SUSTAINABLE PLANNING &

ARCHITECTURE
UNIT1:
Concepts of Sustainability- Carrying capacity, sustainable
development – Brundtland Report – Ethics & Visions of
Sustainability

Prepared by: Ar. Indrayani Joshi

WHAT IS SUSTAINABILITY?
Sustainability is the capacity to endure.
In ecology the word describes how
biological systems remain diverse and
productive over time.

For humans it is the potential for long-term

maintenance of well being, which in turn
depends on the maintenance of the natural
world and natural resources.

Ways of living more sustainably can take many forms:

• Re organizing living conditions (e.g. eco-villages and sustainable cities), reappraising
economic sectors (green building and sustainable agriculture),
• Work practices (sustainable architecture),
• Using science to develop new technologies (green technologies and renewable
energy),
• Adjustments in individual lifestyles that conserve natural resources.
 CARRYING CAPACITY

At the global scale, scientific data now indicates that human beings are living
beyond the carrying capacity of the planet earth and that this cannot continue
indefinitely.
An early detailed examination of global limits was first done in the 1972 book
Limits to Growth.
The Ecological Footprint measures human consumption in terms of the biologically
productive land needed to provide the resources, and absorb the wastes of the
average global citizen.
 Population growth has a marked effect on
the levels of consumption and efficiency of
resource use.

The sustainability goal is to raise the global

standard of living without increasing the
use of resources beyond globally
sustainable levels; i.e. to not exceed “one
planet” consumption.
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
Sustainable Development is a process
for meeting human development goals
while maintaining the ability of natural
systems to continue to provide the
natural resources and ecosystem
services upon which economy and
society depend.

The modern concept of sustainable

development is derived most strongly
from the 1987 publication Bruntland
Report, and it is rooted in earlier ideas
about sustainable forest management
and 20th century environmental
concerns.
BRUNDTLAND REPORT

The Bruntland Commission was chaired by former Norwegian Prime Minister

GroHarlem Bruntland. Politicians, civil servants and environmental experts
make up the majority of the members.

Members of the commission represent 21 different nations (both developed

and developing nations are included).

“The Commission focused it’s attention to the areas of population, food

security, the loss of species and genetic resources, energy, industry and human
settlements – realizing that all these are connected and cannot be treated in
isolation from one another.”

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Our_Common_Future
BRUNDTLAND REPORT
Formerly known as the World Commission on Environment & Development (WCED) the
Bruntland Commission’s mission is to unite countries to pursue sustainable
development together.

In 1987, the Bruntland Commission published the first volume of “Our Common
Future”, strongly influenced the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janerio, Brazil and the 3rd
UN Conference on Environment & Development in Johannesburg, South Africa in 2002.
The Bruntland Commission’s mandate was to:

1. “Re-examine the critical issues of environment and development and to

formulate innovative, concrete and realistic action proposals to deal with them;
2. Strengthen international cooperation on environment and development
and assess and propose new forms of cooperation that break out of existing
patterns and influence policies and events in the direction of the needed change;
and
3. Raise the level of understanding and commitment to action on the part of
individuals, voluntary organizations, businesses, institutes and governments.”

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brundtland_Commission
ETHICS & VISIONS OF SUSTAINABILITY
Sustainable development calls for comprehensive change in the way society operates.
Production and consumption must be restructured in ways that better meet the basic
needs of all in an ecologically responsible manner.

Achieving sustainability will depend ultimately on changes in behaviour and lifestyles,

changes which will need to be motivated by a shift in values and rooted in the cultural
and moral precepts upon which behaviour is predicated.

The notion of an ‘ethic of time’ is the moral imperative to take action before reaching the
point of no return. Within this notion of time, there is also that of ‘anticipation’ and
‘prevention’.
Those in a position to effect change – governments, international organizations,
scientific institutions and universities, business and industry – need to shake off inertia
and the temptation to find shortterm half-way solutions. They need to take up the
challenge of doing what all agree needs to be done and applies to everyone’s ‘common
good’.

The report of the Brundtland Commission marked the beginning of thinking of

development in terms of the future as well as the present.
What is still lacking is a meaningful adjustment of our way of life to reflect this ethical
imperative.
 SUSTAINABLE PLANNING &
ARCHITECTURE
UNIT2:
Ecosystem and food chain, natural cycles- Ecological foot print-
Climate change and sustainability

Prepared by: Ar. Indrayani Joshi

 WHAT IS ECOSYSTEM?
An ecosystem is a community of living
organisms in conjunction with the nonliving
components of their environment (things like
air, water and mineral soil), interacting as a
system.

Types:
• Aquatic
1. Marine ecosystem
2. Fresh water ecosystem
• Terrestrial
1. Forest
2. Urban ecosystem
3. Desert
FOOD CHAIN
A food chain is a linear network of links in a food web.
Starts from
producer organisms (such as grass or trees which use radiation from the sun to make
their food) and ending at apex predator species (like Grizzly bears or killer whales or
Owls), detritivores (like earthworms or woodlice), or decomposer species (such as
bacteria or fungi).

A food chain also shows how the organisms are related with each other by the food
they eat.
FOOD CHAIN & FOOD WEB
NATURAL CYCLES
A Biogeochemical cycle or nutrient cycle or substance turnover is a pathway by which a
chemical substance moves through both biotic (biosphere)and abiotic (lithosphere,
atmosphere and hydrosphere) compartments of Earth.

