Thailand's green building scene took a while to take off, but it has a bright future driven by the bonus construction area allotted to new buildings that apply under the Thai Green Building Institute's (TGBI) criteria.
Park Ventures Ecoplex is a prime example of a green building, a structure that uses an environmentally responsible and resource efficient process throughout its life-cycle: from siting to design and construction right up to its demolition.
Prof Atch Sreshthaputra, a member of the TGBI committee, said the organisation that evaluates and certifies environmentally friendly buildings is about to complete a final draft in two weeks for green building criteria for off-plan projects.
Green building (also known as green construction or sustainable building) generally refers to a structure using a process that is environmentally responsible and resource efficient throughout a building's life-cycle: from siting to design, construction, operation, maintenance, renovation and demolition. This requires close cooperation among the design team, the architects, the engineers and the client at all project stages. Green Building practices expand and complement the classic building design concerns of economy, utility, durability, and comfort.
Although new technologies are constantly being developed to create greener structures, the common objective is green buildings are designed to reduce the overall impact of the built environment on human health and the natural environment by: efficiently using energy, water and other resources; protecting occupants' health; improving employee productivity and; reducing waste, pollution and environmental degradation.
A similar concept is natural building, which is usually on a smaller scale and tends to focus on the use of natural materials that are available locally. Sustainable design advocates prioritise meeting the needs of present generations without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs.
"We will meet the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration [BMA] to propose our 100-page draft after it is completed," said Prof Atch. The BMA is likely to use it this year as regulations on bonus floor area ratio for green building are already a part of the Bangkok city plan, he said.
The city plan, which took effect last May, allows developers a ''bonus'' in the form of extra floor space on top of the amount normally allowed under the floor-to-area ratio (FAR) if they agree to go green.
FAR is the ratio of a building's total floor area to the size of the parcel of land upon which it is built. It varies depending on the width of the roads on the plot — the wider the road, the taller a building can be. It also depends on location.
With the bonus, the owner can build a taller building with more saleable or rentable space if he agrees to construct using green concepts when applying for the construction permit.
A green building qualifies for up to a 20% increase in FAR if it is granted a platinum certificate by the TGBI. Buildings rated gold receive a 15% increase, silver qualifies for a 10% bump, while certified buildings earns a 5% boost.
The 20% bonus will normally be offered to residential buildings focusing mainly on low-income earners or residents in existing project areas; buildings in a brown zone (high-density area) or red zone (commercial areas) that provide public areas or public parking space; buildings near mass transit lines that provide parking for the general public; and buildings that provide a water-retention area of more than one cubic metre per 50 square metres of its plot size.
"It is worth the investment," said Prof Atch, also a lecturer at Chulalongkorn University's faculty of architecture.
"A project owner will spend an additional 5% in total construction cost for a green building but can earn an additional 10% of project value in return."
TGBI was established by the Association of Siamese Architects and the Engineering Institute of Thailand. It evaluates and certifies green building on four levels — platinum, gold, silver and certified — the Thai Rating of Energy and Environmental Sustainability (TREES).
The certification for off-plan building is called TREES PRE-NC (pre-new construction).
Winyou Wanichsiriroj, the TGBI secretary, said any new project that wants to earn a bonus construction area must submit its building design to TGBI, which takes about three months to review it.
After receiving certification, project owners must submit an environmental impact assessment (EIA) to receive approval before starting construction.
During construction, TGBI will visit the project site to inspect the construction process to review whether it complies with the certified design.
"If the project is not constructed according to the certified design, we will notify BMA to change the building usage permit," said Mr Winyou.
By the end of next year, TGBI expects to have a new green building certification for existing buildings. As renovation costs to improve existing buildings are quite high, the popularity of this rating may be limited.
"Renovating existing buildings to become green may be popular among corporations as it raises their image and branding," he said.
Green building in Thailand was initiated a decade ago, but only a few buildings are certified as off-plan projects and existing buildings are not covered yet.
Two Toyota buildings — in Pak Chong and Lam Luk Ka — and a 7-Eleven branch in Chaeng Watthana were just certified as green.
Last Thursday TGBI held the "2014 Thai Green Building Expo and Conference" for the fifth year to promote green building in Thailand.
Amata Luphaiboon, principal at the architecture firm Department of Architecture, said during the conference that energy-saving building design is a basic requirement now in the field of architecture.
A building's design should be sensible and energy-saving, rather than using construction materials that help reduce energy consumption. Prevention is better than the cure, he said.
"A green building does not have to be the best building, but the best building should conserve energy wisely," he told the seminar.
There are two guidelines to construct energy-saving buildings: technology and sensible design. Technology includes insulation and heat absorption whereas material sensibility comprises selection and efficiency, said Mr Amata.
In terms of technology, air conditioners use the most electricity in buildings, but architects can keep buildings cool by keeping the number of rooms that need air conditioners at a minimum and maximising air flow within the building, thereby reducing air conditioner usage.
Design can also reduce the use of artificial light in interior areas by allowing in more natural light from outside. Keeping a building away from direct sunlight is another way to reduce air conditioner costs, he said.
"I'm not a very green architect. I used to refuse using artificial wood 10 years ago, but today I really love it," said Mr Amata.