1. Project 1 : Case Study: Identifying innovative passive design strategies
Duration : 7 Weeks
Marks : 40% of final Marks (30% + 10% Peer Evaluation)
Location : Subang Jaya, Malaysia
Buildings : Menara Mesiniaga
Architect : Ken Yeang
INTRODUCTION
The futuristic bio-climatic tower, Menara Mesiniaga, also known as IBM tower
was built in Subang Jaya, Malaysia in 1992. The tower which belongs to Mesiniaga
Berhad, was designed and built by the architect Kenneth Yeang using his 10 years
research into bio-climatic design principle. According to the case study done by Bill
Chan “The bioclimatic high-rise is a tall building with passive low energy benefits,
achieved through design responses to the climate of the place and through
optimizing the use of the locality’s ambient energies, to enhance the quality of life
and comfort for its occupants".

2. Diagram 1 : Menara Mesiniaga

3. DETAILED INFORMATION ABOUT THE BUILDING
CLIMATE
Climatically both Singapore and Malaysia are a hot and humid country;The city of
Kuala Lumpur is situated 3° North of the equator. According to the report by
Safamanesh (1995), rainfall in Malaysia is heavier along the East coast than the West
coast. Most urban and agricultural land is on the West coast and, consequently, so is
most of the population. Due to its position relative to the equator, the country has no
distinct winter or summer and temperatures are consistently somewhere between 20c
and 40c with humidity level between 60 and 70 percent.
GREEN CERTIFICATION
Menara Mesiniaga received the Aga Khan Award for Architecture. This is
possible due to Kenneth Yeang's ten-year research into bio-climatic principles for the
design of medium-to-tall buildings. These concepts can be applied to many-storied
structures in tropical climates (The Aga Khan Development Network, 2007).
Diagram 2 : Logo for Aga Khan Award in Architecture

4. SITE LOCATION
Diagram 3 : Site Plan of Menara Mesiniaga
The building sits beside a highway towering above a mixture of unplanned
structure and environment; a lake which can be seen from every level of the building,
some residential complexes and townhouses, office buildings, and a mosque. There
is also a medical centre which is within view of the building. Overall, many of the
surrounding buildings are low budget adaptations of older houses. The natural
landscaping catches the eye's attention with a substantial amount of growth within the
area, in respect to community development. The traffic ranges from moderate to
congested at certain hours of the day, due to the existence of the federal highway
nearby.

5. ORTHOGRAPHICS DRAWING
Diagram 4 : Ground Floor Plan
Diagram 5 : East Elevation

6. Diagram 6 : South West Elevation
Diagram 7 : Section

7. How is the thermal environment of Menara Mesiniaga affected by natural and man-
made factors?
1. Built form
Diagram 8 : Part of Elevation on Menara Mesiniaga
Mesiniaga’sverticality allows exposure to the full extent of heat, weather and
temperatures. Mesiniaga’s exoskeleton which are the exposed steel and reinforced
concrete structure helps to reflect the sun, and the entirely exposed columns and
beams are open to cross ventilated cooling. This single core services are built on the
hot side which is on the east.

8. 2. Planting and sky garden
In order to shelter and insulate the lowest three levels from the morning sun,
artificial sloping landscape was created to connect the land to the verticality of the
building. Moreover, its circular spiralling body with landscaped sky courts that helps
cools, ventilates and provide a space for occupants to relief.
Diagram 9 : Elevation of Menara Mesiniaga

9. 3. Solar orientation and shading devices
Curtain wall glazing which are the garden insets provided on the north and
south sidehelps reduce solar gainand provide thermal comfort for the occupants while
the recessed and shaded windows are on the east and west side as a response to the
tropical sun path. Moreover, cantilevering rooftop pool and a gym with curvilinear roof
on the south facade helps provide thermal comfort for users of the facilities especially
during the high-angled afternoon sun. Furthermore, the pool insulates and reflects the
overhead sun.
Diagram 10 : Top Axono of Menara Mesiniaga

10. 4. Ventilation
Large multi-storey transitional spaces provides airflow in between the zones
and provide better circulation of hot and cool air in and out of the building. Moreover,
the permeable external walls of the building provides cross ventilation even in air
conditioned spaces. Air movement is encouraged underneath the building, specifically
at the lobby entrance as it is half open to the surrounding land while the other half is
circled by the sloped berm.
Diagram 11 : The sloped berm on half ofthe building
while the other half is open for the entrance to the building.

11. PICTURES OF THE SITE
Diagram 12 : Workspace in Menara Mesiniaga
Diagram 13 : Planter Box

12. Diagram 14 : South Elevation
Diagram 15 : East Elevation

13. Diagram 16 : West Elevation
Diagram 17 : North Elevation

14. Diagram 18 : Site Context of Menara Mesiniaga
Diagram 19 : Lobby of Menara Mesiniaga

15. CLIMATE ANALYSIS
Diagram 20 : Relative Humidity for Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur has a tropical wet climate with no dry or cold season as it is
constantly moist due to year-round rainfall. Relative humidity is in the range of 80% -
85%.

