Malaysian Journal of Sustainable Environment

SUSTAINABLE ENERGY TRANSITION CHALLENGES IN SELECTED ASEAN COUNTRIES: A 4A FRAMEWORK AND DATA ENVELOPMENT ANALYSIS PERSPECTIVE

Umme Humayara Manni — 2024-03-18

Energy security—considering depleting fossil fuel sources, growing energy demand, the availability and affordability of renewables, and the environmental effects of energy production and consumption is a significant issue for all governments. The research examines the 2010–2021 ASEAN energy transition hurdles. The 4A framework statistically monitored availability, acceptability, affordability, and application, while the DEA approach assessed renewable energy sustainability. Oil, gas, and coal reserve-production ratios, energy intensity, CO₂ emissions, renewable energy, fossil fuel subsidies, and GDP per capita are indicators. The 4A paradigm depicts countries regressing on availability and affordability while maintaining application and acceptability. The DEA technique suggests using renewable energy to enhance productivity and reduce CO₂ emissions in developed nations. The suggested DEA technique uses renewable energy consumption, total energy consumption, labor, natural resource rent, and installed renewable capacity as inputs and GDP and CO₂ emissions as outputs to prioritize economic or environmental criteria in sustainable development evaluations. All nations except Vietnam have comparable 2010 GDP and CO₂ emissions. CO₂ consumption increased Vietnam’s GDP and decreased in the Philippines in 2015. The input suggests that policymakers prioritize energy policy assessment and development utilizing the 4A framework and DEA methodology. Policymakers should also examine inventive ways to promote renewable energy and deliver cheap, low-carbon power. ASEAN should also address pricing, energy imports, and energy use’s environmental and climate change implications to hasten the low-carbon energy transition. The research emphasizes economic development but may miss renewable energy’s political and economic effects. Future studies should examine ASEAN renewable energy hurdles and their economic, social, and employment effects.

SOCIO-ECONOMIC IMPACT OF LIGHT RAIL TRANSIT (LRT3) PROJECT TOWARDS PUBLIC USERS IN KLANG VALLEY

Ainun Fikriah Ibrahim — 2024-03-14

Infrastructure projects play an important role in the country’s development. To cater to the population growth in a city, the infrastructure was forced to face urban development and expansion. Therefore, the LRT 3 project is undergoing expansion in lines and an additional number of routes. However, LRT 3 project can affect socio-economic development continuously in various aspects such as business operations, market trends, policy on trade and industry and social welfare of society for instance creating negative impacts on social nuisance towards public users. The objective of this research is to identify the socio-economic impacts of the LRT3 project at Shah Alam locality. This research is carried out based on a thorough study of the literature review and the use of a questionnaire survey as the instrument for the quantitative method. A set of questionnaires has been distributed to the public that has been greatly affected by the LRT 3 project in Shah Alam locality. The questionnaire has been distributed to a total of 102 respondents in the area. The average mean is analysed by using the SPSS 23.0 software and is ranked with the average index scale of agreement. Positive results have been obtained in relation to the objectives of the study. The findings show that the majority of the respondents agree with all the variables set out for the socio-economic impacts of LRT 3 towards the public such as ease of access to other places, increase property value and create business activities. Therefore, based on the findings, the government shall imply more infrastructure development as it can benefit the public’s socio-economic development in many ways.

THE READINESS AND CHALLENGES IN THE INDUSTRIALISED BUILDING SYSTEM (IBS) ADOPTION IN SARAWAK FROM G7 CONTRACTORS’ PERSPECTIVE

Muhammad Syafiq Bahrin Samsi — 2024-03-14

Industrialised Building System (IBS) is defined as method for thorough integration of subsystems, components, and parts into a single overall system that utilizes industrialised manufacturing, transportation, assembling, and erection on site. Buildings that are built by using IBS method have many benefits, including high quality, low cost, fast construction, high flexibility, minimal wastage, and less environmental impact. However, adopting IBS in Sarawak has several hindrances such as logistical situation in rural Sarawak and the overpriced IBS adoption due to lack of manufacturer in the areas which causes lack of readiness among contractors. Thus, the aim of this research is to identify the G7 contractors’ readiness and investigate the challenges of IBS adoption for construction in Sarawak. One hundred and twenty-five sets of questionnaire surveys were distributed to G7 contractors in Kuching area by using google form as online medium and were analysed using SPSS version 26 software. The findings from the survey showed that Sarawak G7 contractors still lack readiness in IBS adoption due to challenges faced. Thus, further research needed on steps to be taken to reduce challenges in adopting IBS in Sarawak.

