Faculty of Civil Engineering & Built Environment

ENVIRONMENTAL
ENGINEERING
BFC 32403

CHAPTER 1
BUILT AND NATURE ENVIRONMENT
 Chapter 1:
Built and Nature Environment

Topics: (1 hour lecture)

1.1 Earth physical component
1.2 Utilitarian values in natural resources
1.3 Good consideration in the Built
Environment
 Objectives

• To describe the earth physical

component
• To understand the utilitarian values in
natural resources
• To embrace the good consideration in
the built environment
1.1 EARTH PHYSICAL COMPONENTS

Soil Water Air

• All kinds of rocks • Very important for • Oxygen needed for

• Weathering life processes breathing process
becomes soil • Body of living things • Carbon dioxide for
• Medium for plant comprise mainly of photosynthesis,
growth water eg. human • Contained primary
• Support living and >70% water and secondary air
non-living things, • >70% of planet pollutant ( CO, NOx,
natural and man- earth covered with SOx)
made things water
• Provide areas for • Determine climate
construction of (eg.
buildings rainfall/humidity)
 1.1 EARTH PHYSICAL COMPONENTS
Natural Capital: General structure of the Earth

Biosphere

Atmosphere EARTH Hydrosphere

Litosphere
1.1 EARTH PHYSICAL COMPONENTS
Living Components
¤ Characteristics and examples
¤ Importance
a. Monera
b. Protista
c. Fungi
d. Plants They form BIODIVERSITY

e. Animals
f. Man
 1.1 EARTH PHYSICAL COMPONENTS
Biodiversity

Definition : CBD 1991

• The variability among living organisms from all sources
including inter alia, terrestrial, marine and other aquatic
ecosystems and the ecological complexes of which they are
part; this includes diversity within species, between species
and of ecosystems (CBD, 1992).
 1.1 EARTH PHYSICAL COMPONENTS
Biodiversity (Level 1: Genetic Diversity)
¤ Variation at genetic level due to different arrangement of chromosome
¤ Occur naturally or altered by man
¤ Eg. Brassica oleracea (cabbage) genetically modified by genetic
engineering – cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, brussel sprout
¤ White cabbage, purple cabbage

GENETIC DIVERSITY: ALTERED BY HUMAN

1.1 EARTH PHYSICAL COMPONENTS
Biodiversity (Level 2: Species Diversity)

¤ Chromosome: Different number & arrangement

¤ About 1.8mill species recorded/named
¤ Estimated 100mill – working figure 10mill
¤ Not discovered are mainly small sized organisms (microbes) eg.: bacteria,
viruses, algae
¤ Difficult to access habitats eg. deep ocean, canopy
 1.1 EARTH PHYSICAL COMPONENTS
Biodiversity (Level 2: Species Diversity)

COWS

DOGS
1.1 EARTH PHYSICAL COMPONENTS
Biodiversity (Level 3: Ecosystem Diversity)

¤ More diverse eg. Tropical vs. arboreal forest

¤ Involve diversity in interactions
¤ More diversity, more interactions – more stable
¤ In Malaysia : forest, mangrove, mountain
¤ Types of ecosystems – tropical, temperate, polar
¤ Vegetation determine diversity of animals
¤ Vegetation – autotrophic depends on solar radiation for photosynthesis
1.1 EARTH PHYSICAL COMPONENTS
Biodiversity (Level 3: Ecosystem Diversity)

Tropical Rainforest Savannah Temperate Rainforest

Desert Taiga Tundra

Chaparral Freshwater Marine

1.1 EARTH PHYSICAL COMPONENTS
Biodiversity (Level 3: Ecosystem Diversity)
1.1 EARTH PHYSICAL COMPONENTS
Biodiversity (Distribution)

