Keselesaan terma rumah kediaman dan pengaruhnya terhadap kualiti hidup penduduk (Thermal comfort of house and it’s influence on people’s quality of life)

Keselesaan terma di tempat kediaman merupakan aspek keselesaan yang perlu diberi keutamaan dalam sesuatu pembangunan perumahan bagi mewujudkan kehidupan yang berkualiti. Kajian ini mengenal pasti isu ketakselesaan terma di dalam dan luar rumah yang boleh menganggu penduduk untuk menjalankan aktiviti di samping mempengaruhi kualiti hidup. Kajian ini telah dijalankan di beberapa taman perumahan dalam Majlis Perbandaran Kajang, Selangor yang merangkumi Seksyen 1 dan Seksyen 2 Bandar Baru Bangi, Kajang Utama, Bukit Mewah, dan Taman Sentosa. Kajian ini melibatkan pengukuran suhu di 70 buah rumah yang telah dipilih sebagai sampel. Pengukuran suhu dijalankan di dalam dan luar rumah sebanyak empat kali berturut-turut pada waktu pagi, tengahari, petang dan malam. Hasil kajian menunjukkan suhu di dalam rumah adalah 23 ºC - 31 ºC dan di luar rumah 25 ºC-32 ºC. Kelembapan bandingan yang diperolehi bagi semua jenis rumah adalah tinggi iaitu 51%-90%. Rumah banglo merupakan rumah yang paling selesa dengan keadaan terma yang dicatatkan 23 ºC-28 ºC dan kelembapan bandingan 65%-70%. Rumah pangsa paling tidak selesa dengan mencatatkan keadaan terma 24 ºC-32 ºC dan kelembapan bandingan 51%-59%. Bagaimanapun secara keseluruhannya, selain rumah banglo pada waktu pagi, dalam keadaan biasa, tempat tinggal kebanyakan penduduk di Perbandaran Kajang didapati kurang selesa. Justeru, ketakselesaan terma di rumah menyumbang kepada penurunan kualiti fizikal kehidupan penduduk berkenaan

PEMBINAAN KOLEJ KEDIAMAN LESTARI: KESELESAAN PENGHUNI MENGIKUT JANTINA TERHADAP KEMUDAHAN BILIK PENGINAPAN KOLEJ KEDIAMAN DI UNIVERSITI AWAM

Kolej kediaman yang selesa dihuni menyumbang kepada kualiti hidup pelajar. Permasalahan kajian ini ialah ketidakselesaan pelajar ketika menginap di kolej kediaman universiti awam. Akibatnya memberikan kesan tidak baik terhadap proses pembelajaran penghuni seterusnya menjejaskan kelestarian kolej kediaman. Permasalahan ini akhirnya membawa kepada kemerosotan kualiti hidup penghuni. Oleh itu, kajian ini dilakukan untuk meneroka dalam aspek penyediaan kemudahan bilik penginapan di kolej kediaman universiti awam. Kajian ini bertujuan mengenalpasti tahap keselesaan bilik penghuni secara keseluruhan dan mengikut jantina di kolej kediaman universiti awam, Pengumpulan data secara  kuantitatif. Kajian ini melibatkan tujuh buah kolej kediaman universiti awam dari USM, UPM, UTHM, UITM, UTEM, UPSI dan UKM (2874 responden). Analisis data diskriptif dan inferens digunakan untuk data kuantitatif menggunakan perisian Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). Hasil kajian menunjukkan keselesaan responden terhadap penyediaan bilik penginapan berada pada tahap selesa. Ujian T menunjukkan responden perempuan mempunyai tahap keselesaan lebih tinggi. Keselesaan menginap di kolej kediaman adalah penting kerana mampu memberikan kesan kepada kualiti hidup penghuni secara keseluruhan. Hasil daripada pengkajian ini dapat menemukan keadaan semasa penghuni terhadap kemudahan bilik penginapan yang disediakan seterusnya dapat digunakan bagi membangunkan sebuah kolej kediaman yang lestari dan bersifat lebih selesa dan konduksif pada masa akan datang

Keselesaan ke tempat kerja mempengaruhi kualiti hidup masyarakat bandar di Mukim Kajang, Selangor

