This study covers the research on challenges of implementing green technology in Malaysian construction industry. This chapter comprises of background of the study, problem statement, objectives of study, significance of study, research methodology, and limitations of study, organisation of chapter and summary.
1.2 Background of the Study
Green is a term that refers to something that environmental friendly in which helps to tackle global warming and climate change. Technology utilizes these green features are known as green technology. According to Kutting (2000), green technology is used synonymously with terms ‘environmental technology’ or ‘clean technology’ and can be said to refer to technologies that aim to have little impact on the environment. This technology is an idea and understanding found to be exceptionally beneficial to the environment as it can reduce greenhouses gases release to the atmosphere which in turn causes warming of the earth drastically.
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Humans these days have already gain awareness and deep understanding that these catastrophic disasters are now affecting their life that they persist in non-stop invention of many environmental-friendly technologies and retail them in the market. They comprehend this technology can reduce impact of activities that causes global warming and climate change. According to Rogier (2012), environmentally friendly technology utilizes many methods for reducing the impact that various activities have upon the earth.
There are many types of green technology products available in the market that generate low level of waste and pollution such as solar photovoltaic panel, wind turbine and rain harvesting as stated by Rogier (2012), to be considered environmentally friendly, a product or action should be sustainable, produce as little waste and pollution as possible, and utilize the recycling and reuse of materials whenever possible.
Nowadays, green technology plays important roles in the construction industry become part of the construction industry. Green technology such as solar panels and energy efficient appliances become essential features in the building. Besides, renewable and sustainable materials are integrated with these elements to make the building green or so-called green building.
1.3 Problem Statement
The world’s climate has changed dramatically and confronted with many climatic problems since the birth of the Earth. This has proven when Bernstein (2007) states that warming of the climate system is unequivocal, as is now evident from observations of increases in global average air and ocean temperatures, widespread melting of snow and ice and rising global average sea level.
Human nowadays are attempting to uncover answers to preclude the large-scale disaster. One measure ascertain to mankind is technology of more towards environmental friendly approach or known as green technology. In the beginning of 21st century, numerous advanced nations adopted the expansive utilization of green technology as they deem its capability in halting the global catastrophic disaster.
The implementations to the building, vehicles and electronics have been developed among them. The encouragement and awareness of their populace enable the green technology industry to boost up the production. It differs to lower economical developed countries such as Malaysia; the challenges are superb when implementing green technology principally construction industry.
Green technology is the decent invention to reduce level of carbon emission from buildings in Malaysia but all at once restrain the developers and contractors to apply it in Malaysian construction industry. The reasons are the high cost and minimal availability in the market. However, it is not necessarily that green technology involves with high expenses. Green technology need not be high-tech.
It can be simple technology but still saves energy or creates very little environmental impact and can be easily used (Singh, 2010). Not only that the cost is the issue, also the local banks in Malaysia also are unwilling to risk in providing loan towards green incentives. Commercial banks were reluctant to disburse loans for green technology-related projects in Malaysia due to the possible lack of confidence in such ventures (Najib, 2010).
1.4 Objectives of the Study
The aim of this dissertation is to explore about the challenges of implementing green technology in Malaysia construction industry. In order to achieve this aim the following objectives are recognized:
To comprehend the low level of green technology resources.
To understand scarce of financial initiatives in supporting green technology.
To examine low level of knowledge among construction players and other related parties on green technology.
1.5 Significance of Study
This study is expected to identify the challenges of implementing green technology in Malaysian construction industry. This finding eventually undertakes the problems encountered to implement green technology in Malaysian construction industry. It also assists paradigm shift to migrate from traditional construction to cleaner and greener construction. The outcome of this study will certainly benefit to one of the objective of the Construction Industry Master Plan (CIMP) which is to promote more innovative green construction.
1.6 Research Methodology
The study on the problems to the embracing of green technology in Malaysia construction industry is a relatively new research area and there are deficient of relevant research in Malaysia require to be referred. Therefore, it must be conducted with the limited amount of resources but the study can be scoped only the Klang Valley area. Two types of data, that is primary data and secondary data. For the primary data, interview section and case study will be conducted. For the secondary data, literature reviews are written from references of books, articles and from the internet that are related to the research. The methodologies have been identified to facilitate the necessary data are as follows:
Interviews (primary data)
Case studies (primary data)
Literature Reviews (secondary data)
a) Interviews
Quantitative methods such as questionnaire will not be very accurate and appropriate in obtaining the data for the research. This is due to the study requires individual opinions and assessments. Hence, qualitative methods for example interview is the best technique in order to obtain relevant data.
This sort of methodology was carried out to request opinions and feedbacks from developers, architects, engineer and contractors about the cost of green technology to be used in construction site, the initiatives of local bank towards green technology investment and level of knowledge and experience on green technology among the players in Malaysian construction industry.
b) Case studies
This methodology is conducted in line with the interviews and supports this primary methodology. The case studies involved with previous and recent projects in which the buildings are built with green technology. Thus, it was carried out in the vicinity of Klang Valley where many green buildings are constructed. The examples of green buildings in this area are G-Tower in Kuala Lumpur, diamond buildings and LEO building in Putrajaya. These studies are to achieve the objective; to explore the lack of utilization of green technology in Malaysian construction industry.
c) Literature Reviews
Literature review are used to obtain the previous research predominantly on the challenges of implementing green technology in construction site which includes the cost and local bank initiatives and knowledge and experience among construction stakeholders
1.7 Limitation of Study
For the scope of the study, the limitation is conducted in order to focus and narrow down the topic of specific areas in the research. The study will be centered on challenges to implement green technology in Malaysian construction industry:
i. Respondents from contractors, developers, architects and engineers in construction industry.
ii. G-Tower in Kuala Lumpur, diamond buildings and LEO building in Putrajaya.
iii. Urban areas in Klang Valley.
1.8 Organisation of Chapter
Figure 1.1: Chapter 1 Organisation
1.9 Summary
This chapter comprises of background of the study, problem statement, objectives of study, significance of study, research methodology, and limitations of study, organisation of chapter and summary that cover the challenges facing construction technology to be executed in Malaysian construction industry.
Study background embraces the term green technology, various types of green technology existed for sale and application of green technology in the construction industry. Problem statement comprises of the challenges such as lack of utilization, lack of initiatives from local bank and lack of knowledge and experience among construction stakeholders about implementation of green technology in construction site. This make out the objectives of study.
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The significance of the study can be summarized which it can undertakes the challenges by identifying the main factors of hardship in implementing green technology. There are three kinds of research methodology aiding the accomplishment of the study which are interviews, case studies and literature reviews. Limitations of study span within vicinity of Klang Valley. Organisation of chapter outlines the overall picture of the whole Chapter 1.
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