Identifying Active Design Features for Buildings by Questionnaire Survey

Passive design strategies/features considerably reduce building energy consumption and CO₂ emissions. However, they cannot be used alone, for their reliance on the sun and wind, which may not be suitable to maintain a comfortable ambient temperature, as they vary at different times. Passive strategies are therefore supported with active features, which use differing degrees of externally supplied energy and vary according to the underlying climate of different regions/countries. As such, this study attempted to identify the practice of various active design features for buildings in hot-humid countries like Brunei, through a quantitative questionnaire survey of 122 responses from construction industry participants. Seven of the commonly known eight active features are seen to be consistently practiced in Brunei, with the priority on more traditional features like electric lighting systems, heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) and electric fans; and less importance on some more sustainable features like solar panels, cool roofs and heat pumps. Different groups based on affiliation and profession are seen to almost entirely agree on such a priority. The overall outcomes were interpreted as a lack of awareness, a lack of information and knowledge, and low energy prices in Brunei. Policymakers are expected to use the outcomes in devising suitable programmes and regulations, towards practicing more sustainable design features of buildings in hot-humid countries.