This review paper provides insights into the challenges faced by Malaysia's real estate industry in adapting sustainability development approaches Net Zero Carbon emission by 2050, focusing on ESG compliance, green building certifications, and stakeholder engagement. The study integrates key sustainability frameworks, including Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), the Triple Bottom Line (TBL), and Sustainable Strategic Management (SSM), to analyse how sustainable development principles can be effectively implemented to support environmental conservation and urban sustainability goals. The study identifies critical barriers to sustainability adoption in Malaysia's real estate sector, including profit-driven development models, regulatory gaps, and limited end-user engagement under sustainability challenges in Malaysia's Real Estate sector. The relevance of ESG as a Driver for Sustainable Urban Development and its findings highlight how ESG compliance enhances environmental resilience, social responsibility, and governance transparency in real estate planning and investment. In addition to the above, the study emphasises the role of green financial instruments (policies and implications) (green bonds and carbon credits) in accelerating sustainability transitions within emerging markets. Finally, the critical element of End-User Engagement and Market Behaviour is public awareness and behavioural shifts in driving demand for sustainable housing.It also reviews and examines Malaysia's adaptations of global sustainability benchmarks and their implications for policy and industry practices.

ABSTRACT Construction is a highly energy-intensive industry that accounts for one-third of global carbon dioxide emissions. Materials and Resources (MR) are essential components in the construction process, involving the extraction, manufacture, transportation, and disposal of construction materials, which all contribute to excessive energy consumption and emission generation. Hence, it is imperative to mitigate the impact of these construction-associated activities on the environment. This paper explores the influence of various MR factors on building sustainability. The research was conducted in Kazakhstan, specifically focusing on a survey of construction experts from diverse backgrounds who specialize in conventional residential high-rise buildings. Factor analysis was employed to identify the underlying structure of observed variables. A set of hypotheses developed was tested by partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) analysis to derive relationship patterns of latent constructs. Findings highlight the importance of MR insights for policymakers and construction practitioners, particularly for developing strategies that enhance sustainability awareness and regulatory compliance. This research represents the first in-depth assessment of the MR component of green building certification in Kazakhstan, contributing essential knowledge for sustainable industry practices and future green construction initiatives.

This research has successfully addressed the challenges attributed with SMS, including the fragmented data, heavy reliance on experience, and lack of life cycle integration. This study presents the development and validation of a novel sustainable material selection (SMS) model using Artificial Intelligence (AI). The proposed model structures the process around four core life cycle phases—design, construction, operation and maintenance, and end of life—and incorporates a dual-interface system. This includes a main credits interface for high-level tracking of 100 total credits to trace the dynamics of SMS in relation to energy efficiency, indoor air quality, site selection, and efficient use of water. Further, it includes a detailed credit interface for granular assessment of specific material properties. A key innovation is the formalization of closed-loop feedback mechanisms between phases, ensuring that practical insights from construction and operation inform earlier design choices. The model’s functionality is demonstrated through a proof of concept for SMS considering thermal properties, showcasing its ability to contextualize benchmarks by climate, map properties to building components via a weighted networking system, and rank materials using a comprehensive database sourced from the academic literature. Automated scoring aligns with green building certification tiers, with an integrated alert system flagging suboptimal performance. The proposed model was validated through a structured practitioner survey, and the collected responses were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistical analysis. The result presents a scalable quantitative AI-assisted decision-making support model for optimizing material selection across different project phases. This work paves the way for further research with additional assessment criteria and better integration of AI and Machine Learning for SMS.

An ex-post analysis framework for assessing the effectiveness and driving factors of green building certification adoption: A case study of Singapore

Enhancing wood composite materials with formaldehyde-removing microcapsules featuring long-lasting, slow-release, and environmentally benign characteristics.

The material properties of softwood species affect the safety of building structures, and wood identification is a key factor in material certification in specific institutions for green building certification. This study investigated an efficient wood species identification algorithm, aiming to provide a reliable method for material selection in construction and decoration industries. Using microscopic cross-sectional images of 36 softwood species applied in construction and decoration as research objects, 11 classic deep learning models were employed for species classification, combined with class activation map analysis to examine the key structural features for species identification. Specifically, the model structure and advantages of Swin Transformer were highlighted, in which hierarchical feature extraction and shifted window attention mechanism enable multi-scale fusion of wood structural features, such as tracheids, within global contexts, thereby improving classification accuracy for wood cross-sectional images. Experimental results showed that the Swin Transformer model achieved the highest classification accuracy of 99.97%, with both precision and recall exceeding 99% and an F1 score of 99%. These findings validate that deep learning networks based on the Transformer framework can achieve reliable image classification performance in wood research.

