Asian Architecture

Asian Architecture [ARC 2213/2234] PROJECT 1: CASE STUDY

A comparative study of the sustainability of the materials used in Phase 1 and Phase 2 at Belum Rainforest Resort.

Name:

Feiven Chee

Student ID:

0312004

Lecturer:

Ms Shahrianne

Submission Date:

12th June 2014

Table of Contents Abstract ............................................................................................................................................................................... 3 1.0

Introduction ....................................................................................................................................................... 5

2.0

Overview of sustainability of materials .............................................................................................. 6

2.1

Efficiency of material ................................................................................................................................... 6

2.2

Operations and maintenance ................................................................................................................... 7

2.3

Waste reduction............................................................................................................................................. 7

2.4

Embodied Energy and Life Cycle Assessments (L.C.A.) ................................................................. 8

3.0

Overview of Belum Rainforest Resort .............................................................................................. 10

4.0

Analysis of the major building materials used at Belum Rainforest Resort ............... 11

4.1 Timber.................................................................................................................................................................... 11 4.2 Bamboo.................................................................................................................................................................. 13 4.3 Brick ........................................................................................................................................................................ 15 4.4 Concrete ................................................................................................................................................................ 17 4.5 Steel......................................................................................................................................................................... 19 4.6 SHERA plank........................................................................................................................................................ 21 5.0 Discussion ............................................................................................................................................................... 22 6.0 New materials as suggestions for improvement ............................................................................... 24 7.0 Conclusion............................................................................................................................................................... 26 References ...................................................................................................................................................................... 27

A comparative study of the sustainability of the materials used in Phase 1 and Phase 2 at Belum Rainforest Resort

Abstract Materials are one of the most important factors which contributes to the sustainability of a building. Rainforest Resort was designed and constructed in two phases by different architects and because of this the material palette used vary considerably. The purpose of this research is to highlight the different materials used between the two phases and how they contribute to the sustainability of the architecture. To validate the investigation, a site visit was carried out where we had the chance to have a conversation with the architect. From this, a first-hand experience and photographs of the materials were collected. Furthermore, literary reviews of embodied energy, materials’ properties and their impact were used. Being an architecture student studying in Malaysia, it is important to realize the potential and drawbacks of materials in a regional context which would ultimately enlighten and help with personal design projects.

There are a variety of materials used within the project: timber, brick, rammed earth wall, steel, bamboo, concrete and Shera. The main material used in Phase 1 of Belum Rainforest Resort is timber whereas concrete is heavily used in Phase 2 of Belum Rainforest Resort. Timber is more sustainable in terms of the production process as it does not require much refinement before it can be used in construction. However, timber needs to be coated and protected for it to serve a longer life and be able to be recycled at the end of its usage. Overall, its properties makes it less sustainable due to higher maintenance requirements once it is built. On the other hand, concrete is less sustainable in its production due to its constituents: in particular the Portland cement.

However, in application it requires less maintenance, durable and long-lasting. Eventually, it can also be recycled. In terms of sustainability, the ease and implications of demolition is an important aspect not to be overlooked. In addition to existing known materials, there are always new materials being designed to be more sustainable such as Enviroboards, Filterpave and Vireo – which are essentially modifications of timber and concrete.

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A comparative study of the sustainability of the materials used in Phase 1 and Phase 2 at Belum Rainforest Resort

In conclusion, an architect must be familiar and know about materials in depth, especially how each material is unique in its contribution a more sustainable future. We must also keep up to date with new and more technologically advanced material as we divert away from nonrenewable materials. Architects will always be held responsible for the implications of their buildings and thus must seek to design sustainably.

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A comparative study of the sustainability of the materials used in Phase 1 and Phase 2 at Belum Rainforest Resort

1.0

Introduction

Most of the time, sustainable architecture or green designs rely on materials that are categorized as rapidly renewable materials or those which have a short harvest cycle. Plants such as palm and bamboo are assumed to be sustainable due to their beauty and longevity property.