AN OUTLOOK ON HYDROPOWER IN MALAYSIA: POLICIES, CONDITIONS, AND THE POTENTIAL OF SMALL HYDROPOWER IN MALAYSIAN RIVERS AS A NEW NORM IN RENEWABLE ENERGY

Mohd Haniff Hazmin — 2024-03-14

The demand for electricity in Malaysia is increasing rapidly due to network expansion and economic growth. Renewable energy (RE) presents an excellent alternative to solve the energy crisis in countries that largely rely on depleting fossil fuels to generate power. Acknowledging the need for an energy transition, the Malaysian government implemented many policies and regulations to facilitate the adoption of RE. Hydropower is one of Malaysia’s primary RE resources, used in almost every state to supplement the national power grid via large power stations and mini-stations. It is green and produces minimal CO2 emissions. However, large hydropower projects in Malaysia have negatively impacted cultivation lands, the ecosystem, and the displacement of indigenous communities. Therefore, this paper aims to discuss Malaysia’s existing policies regarding RE development projects, the benefits and potential sites of small-scale hydropower projects, as well as the way forward for their implementation.

THERMAL COMFORT ANALYSES OF THE OLD MOSQUE IN A HUMID CLIMATE A CASE STUDY ON OLD MOSQUE GUNONG KLENG, ACEH BARAT, INDONESIA

Teuku Muhammad Al Aiyubi — 2024-03-14

Old mosques have a typology that reflects the traditions and culture of the community which has local wisdom values. Indonesia has a tropical climate that influences aspects of life, one of which is the shape of buildings that adapt to natural conditions. The Old Mosque Gunong Kleng is a historic and oldest mosque in West Aceh Regency, Indonesia, which was built in 1927. This research aims to identify the effect of openings on thermal comfort and evaluate the thermal comfort felt by visitors to the Tuha Gunong Kleng Mosque. This research uses quantitative methods by collecting data from questionnaires using the Thermal Sensation Vote (TSV) method as well as field measurements consisting of air temperature, humidity, and air velocity. The measuring instruments used were the USB Data Logger, Anemometer, and Weather Station. The results of this research were then compared with the effective temperature of SNI 036572-2001. The results of field measurements of air temperature variables do not comply with comfort standards, in contrast to wind speed and humidity. However, this is inversely proportional to the perception of respondents who can accept the thermal environment.

SUSTAINABLE MOSQUE DESIGN WITH GREEN ARCHITECTURAL APPROACH: A CASE STUDY OF AL-FURQAN MOSQUE IN BANDA ACEH, INDONESIA

Syahrul Aini — 2024-03-14

The trend of covering intricate ventilation with glass material has caused modern mosques in Banda Aceh to increase carbon emissions, due to electricity consumption for cooling. The current phenomenon is that new mosques are designed with active rather than passive cooling techniques. At the same time, despite being widely promoted within Islam, a sustainable way of life, including water and resource conservation, equitable physical and knowledge access, and community bonding, is not actively promoted and practised by the mosque community. Therefore, this paper conducts a descriptive study on the Al-Furqan Mosque in Banda Aceh, regarding the application of green architectural principles based on Greenship Indonesia. This study aims to reveal the extent to which green and sustainable architectural elements that focus on energy efficiency and conservation have been implemented. This study observed the high amount of renewable energy produced by mosques. Furthermore, energy is saved by using passive cooling and natural lighting. Overall, this case study requires improvements to the design and landscape that lead to a sustainable mosque through an environmentally friendly architectural approach. Even though the design has tried to adapt, it is not optimal.

