Summary Reader Response Draft #1

Calrecycle’s article on “Green Building Materials” (n.d.) defines a sustainable building as one that employs a variety of tactics to provide the owner and its tenants with certain advantages. One of the tactics is to design the building using green construction materials. 3 billion tons of raw materials are used annually in building and construction activities globally (Roodman and Lenssen, 1995, as cited in Calrecycle, n.d.). Green building materials are made of reusable mediums, which lessens the negative environmental impact that construction has on the environment, Planradar (2022). Utilizing green building materials encourages the preservation of nonrenewable resources. Calrecycle also mentions that other benefits include the conservation of energy, an increase in productivity and health of occupants, and a reduced upkeep cost over the building’s lifetime. Prior to construction, a material evaluation is done. This comprises an evaluation of energy and resource efficiency, affordability, and indoor air quality, Calrecycle (n.d.). Based on each project, these criteria will determine whether a green building material is appropriate for usage.

Although this article highlights the numerous advantages of using green building materials in construction, there are certain drawbacks to utilizing green mediums not stated. Making green construction materials is a relatively new technology and methodology. Because of the medium’s novelty, green building materials are difficult to produce and acquire as a private homeowner, as compared to their traditional counterparts. 

A higher construction cost is one of the key drawbacks of adopting green building materials. According to Ingale (2020), building with green construction materials has a basic cost that is 16% higher than building with conventional materials. These costs are also incurred from the extensive research done on green replacements and their certifications, (Yudelson, 2008, as cited in Hwang & Tan, 2010).  The technology to produce green building materials has not been around for as long as regular materials. To ensure that the green building materials are suitable for construction, high amounts of tests would be conducted. This would greatly dissuade private homeowners from considering and using green mediums in the construction of their houses. 

Despite the higher initial building cost, a building made with green building materials is cheaper than its counterparts. A Life Cycle Cost Analysis (LCCA) was conducted to determine the total cost of a building project made with green building materials, Ingale (2020). The LCCA concluded that the operation and maintenance expenditures for a green building are considerably lower as compared to a conventional building. According to Ingale (2020), the extra costs of initially building a green building will be recouped in 2-3 years after construction. To understand the financial advantages of utilizing a green building, homeowners would therefore need to do their own research. In order to spread sustainable design and construction techniques throughout the industry, it is essential to reduce the initial costs of the green building materials, (Yong & Pearce & Wang & Wang, 2013). 

With that being said, another limitation to constructing green buildings would be the higher legislation being put in place. According to the Building Construction Agency (BCA)(2021), BCA will strengthen and raise the requirements for a green building. Homeowners would find it more challenging to comply with these criteria, and as a result, would be less interested in constructing a building using green materials, Hwang & Tan (2010).  To persuade developers to construct a green building, BCA has set incentives for developers and building owners. Green Mark Incentive Scheme 2.0 (GMIS 2.0). For building owners that meet energy performance standards, there is a financial incentive to reduce the initial costs of energy efficiency retrofits, BCA (n.d.).  Although this scheme allows for up to 50% subsidization, it is only applicable to “privately-owned existing buildings with a GFA of at least 5,000 sqm”, which does not include private homeowners in Singapore. Bungalow sizes in Singapore range from 400 to 1,400 square meters, which is far from the 5000 square meters needed to meet the GMIS 2.0, PropertyGuru (2020).  This lack of financial assistance might hinder homeowners' interested in using green building materials for their houses. 

However, in 2021, the Development Bank of Singapore (DBS) revealed a “Green Solution Package” scheme. This “Green Solution Package” will allow homeowners to take out a loan with a subsidized interest rate when renovating their house with green materials. According to DBS (2021), this interest rate is the lowest renovation loan provided in Singapore, at a rate of 2.68% per annum. This is compared to the regular  3.88% per annum renovation loan provided by DBS. This might gain the attention of some homeowners, but it is clear that developers of bigger projects will benefit more when it comes to using green building materials. 

To summarize, green building materials are a good alternative to conventional materials as it helps lengthen the overall life cycle of the building, as well as reduce costs in the long run. However, homeowners currently do not benefit as much as developers when using green building materials due to a lack of subsidies and greater upfront expenses. Utilizing green building materials will only benefit developers and building owners of bigger projects. The government should improve its fiscal policies regarding green building materials to ensure a higher amount of green buildings in Singapore. To ensure that more homeowners use green building materials in Singapore, the government should enhance its fiscal policies surrounding green building materials.

DBS unveils “DBS green solutions” package providing eco-friendly offerings across home, transportation, payments and purchases. (n.d.). World's Best Bank | DBS. https://www.dbs.com/newsroom/DBS_unveils_DBS_Green_Solutions_package_providing_eco_friendly_offerings_across_home_transportation_payments_and_purchases?fireglass_rsn=true

Green building materials. (n.d.). CalRecycle. https://calrecycle.ca.gov/greenbuilding/materials/

Green building project management: Obstacles and solutions for sustainable development. (n.d.). Sci-Hub. https://sci-hub.mksa.top/https://doi.org/10.1002/sd.492

Green Mark incentive schemes. (2022, October 7). BCA Corp. https://www1.bca.gov.sg/buildsg/sustainability/green-mark-incentive-schemes

SolarFeeds Guest. (2021, August 30). Pros and cons of green buildings: Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages? SolarFeeds Magazine. https://www.solarfeeds.com/mag/pros-and-cons-of-green-buildings/#Are_there_any_downsides_to_green_building

Ramadan, A. (2022, January 17). The benefits of green building: Why you should choose eco-friendly construction. PlanRadar. https://www.planradar.com/ae-en/green-building-and-eco-friendly-construction/