Chapter 4 case studies characteristics

CHAPTER 4: CASE STUDIES CHARACTERISTICS
4.0 Introduction
This chapter presents all cases study buildings, their location and followed by the
observation on bioclimatic elements. The building descriptions are based mainly on the
published literature of one kind or another, personal observations and conversations with
building operators and occupants during the visit. Some photographs captured during the
field work are also presented. Certain building diagrams that show the building form, section
or elevation as well as the layout were customized to fit this presentation.
4.1 Case Studies Buildings in Peninsular Malaysia
All together six high rise office buildings were involved in the field work which included
KOMTAR Tower, UMNO Tower, Mesiniaga Tower, Tun Ismail Mohd Ali Tower, Lembaga
Urusan Tabung Haji Tower and IBM Tower. The six visited buildings were actually divided
into two categories based on their design criteria which are Bioclimatic and Conventional
types as follows:
A. Bioclimatic Buildings:
 Menara United Malayan Union Organization (UMNO)
 Menara Mesiniaga (MESINIAGA)
 Menara IBM (IBM)
B. Conventional Buildings:
 Menara Kompleks Tun Abdul Razak (KOMTAR).
 Menara Lembaga Urusan Tabung Haji (LUTH)
 Menara Tun Ismail Mohd Ali (TIMA)
The location of the case study is shown in Figure 4.1. The study took place in two regions;
northern (Penang) and middle (Kuala Lumpur) region of the peninsular where most high rise
were located. The field study was originally designed for two phases but ended with three
phases. The first phase was carried out from 12th
July 2005 [Tuesday] to 16th
July 2005
[Saturday]. Case study buildings were in Penang. Two high rise office buildings were
involved which included one conventional (KOMTAR) and one bioclimatic (UMNO
Penang). The second phase was carried out from 8th
August 2005 [Monday] to 12th
August
2005 [Friday]. Case study buildings were in Kuala Lumpur and Petaling Jaya. Two high rise

office buildings were involved which included one conventional (Tun Ismail Mohd Ali) and
one bioclimatic (Mesiniaga). The third phase was carried out from 22nd
August 2005
[Monday] to 26th
August 2005 [Friday]. In Kuala Lumpur. Two high rise office buildings
were involved which included one conventional (Tabung Haji) and one bioclimatic (IBM
Tower).
Pulau Pinang (Penang)
Area: 1,031 km2
Population: 1,313,449
Kuala Lumpur
Area: 243 km²
Population: 1,379,310
Figure 4.1: Location of cases study (Penang and Kuala Lumpur)

4.1.1 Case Study in Penang
The arrangement for the field study in Penang was very smooth at the beginning and it
continued smooth till the end of the field work. The site was at the northern region of the
Malaysia Peninsula and about 900 km away from the author’s residence. It took 9 hours
travel by car to reach the island.
KOMTAR and UMNO towers were two buildings where the managers were found to be
very cooperative in which the commitment from the management offices was very good and
they were very welcoming and helpful. In both buildings, visitors should display an access
tag to move around the building. Although the security system in both buildings were very
tight, the movement from one floor to another was very efficient with the presence of the
management representative.
4.1.1.1 Menara UMNO (Bioclimatic)
Menara UMNO Penang is located on Jalan Macalister Georgetown, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia.
It was designed by T.R. Hamzah & Yeang Sdn Bhd and was completed in early 1998 with
the total height of ninety four meters. ‘Menara’ is Malay for ‘tower’ and UMNO is the
United Malay National Organisation, one of the components parties ruling the country at the
moment. The site has an area of about half an acre, and is centrally located at the junction of
Jalan Macalister and Jalan Zainal Abidin. It is within 5 minutes walking distance (500m
west) to KOMTAR in Penang Road. The podium of this twenty one storey building contains
spaces for Banking Hall on the ground floor, an Auditorium at level 1 and several levels of
parking spaces. The Auditorium is also accessible by a separate external staircase. Meeting
and assembly rooms are located at level 6. Above this are 14 floors of office space. The
building, although designed to be air conditioned, can also be naturally ventilated from an
open-able window. The building is also probably the first high-rise office that uses wind as
natural ventilation for creating comfort conditions inside the building (Yeang, 2002; Baird,
2001).
4.1.1.2 Menara KOMTAR (Conventional)
Menara Komtar Penang is located at Jalan Penang, Georgetown, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia.
The sixty five storey building was completed in 1985 with a total height of two hundred and
thirty two meters. The tower sits on top of a broad 27 acre mixed use podium structure

