ADAPTING MALAY TRADITIONAL HOUSE THROUGH GREEN BUILDING INDEX (GBI) FRAMEWORK: A CASE STUDY OF RUMAH DATO' RAJA DIWANGSA
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.21837/pm.v23i38.1877Keywords:
Green Building Index (GBI), Malay Traditional House, Rumah Dato' Raja Diwangsa, Sustainable Architecture, Vernacular DesignAbstract
Despite a growing emphasis on sustainability in construction, few studies have explored how traditional Malay houses align with contemporary green building standards, creating a significant research gap. Consequently, this study examines the adaptation of traditional Malay houses to modern green building standards, utilising the Green Building Index (GBI) as a benchmark. Here, Rumah Dato' Raja Diwangsa, a traditional house from Negeri Sembilan, was chosen as a case study to assess how well it satisfies GBI standards for indoor Environmental Quality (EQ), Water Efficiency (WE) and Energy Efficiency (EE), sustainable site planning, materials, and innovation. Using a qualitative case study approach, the research combines site observations and literature reviews to identify alignments and gaps between traditional design and contemporary sustainability standards. The findings reveal that traditional Malay houses incorporate sustainable features like passive cooling, natural ventilation, and locally sourced materials, aligning with several GBI criteria, particularly indoor EQ and innovation. However, the reliance on newer design requirements limits its performance in areas like advanced energy systems and recycled materials. This study highlights the potential for adapting traditional architectural elements to improve modern green building practices and suggests revising GBI guidelines to accommodate traditional houses. By bridging the gap between heritage preservation and sustainable construction, this research contributes insights for future developments in tropical climates. Future studies should expand this analysis to other traditional houses and incorporate quantitative performance metrics for a more comprehensive evaluation.
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