Benefits of Green Design
Green Architecture/Design refers to a built environment that is ecologically, socially and economically sustainable. It is a way of making progress through thoughtful planning and design, in order to meet the needs of the present without compromising on future potentials.
Buildings with natural light and better Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) improves productivity of its occupants. Parameters contributing to the IAQ include thermal comfort, particulate matter (PM) levels and bacterial count. The Green Mark standards established in Singapore is a benchmark
scheme which incorporates internationally recognised best practices in building design. An eco-friendly building that is of Green Mark standard will see an increase in the wellbeing and health of its occupant
Instead of the usual cubicle office, there is nature surrounding every workstation in this corporate office. These includes natural daylight and other natural elements. Thus, this creates a positive and energetic environment that helps the staff relax – ultimately generating higher productivity. Researchers from Harvard found that a green-certified office can boost productivity by 15.2% and reduce sickness-related absences by 30%.
One key way to reduce construction cost is to utilise modular offsite fabrication. Instead of using conventional on-site construction methods, building components requiring higher accuracy and complexity can be produced off-site to ensure precision and less wastage due to in-situ mistakes.
Through modular construction methods, labor cost will be effectively reduced while consistency is being assured. The construction timeframe can be shortened, and there would be lower noise, air and water pollutions on site too.” A 2016 study by KPMG found a 7% net financial savings in construction cost when off-site manufacturing is applied.
Designing a development that is mindfully designed with eco-friendly features can be more cost-effective aross all building scales. In the long run, an Eco Development can save construction and maintenance costs through both active and passive means such as site planning, sensitive use of finishes and sunshading devices, to name a few.
Studies conducted in US have found out that Green Certification could bring in rental premiums of up to 6%, and sale price premiums of up to 35%. A survey by The Business Times mentioned that Green Certified Buildings attracts tenants that tend to be MNCs and large domestic listed organizations, as they have to showcase their corporate social responsibility, carbon commitments and climate policies to the stakeholders, clients, employees and the public.
The spatial planning of the Eco park allows for passive cooling of its spaces, thereby reducing the air-conditioning load. Selection of energy-efficient products such as unitary air conditioning system and mechanical ventilation system are set to achieve improvement in the motor power requirement with 25% cost savings. Energy-saving light fittings were also installed to achieve lighting energy of at least 30% efficiency. These design details help to reduce maintenance costs in the long run. The Eco Park project obtained a Green Mark Gold in 2016.
Doing an Eco Development ensures the responsible use of resources without depleting them at the expense of future generations. The impact of a holistic green design extends beyond the physical building, but also positively influences its environment and culture. Be a future ready developer from today!
GREEN OFFICE IDEAS FOR WORKPLACE WELLNESS
When Covid-19 first struck, the shift in the human work environment from the office to home was abrupt and detrimental to productivity. Offices around the world were left vacant for months, with people struggling to balance the duality of work and rest around their homes.
As Singapore currently embarks on our search to find “the new normal”, people are gradually returning to the office. Human interaction is a basic human need, and no virtual communication platform would be able to fully replace face-to-face collaboration.
Post-Covid, we believe in the benefits of having a green office to return to. The application of green, sustainable and renewable systems contributes to healthier workspaces and maintains the wellness of employees. During the pandemic, people recognized the need to connect with nature – as seen in the 2020 circuit breaker botanic boom where Singaporeans turned to gardening as a form of stress relieve and personal therapy. A new-age work environment adapted to our current needs should offer connection to nature and the outdoors, and other natural elements such as natural daylight.
In this upcoming series, we explore various elements of a green office, and how our work spaces play an important role on employee wellness, happiness and productivity. Stay tuned!
SG GREEN PLAN 2030
You may be wondering – what is the SG Green Plan and how does it affect us as individuals, a corporate company or the built environment as a whole?
The Singapore Green Plan 2030, or the Green Plan, is a nationwide movement that seeks to strengthen Singapore’s national agenda on sustainable development. Here are the 5 key pillars of the green plan – 1) City in Nature, 2) Energy Reset, 3) Sustainable Living, 4) Green Economy, 5) Resilient Future. These pillars drive the various roles and ways you can contribute to the SG Green plan, with one of which being to adopt a sustainable, reliable energy-efficient lifestyle! In the article below, find out how green architecture positively contributes to both the environment, as well as your personal well-being.
