The repercussions from design failures have been the subject of much study. With every passing moment the implications of design defi ciency presents a new set of actions and reactions. In this contemporary technological / scientifi c era, this fi eld of study acts as a ' Testing Lab ' of designers ' ideas. Any part of the globe can serve as a testing fi eld for such studies if there is building design. These studies can help both the designer to improve their skills and industry to develop new materials. Despite current technological advancement, the prevention of unplanned building maintenance is still not being achieved. This research paper highlights examples of design that were not fi nished within the required parameters and thus resulted in faults. The study also highlights the effect of faulty design on building maintenance.

Abstract. Provision of affordable housing is important to low-and middle-income population. A fit form of house will not only fulfil a basic human need for shelter, but it also contributes to physical and psychological well-being of the occupants. Excellent quality and affordable housing is an indication of a high quality of life. While writings exist on various aspects of the quality of affordable housing in Malaysia, discussion regarding space and design standards has scarcely been given any serious academic attention. Standards concerning residential development usually cover different aspects or stages of the development process. They can include planning standards, design standards, space standards and technical construction standards. The main concern of this paper is on space and design standards specifically. Space standard can be defined as a set of framework which dictates fixed internal space minimums. Meanwhile, design standard indicates design guidelines to ensure the functionality, comfortability and habitability of the house. This paper is concerned exclusively with indoor spaces of a house excluding external circulation spaces and service facilities (in case of strata housing). Its interest is in internal space as an aspect of housing quality. It can be concluded that one of the way forward will be to find the balance between providing adequate minimum spaces for resident satisfactions and having economic values for housing developers. This paper may be used as a valuable reference for authorities and policy makers to better address the best housing space design standards that would benefit not only the occupants, but also the local government and developers alike.

In the Tropical climate, buildings gain solar heat and penetration through the building envelope and glazing which can cause overheating and thermal discomfort of occupants. Therefore, a conventional solution is by using electro-mechanical cooling system in buildings which raises energy demands dramatically, leading to ecological loading. In order to mitigate the cooling load energy consumption, natural ventilation and heat avoidance techniques have been researched and applied in Malaysia. Passive building design is a method to protect dwellers from the influence of external thermal discomfort. Likewise, this is in line with the characteristics of Malaysian vernacular architecture. Yet, previous studies on passive building design strategies have not been compared to the Passive House principles. Therefore, this paper reviews, accumulates and compares studies on passive design features/elements in Malaysia and Passive House criteria in the Tropics. Through this study, it is verified that the Passive House principles are applicable in the Tropical climate and similarities and/or differences in terms of achieving thermal comfort and energy reduction between a Passive House and other buildings with passive design features and strategies were identified.

No abstract

Post Construction Assessment (PCA) provides critical feedback for project stakeholders to be able to evaluate and design construction processes as well as building maintainability. This paper aims to evaluate the problems caused by indoor environmental quality (IEQ) contaminants, particularly mold growth during PCA in a newly built hospital and to identify the potential solutions. Mold growth risk analysis which is a part of IEQ monitoring during PCA has not been widely emphasized, and thus leads to the creation of uncertainties in many new public hospitals in Malaysia. IEQ exercises were not prioritized during PCA not until when new mold growth occurred and were alleviated. Questionnaires were distributed to hospital projects' stakeholders to identify the criteria of PCA with regards to mold growth in the new hospital's indoor air. Results showed that post construction defects coupled with building design and construction quality as well as building operational issues was significant criteria that should be evaluated during the PCA of a newly built hospital. Stakeholders' firm viewpoint on the key criteria is to be applied as a valuable input for identifying possible solutions as significant inputs in PCA for a newly built hospital.