1. 1 INTRODUCTION PAGE 2 CLIMATE DATA PAGE 12 WIND ANALYSIS PAGE 13 SUN ANALYSIS PAGE 14 PASSIVE GREEN DESIGN ANALYSIS PAGE 15 REFERENCE LIST PAGE 25 CONTENT PAGE

2. 2 PROJECT: DIGI Technology Operations Centre LOCATION: Malaysia ARCHITECT: T. R. Hamzah & Yeang Sdn. Bhd. Picture 1: A perspective view of DIGIs Technology Operations Centre. Designed by the T. R. Hamzah & Yeang Sdn. Bhd., it first started its construction in April 2009 and was completed in July 2010. The DiGi Technology Operation Centre is located in Subang High Tech Park, Shah Alam, Selangor. It stands at 23.5 metres in height, or 4-storeys tall, covering a total gross area of 12, 468 sq. m. The building is a data centre equipped with necessary facilities such as an administration office, reception lobby, telco tower and a service management centre. In the projects brief, they stated that they had sought for a data centre based on IT data centre uptime institute Tier 3 platform, with a possible increase to a Tier 4 security that includes substantial ecological features. The response to the brief was a design that optimizes the data centre footprint, providing effective drainage and waterproofing to protect sensitive equipment, reduce solar heat gain into the centre and allows for effective security measures. INTRODUCTION 3. 3 Picture 2: Satellite view of DIGI Technology Operations Center Coordinates: 3.067780, 101.569256 Aim: The DIGI Technology Operations Centre aims to reduce the companys carbon footprint by more than 40% while achieving operational efficiencies through the construction of this green building. Certification: DIGI Technology Operations Centre has ben certified Gold in the Green Building Index in Malaysia Green Features: The passive green features implemented in building includes: Extensive vertical green walls that filters and improves the ambient indoor air quality and reduces solar heat gain 4. 4 Picture 3: The vegetated green walls of the building Source : Image Courtesy T.R. Hamzah & Yeang Sdn Bhd Picture 4: The vegetated vertical green wall of the building Source : Image Courtesy T.R. Hamzah & Yeang Sdn Bhd 5. 5 Full-height Low-E curtain walls to provide maximum daylight penetration and enables energy efficient lighting systems Drawing 1: The low-e curtain walls enclosing the building Source : Image Courtesy T.R. Hamzah & Yeang Sdn Bhd Diagram 1: Diagram showing the heat transfer through the low-e glass Source: Lee, 2014 Regular shuttle service is provided between the building and the Batu Tiga KTM station 6. 6 Picture 5: The nearest KTM station, Batu Tiga Source : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Batu_Tiga_Komuter_station 7. 7 ORTHOGRAPHIC DRAWINGS Drawing 2: Site Plan (nts) Drawing 3: Level 2 floor plan of the DIGI Technology Operations Centre 8. 8 Drawing 4: Roof Plan of Digi Technology Operations Centre Drawing 5: North Western elevation of the building 9. 9 Drawing 6: North Eastern elevation of the building Drawing 7: Section cut of the building Drawing 8: Section cut of the building 10. 10 SITE PICTURES ( Copyright T.R. Hamzah & Yeang Sdn. Bhd. (2014) ) Picture 6: A perspective view of the DIGI Technology Operations Centre 11. 11 Picture 7: Main entrance of the building Picture 8: Reception area of the building 12. 12 Figure 1: Average temperature of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Diagram 2: Average Relative Humidity of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Referring to Firgure 1, it can be seen that the temperatures vary throughout the year. The first 6 months the temperature gradually decreases and increases for the next 6 months. The average temperature for Malaysia is 28oC. Referring to Diagram 2, the northwestern side of Kuala Lumpur has the highest level of humidity as compared to the other areas. CLIMATE DATA 13. 13 Diagram 3: A wind rose diagram for Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Diagram 4: A diagram showing the direction of the prevailing winds Referring to Diagram 3, the highest frequency of wind comes from the East and Southeast of Kuala Lumpur. The highest wind speed for both directions is 10 km/h. It can be seen the orientation of the building is angled to maximize ventilation around the building. WIND ANALYSIS 14. 