As energy and natural resources are acutely depleting while demands continue to rise endlessly, sustainable conservation becomes everyone’s solution including the construction industry. Building owners, architects, designers, engineers and builders with environmentally friendly mind have been facing the crisis strongly. Their drive has turned into a set of indicators to assess if a building is really friendly to the environment, or in other words, if the building is really “green.”
The word “Green Building” is a new standard of building which the construction is effectively planned and managed from day one to the opening date of the building. The underlying concept of the construction is how to effectively exploit natural resources with minimal interference to surrounding communities and the environment. The green building is water and energy efficient while comfort and health of people living in the building are seriously taken into consideration. Surprisingly, the Green Building can also increase commercial values as witnessed in those passing Thai’s Rating of Energy and Environmental Standards (TREES) where their Floor Area Ratio (FAR) increases by 5-20% based on the 2013 Bangkok City Planning Regulations.
In Thailand, two “green building” criteria are being implemented. One is the US’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED). The other is Thailand Green Building Institute (TGBI)’s Thai’s Rating of Energy and Environmental Standards (TREES).
The most critical mindset for a building to be certified “green” is an effective construction planning and management. It covers various topics such as choosing a location and a construction site, design, choosing a materials, handling construction work, observing daily operation and conducting building maintenance and renovation. Specifically, the entire process has to be carried out by the experts from the beginning.