However, taking this into consideration, it is important to find out what actually defines a sustainable material and its implications in the implementation of sustainable architecture. To further understand the relationship between building materials and their environmental impacts so as to achieve sustainability, my research title is “A comparative study of the sustainability of the materials used in Phase 1 and Phase 2 at Belum Rainforest Resort”. Taking Belum Rainforest Resort as a case study, my research will focus on the sustainability of the building materials used based on the following research questions: 1. What makes a material “sustainable”?

2. What are the materials used in Phase 1 and Phase 2?

3. How does the placement of materials contribute towards the sustainability of Belum Rainforest Resort?

4. How effective are the materials used in terms of sustainability in Phase 1 and Phase 2?

5. What improvement could be done in terms of the selection and modification of the materials in Belum Rainforest Resort to becoming more sustainable?

The research will be approached in two different parts. First, a thorough investigation into the properties of materials which contribute towards its sustainability will be carried out. Following this will be an analysis of the case study and the implications of the chosen building materials.

Using the literature review as well as case specific analysis, a conclusion will be reached regarding the sustainability of Belum Rainforest Resort in terms of its material choice.

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A comparative study of the sustainability of the materials used in Phase 1 and Phase 2 at Belum Rainforest Resort

2.0

Overview of sustainability of materials The choice of a material has a strong and direct impact on other aspects of the product in

other stages of the life cycle, such as the processing stage (e.g. impact on energy impact and efficiency of production technology), use phase (e.g. durability during life span) and the end-oflife phase (e.g. possibility of recycling, biodegradation, or generation of electricity at the end of the life span) (van der Lugt, Vogtländer & Brezet, 2008, p9).

Thus, building materials are closely linked to every stage in a life cycle of a building. The consumption of energy in the production and implementation of building materials has a direct impact on the environment. The extraction of building materials, through the processing, manufacturing stage, to transporting building materials are all detrimental to the natural environment to some extent.

2.1

Efficiency of material Most of the time, a building material’s performance depends on its properties. Having the

ability to identify the physical, chemical, and mechanical properties of a material is indeed a good beginning to consider when selecting sustainable building materials.

The fundamental idea behind a sustainable material is that the consumption rate is slower than the reproduction, replenishment or replacement rate. Rapidly renewable building materials are becoming one of the most popular features in sustainable architecture. A good example of this is bamboo. It grows quickly - by the time the products made with it need to be replaced, more than enough bamboo to provide the resource can be grown. Stone, on the other hand, is not particularly efficient although it is a green building material — millions of years are needed for it to naturally be produced.

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A comparative study of the sustainability of the materials used in Phase 1 and Phase 2 at Belum Rainforest Resort

Physical properties such as durability is also recognized as one of the important factors in material selection to create a sustainable building—the longer a building can sustain, the less materials will be used in constructing a new building, and ultimately the less energy it will consume.

Other materials’ properties such as tensile and compressive strength, corrosion and resistivity should be taken into account to ensure that the building’s materials fulfil the sustainable requirements that are able to justify the sustainability of a building.

2.2

Operations and maintenance When creating sustainable structure, it is important to focus on the effects the buildings

have on human health as well as output energy conservation. Operation and maintenance (O&M) phase is where green practices such as recycling and air quality enhancement take place, although environmental impacts can be reduced during the construction and demolition phases of a building’s life-cycle. A building may have been built in a very sustainable manner in terms of material selection and construction, proper operation and appropriate maintenance are also significant to retain sustainability in a building.

2.3

Waste reduction Buildings are typically demolished when they reach the end of their service life. However,

the so called “waste” should be collected during deconstruction of a building to reclaim into useful building materials. In this case, the recyclability and reusability of building materials become important considerations in sustainable architecture (Kim & Rigdon, 1998, pp. 26-27). Waste demolition or deconstruction waste can also be eliminated by repurposing a building. Durability

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A comparative study of the sustainability of the materials used in Phase 1 and Phase 2 at Belum Rainforest Resort

of the building material plays a key role to prolong the useful life of a building so as to allow adaptive reuse, which means reusing an old site or building for a new function replacing the former purpose which it was built for.

