Jurutera Nov 2011

XYP-2009

GECA 08-2007–

Environmentally

Innovative Products

Delivering:

3 November 2011 JURUTERA

CONTENTS

COVER NOTE

Sustainability Through EE&C and RE – “Easier Said Than Done?” 5

COVER STORY

Making Efforts in Sustainability Count 6

FEATURE ARTICLES

Understanding Energy Efficiency and Energy Saving Devices 12

Microbial Fuel Cell: Transforma"on of Wastewater to Green Energy 18

Potable Water Quality Characteris"cs 21

Cra#ing Leaders of Tomorrow through Young Engineers ASEAN

Federa"on of Engineering Organiza"ons (YEAFEO) 28

ENGINEERING DIGEST 31

SAFE TEA TIME

Establishing the Line 33

FORUMS

Highlights of the IEM-IET Energy Conference 2011 (IIEC 2011) 35

Gathering of Views and Opinions on Seismic Inves"ga"ons in Peninsular Malaysia -

Report on the IEM Workshop on Earthquake (Part 2) 44

Applica"on of Eurocode 7 to a Pile Founda"on Design:

Solu"on to Example 2.3 Pile Founda"on in S"ff Clay and Discussion 53

GLOBE TREKKING

CCTV Headquaters from an Architectural Dream to Reality 57

PINK PAGES

Professional Interview 59

Press Statement / Building Fund 60

PROPOSED FUTURE THEMES

December 2011Green Technology and Sustainable Agricultural

and Food Production

(Submission by October 1, 2011)

January 2012IEM’s Outreach Programme

(Submission by November 1, 2011)

February 2012Marine and Naval Architecture

(Submission by December 1, 2011)

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THE INSTITUTION OF ENGINEERS, MALAYSIA,

Bangunan Ingenieur,

Lots 60 & 62, Jalan 52/4, P.O. Box 223 (Jalan Sultan),

46720 Petaling Jaya, Selangor.

Tel: +(603) 7968 4001/4002 Fax: +(603) 7957 7678

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COPYRIGHT

JURUTERA Bulle!n of IEM is the official magazine of The Ins!tu!on of Engineers,

Malaysia (IEM) and is published by Dimension Publishing Sdn. Bhd. The Ins!tu!on

and the Publisher retain the copyright over all materials published in the magazine.

No part of this magazine may be reproduced and transmi"ed in any form or stored

in any retrieval system of any nature without the prior wri"en permission of IEM

and the Publisher.

COVER NOTE


Sustainability Through EE&C and RE –“Easier Said Than Done?”

by Ir. Mah Soo,

Advisor, Electrical Engineering Technical Division

Number 11, November 2011 IEM Registered on 1 May

MAJLIS BAGI SESI 2011/2012 �IEM COUNCIL SESSION 2011/2012�

YANG DIPERTUA / PRESIDENT:

Ir. Chen Kim Kieong, Vincent

TIMBALAN YANG DIPERTUA / DEPUTY PRESIDENT:

Ir. Choo Kok Beng

NAIB YANG DIPERTUA / VICE PRESIDENTS:

Ir. Prof. Dr Ruslan bin Hassan, Y.Bhg. Dato' Ir. Hj. Abdul Rashid bin Maidin, Ir. Lee Weng Onn,

Ir. P.E. Chong, Y.Bhg. Dato' Ir. Lim Chow Hock, Ir. Prof. Dr Wan Mahmood bin Wan Abdul Majid,

Ir. Yim Hon Wa

SETIAUSAHA KEHORMAT / HONORARY SECRETARY:

Ir. Prof. Dr Lee Teang Shui

BENDAHARI KEHORMAT / HONORARY TREASURER:

Ir. Assoc. Prof. Dr Chiang Choong Luin, Jeffrey

WAKIL AWAM / CIVIL REPRESENTATIVE:

Ir. Gunasagaran a/l Kristnan

WAKIL MEKANIKAL / MECHANICAL REPRESENTATIVE:

Y.Bhg. Dato' Lt. Gen. (R) Ir. Ismail bin Samion

WAKIL ELEKTRIK / ELECTRICAL REPRESENTATIVE:

Ir. Mohd. Aman bin Hj. Idris

WAKIL STRUKTUR / STRUCTURAL REPRESENTATIVE:

Ir. Yam Teong Sian

WAKIL KIMIA DAN DISIPLIN LAIN / CHEMICAL AND OTHERS REPRESENTATIVE:

Ir. Razmahwata bin Mohamad Razalli

WAKIL LAIN�LAIN DISPLIN / REPRESENTATIVE TO OTHER DISCIPLINES:

Ir. Assoc. Prof. Dr Cheong Kuan Yee

WAKIL MULTIMEDIA / MULTIMEDIA REPRESENTATIVE:

Ir. Noor Iziddin Abdullah bin Hj. Ghazali

AHLI MAJLIS / COUNCIL MEMBERS:

Ir. Prof. Dr Lee Sze Wei, Ir. Tuan Hj. Mohd. Ali bin Yusoff, Ir. Yee Yew Weng, Ir. Mah Soo, Ir. Dr Ahmad

Anuar bin Othman, Ir. Kok Yen Kwan, Ir. Yau Chau Fong, Ir. Wong Chee Fui, Ir. Mohd. Khir bin

Muhammad, Y.Bhg. Dato' Ir. Hj. Mohd. Isa bin Hj. Sarman, Ir. Assoc. Prof. Dr Marlinda bin! Abd. Malek,

Ir. Zainuddin bin Mohammad, Ir. Lai Kong Phooi, David, Y.Bhg. Dato' Ir. John Chee Shi Tong, Ir. Gopal

Narian Ku"y, Ir. Tan Yean Chin, Y.Bhg. Dato' Ir. Ahmad Murad bin Hj. Omar, Ir. Ng Shiu Yuen, David, Ir. Kim

Kek Seong, Ir. Chong Chew Fan, Ir. Dr Tan Kuang Leong, Ir. Lau Yuk Ma, June, Ir. Dr Norlida bin! Buniyamin,

Ir. Ishak bin Abdul Rahman, Ir. Hoo Choon Sean, Y. Bhg. Dato Ir. Samsuddin bin Ismail

AHLI MAJLIS / COUNCIL MEMBERS !BY APPOINTMENT":

Dato' Ir. Hj. Mohamad bin Hj. Husin, Ir. Abdul Ghani bin Hashim, Ir. Abdullah bin Isnin

BEKAS YANG DIPERTUA TERAKHIR / IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT:

Y.Bhg. Academician Dato' Ir. Prof. Dr Chuah Hean Teik

BEKAS YANG DIPERTUA / PAST PRESIDENTS:

Y.Bhg. Dato' Ir. Pang Leong Hoon, Y.Bhg. Academician Dato' Ir. (Dr) Hj. Ahmad Zaidee bin Laidin, Ir. Dr Gue

See Sew, Y.Bhg. Datuk Ir. Prof. Dr Ow Chee Sheng, Y.Bhg. Dato' Paduka Ir. Prof. (Dr) Keizrul bin Abdullah

PENGERUSI CAWANGAN / BRANCH CHAIRMAN:

1. Pulau Pinang – Ir. Ng Sin Chie

2. Selatan – Ir. Mohd. Khir bin Muhammad

3. Perak – Ir. Chan Hoong Mun

4. Kedah-Perlis – Ir. Hor Tek Lip

5. Negeri Sembilan – Ir. Mohammed Noor bin Abu Hassan

6. Kelantan – Ir. Hj. Roslan bin Abdul Azis

7. Terengganu – Ir. Mohd. Azmi bin Ali

8. Melaka – Ir. Mohd. Khalid bin Nasir

9. Sarawak – Ir. Tan Khiok Chun, Alan

10. Sabah – Ir. Lo Chong Chiun

11. Miri – Ir. Ting Kang Ngii, Peter

AHLI JAWATANKUASA INFORMASI DAN PENERBITAN /

STANDING COMMITTEE ON INFORMATION AND PUBLICATIONS 2011/2012:

Pengerusi/Chairman: Y. Bhg. Dato' Ir. Hj. Abdul Rashid bin Maidin

Naib Pengerusi/Vice Chairman: Ir. Prof. Dr Lee Sze Wei

Se!ausaha/Secretary: Ir. Lau Tai Onn

Ketua Pengarang/Chief Editor: Ir. Prof. Dr Lee Sze Wei

Pengarang Bule!n/Bulle!n Editor: Ir. Ong Guan Hock

Pengarang Prinsipal Jurnal/Principal Journal Editor: Ir. Assoc. Prof. Dr Marlinda bin! Abdul Malek

Pengerusi Perpustakaan/Library Chairman: Ir. CMM Aboobucker

Ahli-Ahli/Commi"ee Members: Ir. Yee Thien Seng, Ir. Tan Yean Chin, Ir. Chin Mee Poon,

Ir. Prof. Dr Mohd. Saleh bin Jaafar, Ir. Hj. Look Keman bin Sahari, Ir. Mohd. Khir bin Muhammad,

Ir. Yee Yew Weng, Y. Bhg. Datuk Ir. Prof. Dr Ow Chee Sheng, Ir. Cheong Loong Kwong, Allen,

Ir. Prof. Dr Arazi bin Idrus, Ir. Tey Choo Yew, Calvin, Engr. Abi Sofian bin Abdul Hamid,

Engr. Shuhairy bin Norhisham, Engr. Abul Aswal bin Abdul La!ff

IEM Secretariat: Nor Aziah Budin, Nurul Aida Mustafa

THE INSTITUTION OF ENGINEERS, MALAYSIABangunan Ingenieur, Lots 60 & 62, Jalan 52/4, P.O.Box 223, (Jalan Sultan),

46720 Petaling Jaya, Selangor Darul Ehsan.

Tel: 603-7968 4001/4002 Fax: 603-7957 7678

E-mail: [email protected] Homepage: h"p://www.myiem.org.my

JURUTE�

ENERGY Efficiency and Conserva!on (EE&C) has been

advocated since 1979 with the formula!on of the Na!onal

Energy Policy to ensure adequacy, security and cost-

effec!veness of energy supply, promote efficient u!lisa!on

of energy and to minimise nega!ve environmental impacts in

the energy supply chain. Though numerous efforts to promote

EE&C have been implemented by numerous government

agencies, these have yet to have a significant impact on the

cri!cal of the mass’ popula!on in realising the achievable

poten!al benefits of EE&C, despite, the publica!on of MS

1525 and EE&C Guidelines.

Recently, NST reported that our Prime Minister Y.A.B.

Datuk Seri Najib Tun Abdul Razak, at the Green Technology

and Clima!c Change Council mee!ng on 11 August 2011, had

directed the Chief Secretary to the Government to issue a

circular to all Government agencies requiring them to observe

the ruling “that air-condi!oners in all government buildings be

set at no lower than 240C and incandescent bulbs be replaced

with energy-saving lights”. Later at the press conference, the

Minister of KeTTHA said that the government’s long term

plan was to ensure that this ruling be extended to companies

and hotels upon implementa!on of the Energy Efficiency

and Conserva!on (EE&C) Act which is expected to come into

effect in 2013.

On Renewable Energy (RE), the recently approved

Renewable Energy Act 2010 has increased the target of RE

genera!on from 350MW by 2010 to 985 MW by 2015.

The tendency to set high goals and strive for excep!onal

results seems to be the order of the day. This is completely

opposite to the approach advocated by Kaizen of taking small

steady steps of con!nual improvement based on the mantra

“li"le drops of water makes a mighty ocean”.

Whichever approach one takes, an achievable outcome

is most important. Will pure passion, will and commitment

suffice in our quest for energy efficiency and conversa!on?

The ul!mate test lies ahead and the stakes are high.

IEM EETD has taken the cue from recent events to organise

the IIEC 2011 Interna!onal Conference with the theme

“Sustainable Solu!ons for Energy U!lisa!on” to address

sustainability jointly with IET as part of IEM’s contribu!on

towards na!onal interests. During this interna!onal

conference, dis!nguished speakers from both Malaysia and

many other countries will deliberate on sustainable solu!ons

for energy u!lisa!on in the EE&C, RE and Green Technology

sectors.

We hope that this event will receive good support from

both IEM and IET, having memberships of about 25,000 (IEM)

and about 150,000 worldwide (IET) respec!vely, to make this

event a success. n

6 JURUTERA November 2011

COVER STORY

Making Efforts In Sustainability Count

ALMOST every country around the world has be-

gun to pay more attention to the issue of sustainabil-

ity. Yet, how many of us are aware of what the word

truly means? The most popular definition of sustain-

ability can be traced to a 1987 UN conference which

defined sustainable developments as those that

"meet present needs without compromising the abil-

ity of future generations to meet their needs".

JURUTERA approached Ir. Assoc. Prof. Dr Vigna

Kumaran Ramachandaramurthy, Chairman of The

Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET), Ma-

laysia Network; Ir. Lee Kok Chong, Chairman of the

Electrical Engineering Technical Division (EETD) of

IEM; and Mr. Anthony Tan Kee Huat, Executive Director of the

Centre for Environment, Technology and Development, Malay-

sia (CETDEM) to obtain their take on Malaysia’s efforts to ad-

dress the issue.

Ir. K.C. Lee was first asked to comment on the govern-

ment’s commitment to encourage and pursue sustainable

practices. Ir. K.C. Lee said, “Our government has begun to

give priority to issues concerning sustainability. Even the Eco-

nomic Transformation Programme has allocated a substantial

amount for the development of green technology, renewable

energy and green buildings. The country also has to strive to

achieve its target of a 40% reduction in carbon dioxide emis-

sions by 2020.”

He added that IEM, as a learned society, has a duty and re-

sponsibility to educate and create awareness among its mem-

bers on how the country can achieve this target. One of IEM’s

most recent efforts was the IEM-IET Energy Conference (IIEC

2011), organised by the Electrical Engineering Technical Divi-

sion (EETD) of IEM, together with The Institution of Engineer-

ing and Technology (IET), Malaysia Network.

Themed “Sustainable Solutions for Energy Utilisation”, the

conference was attended by more than 300 local and overseas

participants who listened to speakers who shared their experi-

ences, research and study findings, and views on wide-rang-

ing topics such as energy efficiency and conservation, power

quality, green technologies, renewable energy, energy policies,

best practices and case studies.

Ir. K.C. Lee, who was the chairman of the conference to-

gether with co-chairman Ir. Assoc. Prof. Dr Vigna, said, “IIEC

2011 brought together both international and national experts

and policymakers to discuss on the relevance and importance

of energy in the context of a sustainable future.” He added that

a technical exhibition was also held concurrently with the con-

ference to highlight the latest design solutions and application

of sustainable solutions for energy utilisation.

Ir. Assoc. Prof. Dr Vigna pointed out that one of the objec-

tives of the conference was to disseminate information on gov-

ernment policy to the engineers. He said, “We invited speakers

who explained the government’s policy on sustainability, and

talked about the latest initiatives and renewable energy devel-

opment. We also invited energy policy experts from the United

Kingdom, Sri Lanka, Taiwan and Indonesia to share about the

sustainable energy policy in their respective countries.”

He pointed out that Malaysia needed to learn from and ex-

change information with other countries that are ahead of us.

He said, “For example, the UK has got an energy plan until

2050, which is something Malaysia does not have. We need

a more comprehensive plan as we only have the Renewable

Energy Act that will only last until 2020.”

According to Ir. K.C. Lee, the IIEC 2011 had focused on

disseminating government policy, uncovering the latest en-

gineering and technical advancements, revealing the latest

discoveries in renewable energy, and even creating business

opportunities. He said, “In fact, Dato’ Ir. Donald Lim Siang

Chai, Deputy Finance Minister, in his opening address, had

by Ms. Suvarna Ooi

(Con�nued on page 9)

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COVER STORY

encouraged IEM to organise similar

conferences in the future. He also

urged the institution to provide con-

stant feedback to the government to

assist them in their efforts to establish

the best policy for the country.”

Ir. K.C. Lee also observed that

Malaysian engineers, in general, were

really keen to learn and explore the

issue of sustainable development. He

encouraged the engineers to attend

more talks, seminars, courses, train-

ing programmes and conferences or-

ganised by IEM in order to broaden

their knowledge on the subject. He

would also like to see them come forward to collaborate with

IEM on projects in this area.

He pointed out that IEM is also currently preparing a “Posi-

tion Paper on Alternative Energy for Power Generation”, which

is led by Ir. Ali Askar bin Sher Mohamad. He explained that the

position paper will take into consideration all kinds of alterna-

tive energy.

In addition, Ir. K.C. Lee strongly believes that now is the

right time to set up a Sub-Committee within IEM to look into ar-

eas such as green technology and renewable energy. He said,

“Currently, IEM does not have a subcommittee looking into

these areas. And we need to establish one solely dedicated to

this because there is a lot to do and it would be too much for

any one of the existing Technical Divisions to handle.”

He added that IEM could play an important role in the for-

mation of such a Sub-Committee as the latter might consist

of representatives from the various Technical Divisions and

should consider allowing members from any Technical Division

to participate in its activities if they have the interest to do so.

The Sub-Committee, through an advisory panel, could also

offer consultancy services to the government and the private

sector, which includes conducting energy audits on buildings

to help building owners reduce their energy cost.

Ir. K.C. Lee said, “The government can lead the way by

making all government buildings energy efficient, followed by

the private sector. This way, we will eventually have an en-

ergy efficient society and achieve the nation’s target of re-

ducing its carbon emission by 40%. Imagine the impact if

only every household could save just 10% of its energy cost.”

Ir. Assoc. Prof. Dr Vigna said, “Sustainability has now be-

come a global issue. And although Germany is quite advanced

in this area, the rest of the world is working hard to catch up. In

Malaysia, we have the Green Building Index (GBI) and strong

representation from various organisations in championing the

issue.”

He added, “As a nation, we are making good progress as

the government has offered numerous incentives and financial

assistance to kickstart the sector. IEM will also be playing its part

by contributing articles on the subject to be published in local

dailies soon as part of its direct outreach program to educate

the public.”

Ir. K.C. Lee explained that some of the incentives that have

been offered by the government include income tax exemption

for green technology investments, import duty exemption of

green technology, as well as setting up of a RM3 billion fund to

be dispersed as loans for the development of green technology.

At the same time, the government has also recently launched

the SAVE program to encourage members of the public to make

the switch to energy-efficient electrical appliances. Several local

town councils, for instance, have been encouraging green build-

ing development within their own localities.