¤Tropics higher diversity than temperate

¤Lowland higher diversity than highlands
¤Tropical rainforest 7% global land mass
harbour >50% biodiversity
¤Marine ecosystems in tropic higher primary
productivity higher diversity
 1.1 EARTH PHYSICAL COMPONENTS
Biodiversity (Endemism)
¤Certain species of living things only found in restricted geographical areas –
endemics
¤Eg. Orang utan (Borneo and Sumatra)
¤Probosis monkey (Borneo)
¤Zebra (Africa); Panda (China)
¤Kangaroo (Australia)
1.1 EARTH PHYSICAL COMPONENTS
Biodiversity (Values of diversity)
1. Utilitarian values : food, medicines, structural
materials
2. Intrinsic/ecological /services values : pollinators,
decomposers (insects), watershed, replenishing
oxygen, tourism
3. Aesthetical values : beauty, green colour to emotional
development
4. Moral values : right to live, uniqueness
5. Cultural, religious values : Elephant, Cow to Hinduism,
6. Optional values – for future uses eg. Wildlife in tourism
 1.2 UTILITARIAN VALUES IN
NATURAL RESOURCES
Natural resources for construction materials
 1.2 UTILITARIAN VALUES IN
NATURAL RESOURCES
Natural resources for construction materials

ROCK QUARRY
 1.2 UTILITARIAN VALUES IN
NATURAL RESOURCES
Natural resources for construction materials

GRANITE QUARRY
 1.2 UTILITARIAN VALUES IN
NATURAL RESOURCES
Natural resources for construction materials

RUMBIA / NIPAH ROOF

 1.2 UTILITARIAN VALUES IN
NATURAL RESOURCES
Natural resources for construction materials

BAKAU PILING
 1.2 UTILITARIAN VALUES IN
NATURAL RESOURCES
Natural resources for construction materials

SOIL FOR BRICK PRODUCTION (SMALL OR MASS)

 1.2 UTILITARIAN VALUES IN
NATURAL RESOURCES
Natural resources for construction materials

BAMBOO SCAFFFOLDING
 1.2 UTILITARIAN VALUES IN NATURAL
RESOURCES
UTILITARIAN VALUES THAT PROVIDE BENEFITS TO CIVIL ENGINEERING

1. UTILITARIAN VALUE for materials construction

• Promoting green building materials as it have significant positive impacts on

global climate.

• Examples of green building materials are bamboo and fine woods.

• Bamboo is environmentally friendly that is fast- growing, lightweight, and has

high strength.
 1.2 UTILITARIAN VALUES IN NATURAL
RESOURCES
UTILITARIAN VALUES THAT PROVIDE BENEFITS TO CIVIL ENGINEERING

• Bamboo poles were

used at the exterior
of the house.

• Low cost, non-

polluting, fire
resistant and tensile
strength

• Bamboo is a green
building materials
which can contribute
to CO2 in turn to the
reduction of climate
Bamboo Clad House change speed.
 1.2 UTILITARIAN VALUES IN NATURAL
RESOURCES
UTILITARIAN VALUES THAT PROVIDE BENEFITS TO CIVIL ENGINEERING

• Strong for residential

home construction

• Resists shrinking and

swelling

• Durable and shock-

resistant for residential
construction

• Environmental friendly
Environmental friendly of pine wood building wood due to softwood
construction tree and faster growth
than hardwood
alternatives.
 1.2 UTILITARIAN VALUES IN NATURAL
RESOURCES
UTILITARIAN VALUES THAT PROVIDE BENEFITS TO CIVIL ENGINEERING

2. ECOLOGICAL SERVICE

• Ecosystem service are the conditions and processes, which natural

ecosystems and the species , sustain and fulfil human life.

• Watershed which connect and encompass terrestrial, freshwater and coastal

ecosystem , they provide valuable ecological services such as supply and
purification of water.

