Criteria of Green Buildings according to GREENSHIP

GREENSHIP from Green Building Council Indonesia provides a rating tool and certification for environmental friendly building. This is a significant step to help the creation of green building in Indonesia.

Green building movement aims to design buildings that are sustainable in the long terms. Throughout the lifetime of unsustainable building will be more burdensome than profitable in all the main three aspect of sustainability: environment, social and economy.

Building live in a cycle of design, construction, operation, maintenance, renovation and deconstruction. Using processes that are environmentally responsible and resource-efficient throughout this life cycle are generally necessary for a green building. GREENSHIP defines further the criteria for green building in 5 categories.

Appropriate Site Development

The Appropriate Site Development as the first category of criteria stresses the importance of maintaining the green area of cities for the resulting environmental benefits. Therefore it encourages the preservation of green areas and development in the existing non-green area.

Selecting sites that are connected to the transportation network, importantly to a public transportation system and with a possibility of bicycle usage is considered as criteria as this site would cause less energy usage for transport and lower resulting ecological impact.

Landscaping of the building site is encouraged in order to maximize the environmental benefit achieved by green areas. Human comfort through the quality of the microclimate around the building and the site are also considered a target of the appropriate site development. Another criteria is placed on the quality of rain water runoff to reduce the load of the environment drainage system.

Energy Efficiency Measure

Energy Efficiency Measure defines the category of criteria to the importance energy saving for all its environmental and economical benefits. Metering the electricity usage is seen as the basic for further energy management.

The rate of overall thermal transfer between the environment and the building is a criteria as it determines the energy usage for the thermal comfort of inside the building. Other measures to make energy usage more efficient give plus points. This can come from efficient energy use for artificial lighting, vertical transport system and air conditioning.

Energy for these can be reduced further by the optimal use of natural lighting and natural unconditioned ventilation for non-lettable areas. The resulting reduction of CO2 emission will score points. Points are also available for the renewable energy generated on the building site.

Water Conservation

The category for Water Conservation uses the metering of water usage in building operations as a base for a better water management. Reduction of water usage by implementing saving measures is considered as a criteria.

To achieve this, different measures are encouraged such as using high-efficient water fixture, recycling water from e.g. grey water and rain water. Points are available if the water from sources other than ground water and utility company is used to irrigate the landscaping.

Material Resources and Cycle

In the criteria category, Material Resources and Cycle, the use of material with high potential of ozone depletion is discouraged. The reuse of waste material, environmentally friendly material, certified wood, pre-fabricated material is encouraged. Materials with components from Indonesia and materials from the area in the radius of 1000 km from the construction site can qualify for more points.

Indoor Health and Comfort

Indoor Health and Comfort defines a Green Building as it stresses the importance of the occupants of the building. To maintain a certain quality of indoor air, it is encouraged to have a sufficient exchange with outdoor air. The indoor air quality is safeguarded further by monitoring CO2 concentration, tobacco smoke control and reducing chemical pollutants. High level of occupant's comfort will be achieved by fulfilling the criteria of having outside views, a sufficient light level for human eyes, thermal and humidity comfort and comfortable acoustic level.

Building Environment Management

The last category intended for the Building Environment Management. Simple waste separation in the building that will simplify the recycling process scores some points. Two more criteria that encourage the reduction of construction waste and integrated waste management round up how waste should be managed.

The presence of a GREENSHIP Professional during the design process will contribute to the rating positively. Actual operation of the initial plan needs to be ensured by a proper commissioning. Submission of green building data, implementation of green building principles during fitting out and carrying out occupant survey will give more points for this category.

Source: Green Building Council Indonesia. Greenship untuk Bangunan Baru Versi 1.2 Building Basic Information: Ringkasan Kriteria dan Tolok Ukur, April 2013, http://www.gbcindonesia.org