Topic 8
BCA Green Mark building certification is a green building rating system used to evaluate a building for its environmental impact and performance. This rating system is endorsed and supported by the National Environment Agency.
This Green Mark rating system provides a comprehensive framework for assessing the overall environmental performance of new and existing buildings to promote sustainable design, construction and operations practices in buildings.
For existing building owners and operators are encouraged to meet their sustainable operations goals and to reduce adverse impacts of their buildings on the environment and occupational health over the entire building lift cycle.
The followings are the assessment criteria that are involved:
- Energy efficiency
- Water efficiency
- Sustainable Operation & Management
- Indoor Environmental Quality
- Other Green Features and Innovation
The green mark rating is categorised into:
1. Platinum with green mark scoring points of 90 and above to be achieved
2. Goldplus with green mark scoring points of 85 to < 90
3. Gold with green mark scoring points of 75 to < 85
4. Certified with green mark scoring points of 50 to < 75
Some of the BCA Green Mark Schemes for buildings are:
- New buildings – Non Residential 2015
- Non-Residential – New buildings (Version 4.1)
- Residential new buildings (Version 4.1)
- Non-Residential New buildings (Version 4)
- Existing Non-residential Buildings (Version 3)
- Office Interior (Version 1.1) – For new offices, existing operating offices and existing offices under renovation
- Office Interior (Version 1) – For new offices, existing operating offices and existing offices under renovation
For other BCA Green Mark Schemes – refer to the website: www. BCA.gov.sg
BCA Green Mark for Office Interior certification
Refer to BCA website on BCA Green Mark for office interior – point allocations
Prerequisite requirements
To be eligible for Green Mark for Office Interior, the office’s temperature setting should not be lower than 24 degree C unless due to specific needs which will be reviewed on a case by case basis by BCA.
Other prerequisite requirements for Green mark goldplus and platinum rating, refer to BCA website for the Energy Efficiency Index (EEI) and lighting power budget
Elective requirements – refer to BCA website
Existing non residential building green mark certification
Refer to BCA website on BCA Non residential building – point allocations
Prerequisite requirements
I. For buildings using water-cooled chilled water plant
Green Mark Rating – Certified – Building cooling load for chiller less than 500 RT, the Efficiency (KW/RT) should be at 0.85, more than 500 RT, the WK/RT should be at 0.75
Green Mark Rating – Gold – Building cooling load for chiller less than 500 RT, the Efficiency (KW/RT) should be at 0.80, more than 500 RT, the WK/RT should be at 0.70
Green Mark Rating – Goldplus – Building cooling load for chiller less than 500 RT, the Efficiency (KW/RT) should be at 0.75, more than 500 RT, the WK/RT should be at 0.68
Green Mark Rating – Platinum – Building cooling load for chiller less than 500 RT, the Efficiency (KW/RT) should be at 0.70, more than 500 RT, the WK/RT should be at 0.65
For buildings using air-cooled chilled water plant or unitary air-conditioner
Green Mark Rating – Certified – Building cooling load for chiller less than 500 RT, the Efficiency (KW/RT) should be at 1.1, more than 500 RT, the WK/RT should be at 1.0
Green Mark Rating – Gold – Building cooling load for chiller less than 500 RT, the Efficiency (KW/RT) should be at 1.0, more than 500 RT, the WK/RT is not applicable
Green Mark Rating – Goldplus – Building cooling load for chiller less than 500 RT, the Efficiency (KW/RT) should be at 0.85, more than 500 RT, the WK/RT is not applicable
Green Mark Rating – Platinum – Building cooling load for chiller less than 500 RT, the Efficiency (KW/RT) should be at 0.78, more than 500 RT, the WK/RT is not applicable
II. Chiller plant M&V instrumentation
Chilled-water side – T in +T out +flow meter = Cooling Load
Condenser water side – T in +T out +flow meter = Heat Rejection
Main control board – Power meters (Chillers, pumps and cooling towers)
Need to provide Permanent Measuring instruments for monitoring the performance of the operating system efficiency(OSE)
Need to provide Heat Balance test for verification of the accuracy of M&V instrumentation
III. Indoor environmental quality
Need to conduct full IAQ audit 3 yearly
IAQ audit need to be performed by an accredited laboratory under Singapore Accredited Council
IAQ audit need to comply with NEA’s Guidelines for Good Indoor Air Quality in Office Premises or SS554:2009 Code of practice for Indoor air quality for air-conditioned buildings
IV. Natural ventilation
Only applicable for GM platinum projects
Only applicable to occupied areas (ie. excluding circulations, plant rooms and transit areas)
Courses conducted by BCA – Green Mark Facilities Manager, Green Mark Manager and Green Mark Professional