This study investigates how Generation Z perceives and values sustainable residential housing, with a focus on environmental attitudes, personal norms, and awareness of green building certifications. This study is situated in Costa Rica, one of Latin America’s sustainability leaders. It applies the theory of planned behavior (TPB) and the norm activation model (NAM) to explore the behavioral and normative drivers of housing preferences. A structured survey of 394 urban residents aged 22–28 was conducted, and responses were analyzed using descriptive statistics and binary logistic regression with diagnostic tests. Findings show that energy efficiency, indoor environmental quality, and bioclimatic design are the most valued features. Although environmental concern is nearly universal among respondents, only 31% are familiar with certifications such as LEED or EDGE, revealing a critical awareness gap. Regression analysis confirms that pro-environmental attitudes, perceived behavioral control, and personal norms significantly influence preference for green-certified housing, and certification awareness strengthens this relationship. These insights highlight the need for targeted sustainability education and clearer communication of certification systems. The study offers practical guidance for developers, urban planners, and policymakers aiming to align residential products with the values of environmentally conscious young adults in Costa Rica and comparable markets.

Analysis of Indoor Environment Scores in Green Building Certification: Focusing on Non-residential Buildings Certified between 2017 and 2024

This paper examines the Grade A office property rent determinants and their general characteristics. While research on Grade A office properties largely focuses on developed countries, there is limited evidence emerging from Sri Lanka and other developing contexts as well. In particular, the identification of rent determinants for Grade A commercial office real estate remains unaddressed, especially as the country is currently at a critical stage in advancing sustainable commercial real estate development. Addressing this gap, the present study employed the Relative Importance Index (RII) method, together with descriptive data analysis, to identify and rank the determinants of Grade A office rents in Colombo based on the survey of the viewpoints of experts. RII analysis validates that the top ten drivers of Grade A office rent are locational attributes such as property location, distance from the major town center, development zone, locality and other characteristics such as parking, building condition, floor size, business type, green building certificate and facilities, and office demand in the area. The findings of this research enhance practitioners’ understanding of Grade A office characteristics for informed planning and development, while also supporting academics in analyzing the relative importance of key determinants in office development decision-making.

Russia’s sustainable construction transition remains fragmented despite policy alignment with international frameworks. This study applies the Multi-Level Perspective (MLP), analysing literature and 40 expert interviews to examine interactions across landscape (macro policies, geopolitical shifts), regime (industry standards, regulations), and niche (innovations, actors) levels. Findings reveal a hybrid pathway characterized by niche innovations and transforming sustainability practices, like green building certification systems, digitalisation, co-creation and urban management, enhancing quality of life, and fostering pro-environmental behaviors aligned with sustainability values and norms. Niche practices shaped regime-level regulations, emphasizing civic engagement and developing strategic city goals for new forms of transformative urban and spatial development. Landscape constraints and challenges (geopolitics, climate, demography, urban economics) create barriers to the broad diffusion of niches, yet techno-institutional synergies are expected to align at the landscape level in future decades to support governmental city planning goals. MLP offers significant potential for analysing transitions in collective sustainability behavior through socio-technical regime interactions. The MLP effectively maps how actor-networks bridge niches and regimes, enabling rules and patterns reconstruction. Russia’s transition adjusts techno-institutional synergies and active stakeholder engagement while addressing challenges to achieve systemic sustainability. Success hinges on leveraging adaptive niche innovations within evolving landscape pressures and governance frameworks.