16. Diagram 21 : Average Temperature for Kuala Lumpur
The annual average temperature is 26.6 degrees Celsius. On average, the
warmest month is April while the coolest is September. April would be the wettest
month and June is the driest month.

17. WIND STUDIES
http://myw eb.w it.edu/oakess/Catalog/MM_ventilation.html
Diagram 22 : The air flows(green arrows) and air conditioning
air flows(yellow ellipse) throughout the building.
Due to the various wind directions, the winds are nearly transferred equally.
Menara Mesiniaga main ventilation is by air conditioning, as well as the natural
ventilation. The escape stairs are unenclosed and pushed to the edge of the building.
The elevator lobby and washroom spaces have shaded window openings that give in
view and natural ventilation (Architectural review.V. 192 1993 Jan-June).The sliding
doors on the terraces opened up for natural ventilation to flow throughout the office
areas. Office areas uses air conditioning, as shown by the yellow ellipse. Besides that,
part of highest floor which is an opened space swimming pool area allows for natural
ventilation. Moreover, tiny gap to allow the wind to ventilate the gymnasium under the

18. overhang-curved roofing is provided. Lastly,the basement parking area is also
ventilated.
Diagram 23 : Sketch of wind movement in Menara Mesiniaga

19. Diagram 30 : Ventilation across Nanyang Technological Universtity
School of Art, Design and Media
Diagram 31 : The basement parking area.
http://www.solaripedia.com/images/large/3414.jpg

20. Diagram 32 : Terraces found at each levels.
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kQ-gxCpYnV8/SyH11Ig7UBI/AAAAAAAABm4/N9Gu2iOeD80/s1600-h/Capturehh.JPG

21. Diagram 33 : Our photograph of the air conditioning
Diagram 34 : Our Photograph of the window.

22. THERMAL ANALYSIS
Thermal Comfort
A large part of the building, from stairways and lift lobbies to the toilet areas,
was regarded as a penetrable membrane to enable natural aeration. The building is
fitted out with an Energy Saving System which controls energy features including air-
cooling system, elevators and other mechanical systems and it is used to monitor and
reduce energy consumption in equipment. So, the main office areas are air-
conditioned but the use of this system and the natural ventilation throughout the
buildinghelps reduce its use to negligible levels, thus, saving energy.
Diagram 42 : Elevation of Menara Mesiniaga

23. The evident building features of the IBM tower not only visually express the
high-tech style of the company and its conceptual organic character, but also define it
as a bioclimatic high-rise. Firstly, the building’s overall form, structural methodology,
module cores, glazed surfaces, is oriented for maximum environmental efficiency
shading against direct heat but allowing for natural daylight. Second, where the main
components of the building and its orientation cannot shade the building, inventively
calculated shading devices are fitted on the building face for passive cooling. Lastly,
the extension of the land that starts at the sloped berm spirals up the height of the
building with planted terraces that finishes at the inhabited rooftop. These terraces not
only provide for vertical gardens and transitional spaces, but also shades and
ventilates the building.
Diagram 43 : Photograph of Menara Mesiniaga's Elevation

24. Diagram 44 : Sun shaders and garden insets
The simple extension of the tower’s base produces several positive environmental
effects. The sloped berm circles around half the circumference of the building, the
other half opens the mezzanine floors to the surrounding land. This allows for a
functional connection with the site, avoiding how typical confined lobbies separate the
building from its landscape. As well, it inspires air movement beneath the building,
producing a lobby entrance that is shaded as well as ventilated without mechanical
effort (Balfour A. &Yeang K. 1994). The program that is in the entresol requires slight
daylight; therefore, by building the hollow berm up to these levels, it increases the
surface area for planting and provides a chance for the building to involve the nearby
vegetation.
The visible steel and reinforced concrete structure can be regarded as an exoskeleton
that is suspending the differently shaped office floors with each floor’s main girders
connecting to the concrete core for shear resistance. Where the general rule of thumb
for buildings in colder regions is ‘skin outside, structure inside’, the tropical climate
may have an exposed structure without contrary temperature effects. In fact, the
structure that wraps around the curtain wall shields the sun off the building face and

25. act as a heat sink. (Balfour A. &Yeang K. 1994)Of course, in a tropical climate where
winter temperatures range between the twenties to low thirties, it is useful to
minimalize heat absorption. Therefore, the steel columns are clad with stainless steel
to reflect the sun, and the completely exposed columns and beams are open to cross
ventilated cooling.
The majority of the building’s double-glazed, operable curtain walls lie flush to the
facade only on the north and south side. Most of the west half of the building, external
solar shades are installed. The southwest and northwest are protected by aluminium
fins offset approximately 40cm away from the building face (Powell R. 1999). These
devices are utilized where high-angled rays may hit the curtain walls. But for more far
reaching direct light, deeper, single panel aluminium louvers offset from the building
twice as far as the fins is fixed.(Powell R. 1999)
Where extensive west-side shading is concerned, the alternately shaped floor plates
partners with terraces to create indentations in the building form that help it shade
itself. The landscaped terraces that appear on every office level also allows for full
height sliding glass doors that let in fresh air and greened intermediate spaces for a
break from computer screens. The stepped terraces can be traced spiralling back
down to the berm and the surrounding landscape, generating a hall where employees
may feel part of a progressive organization that has strong environmental awareness.
Inside, enclosed rooms are placed as a central core rather than being situated at the
edge. This ensures good natural lighting and views out for the peripherally located
workspaces. Because the building is circular in plan, there are no dark corners.
(Balfour A. &Yeang K. 1994)