CENTRE FOR ENVIRONMENT, TECHNOLOGY

AND DEVELOPMENT, MALAYSIA (CETDEM)

According to Mr. Anthony Tan, CETDEM has been promoting

sustainable development for many years. Founded in 1985,

CETDEM is an independent, non-profit, training, research,

consultancy, referral and development organisation. It is com-

mitted to improving environmental quality through the appro-

priate use of technology and sustainable development.

Ir. Assoc. Prof. Dr Vigna Kumaran

Ramachandaramurthy

Chairman of The Ins�tu�on of

Engineering and Technology (IET),

Malaysia Network

Ir. Lee Kok Chong

Chairman of the Electrical

Engineering Technical Division

(EETD) of IEM

Mr. Anthony Tan Kee Huat

Execu!ve Director of the Centre

for Environment, Technology and

Development, Malaysia (CETDEM)


COVER STORY

Between 2003 to 2006, CETDEM managed a proj-

ect funded by the UNDP Global Environmental Facility

(GEF) to raise awareness of urban Malaysians towards

the potential for sustainable energy usage through en-

ergy efficiency and renewable energy. The ABC Proj-

ect, which began in April 2003, involved about 238

homes in five towns across Malaysia, namely, Petaling

Jaya, Ipoh, Kuantan, Kuching and Kota Kinabalu.

He said, “In this project, we were able to guide

them to act on reducing their energy consumption,

thus reducing their ecological footprints in terms of re-

ducing greenhouse gas emissions. Those involved in

the project completed energy audits on their homes,

which gave them an idea of how much energy was be-

ing consumed in the home.”

Tan mentioned that, in the same year, CETDEM

also launched the WCPJ Project, also known as the

Working with the Community on Energy Efficiency at

Household Level in Petaling Jaya Project, which was

designed as a follow through of the ABC Project and

was funded by ExxonMobil Malaysia.

He said, “For this project, CETDEM worked with

the Resident's Associations (RAs) through, what was

then known as the Majlis Perbandaran Petaling Jaya

(MPPJ), to identify participating households. The se-

lect group of 50 to 60 participants were exposed to

issues relating to energy usage in the home and high-

lighted on the importance of being efficient users of

energy. An energy audit was also carried out by each

household.”

In 2009, CETDEM decided to spread its message

on energy efficiency and conservation practices in

schools. Again with funding from ExxonMobil Malay-

sia, CETDEM launched the Secondary School Energy

Efficiency Action Project (SSEEAP), which focused on

promoting energy efficiency to students, teachers and

staff to reduce their energy consumption in schools.

Tan said, “Our latest effort is the launch of the Sus-

tainable Development Initiatives (SUDI), an indepen-

dent ‘think tank’ under CETDEM that will focus specifi-

cally on sustainable development issues. Launched on

1 August 2011, SUDI will bridge the huge information

gap between the various stakeholders.”

He explained that, among others, the objectives

of SUDI will include facilitating the success of a com-

prehensive green development policy; providing the

government, energy-related companies, media, and

other stakeholders an independent assessment of the

energy and sustainable development-related issues;

and promoting the use of genuine green technology as

one of the ways to make the transition to sustainable

industrial development.

Some of the areas that SUDI will focus on include

low-carbon development options; creating a more

concerted and strategic approach to green technolo-

gies; and intensifying energy efficiency and renewable

energy efforts especially in the industrial and transport

sectors. n

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FEATURE


1. WHAT IS ELECTRICAL ENERGY?

Electricity is the flow of electrical power or charge. It is

both a basic part of nature and one of our most widely used

forms of energy. Electricity is actually a secondary energy

source, also referred to as an energy carrier. That means

that we get electricity from the conversion of other sources

of energy, such as coal, nuclear or solar energy. These are

considered primary sources of energy. The energy sources

we use to make electricity can be renewable or non-

renewable, however, electricity itself is neither renewable

nor non-renewable.

Before electricity became available over 60 years ago,

houses in Malaysia were lit using kerosene lamps, food

was cooked with wood-burning or coal-burning stoves

and clothes were hand washed. There were no electrical

lighting, rice cookers or washing machines. Despite its

great importance in our daily lives, few of us probably stop

to think what life would be like without electricity. Like air

and water, we tend to take electricity for granted. We use

electricity to carry out many tasks for us every day, from

lighting, heating and cooling our homes to powering our

television sets and computers.

In Peninsular Malaysia, electrical power is partially

generated, transmitted and distributed by Tenaga

Nasional Bhd (TNB). The latter constructs power plants,

transmission networks, underground cables, overhead

lines and substations to ensure electrical power is delivered

to customers.

2. UNDERSTANDING ENERGY COST

At the end of every month, the amount of electrical energy

consumed by a customer is recorded by an energy meter.

An electricity or energy meter is a device that measures

the amount of electrical energy consumed by a residential

home, business, industry or an electrically powered device.

Electricity meters are typically calibrated in billing units, the

most common one being the kilowatt-hour (kWh). Periodic

readings of an electricity meters establish the billing cycles

and energy consumed during a cycle. The term kWh refers

to the amount of energy consumed by a customer. The cost

of energy consumption is then determined based on the

existing energy tariff. This cost is also termed as energy

cost and is applicable to all categories of customers.

Electrical energy (kWh) =

Electrical power (kW) x duration (hours) (1)

Energy cost (RM) = Electrical energy (kWh) x Cost per unit (2)

Example:

Electrical energy consumed 100kWh

Cost per unit RM0.23/kWh

Energy cost 100kWh x RM0.23/kWh=RM23.00

There are also other costs, i.e. demand cost and power

factor surcharges, that will not be discussed in this article.

It is important to note that this definition of energy is based

on kWh and is only applicable in Malaysia and some parts

of the world. Some countries define energy based on the

total apparent energy or kVAh. The equation that shows the

relationship between all the electrical power components is

shown in Equation (3).

(3)

Note: kVA = Apparent Power, kW

= Active or True Power and kVar =

Reactive Power

3. UNDERSTANDING ENERGY

EFFICIENCY

Efficient energy use, sometimes

simply called energy efficiency,

is the goal of efforts to reduce

the amount of energy required to

provide the same products and

services. For example, installing

fluorescent lights or natural

skylights reduces the amount of

Understanding Energy Efficiency and Energy Saving Devices

by Ir. Dr Mohamed Fuad bin Faisal

Figure 1: A TNB substa�on Figure 2: An example of an energy meter

FEATURE


energy required to attain the same level of illumination

compared to using traditional incandescent light bulbs. The

reason for this is because compact fluorescent lights use

less energy compared to incandescent lights. Improvement

in energy efficiency is most often achieved by enhancing

the awareness of the users, improvement in maintenance

procedures and adopting more efficient technology.

There are various motivations to improve energy

efficiency. Reducing energy use reduces energy costs

and may result in cost savings to consumers if the energy

savings offset any additional costs of implementing an

energy efficient technology. Reducing energy use is

also seen as a key solution to the problem of reducing

emissions. According to one international study, improved

energy efficiency in buildings, industrial processes and

transportation could reduce the world's energy needs in

2050 by one third, and help control global emissions of

greenhouse gases [1].

Look around your house. There are simple things you

can do to save money on your electricity bill. Choosing

energy efficient products is one of the smartest ways

for consumers to reduce energy use and help prevent

greenhouse gas emissions. A household that buys energy

efficient equipment instead of standard new equipment can

substantially reduce carbon dioxide emissions over the

lifetime of the products.

Energy efficient products also save money. When we

receive our monthly electricity bill, many of us think there

is little that we can do to reduce our monthly costs besides

adjusting our air conditioners. However, this is not true! The

products you select can significantly affect that monthly bill.

You can reduce your energy bill by about 10% to 20% when

you purchase energy efficient products. Common product

labels for energy efficiencies are shown in Figure 5.

Lastly, the most simple action plan to achieve energy

efficiency and energy savings is simply to switch off all

electrical appliances whenever they are not needed.

Some equipment still consumes electricity whilst in sleep

or standby mode, for example, computers, television

decoders, DVD players, etc.

4. DISCUSSION ON ENERGY SAVING DEVICES

Recently, many products defined as Energy Saving

Devices (ESD) have been made available to homeowners

in Malaysia. Many of the advertisements for such devices

can be found posted at various rest areas (R&R) along the

highways and selected shopping complexes. An example

is shown in Figure 7. Two sample units of ESD are shown

in Figure 8.

Figure 3: Incandescent lamp Figure 4: Fluorescent lamp

Figure 5: Energy efficiency labels for household products

Figure 7: Example of a misleading adver!sement on an energy saving device

Figure 6: Sample ads to remind users to switch off the lights when not in use

Figure 8: Two brands of ESDs

a) Brand X b) Brand Y

FEATURE


4.2 ESD Type B (based on voltage minimisation technique)

The second type of ESD operates by switching the incoming power on

and off very quickly, thus reducing the average effective voltage (i.e.

it decreases the effective height of the sine wave (See Figure 9). So,

instead of the standard 230 volts being supplied from the power outlet,

fewer volts actually arrive at the equipment terminals. While less power

is truly being consumed during a fixed time interval, the appliance is not

receiving the amount of power it was designed and intended to receive.

These ESDs are marketed under various brand names. They are

simple to use into the power socket inserted into the power socket

and, according to the advertisements, can help reduce one’s monthly

electricity bill. However, do these devices actually work?

Overall, there are two basic designs for ESD, neither of which has

proven to provide cost savings when used under normal conditions.

4.1 ESD Type A (application of a capacitor unit)

The first type of ESD is designed to correct the lagging power factor that

gets introduced when an inductive load, i.e. a motor, is placed on the

power supply (See Figure 9). In Figure 9, the current lags the voltage.

The power factor is calculated based on Equation 4. The ESD will then

provide reactive power as a means of correcting that lagging power

factor.

(4)

Unfortunately, many of us assume that Power (kilowatt) = Volts x Amps.

That is not true when you are dealing with alternating current (AC), where

Power (kilowatt) = Volts x Amps x Power Factor.

The capacitance provided by the ESD actually increases the power

factor, even though the current goes down. So, the number of kilowatts

being used remains almost unchanged. Figure 10 shows the power triangle

which depicts the relationship of the power components in Equation 3.

Adding a capacitor will reduce the reactive power (VAR) and improve

the power factor. However, the true power or watts remains the same.

Therefore, the net savings in RM (based on kWh) will be negligible.

The ESDs shown in Figure 8 are classified as ESD Type A. Examples

of tests carried out on these devices are shown in Figure 11.

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Figure 9: Current lags voltage Figure 10: Power triangle

FEATURE


To compensate for the fact that it has been

"short-changed", the appliance must often

simply run longer to perform its intended task.

A good example is to imagine a window fan

that is suddenly being forced to run at medium

speed instead of high speed; it simply will not

cool the room as effectively. So once again, the

net savings for motors running at the normal

load is negligible. Minimal savings may occur

for some appliances if their motors are being

greatly underutilised, such as a refrigerator that

is opened only once a week. Lamps would also

be slightly dim when this type of ESD is applied.

The testing performed on these ESD has

revealed that all of these devices do not promote

energy (kWh) savings. Conceptually, the

principles behind these devices make sense,

but the reality of a controlled test environment

has shown that they are generally not worth the

investment.

5. A PRACTICAL GUIDE ON ENERGY

EFFICIENCY

There are several good guidelines on imple-

menting practical energy efficiency pro-

grammes. For commercial and industrial cus-

tomers, it is recommended that they refer to the

Code of Practice for Energy Efficiency of Elec-

trical Installations developed in Hong Kong.

a) Capacitance test for 3-phase ESD

c) Energy saving test

Figure 11: Sample tests for ESDs


b) Current injec�on test

d) Capacitance test for 1-phase ESD

FEATURE


This guideline aims to set out the minimum requirements on energy effi-

ciency of electrical installations. It forms part of a set of comprehensive Build-

ing Energy Codes that address the energy efficiency requirements in building

services installations. Designers are encouraged to adopt a proactive ap-

proach to exceed these minimum requirements.

6. CONCLUSION

The intention of this article is to provide basic information related to energy

efficiency and ESDs. One of the main reasons why there is still a demand for

ESDs is because most consumers have an insufficient working knowledge of

electricity. Some ESDs with a simple voltage reduction technique can save

energy partially, but have limited application since there is usually a reduction

in output such as lower lighting levels or less shaft horsepower. These devices

typically chop the voltage sine wave to achieve a voltage reduction. Other

devices only reduce the reactive power but not watts. Since customers pay

according to watts or kilowatt-hours consumed, there may be little or no savings

to gain. Reducing reactive power also helps to improve the power factor but

does reduce kWh, therefore it does not minimise one’s energy cost. n

REFERENCE:

[1] Sophie Hebden (22-6-2006). "Invest in clean technology says IEA report". Scidev.net.

23

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15 19 12

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16

16

20

15

15

14

14

15

8

3 9 11

89 9

14

7

10

11

10 9

10

4 13

10 11

16

IMPORTANT NOTICE

MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL REMINDER 2012

Candidates applying to sit for the Professional Interview (PI) for IEM Corporate Membership are required to submit a copy of

their Training and Experience Report together with their application. Please note that this requirement will take effect from 1

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To avoid this, all IEM members are advised to settle their annual subscriptions on time and the deadline for payment

is 31 January 2012.


1SUDOKU Centerpiece "1"

by Mr. Lim Teck Guan

Fill in the remaining 80 squares with single digits 1-9

such that there is no repeat of the digit in every Row,

Column and Block. The number at the top left hand

corner of the dotted cage indicates the total for the digits

that the cage encompasses.

For tips on solving, visit www.1sudoku.com.my

Twin Tree Publishing

(Solution is on page 59 of this issue.)

FEATURE


INTRODUCTION

Malaysia has been depending on oil, coal and natural gas as

sources of energy for the country’s economic progress and

the nation’s development. However, there are rising concerns

on the scarcity of these resources as well as the detrimental

effects they can have on the environment. Realising this,

Malaysia is looking into other sources of energy to meet

the nation’s energy needs and moving towards renewable

energy for a more sustainable source. Several policies on

energy, as shown in Figure 1, were developed to ensure

sustainable development of the nation.

The focus on renewable energy was introduced through

the 5th Fuel Policy where alternative sources, such as

solar, solid waste and biomass were proposed to be utilised

as energy generators. This paper highlights an innovative

method of generating renewable energy through the

Microbial Fuel Cell (MFC) technology.

MICROBIAL FUEL CELL

Microbial Fuel Cell (MFC) constitutes a new approach

for electricity generation and wastewater treatment. It is

similar to a Chemical Fuel Cell (CFC) as both cells convert

chemical energy into electricity. However, the major

difference lies in the catalyst used to speed up the oxidation

process. A CFC uses an elemental catalyst to accelerate

the process while the MFC uses live bacteria to catalyse

the fuel oxidation (Seop et al., 2006).

MFC is a bioreactor which converts chemical energy

into electrical energy through catalytic reactions of

microorganisms under anaerobic conditions (Kim et al.,

2007). It is also a promising technology in wastewater

treatment as it can address the issue of bioenergy and

wastewater treatment concurrently with reduction in

sludge production (Moon et al., 2006). Treating wastewater

using MFC can reduce the amount of sludge production

substantially due to the fact that only a small fraction of

the energy is consumed by the microorganisms for growth

(sludge production) whereas a large fraction is used for

bioenergy conversion (Kim et al., 2007).

A typical MFC consists of an anode and a cathode

chamber. The organic matter from the substrate or

wastewater which is placed in the anaerobic anode chamber

is oxidised by the bacteria, causing electrons and protons

to be generated in the process. Carbon dioxide (CO2) is the

oxidation product. The resulting electrons are transferred

to the electrode of the anode chamber and subsequently

to the electrode of the aerobic cathode chamber via an

external resistor while the protons are diffused through

a Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM). This transfer of

electrons is caused by the difference in potential between

the two electrodes. Oxygen reduction which takes place at

the cathode utilises the electrons, protons and oxygen to

produce water.

The oxidation and reduction equations are as follows :

(CH2O)n + nH

2O nnCO

2 + 4ne- + 4nH+ (Anode:Oxidation Reaction)

4e- + 4H+ + O2 2H

2O (Cathode : Reduction Reaction)

The end results of the overall reaction is the degradation of

the organic matter and the production of electricity (Seop

et al., 2006).

At the anode chamber, the substrate acts as the electron

donor (ED) while the anode (electrode) is the electron acceptor

(EA). At the cathode chamber, the cathode (electrode) is the

electron donor whereas the oxygen is the electron acceptor.

The electron transfer process is shown in Figure 2.

Microbial Fuel Cell: Transformation of Wastewater to Green Energy

by Puan Satira Hambali and

Prof. Sr. Ir. Dr Suhaimi Abdul Talib

Figure 1: Na�onal Policies on Energy

NATIONAL ENERGY

POLICY, 1979

NATIONAL DEPLETION

POLICY, 1980

FOUR FUEL DIVERSIFICATION

POLICY, 1981

FIFTH FUEL POLICY

8TH MALAYSIA PLAN

(2001 - 2005)

RENEWABLE ENERGY POLICY

10TH MALAYSIA PLAN

(2011 - 2015)

FEATURE


MICROBIAL METABOLISM IN MFC

Microbial metabolism is the process in which the

microorganisms gain energy required for living and

reproduction. There are various types of metabolism routes

that can be used by the microorganisms. In an MFC, the

electron transport involves the transfer of electrons from

the substrate in the anode chamber to the final electron

acceptor in the cathode chamber. Since electron transport

chains are redox processes, therefore, two sets of

redox couple are required (electron donors and electron

acceptors). For example, if NADH is the electron donor and

O2 is the final electron acceptor, the redox couples are NAD/

NADH and O2/H

20. Not every combination of electron donor-

acceptor is thermodynamically possible. Therefore, in order

to obtain a thermodynamically favourable combination of

donor-acceptor, the redox potential of the acceptor must be

more positive compared to the redox potential of the donor.

Table 1 shows the redox potential for selected organic

and inorganic redox couples compared to the Standard

Hydrogen Electrode (SHE) potential at pH7.

From Table 1, the oxidation potential for oxygen is +820

mV which indicates that oxygen has the highest oxidation

potential. This explains why most MFC’s cathodes are

abiotic (no electrolyte). Only in the absence of oxygen that

other electron acceptors are utilised.