The article presents a possible energy-economic method for assessing the level of energy efficiency development in a country, based on the ratio of total primary energy consumption to gross domestic product. The proposed approach makes it possible to identify qualitative trends in energy efficiency, but it is not intended for quantitative analysis of individual sectors. At the same time, the obtained results indicate an insufficient level of implementation of measures to increase the energy efficiency of buildings and structures in Ukraine, and also demonstrate the existence of significant potential for further development in this area. The study emphasizes the relevance of implementing comprehensive energy conservation measures that have technical, organizational, and regulatory dimensions. The approaches and quantitative indicators of energy conservation requirements in countries around the world are analyzed, modern practices for improving energy efficiency in the construction sector are revealed, and the possibilities for their adaptation to the conditions in Ukraine are shown. Key factors determining the energy efficiency class of buildings and structures are indicated separately, including the level of thermal characteristics of enclosing structures, the efficiency of heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems, the use of renewable energy sources, and the impact of climatic conditions. A separate aspect of the study is the analysis of the demographic dynamics of the city of Kyiv and the Kyiv region, which determines the growing need for energy-efficient residential and public buildings and reinforces the relevance of implementing energy-saving measures in the region. Quantitative indicators of the reduced heat transfer resistance of building envelopes are provided, and the concepts of energy demand, energy consumption and primary energy are clarified in an international context. Potential areas for development in Ukraine are systematized, including: improving the regulatory framework, expanding the building certification system, introducing innovative design and operation technologies, and creating economic incentives for investors and consumers. Another important factor is the consideration of the mass and thermal inertia of internal and external enclosing structures, which directly affect the energy performance of buildings.

The article provides a comprehensive analytical review of contemporary approaches to energy-efficient residential building design, comparing practices in Ukraine with those established in Western countries. The study examines the regulatory and legal framework that governs the design, construction, and certification of buildings according to energy efficiency criteria, highlighting the evolution of standards and their impact on the construction industry. A detailed comparison is conducted between Ukrainian building codes (DBNs) and state standards (DSTUs) and their European, American, and Canadian counterparts, including the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD), ISO 52000 series, ASHRAE 90.1, and the National Energy Code of Canada for Buildings (NECB). This comparative analysis reveals significant disparities in methodology, calculation procedures, and minimum energy performance requirements. The research demonstrates that Western standards incorporate more comprehensive approaches to lifecycle assessment, renewable energy integration, and occupant behavior modeling, while Ukrainian regulations are gradually transitioning toward these advanced methodologies. Based on the practical example of the Lofthouse cottage in the Netherlands, the article illustrates a technological model of an energy-efficient building that exemplifies Nearly Zero Energy Building (NZEB) principles. The study explores critical design considerations including optimal building orientation for passive solar gain, advanced structural solutions for foundations that minimize thermal bridging, high-performance wall assemblies with enhanced insulation values, innovative roof systems that integrate renewable energy generation, high-efficiency windows with low U-values, and sophisticated mechanical ventilation systems with heat recovery capabilities. The article systematically identifies the principal differences between Ukrainian and Western design models, focusing on aspects such as energy modeling requirements, thermal performance standards, air tightness specifications, and renewable energy obligations. These differences represent both challenges and opportunities for the Ukrainian construction sector as it seeks to align with European Union energy efficiency directives. Based on this analysis, the research formulates practical recommendations for harmonizing Ukraine's regulatory framework with international best practices and accelerating the implementation of NZEB technologies in Ukrainian residential construction. The recommendations address policy development, professional training, technology transfer mechanisms, and financial incentive structures. The results demonstrate that the adoption of modern energy-efficient technologies and design principles can reduce energy consumption in Ukrainian residential buildings by 40-60% compared to conventional construction methods. Furthermore, economic analysis indicates that despite higher initial capital costs, these investments achieve financial viability with payback periods of 10-12 years, considering current energy prices and available subsidy programs. These findings underscore the significant potential for improving Ukraine's building stock performance while reducing environmental impact and enhancing energy security.

Libraries are now expected to operate sustainably through energy efficiency, resource and energy use, and environmental stewardship in both buildings and service delivery. This paper presents a holistic framework of sustainability indicators developed for library facility management. It identifies key indicators across five areas of energy consumption, water use, indoor environmental quality (IEQ), waste management, and sustainable procurement of products. The research examines the current state of sustainability in public and academic libraries, and how sustainability performance is influenced by digital disruption, green building certification (LEED, BREEAM), and user behaviours. The sustainability indicators are examined through mixed methods that include a survey, facility audit, and performance dashboard to provide an evidence-based approach to improve sustainability. The findings demonstrate that while many libraries express interest in achieving energy efficiencies, few measure or integrate clear sustainability indicators into the daily management of their operations. A sustainability scorecard was developed with alignment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and offers timely recommendations to decision-makers and library facilities managers as a way forward. The work creates a space to continue the discussion and action for libraries to continue their advancement towards sustainable libraries and would encourage library facilities to approach operational conversations and strategies using data to identify informed, evidence, and metric-based sustainability and facility decision-making that seeks a reasonable balance between environmental concerns, user comfort, and the resilience and adaptability of operations.