2.4

Embodied Energy and Life Cycle Assessments (L.C.A.) For the past several decades, the study of embodied energy has been carried out in order

to find out the relationship between building materials and their environmental impacts.

Treloar (1994) defines embodied energy as the quantity of energy required by all of the activities associated with a production process, including the relative proportions consumed in all activities upstream to the acquisition of natural resources and the share of energy used in making equipment and in other supporting functions i.e.direct energy plus indirect energy.

Basically, this means all the direct energy required to produce a material, from extraction of the material, to the processing, manufacture, and delivery of building material to the building site. In addition to that, it also includes all the energy required to make the equipments and other materials needed to manufacture a material, which is called the indirect energy.

Energy consumption during manufacture produces carbon dioxide (CO2), which contributes to greenhouse gas emissions. For most building materials, the major environmental impacts occur during the initial processes; therefore, embodied energy can be used as an indicator of the overall environmental impact of building materials and systems.

Even so, in many situations, a higher embodied energy building material may be justified because the operating energy of the building can be reduced to negate its initial energy consumed in the processing stage. For example, in spite of its high embodied energy, aluminium may be a

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A comparative study of the sustainability of the materials used in Phase 1 and Phase 2 at Belum Rainforest Resort

suitable material selection due to its durability and superior life span. This exemplifies that embodied energy must be taken into consideration with the aspect of the lifespan of a building.

On the other hand, life cycle assessment, as stated by The International Organization for Standardization (ISO), is the compilation and evaluation of the inputs, outputs and the potential environmental impacts of a product system throughout its life cycle. (ISO 14040: 1997) Life cycle of a building can be categorized into 3 phases: pre-building phase, building phase and post-building phase (Kim & Rigdon, 1998, pp 7 - 11). The contribution of selected materials towards the sustainability in a building can be analysed in accordance with these three phases.

Diagram 1 – 3 major stages of a material’s life cycle.

In short, life cycle assessment (L.C.A) is a technique to evaluate environmental impacts over all the cradle-to-grave stages of a material or product’s life, i.e. from raw material mining through materials processing, manufacture, distribution, use, maintenance, to disposal or recycling while embodied energy only refers to all the energy invested in a material (Treloar, 1998, p. 14–18).

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A comparative study of the sustainability of the materials used in Phase 1 and Phase 2 at Belum Rainforest Resort

3.0

Overview of Belum Rainforest Resort Belum Rainforest Resort is located at Pulau Banding, an island in Tasik Temenggor. In

close proximity to it is the Royal Belum Forest, which is 130 million years old, and the hydroelectric Temenggor Dam, which is what caused the lake. Being located at an environmentally sensitive area, the resort was conceived as a sustainable development with the aim of providing convenience as well as an educational experience of nature and green issues (Lina Ooi, n.d.)

The project is clearly separated into two distinct zones referred to as Phase 1 and Phase 2. Although the design idea and objective behind the two phases are the same, different architects were in charge of each phase and thus the philosophy in choice of building materials is distinct from each other. Phase 1 was designed by C-Arch Studios whereas Phase 2 was designed by Juteras Sdn Bhd.

Figure 1 – The architects of Phase 1 predominantly uses

Figure 2 – The main building materials in Phase 2 are

organic materials such as timber and bamboo.

more industrial such as concrete and steel.

Several issues relating to sustainability will need to be considered due to the case study site. As it is located in a tropical rainforest, the design must address the high humidity and heat issues through the choice of building materials. Furthermore, its rural and somewhat remote context means that transportation and construction costs may make it less sustainable.

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A comparative study of the sustainability of the materials used in Phase 1 and Phase 2 at Belum Rainforest Resort

4.0

Analysis of the major building materials used at Belum Rainforest Resort

4.1 Timber Timber is considered one of the most available materials in tropical regions. At Belum Rainforest Resort, timber's low thermal conductivity allows it to act as an insulator preventing hot air from entering the building and thus results in thermal comfort for the occupants.