comprising market space, theatres, a bus terminal, police and fire stations, a conference
centre, a swimming pool, and many other community resources. The 65 storey tower is on
top of a four storey podium block. This twelve sided tower is the centrepiece for urban
redevelopment and incorporates commercial space, government offices, and residential units.
The building is among the tallest buildings in South-East Asia. It houses most of the state
government departments including the Chief Minister Department in the tower block and
prime commercial space with civic and recreational facilities. It is strategically situated in
the heart of the city on an 11 hectare site.
4.1.2 Case Study in Kuala Lumpur& Petaling Jaya
Even though Kuala Lumpur was about 300 km away from the author’s residence, the
arrangement for the appointment was not that easy as that of Penang. Several phone calls had
been made to the building managers followed by email before the mutual agreement for the
appointment could be obtained. In certain buildings the manager or members of the
management staff were not very welcoming, whereas in the other building there were
restrictions in terms of accessibility and movement in certain areas of the building even
though accompanied by their representative. In certain buildings communication with the
staff (respondents) was not allowed and the questionnaires were distributed by their
representative. Only permission to obtain environmental reading was granted and even
shooting of photo or video inside the building was not allowed.
4.1.2.1 Menara Mesiniaga (Bioclimatic)
Menara Mesiniaga is the IBM headquarters in Subang Jaya near Kuala Lumpur. It is a high
tech, sixteen-storey corporate showcase on a convenient and visually prominent corner site.
It was completed in 1992 with the total height of sixty three meters. The singular appearance
of this moderately tall tower is the result of architect Kenneth Yeang's ten-year research into
bio-climatic principles for the design of medium-to-tall buildings. Menara Mesiniaga has had
a profound effect on the architectural landscape of the Klang Valley and on the approach
taken with office design in Malaysia. The tower has become a landmark, and increased the
value of the land around it. The building also contains well equipped classrooms; a demo
centre and a 130 seat auditorium accommodating customers and employees attending classes
or presentations.

4.1.2.2 Menara IBM (bioclimatic)
IBM Plaza is located at Jalan Tun Mohd Faud, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The twenty four-
storey building was completed in 1985 with a total height of one hundred and twelve meters.
The building configuration consists of an office tower linked by a curvilinear bridge to a
two-storey crescent-shaped lower block, housing a restaurant and a food court. At the ground
level, the entrance area (including the lift lobby that leads to the plaza) is open to the outside
and is naturally ventilated. Pre-cast and pre-tiled spandrel panels project beyond the edge of
each floor to give sun-shading to the glazing. The top of the tower is pitched as an
abstraction of the traditional Malay house form (Powell, 1989).
4.1.2.3 Menara Tun Ismail Mohd Ali (Conventional)
Menara Tun Ismail Mohd Ali is located at Jalan Raja Laut, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The
twenty seven storey building was completed in 2003 with a total height of one hundred and
forty nine meters. It is owned by Permodalan National Berhad (PNB) and many government
offices for central region are located in this building. PNB is one of the largest corporations
that are helping Malaysia to achieve its goal of Vision 2020. It has extensive investments
covering every major component of the Malaysian economy and also substantial holdings in
companies involved in sectors such as finance, plantations, manufacturing and property.
4.1.2.4 Menara Lembaga Urusan Tabung Haji
Bangunan Tabung Haji is located on Jalan Tun Razak, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The thirty
eight storey building was completed in 1984 with a total height of one hundred and fifty two
meters. It is a multi million dollar building to call its own as LUTH owned by an
organization that administering the hajj’s journeys for Malaysian Muslims. The building was
completed in the mid eighties, the geometric product of renowned Malaysian architect Hijjas
Kasturi. In 1984, it was not only the tallest building in Malaysia at that time but was also
hailed as the highest Muslim edifice in the world.
All cases study buildings are either rectangular or cylindrical form in shape. The ‘generic’
forms are based on the primary shapes underlying the designs. UMNO, a rectangular high
rise is its ‘generic’ set off; for the MESINIAGA, a cylindrical tower; and IBM, a rectangular
tower. KOMTAR and LUTH both are cylindrical whereas TIMA is rectangular.