ABIOTIC CATHODES VS. BIOCATHODES Cathodes which use oxygen as the terminal electron

acceptor are known as abiotic cathodes. Oxygen is the

most frequently used for an MFC mainly because of its high

redox potential, plentiful in the air, readily available and only

produces water as the end product, making it sustainable

to the environment. However, due to poor oxygen reduction

kinetics, abiotic cathodes need to employ a catalyst to

overcome the problem. The most common type of cathode

catalyst for oxygen reduction is platinum. Nevertheless,

the application of platinum is limited as it is expensive,

especially if it is to be applied on a large scale basis. As a

result, researchers are now embarking on the concept of

applying biocathodes in MFCs.

Biocathodes basically means utilising bacteria as

catalyst for the cathode instead of platinum. Unlike abiotic

cathodes which are half biological as wastewater is being

placed only in the anode chamber, biocathodes are fully

biological due to the fact that wastewater is being used

in both chambers as electrolytes. The main advantage of

biocathodes over abiotic cathodes is the low operational cost

for not having to use platinum as the cathode catalyst. As

a substitute for the platinum, wastewater which is available

in abundance will be used as a catholyte to provide the

biocatalyst needed for the electron transfer. Biocathodes

can be classified as aerobic or anaerobic biocathodes,

depending on the terminal electron acceptor.

For aerobic biocathodes, oxygen will be invariably used

as the terminal electron acceptor. On the other hand, for

anaerobic biocathodes with the absence of oxygen, other

electron acceptors (NO3-, NO2-, SO4-, CO2, fumarate) will be

used, depending on which electron acceptors are available.

APPLICATION OF MFC Generally, all types of wastewater can be used as substrate

for an MFC. Table 2 shows some of the examples of

wastewater that have been reported in the literature.

Figure 2: Schema�c diagram of a typical two-chamber MFC

(Source: Du et al., 2007)

Types of Wastewater Researcher

Palm Oil Mill Effluent (POME) Cheng et al., 2010

Brewery Wastewater Zhang et al., 2009

Chocolate Industry Wastewater Patil et al., 2009

Starch Processing Wastewater Lu et al., 2009

Confectionery Wastewater Sun et al., 2009

Swine Wastewater Min et al., 2005

Municipal Wastewater Liu et al., 2004

Table 2 : Examples of organic wastewater used as electrolytes in the

anaerobic anode chamber of MFCs

Oxidation/Reduction Pair E0 (mV)

CO2/Glucose -430

H+/H2

-420

NAD/NADH -320

CO2/Acetate -280

S0/H2S -280

S0/HS- -270

CO2/CH

4-240

SO4

2-/H2S -220

Pyruvate2-/Lactate2- -185

Methylene Blue Ox/Red

+11

Fumarate2-/Succinate2- +31

Thionine Ox/Red

+64

Ubiquinone Ox/Red

+113

O2/H

2O

2+275

NO3-/NO2- +421

NO2-/NH4

+ +440

O2/H

2O +820

Table 1: MFC electrode redox pair and corresponding redox poten!als

(Source: Du et al., 2007)

FEATURE


In Malaysia, the use of POME as electrolytes for the MFC would be

of great potential. The nature of POME which has a very high organic

load and abundance in terms of volume makes it a suitable source of

substrate (electrolyte) for MFCs. Utilising POME in MFCs would not only

generate electricity but at the same time treat the wastewater with a

much lesser sludge.

CONCLUSION

It can be concluded that MFCs can be categorised as green technology

for energy generation as it does not bring harmful effects to the

environment. In addition, it helps in reducing the existing environmental

problem by utilising POME as electrolytes for the MFC. However,

this technology is considered still at its early stage in Malaysia. The

Research and Development (R&D) on this technology needs to be

greatly enhanced so that it can be adopted in the near future. n

REFERENCES:

[1] Seop, C.I.; Moon, H.; Bretschger, O.; Jang, J.K.; Park, H.I.; Nealson, K.H. and Kim,

B.H. Electrochemically Ac�ve Bacteria (EAB) and mediator-less microbial fuel

cells. J. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 2006, 16(2), 163-177.

[2] Kim, B.H.; Chang, I.S. and Gadd, G.M. Challenges in microbuel fuel cell develop-

ment abd opera�on. Appl. Microbial. Biotechnol. 2007, 76, 485-494.

[3] Moon, H.; Chang, I.S. and Kim, B.H. Con�nuous electricity produc�on from ar�-

ficial wastewater using a mediator-less microbial fuel cell. Bioresource Techno-

logy, 2006, 97, 621-627.

[4] Du, Z.; Li, H. and Gu, T. A state of the art review on microbial fuel cells: A prom-

ising technology for wastewater treatment and bioenergy. Biotechnology Ad-

vances. 2007, 25, 464-482.

[5] Cheng, J.; Zhu, X.; Ni, J. and Borthwick, A. Palm oil mill effluent treatment using

a two-stage microbial fuel cells system integrated with immobilized biological

aerated filters. Bioresource Technology. 2010, 101, 2729-2734.

[6] Zhang, B.; Zhao, H.; Zhou, S.; Shi, C.; Wang, C. and Ni, J. A novel UASB-MFC-BAF

integrated system for high strength molasses wastewater treatment and bio-

electricity genera�on. Bioresource Technology. 2009, 100, 5687-5693.

[7] Pa�l, S.A.; Surakasi, V.P.; Koul, S.; Ijmulwar, S.; Vivek, A.; Shouche, Y.S. and

Kapadnis, B.P. Electricity genera�on using chocolate industry wastewater and

its treatment in ac�vated sludge based microbial fuel cell and analysis of de-

veloped microbial community in the anode chamber. Bioresource Technology.

2009, 5132-5139.

[8] Lu, N.; Zhou, S.; Zhuang, L., Zhang, J. and Ni, J. Electricity genera�on from starch

processing wastewater using microbial fuel cell technology. Biochemical Engi-

neering Journal. 2009, 43, 246-251.

[9] Sun, J.; Hu, Y.; Bi, Z. and Cao, Y. Improved performance of air-cathode single-

chamber microbial fuel cell for wastewater treatment using microfiltra�on

membranes and mul�ple sludge inocula�on. Journal of Power Sources. 2009,

187, 471-479.

[10] Min, B.; Kim, J.R.; Oh, S.E.; Regan, J.M. and Logan , B.E. Electricity genera�on

from swine wastewater using microbial fuel cell. Water Research, 2005, 39,

4961-4968.

[11] Liu, H.; Ramnarayanan, R. and Logan. B.E. Produc�on of electricity during

wastewater treatment using a single chamber microbial fuel cell. Environ. Sci.

Technol. 2004, 38, 2281-2285.

Note: Authors are currently based in the Ins�tute for Infrastructure Engineering and

Sustainable Management, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Universi� Teknologi MARA,

(UiTM), 40450 Shah Alam and could be contacted at sa�[email protected]

or [email protected]

FEATURE


Note : NV = No visible floatable materials or debris NOT = No objec�onable taste

INTRODUCTION

All living organisms on this planet are dependent on water

either as a place of habitat or for drinking. Humans are not

excluded from this rule, where the body, depending on size

is said to consist of between 55% to 68% water. To maintain

proper hydration, the human body needs approximately

one to two liters of water per day, which is more or less

equivalent to six glasses [1]. To cater for this need in the

modern era, facilities are built to treat raw water sources

before it is distributed to the general population.

In Malaysia, the most tapped raw water source are

rivers, which are technically under the jurisdiction of the

respective state governments [2], supported by federal

agencies as ascribed in the constitution. Most water

treatment plants employ conventional treatment systems,

that typically consist of filtration (such as sand filtration),

coagulation and flocculation, disinfection (chlorination) and

flouridisation. As development becomes more rampant, river

water quality degradation also becomes more widepsread,

consequentially broadening the spectrum of contaminants.

Conventional treatment systems, at times, are not able

to remove these contaminants and as a result they might

enter the distribution and supply network. To manage this

problem, the Environmental Quality Act, 1974, prescribes

more stringent regulatory compliance for wastewater

discharging premises located upstream of a water intake

point [2]. That being so, not all contaminants are covered

under the Act, therefore the risk of contamination cannot

be totally eradicated. This fact is more so true in this era of

climatological and morphological change, where rivers are

more susceptible to contamination [2].

If the quality factor is taken into account, relative to the

National Water Quality Standards (NWQS) for Malaysia

(Tables 1 and 2), the expected water stress for potable

supply would be even higher than what it is today, particularly

in view of ammoniacal nitrogen (NH3

-N) levels. Rivers in

Malaysia are known to be affected by NH3

-N pollution from

sewage contribution [3]. The NWQS prescribes a Class

IIA/IIB water source as being suitable for conventional

treatment, whereas a Class III water source requires

advanced treatment [4]. The Class II NH3

-N levels stipulates

the constituent to not be more than 0.3 mg/l, although in

practice, some water service providers practice a cut-off

point of 1.5 mg/l (Class IV).

Potable Water Quality Characteristics

by Emeritus Prof. Dato’ Wira Ir. Dr Mohd.

Noor Salleh and Ir. Zaki Zainudin

Parameter Unit

Classes

I IIA IIB III IV V

Ammoniacal Nitrogen (NH3-N) mg/l 0.1 0.3 0.3 0.9 2.7 > 2.7

BOD5

mg/l 1 3 3 6 12 > 12

COD mg/l 10 25 25 50 100 > 100

DO mg/l 7 5 - 7 5 - 7 3 - 5 < 3 < 1

pH 6.5 - 8.5 6.5 - 9.0 6.5 - 9.0 5 - 9 5 - 9 -

Color TUC 15 150 150 - -

Electrical Conductivity µS/cm 1000 1000 - - 6000 -

Floatables NV NV NV - - -

Salinity ppt 0.5 1 - - 2 -

Taste NOT NOT NOT - - -

Total Suspended Solids mg/l 25 50 50 150 300 300

Temperature °C - Normal + 2°C - Normal + 2°C - -

Turbidity NTU 5 50 50 - - -

Fecal Coliform counts/100ml 10 100 400 5000 (20000)a 5000 (20000)a -

Total Coliform counts/100ml 100 5000 5000 50000 50000 >50000

Table 1 : Excerpt of the NWQS

FEATURE

22 JURUTERA November 2011 (Con�nued on page 24)

Fortunately, NH3

-N itself is not considered to be a toxic

substance, though it does emit a pungent odor, as in the

case of the 2006 and 2010 contamination at two treatment

plants in Selangor [5]. Despite this, NH3

-N may still react

with chlorine from the disinfection process to produce

chloroamines [6].

TURBIDITY AND TOTAL SUSPENDED SOLIDS

Sediment load contribution on the other hand, has led to

murky river conditions in various watersheds as illustrated

in Figure 1. The contamination typically originates from

agricultural runoff (e.g. palm oil), irrigation, logging and

land-clearing activities [2]. Water quality parameters that

are used to gauge the clarity of water include turbidity (ex-

pressed in terms of nephelometric turbidity units or NTU)

and total suspended solids (TSS, expressed in mg/l).

There is usually a correlation between these two parame-

ters and water service providers are most concerned when

turbidity in the raw water source exceeds 50 NTU, which

of course corresponds to the threshold of the NWQS.

Providers typically target an NTU < 1 at post-treat-

ment, though this varies from region to region and be-

tween providers. Low turbidity (hence TSS), does not only

ensure a desirable clarity of the water for supply but also

ensures maximum disinfection potency. Elevated turbidity

may incur risk of transmitting gastrointestinal diseases, as

viruses or bacteria can become attached to the suspend-

ed solid [7]. The suspended solids also interfere with the

disinfection process as the particles can shield microbes

from the chlorine compund and even from ultraviolet (UV)

sterilisation [7].

That being so, taking turbidity and TSS as the only two

constituents for consideration in potable water supply is in-

adequate, as there are a myriad to other parameters which

also have a direct bearing towards public health.

PATHOGENS

Water-borne pathogens usually incur short-term health

impacts towards consumers due to bacterial and sometimes,

viral infection. Microorganisms like these are naturally

present in the environment though usually at low levels,

which is also why the NWQS recommends disinfection by

boiling for a Class I water source [4]. Contamination may

occur as a result of fecal input from animals or domestic

sewage contamination. Relevant bacterial parameters

water quality assessment include total coliform, fecal

coliform, E. coli, Gardia lamblia and Enterocci. Coliforms

are measured in units of either cfu (coliform forming units)

or MPN (most-probable number) where the former entails

direct counting of microbe colonies on a Petri dish whereas

the latter utilises a statistical method of quantification based

on the number of positives from test tube analyses [8]. E.

coli bacterium is not necessarily pathogenic (depending

on the strain) but can be considered to be an indicator of

pathogenic contamination.

The O157 strain produces

a potent toxin which can cause

severe diarrhoea and in some

cases renal failure and death [9].

Giardia lamblia is a parasite that

colonises and reproduces in the

small intestine, causing diarrhoea

and fever [10]. The source of the

parasite are primarily fecal such

as untreated sewage sources or

from animal grasing. Enteroccoci

or more specifically, E. faecalis

can cause endocarditis and

bacteremia, urinary tract infections

(UTI) and meningitis [10]. The state

of Hawaii, in the USA, only tolerates

7 cfu/100ml of the constituent to

be present in surrounding coastal

waters (for recreational use), above

which the state will post health

warning for patrons to stay out of

the water [11].

Class Definition

I Conservation of natural environment.

Water supply I - Practically no treatment necessary (except by

disinfection or boiling only).

Fishery I - Very sensitive aquatic species.

IIA Water supply II - Conventional treatment required.

IIB Fishery II - Sensitive aquatic species.

III Recreational use with body contact.

IV Water supply III - Extensive treatment required.

V Fishery III - Common of economic value, and tolerant species;

livestock drinking.

Table 2 : NWQS class defini�ons

Figure 1: Streams with elevated turbidity and TSS (a) Sungai Tinggi (Sungai Selangor) (b) Sungai Belatop,

Cameron Highlands (c) Sungai Dua Canal, Pulau Pinang

FEATURE


In Malaysia, disinfection is usually done via chlorination,

though there are also other methods, like membrane filtration,

reverse osmosis and ozonation.

CHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS

Besides the above physical and bacteriological considerations,

there are a wide variety of other chemical constituents which

should also be considered in potable water usage; this includes

nitrate (typically measured as NO3 or NO

3-N). Nitrate contamination

in surface water bodies originate from fertilizers such as ammonium

nitrate, similar processing facilities or waste dumps [12]. If the

contaminated water is consumed (above 10 mg/l of NO3

-N) by an

infant, expecting or breastfeeding mother, a condition known as

“blue baby syndrome” may arise as a consequence of decreased

oxygen carrying capacity in the infant’s blood. Although elevated

levels of nitrate are more commonly anticipated in groundwater

sources [13], there have been cases in Malaysia where severely

high nitrate levels in rivers have been observed. One such river

is Sg. Bongkok (Figure 2), in Gurun, Kedah where NO3

-N levels

were observed to be between 27 to 210 mg/l [14]; correspondingly,

NO3

-N levels were also elevated here, between 2.59 to 27.51 mg/l.

Fortunately the water is not used for domestic supply though local

potable consumption cannot be entirely ruled out.

Typical metal constituents that come under scrutiny in water

quality assessment include arsenic (As), copper (Cu), cadmium

(Cd), chromium (Cr), lead (Pb) and nickel (Ni). Exposure to these

Figure 2 : Sungai Bongkok (Gurun, Kedah)

(Con!nued on page 26)

FEATURE


heavy metals (such as through consumption) over a long-period of time,

will propogate tissue build-up and potentially incur long-term health

effects including stomach pain, nausea, diarrhea, partial paralysis,

numbness in hands and feet, blindness, thickening and discoloration of

the skin, cancer, renal failure, liver cirrhosis and hair loss [10]. Landfills

and metal industries are the usual suspects for heavy metal contribution,

particularly those located upstream of a water intake.

An infamous heavy metal contamination case involved the small

town of Hinkley, in the Mojave Desert of California, USA. Hexavalent

chromium, otherwise known in chromium (VI), percolated into the aquifer

layer of the area, apparently due to wastewater discharge from Pacific

Gas and Electric (PG&E) [16]. The current average chromium (VI) levels

in Hinkley average around 1.19 ppb with a peak of 3.09 ppb, compared

to the California health goal of 0.06 ppb [16]. Interestingly, since then,

further studies have shown that chromium (VI) contamination in US cities

is quite widespread as 89% of tap water samples in 35 cities, showed the

constituent to be above the targeted health goal [17].

Pesticide is a composite term used to describe a collection of

chemical constituents used to kill pests, largely in an agricultural setting

that can enter the water column, either through runoff or irrigation [12].

Herbicides and insecticides are two types of pesticides most widely used

in agriculture. Chemical classes of pesticides include organochlorine,

carbamate, organophosphorus and chlorophenoxy compounds [18].

Organochlorine pesticides such as aldrin or dieldrin, chlordane, DDT,

heptachlor and hexachlorobenzene are persistent and have high potential

for bioaccumulation that can incur carcinogenic effects, disturbance of

the reproductive system, disruption of the immune system and even

cause damage to DNA structure [10].

As Malaysia is the second largest palm oil producer in the world,

the usage of these pesticides have long been assumed to be rampant,

though not many comprehensive studies pertaining to their presence

and transformation (metabolites) in the water column have been done.

More worrying, encroachment of riparian zones (river reserves) in palm

oil plantations removes vegetation which help natural phytoremediation

[2]. Pesticide usage in vegetable farms in Cameron Highlands is also

assumed to be widespread, though not much is known about their levels

and distribution in the watercourses. This is quite critical as there are

several potable water intake points located in that area, not to mention

the water is also used by the local Orang Asli. The NWQS lists a wide

array of tolerable pesticide levels that should not be exceeded for potable

supply and consumption.

TRACE CONTAMINANTS

Recent research developments have revealed that other contaminants at

trace levels also need to be given consideration in potable water usage.

These contaminants extend beyond the conventional part per million

(ppm) range and requires measurement at either the part per billion

(ppb) or part per trillion scale. Examples of such contaminants include

trihalomethanes (THMs) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS).

Trihalomethanes are a by-product of chlorination in the water treatment

disinfection process where chlorine reacts with organic matter to produce

THMs such as chloroform, bromoform, bromodichloromethane and

dibromochloromethane [19]. Long term exposure to THMs, may result in

adverse health effects towards the central nervous system, liver, kidneys

and heart [10]. In fact, chloroform is regarded as a “probable human

carcinogen” by the US Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA).

In view of this, the agency recommends no more than 80 ppb of THMs to

be present in treated water [20].

