Critical Factors that Lead to Green Building Operations and Maintenance Problems in Malaysia: A Preliminary Study

Abstract

This paper discusses the factors that lead to green buildings operations and maintenance (O&M) problems in Malaysia. Several factors that lead to complexities in managing and maintaining green buildings have been highlighted by several scholars and practitioners in the construction industry. However, the criticality of these factors has yet to be empirically explored in the Malaysian context. A questionnaire survey was carried out involving green building maintenance management teams and Green Building Index (GBI) facilitators in Malaysia. Frequency and criticality index calculations were carried out to rank the factors according to level of criticality. The result indicated that the most critical factor that leads to green building O&M problem is the failure to consider the aspect of maintainability during the design stage. It is hoped that the findings of this study will shed light to green building designers and management teams on the critical aspects that demand scrutiny and consideration for successful O&M of green buildings in Malaysia.