Building Details (UMNO)
 Building Name: Menara UMNO (1998)
 Building Owner: Majlis Agama Islam Pulau Pinang
 Building type: High-rise Office (Bioclimatic)
 Architects: T.R. Hamzah & Yeang Sdn Bhd
 Company Involved: South East Asia Development Corporation, JDC Corporation Sdn
Bhd, Tahir Wong Sdn Bhd, Ranhill Bersekutu Sdn Bhd, Juru Ukur Bahan Malaysia, and
Prof. Richard Ainsley.
 Tenancy: Commercial lease with multiple tenants
 Location: Pulau Pinang (Penang) Malaysia
 Latitude/Longitude: 5°24’57.83”N - 100°19’31.15”E
 Site: Urban high-density plot within city centre
 Land Area: 1,920m2
(Half acre)
 Total Build Up Area: 10495m2
 Gross Office Area: 7,413m2
 No of Storey: 21 Floors (94m or 307ft)
 Lift: 4 Passenger lift, 1 service and 1 car park lift.
 Form: Tower and podium (parking from levels 3-5)
 Transitional spaces (balconies) on every office floor.
 Structure: Reinforced Concrete
 Floor to floor height: 3.85m (average)
 Floor Depth: 18 m (from window to core)
 Window to Wall Ratio: 80% except SE façade.
 Passive Features for thermal control: Service core faces east. External sunshades
designed to relate with solar load. Aluminium cladding with spray tiles finishes.
 Strategy for day lighting: lift lobbies, escape staircases and service spaces naturally
ventilated and lit. Full height aluminium frame window with tempered glazing and sun
shading panel.
 Strategy for natural ventilation: Wind wing-wall designed to bring option to all tower
floors.
 Active systems: Central air conditioning air-cooled system, ceiling grid of fluorescent
light fittings.
 Occupant control: Blinds for windows, 2-3 lighting zones per floor, central thermostat
control.
 Accolades: Highly regarded example of Bioclimatic office building in the hot-humid
tropics, winner of RAIA International Award.
Typical Layout Plan

United Malay National Organisation (UMNO) Tower
Location North North-West
Lower Zone Middle Zone Higher Zone
Management Office Sky Court Meter Duct
Figure 4.2: Several images captured in UMNO tower

Building Details (MESINIAGA)
 Building Name: Menara Mesiniaga (1992)
 Building Owner: Mesiniaga Sdn.Bhd
 Company Involved: Siah Brothers Sdn Bhd, Reka Perunding Sdn Bhd, Norman Disney
& Yong Sdn Bhd, Lap Consultancy, Reka Perunding Sdn Bhd, Baharuddin Ali & Low
Sdn.
 Tenancy: Owner-occupied, private company
 Location: Subang Jaya, Kuala Lumpur Malaysia
 Site: Suburban green-field site next to motorway
 Total Build Up Area: 11,364m2
 Lift: 4 Passenger lift.
 Form: Tower and podium with semi-basement parking
 Transitional spaces (balconies) on every office floor.
 Structure: Concrete
 Floor to floor height 3.9m
 Floor Depth: 30m (from window to window) 23 m (from window to core)
 Window to Wall Ratio: 80% on all sides except East (20%).
 Passive Features for thermal control: Service core faces east. External sunshades
designed to relate with solar load.
ventilated and lit. Solar tints on most windows (user-installed) to reduce glare.
 Strategy for natural ventilation: Variable air-volume supply for optimal delivery.
 Active Systems: Central air-conditioning, Ceiling grid of fluorescent light fittings.
Lighting in office space adjustable to 25%, 50% or 100% intensity, depending on time of
day and usage. Provision for future solar-cell installation.
 Occupant Control: Occupants have no direct control over temperature or light. Electrical
light switches are zoned according to sections of the floor covering groups of
workstations. 2-3 Lighting zones per floor. No blinds are provided for windows. Central
thermostat control.
 Accolades: Winner of PAM Architectural Excellence Award, the Aga Khan Award
1995, RAIA International Award and AIA citation.
Typical Layout Plan

MESINIAGA Tower
Location North West West
Lower Zone Middle Zone Higher Zone
Briefing by Manager Working Area Office Arrangement
Figure 4.3: Several images captured in MESINIAGA tower

Building Details (IBM)
 Building Name: IBM Plaza (1987)
 Building Owner: IBM Cooperation
 Company Involved: TTDI Plaza Sdn Bhd, Ho Hup Construction Company Berhad, Wan
Mohamed & Khoo Sdn Bhd, Juara Consult Sdn Bhd, Davis Langdon & Seah Malaysia,
Juru Ukur Bahan Malaysia.
 Location: Kuala Lumpur Malaysia
 Site: Urban shop lots within low rise residential areas.
 Lift: 8 Passenger lift and 1 service.
 Form: Rectangular Tower Block
 Transitional spaces: Upper floors are extended in an asymmetrical pattern resulting in
the wedge- shaped projection of the upper floors. Typical floor pre-orientated towards
the north-south axis in relation, to the sun path
 Floor Depth: 26.6m (Window to window NS and EW)
 Window to Wall Ratio: 50% NS façade 30% EW façade
 Passive Features for thermal control: Service cores (lifts, stairs and toilers,) are located
on the hot sides of the tower (east and west sides). Pre-cast and pre-tiled spandrel panels
fixed on the edge of each floor to give sun shading to the glazing. The garden ascends
diagonally across the façade.
ventilated and lit.
 Strategy for natural ventilation: Ground level, the entrance area (including the lift lobby
that leads to the plaza) is open to the outside and is naturally ventilated.
 Active systems: Central air conditioning, ceiling grid of fluorescent light fittings.
 Occupant control: Internal blinds, lighting zones floor, central thermostat control.
 Accolades: Hybrid - a fusion of Modernism and Regionalism, an abstraction of cultural
patterns and symbols welded to climatic imperatives
Typical Layout Plan