• The examples of other ecological services are sunlight for renewable energy
and rainwater harvesting.
 1.2 UTILITARIAN VALUES IN NATURAL
RESOURCES
UTILITARIAN VALUES THAT PROVIDE BENEFITS TO CIVIL ENGINEERING

• Area of land that

drains into a lake or
river.
• Carry water shed
from the land after
rain falls and snow
melts.
• A basin like
landform defined by
highpoints and
ridgelines that
descend into lower
Water Shed elevations and
stream valleys
 1.2 UTILITARIAN VALUES IN NATURAL
RESOURCES
UTILITARIAN VALUES THAT PROVIDE BENEFITS TO CIVIL ENGINEERING

• Storage of rainwater on
surface for future use
• The rainwater also can
be recharged to the
ground water.
• Rainwater harvesting
project are very helpful
in improving the
groundwater levels and
yields, improving
ground water quality
Rainwater harvesting
 1.2 UTILITARIAN VALUES IN NATURAL
RESOURCES
UTILITARIAN VALUES THAT PROVIDE BENEFITS TO CIVIL ENGINEERING
3. AESTHETIC VALUE

• Aesthetic experience reflects the most intimate links of ecological phenomena

with people

• The aesthetic value varies according to the natural environment organized

and the scale of human perception.

• The use of natural elements such as plants and water is helpful to improve the
aesthetic value of a built environment.

Urban Park @Setia Alam, Selangor 

 1.2 UTILITARIAN VALUES IN NATURAL
RESOURCES
UTILITARIAN VALUES THAT PROVIDE BENEFITS TO CIVIL ENGINEERING

• Public leisure space

• Small pond, surrounded by many trees and shrubs

• Lotus flower planted in the centre of the pond

while tourist can rest and watch carp.

Public leisure traditional Chinese style

• Thatched huts Sichuan residential buildings

• The aesthetic value was increased with a semi-

open space large pond.

• The building is surrounded with many bamboos.

Traditional Sichuan Residential buildings

 1.2 UTILITARIAN VALUES IN NATURAL
RESOURCES
UTILITARIAN VALUES THAT PROVIDE BENEFITS TO CIVIL ENGINEERING

4. MORAL VALUE

• Moral principle to define peoples responsibilities towards environment is

environmental ethics
• The concept of moral value is based on the principal of ‘Live and let others
live’.
• The conservation is based on the importance of protecting all forms of life.
• Examples of moral value are protecting the river and streams as what it is,
moving the plants within the construction area to the preserve area for
conservation.
 1.2 UTILITARIAN VALUES IN NATURAL
RESOURCES
UTILITARIAN VALUES THAT PROVIDE BENEFITS TO CIVIL ENGINEERING

• Meet the concept of ‘Live

and let others live’.

• Restoring habitat provides

foundation for biodiversity.

• The species that should be

living in an area can be
return or increase in
numbers.

Conservation and replanting of plant • In urban area, restoring

activities in the preserve area and conservation of native
plants provide food and
shelter for native animals
and insects.
 1.2 UTILITARIAN VALUES IN NATURAL
RESOURCES
UTILITARIAN VALUES THAT PROVIDE BENEFITS TO CIVIL ENGINEERING

5. CULTURAL RELIGIOUS VALUE

• Religious beliefs and ritual are inter-linked and related to the management
ecosystems.
• The ethical beliefs and religious value, influence people’s behaviour towards
other including relationship with all creatures and plant life.
• Religion forwards preservation of biodiversity in different ways.
 Providing ethical and social models for living respectfully with nature.
Provides direct protection towards wild, cultivated plants and animals.

• Cultural belief systems of various people have protected species, habitats and
ecosystem.
• Example of cultural religious value is the beliefs of sacred species of shiling in
Hinduism.
 1.2 UTILITARIAN VALUES IN NATURAL
RESOURCES
UTILITARIAN VALUES THAT PROVIDE BENEFITS TO CIVIL ENGINEERING

• A very rare tree species, often

found only within the temple
precincts

• The Hindu worship of trees and

plants which is commonly based
on the religious duty and
mythology.

• Hindu ancestors believe, it is

their duty to save the trees.
Therefore, they attached to
every tree a religious sanctity.

The sacred species of Shiling (Osmanthus fragrans)

1.2 UTILITARIAN VALUES IN
NATURAL RESOURCES
Natural resources as tourism icon
Kawasan hutan hujan
tropika di daerah Hulu
Perak juga dihuni tiga
daripada 20 spesies yang
ada di dunia.