Keselesaan penduduk ke tempat bekerja boleh mempengaruhi kualiti hidup masyarakat. Kajian ini telah mengenalpasti bahawa keselesaan ke tempat bekerja merupakan aspek yang boleh menyumbang kepada kualiti hidup yang baik. Oleh itu, aspek keselesaan ke tempat kerja harus diambilkira dalam menilai kualiti hidup masyarakat di bandar. Permasalah kajian ini ialah isu ketidakselesaan penduduk ke tempat bekerja telah menyebabkan gangguan pada kualiti hidup. Objektif kajian ialah mengkaji persepsi penduduk di bandar terhadap keselesaan ke tempat kerja. Kajian dijalankan di Bandar Kajang dan Bandar Baru Bangi. Kaedah soal selidik telah digunakan di lapangan. Sejumlah 700 responden telah dipilih secara rawak bebas di kawasan kajian. Data-data yang dikumpul telah dianalisis menggunakan program SPSS. Hasil kajian mendapati paling ramai responden iaitu 135 orang bekerja di tempat lain-lain, 112 bekerja di Kajang,105 bekerja di Bandar Baru Bangi, 36 bekerja di Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia dan 26 bekerja di Serdang. Analisis perkaitan antara jarak rumah ke tempat bekerja menunjukkan nilai khi kuasa dua sebanyak 89.329 dan signifikan pada aras 0.05 (p=0.000), perkaitan antara jarak rumah ke tempat kerja dengan tempoh terlibat kesesakan lalu lintas menunjukkan nilai khi kuasa dua sebanyak 227.568 dan signifikan pada aras 0.05 (p=0.000). Sejumlah 208 responden terganggu emosi semasa berhadapan dengan kesesakkan lalu lintas, manakala 150 menyatakan masih boleh bersabar. Seramai 359 responden menyatakan tidak selesa ke tempat kerja sekiranya berlaku kesesakan lalu lintas.Kajian merumuskan bahawa kajian keselesaan ke tempat kerja wajar digunakan sebagai penunjuk kualiti hidup masyarakat di bandar, berdasarkan konflik-konflik yang dialami penduduk di bandar semasa berinteraksi ke tempat bekerja

Urban Transportation: Issue and Solution

Generally, quality of life of urban population is heavily dependent on social facilities provided within the environment. One of the most important facilities is transportations. Study on transportation mode in an urban area is especially very important because for almost every individual living in a large and densely populated area, mobility is one of the most crucial issues in everyday life. Enhance mobility, faster journey to work and less pollution from petrol-propelled vehicles can increase the quality of life, which in turn lead to a sustainable urban living. The study present transportation mode usage issues faced by community related to quality of life in an urban area. This study identifies several issues of transportation mode in urban areas and its impact on the quality of life. The study areas are Putrajaya, Kuala Lumpur and Bandar Kajang, Selangor. The methodology used in this research is secondary and primary data. The questionnaires for the survey were distributed from May 2008 to Jun 2008. These researches were conducted on 144 respondents for to evaluate their perception of transportation mode correlated to the quality of life. The collected data were then analyzed using “Statistical Packages for the Social Science” (SPSS). The respondents comprise of 61 males and 84 females from the age group of 18 to 57 years. This study identifies the percentage of public transportation mode usage in urban area, such as buses (16.7%), train (ERL, monorail and commuter-6.4%); which is very low compared to owning personal car (45.8%) and motorcycle (25.4%).The result shows owning personal car is the highest (45.8%) in three study areas and monorail and taxi are the lowest (1.4%). The Chi Square Test shows that among the mode transportation with traffic jam is quite difference in Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya and Kajang. Analysis of the Chi Square Test shows the result is 0.000 (two sides) to respondent answering “yes” and analysis of Spearman Correlation test is P =0.362 and significant to level = 0.000. This study also identifies the impact of mode of transportation to community. However impact due to traffic jam is very critical (88.8%) in three areas which between > 10-15 minutes and >40-45 minutes This research also indicated some psychologies effect. The psychological effects of people with the mode of transportation in urban areas are tiredness, headache and stress. The study concludes with some suggestion on future transportation development towards higher consideration for community in urban areas which can contribute to a higher quality of life

The status of river water quality in some rural areas, in state of Johor and its effects to life