IBM Plaza
Location West South
Lower Zone Corridor Middle Zone Parking Area
Lift Lobby Natural Ventilation Zone Landscape Zone
Figure 4.4: Several images captured in IBM Plaza.

Building Details (KOMTAR)
 Building Name: Menara Komtar (1985)
 Building Owner: Penang Development Cooperation (PDC)
 Building type: High-rise Offices & Retail (Conventional)
 Architects: Architects Team 3, Jurubena Bertiga International Sdn., Konsortium
Pembangunan. (Dato’ Lim Chong Keat)
 Company Involved: Lim Kah Ngam, Ove Arup & Partners, Oh Teck Thye Private
Limited, Mitsubishi
 Tenancy: Commercial in podium, government departments and multiple tenants in
tower.
 Location: Pulau Pinang (Penang) Malaysia
 Site: In the centre of high density urban area.
 Land Area: 27acre
 Lift: 16 Passenger lift, (8 – lower zone; 6 middle zone; 2 higher zone).
 Form: Similar-sided Polygon Tower shape on 4 storey podium (seem almost circular
from in the distance)
 Floor Depth: 60m (Window to window) and 16m (from window to core)
 Window to Wall Ratio: 80% all round façade
 Passive Features for thermal control: Vertical and horizontal blinds installed throughout
the glass interiors to prevent these direct sunlight penetration, glare problems and the
excess heat gain. Lift lobbies, escape staircases and service spaces in the centre of the
polygon shape.
 Strategy for day lighting: The exterior facade is almost all glass curtain wall cladding
except for the reinforced concrete columns and door slabs.
 Strategy for natural ventilation: Not applicable.
 Active systems: Central air conditioning, ceiling grid of fluorescent light fittings.
 Occupant control: Blinds for windows, lighting zones per floor. Central thermostat
control by operator.
 Accolades: KOMTAR building is the landmark of Georgetown, Penang,
Typical Layout Plan

Kompleks Tun Abdul Razak (KOMTAR) Tower
Location North East
Control Room Cooling Tower Helipad Rooftop
Interview Occupant Indoor Measurement Chillier Room
Figure 4.5: Several images captured in KOMTAR tower.

Building Details (TIMA)
 Building Name: Menara Tun Ismail Mohd Ali (2003)
 Building Owner: Permodalan Nasional Berhad (PNB)
 Building type: High-rise Office (Conventional)
 Architects: GDP Architect Sdn.Bhd
 Company Involved: Perunding Hashim & Neh Sdn.Bhd, PLB-KH Bina Sdn.Bhd
 Tenancy: Government departments & Profesional body and multiple private company
 Site: Urban high-density plot within city centre in front main city road.
 Lift: 9 Passenger lift (5 – lower zone & 4 higher zone) and 1 service.
 Form: Rectangular tower block.
 Transitional spaces: Not applicable.
 Floor Depth: 42.5m (EW window to window) 42.1m (NS window to window) and
33.6m (NS from window to core)
 Window to Wall Ratio: 90% NS except 20% EW façade
 Passive Features for thermal control: Service core faces South, Staircase North Façade
both end. External horizontal sunshades North Façade designed to relate with solar load.
ventilated and lit.
 Strategy for natural ventilation: Cross ventilation at parking areas. Opening at escape
staircases.
 Active systems: Central air-conditioning, ceiling grid of fluorescent light fittings.
 Occupant control: Blinds for windows, lighting zones per working line, central
thermostat control.
 Accolades: Name as the late PNB founder.
Typical Layout Plan

Tun Ismail Mohd Ali (TIMA) Tower
Location North-West South-West
Management Office Double Volume Space Natural Lighting
Lift Lobby Artificial Lighting Middle Zone
Figure 4.6: Several images captured in TIMA tower