Bunga parasit ini hidup liar

di beberapa hutan simpan
di daerah ini termasuk di
Taman Negeri Royal Belum
dan Hutan Simpan Gerik.

Artikel ini disiarkan pada :

Ahad, 25 Mac 2018 @ 5:58
AM ,
Harian Metro
 1.2 UTILITARIAN VALUES IN
NATURAL RESOURCES
Natural resources as tourism icon
• Kota Kinabalu is the capital of
Malaysia’s Sabah state in the
northern part of the island of
Borneo.
• Kota Kinabalu has a
population size of 452, 058.
• It is a coastal city partly
surrounded by rainforest.
• In tourism industry, it is known
for its bustling markets,
beaches, modern boardwalk
and Kinabalu National Park
(the home of 4095m high
Kota Kinabalu with Mountain of Kinabalu at mount Kinabalu)
the side
1.2 UTILITARIAN VALUES IN
NATURAL RESOURCES
Natural resources as tourism icon
Sepilok Orangutan
Rehabilitation Centre in the
Malaysian Sabah District of
North Borneo was founded
in 1964, to rehabilitate
orphan orangutans.

The site is 43 sq km of
protected land at the edge
of Kabili Sepilok Forest
Reserve. Today around 60
to 80 orangutans are living
free in the reserve.
1.2 UTILITARIAN VALUES IN
NATURAL RESOURCES
Natural resources as tourism icon
Bako National Park is a
popular tourist attraction in
Malaysia for travelers who
enjoy the great outdoors.
Located in Sarawak state on
Borneo, it’s not very big but
packs a wallop for its size.
Travelers can see wildlife,
rainforests, tumbling waterfalls,
beaches and sea stacks. The
biggest attraction in the park is
the bizarre, obscene-nosed
proboscis monkey,
1.2 UTILITARIAN VALUES IN
NATURAL RESOURCES
Natural resources as tourism icon
Kinabatangan River is the second
longest river in Malaysia, stretching
nearly 550 km (350 miles) from the
mountains to Sulu Sea. Located in
Sabah state on Borneo, the
Kinabatangan River is known for its
diverse wildlife and vegetation. It’s
a good place to see Asian
elephants, crocodiles, proboscis
monkeys and Bornean orangutans
– it’s one of two places in the world
to find 10 species of primates, as
well as 200 bird species. It’s
known, too, for rain- and limestone
forests, and salt and freshwater
swamps.
 1.2 UTILITARIAN VALUES IN
NATURAL RESOURCES
Issues in biodiversity
1. We do not know what we have – 4. IPR, invasive species, PAs
poor documentation – how it affects –
implication (Not enough surveys) IPR and ABS – not clear cut
Not enough basic studies – focus on applied Took too long time for patenting
studies Invasive species
No supporting infra – eg bioinformatics Protected Areas not many and not networked

2. We do not know much about traditional 3. Overharvesting

uses – poor documentation – how it affects Using unsustainable methods of harvesting
Traditional uses of plants in healthcare not Killing progenies, wasteful
enough documentation
Eg fish bombing, poisoning, clear cutting
Loss of TK – Takako & Maryati 2004
5. Rich biodiversity poor technology – implication
Slow advance in new technologies
Still depend on old technologies
Case of Bitangor : Sarawak has Bintangor (has potential
to cure HIV) but need technology from America to help
process
 1.2 UTILITARIAN VALUES IN
NATURAL RESOURCES
Threats in biodiversity

Conversion of land use from forest to agricultural, settlements (new townships etc),
basic facilities (schools, offices etc),
Pollution (air, soil, freshwater and marine environment form agrochemicals pollution,
siltation, oil spills)
Erosion of traditional knowledge (some plant wild varieties are not looked after and
now extinct because traditional knowledge on use of these varieties was not
practiced)
Unsustainable harvesting of natural resources (such as using fine meshed nets when
catching fishes), fish bombing and poisoning
Climatic change and global warming (biodiversity has specific life regime, over which
will cause death)
 ` 1.2 UTILITARIAN VALUES IN
NATURAL RESOURCES
Threats in biodiversity
Conversion of land use Pollution