Water is a basic requirement of human and other life. Water resources stems from rivers, streams, drains, ponds and so forth. The river is the natural water resources are very important for a human habitat. Malaysian water quality assessment is determined by the water quality Index (IKA) issued by the Department of environment (DOE) based on class I, II, III and IV. Now a water pollution also occurs in rural areas has affected the water quality and marine life. The objective of this writing is to determine river water quality in rural areas based on IKA. Kajian telah dijalankan di beberapa batang sungai di kawasan luar bandar di negeri Johor bermula dari bulan Februari sehingga April 2015. Water quality sampling was done three times in four different study locations. Determination of water quality involves measurement parameters pH, dissolved oxygen (DO), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD), ammoniacal nitrogen (AN) and suspended solids (SS). The Measurements are made IKA the total calculated and used to classify the river either as untainted, slightly polluted moderately polluted, contaminated and polluted. The study found the status of three rivers polluted level contaminated (class IV) and a river are classified at the level of medium-polluted (class III). Deterioration of the status of IKA for all rivers surveyed not only affects marine life, even limiting water use to humans, for example, to daily activities

Flood risk on hospital utility and mitigation measures

Malaysia is geographically located outside of the Pacific fire circle that is free of any incidents and property destroyed by natural disaster such as hurricanes, earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. However, Malaysia is also vulnerable to natural disasters such as floods, landslides and haze. In Malaysia, flood is one of the most frequent catastrophic disasters that have caused major damage to property and loss of life. The floods in 2014 had a significant impact on the hospital, especially in Kelantan, Malaysia. Flooding of hospital result in interruption of utilities supplies such as water, electrical power, fuel and medical gas. This paper try to explore major and potential challenges faced by the operation of hospital specifically related to utilities supplies and reduce flood risk of the hospital utilities supplies through the best measures. From the discussion, the risk of floods especially on the supply utilities hospitals can be mitigated through the best identified measures as well as can maintain the daily hospital treatment of patients, particularly ill patients

Cabaran dan Dilema Habitat Manusia Di Bandar: Penerapan Konsep Daya Huni (Livability) dan Pembangunan Lestari Untuk Kesejahteraan Hidup: Challenge and Dilemma of Human Habitat in Urban Areas: Applying the Concept of Livability and Sustainable Development for Well-being

Abstrak: Masyarakat Malaysia pada hari ini menghadapi pelbagai cabaran dalam meneruskan kelangsungan hidup di bandar. Isu utama yang dihadapi oleh masyarakat bandar pada hari ini adalah dilema pembangunan yang pesat, tidak lestari dan kos sara hidup yang tinggi merupakan cabaran yang terpaksa dihadapi oleh masyarakat terutamanya yang tinggal di bandar-bandar besar. Oleh yang demikian, objektif pertama kajian ini adalah mengenalpasti cabaran dan dilema habitat manusia di bandar dan objektif kedua adalah menentukan kesesuaian konsep daya huni bandar untuk kelestarian penduduk. Metodologi kajian ini menggunakan kaedah analisis kandungan berdasarkan kajian literature. Hasil daripada analisis kandungan, kajian mendapati bahawa terdapat banyak cabaran dan dilema yang dihadapi oleh masyarakat bandar pada hari ini iaitu pertambahan jumlah penduduk, kemusnahan habitat bandar, bencana banjir, peningkatan sisa pepejal, zon pinggir pantai yang terancam dan masalah kesihatan. Oleh yang demikian, kesesuaian konsep daya huni bandar mula digunapakai secara meluas dalam kalangan sarjana bagi menggambarkan tempat tinggal manusia yang lebih lestari. Konsep daya huni dan pembangunan lestari boleh digembelingkan kerana kedua-dua konsep mempunyai perkaitan dan saling melengkapi antara satu sama lain. Apabila sesebuah habitat itu berdaya huni maka pembangunan kelestarian juga terangkum di dalamnya. Penulisan artikel ini mengupas cabaran dan dilema yang dihadapi oleh masyarakat bandar dari pelbagai aspek dan cuba menggarapkan dengan konsep daya huni yang diperkenalkan oleh sarjana yang menekankan aspek daya huni dan kelestarian bandar. Diharapkan penulisan ini dapat memberi pemahaman yang jelas kepada masyarakat dan pihak berkepentingan lain dalam melestarikan kehidupan di bandar pada masa-masa akan datang.   Abstract: Malaysian society today faces various challenges in continuing to survive in the city. The main issue facing the urban community today is the dilemma of rapid, unsustainable development and the high cost of living is a challenge that the community has to face, especially those living in big cities. Therefore, the first objective of this study is to identify the challenges and dilemmas of human habitat in the city and the second objective is to determine the suitability of the concept of urban habitability for the sustainability of the population. The methodology of this study uses the content analysis method based on the literature review. As a result of the content analysis, the study found that there are many challenges and dilemmas faced by urban communities today, namely the increase in population, the destruction of urban habitats, flood disasters, increased solid waste, endangered coastal zones and health problems. Therefore, the appropriateness of the concept of urban habitability began to be widely used among scholars to describe a more sustainable human habitat. The concepts of habitability and sustainable development can be combined because both concepts are related and complement each other. When a habitat is inhabited then sustainable development is also included in it. The writing of this article examines the challenges and dilemmas faced by urban communities from various aspects and tries to work with the concept of habitability introduced by scholars who emphasize aspects of habitability and urban sustainability. It is hoped that this writing can provide a clear understanding to the community and other stakeholders in preserving life in the city in the future.