FEATURE


PFOS is a global pollutant commonly found in the

metal plating, textile, paper and paint industries [21]. The

contaminant is thought to incur a wide range of health

effects, such as being an endocrine disruptor and induce

hypertension in pregnant women. Some studies have also

indicated that the constituent increases risk of attention

deficit disorder (ADHD) [21]. The US EPA recommends

no more than 0.2 µg/l of PFOS [21] to be present in

water intended for consumption. PFOS is also commonly

associated with perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), as they

typically originate from the same source and incur similar

health effects. In 2009, the US EPA set a provisional health

advisory for limiting PFOA at 0.4 g/l [22].

CONCLUSION

The above are only a select few of constituents and

parameters that affect drinking water quality. There are

a myriad of other contaminants which also need to be

controlled and assessed before a water source can be

deemed as safe and fit for human consumption. As we

progress towards becoming a developed nation, the

amount of pollution and spectrum of constituents will

also increase, potentially compromising on the quality

of our drinking water. The relevant authorities and

service providers must be up to the mark in facing these

challenges, to ensure that our raw water sources are of

good quality for potable use. n

REFERENCES:

[1] BBC Health. h�p://www.bbc.co.uk/health/treatments/healthy_

living/nutri�on/index.shtml. Retrived on 5 September 2011.

[2] A. R. A. Baginda and Z. Zainudin. Keynote Paper : Moving Towards

Integrated River Basin Management (IRBM) in Malaysia. Ins�tu-

�on of Engineers Malaysia (IEM), Proceedings, 11th Annual IEM

Water Resources Colloquium, ISBN 978-967-5048-46-3., 2009.

[3] H. Abu Hasan, S. R. Sheikh Abdullah, S. K. Kamarudin and N. T.

Kofli. Problems of Ammonia and Manganese in Malaysian Drink-

ing Water Treatments. World Applied Sciences Journal 12 (10):

1890-1896, 2011 ISSN 1818-4952.

[4] Department of Environment Malaysia, “Development of Water

Quality Criteria and Standards for Malaysia”, 1985.

[5] D. Singh and C. Fernandez. The Star Online : Semenyih

plant closed due to high levels of ammonia. Date of ar�-

cle : 8 September 2010. h�p://thestar.com.my/news/story.

asp?sec=na�on&file=/2010/9/8/na�on/6999878. Retrieved on :

5 September 2011.

[6] L. F. Yee, M. P. Abdullah, S. Ata, A. Abdullah, B. Ishak and K. Nid-

zham. Chlorina�on and Chloroamines Forma�on. The Malaysian

Journal of Analy�cal Sciences, Vol 12, No 3 (2008): 528 – 535.

[7] J. W. Stephens. Simultaneous Removal Of Waterborne Bacteria

And Total Suspended Solids Using An An�microbial Media In A

Crossflow Filter System. CTI Journal, Vol. 31, No. 2.

[8] M. L. Davis and D. A. Cornwell. Introduc�on to Environmental En-

gineering. (3rd ed.). New York : McGraw Hill Press, 1998.

[9] H. Karch, P. Tarr and M. Bielaszewska. Enterohaemorrhagic Es-

cherichia coli in human medicine. Interna�onal Journal of Medical

Microbiology 295 (6-7): 405–18.

[10] Oxford textbook of Medicine, Fourth Edi�on, Volume 1. Oxford

University Press pp.759-760 ISBN 0192629220, 2003.

[11] Clean Water Branch. Hawaii State Department of Health. Re-

trieved 7 September 2011.

[12] Z. Zainudin, Z. A. Rashid and J. Jaapar. Agricultural Non-Point

Source Modeling in Sg. Bertam, Cameron Highlands using QUAL2E.

Malaysian Journal of Analy�cal Sciences. 13(2), 170-184, 2009.

[13] B. T. Crolla and C.R. Hayes. Nitrate and water supplies in the

United Kingdom. Environmental Pollu�on Volume 50, Issues 1-2,

1988, Pages 163-187.

[14] UKM Pakarunding. Environmental Impact Assessment and Quan-

�ta�ve Risk Assessment for Plant Debo�lenecking in Gurun, Ke-

dah. Submi�ed to Department of Environment Malaysia.

[15] O. Kaplan, N. C. Yildirim, N. Yildirim and N. Tayhan. Assessment of

Some Heavy Metals in Drinking Water Samples of Tunceli, Turkey.

E-Journal of Chemistry h�p://www.e-journals.net 2011, 8(1), 276-

280, ISSN: 0973-4945.

[16] Lahontan Regional Water Quality Control Board. PG&E Hinkley

Chromium Cleanup. h�p://www.swrcb.ca.gov/rwqcb6/water_is-

sues/projects/pge/index.shtml. California Environmental Protec-

�on Agency. Retrieved on 7th September 2011.

[17] Environmental Working Group. Chromium-6 Is Widespread in US

Tap Water. h�p://www.ewg.org/chromium6-in-tap-water. EWG

webpage, retrived on 7 September 2011.

[18] New Jersey Department of Health. Pes�cides in Drinking Water.

Division of Environmental and Occupa�onal Health Consumer and

Environmental Health Services, August 1998.

[19] A. B. Lindstrom, J. D. Pleil and D. C. Berkoff. Alveolar breath sam-

pling and analysis to assess trihalomethane exposures during

compe��ve swimming training. Environ. Health Perspec�ve, 105

(6), 636-642, 1997.

[20] United States Environmental Protec�on Agency (US EPA). Na�onal

Primary Drinking Water Regula�ons: Disinfectants and Disinfec-

�on Byproducts No�ce of Data Availability. Fed. Reg. 40 CFR Parts

141 and 142.

[21] J. Alexander, G. A. Auðunsson, D. Benford, A. Cockburn, J. P.

Cravedi, E. Doglio$, A. Di Domenico, M. L. Fernández-Cruz, J.

Fink-Gremmels, P. Fürst, C. Galli, P. Grandjean, J. Gzyl, G. Heine-

meyer, N. Johansson, A. Mu$, J. Schla�er, R. van Leeuwen, C. van

Peteghem and P. Verger. Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), per-

fluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and their salts : Scien�fic Opinion of

the Panel on Contaminants in the Food chain. The EFSA Journal

(2008) 653, 1-13.

[22] S. Finn. Bush EPA sets so-called safe level of C8 in drinking water.

West Virginia Public Broadcas�ng. h�p://www.wvpubcast.org/

newsar�cle.aspx?id=7516. Ar�cle retrieved on : 7 September

2011.

FEATURE


Note: Young Engineers ASEAN Federa�on of Engineering Organiza�ons (YEAFEO) represent the Young Engineers of the na�onal engineering

organisa�ons under the umbrella of the ASEAN Federa�on of Engineering Organiza�ons (AFEO), and comprise members engaged in the common

professional pursuit of engineering who are aware of the important role of engineering in the advancement of the social, economic, and industrial

development in the ASEAN Region. In December 2010, in Hanoi, Vietnam, YEAFEO had their 17th mee�ng where leaders of YEAFEO shared their views

on cra!ing the leaders of tomorrow.

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THE DEVELOPMENT OF

ENGINEERS AS LEADERS IN YOUR COUNTRY?

A1- Engr. Shuhairy: In terms of leadership development of

young engineers, IEM has provided a platform with many

opportunities for all young engineers in Malaysia. The IEM

Young Engineers Section (YES) has eight IEM branches,

namely, YES Kedah/Perlis, YES Penang, YES Perak, YES

Southern, YES Sarawak, YES Miri, YES Sabah as well as

YES Terengganu, which was formed last year. The branches

have provided ample opportunities for young engineers to

develop their leadership skills. Committee members of

YES are also invited to become part of the working team

of the IEM committee. This creates the opportunity for

young engineers to learn from senior engineers in terms of

organising projects and activities.

A2- Guzman: Engineering professionals in the

Philippines have grown tremendously in the past decade,

especially in the fields of mechanical and electronics

and communications engineering. This clearly provides

support for the country’s drive for development - building

new structures, expanding major structural investments

catering mostly to residential and commercial progress,

and the construction of transportation linkages to various

areas from central Metropolitan Manila. The engineering

curriculum in universities have adapted significantly well

with the changing times and developments globally and

within the region which enables and promotes a strong

engineering pool of talent for the country and abroad. There

are also a number of homegrown, strong, technical leaders

from various fields who have become widely recognised

across the globe.

A3- Toyama: In my field, there are no special developments

to distinguish a leader from any other engineers. With that

in mind, an active engineer should attend seminars which

are organised by the discipline of IPEJ (The Institution of

Professional Engineers, Japan) or any other associations.

IPEJ provides a platform to develop one’s leadership

skills.

A4- Ir. Razali: A leader should have the aspiration to

organise activities that are needed by the organisation.

In FAM-PII, leading the young engineers’ organisation

is quite different. In this case, the young engineers are

still in the process of becoming professional engineers.

So leadership development in this organisation should

include activities that contribute to the development of

young engineers to the professional level.

Engr. Shuhairy Norhisham

Chairman Graduate and Students–Young Engineers Section

Rina Marie Guzman

Past Executive Secretary and External Affairs Director of the Young Engineers

of the Philippines (YEP)

Atsushi Toyama

Young Engineer,

The institution of Professional Engineers, Japan

Ir. Razali Astaman Sigit

Head of Construction Service Department Forum Anggota Muda – Persatuan

Insinyur Indonesia (FAM-PII)

Crafting Leaders of Tomorrow through Young Engineers ASEAN Federation of Engineering Organizations (YEAFEO) by Engr. Mah Way Sheng and

Engr. Shuhairy Norhisham

FEATURE


ARE THERE ANY SPECIAL PROGRAMMES FOR YOUNG ENGINEERS IN

THE YOUNG ENGINEERS ORGANISATION IN YOUR COUNTRY?

A1- Engr. Shuhairy: In Malaysia, specifically IEM YES, we have organised a

series of talks on the Route to Professional Engineers. Besides this, we also try

to promote the Route to PE Club, which meets once a month for updates and to

have a question and answer session with the professional interview committee.

IEM has also introduced a logbook scheme to support young engineers with

specific mentors.

A2- Guzman: We have many conferences, conventions, symposia and

technical sharings that are held throughout the whole year and organised by

12 Accredited Professional Organizations (APO) in the Philippines, which are

member organisations of the Young Engineers of the Philippines (YEP). The

most recent event is the IECEP 60th National Convention from 7 to 10 December

2010 at the SMX Convention Center, Pasay City, which was attended by

senior engineers, young engineers, students and businessmen of the industry.

An upcoming event is being organised by the Young Geodetic Engineers of

the Philippines to celebrate their first yGEP-NCR Seminar entitled, “Breaking

Grounds”. We are also working on beefing up our membership through these

APOs from the results of the Licensure Examinations which is held annually, or

sometimes bi-annually, for each field of engineering. Of course, we do not want

to take the fun out of being young engineers. We also organise social events

such as the Bowling Tournament of the Society of Metallurgical Engineers, and

other similar activities.

A3- Toyama: I am now an engineer in training, and studying to be a Professional

Engineer (PE). There is an executive committee within IPEJ which monitors the

growth and development of an engineer in training and associate PEs. There

is also a portfolio within IPEJ that develops and implements a programme for

young or associate professional engineers.

A4- Ir. Razali: In Indonesia, especially in FAM-PII, we work as closely as we can

with the industry in order to familiarise more young engineers with knowledge of

the industry’s technology. We believe that all young engineers should have two

elements of knowledge; one in the form of a university education and the other

from the industry. These two elements should combine in FAM PII.

DO YOU FORESEE A BRIGHT FUTURE FOR YOUNG ENGINEERS IN

YOUR COUNTRY WITHIN THE NEXT 10 YEARS?

A1- Engr. Shuhairy: The challenges that young engineers face today will be

different from those in the future. The competition among engineers in the world

has created a new era for future young engineers leaders. With the rise of new

challenges and focus areas such as green technology and nuclear energy, there

is clearly a need for a different style of management in engineering. With the

globalisation of engineers in Malaysia, we shall rise to meet these challenges.

A2- Guzman: I am enthusiastic about the technical and leadership preparations

that are being carried out for the younger generation of engineers in the

Philippines. I am very confident that the technical skills that young engineers

acquire are adequate in addressing the current concerns and global issues. The

bigger challenge is in having the right leadership to drive these developments

forward and towards the path for progress. I am a firm believer of this adage,

“Engineering, like poetry, is an attempt to approach perfection. And engineers,

like poets, are seldom completely satisfied with their creations”. So, in my mind,

engineers will naturally lead the world to embrace progress as they are well-

equipped to do so with the right skills and talent. We also have the right attitude

embedded in our leaders to make this happen.

FEATURE


A3- Toyama: In Japan, many senior engineers retire

when they reach the stipulated age limit. Unfortunately,

many young engineers are not yet prepared to take over

the reigns. Thus young engineers must come together to

address this problem. A solution to this problem will be

expected from a leader of engineers. In 10 years time, I

believe young engineers will become influenced to take

up more responsibilities and challenges from senior

engineers.

A4- Ir. Razali: Ten years into the future, I hope FAM-PII can

produce more capable leaders that can provide substantial

input to knowledge building and contribute to society and

community. Having achieved success, it is hoped that

these capable leaders will remember that FAM-PII was the

place where they developed their leadership.

HOW HAS YOUR APPOINTMENT AS THE

CHAIRPERSON AND YOUR COUNTRY'S OFFICIAL

REPRESENTATIVE INFLUENCED YOUR PERSONAL

DEVELOPMENT?

A1- Engr. Shuhairy: As chairman of IEM YES, I have

represented Malaysia in the Young Engineers ASEAN

Federation of Engineering Organization (YEAFEO)

gathering that was held in Thailand in 2008, Singapore in

2009 and Vietnam in 2010. My involvement in YEAFEO

has given me the chance to get to know other countries. By

keeping abreast with the engineering development among

ASEAN countries, I can become a better engineer.

A2- Guzman: I have been actively involved in YEP

since 2006, and my first YEAFEO representation for the

Philippines was at the 24th CAFEO held in Malaysia.

Since then, I have regularly attended and represented

my country at the annual board meeting serving as

the Executive Secretary until 2008. I was compelled to

become an adHoc/honorary member in 2009 due to my

relocation to Malaysia, China and Vietnam, but that did

not prevent me from continuing to engage with the ASEAN

organisation until today. I have actually built a closer bond

with this community of ASEAN engineer members and

their activities during the time when I temporarily resided

in their respective countries.

This opportunity has provided me with a

regional and global perspective, and networking

opportunities that are beneficial to both my

professional and personal development. I am

greatly satisfied with the current developments

that the organisation is pushing for. For

example, the approval of the ASEAN Engineer

Register Young Engineer (AERYE) which,

although it took a couple of years to realise,

is a milestone for all of us in YEAFEO. This,

for me, is another key milestone representing

the Philippines and ASEAN in moving up the

professional ladder, especially since my line

of work with Intel has a global reach as well.

Hopefully, we can promote more engagement

with European-based as well as other global organisations

in the future.

A3- Toyama: It is a great opportunity to meet and

understand the present condition of engineers from within

ASEAN, and to provide feedback about them to engineers

in my country.

A4- Ir. Razali: As a young engineer leading this

organisation, I have gained a sense of self-confidence and

developed a network with other engineers from among

ASEAN countries.

WHAT IS YOUR DREAM FOR YOUNG ASEAN

ENGINEERING LEADERS?

A1- Engr. Shuhairy: My dream is for all 10 ASEAN

countries, including Japan and Hong Kong, to think and

act together to meet the future challenges of globalisation

in the engineering sector. Of course, the focus should be

on engineering for a better living. My dream is that, one day,

all young ASEAN engineers can influence the world and to

ensure that the voice of engineers is heard everywhere.

A2- Guzman: I only have a single thought in my mind

when it comes to the ASEAN engineer; simply put, to be

a world class, competitive and respectable professional in

any field, any country and any job one is currently engaged

in. That is how I would like the Young ASEAN Engineering

Leaders to be distinguished anywhere in the world.

A3- Toyama: I hope young ASEAN engineering leaders can

clarify the fields in which we can cooperate together, and

which fields in which we can compete against, and call for

the participation of more international exchange activities.

The challenge is certainly there for future engineers.

A4- Ir. Razali: I really hope we can become a united group

of young engineers and serve other young engineers

who need a guide in their own country. With support from

other ASEAN countries, we hope that our suggestions

and opinions can be accepted by all ASEAN governments

in order to build a better standard of living for the world

community. n

Young engineers leaders from ASEAN, Japan and Hong Kong


ENGINEERING DIGEST

Strand to Develop Malaysia into an Engineering Hub

Suitable Rail Link Between Johor Bahru and Singapore to be Identified

Scientific Collaboration in Research Between Malaysia and UK

Local Makers of Semiconductor Equipment Impacted by Global Slowdown

Encouraging Malaysian Firms to Explore Trade Potential in Turkey

Under the Economic Transforma�on Programme (ETP), Strand

Aerospace Malaysia Sdn Bhd, a pure play engineering services

provider for Airbus planes, aims to develop Malaysia as a hub for

high-value engineering services by 2020.

Its co-founder and chief opera�ng officer Naguib Mohd Nor said

that the market for engineering design services is forecasted to

be worth US$1 trillion in 2020. To create high-value jobs in the

Malaysian engineering sector, the company plans to invest RM177

million in training and development. Its mandate is two-fold; in

a bid to a�ract the business of other global original equipment

manufacturers and poten�al investors in the first phase, it has to

reach a cri�cal mass of 350 engineers by 2013 from 40 currently. In

the second phase, it is envisaged that foreign direct investment will

follow once the talent pool is in place. Strand will also work closely

with Talent Corp to source for poten�al graduates. The project is

targeted to achieve a gross na�onal income impact of RM3.5 billion

and create 6,000 jobs by 2020.

(Sourced from The Star)

A six-month study will be undertaken shortly to iden�fy the most

suitable rapid transit system link between Johor Baru and Singapore.

According to Transport Minister Datuk Seri Kong Cho Ha, this was

in line with the agreement made between the governments of

Malaysia and Singapore when Keretapi Tanah Melayu moved out

of Tanjung Pagar in Singapore. On the Malaysian side, he said that

the sta�on would be located at Johor Baru Sentral as the Customs,

Immigra�on and Quaran�ne facili�es were available there. He

added that the rail transit system would reduce conges�on on the

road as thousands of Malaysians travel to Singapore each day by

bus, taxi, motorcycle and car. The Straits Times also reported that

Malaysia and Singapore were seeking a consultant to undertake

an engineering study for a rapid transit system linking the two

countries. Singapore’s Transport Minister Lui Tuck Yew said both

countries would invite tenders at the same �me and a joint

Malaysian-Singapore team would evaluate and pick a company.