IMPACT OF EDUCATION HUB DEVELOPMENT ON SOCIO-ECONOMIC TRANSFORMATION OF RURAL COMMUNITY

Mohmad Fadhli Rashid — 2024-03-14

The establishment of an education hub represents an effective initiative aimed at expanding access to higher education for both local and international students. Besides education, it positively affects nearby rural communities in various ways like education, income, livelihood, and jobs. But for these benefits to happen, it is crucial to consider the broader context and the needs of the community when planning and developing an education hub. Sometimes, if the focus remains only on internal planning without considering the community's socio-economic dynamics, the positive impact might be limited. Hence, this paper aims to investigate the impact of education hub on the socioeconomic transformation of rural communities. To understand the full impact of an education hub on rural communities, a survey was conducted at the Pagoh Education Hub (PEH) in Johor, Malaysia. The study sample comprised 61 respondents from three villages situated within the education hub area. Quantitative data analysis was employed to identify key factors affecting the socio-economic landscape, including livelihood, education, employment, and income. The findings show the development of the Pagoh Education Hub created more job opportunities, better access to education, improved infrastructure, and a cleaner environment as well as high safety level despite having more non-local people, like foreign workers and students coming to the area. These findings help assess how the Pagoh Education Hub has transformed the livelihoods of the nearby communities.

ANALYSING THE SIGNIFICANT INFLUENCES OF COST PERFORMANCE IN MALAYSIAN RAIL PROJECTS: EXPLORATORY FACTOR ANALYSIS

Mohamad Zahierruden Ismail — 2024-03-14

Delivering successful rail projects has always been extremely difficult. The fact is widely discussed in developed nations as their outstanding rail networks were known to have significant cost overruns. A comprehensive rail network is progressing in developing nations, and cost overruns have already occurred in nations like China and India. The problem is critical in Malaysia, where poor cost performance has been highlighted for decades. This study aims to establish the significant influences on cost performance of rail projects, by assessing the critical influences that may affect project cost management. Primary data was gathered from 100 cost managers in the rail construction industry. Five (5) main component elements were discovered with a total of fifty (50) related items based on prior studies. Project estimation, project planning, project management, technical experience, and project complexity can be categorized as the primary component aspects. The influences and their respective items are then utilized to create the questionnaire for gathering data. Collected data were then analyzed using Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA), which focused on the five (5) components and fifty (50) influences that affected rail construction cost performance. The overall variance percentage was 62.514%. Each component has a minimum of four variables, thus complying with the requisite that every component needs a minimum of three variables. The Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) Measure of Sampling Adequacy value obtained from the results is 0.813, which is highly close to 1. All components satisfied the Factor Analysis standards as each influence loading is higher than 0.4. Project Planning has the highest Eigenvalue (26.764), while Project Estimation has the lowest Eigenvalue (5.136). Industry professionals need to understand the main elements affecting construction costs. Then the professionals can be empowered with the ability to develop effective strategies to improve cost management in rail projects.

LEVERAGING NARRATIVE IMAGES THROUGH ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION MESSAGES FOR ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS IN KAFANCHAN CITY, NIGERIA

Timothy Titus — 2024-03-14

The environment in Kafanchan, Nigeria deteriorates daily due to human factors such as refuse dumping, bush burning, deforestation, and open grazing. Narrative Images have been acknowledged to significantly impact molding perceptions, attitudes, and behaviours across many fields. This article explores the potential of narrative images as a compelling tool for raising environmental awareness. Narrative images, such as photographs, are essential in communicating and addressing environmental issues, engaging audiences, and motivating positive action. This study aims to raise environmental awareness in Kafanchan, Nigeria by leveraging narrative images. The study is committed to capture photographs that depict the various environmental problems in Kafanchan City, Nigeria and to evaluate the impact of images in conveying environmental degradation messages. Photography was used as a method to capture images that depict environmental concerns in Kafanchan City, Nigeria, analysed using visual narrative method. The images used for this study were selected using inclusion and exclusion criteria. The photographs categorised into bush burning, deforestation, and refuse dumping, erosion, open grazing and poster pasting. Interview was used to get the opinion of the respondents about the impact of images in conveying environmental degradation messages. Most of the participants rated the images to have a very strong and strong impact. However, 14.30% believed images 4, 9 and 11 had a weak impact. 7.10% also believed images 6 and 7 have a weak impact. The authors argue that leveraging narrative images for environmental awareness is an effective medium in visual communication.