This study is aimed at covering all aspects of the evaluation, certification, and reduction of the energy and carbon footprint of the built environment across the globe. The study investigates the topic from the scale of the city and its neighbourhoods, to the building level and finally to the level of single building materials and components. Many protocols, tools, and labels proposed in recent years, both at international and local levels, are compared. The study aim is to classify, describe, and discuss all the different approaches and options. The chapters offer a comprehensive, up-to-date, and critical review of all the different certification methods that have been proposed at different levels in the building sector. Tools and protocols for cities and neighbourhood sustainability assessment for buildings sustainability assessment and certification, and for building materials and components are compared. Finally, the study includes an overview of the legislation and standards in the field and case studies to exemplify the application of the different tools and labels.

Although numerous building information modeling-based and computational approaches have been proposed to support sustainable building certification, most focus on isolated credits, require semi-manual workflows, or lack integration with real-time parametric design. These limitations reduce their usefulness for iterative, early-stage decision-making. By streamlining workflows for evaluating Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) v4 sustainable sites credits, this study introduces intelligent LEED (iLEED), the first unified, Grasshopper-based parametric dashboard that automates the assessment of Open Space, Heat Island, Rainwater Management, and Site Development within a single interactive platform. By directly linking geometric and environmental data to LEED compliance metrics, iLEED delivers instant feedback, comprehensive performance visualizations, and rapid testing of site strategies during the conceptual design stage. The tool’s accuracy was validated against the United States Green Building Council’s official calculators, demonstrating strong agreement and confirming its reliability. A case study further illustrated how embedding site-related assessments into a real-time parametric dashboard streamlines compliance evaluation, improves calculation accuracy, and expands opportunities for biodiversity-oriented, sustainable site development strategies. This work highlights the potential of integrated parametric frameworks to transform LEED compliance from a static, documentation-driven process into a dynamic, performance-driven design workflow.

This study aims to identify the factors causing delays in issuing Building Approval (PBG) and Certificate of Function Worthiness (SLF) through the Building Management Information System (SIMBG) in Denpasar City and determine the most dominant factor influencing the delay. A descriptive quantitative approach was employed by distributing questionnaires to 147 respondents. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 25 through validity, reliability, and descriptive tests. The results indicate that all indicators are valid (r count 0.465–0.625 > r table 0.159) and reliable (Cronbach’s Alpha 0.778–0.794). The main causes of delay include technological issues (mean score 4.42), limited facilities (3.98), ineffective time management (4.21), service quality and staff knowledge (4.15), complicated procedures (3.87), and relatively high costs (3.76). The most dominant factor is the frequent occurrence of system errors (score 4.56; 84.4%), which hampers the process until the system recovers. The study concludes that the success of PBG and SLF issuance depends not only on technology but also on infrastructure, human resource competence, and procedural efficiency. Recommendations include improving system stability, staff training, optimizing time management, and simplifying procedures to achieve more effective public services

This research examines the contributions that artificial intelligence (AI) can make to green building certification systems, with a particular focus on the evaluation and optimization of indoor environmental quality (IEQ) criteria within the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) framework. The study investigates the role of AI in the classification and analysis of core IEQ components, including indoor air quality, lighting efficiency, sustainable material selection, acoustic performance, and ergonomic design. The research adopts a hybrid methodological approach that combines qualitative content analysis of existing LEED-certified projects with a conceptual simulation model based on AI-supported decision-making algorithms. This model demonstrates how AI capabilities—such as real-time data processing, pattern recognition, and predictive analysis—can be integrated into the certification process. Data sources include LEED v4 documentation, AI-based environmental simulation software, and expert interviews with sustainability consultants and architects. The findings indicate that the integration of artificial intelligence can significantly enhance efficiency, objectivity, and accuracy in the assessment of IEQ criteria. AI-driven systems are shown to identify optimization opportunities within complex trade-offs between energy consumption and occupant comfort that are often overlooked by traditional manual evaluation methods. Furthermore, the study highlights AI’s potential to reduce subjective interpretations and to accelerate the overall certification process. This research contributes to the literature on AI-supported sustainable design by proposing a concrete methodological framework and demonstrating the transformative role of artificial intelligence in ecological interior architecture. The results suggest that AI-based evaluation frameworks have strong potential for standardization across green building certification systems worldwide, extending beyond LEED-specific applications.