A joint statement issued by Prof. John Beddington, the Chief

Scien�fic Adviser to the United Kingdom, and Prof. Emeritus Datuk

Dr Zakri Abdul Hamid, Science Adviser to the Prime Minister of

Malaysia announced that Malaysia and the UK have agreed to

forge close coopera�on in research on science, technology and

engineering for con�nuing economic development and improving

the quality of life. The two countries will cooperate in the fields

of civilian nuclear technology for energy security, biotechnology,

food security and gene�cs, life sciences and healthcare,

nanotechnology, mari�me and marine engineering, environment

and renewable energy technology. Scien�sts from the UK and

Malaysia would also seek to encourage scien�fic collabora�on

and new research networks to develop greater awareness of the

scien�fic strengths in their respec�ve countries and s�mulate

further innova�on.

(Sourced from BERNAMA)

According to Datuk Husame!n Sinlak, the Consul-General of

Malaysia in Turkey, Malaysian companies should explore the trade

poten�al in Turkey's sectors such as technology, transporta�on,

telecommunica�on and energy. While trade rela�onship has

improved with Turkey doubling its Malaysian imports to about

RM24 million since two decades ago, he noted that most of the

trade between the two countries was confined to Malaysian

palm oil and Turkish tex�les. He also said that Scomi Engineering

Bhd has been inden�fied as a poten�al partner for Mass Rapid

Transit projects in Istanbul, Izmir and Ankara. The consul urged for

Malaysians to par�cipate in more Turkish trade fairs and showcase

the products and services they have to offer.


Due to a projected drop in global spending on semiconductor

equipment, Malaysia-made automated semiconductor equipment

are likely to be priced lower next year. This will likely affect Penang,

a renowned manufacturing centre for automated equipment used

in the semiconductor, electronics, medical and motor vehicle

sectors. Worldwide semiconductor capital equipment spending

is expected to decline from a projected US$43.5 billion (RM137.3

billion) in 2011 to US$35.2 billion (RM111.1 billion) next year, due

to excess inventory and poor demand as a result of the slowing

macro economy. According to a Gartner research house report,

this represented a decline of 19.2%. Selling prices of locally-

made automated semiconductor equipment are expected to fall

further next year to a�ract buyers amid a weakening market.

The slowdown in semiconductor spending globally is expected to

last for the remainder of 2011 and into the first half of 2012. The

report also stated that, by mid-2012, Gartner expects the supply

and demand to be more in balance.


SAFE TEA TIME


Establishing the Lineby Ir. Shum Keng Yan

NOW that the person-in-charge is in place, and the

Safety and Health Policy and Safety Management

System framework has been set up by the

management, there is a need to establish the safety

and health related business risks and determine

how to deal with it. I have taken the liberty to add

“Environmental” and “Reputational” into the concept.

In order to arrive at our business strategies, we will

need to take into account the following:

1) Business Risk Assessment (Reputational,

Environmental, Health and Safety Risks)

2) Corporate Values, Vision and Policies

3) Legislation

This can be represented graphically as indicated

below:

In addressing business issues pertaining to safety

and health, the management needs to run a risk

assessment on the business processes. Using the

analysis from the risk assessment, we then need to

consider what are the corporate requirements on the

actions that we need to take.

The next step is to then look at what the local

regulations stipulate. Frequently, there are differences

in, for example, the Corporate Safety and Health

Programme Requirements versus what the local

regulations state. The process is to then take the

stricter of the whole equation and taking into account

Practicability (refer to the October 2010 issue of

JURUTERA) to arrive at an informed decision.

This way, we are able to make a balanced decision

during the planning of our business. We can also

take the appropriate control measures to match the

analysis that we have done. Next, let us have a quick

look at our own readiness.

(a) Corporate values, vision and policies are usually

in place for multinational companies and large

corporations. If we have yet to put this in place,

we need to do it in order to set the guiding

principles. The Safety and Health Policy is one

such instrument.

(b) We have already discussed EHS Risk

Management principles in the articles that were

published in the May 2010 to August 2010 issues

of JURUTERA. This is the foundation that needs

to be established.

(c) The third part is the legal requirements. We need

to understand the legal requirements and how it

impacts our business (and the respective functions

within the business). One such tool is the Legal

Register. I will discuss this in the next article.

So let us get started in determining if we have

actually looked at our Safety and Health business

risks properly. Share your risky moves at pub@iem.

org.my. n

Far too often, Senior Managers tend to take the

least stringent of the above 3 to arrive at the control

measures. Is it then a case of shortsightedness in

addressing safety and health issues? Perhaps the

concept is too deep for those who are too close to it.

FORUM


THE Electrical Engineering Technical Division (EETD)

of IEM marked another milestone in its long history by

successfully co-organising the IEM-IET Energy Conference

(IIEC 2011) recently from 10 to 12 October 2011, together

with The Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET),

Malaysia Network. The Conference was held at the Palace

of the Golden Horses, Kuala Lumpur, MALAYSIA; and

attended by more than 300 local and overseas participants.

Aptly themed “Sustainable Solutions for Energy

Utilisation”, the Conference provided the perfect forum for

all participants to share their experiences, research, studies

and views on wide-ranging issues, such as Energy Efficiency

and Conservation, Power Quality, Green Technologies,

Sustainable Energy, Renewable Energy, Alternative Energy,

Energy Policies, Best Practices and Case Studies.

A technical exhibition was also held concurrently with the

Conference to highlight on the latest design solutions and

application of sustainable solutions for energy utilisation.

IIEC 2011, which consisted of a one-day Tutorial Session

(on 10 October 2011), and two-day Conference (on 11

and 12 October 2011), brought together both international

and national experts and policy makers to discuss on the

relevance and importance of energy in the context of a

sustainable future.

10 OCTOBER 2011 – TUTORIAL SESSION

On the morning of the Tutorial, Dr Douglas Henderson

(Edinburgh Napier University, UK) shared his knowledge on

‘Renewable-Based Distributed Generation System’, with the

session divided into 6 sections, as follow: -

(a) Introduction to Distributed Generation Systems,

(b) Renewable Plant for Distributed Generation Systems,

(c) Generators for Distributed Generation,

(d) Power Conversion Equipment,

(e) Power System Calculations,

(f) Impact of Renewable-Based Generation on an Existing

System.

Dr Henderson began his tutorial by investigating the common

renewable energy generation types, such as: -

(i) Hydroelectric; Wind Power and Turbines (basic wind

turbine types were discussed, e.g. Darrieus, H-Darrieus,

Cup-Type, Savonius, Upwind and Downwind),

(ii) Solar PV (various PV technologies such as

Polycrystalline, Mono-crystalline, Thin Film and their

respective efficiencies were highlighted) and Solar

Thermal Electric,

(iii) Biomass (which, according to Dr Henderson, offers

opportunities for storage that some other renewable

technologies did not).

The session then continued with the introduction and

comparison of Synchronous Generators and Induction

Generators. Among some of the salient points discussed

were on the Basic Construction, Equivalent Circuits, Basic

Operation and Excitation Requirements of both types of

generators.

After a short tea break, the tutorial continued with

discussion on Power Conversion Equipment, or more

specifically the rectifiers and inverters used for connection of

renewable energy sources to the grid. Dr Henderson focused

his discussion on PV and Wind Generators, explaining that

the fundamental component of the rectifiers and inverters

was the Power Electronic Switching Device.

Dr Henderson also discussed on Power System

Calculations (with an introduction of the Per Unit System

and relevant examples, the need for Power System Analysis

with specific mention on the control of Reactive Power and

Voltage, Load Flow Analysis and Calculation with examples,

and the definition of Fault Levels and the impact of generation

on it).

He concluded his session by speaking on the ultimate

aim of achieving technical integration of renewable energy

generation into the existing systems (which are largely fossil-

fuelled based).

Dr Volker Pickert (Newcastle University, UK) took over the

afternoon session of the Tutorial and shared his experience

Highlights of the IEM-IET Energy Conference 2011 (IIEC 2011)

IEM ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING TECHNICAL DIVISION AND IET MALAYSIA NETWORK by Ir. Kok Yen Kwan (IEM-EETD) and Dr Nadia Tan Mei Lin (IET, Malaysia Network)

Dr Douglas Henderson delivering his tutorial on "Renewable-based

distributed genera�on systems"

FORUM


on Green Technologies for

the Automotive Industry.

He started by bringing the

audience through a brief

history of Alternative Powered

Vehicles, which started way

back in Year 1769 with N.J.

Cugnot constructing the first

self-propelled road vehicle –

a military tractor with a top

speed of 2.5mph driven by a

steam engine.

He also briefly discussed

on other important compo-

nents of Electric Vehicles,

such as the Power Train

Drive; the pros and cons of

a pure Electric Vehicle; researches being conducted on both

Pure and Hybrid Electric Vehicles; Engine Improvements

and Light-Weight, etc.

Dr Pickert then showed a video of a high-performance

electric car to the audience before continuing his lecture with

the following area of discussions: -

i) current oil and gas scenario around the world,

ii) global CO2 emission and the impact cars have on it,

iii) power demands in vehicles,

iv) rise of renewable energy generation and consumption.

He then introduced some of today’s most technologically

advanced Electric Vehicles and their characteristics, such

as the Ford Focus Electric, Tesla Roadster, Chevrolet Volt,

Toyota Plug-in Prius, Honda Insight, etc.

Dr Pickert concluded his Tutorial session by discussing

on some of the future technologies that can be expected in

the Automotive Industries, citing relevant examples.

11TH OCTOBER 2011 – CONFERENCE DAY 1

The day began with the official Opening Ceremony of

IIEC 2011, with the IEM President; Ir. Vincent Chen Kim

Kieong delivering his Welcoming Address to all delegates of

the Conference. In his speech, Ir. Chen reminded all that

IIEC 2011 is part of IEM and IET’s joint-efforts to promote

a sustainable society as we face the challenges of limited

supply of oil and gas fuels. He also took the opportunity to

express his appreciation to all who has strongly supported

IEM and assisted in raising funds for Wisma IEM – the

Institution’s newly purchased building to serve all members.

The Conference continued with the Guest-of-Honor;

Y. B. Senator Dato’ Ir. Donald Lim Siang Chai delivering

his Opening Address. He shared several methods that the

Malaysian government is currently undertaking in facing

the limited oil and gas supply in the country, i.e. the five fuel

diversification and the exemption of import and excise duty

for hybrid electric and electric vehicles. He also praised

IEM and IET for organising such a conference which is both

appropriate and timely. In addition, he welcomed feedbacks

from the three-day of discussions between all participants.

At 9.25 a.m., Y. B. Senator Dato’ Ir. Donald Lim officiated the

opening of IIEC 2011.

The opening ceremony continued with a simple ceremony

of thanking all major sponsors of IIEC, which have all

contributed significantly to the success of this Conference.

Y. B. Senator Dato’ Ir. Donald Lim was invited to present

tokens of appreciation to the following sponsors: -

i) Malakoff Corporation Berhad – Platinum Sponsor,

ii) Ajiya Berhad – Silver Sponsor,

iii) Tenaga Nasional Berhad – Bronze Sponsor,

iv) Powertek Berhad – Bronze Sponsor.

Y. B. Senator Dato’ Ir. Donald Lim also showed his strong

support for IIEC 2011 by staying on for the first Keynote

Address of the Conference before launching and touring the

Technical Exhibition Booths.

Prof. John Loughhead (IET Past President and Executive

Director) presented the first Keynote Address, which was

on ‘Sustainable Energy Use: A European Perspective’. He

presented the European and United Kingdom targets for

reduction in CO2 emission and increase in renewable energy

generation. He also challenged all engineers to conduct

research to exploit thermodynamic potentials because

by doing so, he believes the energy consumption can

be reduced by 30% of the existing consumption level. He

further showed that 45% of the present CO2 emissions are

from existing buildings, whereby 27% of that is emitted from

residential houses.

He therefore emphasized on constraining energy

demands by persuading people to use more efficient

devices and promoting efficiency labels on devices. As

consumer habits are not easy to change, Prof. Loughhead

commented that the methodology for change to happen

should be targeted on consumer’s pride and regulation, and

he believes that fuel-cell and electric vehicles are the future

transportation for low carbon emission.

After a short tea break, the Conference continued with

the 1st Plenary Session of the day, which was chaired

by Ir. Chen Thiam Leong (Managing Director, Primetech

Engineers Sdn Bhd) with the sub-theme ‘Energy Efficiency

in Buildings’.

Dr Volker Pickert delivering his

Tutorial on Green Technologies for

the Automo�ve Industry

IEM President, Ir. Vincent Chen Kim Kieong (2nd from right) presen�ng a

token souvenir to Y. B. Senator Dato’ Ir. Donald Lim Siang Chai for officia�ng

IIEC 2011; and accompanied by IIEC 2011 Organising Chairmen – Ir. Assoc.

Prof. Dr Vigna Kumaran (le") and Ir. Lee Kok Chong (right), and IET Past

President – Prof. John Loughhead (2nd from le")

FORUM


Ir. Francis Xavier Jacob began the session by delivering the second Keynote

Address of the day, entitled ‘Towards Energy Efficiency in Buildings’. In his address,

he outlined the methodologies to achieve an energy efficient building; some of these

methods included: -

a) conduct an energy audit,

b) minimise air conditioning load by considering the Overall Thermal Transfer Value

(OTTV) of a building,

c) improve lighting efficiency through usage of efficient lamps such as the T5, CFL,

and LED with longer life spans,

d) use roof insulation, and

e) use smart meters for energy management.

Ir. Francis also informed that Malaysia plans to phase out all incandescent lamps

in the near future, and as such, more efficient lamps will be sold at subsidised

prices to initiate the switching over process. The Malaysian government initiatives

for promoting energy efficiency has also been established, i.e. the five fuel policy,

fiscal incentives (e.g. exemption of tax on green projects), R & D, regulations on

energy ratings and labelling, and introduction of EE courses in universities.

All Plenary Speakers (PS) were allocated 20 minutes of presentation time and

at the end of each Plenary Session, was conducted a brief Question and Answer

(Q & A) session.

The first PS was Dr Paul Carey (Co-Founder, Zero Energy Design), who shared

with the audience on the usability of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) as a

tool in Building Energy Modelling. According to Dr Carey, this tool can be used for

both commercial and residential buildings in building energy models as it allows for

efficiency and air flow analysis, and also troubleshooting. The increase in cost and

time in using CFD analysis could be offsetted by the benefits derived as the study

helps to save a considerable amount of energy in the building in the long run.

Next, Dr Eric Roberts (Co-Founder, Zero Energy Design) presented on ‘Building

Information Modelling (BIM)’. BIM is a repository for design information and a means

of improving an end product.

The third speaker of the session was Mr. Bikash Kumar Sinha (Director, C2C

Project Management), who spoke on the topic of ‘Understanding Carbon’. He gave

a detailed explanation of the changing climate around us and the ever-increasing

level of Green House Gases (GHGs), before speaking on the Carbon Market.

This was followed by Ar. Sarly Adre Sarkum’s presentation on ‘Low-Tech Ideas:

A Green Designer’s Best Friend’. Ar. Sarly (Director, BDA Architects) is passionate

about employing simple methods to achieve a green impact. According to him,

several examples of the low-tech green ideas that have been implemented are

bicycle library, solar tree that produces 20 to 50% more efficiency than present

solar arrays, and interstitial urban parks.

The final speaker of the session was Mr. Daniel Wang (Division Senior Accounts

Manager, Schneider Electric Taiwan), who talked about ‘Leading Techniques for

Energy Saving in Commercial Office Buildings’. He proposed an integrated control

system consisting of Variable Frequency Drives (VFDs); card access that triggers

HVAC and lighting, reporting and billing; smart circuit breaker; 3rd party equipment;

and central monitoring and control in commercial buildings.

The second Plenary Session continued after lunch break, chaired by Ir. Mah Soo

with the sub-theme of ‘Energy Policy’. The session started with the third Keynote

Address of the day, delivered by Tuan Haji Badaruddin bin Mahyudin (Deputy

Secretary General, KeTTHA), entitled ‘Sustainable Energy Policies in Malaysia’.

His speech encompassed the various programs initiated by KeTTHA with

regards to energy efficiency, which included: -

a) rebate given for energy efficient appliances, e.g. 5-star refrigerator and air-

conditioning units,

b) all government buildings are to set the air-conditioner temperature control to a

level not less than 24°C,

FORUM


c) introduction of Small Renewable Energy Program (SREP)

to promote renewable energy programs in Malaysia,

d) introduction of both the Renewable Energy (RE) Act 2011

and Sustainable Energy Development Authority (SEDA)

Act 2011, which have been passed in April 2011, and,

e) re-structuring of electricity tariffs in Malaysia, whereby all

subsidies will be reduced by year 2015 because cheap

electricity results in wastage.

Tuan Haji concluded by expressing his hope that IIEC will

be a platform for further debate on sustainable solutions for

energy utilisation that can then be forwarded to KeTTHA.

The first PS was Ir. Dr Herman Darnel Ibrahim

(Committee Member, National Energy Council of Indonesia),

who explained about the ‘Low Carbon Energy Development

in Indonesia’. He opined that the subsidy of oil and electricity

is a major barrier for RE and low carbon development due

to lack of competitiveness. Presently, Indonesia’s renewable

energy policy is to maximise renewable share and to

remove subsidy of electricity. Other initiatives on low carbon

development included appliance labelling for televisions, air-

conditioners, refrigerators, fans, and washing machines. In

line with industry and building energy efficiency practices,

green building council, green airport, and green cities have

also been proposed.

Next, Mr. Su Jin-Sheng (Director of Energy Technology

Division, Bureau of Energy, Ministry of Economic Affairs,

Taiwan) shared Taiwan’s perspective on developing green

energy industry, which included the implementation of Green

Energy Industry Program based on the following five pillars: -

a) Key Industries for Development,

b) Taiwan’s Competitive Advantages in Developing a

Green Energy Industry,

c) Five Driving Forces in Green Energy Industry

Development,

d) Vision and Current Status,

e) Projected Benefits.

Dr Tilak Siyambalapitiya (Visiting Lecturer, University of

Moratuwa, Sri Lanka) was the last speaker of the session

and he presented a paper on ‘Policy Initiatives in Sri Lanka

to enhance Energy Security and Energy Economy’. He

highlighted the energy scenario in Sri Lanka, where its

energy sources are mostly petroleum and hydro, with 90%

of households having active grid connections and 3% of

households with off-grid services.