Construction of a concept of sustainable residential college in Malaysian public universities

This study is aimed at obtaining early information regarding the construction of a sustainable residential college. The problem of this study is the discomfort of living in residential colleges in Malaysian public universities. Discomfort affects the learning process of the occupants and affects the sustainability of residential colleges. The final impression of this offense leads to a deterioration in the quality of life. The research methodology is based on the literature review of residential colleges, Maslow's Theory of Needs, sustainable development, the influence of comfort and quality of life. The findings show that Maslow boelh's Theory of Needs is used as the basis for the provision of sustainable residential colleges, the concept of sustainable development as the basis for the concept of sustainable residential college and the comfort of the occupants affecting the quality of life as a whole. The future residential college should be developed on the basis of sustainability so residents can live comfortably and conducive thereby leading to improved quality of life

Rain water harvesting management system in Zoo Negara, Selangor

Water is a key requirement either to human, animal or plant. Rainwater Harvesting System (RWH) is a technology used to collect and store rainwater from the roof for reuse. The objective of this study was to investigate the factors that influence the effectiveness of the application of RWH and RWH in terms of the quantity of water collected. The scope of the study is to carried out at the National Zoo, Hulu Kelang, Selangor. This study focuses only on the second phase of the application of RWH at the National Zoo. Method of methodology used was through observation and interview. The results shown, factors that affect the application of RWH at the National Zoo is water demand, improve the quality of lake water and rainfall. For the second objective, based on the analysis, the rainwater is channelled to assist in improve the lake water. This is because, as a result of water quality tests conducted NAHRIM every month found that the lake water quality status has changed from Class IV (contaminated) to Class III (moderately polluted). Rainwater is also able to accommodate the needs of the lake water. Respondents also agreed that the application of RWH at the National Zoo for the second phase is effective. The results of this study, it can be beneficial for the government to encourage the installation of Zoo SPAH in other states

Establishing of Conceptual Model of Separation of Waste at the Source (SAS)

There is consensus that environmental issues are consequences of human activities and can be addressed by improvements in behavior. Separation of waste at the source (SAS) as mandated through Act 672 is a pro-environmental behavior (PEB) at the household level to reduce waste from being send to landfill and also an effective measure in reducing waste as a whole which will ultimately protect the environment from pollution. Based on the problem statement that lack of household knowledge on how to perform the separation of waste and holding environmental ethics that is not pro-environment will hinder household from performing such behavior, this article aims to establish a conceptual model of separation of waste at the source among households in Malaysia. The conceptual model proposed a modification to Value-Belief-Norm (VBN) model to predict SAS behavior with environmental ethics and specific waste separation knowledge as an adjustment and additional factors to the original model which could demonstrate the causal-effect relationship towards the behavior. The conceptual model proposed individuals with biocentric and ecocentric beliefs to be more likely to engage in SAS behavior than those with anthropocentric and technocentric beliefs. The conceptual model also proposed that individuals specific waste separation knowledge will moderate the relationship between personal norm and SAS behavior. It is expected that the conceptual model has a potential in helping researchers and stakeholders to better understand the underlying SAS behavior among households in Malaysia