Abstract
Since the 1990s, national green building certification indices have emerged around the globe as promising measurement tools for environmental-friendly housing. Since 2008, tools for countries in the Northern “colder” hemisphere have been adapted to tropical countries. In contrast, the Tropically Adapted Energy Performance Certificate (TEPC), established in 2012, translates the United Nations’ triple bottom line principle into green building sustainability (planet), thermal comfort (people) and affordability (profit). The tool has been especially developed and revamped for affordable green building assessment helping to reduce global warming. Hence, by the comparably simple and transparent energy audit it provides, the TEPC examines buildings for their: (1) contribution to reduce CO2; (2) transmission rate in shielding a building’s envelope against the effects of the tropical heat; (3) generation of thermal comfort and (4) referring total cost of ownership to green the building further. All four dimensions are measured in the rainbow colour scale in compliance with national energy regulations. Accordingly, this research examines the tool’s implementation in tropical countries. Exemplified tropical case studies in residential areas seek to demonstrate the practicability of the approach and to derive a holistic certification by an internationally accredited certification board.
Highlights
Beyond the Sick Building SyndromeIn recent years, several high-tech developing countries have become sensitive and proactive towards green solutions for the tropical built environment
The American LEEDS, the German DNGB or the British BREAM are all considered as measurement tools for environmental-friendly housing in the tropical hemisphere
Effective since 2009, e.g., in Italy or Portugal every seller of real estate has to enclose the energy performance certificate as an appendix to the sales agreement (e.g., [6]).The tropical Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) which is outlined within this paper suggests a cautious adaptation to a warm country where cooling is by far the major environmental issue triggering operational costs of the modern built environment
Summary
Several high-tech developing countries have become sensitive and proactive towards green solutions for the tropical built environment. Since Malaysia established its Green Building Index and committed to saving 40% of CO2 emission by 2020 Countries like these find themselves at a pivotal point to turn green ideas into practice (cf [2]). The person has invested in green measures and enjoys both higher thermal comfort and reduced monthly electricity bills He or she can claim to be a greener person, contributing in some ways to save the environment. As you will save 70% of the energy needed to cool it down, your predicted payback timeframe is about 3.5 years.”
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