Compared to other major building materials such as concrete, timber is much lighter in weight but yet has an impressive strength-to-weight ratio. Generally, timber is considered a high performance building material due to its high versatile properties and minimal maintenance requirement.

Figure 3 – The Sidai restaurant at Phase 1 uses timber cladding and windows.

Figure 4 – The Traditional Chalets of Phase 2 uses timber which acts as an insulator providing thermal comfort for its occupants.

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A comparative study of the sustainability of the materials used in Phase 1 and Phase 2 at Belum Rainforest Resort

Originally, raw logs harvested in the forest weigh about 1 tonne/m3 and consumed a significant amount of energy for transportation. However, a large part of water content in logs is then removed in the production process and transported again as light weight processed timber (between 400-800 kg/m3). In comparison to the approximate 2500 kg/m3 weight of concrete, processed timber is much lighter. Due to the local production of timber, there is an economic incentive in using timber as it reduces the transportation costs. This, combined with its light weight, has upshot environmental advantage as it tends to minimize transport impacts (Buchanan, n.d. pp. 3-4).

Typically, in the life cycle of a building product, the conversion of raw resources into a usable product consumes the most energy and creates the most pollution. However, unlike the other products such as metal or concrete, timber only requires minor processing, which results in fewer emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2). The by-products produced in the manufacturing stage can be used for other purposes such as energy generation in bio-mass power plants, which can be used to generate power for the site or the grid.

The reusability of timber usually depends on how well the timber has been maintained.

Compared to other major building materials such as steel and glass, timber can often be reused without breakdown and complete remanufacture. In general, all timber products in addition to solid timber such as fibreboard, plywood, particleboard etc. have very low embodied energy with low greenhouse gas emissions, are recyclable, reusable, and produce little to no waste.

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A comparative study of the sustainability of the materials used in Phase 1 and Phase 2 at Belum Rainforest Resort

4.2 Bamboo Bamboo has greater resistance to expansion and contraction associated with temperature and humidity changes. Therefore, in addition to its aesthetic value, it is mainly used as shading device at Belum Rainforest Resort. As shown in table 1, the embodied energy of bamboo shading device is much lower than that of concrete, aluminium and even recycled aluminium (Nuanwan & Wanarat, n.d. p11).

Table 1 – Embodied energy analysis of bamboo, concrete, aluminium and recycled aluminium shading devices.

(Nuanwan & Wanarat, n.d.)

Figure 5, 6 – Bamboo is used as a dominant shading device at Phase 1.

Bamboo is considered to be one of the most sustainable building materials, mainly due to its extremely rapid growth and regeneration. It has been found that average hardwood trees take over 30 years or more to re-grow while bamboo takes as little as sixty days to mature to the equal height and width of a tree. Bamboo not only consumes carbon dioxide at rapid rates while

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A comparative study of the sustainability of the materials used in Phase 1 and Phase 2 at Belum Rainforest Resort

growing, which subsequently reduces the major contributor to global warming, but at the same time promotes more oxygen than an equivalent stand of trees into the environment (United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative, 2007, p2).

Hot and wet countries such as Malaysia have high humidity which ranges between 75% 85% throughout the year. In this warm and humid climate, buildings are prone to insect attack and material rust or decay. Unfortunately, untreated bamboo swells when water is absorbed from the humid air and causing it to crack. With an average service life of only 1 to 3 years, bamboo has very low natural durability against the intense attack by insects and mould growth caused by condensation. Therefore, it is necessary for bamboo to be chemically treated to provide protection against fungal growth and insect damage influenced by the humid condition in tropical region, so as to prolong its useful life in order to achieve sustainability.

The high tensile strength and excellent weight to strength ratio make bamboo a potential sustainable building material. In economic terms, use of bamboo helps achieve cost effective construction. This together with its resource availability, easy workability and high strength-toweight ratio, has made bamboo a more viable option as a construction material.