Dr Tilak also informed that Sri Lanka has no indigenous

fossil fuels, and the Sri Lanka Energy Policy in 2008 is

targeted at shifting from a two-fuel energy policy (hydro and

oil) to four-fuel energy policy (i.e. to include coal and non-

conventional renewable energy). He also mentioned that

electricity customers are normally the forgotten stakeholder

at all energy seminars and hopes that discussions would

continue with them in mind.

After a short tea break for refreshment, the third and

final Plenary Session for the day started with Ir. Francis

Xavier Jacob (Director, Energy Management and Industry

Development Department, Energy Commission of Malaysia)

as the Session Chairman and sub-theme of ‘Energy and

Resource Management’. There were four PS in this session

and the first speaker was Dr Douglas Henderson, who

spoke on ‘UK/Scottish Energy Policies’. He articulated that

the UK’s energy policy is driven by carbon reduction due

to the diminishing fossil fuel and it is adopting sustainable

technologies to keep the lights on.

Speaking next was En. Hishamudin Ibrahim (Country

Expert and Local Trainer for Malaysia, AEMAS), sharing

his views on ‘Energy Management Gold Standard for

Sustainability in Energy Management: Malaysia Experience’.

He opined that in order to establish a gold standard in

energy management, certification of energy managers and

professional energy managers are required to empower the

industries. There is also a need for continuous improvement

to achieve Sustainable Energy Management (SEM), and

the ASEAN Energy Management Accreditation Scheme

(AEMAS) is a good certification scheme.

Mr. Tzueen-Liang Kuo (Sales Director, TATUNG) was the

third PS of the session, and he demonstrated that using a hot

water heat pump system can be an efficient way of heating

as it results in 70% savings. He also discussed on the

requirement for consideration in the heating of water, such

as usage, number of persons, and open schedule facility,

and also showed some case studies.

The final PS of the day was Prof. Dr Gary Chang

(Professor, National Chung Cheng University), who

discussed about ‘Development and Application of Advanced

Power Quality Measurement Techniques’. He affirmed

that power quality of supply is important to ensure no loss

or malfunction of sensitive loads that will cost billions of

dollars. In order to ensure power quality of supply, power

quality monitoring, advanced communication system, and

data acquisition are essential elements.

12 OCTOBER 2011 – CONFERENCE DAY 2

The day opened with the 4th Plenary Session of the

Conference, with the sub-theme “Green Development” and

was chaired by Ir. Looi Hip Peu (Vice President, MGBC).

Ir. Looi started the session by introducing the Keynote

Speaker for the session – Ar. Von Kok Leong, the current

President of the Malaysia Green Building Confederation

(MGBC).

Ar. Von addressed the audience by giving a short

introduction of MGBC and

the importance role it plays in

pushing for a more sustainable

built environment in the country.

He continued by discussing

on the Green Building Index

(GBI) – Malaysia’s own green

building rating tool, and the

two key elements that should

be considered carefully in all

projects – OTTV and Passive

Design.

Mr. Ma�hias Gelber delivering

his ‘green agenda’

FORUM


The first speaker of the session was Mr. Matthias

Gelber (Greenest Person on the Planet, 2008), who shared

some of his thought-provoking stories and insights from a

sustainability practitioner’s point-of-view. A champion of

green causes and firm believer in preserving the planet’s

natural environment, Matthias delivered an inspirational talk

with practical examples of going green and urged everyone

in the audience to ‘walk-the-talk’ and not hide behind a

‘green-mask’ in our efforts to create a green energy and

sustainability revolution.

The session continued with Ir. Thirukumaran Jallendran

(Project Manager, Lend Lease), sharing his thoughts on the

global environmental impacts on the property sector and

discussing on some key examples from his firm (e.g. The

Gauge in Melbourne, Setia Alam Mall and Menara Public

Mutual).

The session concluded with Mr. Richard Tu (Senior Vice

President, CTCI Corporation) speaking on Build-In Power

Efficiency Improvement. Among the concepts that he shared

on Built-in Efficiency included lighting system design; power

factor adjustment; hi-efficiency motors; amorphous metal

transformers; and conductors.

After a short tea-break, the day continued with the 5th

Plenary Session of the Conference, with Ir. Lam Sing Yew

chairing the session with the sub-theme of “Energy Efficiency

in Industries”.

The session began with Mr. Chih-Chien Liang (Taiwan)

speaking on Power Quality (PQ) Control of Taipower System,

a Taiwan Power Utility Company. According to Mr. Liang,

PQ problems are complex and often require a thorough

understanding before a suitable, cost effective solution can

be provided. He also stressed that comprehensive monitoring

and analysis shall be a pre-requisite of any PQ mitigation

plans.

Next, Ir. Thomas K.C. Chan (Chairman, IET Hong Kong

Network) shared his thoughts on the need for high level of PQ

for buildings in a world-class city (e.g. Hong Kong), where

reliable operations are essential. In his speech, Ir. Chan

focuses on the issues of PQ in the design of modern power

distribution systems and rising mains for a world class city,

taking into account all adverse effects caused by harmonics

and voltage dips. The relating energy issues and standards/

requirements of PQ as set out in the Electrical Energy Code

were also discussed.

The third speaker, Mr. Bernard Lee of EATON Singapore

spoke on the importance of Energy Advantage Architecture

in UPS design. He further explained on the Variable

Module Management System (VMMS) and how the system

maximizes efficiency with lighter loads.

The session next had Mr. Roger Chia of Honeywell

Singapore – the fourth speaker, who presented on Energy

Performance Contract and the 5W2H (5W – Who, What,

Why, When, Where and 2H – How, How Much) of Energy

Efficiency.

Er. Lee Keh Sai (Principal, K.S. Lee and Associates)

was the last speaker of the session and shared his vast

experience in energy savings through rational and efficient

use of electrical energy. His lecture focused on Motor Driven

System Efficiency – which according to Er. Lee depended on

many factors such as: -

(a) motor efficiency and motor speed control,

(b) proper selection and sizing,

(c) power supply quality and distribution losses,

(d) maintenance, etc.

The Conference

continued after lunch

break with the 6th

Plenary Session,

which was chaired

by Ir. G. Lalchand

with the sub-theme

“Renewable Energy”.

The session opened

with Dato’ Ir. Azman

bin Mohd. (Chief Op-

erating Officer, Tena-

ga Nasional Berhad)

delivering his Keynote Address titled TNB’s Vision for Re-

newable Energy.

In his speech, Dato’ Ir. Azman discussed shortly on a

wide variety of issues, such as the Background of Energy

Utilization globally; National Policy on Green Technology;

Incentive Packages offered by the Government of Malaysia

and TNB’s own initiatives in supporting sustainable clean

power options. In summarising his Address, Dato’ Ir. Azman

reiterated TNB’s firm commitment towards sustainable clean

power and its aim of becoming a primary driver of Green

Energy in Malaysia by the Year 2015.

After the presentation of a small token of appreciation by

the Session Chairman to Dato’ Ir. Azman, the Conference

continued with the first speaker of the session – Mr. Hing

Wai Toong (District Sales Manager, National Instruments

Malaysia) presenting his topic on Digitising the Power Grid.

He presented a case example of Distribution Grid

Automation, introduced Phasor Measurement Unit (PMU)

and explained on the ever evolving challenges of the power

grid. One of the key points mentioned was on the bottom line

of the power grid being – smart sensors will be the building

blocks for monitoring, controlling and automating all existing

and future transmission and distribution power systems.

The session continued with Mr. Anthony J. Jude (Director

of Energy Division SEA Department, Asian Development

Bank) presenting on Financing of Energy Efficiency Projects.

Apart from sharing of the many case studies of EE projects

in the Asian region, Mr. Jude also discussed on some of

the key issues and challenges facing the Malaysia energy

sector, e.g. the ever-increasing urban population, forecast

of being net energy importer by 2015 and highest per capita

energy consumption among all ASEAN countries.

Ir. Ali Askar bin Sher Mohamad (UNITEN Lecturer and

IEM EETD Honorary Secretary) was the last speaker of the

session and gave an interesting overview of the possible

alternative energy options and availability to Malaysia (e.g.

Dato’ Ir. Azman bin Mohd. delivering his

Keynote Address at IIEC 2011

(Con!nued on page 42)

FORUM


Small Hydro, Biomass, Biogas, Solar PV, Geothermal, Wind

Energy, Ocean Technology, and Nuclear). He envisaged

that the Feed-in-Tariff (FiT) (which will be launched on 1st

December 2011) shall kick-start the RE Power Development

in the country, and by the Year 2050 more than 70% of the

Maximum Demand require in the country will be met by RE

sources.

After a short tea break, Datuk Ir. Prof. Dr Ow Chee Sheng

(Past President, IEM) chaired the last Plenary Session of

the Conference by introducing the first speaker, Dr Volkert

Pickert.

Dr Pickert spoke on the topic of Latest Development

in Green Technologies for Transportation Systems and

began by introducing the Greener Transportation Roadmap,

followed by examples of Solar-Powered Planes and Electric

Bikes. Some of the latest technologies were also discussed,

including Batteries fuelled by air; Lithium-ion capacitor

technology system; Electrification of Ancillaries; Phase

Change Materials, etc.

Ir. Thomas Chan was the next speaker and he presented

his second paper on The Present and Potential Future

Sustainability and Renewable Energy Solutions in the

Building Environment. As an introduction, he discussed

shortly on the global human population, temperature and sea

level scenarios before zooming on Hong Kong’s position.

Ir. Chan also stressed on the importance of designing

sustainable solutions into buildings and introduced on the

various green building assessment system available, i.e.

LEED, HK-BEAM, BREEAM, Green Star Australia, CASBEE

Japan and Malaysia’s very own Green Building Index (GBI).

The third speaker of the session was Mr. Baptiste Kervyn

(CEO, Biotec International Asia Sdn Bhd), who shared his

experience on Biogas Capture and Electricity Generation.

After briefly introducing his company and giving a general

overview of the biogas industry, he proceeded to show the

many case studies of Biogas-to-Electricity projects that have

been or currently undertaken in Malaysia and the rest of the

world.

Mr. Terence Lee (Chief Engineering Technical Specialist,

FM Global Asia Operations) has the privilege of being the last

speaker of the session and the IIEC 2011, and enlightened

the crowd with his subject on Risks and Hazards of Wind

Power, From An Insurer’s Perspective. He started his

presentation by explaining some of the key components in

Wind Farm (WF) design, before moving on to the key risk

and hazard areas in insuring WF. Terence then concluded

his presentation by pointing out on the potential impacts of

high wind power penetration.

CONCLUDING REMARKS

The IIEC 2011 concluded with the MC inviting Prof. John

Loughhead to officially close the Conference with his closing

remarks. Besides thanking all the speakers for sharing their

expert knowledge throughout the 3-day conference, Prof.

Loughhead also expressed his gratitude towards members

of the Organising Committee, the Conference Secretariat

staff and all participants for contributing towards the

success of IIEC 2011.

He also urged the audience to reflect on the wealth of

information presented during the 3-day IIEC, and review on

the lessons learned especially on the urgent need to utilise

the world’s energy sustainably.

Prof. Loughhead also commented on the growing

important role that engineers played in the energy and

sustainable development sectors, and encouraged them

to continue leading the decision-making processes in the

future. He then declared IIEC 2011 officially closed and

look forward to meeting all delegates again in the next IEM-

IET Energy Conference. n

Prof. John Loughhead and Ir. Thomas Chan in a group photo with members

of IIEC 2011 Organising Commi�ee and IEM Secretariat staff

ANNOUNCEMENT

CONDOLENCE

Please note that, at the 466th Excomm Meeting held on 19 September 2011, the Sub-Committee on Membership Drive and Career

Guidance has been renamed as the Sub-Committee on Membership Drive and Promotions (MDP) with immediate effect.

With deep regret, we wish to inform that Allahyarham Ir. Mohamad Aris bin Ramlan (M 20573), has passed away on 26 August

2011. On behalf of the IEM Council and management, we wish to convey our condolence to his family.

Regards,

IEM Editorial Board

On behalf of the IIEC 2011 Organising Commi�ee, the authors would like

to record their sincere apprecia!on to everyone who has contributed to

the success of this Conference. For further informa!on, please visit the

conference website at www.iiec2011.com.

FORUM


DAY 2 PROCEEDINGS

For the proceedings of the second day of the workshop, the

following discussion relied on the notes graciously provided

by Ir. Mun Kwai Peng.

Effect of ground conditions

On the first day of the workshop during the discussion on

the Bukit Tinggi fault in Bentong, it was predicted that the

fault could generate a M6.5 earthquake or an earthquake

with a lower magnitude of 5, where a lower peak ground

acceleration of 80 gals (0.08g) could happen and which

will be close to the effect of low and moderate earthquake

scenarios.

There was also another important aspect, which is

related to ground effect, that needs to be investigated; that is

the ground material (or soil) magnification (or amplification)

effect. The contributions of geologists and geotechnical

engineers in the study of local ground conditions will have

to be sought.

Provisions in Eurocode 8

An observation was made on the provisions in Eurocode

8 (EN 1998-1), which states that the defining line of 40

gals (0.04g) in peak ground acceleration (PGA) is used to

determine if there is a need to carry out structural design for

seismic (for PGA above 0.04g) or if it is not necessary to do

so (for PGA below 0.04g). The range for seismicity design

in Eurocode 8 is as follows:

In the case for Malaysia (especially Peninsular Malaysia),

the seismicity may be considered as either very low (i.e. no

need to consider seismic in structural design) or low (i.e.

Eurocode 8 recommends, “reduced or simplified seismic

design procedures for certain types or categories of

structures may be used”).

The workshop participants were advised to read and

understand the provisions stated in Eurocode 8 so as to

comprehend the requirement of the code.

Performance requirement and return periods for

seismic design consideration

In the event of an earthquake, in order for the continued

operation of a critical facility such as hospitals, it is

necessary to design for a minimum return period of 500

years. Within the 1997 Uniform Building Code (UBC) in

the United States, this requirement is stated very clearly,

however, in this country, a less elaborate requirement may

be considered. A return period of 2500 years is required for

a no collapse design condition. Clearly, the return period

is important as an indication of the life expectancy of

structures, and the need to design to resist collapse as well

as to provide for adequate ductility.

In Australia, the building code has a different return

period for important structures and used to be 500 years

in the past. However, this consideration now applies for

important buildings in the Building Code and not in the

Earthquake Code of Australia. The choice of return period

is not an engineering decision, but is up to the client or the

local housing board to decide (as specified in the Australian

practice) as follows:

• 500 years - with a factor of 1.0

• 2000 years - with a factor of 1.8

Each country treats the return period differently. However,

an elastic analysis can be based on a 500-year return

period. For the collapse and ductility requirement of a

building, a higher return period is used. Generally, if a

building can withstand a 500-year return period elastically,

then there would be no problem for the building to withstand

a return period of 2500 years. In Hong Kong, even though

the design for seismic loads are not required for low rise

structures, structural engineers need to design for very high

wind load (due to its annual typhoon).

Gathering of Views and Opinions on Seismic Investigations in Peninsular Malaysia – Report on the IEM Workshop on Earthquake (Part 2)

IEM TECHNICAL COMMITTEE ON EARTHQUAKE

by Ir. Assoc. Prof. Dr Chiang

Choong Luin, Jeffrey in collaboration

with Ir. Mun Kwai Peng

Note: This is Part 2 of a two-part ar�cle. Part 1 was published on pages 44 to 51 in the October 2011 issue.

Range of peak ground

acceleration (PGA)

Level of seismicity for design consideration

PGA < 0.04 Very low seismicity, hence no necessity for

seismic design consideration for structures

0.04g ≤ PGA ≤ 0.08g Low seismicity, a need for a simplified

approach for seismic design consideration

for structures

PGA > 0.08g Medium to high seismicity level, requires a

detailed seismic design consideration for

structures


FORUM


Ductility of building structures and soil amplification due to earthquakes

In Hong Kong, the buildings would generally have a combined factor of ductility

of 2.0, which would be acceptable in a low-seismic risk region similar to that of

Malaysia.

It was said that buildings previously not designed for seismicity, such as those in

Malaysia, can still survive earthquakes, and this may be due to the way they were

designed and detailed that gave a certain amount of ductility in the joints. It may not be

required to consider seismic design for buildings for low and moderate earthquakes

in the case of far field effect. Prof. Nelson Lam from Melbourne University, Australia,

agreed on this assessment.

A soil amplification factor of 4 was suggested, particularly for soft soil conditions,

which was realistic. With this suggested amplification factor, it would give a lateral

load of (1.5%)g x 4 = (6%)g (or 0.06g). This would be in the low seismicity range

under Eurocode 8, requiring a simplified seismic design approach for certain types

of buildings deemed to be sensitive – dynamically and national-purpose.

A question was asked on why, during the recent earthquake in Chile, buildings

with shear wall design had collapsed.

It was explained by one of the panellists that the displacement demand of the

building and the behaviour of the shear walls with respect to the displacement

in response to the earthquake did not match favourably in that instance – hence

the collapse of the building. Research into this aspect was still ongoing and the

quantifiable results have yet to be finalised, hence the panellist did not wish to jump

to any conclusion at that stage. He asked that the participants be patient pending

the release of the research findings.

Participants were also advised to make an in-depth study of building design

where seismic considerations are required. With good quality concrete and a

properly engineered building, it can withstand a certain amount of seismic effect.

Shear walls tend to provide very good ductility to high-rise buildings in cases of

seismic loads.

Concept of drift ductility in relation to displacement

One of the panellists had suggested a drift ductility of more than 2% of the building’s

height. For example, in Hong Kong, with a seismic hazard of a 2500-year return

period, the drift demand would be less than 0.5% of the building height. By that

criterion, should the buildings be designed in accordance to the 10%g (100 gals) for

a 500-year return period and 20%g (200 gals) for a 2500-year return period then the

drift demand shall be less than 0.2%.

In addition, for a 4%g PGA on a 10-storey building, the horizontal drift is less than

10mm with a natural period of 1.0 second, which is based on prior research.

In using the M8.8 earthquake in Sumatra as a guide, and using that data for

a typical building of 15 storeys in height under soft soil condition, the expected

building drift should not be more than 10mm.

