294 Computational Model for Financial and Environmental Assessment of Purpose Built Offices towards Low Carbon Buildings in Malaysia Mustafa Klufallah, Mohd Faris Khamidi School of the Built Environment, University of Reading Malaysia, Persiaran Graduan, Kota Ilmu Educity, 79200 Iskandar Puteri, Johor, Malaysia m.klufallah@reading.edu.my Muhd Fadhil Nuruddin Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS, 31750 Tronoh, Perak, Malaysia Abstract— Construction projects have major impacts on the environment and are considered as one of the major consumes of naturally occurring and synthesized resources. Changing its conventional practices to incorporate environmental performance as part of its decision making process is a gradually slow process. The management of carbon emission from construction projects is an important competitive advantage in businesses especially towards achieving low carbon buildings. The study was initiated to address the issues and aims at designing a methodology to enhance the competitive advantage. A novel embodied carbon emission and construction cost computational optimization model has been developed based on evolutionary Genetic Algorithm (GA) for purpose built offices in the Malaysian construction industry. The GA evaluation methodology is new in the Malaysian construction industry, therefore, the office project was evaluated through the adoption of ISO 14040 framework and evolutionary GA. The model was designed to provide alternative optimal design solutions for office buildings, which can be used in the early project planning and design stages. The model was tested statistically to confirm the accuracy of the generated results. It provides an assessment model for managing carbon emission based on evaluation of environmental and financial performances. The model was applied to an existing office building and the findings suggest that it is suitable and practical as a tool towards achieving low carbon buildings in Malaysia Keywords— optimization; purposed built offices; low-carbon buildings I. INTRODUCTION The Malaysian construction sector plays a significant role in country’s development as it has a significant contribution to the GDP and influences the development of social and economic aspects of infrastructures and buildings. The commercial and residential building sectors account for 39% of carbon emission in the United States per year. In addition, construction is one of the top three industrial sectors that contribute the highest amount of greenhouse gases (GHG) emission in the United States [1]. The construction of buildings projects has a major impact on the environment and it is considered one of the major consumers of naturally occurring and synthesized resources. Despite the recognition that environmental issues are important to the survival of the construction industry, its activities are major contributors of environmental issues. In addition, changing its conventional practices to incorporate environmental performance as part of its decision making process is gradually slow process in developed and developing countries. However, with in-creased awareness and knowledge of these impacts, efforts are being made to avoid these adverse effects and to work towards impact mitigation. Among these are sustainable building materials selection and carbon emissions reduction regulations. These are the most crucial steps and important issues in building design decision- making process. To mitigate the impact throughout the life cycle of buildings, the construction industry and the related activities are the pressing issues faced by all the stakeholders to promote sustainable buildings [2]. Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) are qualitative, only about two percent have been focusing on quantitative methods for environmental impact management from the available database which concerned with environmental management of building projects [3]. Therefore, studies on LCA through quantitative methods are required. LCA it is a process to evaluate the environmental impact, process, or activity throughout the quantification of energy and materials used and wastes released to environment and assessing energy impact and materials with its associated emissions and evaluating opportunities for environmental improvements [4].The formatter will need to create these components, incorporating the applicable criteria that follow. This study bridges the gap between environmental management and project management within the construction industry context by application of ISO14040 LCA framework. It provides an assessment model for managing carbon emission based on evaluation of environmental and financial performances.