Unsustainable Harvesting
1.3 GOOD CONSIDERATION IN THE
BUILT ENVIRONMENT
Built vs Natural Environment

Picture A Picture B

vs
 1.3 GOOD CONSIDERATION IN THE
BUILT ENVIRONMENT
Existing at
same time Built vs Natural Environment
– temporal
issue
Built environment – houses,
schools, garden (landscaping),
man-made lakes (all to do with
civil engineers!)
Natural environment – forest,
Occupy sea, rivers, mountains,
same grassland, desert
space –
spatial Similarities: abiotic (non-
issue living) and biotic components,
Increasing need for
built environment occupy same space
due to increasing (biosphere), using same
human population resources
and modernization
Differences: human creation,
renewable resources
1.3 GOOD CONSIDERATION IN THE
BUILT ENVIRONMENT
Built & Natural Environment

Putrajaya
1.3 GOOD CONSIDERATION IN THE
BUILT ENVIRONMENT

Tunku Tun Aminah Library at

University Tun Hussein Onn
Malaysia is a built up of 5-story
doughnut building with featuring
glass wall to absorb natural lighting
as much as possible to reduce
energy usage
1.3 GOOD CONSIDERATION IN THE
BUILT ENVIRONMENT
Green building in Alhaurín de la Torre,
Malaga, Spain use sustainable design
strategies : passive design to reduce the
energy demand, use of vegetation as a
constructive element, extra isolation of the
envelope, the use of the thermal inertia of
enclosure and floors, the use of efficient
lighting and air conditioning, the use of
solar thermal energy for heating,
integrated air conditioning and lighting
control, power generation in the building,
reducing water consumption and waste
generation, the use of rainwater, use of
recycled and recyclable materials and
quality air control.
https://www.archdaily.com/787407/edificio-
inteligente-csi-idea-juan-blazquez-y-oficina-
tecnica-municipal-ayuntamiento-alhaurin-de-la-
torre
 1.3 GOOD CONSIDERATION IN THE
BUILT ENVIRONMENT

A park at the foot of the

building literally continues
up the structure, as
vegetation of 250 species
of Australian plants and
flowers cover One Central
Park, Australia has 
25% less energy consumpti
on
 compared with a
conventional building of its
size.
https://edition.cnn.com/style/article/green-
buildings-world-sustainable-design/index.html
1.3 GOOD CONSIDERATION IN THE
BUILT ENVIRONMENT
The International Renewable
Energy Agency headquarters in
Abu Dhabi received a four-pearl
rating by Estidama. Cutting down
the energy needs by almost 40%
by introducing solar panels on
the roof of about 1,000 square
meters along with this, the
sustainable aspect has been
achieved in water usage as well
by reducing it to half of the
quantity of water used by other
buildings in Abu Dhabi.
https://www.re-thinkingthefuture.com/rtf-fresh-
perspectives/a1834-10-of-uaes-most-
sustainable-buildings/
 1.3 GOOD CONSIDERATION IN THE
BUILT ENVIRONMENT
CII-Sohrabji Godrej Green Business
Centre (GBC), Hyderabad, India was
set up with thick vegetation was
developed surrounding it, to reduce
heat gain and pollution. The
interventions done for energy
efficiency include- two air-cooling
towers that cool air by up to 8
degrees, a terrace garden in about
55% of the roof, solar cells on the roof
producing nearly 20% of the required
energy. All materials were certified by
the green building council, and 96% of
construction waste was recycle
https://www.re-thinkingthefuture.com/rtf-fresh-
perspectives/a919-10-most-inspirational-green-
buildings-in-india/
1.3 GOOD CONSIDERATION IN THE
BUILT ENVIRONMENT

4-story of Synthetic
Chemistry Lab at
University of Pittsburgh
with green feature
include more than 95%
recycled construction
and demolition waste,
low-VOD paints and
carpets
http://www.bestmastersdegrees.com/50-
most-impressive-sustainable-university-
buildings