Geotechnical aspects in seismic and liquefaction effect

A series of questions relating to geotechnical engineering and ground conditions

were raised by some of the participants:

• What happens to the soil during an earthquake? Does this need to be investigated?

• What about liquefaction?

• How to treat the fundamental aspects of geotechnical design in an earthquake

scenario?

• Is it true that liquefaction tends to occur only in clean sand?

• The rules and criteria for seismic design have changed quite frequently – is that

helpful for designers?

• On the issue of liquefaction, is it related to the crushability of soil grain as assumed?

• Is it fair to say that the uncertainty of the occurrence of liquefaction makes the

problem very empirical in nature?

FORUM


In response to the aforementioned questions, the

participants’ attention were drawn to the seismic events

between 2004 and 2005, during which the earthquakes

occurring in Sumatra were the worst in severity, yet, there

was no evidence of liquefaction failure. This was a good

indication that such a phenomenon would not occur in this

region.

On whether reclaimed lands such as in Singapore could

pose a problem, one of the panellists related the Hong Kong

experience. For a return period of 2500 years at a PGA

of 0.03g (3%), the probability for liquefaction is quite low.

Nevertheless, should liquefaction happen to occur there, it

would only strike a few meters below ground level.

In fact, the risk of liquefaction in Singapore is also very

low. Short distance earthquakes of between 20 to 50 gals

(0.02g to 0.05g) may not cause liquefaction.

So what is liquefaction? It is the rise of groundwater

through upward seepage due to the shifting of sandy

ground soil during earthquake tremors of a certain intensity.

In most modern building design and construction, the

pilecaps, beams and foundations are all tied up as a rigid

body, hence reducing the likelihood of uneven settlement

due to such a phenomena.

What is the liquefaction potential in the Malaysian

context? Is there such a concern here? If the answer is yes,

then we may need to look at the problem seriously.

It was pointed out that a desk study would be a good

starting point. The panellist proposed for local researchers

to consult their counterparts in neighbouring countries, and

to enquire about their experiences and measures taken

when facing similar effects. Making references to past

experiences faced by others is a good and practical starting

point.

Another suggestion put forth was for local researchers

to select the worst case, i.e. the worst earthquake scenario,

and make an assessment of the problem at a particular site.

Shear wave velocity in seismic ground propagation

In order to ascertain the shear wave velocity in local ground

conditions, the panellist referred to work done in Singapore,

in which many bored holes data were collected and followed

by a correlation with the Standard Penetration Test (SPT) to

obtain the shear wave velocity (SWV).

It was highlighted that the site’s natural period is

important for seismic characteristic study. In Australia’s

experience, researchers use geophones to measure SWV,

and there are benefits of using automatic averaging. Many

such site survey work has been done in Melbourne. This

was presumably part of the ongoing or past research work

by Prof. Lam and his research team.

There was a suggestion for local universities to

undertake similar research work to measure for SWV in

critical areas in the Peninsular, such as in the Klang Valley,

especially in Kuala Lumpur. Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman

(UTAR) and Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) were touted

to take the lead by proposing research/Masters students

to take up this project, as part of the Technical Committee

on Earthquake’s initiatives, with support from Melbourne

University. This was an opportunity not to be missed.

It was stated that the use of bore hole information of

rock for seismic analysis is common in Hong Kong. From

this, SPT and SWV correlation can then be obtained. There

should be many correlations around the world.

A set of formulas were presented by the panellist, which

helps to determine the shear modulus of soil:

G = 14 Nspt

0.68

G = 7 Nspt

whichever is smaller,

and from there, the SVW can be determined from

Vs = (G/ ) ½

where is the soil density, and then

Ts = (4H)/ V

s

where Ts is the site natural period (i.e. four quarter-cycles

will make up the site period).

Microtremor measurement technique

One of the panellists presented the microtremor measure-

ment that was carried out in Singapore. Crosshole SWV

measurement can be compared to microtremor measure-

ment, and it can obtain good agreement in measured results

to recorded readings. It was also suggested that SPT be

used to correlate the formulae to arrive at the results for the

SWV.

The microtremor technique can record wave data up to

a soil depth of 1km. It is the basis of any geophone seismic

survey.

There was a suggestion for local researchers to make

use of the Sumatra’s earthquake data to study the earth

crust wave propagation. The result can also be used to

study the CAM model in determining the soil profile and

also the SWV in the soil.

Eventually, it is hoped that the result can also be used

to study the application of the CAM model for Malaysian

soil conditions in the crustal seismic wave propagation from

both the near and far field effect of earthquakes.

Dr Kusno Megawati from Nanyang Technological

University (NTU), Singapore, offered the use of his set of

geophone survey equipment to measure the site periods

in Malaysia. If an array of measurement is carried out, the

information obtained can create a good CAM model for

use in Malaysia. The set of equipment uses GPS for its

positioning accuracy. The antennas can be positioned 5m

apart or up to a distance of 1km. There is a need to build

a database of SPT, and once microtremor measurement

is performed, it can produce good information for CAM

application.

Dr Kusno also offered to perform the tests in collaboration

with any local research institution for a basic fee. No

cable will be used; the GPS antennas will synchronise the

measurement.

A question was asked of local research institutions;

could local universities such as UTAR and UiTM take up Dr

Kusno’s challenge and pursue this research which could

FORUM


then be built upon? If suitable postgraduate students could

identified, they would need to be sent for intensive training

on the basic fundamentals, knowledge and knowhow in

equipment usage, etc – most likely at NTU for a period

of time, e.g. three to six months, as part of the Masters

programme in earthquake engineering studies.

Suggested tasks ahead for local researchers

There is a need to carry out a more detailed study and

formulate a policy on the approach needed to tackle this

issue, to fulfil our need to make some progress in earthquake

design in this country.

In the opinion of the panellists, the following are important

topics that need to be tackled by serious researchers of

seismic engineering in Malaysia:

1) Features of fault to magnitude problem (return period

and M values)

2) CAM Level 1 for Kuala Lumpur (Response Spectrum

Mode)

3) Microzonation and site classification principles

He pointed out Dr Kusno’s work in his published papers

to the participants. Although there are some more issues,

this outline will be useful to begin with. The aforementioned

issues need to be further divided and would require

recommendations.

Elaborating further on the detailed study on the Bukit

Tinggi fault line, the following are suggested issues that

need to be addressed:

1) The need for trenching to study the soil profile.

2) A historical search on the age of the fault, and also the

actual total length of the fault line.

3) The use of GPS is very important in coordinating the

geological and topographic study.

A substantial input from the government would be

required to study the geological aspect of the fault. From

the geological map or rock type, the fault can then be

analysed. The Malaysian Geological Society should

have a geological map covering that particular area. In

parallel, there is a need to look at the historical archives on

earthquake information.

Local earthquakes occur when ground stresses build up

due to movement and eventually rupture. The occurrence

of a M3.5 earthquake is an indication that the fault is active.

Although the quake may occur at one location, the stress

may have build up at some other location. The concern here

is the occurrence of a major earthquake with the epicentre

located very near to Kuala Lumpur, and the problem will be

magnified many folds because of the increasing number of

high-rise buildings in the vicinity.

It was commented that earthquakes usually occurred

at faults that were considered inactive. The return period

to fault length relationship and fault link/magnitude

combination are also important considerations. There

is a need to develop a sense of response of PGV for an

expected earthquake occurring in a nearby fault. Besides

PGA, a study of the geological composition in this country in

more detail is required to consider the response spectra for

acceleration (RSA), velocity (RSV) and also displacement

(RSD) for Kuala Lumpur soil conditions and its geological

profile. The whole study will likely be time consuming,

hence it will have to be a long-term research effort.

Since one of the panellists has offered the use of his

equipment and the assistance of his research students in 5

carrying out a microzonation exercise using the microtremor

measurement technique, then IEM should take the lead

with financial support sought from various governmental

agencies.

In addition to that, the creation of a suitable attenuation

model would be the experts’ contribution. There was also

a need to look at the seismic data recorded and kept by

the MMD, which is requested to assist wherever needed.

Their participation in this work is vital to ensure success

in getting the necessary data to corroborate the findings

made or models proposed.

Figure 1 showed the map of the Bukit Tinggi

region where the fault is located, while the recorded

seismic activity readings at the Bukit Tinggi fault

are presented in Table 1, courtesy of the MMD.

Other matters

The technique to predict future earthquakes is

not dependent on human perception and the

research data produced, but from looking at the

information from the signatures off the ground

by trenching and data obtained from the ground

survey. Historical information is important. There

may be records and description of the damage

intensity which can be correlated to the seismic

magnitude. If the archives have on record even

one earthquake event, we can estimate from the

recent M3.5 earthquake if there is potential for a

big earthquake in the same area. Other earthquake


Figure 1: Map showing the loca�on of recent earthquake events in the Bukit Tinggi area

FORUM


scenarios at the Bukit Tinggi fault can be

used to determine whether the fault length

itself lends to a higher potential for future

earthquakes. It is recommended that the

Technical Committee on Earthquake would

require geological input on the study of the

fault.

Conclusion to Day 2 proceedings

The chairman of the workshop, Ir. MC

Hee, expressed special thanks to the three

international panellists for their invaluable

contribution. He also expressed his gratitude

on the positive response from the members.

The findings in the circulated technical

papers at the workshop gave a reasonably

accurate prediction of earthquake intensity

in far field effect in Singapore. The two

days of dialogue during the workshop was

interesting with some useful design figures

and simple equations provided which are

good for applications. The relevant technical

committee will do its level best in drafting

MS EN1998 based on Eurocode 8.

The next workshop on earthquake

engineering will be held on 7 December

2011 – a joint collaborative effort by the IEM

and UTAR. More details will be available in

due course. n

Table 1: Characteris�cs of earthquakes around Bukit Tinggi (Source: MMD, 2008)

No Date Time

(MST)

Lat. Long. Mag.

(Mw)

Depth

(km)

1 30/11/2007 10.13am 3.36°N 101.80°E 3.5 2.3

2 30/11/2007 10.42am 3.34°N 101.80°E 2.8 <10

3 30/11/2007 8.42pm 3.31°N 101.84°E 3.2 6.7

4 4/12/2007 6.12pm 3.40°N 101.80°E 3.0 <10

5 5/12/2007 3.57am 3.37°N 101.81°E 3.3 <10

6 6/12/2007 11.23pm 3.36°N 101.81°E 2.7 <10

7 9/12/2007 8.55pm 3.33°N 101.82°E 3.5 4.9

8 12/12/2007 6.01pm 3.48°N 101.76°E 3.2 <10

9 31/12/2007 5.19pm 3.32°N 101.81°E 2.5 <10

10 10/01/2008 9.26pm 3.17°N 101.61°E 1.7 1.2

11 10/01/2008 11.38pm 3.39°N 101.80°E 2.5 3.0

12 13/01/2008 10.24am 3.30°N 101.90°E 2.9 <10

13 13/01/2008 6.18pm 3.30°N 101.80°E 2.5 <10

14 13/01/2008 11.59pm 3.40°N 101.86°E 1.9 3.0

15 14/01/2008 11.45pm 3.42°N 101.79°E 3.4 <10

16 15/01/2008 6.24am 3.63°N 101.24°E 2.9 <10

17 15/01/2008 12.41pm 3.35°N 101.77°E 2.5 <10

18 15/03/2008 8.50am 3.30°N 101.70°E 3.3 <10

19 15/03/2008 7.35am 3.30°N 101.80°E 1.8 <10

20 15/03/2008 7.16pm 3.30°N 101.70°E 2.8 <10

21 27/03/2008 9.46am 3.80°N 102.40°E 3.0 <10

22 25/05/2008 9.36am 3.31°N 101.65°E 3.0 <10

IEM LOG BOOK SCHEME FOR GRADUATE ENGINEERS

The Log Book Training Scheme (LBTS) implemented by The Institution of Engineers, Malaysia (IEM) aims to provide guided

and proper training to IEM Graduate Engineers entering the profession of engineering so as to facilitate conformance of such

training programmes to the IEM's Rules on admission of Corporate Members. By it, a Graduate Engineer will undergo a formal

training scheme whilst being monitored and/or mentored by a Corporate Member of the IEM and a Professional Engineer

registered with the Board of Engineers Malaysia. The LBTS is implemented to facilitate the Graduate Engineer’s preparation

for the Professional Interview (PI) en route to qualifying as a Corporate Member of the IEM.

The LBTS requires a training and experience exposure duration for a minimum period of three (3) continuous years; this

requirement complies to the Professional Interview Regulations which state that a Candidate shall have at least three (3) years

(after graduation with an accredited engineering degree) of approved experience in planning, design, execution or management

of works as stipulated and relevant to the profession of an engineer. Such exposure can be acquired through gainful modes

of progress learning activities including and particularly through on-the-job experiential learning. Progress will be mutually and

continually monitored and/or mentored at least once every quarterly by both the mentee Graduate Engineer and the mentor. A

report on the learning progress completed in an IEM-prescribed standard format (IEM Log Book) and which has been certified

by the mentor(s) will need to be submitted annually to the IEM for endorsement.

Participation in the Log Book Training Scheme is not obligatory. However participation is encouraged and recommended

particularly for Graduate Engineers who are starting or are already pursuing their on-the-job and or other modes of training

experience but under a supervision of an IEM Corporate Member or a Professional Engineer who may not be from the same

engineering discipline or not a PE at all.

Graduate Engineers who are interested in participating in the LBTS may contact the IEM Secretariat, Puan Halimah

or Puan Norimah at 03-79684007/4023 respectively for further information.

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FORUM


INTRODUCTION

During the 1-Day Workshop on Malaysia National Annex

to Eurocode 7 held in July 2011, the participants were

given an example, namely Example 2.3 Pile foundation in

stiff clay, and guided to carry out the design in accordance

to Eurocode 7 (EC7). Information and data of the design

example was published in the last issue of JURUTERA. In

this article which is contributed by the same authors, the

answer to the example is presented.

The original aim of writing this article is to illustrate a

solution to the design example. Then it was viewed as an

opportunity to compare the EC7 design with the present

Working Stress design. Moreover, as the values of the

partial resistance factors (for pile design) set in the Malaysia

National Annex to EC7 are different from those in the UK

National Annex, the design was repeated using the UK

values and the three outcomes compared.

This article consists of 2 parts, i.e. Part 1: A Solution

to the Example and Part 2: Design Comparison and

Discussion.

PART 1 – A SOLUTION TO THE EXAMPLE

1.1 Calculation Model

Meyerhof's Method described below is used to calculate

the pile resistances.

Rt = R

s + R

b in kN

Rs = K

s N

avg A

s in kN

Rb = K

b N

b A

b in kN

where

Rt , R

s , R

b = Resistances for Total, Shaft and Base

respectively

Navg

= Average SPT value along the pile shaft

Nb = Average SPT value in the soil zone,

4D above and D below pile tip.

D = Pile lateral dimension

As = Surface area of shaft (m2)

Ab = Area of pile base (m2)

Ks = 2 and max. unit shaft resistance = 200 kPa

Kb = 50 and max. unit base resistance = 5000 kPa

1.2 Characteristic Soil Parameters

The clay is an over-consolidated marine clay of Miocene

age, containing fissures and occasional claystones.

Bedding is essentially horizontal. Therefore it is viewed that

soil parameter variation from one point to another would be

insignificant.

Results of the 6 percussion bored boreholes were studied,

including the field test results (SPTs) and laboratory test

results (UU triaxial test results). As a check, results of other

field tests, i.e. cone penetration tests and pressuremeter

tests, were also examined. Characteristic strength profiles

from the above study were plotted and studied to derive

characteristic soil parameters for the pile design.

Application of Eurocode 7 to a Pile Foundation Design: Solution to Example 2.3 Pile Foundation in Stiff Clay and Discussion

GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING TECHNICAL DIVISION

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Our Apologies

In the ar�cle en�tled "Road Show on Malaysia Na�onal Annex to Eurocode 7" published in the October 2011 issue of JURUTERA, the diameter of the

bored pile shown in Figure 3 should be 450mm instead of 450m. The error is regre�ed.

FORUM


Finally characteristic SPTs versus depth profile is

derived. Normally the profiles from different engineers are

not identical and the values will vary over a certain range.

For the purpose of this exercise, one of the SPT plots was

used for subsequent design and described in Figure 1.

1.3 Ultimate Limit State (ULS) Design

(ULS Combination 2)

Design Approach 1 is used in the calculation. Only

calculations for ULS Combination 2 are described here as

this governs the pile design for this example.

1.3.1 Design Load

Characteristic vertical permanent load, Wk = 300 kN

Characteristic vertical variable load, Qk = 150 kN

From Table 1 of the Malaysia National Annex to EC7,

reproduced below:

G = 1.0 and

Q = 1.3

Design vertical permanent load,

Wd =

G W

k = 1.0 x 300 = 300 kN

Design vertical variable load,

Qd =

Q Q

k = 1.3 x 150 = 195 kN

Design axial compression load,

Fc;d

= Wd + Q

d = 300 + 195 = 495 kN

1.3.2 Model Factor and Partial Resistance Factors for

pile resistance calculation

Pile characteristic resistances will be derived based on

Equation 7.9 described under Item 7.6.2.3(8) of Eurocode

7 Part 1. The piles in this example are bored piles. Since

no pile load test is carried out, model factor is taken as 1.4

and the partial resistance factors under the set “R4 without

explicit verification of SLS” in Table A.NA.7 (for bored piles)

apply. Table 2 is reproduced below for ease of reference:

Model Factor = 1.4

Partial Resistance Factor for shaft, s = 1.76

Partial Resistance Factor for base, b = 2.20

1.3.3 Design Pile Length

The cut-off level of the pile is +17.00.

Pile diameter = 0.45 m.

If pile length is 16.0 m,

Navg

(for shaft resistance) = 22

Nb (for base resistance) = 36.65

Characteristic shaft resistance,

Rs;k

= (2 x 22) x ( 0.45) x16 / (Model Factor)

= 995 / 1.4 = 710 kN

Characteristic base resistance,

Rb;k

= (50 x 36.65) x ( 0.452 / 4) / (Model Factor)

= 291 / 1.4 = 208 kN

Applying the partial resistance factors to the above

characteristic pile resistances, the design resistances are:

Design Shaft resistance,

Rs;d

= Rs;k

/ s = 710 / 1.76 = 403 kN

Design Base resistance,

Rb;d

= Rb;k

/ b = 208 / 2.2 = 94 kN

Design Compression Resistance,

Rc;d

= Rs;d

+ Rb;d

= 403 + 94 = 497 kN

Since Rc;d

(= 497 kN) > Fc;d

(= 495 kN), design pile length

can be taken as 16.0 m.

