect using integrated contracts for social housing renovation projects,” Journal of Engineering, Design and Technology, vol. 14, no. 4, 2016, doi: 10.1108/JEDT-02-2015-0008. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

22. X. Hu, Y. Xiang, H. Zhang, Q. Lin, W. Wang, and H. Wang, “Active–passive combined energy-efficient retrofit of rural residence with non-benchmarked construction: A case study in Shandong province, China,” Energy Reports, vol. 7, 2021, doi: 10.1016/j.egyr.2021.02.045. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

23. H. C. Foley, “Challenges and opportunities in engineered retrofits of buildings for improved energy efficiency and habitability,” AIChE Journal, vol. 58, no. 3, 2012, doi: 10.1002/aic.13748. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

24. N. M. Hanapiah, N. I. Mohd Zaki, M. K. Abu Husain, and N. A. Mukhlas, “Green Building in Existing Development: A Review of Current Status, Challenges, and Implementation Strategy,” Civil Engineering and Architecture, vol. 10, no. 7, 2022, doi: 10.13189/cea.2022.100726. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

25. M. A. Mohit, M. Ibrahim, and Y. R. Rashid, “Assessment of residential satisfaction in newly designed public low-cost housing in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia,” Habitat Int, vol. 34, no. 1, 2010, doi: 10.1016/j.habitatint.2009.04.002. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

26. P. F. Wong, “A framework of sustainability refurbishment assessment for heritage buildings in Malaysia,” in IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, 2019. doi: 10.1088/1755-1315/268/1/012011. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

27. L. Sanhudo et al., “Building information modeling for energy retrofitting – A review,” 2018. doi: 10.1016/j.rser.2018.03.064. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

28. A. Mickaityte, E. K. Zavadskas, A. Kaklauskas, and L. Tupénaité, “The concept model of sustainable buildings refurbishment,” International Journal of Strategic Property Management, vol. 12, no. 1, 2008, doi: 10.3846/1648-715X.2008.12.53-68. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

29. X. Liang, Y. Peng, and G. Q. Shen, “A game theory based analysis of decision making for green retrofit under different occupancy types,” J Clean Prod, vol. 137, 2016, doi: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2016.07.200. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

30. X. Liang, G. Q. Shen, and L. Guo, “Improving management of green retrofits from a stakeholder perspective: A case study in China,” Int J Environ Res Public Health, vol. 12, no. 11, 2015, doi: 10.3390/ijerph121113823. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

31. Ranawaka and H. Mallawaarachchi, “A risk-responsive framework for green retrofit projects in Sri Lanka,” Built Environment Project and Asset Management, vol. 8, no. 5, 2018, doi: 10.1108/BEPAM-10-2017-0088. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

32. S. Y. Wang, K. T. Lee, and J. H. Kim, “Green Retrofitting Simulation for Sustainable Commercial Buildings in China Using a Proposed Multi-Agent Evolutionary Game,” Sustainability (Switzerland), vol. 14, no. 13, 2022, doi: 10.3390/su14137671. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

33. H. A. Leinartas and B. Stephens, “Optimizing whole house deep energy retrofit packages: A case study of existing Chicago-area homes,” Buildings, vol. 5, no. 2, 2015, doi: 10.3390/buildings5020323. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

34. M. Sunikka-Blank and R. Galvin, “Irrational homeowners? How aesthetics and heritage values influence thermal retrofit decisions in the United Kingdom,” Energy Res Soc Sci, vol. 11, 2016, doi: 10.1016/j.erss.2015.09.004. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

35. Jungels, D. A. Rakow, S. B. Allred, and S. M. Skelly, “Attitudes and aesthetic reactions toward green roofs in the Northeastern United States,” Landsc Urban Plan, vol. 117, 2013, doi: 10.1016/j.landurbplan.2013.04.013. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

36. G. Oruezabala and J. C. Rico, “The impact of sustainable public procurement on supplier management - The case of French public hospitals,” Industrial Marketing Management, vol. 41, no. 4, 2012, doi: 10.1016/j.indmarman.2012.04.004. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

37. N. Abdul Ghani, “The importance of preliminaries items,” 2006. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

• The Impact of Ownership Structure on Dividend Payout Policy of Listed Plantation Companies in Sri Lanka
• Urban Sustainability in North-East India: A Study through the lens of NER-SDG index
• Performance Assessment of Predictive Forecasting Techniques for Enhancing Hospital Supply Chain Efficiency in Healthcare Logistics
• The Fractured Self in Julian Barnes' Postmodern Fiction: Identity Crisis and Deflation in Metroland and the Sense of an Ending
• Impact of Flood on the Employment, Labour Productivity and Migration of Agricultural Labour in North Bihar