This study examined the effect of green building certification, ownership structure, firm size, and leverage on firm value through profitability, and evaluated the moderating role of the government-borne value added tax incentive in property sector companies listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange during 2021–2024. The research used a quantitative causal explanatory design with 38 firms selected by purposive sampling. Secondary data from audited financial, annual, and sustainability reports were analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling with the Partial Least Squares approach and SmartPLS 4.0, with bootstrapping to test significance. The results showed that green building certification, ownership structure, and leverage had a negative and significant effect on profitability, while firm size had a positive and significant effect on profitability. Green building certification and ownership structure did not significantly affect firm value, whereas firm size had a negative and significant effect and leverage and profitability had a positive and significant effect on firm value. Profitability negatively mediated the effects of green building certification, ownership structure, and leverage on firm value and positively mediated the effect of firm size, while the value added tax incentive did not significantly moderate the relationship between profitability and firm value.

Abstract - Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) is a critical component of sustainable residential building design, with daylight availability and indoor humidity regulation playing major roles in occupant comfort, health, and energy performance. Green building rating systems such as BREEAM, LEED, and IGBC assign significant credit weightage to these parameters; however, their requirements often differ in methodology, thresholds, and evaluation criteria. This study presents a comparative analysis of lux (daylight) and indoor relative humidity measurements obtained from a typical residential floor plan, assessed against the corresponding criteria in BREEAM’s Visual Comfort and Indoor Air Quality credits, and parallel provisions in LEED and IGBC. Field data were collected using calibrated lux meters and digital hygrometers across multiple functional spaces, including bedrooms, kitchen, living areas, and service rooms. The results reveal notable variations between measured conditions and rating system thresholds, highlighting areas of compliance, partial compliance, and deficiency. This research identifies the strengths and limitations of each rating system in evaluating daylight and humidity performance and proposes strategies for improving residential IEQ through design optimization and sensor-based monitoring. The findings contribute to a deeper understanding of how lux and humidity assessments can support effective sustainable building certification and enhance occupant well-being in residential environments. Key Words: Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ); BREEAM; LEED; IGBC; Daylight Assessment; Humidity Assessment; Lux Meter; Hygrometer; Residential Building; Sustainability Certification.

The construction industry has a vital role to play in human progress but has historically consumed an unparalleled share of raw materials and has been a major source of energy use, resource depletion, and greenhouse gas emissions. The carbon dioxide (CO2) generated from conventional concrete and cement in most buildings, has had catastrophic and irreversible impacts on the environment. With global concerns about environmental degradation while encouraging a path toward sustainability, more research has been devoted to investigating sustainable and eco-friendly materials in construction. This study comprehensively reviews conventional and sustainable construction materials—namely concrete, steel, wood, composites, and alternatives (bamboo, engineered wood, polymer concrete, cement-stabilized rammed earth, bamboo Fiber geopolymer, recycled composites, optimized concrete mixes, and waste steel slag). Key mechanical properties regarding the materials—compressive strength, tensile strength, and flexural strength—are analysed, as well as the environmental properties—renewability, recyclability, and energy efficiency. Laboratory exploration, life cycle assessments, and comparative evaluations provide evidence for both the performance and environmental sustainability benefits of these sustainable materials. This study also emphasizes the critical need to reorient the research agenda for construction materials, shifting focus from mechanical performance only to considerations of environmental sustainability in keeping with global initiatives (i.e., Millennium Development Goals or MDGs). This paper also looks at future directions such as the role of nanotechnology, biotechnology, and building certification systems (i.e., LEED) in supporting green construction. In general, this study provides helpful information for architects, engineers, and building policy makers as it will be useful in future development of sustainable building concepts that seek to create a greener and more resilient built environment.