Building Details (LUTH)
 Building Name: Menara Lembaga Urusan Tabung Haji (1984)
 Building Owner: Lembaga Urusan Tabung Haji (Pilgrim Management and Fund Board)
 Building type: High-rise Office (Conventional)
 Architects: Hijjas Kasturi Associates
 Company Involved: Ranhill Bersekutu Sdn Bhd, Davis Langdon & Seah Malaysia,
Mitsubishi Elevator and Escalator.
 Site: Urban high-density plot within city centre beside main city road.
 Land Area: 7,834 m2
 Lift: 12 Passenger lift (4 - lower zone, 4 - middle zone, 4 - higher zone)
 Form: Circular Tower block.
 Floor Depth: 55.5m (window to window) and 20m (window to core)
 Window to Wall Ratio: 90% around all facade
 Passive Features for thermal control: Internal vertical and horizontal blinds to prevent
these direct sunlight penetration, glare problems and the excess heat gain. Lift lobbies,
escape staircases and service spaces in the centre of the polygon shape.
 Strategy for day lighting: The exterior facade is almost all glass curtain walls cladding
except for the reinforced concrete columns.
 Strategy for natural ventilation: Natural ventilation for parking area and main entrance.
 Active systems: Central air-conditioning, ceiling grid of fluorescent light fittings.
 Occupant control: Blinds for windows, lighting zones per floor, central thermostat
control by operator.
 Accolades: Hailed as the highest Muslim edifice of the peninsular.
Typical Layout Plan

Lembaga Urusan Tabung Haji (LUTH) Tower
Location East South
Higher Zone Middle Zone Parking Area
Lift Lobby Main Entrance Lift Lobby Middle Zone Small Meeting Room
Figure 4.7: Several images captured in LUTH tower.

4.2 Climatic Characteristic
The tropical climate of Malaysia can be classified as warm-humid equatorial, having high
temperature and humidity throughout the year, obtains intense sunshine, high temperature,
strong glare, high radiation levels and rainfall. The main climatic features characterizing this
country are that the average temperature and humidity is relatively high and consistent
throughout the year. The monthly averages are almost constant whereas the day-to-day
variations are quite significant. The air temperature average is consistent between 26°C and
32°C with high relative humidity ranging from 80% to 90% and never falling below 60%.
The annual mean temperature is about 27°C (80°F) with the average monthly temperature
ranging from 1 - 3°C (2 - 5.5°F). Average maximum temperatures are about 30°C (86°F) and
sometimes may reach 38°C (100°F) on clear days (Sopian et al., 2005; Givoni, 1998).
Winds are generally of low-variable speed but sometimes strong when combined with the
rain. The wind condition depends on the distance from the sea and may vary during the year
depending on the annual shifting of the trade wind. The climate is governed by the regime of
the north-east and south-west monsoons which blow alternatively during the course of the
year. The north-east monsoon blows from October to March whereas the south-west
monsoon blows between May and September. The period of change between the two
monsoons is marked by heavy rainfall. The period of the south-west monsoon is a drier
period for the Peninsula since it is sheltered by the landmass of Sumatra. The monthly
average daily solar radiation in Malaysia is 4000 - 5000 Whr/m2
, with the monthly average
daily sunshine duration ranging from 4 hr to 8 hr (Sopian K. and Othman M.Y., 1992).
In coastal regions, the constant heating and cooling patterns of the sea and land areas create
regular sea breezes, providing regular air motion and mitigating the heat stress mainly during
the afternoon hours. Nights are often windless. In inland regions calms are frequent even
during the daytime, increasing the thermal stress caused by the combination of high
temperature and humidity. Rainfall is also high over the year and sometimes comes with
strong wind, averaging 2500mm to 3000mm annually and is more intense with the monsoons
(Yeang, 1986). Much of the precipitation occurs as thunderstorms and the normal pattern is
one of heavy falls within a short period. Generally, chances of rain falling in the afternoon or
early evening are high compared with that in the morning. The country experiences more
than 170 rainy days; however, an area may have a greater number of rainy days and yet
receive a lesser amount of rain in a year than another area with smaller number of rainy days
but receiving its rain in heavy spells (Sopian K. and Othman M.Y., 1992).