26. Diagram 45 : Basic Air Flow in Cross Section of Menara Mesiniaga

27. CONCEPT ANALYSIS
PASSIVE SOLAR DESIGN
Menara Mesiniaga maximizes the passive solar design into their building. It
plays with the sunlight that penetrates through the building and controlling it by using
appropriate shading devices to reduce overheating and providing comfort.
Diagram 46 : Menara Mesiniaga's Elevation
The circular exterior shape of the building and orientation affects the amount of
sunlight passing through as it accepts sunlight from all angles. Glazing and shading
of glass windows are incorporated into the design to minimize the solar gain and
heat load in the morning.

28. Diagram 47 : Cross Section of Menara Mesiniaga
Glazed curtain walling is applied throughout the building to enhance natural
lighting and also reduce temperature of the building and avoid overheating. Shading
devices are also strategically placed at locations with high sunlight intensity. This is to
give thermal comfort for users inside the building and reduce glaring as well.

29. Diagram 48 : Shading that can be found on Menara Mesiniaga during our site visit
Natural lighting is also found in the basement of the building which
illuminates the parking lot, toilets and air-conditioning generator. Window
openings are placed on the ground directly above these spaces in order to
provide sufficient lighting. This helps reduce cost of electricity.

30. Diagram 49 : Sun roof on the Basement Parking
Diagram 50 : Basement Parking of Menara Mesiniaga

31. THERMAL COMFORT
Open spaces and well planned ventilated areas can be found throughout
the MenaraMesiniaga building. Spaces like garden terraces, rooftops, service
core and stairs located in the building helps enhances thermal comfort for the
users of the area by providing natural sunlight and ventilation.
Diagram 51 : Balcony of the workplace in Menara Mesiniaga
The core uses extensive passive heating and cooling strategies and has no
mechanical support because it’s programmed functions of circulation and washrooms
involve low use period. Instead of an internal service core, the concrete core of the
building faces the outside and is located on the east side of the tower. This orientation
allows the core to shade the building from direct sun rays and its material construction
allows it to become a heat sink that will reradiate absorbed heat into the insides at

32. night. The escape stairs are unenclosed and the elevator lobby and washroom spaces
have shaded window openings that give in view and natural ventilation.
Diagram 52 : Elevation of Menara Mesiniaga
Thermal comfort in this building is more than effectively achieved by these
specific features, where mechanical cooling system is put to optimum use, not
overuse. Furthermore, studies have shown greater occupancy happiness and
employee output where the building can offer a connection with external spaces
whether it is natural daylight or sky gardens that let workers relax and feel as if they
belong to a whole.

33. The major visible architectural elements topping off the office levels include a
cantilevering rooftop pool and a gym with a curvilinear roof; these facilities are open
to employees. The pool ‘greens’ the rooftop by insulating and reflecting the overhead
sun. The overhang of the curvilinear roof is enough to shade most of the entire south
facade from the high angled afternoon sun. Crowning the building is a tubular steel
trellis that shades the top floor amenities and is designed to accommodate solar
panels in the future that will further increase the building’s ecological efficiency.
Diagram 53 : Part of the Highest floor in Menara Mesiniaga
Diagram 54 : Elevation of Menara Mesiniaga

34. REFERENCES
Bill Chan, M. F. ARCH 366: Environmental Design Case Study.
Safamanesh, K. (1995). Technical Reviw Summary.
The Aga Khan Development Network. (2007). Menara Mesiniaga. Retrieved from Aga Khan Award for
Architecture: http://www.akdn.org/architecture/project.asp?id=1356
Balfour A. &Yeang K.Bioclimatic Skyscrapers – Ken Yeang, 1994 retrieved from
http://www.worldcat.org/title/bioclimatic-skyscrapers/oclc/154770772
Law J.H.Y. The Bioclimatic Approach to High-rise Building Design: An Evaluation of Ken Yeang’s
Bioclimatic Principles and Responses in Practice to Energy Saving and Human Well-being, December
2001.
Powell R.Rethinking the Skyscraper: The Complete Architecture of Ken Yeang, 1999retrieved from
http://www.worldcat.org/title/rethinking-the-skyscraper-the-complete-architecture-of-ken-
yeang/oclc/43097372
Architectural review. V. 192 1993 Jan-June
Space Design. 9401-9403 1994 Jan-Mar
Yeang K. & Hamzah T. R. Menara Mesiniaga Features Bioclimatic, 2010 retrieved from
http://www.solaripedia.com/13/302/3419/menara_mesiniaga_sun_roof.html
Ching, D.K. (2014) Green Building Illustrated, pg 32. Canada: John Wiley & Sons Inc.