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A comparative study of the sustainability of the materials used in Phase 1 and Phase 2 at Belum Rainforest Resort

4.3 Brick Bricks, specifically clay fired bricks, are used in Belum Rainforest Resort for their warmth and distinctive appearance. Brick possess natural and pleasant colours of burnt clays that will not fade even under extreme weather conditions, which contributes to the everlasting aesthetic results in a building.

Figure 7 – Brick wall acts as an envelope to provide thermal mass to insulate the building.

However, the key factor in contributing to the sustainability of Belum Rainforest Resort is its long term life performance. Due to its durability, brick minimises the need for exterior upkeep and avoids the energy usage for maintenance and replacement. Brick with its high heat capacity properties also acts as an energy-efficient envelope that provides thermal mass necessary to insulate a building. It allows minimal usage of air conditioning and subsequently reduces the amount of energy required to cool the interior. The outstanding fire resistance quality of clay brick wall contributes to its maximum fire ratings among the major building materials. As a result, the overall building performance due to its versatile, high thermal mass, superior loadbearing properties, low maintenance and potentially low energy impact, not only cut down the

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A comparative study of the sustainability of the materials used in Phase 1 and Phase 2 at Belum Rainforest Resort

operation cost for the building, but also make brick a good choice of a sustainable building and construction material.

Brick measures high on the sustainability index for being made from abundant and locally available raw material such as sand, water and clay. Besides, the set standard work sizes of brick ease the transportation and prevent waste.

Still, sustainability is often traced back into a consideration of energy use defined as the emission of carbon dioxide (CO2). Brick manufacturing in many Asian countries employs traditional kilns, which are energy-inefficient and polluting (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 1993, p 10). Large amount of fuels which are usually coal, wood, crop residues, natural gas or oil is used to maintain a high temperature from 1600 ยบF to 2400 ยบF during the firing process (International Energy Initiative, Inc, 2003).

Unfired waste clay is reused in the manufacturing process and less than perfect fired bricks are crushed and used as aggregates in other parts of the building industry. Therefore, very little clay is wasted during the manufacturing of bricks. (Fadli & Sibley, 2009, p. 5)

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A comparative study of the sustainability of the materials used in Phase 1 and Phase 2 at Belum Rainforest Resort

4.4 Concrete Compared to other organic building materials used, concrete is more advantaged by its pest resistant and corrosion resistant properties. It is important in this humid area where biological pests such as termite and fungi are regarded as threats for a material and subsequently affects the sustainable value of a building.

Figure 8– Concrete is used at the

Figure 9 – Villa Tanjung Wan also

Deluxe Suites of Phase 2.

adopts concrete as a main building material left unfinished as the interior.

Walls and floors made of concrete are highly energy efficient due to the inherent thermal mass of concrete, to be able to absorb and retain heat. Light-coloured concrete walls and pavements also reflect solar radiation due to its reflectivity which significantly reduces air conditioning demands especially in a tropical climate. This contributes not only towards reduction in cost due to reduced energy usage, but most importantly the subsequent reductions in the production of carbon dioxide (CO2).

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A comparative study of the sustainability of the materials used in Phase 1 and Phase 2 at Belum Rainforest Resort

Portland cement, the most important ingredient of concrete, is not an environmentally friendly material. Portland cement is manufacture by heating a mixture of limestone and shale in a kiln to a high temperature (approximately 1500ÂşC). Thus it has rather high embodied energy.

The reaction between limestone and shale during the manufacturing of cement produces carbon dioxide (CO2), the fuel used in the kiln also produces gaseous waste such as carbon monoxide (CO) and, which are contribute to global warming (Struble & Godfrey, n.d., p. 205).

Nevertheless, the subsequent savings due to the less energy used and the reduction of carbon dioxide (CO2) in its operational stage negates the initial amount of carbon dioxide produces in its manufacturing stage.

Concrete is recyclable. The waste produced from demolition of concrete structures can be recycled and is commonly used as aggregate or rock in pavement base. However, recycled concrete as aggregate will typically have higher absorption and lower specific gravity than natural aggregate and will produce concrete with slightly higher drying shrinkage and creep.