Other sources quote Malaysia as having a yearly mean temperature of between 26°C and
27°C and relative humidity (RH) of 70% to 90% throughout the year. The mean maximum
daytime temperatures between 29°C and 32°C while the mean minimum temperature is
between 22°C and 24°C (Ahmad and Hyde, 2004: Abdul Rahman, 1999). In Subang Jaya
(near Kuala Lumpur), the maximum daytime temperature recorded was between 33°C and
35.6°C while the minimum temperature was between 19.6°C and 22.9°C (Ahmed at.el.,
2000). Overall published data shows Malaysia has an annual minimum temperature of
around 22.5°C (±1.5) and annual maximum temperature of 34.0°C (±1.5) (MMS, 2005;
Ismail, 2000).
4.3 Observation of Architectural Design
Based on the bioclimatic indicators for high rise block (Yeang, 1997) (see figure 8) and
observation during the field work, there were 13 bioclimatic features identified in UMNO
building, 16 features in MESINIAGA, 14 in IBM whereas only 4 bioclimatic features were
found present in KOMTAR and LUTH tower, and 8 in TIMA tower. The indicators found in
all cases study buildings are shown in Table 4.1.
Table 4.1: Bioclimatic indicators for high rise buildings
INDICATORS BUILDING UM MN IB KT TM LU
Bioclimatic Strategies
Plan/Use patterns/ ventilation √ √
Recessed sun spaces √ √
Balconies and terraces √ √ √
Vertical landscaping √ √
Site/Building solar sky-court √ √
View out from lobby √ √ √ √
Environmentally interactive wall √ √ √ √
Transitional spaces √
Site building adjustment √√ √ √√ √√ √
Curtain wall at N & S facades √ √ √ √ √
Open to sky ground √ √ √
Form and Envelope
Shading devices √ √ √ √
Wind scoops √ √ √ √
Wind ducts √ √ √
Insulative wall √ √ √ √ √ √
Cores at hot side (single/double core) √ √ √ √
Central core √ √
TOTAL 13 16 14 4 8 4
UM – Menara UMNO MN – Mesiniaga Tower IB – IBM Plaza
KT – KOMTAR Tower TM – Tun Ismail Mohd Ali LU – LUTH Tower

Bioclimatic Strategies
Plan/Use patterns/
ventilation
Recessed sun
spaces
Balconies and
terraces
Vertical
landscaping
Vertical
landscaping
Site/Building solar
sky-court
View out from
lobby
Environmentally
interactive wall
Transitional spaces Site building
adjustment
Curtain wall at N &
S facades
Open to sky ground
Form And Envelope
Shading devices Wind scoops Wind ducts Insulative wall Structural mass Solar collector wall
Water spray wall End core (double
core)
Side core (single
side core)
Central core Cores at hot side
Figure 4.8: Bioclimatic indicators for high rise buildings
(Source: http://www.ellipsis.com/yeang/index.html)
The bioclimatic high rise office buildings in Malaysia (a hot humid climate) designed by
Yeang are represented by three buildings, IBM Plaza, Menara MESINIAGA and Menara
UMNO, as mentioned all are situated in two major cities; IBM Plaza and Menara
MESINIAGA both located in Kuala Lumpur and Menara UMNO in Penang. What is
noticeable is that Yeang’s architecture shows an emerging set of his own rules for the design
of tropical urban high rise buildings (Powell, 1989). These are:
 The orientation of the building on north-south geometry.
 Locate curtain-wall glazing (if required for aesthetic reasons) only on the north-south
faces since there is minimal solar insulation on them.

 Avoidance of central-core positions for lift-cores and staircases as they result in lobbies
which require high energy consumption and high maintenance costs.
 Positioning the cores on the hot sides of the tower (i.e. the east or the west sides) to
provide shading to the insides of the building and to reduce the solar insulation into the
internal spaces.
 The location of side-core or end-core positions for lifts, staircases and toilets to permit
natural ventilation and sunlight to go through these spaces.
 The introduction of planting and soft lands tight to the faces of the building.
 Terrace with planter boxes for ventilation and planting.
 The use of this hollowed out space as a wind trough.
 The treatment of the external wall as an environmental filter with moveable part that
allow cross flow of wind.
 The opening up of the ground floor as a naturally ventilated space.
IBM Plaza completed in (1987) took a further step towards the definitive tropical high-rise
building and does four things.
 It sets out to respond by plan and form to the climate and in abstraction with the
vernacular roof-forms of the place.
 It responds to the need for landscaping by introducing planting upwards diagonally
across the face of a high rise built form in the form of vertical landscaping.
 It seeks to break away from the conventions of a straight plane curtain walled
modernist tower block.
 In terms of urban design, it relates and provides linkages to the surrounding low-rise
commercial shop houses surrounding the base and the pedestrian plaza.
MESINIAGA was completed in (1992) with enhancement criteria as follow (Powell, 1998;
Pearson, 1993):
 Circular plan form with service core facing the morning sun.
 External sunshades positioned according to sun-path.
 Transitional spaces with landscaping (called Sky courts) on every floor, acting as
thermal buffers.
 Toilets and fire escape stairs situated on the plan periphery; able to function with
natural ventilation.
 Admission of daylight via a high window-to-wall ratio.
 All office spaces were designed to be air conditioned.

