The Impact of “MSMA (Manual Saliran Mesra Alam)” on Construction Costs –

THE IMPACT OF “MSMA” ON CONSTRUCTION COSTS – SMALL SCALE DEVELOPMENT

Abdul Naser Abdul Ghani1

Mohd Wira Shafiei1

Mohd Yahaya M. Daud1

1Universiti Sains Malaysia

Pulau Pinang, Malaysia

ABSTRACT

In 2002, the Malaysian government has officially approved the Manual Saliran Mesra Alam (MSMA) to be used to regulate development w orks and to assist relevant parties tow ards achieving sustainable storm w ater management. The guideline is expected to be fully implemented ten years from the launching date. Tw o years away from the ten year period there are still a lot of questions, particularly about costs implications, as a result of the new guidelines. This study w as carried out to identify the typical MSMA components and its cost as opposed to the conventional drainage systems. The undertaken costs study indicated that MSMA drainage systems produce cost savings of up to 20%. Similar practices in the USA called LID (Low Impact development) indicated cost saving of betw een 25% and 30% (USEPA, 2007). How ever, there are also cases of installations that cannot be compared just on costs because of the unique nature of design or other consideration related to aesthetics and site components.

Keywords: Manual Saliran Mesra Alam (MSMA), Sustainable Development, Green Approach, Costs.