EXPLORING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN URBAN DENSITY AND MENTAL WELL-BEING IN FIVE MAJOR CITIES IN MALAYSIA

Maheran Hamzah — 2024-03-14

Mental health is the leading cause of mortality, with the number of cases expected to increase by around 10 per cent by 2030 in the global context. In Malaysia, the prevalence of mental health disorders among Malaysian adults 16 years old and older increased by 29.2 per cent in 2015 from 10.7% in 1996. This study explored the relationship between urban density and mental health in five major Malaysian cities: Kuala Lumpur, Johor Bahru, Melaka Tengah, Penang, and Ipoh. This study used comparative analysis and correlation analysis to compare several data according to urban density, such as the urban population’s highest density per kilometre square and open space ratio by state. The by the suicide cases by state and five cities area. The results of this study suggested evidence of urban density living with mental health due to factors of environmental overcrowding and the limitation of space. This study showed that the level of urban density could influence the level of mental health among the communities. Suicide cases are related to mental health, implying a connection between the occurrence of suicide cases and the overall state of well-being among individuals. Suicide is a complex and multifaced issue influenced by various factors, including mental health, social, economic, and environmental factors.

TRACKING ARCHITECTURAL DEFECTS IN RESIDENTIAL PROJECT IN MALAYSIA

Najihah Rahimin — 2024-03-14

Building defects are always a key concern in the construction industry. Defects represent not only a loss to the project but also hamper the smooth operation of a building. Recognising the need to resolve these continuing problems, research was mooted to track the study of defects that occurred during the Defects Liability Period for residential projects in Malaysia. This paper presents part of the research that investigates what can be learned from the analysis of architectural defects in this project. Two research objectives were developed: (1) to investigate types of architectural defects that occurred, (2) to analyse the causes of the defects, and (3) to categorise the causes of the defects. A mixed methods approach is adopted. Data for the quantitative element of the research was drawn from the project's defect records. They were sorted, grouped and transferred into the SPSS software for analysis using frequency analysis. The findings suggest defects can be effectively traced and categorised with a proper methodology in place. This can provide useful insights into their root cause and how it can be avoided in future projects.

COMMUNITY-BASED ADAPTATION TO FLOOD: A SYSTEMATIC LITERATURE REVIEW

Musa Mustapha Danraka — 2024-03-14

Communities have developed established knowledge and techniques to foresee, diminish the impacts of, react to, and restore from floods and comparable risks due to their intimate connections to their ecological environment. These are generally recognized as Community-based Adaptation (CBA) responses . The motivation behind embarking on this systematic review stems from the fact that scholars and policymakers come across conflicting information in this field, making it challenging to handle. This review aims to comprehend the present state of knowledge on CBA to flood. The practices encompassing community-based approaches to flood management, the historical examination of these practices, and the current understanding of their alignment with flood adaptation have all been delineated via a comprehensive analysis of relevant scholarly works. This thorough investigation yielded a corpus of 25 articles written exclusively in the English language, which were subjected to both qualitative and quantitative scrutiny. The study discovered a wide range of community mobilisation strategies, with the majority of research on these focused on developed nations, ranging from early warning systems and hazard forecasts to livelihood-based adaptation. This systematic review assists in identifying new and significant study fields, the evolution of publications through time, patterns of author collaboration, and future research directions. The study identified the author with the most publications and citations, the journal with the most publications, and the most common words from the content analysis. This study provides a general overview of the topic for academics interested in CBA solutions and paves the path for additional study in this area. Thus, government programmes for general recovery following a flood can be put into action more swiftly.

CONTENT VALIDITY OF BUILDING INFORMATION MODELLING (BIM) ASSESSMENT CRITERIA FOR FRAMEWORK FORMATION FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT AUTHORITIES