UMNO was completed six years later (1998) in Penang. It has all of the Bioclimatic
attributes of Mesiniaga, in addition to the following (Nirmal Kishnani, 2002):
 Rectilinear plan form with service core facing morning sun.
 Specially designed external walls (wind wing walls) and operable windows which
act together to draw air through each floor for the purpose of ‘comfort cooling’.
 Offers its occupants a choice of operational modes at their workspace as it is
equipped with air conditioning system.
The theories of the ‘bioclimatic skyscraper’ have evolved from the environmental filter ideas
in the 1970s to theories of bioclimatic/ecological design in the late 1990s. According to
(Jahnkassim 2006; Powell, 1999), there are three major phases within the gradual
development of the theories applied in Yeangs’ buildings identified as:
 The ‘climatic’ phase (IBM): based on intuitive climatic principles and focused on
the idea of the environmental filter.
 The ‘regionalist’ phase (MESINIAGA): based on a search for a distinctive regional
language within the tropical Asian context.
 The ‘bioclimatic/ecological’ phase (UMNO): directed towards a more ‘global’
context and focused on the environmental agenda.
4.4 Energy Used
The passive concept, represented by the bioclimatic approach claims that, along with
acceptable comfort conditions to the building’s occupants, the application will result in lower
energy consumption. Without any evidence of performance; IBM, MESINIAGA and
UMNO, were declared significant examples of the passive approach that illustrate this idea.
MESINIAGA was described as a ‘model for environmentally responsible tropical
Modernism’ (Nirmal Kishnani, 2002; Pearson, 1993, p. 30). UMNO was declared an
“important breakthrough in passive low-energy building design which provided a concept for
developing energy efficient, naturally ventilated ‘green’ skyscrapers (Powell, 1998, p. 68).
In a previous post occupancy evaluation study, Jahnkassim (2000) recommended that these
bioclimatic buildings (IBM, MESINIAGA and UMNO) succeed in delivering comfort to
their occupants’ and reducing energy consumption. Jahnkassim’s argument was made on the
basis that MESINIAGA consumption of 248 kWh/m2
/year of electricity is less than a typical

Singapore office building at 260 kWh/m2/year (Jahnkassim PS and K. IP, 2000). However,
about the same time, a survey on electricity consumption in Singapore office building,
determined the Singapore average figure was 224 kWh/m2/year (Nirmal Kishnani, 2002;
Nathan 1999). However in this study, the calculated energy consumption for MESINIAGA
was found to be the highest among all buildings. TIMA shows the lowest followed by
UMNO, LUTH and KOMTAR. Table 4.2 summarizes the calculation method adopted from
(CIBSE-TM31, 2003). It was quite surprising that MESINIAGA consumed the most energy
compared to the other buildings. The electricity consumption for MESINIAGA is 260
kWh/m2
/year. It is a bit higher than calculated by Jahnkassim and is double the lowest
(TIMA) 102 kWh/m2
/year. Although TIMA is the lowest, it has been noted that this building
is a new buildings (1 to 2 years) and might not operated in full capacity.
Table 4.2: Energy consumption in all buildings (CIBSE TM31, 2003).
BUILDING UMNO MESINIAGA KOMTAR TIMA LUTH
Total Build Up Area
(m2
)
7,412.92 10,960.31 146,020.73 28,125.19 28,761.95
Average Yearly
(kWh/year)
958,140.00 2,854,889.10 32,364,356.76 2,874,137.14 5,496,976.57
Average Monthly
(kWh/month)
79,845.00 237,907.43 2,697,029.73 239,511.43 458,081.38
Average Daily
(kWh/day)
2,625.04 7,821.61 88,669.47 7,874.35 15,060.21
Usage/m2
/year
(kWh/m2
/year)
129.25 260.48 221.64 102.19 191.12
Usage /m2
/month
(kWh/m2
/month)
10.77 21.71 18.47 8.52 15.93
Usage/m2
/day
(kWh/m2
/day)
0.35 0.71 0.61 0.28 0.52
Table 4.3: Overall annual energy performance (electricity) and CO2 emission
Building Energy Performance for Electricity (12 month) Period
Based on a Gross Floor Area (m2
)
BUILDING UMNO MESINIAGA KOMTAR TIMA LUTH
Gross Floor Area
(m2
) 7,412.92 10,960.31 146,020.73 28,125.19 28,761.95
[A]
Quantity (kWh) 958,140.00 2,854,889.10 32,364,356.76 2,874,137.14 5,496,976.57
[B] CO2 ratio
(kg CO2/kWh) 0.43* 0.43* 0.43* 0.43* 0.43*
[C] CO2 emission
(kg CO2/year) 412,000.20 1,227,602.31 13,916,673.41 1,235,878.97 2,363,699.93
[D] Actual CO2
emission
(kg CO2/m2
/year)
55.58 112.00 95.31 43.94 82.18
* This value may change year to year due to changes in the mix of electricity generation plant.
Ensure that actual consumption figures do not include estimated bills and ensure they relate to a full exact 12
months period. Multiply column [A] by column [B] to get column [C] then divided by treated total building floor
area to get [D] (Source: CIBSE: TM31)

