TOPICS FOR DISCUSSION

Is it time for a Malta Green Building Council?

As the construction industry expands with more and more ongoing major developments announced, and more and buildings fall down, is there is a need for an internationally recognised Green Building Standard to be introduced as an alternative to the current Government Building Guidelines?

The construction sector in Malta has grown exponentially over the past 10 years, by an estimated 89%.

In Malta, the past ten years have seen an exponential growth, which has come at some cost to environmental and public health. As one commentator noted, “Unbridled development, linked to a powerful construction industry over the past years has seriously impacted the environmental sustainability and the quality of life in the Maltese Islands.”(SOER 2015).

In the EU, In the EU, buildings are responsible for an estimated 40 percent of all carbon emissions (Abela et al, 2006). In Malta, an estimated 94 percent of buildings were built before the introduction of the Technical Guidance: Minimum Requirement for Energy Performance in Buildings in 2006.

There seems currently little integrated Government ‘Green Building’ Policy in Malta independent of EU framework targets & policies. There are some small projects of low energy, low carbon or award winning buildings of some repute but there is no visible introduction of ‘green building standards’ as in other countries.

Whilst the recent Low Carbon Strategy issued by the current administration in 2017 stated that “Low carbon development and investment is needed in areas where there is high potential for decreasing carbon and where diversification is possible” the areas identified for action do not include any priority to the construction industry and the recent detrimental issues including collapsing buildings and air quality.

Named sectors of concern include energy, transport, waste, agriculture, water, enterprise, tourism, information and communication technologies (ICT), infrastructure (planning and monitoring of existence infrastructure), finance and expert knowledge. But not the construction sector, regarded largely as third largest eceonmic sectors of the country,

There is currently no dedicated official “Green Buildings Standard” in Malta, but surely now is the time to demand one.

The case for a Green Building Council and/or, Standard - in Malta. 

Now more than ever is the time to implement an independent, nationwide, Green Building Standard in Malta.

The built environment is collectively responsible globally for an estimated 40% of energy consumption, 25% of water, 40% of global resources and one third of global greenhouse gas emissions. In the EU this figure is estimated at 36%.

This is a time of great transition for the European construction sector towards attaining energy efficient and nearly Zero Energy Buildings (nZEB).Malta, as in other Southern European countries, in addition to the economic challenges, faces other important factors that hinder the renovation of existing residential building stock and newly constructed high performance buildings [3].

Malta, being of such small proportions as an island economy, needs to manage such challenges and set a standard for the rest of the region towards efficient and low carbon/low energy consuming buildings. With a rapidly expanding construction sector, there is a pressing need to promote new green buildings standards, thoughts and outlook towards a healthier and better standard of living.

Until the implementation of the European European Performance in Building Directive (EPBD) in 2006, there were no energy related building regulations in position in Malta. This means that the majority of building stock was entirely unregulated previous to 2006, an estimated 94 percent, with an estimated 40 percent being built previous to majority being built 1970 and 51 percent estimated to have bene completed between 1971 and 2005 (Source: Malta National Statistics).

There is, therefore a great need to both regulate and enforce greener building standards as quickly as is possible, and in addition, to retrofit existing building stock which is largely regarded as poorly built and insulated.

With evidence mounting of increasing temperatures due to climate change and longer cooler winters (IPCC 2014), there is drastic need for urgent action to upgrade previous stock and bring enforced standards to the construction sector. With increasing population forecast and already contaminated groundwater supplies, as well as energy security issues with desalinisation being reliant on external energy links, amore holistic approach is needed for our buildings and for the entire sector.

THe trend towards ‘green’ certified buildings is on the up as governments are forced to comply with international carbon dioxide emissions levels amongst other factors.the leed standard is just one of many global standards including BREEAM, Green star, estidama amongst others.

The case for a Green Building Standard in Malta. 

developers’ perceived costs versus actual costs for ‘green’ building

Now more than ever is the time to implement an independent, nationwide, and more holisitic approach to the construction industry, and the establishment of a Green Building Standard in Malta would be a first step in the right direction.

So whats in it for the Developers? Why would I want to build this green building?

A Report by the World Green Building Council (WGBC)and this was back in 2013, found that ‘gree’ buildings commanded higher sales price, had similar design costs to traditional building methods, proved quicker to sell, and from a commercial aspect, resulted in increased corporate image and prestige value.

Similarly for owners, Why would I want to own this green building?

The results were similarly positive. Owners cited slower deprecation rates, an ability to cammand higher rents, increased occupancy rates and overall, lower operating costs with reduced operational costs all round.

For tenants, an encouraging trend. Why would I want to
lease this green building?

Post occupational building research has found that tenants enjoy, overall, increased sense of health & wellbeing, with lower bills, better living and thermal comfort, and a stress free environment. For commercial employers, their employees were found to be more productive in their new enhanced environment.

So why is nothing being done?

The same report has found that whilst developers still have perceptions of higher costs, in fact, these are far less than often anticipated with falling prices as ‘green’ buildings become more mainstream, and the overall positives of owning, running and living in, enhanced buildings leads to overall lower operational costs, happier tenants and better payback than traditional buildings.