Muhammad ‘Ashrof ‘Arifuddin Zakaria — 2024-03-14

Assessment of Building Information Modelling (BIM) implementation for local government authorities is defined as a process of managerial evaluation tools that measures the organisation's assessment gap. For assessing the current quality, competence, and repeatability of BIM implementation, assessment criteria are therefore crucial. The construction industry in the country is predominantly reliant on traditional methods, hindering development and global competitiveness. Despite various initiatives to promote BIM, its adoption among construction professionals in Malaysia remains limited. To address this, the research aims to establish BIM assessment criteria tailored for local governance authorities, thereby facilitating smoother BIM implementation. The study employs literature review and questionnaire survey methods to assess the content validity of BIM assessment criteria. The data was analysed descriptively in Microsoft Excel using Content Validity Ratio (CVR) and Content Validity Index (CVI) formula. A set of questionnaires has been distributed to six (6) experts in BIM. The literature review proposes 51 items across seven main categories for inclusion in the BIM assessment criteria. The CVR scores indicate that 29 out of the 51 items are considered highly critical by content experts. Additionally, item Level Content Validity Index (I-CVI) and Modified Kappa Coefficient findings reveal that 41 items demonstrate appropriateness and excellence. In conclusion, this study contributes valuable insights for the development of a BIM assessment criteria framework specifically tailored for local governance authorities. The finding of this study is beneficial for further study in developing the BIM assessment criteria framework for local governance authority.

DEMOLISHED WASTE INTO AN INNOVATIVE RESOURCE FOR SAND REPLACEMENT IN CONCRETE (THE DWARF TECHNIQUE)

Muhammad Naim Mahyuddin — 2024-03-14

The construction sector generates substantial waste, including demolished concrete, presenting environmental challenges and disposal expenses. This study introduces the DWARF (Demolished Waste as Resource for Sand in Concrete) technique, an innovative method that repurposes demolished waste as a valuable resource for replacing sand in concrete production. The DWARF process involves treating the demolished waste to meet specifications for sustainable use as an alternative to natural sand in concrete mixes. This research investigated the feasibility and effectiveness of the DWARF technique concerning its impact on concrete's mechanical properties and sustainability. Experimental tests evaluated the compressive strength, durability, and environmental performance of concrete mixes with varying percentages of demolished waste as a sand replacement. The results were compared with conventional concrete mixes to assess the DWARF technique's performance. The findings indicated the successful incorporation of demolished waste into concrete mixes using the DWARF technique, resulting in comparable or improved mechanical properties compared to conventional concrete and additionally, using demolished waste as a sand replacement reduces the environmental impact associated with sand mining and waste disposal. The DWARF technique supports sustainability by curbing natural resource consumption and endorsing the circular economy concept in construction. Moreover, the technique's economic viability was evaluated, considering potential cost savings in sand procurement and waste disposal. In conclusion, the DWARF technique offers a promising and innovative solution for converting demolished waste into a valuable resource for sand replacement in concrete production, contributing to sustainable construction, resource conservation, and waste reduction. Further research is needed to optimize and encourage its widespread adoption in construction projects.

SUSTAINABLE PUBLIC ART FRAMEWORK AND GUIDELINES (SPAFG) FOR MELAKA TOWN AREAS

Azahar Harun — 2024-03-14

Despite the meticulous endeavours of local municipal councils, public art initiatives within various town areas of Melaka exhibit a lack of novelty, resulting in their inability to establish an enduring impact. Previous studies have indicated that the present situation can be primarily ascribed to inadequate strategic foresight, ineffective decision-making processes, and a deficiency in artistic literacy. In order to address this matter, our research presents the Sustainable Public Art Framework and Guidelines (SPAFG), a holistic strategy aimed at improving urban embellishment and supporting the municipal councils of Melaka, particularly in the areas of public art planning, governance, and policy development. The SPAFG engages in the process of comparing and associating with various data sources throughout its developmental phases. These sources include the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG11, SDG15, and SDG17) as well as the Public Art framework that has been adopted by several city councils in western countries, and evaluations conducted by professionals specialising in sculptural art, landscape architecture, and art gallery management. The SPAFG, contains five unique themes, including Human and Environment, Creative Intervention, Culture and Heritage, Policy and Governance, and Economic Drivers and Motivation. The relevance and benefits SPAFG) initiative lie in its capacity to enhance awareness, facilitate education, and offer direction to town councils in making informed decisions regarding the implementation of public art within the urban spaces of Melaka. By adhering to the principles of the SPAFG framework, local authorities can effectively contribute to the achievement of sustainable development goals and facilitate the establishment of significant and influential public art initiatives.