Figure 1: A selected SPT profile for the pile design

Table 1: Par�al factors on ac�ons (γF ) or the effects of ac�ons (γ

E ) for the

structural (STR) and geotechnical (GEO) limit states.

Table 2: Par�al resistance factors (γR ) for bored piles for the STR and

GEO limit states.

Action Symbol Set

A1 A2

Permanent Unfavourable γG

1.35 1.0

Favourable 1.0 1.0

Variable Unfavourable γQ

1.5 1.3

Favourable 0 0

Resistance Symbol

Set

R1

R4 without

explicit

verification

of SLSA

R4 with

explicit

verification of

SLSA

Baseb

1.0 2.20 1.87

Shaft

(compression)s

1.0 1.76 1.84

Total/combined

(compression)t

1.0 2.20 1.87

Shaft in tensions;t

1.0 2.20 1.87

RE

DU

CE

D L

EV

EL

mO

D

5

FORUM


1.4 Final Design

Estimation of the pile settlement in service is also carried

out but not described here. It is found that the criterion of

limiting the settlement to a maximum of 20mm is not critical.

Therefore SLS verification will not govern the design in this

case. Therefore the design pile length is 16.0 m.

PART 2 – DESIGN COMPARISON AND DISCUSSION

For the purpose of design comparison, the original design

situation is modified to create other design situations. These

are described as follows:

CASE A

No pile load test at all (Original design situation)

Working Stress design – Factor of Safety = 3.0*1

EC7 design – Table A.NA.7 – γR (R4 without SLS verification)

Model factor = 1.4

CASE B

No trial pile but > = 1% piles loaded tested to 1.5 x

Representative Load minimum


EC7 design – Table A.NA.7 – γR (R4 with SLS verification)

Model factor = 1.4

CASE C

Trial pile and > = 1% piles load tested to 1.5 x Representative

Load minimum


EC7 design – Table A.NA.7 – γR (R4 with SLS verification)

Model factor = 1.2

*1 Selection of the Factor of Safety for present Working Stress method

is guided by the following table taken from LDSA Guide No. 1 which is

issued by the local building control unit in London City. (The table is taken

from Prof. Simpson lecture notes delivered in the IEM 1-Day Workshop

on EC7 held in July 2011)

The design procedure is repeated for the above 3 different

design situations (i.e. Cases A, B and C) using different

design methodology as described below:

• Present design using Working Stress method and

appropriate Factor of Safety per LDSA Table 1 given

above. (Present Design)

• Design to EC7 using the partial resistance factor values

given in the Malaysia National Annex to EC7. (Malaysia

EC7 Design)

• Design to EC7 using the partial resistance factor values

given in the UK National Annex to EC7. (UK EC7

Design)

The results are summarised in Table 4 below.

The following are noted from the results below:

I) The Malaysia EC7 designs are about the same as the

present designs using Working Stress method. This

means that the criterion*2 set in the code calibration

exercise for the Malaysia National Annex is satisfied.

( *2 To establish the values of partial factors and model

factors in the Malaysia National Annex, calibration exercises

were carried out. The values of these factors are set in

such a way the design applying EC7 essentially matches

the values obtained in the present design procedure.)

II) The UK EC7 designs are always less safe compared

with the present designs using Working Stress method.

This implies that UK has adopted a different criterion

for pile design in their code calibration exercises.

III) Results from the “Present Design” and “Malaysia EC7

Design” show that the partial resistance factor values set

in the Malaysia National Annex to EC7 are reasonable

and acceptable. n

Table 3: LDSA Guide No.1

Table 4: Design Pile Length

Present

Design

Malaysia EC7

Design

UK EC7

Design

Case A 16.5 m 16.0 m 15.0 m

Case B 14.9 m 14.7 m 13.7 m

Case C 12.7 m 13.2 m 12.4 m

CONGRATULATION

The IEM Council wishes to congratulate Emeritus Ir. Prof. Dr Zainal Abidin bin Ahmad (F12758), Chairman of the

Accreditation Board and Committee Member of the Standing Committee on Qualification and Admission of The Institution

of Engineers, Malaysia, on receiving the title of "Emeritus" in conjunction with the Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia

(UTHM) Convocation held on 29 October 2011.

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In ANZ, contact [email protected]

In ASEAN countries, contact

[email protected]

Bernard Ingenieure ZT GmbH

Old Airport Road, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

2009 Be Inspired Award Nominee – Roads Category

GLOBE TREKKING


BEIJING’S first time visitors are usually drawn to

the timeless and traditional classic tourist attractions

such as the Great Wall, the Forbidden City or Imperial

Palace, the Summer Palace, the Temple of Heaven and

Hutong. Arising from increasing urbanisation and growing

economic development, this capital city of China is now

dotted with modern skyscrapers of various designs.

Massive new construction in the last two decades has

provided increased opportunities for architects, engineers

and planners to indulge in realising their dreams and

fantasies with creative building configurations that are not

only iconic but often test the limits of structural engineering

design and construction.

One such building that has been very much talked

about is the “Bird's Nest” stadium built for the 2008 Olympic

Games. Another iconic structure perhaps is the China

Central Television (CCTV) Headquarters, a 44-storey

skyscraper of 234m height (I thought Chinese abhor the

number 4) built near the 3rd Ring Road of Beijing’s Central

Business District (Beijing has 6 Ring Roads). The building

shape was selected by an International Jury from among

ten prominent worldwide consortium teams bidding in the

design competition.

On my third visit to Beijing, I decided to have a

better look at this radically shaped structure nicknamed

“dà kuchá” or big boxer shorts. I wondered if this was

architectural madness or creative ingenuity. Certainly,

this architectural dream has presented numerous complex

challenges to the structural engineers in design and

construction scheduling.

The building consists of two 6º leaning towers bent at

90º at the top and bottom, meeting to form a continuous

loop which was also described as a ‘Z’ crisscross or

twisted doughnut. The engineers certainly have had to

wrestle with the issues of building instability and bracing

requirements at each phase of the tower construction

before a semblance of stability could be achieved upon

linking of the towers at 162m height. This challenge was

compounded by the need to consider seismic forces.

Structural steel framing system was the obvious choice

of structural components. Construction started on 1 June

2004 and the official opening was held on 1 June 2008.

A fire in February 2010 in a connected adjacent CCTV

Cultural Centre had, however, affected the full operation

of the CCTV Headquarters.

The building as photographed at the end August 2011

was shrouded in a melancholic haze affecting the city. As

I admired the building from afar, I reflected and pondered

on the increasing human penchant for outstanding

achievement and relevance. In our human pursuit of

creativity and uniqueness, are we striving to match the

opulence and grandeur of the many great monuments

of the by-gone era? Perhaps, but Beijing being full of

historical landmarks and cultural relics could leave this

pursuit to Shanghai where many such “iconic” buildings

continue to mushroom. To my mind, the passion for

greatness should also be accompanied by the common

need to create value through the optimal utilisation of the

world's resources; only then will the burst of creativity

justify itself in our quest for excellence and posterity. n

CCTV Headquarters from an Architectural Dream to Reality

by Ir. Tham Kum Weng

Industrial Automation (M) Sdn Bhd www.iasb.com.my

158 Jalan Loke Yew, 55200 KL Tel: 03-9235 2888 Fax: 03-9222 2299

Sole agent:

Does Electrical Energy

Management Mean

Something to you??

.my

2299


PROFESSIONAL INTERVIEW

To All Members, Date: 10 October 2011

CANDIDATES APPROVED TO SIT FOR YEAR 2011 PROFESSIONAL INTERVIEW

The following candidates have been approved to sit for the Professional Interview for 2011.

In accordance with Bylaws 3.9, the undermen�oned names are published as having applied for membership of the Ins�tu�on, subject

to passing the year 2011 Professional Interview.

If any Corporate Member of the Ins�tu�on has any reason as to why any of the candidates is not a fit and proper person for elec�on,

he should communicate in wri�ng to the Honorary Secretary. Such communica�on should be lodged within a month from the date of

this publica�on.

Thank you.

Ir. Prof. Dr Lee Teang Shui

Honorary Secretary,

The Ins�tu�on of Engineers, Malaysia

CHEMICAL ENGINEERING

SURENDRAN A/L RAMASAMY BE HONS (USM) (CHEMICAL, 1998)

CIVIL ENGINEERING

ABDUL RAHIM BIN OSMAN BE HONS (UPM) (CIVIL, 2001)

KU MING FEN BE HONS (UTM) (CIVIL, 2002)

MOHD. AZWAN BIN MOHD NOR REZAN BE HONS (UiTM) (CIVIL, 2003)

SRI KANTHAN A/L VEERAMUTHU BE HONS (UTHM) (CIVIL, 2001)

ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING

JAMALLUDIN BIN IDRIS ADV DIP (UiTM) (ELECTRICAL, 1994)

NOR MOHD. SOFIAN BIN SOID BE HONS (UiTM) (ELECTRICAL, 2002)

NOR SALINA BINTI JALIL BE HONS (UTM) (ELECTRICAL, 2004)

SUBBARAO A/L RAMULU BE HONS (UM) (ELECTRICAL, 2000)

WAN ISHAK BIN SOED BSc (ARIZONA) (ELECTRICAL, 1996)

ELECTRONIC ENGINEERING

MOHD. HASZUAN BIN SUKAIRI BE HONS (UKM) (ELECTRICAL,

ELECTRONIC & SYSTEM, 2001)

INSTRUMENTATION AND CONTROL ENGINEERING

LEONG KAM FATT BE HONS (QUEEN'S, BELFAST)

(ELECTRICAL & ELECTRONIC, 1997)

CHEMICAL ENGINEERING

24997 MOHAMAD ANWAR BIN AHMAD BE HONS (UM) (CHEMICAL, 2005)

CIVIL ENGINEERING

32643 ABU HANIFAH BIN YUSOF BE HONS (USM) (CIVIL, 2000)

23120 CHONG KEAN YEE BE HONS (UTM) (CIVIL, 2005)

36282 CHOY WAI KENT BE HONS (USM) (CIVIL, 2004)

25161 KWAN YONG KHANG BE HONS (UNITEN) (CIVIL, 2006)

26388 LAI LIH YING BE HONS (UTM) (CIVIL, 1999)

25189 LEE KIANG YEN BE HONS (UTM) (CIVIL-CONSTRUCTION

MANAGEMENT, 2002)

MATERIAL ENGINEERING

NIK AMIRUDDIN SIRU BIN CHE MUSTAFFA BE HONS (UM) (MATERIAL, 2006)

MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

ROSLAN BIN ABDUL RAHMAN BSc (SUNDERLAND POLYTECH, CNAA)

(MECHANICAL, 1980)

38902 MOHD. KHIZAM BIN MD ALI BE HONS (UTM) (CIVIL-CONSTRUCTION

MANAGEMENT, 2007)

18981 SAW SAY KEE BE HONS (UTM) (CIVIL, 2000)

30661 TAI WAI YAU BE HONS (UTM) (CIVIL, 2006)

25489 VONG KEE SIN BE HONS (UPM) (CIVIL, 2002)

36818 WAN ARMATAHWIN BIN

ABDUL RAHMAN BE HONS (UTM) (CIVIL, 2007)

ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING

25858 ASYMAL WAJDI BIN MUHD AKHIR BE HONS (UTM) (ELECTRICAL, 2004)

@ MOKHTAR

25177 MASNOREEN BINTI BE HONS (UTM) (ELECTRICAL, 2001)

MOHAMED YUSOF

38007 TEE KIEN HING BE HONS (UKM) (ELECTRICAL, 2006)

ELECTRONIC ENGINEERING

20133 AMIN SYAKIR BIN ABD. LATIB BE HONS (UPM)

(ELECTRONIC/COMPUTER, 1999)

37066 TEOH CHEE PINP BE HONS (UKM)

(MICROELETRONICAL, 2007)

NEW APPLICANTS

Name Qualifications

TRANSFER APPLICANTS

Mem No. Name Qualifications

TRANSFER APPLICANTS


TRANSFER APPLICANTS


IEM DIARY OF EVENTSKindly note that the scheduled events below are subject to change. Please visit the IEM website at

www.myiem.org.my for more informa�on on the upcoming events.

Project Management Technical Division 7 - 8 December 2011

2 DAY COURSE ON 'CONTRACT MANAGEMENT

FOR CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS'

Time: 9.00 a.m. to 5.30 p.m.

Venue: TUS Lecture Room, 2nd Floor,

Wisma IEM, Petaling Jaya

Speaker: Ir. Dr Lai Sze Ching

20 December 2011

TALK ON MANAGEMENT AND KNOWLEDGE IN

PROJECT ENVIRONMENTS

Time: 5.30 p.m. to 7.30 p.m.

Venue: TUS Lecture Room, 2nd Floor,

Wisma IEM, Petaling Jaya

Speaker: Dr Tan Hai Chen

IEM MAJOR EVENTS

12�13 JUNE 2012

11TH CONCET INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE

ON CONCRETE ENGINEEING AND TECHNOLOGY

Venue: Putrajaya


Website: www.concet2012.um.edu.my

(Call for papers)

14�16 JUNE 2012

WOMEN IN ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY

CONFERENCE !WIETC2012":

‘Stepping Out of the Shadow’

Organised by: Sub-Commi"ee on Women Engineers


(Call for papers)

23

1

8 9 3 7 4 1 2 5 6

6 5 1 9 8 2 7 4 3

7 2 4 5 3 6 8 9 1

2 7 9 8 5 3 1 6 4

5 4 6 2 7 9 3 8

91 3 8 6 4 5 7 2

23 8 5 4 9 6 1 7

69 1 7 3 8 4 2 5

74 6 2 1 5 3 8 9

15 19 12

20

16

16

20

15

15

14

14

15

8

3 9 11

89 9

14

7

10

11

10 9

10

4 13

10 11

16

Answer for 1Sudoku published on page 16 of this issue.

COUNCIL ELECTION FOR SESSION 2012/2013

Nomination papers for the Election of

Council Members for Session

2012/2013 will be posted on the IEM website (http//www.

myiem.org.my) and made available at the IEM Secretariat

office by 23 November 2011. The closing date for

nominations is on 21 December 2011.

Thank you.

Dato’ Pang Leong Hoon

Election Officer, IEM

4th

Announcement


The Ins�tu�on would like to thank all contributors for dona�ng generously towards the IEM Building Fund

HELP US TO PROVIDE BETTER SERVICES TO YOU AND TO THE FUTURE GENERATION

TOTAL RM2,338,695.70(ANOTHER RM9,811,304.30 IS NEEDED)

CONTRIBUTIONS TO WISMA IEM BUILDING FUND

RM1,767,193.70 from IEM Members and Committees

RM571,502.00 from Private Organisations

The Institution would like to thank all contributors for donating towards the Wisma IEM Building Fund. Members and readers who wish

to donate can do so by downloading the form from the IEM website at http://www.MyIEM.org my or contact the IEM Secretariat at

+603-7968 4001/5518 for more information. The list of the contributors as at 30 September 2011 are shown as in table below.

DONATION LIST TO THE WISMA IEM BUILDING FUND 41st

Announcement

NO. MEMBERSHIP NO. DETAILS NO. MEMBERSHIP NO. DETAILS NO. MEMBERSHIP NO. DETAILSNO. MEMBERSHIP NO. DETAILS

1 10930 ASRI BIN OTHMAN

2 08592 CHIEW HUEY SHENG

3 15207 CHUA CHEONG PEYU

4 26616 EGU PHOOI MEI

5 20091 LEE TIAN SIN

6 10449 LIEW KIM MING, JUSTIN

7 14077 LIM TEE

8 29646 LIM XIN YI

9 09787 LOI KIM SHUNG

10 10387 LOW GUAN TUI

11 16349 MOHAMAD HASSAN BIN

ZAKARIA

15 07604 TAN AH HOCK

16 17565 TAN GIIN LING

17 06172 TAN HOON KEONG

18 03845 TAN HUI KUAN

19 13096 YEOW POW KWEI

20 18148 ZAINUDIN BIN A. KADIR

12 11777 MOHD HISHAM BIN

HASHIM

13 18862 SANMUGAM A/L

SINAHSAMY

14 38577 SITI NUR RABIAH BINTI

HARON

Petaling Jaya, Friday 7 October 2011 – The Ins!tu!on of

Engineers, Malaysia (IEM) welcomes the 2012 Budget which is

innova!ve with focus on the well-being of the Rakyat. Many

areas targeted in the budget strategies have inputs related to the

field of engineering and benefit the 26,500-strong membership

of the Ins!tu!on.

We duly note that the 2012 Budget is focused on achieving the

Economic Transforma!on Programme, essen!ally benefi#ng

key economic sectors such as engineering, construc!on and

property, with the private sector taking a substan!al role,

opera!ng based on an inclusive and sustainable development

approach and framework.

The Budget has given due focus on engineering given its

important role in suppor!ng na!onal development.

IEM’s views are as follows:

• We welcome the RM100 million SME Revitalisa!on Fund for

entrepreneurs as this would directly benefit our Members

in the engineering business (either as owners or service

providers) most of whom fall under the SME category,

• We urge that all service providers of the relevant sectors

should be given some form of incen!ve or boost. In

par!cular, we urge the Government to consider allowing the

engineering sector to enjoy lower corporate and personal

tax given their crucial role in na!on building.

• We believe that the service tax for professional services

such as medical, engineering, architecture, etc. should be

removed. This provision would move to mo!vate the sectors

to perform be$er. If the burden is passed on to the Rakyat,

it would go against the spirit of this Budget (i.e. to increase

the well-being of the Rakyat).

• The Budget’s proposal to implement an exit plan for

employees is commendable.

The Government’s plan to have 30% of decision-makers in the

corporate sectors to be women is commendable. IEM has many

talented and capable women engineers within its fraternity who

can fulfil these corporate roles.

IEM will give its full support to the Government for the successful

implementa!on of the Transforma!on Budget ini!a!ves. n

26,500 ENGINEERING MEMBERS WILL BENEFIT FROM TRANSFORMATION BUDGET STRATEGIES

2012 Budget Excellent for Engineers

PRESS STATEMENT

Note: For the benefit of readers of JURUTERA, we reproduce below a press statement issued by IEM on 7 October 2011 in response to the

2012 Na�onal Budget.

New_MES-Survey F02f.pdf 10/10/2011 4:02:34 PM

Documents

Jurutera Nov 2011