Here's another home grown green technology that can be very useful if you are in the construction and building industry.

A home-grown technology pioneered by Soon Hoe Technologies Sdn Bhd (SHT) is beginning to make waves in Malaysia’s building and construction industry as it promotes a host of energy-saving features.

Branded as “Smart & Cool Homes” building technology, this is a sustainable system that uses passive cooling to keep the temperature in the house down. Basically, the house is “enveloped” by materials to minimise the penetration of heat.

SHT executive director Lincoln Lee explained that a layer of tyres is laid out before concrete is poured onto the foundation. The tyres function as insulation or as a “heat sink”, allowing heat to pass through the concrete and into the earth.

The corrugated system used in building such foundations also causes the cement to cure better, thereby eliminating hairline cracks that termites love. Such floors also turn out to be six to eight degrees cooler than conventional floors.

“This makes them more energy efficient and reduces the need for air conditioning. We want houses that are ‘healthy’ and well made, that contribute to sustainable development,” said Lee.

Even the walls are made from autoclaved aerated bricks that have a high resistance to heat.

“These bricks slow down the process by which heat gets into the house,” explained Lee.

Rock wool insulation under the roof also helps to keep the house cool by reflecting away heat. With floors, walls and roof all made of “cooling” materials, there is no reason to turn on the air conditioning for long periods.

Average indoor air temperatures in houses built earlier by Lee have been found to range between 25 degrees Celsius and 28 degrees Celsius. This translates into between 30 and 40 per cent less cost for cooling such a house.

Building Integrated Photovoltaic (BIPV) technology is another option for the Smart & Cool houses. This is a process whereby electricity is generated from solar panels integrated on the roof and walls.

While the capital outlay is higher because of installation costs, the expenditure can be recouped within a number of years and homeowners can sell the surplus energy to Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB).

This works with BIPV homes being fitted with a “net metering system” that allows TNB personnel to check the net electricity consumption of the home.

“If the amount of electricity generated by the BIPV system is greater than that consumed, the extra power can then be “sold” back to TNB at the same rate that users pay,” said Lee.

BIPV installation is currently expensive in Malaysia.

“The Government plans to make the technology available to all homeowners in the country soon and it will try to reduce the cost,” Lee said.

Another plus factor for this Smart & Cool Homes building technology is that it requires low maintenance. Wood is not used in the design, to prevent such problems as rotting and termites.

According to Lee the walls will have quality finish because the inner wall is built before the outer reinforced concrete frame, making it easier to check for accuracy in aligning the walls at each stage of building.

The technology is precise and construction time is much faster, almost 70 per cent faster than building conventional reinforced concrete brick and mortar houses.

At present, 12 “Smart & Cool Homes” are being built at the Green Acres Orchard & Farm Resorts in Bukit Senggeh in Jasin, Malacca, by Value Yield Sdn Bhd.

“Other developers have expressed interest in adopting the technology. Certain individuals are also retrofitting their homes with this technology. I think the future is bright for us,” Lee said.

For more information about Smart & Cool Homes building technology, contact Soon Hoe Technologies at 4G (1st floor), Jalan Hang Tuah, 75300 Malacca, or call 06-283 3808.

- NST, Property Times 08 October 2005 issue -