14 Diagram 5: A sun path diagram for Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Diagram 6: Optimum orientation of a building in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Referring to Diagram 6, the optimum orientation of a building to prevent overheating should be where the longest faade faces the North East, indicated by the blue arrow. SUN ANALYSIS 15. 15 1. VEGETATED GREEN WALL a) Description Diagram 9: Diagram showing the green wall surrounding the building Picture 9: Picture showing the Southeastern faade with the green wall PASSIVE GREEN DESIGN ANALYSIS 16. 16 Drawing 10: A diagram showing the Northeastern faade with the green wall Drawing 11: A diagram showing the Northwestern faade with the green wall The green wall faade has a lot of biological advantages that it provides to the building while functioning as a act living art installation. The northeast, northwest and southeast faades, a large green wall is designed in a zigzag manner across the building from the top to the bottom, creating a unique attractive art installation, and at the same time protecting the entire building with its biological advantages. 17. 17 b) Thermal advantages Diagram 7: A diagram showing the thermal and solar radiation pathways Diagram 8: Temperature zoning within the building The green wall surrounding the faades of the DIGI building causes thermal reduction by trapping a layer of air within the plant mass. This reduces the ambient temperature via evaporation shading. It also functions as a buffer zone during hot weathers and cold weathers (e.g: rainy seasons). Not only is the building protected from overheating, but also the surrounding air quality is improved due to the green wall absorbing carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen through photosynthesis. Referring to Diagram 8, heat has to be kept 18. 18 away from the data centre to avoid damage to the equipment. This is done by placing it in the centre of the building away from sources of heat. c) Type of plant used Picture 10: A close up of the green wall on the North Eastern faade The DIGI Technology Operations Centre uses turf grass for the green wall due to it having several advantages. Turf grass is larger, taller and they grow in bulk making it easier to flourish. They also provide some sort of acoustic insulation from the outside as well. The DIGI building is located in an industrial area and due to it being an office building, acoustic insulation is necessary. Evapotranspiration takes place thus reducing the heat entering the building, regulating the interior temperatures and increasing the human comfort. The turf grass also protects the building form ultraviolet rays as well (Bliss & Everett, 2014). 19. 19 d) Evapotranspiration Diagram9: A diagram showing the effects of evapotranspiration A wet object in this case turf grass will decrease in temperature due to the effect of evaporation due to the molecular kinetics, where the faster water molecules escape and become a part of the air. Since those that escape has more energy than the average, the process decreases the temperature of the water that escapes the object making the environment cooler ( How Does, n.d.). The green wall is placed on the north-east and north-west faade which, due to the building's orientation, receives the most sunlight at 9am until 4pm, providing heat to the turf grass, thus catalyzing the water molecules on the turf grass to undergo evaporation, This in turn makes the environment around the building cooler as the evaporated water molecules combine with the air molecules. The designers take advantage of this process by placing the ACMVs, which take in fresh air close to the green walls. Not only will the building ventilate cool air, it improves the indoor air quality as well (Chua, et al., n.d.). 20. 20 e) Acoustic Barrier Diagram 10: A diagram stating the sources of noise in the area Diagram 11: A diagram showing the reverberation of sound Green walls also have an added benefit to the building occupants by providing a form of acoustic insulation due to the plants ability to absorb sound (Green Wall Benefits, 2010). The DiGi Technology Operation Centre is located in an industrial area where large lorries and trucks frequent. Therefore, sound insulation is needed. It can be seen that the green walls have been placed strategically near the main sources of noise, referring to Diagram 13. 21. 