Laar and Grimme (2002) determined the average energy consumption in office building for
Malaysia is 269 kWh/m2
/year (see figure 4.9). The Malaysian Standard MS 1525: 2001,
"Code of Practice on Energy Efficiency and use of Renewable Energy for Non-residential
Buildings”, an office building can be classified as a low energy office if the energy
consumption is less than 135 kWh/m2
/year (MECM, 2004). If we refer to the standard,
MESINIAGA is not entitled to be classified as a low energy office building as well the two
conventional building; KOMTAR and LUTH. However, UMNO is well classified as a low
energy office building as well as the other conventional building (TIMA). This is a very
good performance compared to typical new office buildings in Malaysia and the ASEAN
region, having an Energy Index of 200 – 300 kWh/m2
/year (MECM, 2004).
Figure 4.9: Average energy comsumption in office buildings
(Source: Laar and Grimme, 2002:163)
Based on the energy consumption calculated for the cases study buildings, the CO2 emissions
produced can be calculated using ‘Energy Assessment and Reporting Methodology: Office
Assessment Method’ (CIBSE-TM22, 1999). Table 4.3 shows the actual CO2 emissions per
square meter produced by those buildings. The higher the amount of energy used in a
particular building, the higher the amount of CO2 emission produced for every meter square
of the building area. In this case MESINIAGA is the highest contribution to CO2 emission
(see Table 4.3).
4.5 Summary and Conclusion
The main bioclimatic features applied in most of its types is the north-south orientation, the
positioning of the service core (side core: single or double), terraces for ventilation and
planting, hollowed out space for cross ventilation, the opening up of the ground floor as a
naturally ventilated space, the vertical landscaping and the roof top for certain activities.

There were 13 bioclimatic features identified in UMNO building, 16 features in
MESINIAGA, 14 in IBM, 8 in TIMA and only 4 bioclimatic features were found present in
KOMTAR and LUTH. It was found that there are four further bioclimatic approaches that
IBM Plaza does towards the definitive tropical high-rise building. It sets out to respond by
plan and form to the climate and in abstraction with the vernacular roof forms of the place. It
responds to the need for landscaping by upwards planting diagonally across the face of a
high rise built form. It seeks to break away from the conventions of a straight plane curtain
walled tower block. It relates and provides linkages to the surrounding low-rise commercial
shop houses. MESINIAGA was completed with enhancement criteria which include the
circular plan form with service core facing the morning sun, external sunshades positioned
according to sun-path, transitional spaces with landscaping (called sky courts) on every floor
that act as thermal buffers, toilets and fire escape stairs situated on the plan periphery able to
function with natural ventilation, admission of daylight through the window glazing. UMNO
which was completed a few years later has all of the Bioclimatic attributes of MESINIAGA
with additional bioclimatic features which is the rectilinear plan form with service core
facing morning sun and external walls (wind wing walls) and operable windows which act
together to draw air through each floor for the purpose of ‘comfort cooling’. Furthermore it
offers the occupants a choice of operational modes at their workspace to be naturally
ventilated or with air conditioned
The electricity consumption for MESINIAGA is 260 kWh/m2
/year whereas for UMNO is
129 kWh/m2
/year. This is a very good performance compared to typical new office buildings
in Malaysia and the ASEAN region, having an Energy Index of 200 – 300 kWh/m2
/year
(MECM, 2004). However, if we refer to the current standard (Malaysian Standard MS 1525:
2001) "Code of Practice on Energy Efficiency and use of Renewable Energy for Non-
residential Buildings", MESINIAGA is not entitled to be classified as a low energy office
building. Following this code, the low energy office building must have an energy
consumption less than 135 kWh/m2
/year. UMNO is still well classified as a low energy
office building.
This chapter shows how the latest bioclimatic high rise office buildings consumed energy
compared to the conventional buildings. In the next chapter we will see how these buildings
perform in terms of architectural design and environmental conditions based on
measurements and user’s perception.

Chapter 4 case studies characteristics

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