These differences become greater with increasing amounts of recycled fine aggregates (MPA – The Concrete Centre, n.d.). Therefore, this should be taken into consideration in terms of the reusability of concrete.

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A comparative study of the sustainability of the materials used in Phase 1 and Phase 2 at Belum Rainforest Resort

4.5 Steel In Belum Rainforest Resort, particularly Phase 2, steel is the main material used for the staircases. High ductility of steel enables it to undergo plastic deformation before failure, thus providing large reserve strength. In other words, sudden failure can be prevented as it usually shows large visible deflections before collapsing due to its energy-absorbing capacity, which is an important characteristic to be considered for safety reason to prevent sudden failure.

Figure 10 and 11 – Steel’s impressive strength to weight ratio allows the staircase to be minimally invasive but in rain it is excessively slippery bringing possible danger to its users. Though it is stainless steel, it still requires general maintenance due to excess humidity.

Steel is susceptible to corrosion when exposed to humid air. Staircases are placed in close proximity to the lake as well as the swimming pool. Such high humidity atmosphere increases the speed of corrosion. To achieve maximum corrosion resistance for good performance and long life, steel requires more frequent maintenance compared to the other sustainable materials mentioned in the previous topics. Regular cleaning schedule must be carried out as well to make sure steel is always kept clean to maintain its attractive clean surface appearance.

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A comparative study of the sustainability of the materials used in Phase 1 and Phase 2 at Belum Rainforest Resort

However, what makes steel stand out from the list of “green” materials is its infinite recyclability. As stated by the American Institute of Steel Construction, 98% of all structural steel is recycled back into new steel products at the end of a building’s life, with no loss of its physical properties. As such, structural steel isn’t just recycled but “multi-cycled,” as it can be recycled countless times without any degradation in quality making it truly an effective material cradleto-cradle. It becomes a permanent resource for society once it is produced, makes it an extremely resource-efficient building material due to its potentially endless life cycle (Eames, 2012, p 15).

Generally, steel is fabricated in off-site facilities and erected on-site, which results in minimal waste produced at construction sites. Even if there is any waste produced, it is fully recyclable. Through research, it has been found that steels nowadays are 24% lighter than they were 30 years ago, thus is important to reduce energy usage in transportation and, therefore, provide sustainability.

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A comparative study of the sustainability of the materials used in Phase 1 and Phase 2 at Belum Rainforest Resort

4.6 SHERA plank According to The Mahaphant Fibre Cement Public Company Limited, one of the ASEAN’s leading manufacturers of fibre cement product, SHERA plank is a unique fibre cement composite

of natural fibres bonded tightly in a high-grade silicate structure. This autoclaved wood-grain siding acquires impressive toughness, yet remains flexible and dimensionally stable. It is a cellulose cement plank that contains absolutely no asbestos fibre, no glass fibers nor formaldehyde.

SHERA planks are widely used as the flooring of boardwalks in Phase 2, Belum Rainforest Resort. It is a perfect solution for boardwalks in a tropical rainforest with high humidity and face a constant rain and sunlight damage as well as termite and insect attack. It possesses excellent properties of water or moisture resistance, pest resistance, and impact strength.

Figure 12, 13 – Boardwalk in phase 2 uses SHERA that has the similar texture of timber cladding.

Comes with the texture of wood-cladding material, SHERA plank is able to meet the needs of Belum Rainforest Resort to reflect the quality of the surrounding in terms of materiality in tropical architecture. Yet, it is easy to install and requires very little maintenance (Mahaphant, n.d.).

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A comparative study of the sustainability of the materials used in Phase 1 and Phase 2 at Belum Rainforest Resort

5.0 Discussion Timber is considered a sustainable building material in Belum Rainforest Resort as timber is a locally sourced material, the energy consumption for transport is kept low, which leads to consequent environmental benefits. Because less energy is required for transportation, lightweight building materials such as timber, often have lower embodied energy than heavy weight materials such as concrete. Other than that, timber not only consumes less fabrication energy during the construction stage but it also saves operational and maintenance energy. In short, timber saves energy and cost in most of the aspects, which make it a persistent and functional building material.