21 2. BUILDING ORIENTATION a) MS1525 Requirements Diagram 12: Diagram showing the staircases and service rooms In reference to the MS1525 (2007) requirements, the best orientation for buildings in equatorial climates, have their long directional axis facing North- South, minimizing the East-West orientation. It can be seen that the DIGI Technology Operation Centre is angled in such a way that the longest faade unfortunately have a East-West orientation. In order to reduce the solar heat gain, service areas such as staircases and service ducts are located near the external walls on the east-west faades. The rooftop also holds several service rooms to further reduce the solar heat gain (Aun, 2009). b) Induction of daylight Diagram 13: North Eastern and North Western faade at 9am 22. 22 Diagram 14: South Eastern and South Western faade at 4pm Referring to the above diagrams, it can be seen that the Northeastern faade receives the most sunlight at 9am until 4pm when it is shaded. The South Eastern facade is shaded during the day until 4pm when it is fully exposed to sunlight. Picture 11: Natural daylight illuminates the reception area of the building 23. 23 Picture 12: Natural daylight brightens up the office area As seen in the above images, the interior spaces of the building are lit up with natural daylighting especially the spaces in the Northeastern side during 9am to 4pm, and the Southeastern spaces from 4pm onwards. The curtain wall at Northeast faade allows sunlight to illuminate the main office areas during working hours from 9am to 4pm, when the faade receives the maximum daylight exposure. c) Optimum Building Orientation Diagram 15: Optimum building orientation for the DiGi Technology Operation Centre The longer faade of the Digi Technology Operation Centre building is not orientated towards the optimum direction, which is to the North East. 24. 24 However, the building is perhaps to be orientated in such manner as the main entrance as well as the main office area is situated there. This is as well to avoid direct sunlight to penetrate in during morning and afternoon, which is the time with the most sunlight. As to compensate for the length of faade facing the optimum direction, the North East side of the building has been installed with glazed glass with curtain wall system which aid in the fully daylight penetration as well as an efficient lighting scheme to the office area. Besides that, short overhang are placed on this area for a better day lighting system. Drawing 12: DiGi Technology Operations Centre faade with curtain walling 25. 25 Aun, C. S. (Director) (2009). Green Building Index - MS1525. Applying MS1525:2007 Code of Practice on Energy Efficiency and Use of Renewable Energy for Non-Residential Buildings. Lecture conducted from Persatuan Arkitek Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur. Bliss, H., & Everett, W. (2014). What Is Turf Grass? Retrieved April 30, 2014, from http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-turf-grass.html Chua, Z.Y., Chan, S.Q., Tan T., Ong, K., Hon, Y. M. Y., & Lim J. Z. ( n.d.) [Presentation Board]. Digi technology operation centre. Green Wall Benefits. (2010). Retrieved April 30, 2014, from http://www.greenroofs.org/index.php/about/green-wall-benefits Grondzik, W. T., Kowk, A. G., Stein, B., & Reynolds, J. S. (2010). Mechanical and electrical equipment for buildings. Hoboken, N.J: Wiley. Living Walls Improve Indoor Air Quality, Save Energy and Add Life to Your Home - Green Home Gnome. (n.d.). Retrieved April 30, 2014, from http://www.greenhomegnome.com/living-walls/ London's Famous Gherkin Building Goes Green - Literally | Inhabitat - Sustainable Design Innovation, Eco Architecture, Green Building. (n.d.). Retrieved April 30, 2014, from http://inhabitat.com/gherkin-gets-a-green-roof/ REFERENCE LIST 26. 26 Singal, S. (2014). AECCafe.com - ArchShowcase - DIGI Technology Operation Centre in Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia by T.R. Hamzah & Yeang Sdn Bhd. Retrieved April 28, 2014, from http://www10.aeccafe.com/blogs/arch- showcase/2014/03/29/digi-technology-operation-centre-in-shah-alam-selangor- malaysia-by-t-r-hamzah-yeang-sdn-bhd/?interstitial_displayed=Yes TR Hamzah & Yeang Sdn. Bhd. (n.d.). Retrieved April 28, 2014, from http://www.trhamzahyeang.com/project/large-buildings/Digi_01.html