However, bamboo offers more potential as an alternative to timber due to its superior physical and mechanical properties compared to most timber species. But a major disadvantage of bamboo if it is used in a tropical climate is that it tends to rot quickly due to its vulnerability to insect and fungal attack. Yet, in this case, this fast-growing building material is easy to work with and is extremely inexpensive compared to common building materials. The excellent renewability which potentially minimises environmental impact versus other resources indicate that bamboo is a very “green� building material.

There is much more than merely being rapidly renewable to be sustainable. Brick in this case, has relatively high embodied energy due to the energy consumption and greenhouse gases emission during its process stage, but it is important to take into account of its superior durability and overall life cycle’s performance. Clay fired brick are particularly suitable in tropical zone, not only because it offers good thermal insulation, but it is also resistant to attack by microbes and parasite. However, brick clay architecture involves labour-intensive handmade methods, which is only feasible in rural areas and can no longer be used to meet the demand for dwellings in the megacities (Lauber, n.d., p 122).

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A comparative study of the sustainability of the materials used in Phase 1 and Phase 2 at Belum Rainforest Resort

Steel’s outstanding recyclability makes it a sustainable building material of all time. But, the corrosion of steel due to the high humidity in tropical zone is a major problem. Regular maintenance and protective measures such as coating and painting become significant in order to make it more sustainable in tropical architecture.

Concrete is a highly durable building material which provides high compressive strength, fire resistance, weather resistance, termite resistance and corrosion resistance with minimal maintenance requirements. Despite the high energy requirements in manufacturing process, the inherent properties of concrete lead to lower operational energy, and in turn results in greater whole-of-life sustainable value.

Figure 14 and 15 – The building materials at Belum Rainforest Resort are harmonious and work well together to achieve optimum sustainability.

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A comparative study of the sustainability of the materials used in Phase 1 and Phase 2 at Belum Rainforest Resort

6.0 New materials as suggestions for improvement SHERA planks used as the boardwalk flooring in Phase 2 is an example of how new materials being developed can be used in architecture in order to make the project more sustainable. The building materials industry is constantly and rapidly evolving and developing new products which are then made available for use. These materials are either made from waste or modified from the natural material such as timber and concrete, but aim to be an improved version in terms of its inherent characteristics.

STRUXURE, for example, is a composite product produced from 100% recycled material for commercial boardwalks. It is developed so that it will not rust, splinter, crumble, rot, absorb moisture or leach toxic chemicals into the environment and thus simply outperforms traditional materials.

STRUXURE products are not only highly cost-effective, but also extremely strong, durable, with low maintenance requirements and longer life cycles which makes them a better choice of building material to achieve higher sustainability (AXION International, Inc., n.d.).

Figure 16, 17 – STRUXTURE has long life cycle and superior wear-and-tear properties which make it suitable for boardwalk pathways.

(Axion International, n.d.)

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A comparative study of the sustainability of the materials used in Phase 1 and Phase 2 at Belum Rainforest Resort

Another example is ENVIRO BOARD. It is a low-cost, durable and environmentally friendly building panel converted from agricultural waste fibre such as rice and wheat straw, elephant grass as well as sugar cane. According to Enviro Board Corporation, using ENVIRO BOARD reduces the installation time by 50% which subsequently leads to reduced construction cost. Besides, the production only takes up 1% of energy compared to the energy consumed in the Gypsum board production (Enviro Board Corporation, n.d.).

Figure 18 – ENVIRO BOARD is a relatively cheap yet durable building material which is made from agricultural waste.

(Enviro board, n.d.)

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A comparative study of the sustainability of the materials used in Phase 1 and Phase 2 at Belum Rainforest Resort

7.0 Conclusion Ultimately, the choice of building materials is a significant and integral part of the design process and to achieve sustainability. Essentially, the choice of building material should be influenced by local availability, cost, durability and suitability to the local climate. Its embodied energy is also an important factor. An architect has a social responsibility to be wise in selecting building materials to not only meet environmental concerns but ultimately to meet and cater human needs. From the research on the materials used at Belum Rainforest Resort, it is evident that all materials have their advantages and disadvantages in the realm of sustainable development. It is a fine balance and an architect must carefully consider and weigh out the advantages of specific materials against its detrimental qualities. They must be fluent and understand how traditional building materials can and should be used in specific cases. In addition to this, architects should be informed and updated with new trends and developments in building materials in order to ensure that their designs can be optimal.

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A comparative study of the sustainability of the materials used in Phase 1 and Phase 2 at Belum Rainforest Resort

References Axion International,. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.axionintl.com/compositeboardwalks.html Axion,. (n.d.). Composite boardwalks. Retrieved 1 June 2014, from http://www.axionintl.com/composite-boardwalks.html Buchanan, A. (n.d.). Energy and CO2 advantages of wood for sustainable buildings (1st ed., pp. 3-4). Retrieved from http://www.civil.canterbury.ac.nz/pubs/..%5Cpubs%5CEnergyCO2AdvantagesWoodSustainableBuildings.pdf Concretecentre.com,. (2014). End of life recycling. Retrieved 11 June 2014, from http://www.concretecentre.com/sustainability/end_of_life_recycling.aspx Eames, A. (2012). Weight Loss Pays Off!. SSAB World, (1/12), 15.

Enviro Board Corporation,. (n.d.). Enviro Board. Retrieved 3 June 2014, from http://enviroboard.com/ Enviro board,. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.axionintl.com/composite-boardwalks.html Fadli, F., & Sibley, M. (2009). An architectural study of sustainability concepts in a historical traditional building (1st ed., p. 5). Retrieved from http://www.plea2009.arc.ulaval.ca/Papers/2.STRATEGIES/2.3%20PostOccupancy%20Evaluation/POSTER/2-3-25-PLEA2009Quebec.pdf Food and agriculture organization of the United Nations,. (1993). Status and development issues of the brick industry in Asia (p. 10). Bangkok: O Regional Wood Energy Development Programme in Asia.

Kim, J., & Rigdon, B. (1998). Qualities, use, and examples of sustainable building materials (pp. 7 - 11, 26-27). Michigan: National Pollution Prevention Center for Higher Education.

Lauber, W. (n.d.). Building materials in the tropics (1st ed., p. 122). Retrieved from http://blog.lib.umn.edu/jcomazzi/haiti/02_Building%20materials%20in%20the%20Trop ics.pdf Mahaphant,. (n.d.). Shera. Retrieved 6 June 2014, from http://www.mahaphant.com/en/our-

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A comparative study of the sustainability of the materials used in Phase 1 and Phase 2 at Belum Rainforest Resort

products/product-shera.jsp Nuanwan, T., & Wanarat, K. (n.d.). The development of characteristics of bamboo shading device for energy saving climate change and energy (1st ed., p. 11). Retrieved from http://www.kadinst.hku.hk/sdconf10/Papers_PDF/p449.pdf Nuanwan, T. (n.d.). Embodied energy analysis of bamboo, concrete and aluminum shading devices. Retrieved from http://www.kadinst.hku.hk/sdconf10/Papers_PDF/p449.pdf Struble, L., & Godfrey, J. (n.d.). How sustainable is concrete? (1st ed., p. 205). Retrieved from http://www.ctre.iastate.edu/pubs/sustainable/strublesustainable.pdf Treloar, G. (1998). A Comprehensive Embodied Energy Analysis Framework (1st ed., pp. 14 - 18). Retrieved from http://dro.deakin.edu.au/eserv/DU:30023444/treloarcomprehensiveembodied-1998.pdf United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative,. (2007). Insuring for Sustainability (p. 2). United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative. van der Lugt, P., Vogtl채nder, J., & Brezet, H. (2008). Bamboo, a Sustainable Solution for western Europe design cases, LCAs and land-use (p. 9). Delft: The International Network for Bamboo and Rattan.

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