A cycle is a series of change which comes back to the starting point and which can be
repeated. Water, for example is always recycled through a water cycle, as shown in the
diagram.
The most well-known and important biogeochemical cycles include:
❖ The Carbon Cycle,
❖ The Nitrogen Cycle,
❖ The Oxygen Cycle,
❖ The Phosphorus Cycle,
❖ The Sulphur Cycle,
❖ The Water Cycle,
❖ The Rock Cycle

There are many biogeochemical cycles that are currently being studied for the first time as
climate change and human impacts are drastically changing the speed, intensity and
balance of these relatively unknown cycles .
These newly studied bgc (biogeochemical) cycles include the mercury and atrazine cycles. As
bgc cycles describe the movement of substances on the entire globe, the study of these is
inherently multidisciplinary. The carbon cycle may be related to research in ecology, geology
and atmospheric sciences.
ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT

• The ecological footprint is a measure of human demand on the Earth’s ecosystems, the
amount of natural capital used each year.
• The footprint of a region can be contrasted with the natural resources it generates.
• The Global Footprint Network, is an ecological organization that calculates a global
ecological footprint from UN and other data, and publishes the result. They estimate that as
of 2007, the planet used up ecological resources 1.5 times as fast as they are being renewed,
that is equivalent to “1.5 planet Earths”.
• Ecological footprints can be calculated at any scale: for an activity, a person, a community, a
city, a region, a nation or humanity as a whole.
• Cities due to population concentration, have large ecological footprints and have become
ground zero for footprint reduction.
CLIMATE CHANGE & SUSTAINABILITY
• Climate change is a significant and lasting change in the Earth’s climate overt an
extended period.
• Climate change is expected to have a rise in temperature of the Earth’s temperature
and oceans and impact developing countries than on developed countries due to
numerous factors including exposure to extreme weather and infrastructure
considerations.
• Although climate change itself has been proven, uncertainties still exist regarding
predicting the effects.
Examples of impacts include:

• Increasing heat stresses as global temperatures rise. While some regions such as Canada may
benefit to some degree from rising temperatures, the overall effects on the ability of the planet
to support life will be negative. As temperatures rise, many equatorial regions will become
hostile to life.

• Changing weather patterns, especially more extreme weather events and changing rainfall
patterns, specifically increasing or decreasing precipitation levels. Increasing floods and
drought periods will have generally a negative effect on farming.

• Natural disasters are expected to increase in their severity.

• Sea level rise will contaminate a very large %age of the planet’s agricultural fields with sea
salt and make them no longer suitable for continued food production.

• In addition many low lying and coastlines will need to be abandoned, forcing many people to
become refugees.

• Increasing ocean acidity. As the pH of water decreases due to the input of carbonic acid
(resulting from CO2 dissolving in water), life forms which rely on chalk shell will increasingly
impossible to survive. This will have negative effects on many ocean ecosystems, especially coral
reefs which are the most bio-diverse
 CLIMATE CHANGE & SUSTAINABILITY: MITIGATION
MEASURES
It is important to note that climate change is also caused by natural phenomena.
The earth’s climate is subject to large fluctuations, like the 5 ice ages to date, which have lasted
from 30 to 300 million years ago. The most recent being 2.5 million years ago and is still going
on. In between ice ages, the poles are not covered by glaciers and the temperature is higher.

Mitigation : Several options are available to reduce the impacts of a changing climate. Most of
these (the most efficient ones)are:

▪ Reducing the release of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere (ie. through energy
efficiency, use of public transport, bicycles …)

▪ Prevent CO2 from being released into the atmosphere (ie. through carbon capture and
storage). With Carbon sequestration where after combusting a fuel, the CO2 is stored in a
cavity underground.

▪ Shield some of the planet from the sun, or reflect a a proportion of sunlight back into
space (ie. by painting roads, parking spaces and roofs white …)

▪ Build heat tolerant (passive solar with suitable insulation), flood control barriers …
 SUSTAINABLE PLANNING &
ARCHITECTURE
UNIT3:
Selection of materials, Eco-friendly materials and construction, - Bio
mimicry, Low impact construction, recyclable products and embodied
energy. Life cycle analysis. Energy sources- renewable and
non-renewable energy

Prepared by: Ar. Indrayani Joshi

WHY ECO FRIENDLY MATERIALS?
• Growth in the building industry in the
past few years

• All the construction work depends on

depletable sources

• Production of building material leads

to irreversible environmental impact
For example: Stone quarrying leads to
eroded hills.
WHAT ARE ECO FRIENDLY MATERIALS?
Eco friendly building materials are those
that increase the efficiency of energy used
and reduces impact on human wellbeing
and the environment.
A material by itself can be eco-friendly, e.g.
Bamboo
WHAT IS ECO FRIENDLY CONSTRUCTION?

Eco friendly construction is that practice which comprises the use of both
eco friendly materials as well as eco friendly technique.
SELECTION OF ECO FRIENDLY MATERIALS
Materials can be called eco friendly if they can assist in reduction of the energy used in
the building during operation and maintenance.

But it is difficult to get a material that has all these properties, and it thus it becomes a
comparative assessment to identify eco friendly materials.

SELECTION OF SOURCE OF EMBODIED ENERGY:

MATERIAL: Scalar total of energy input required to produce the
product including transporting them to the building
RENEWABLE SOURCE e.g. wood site.
from certified forests. Rapidly Aluminium and steel has the most embodied energy
renewable because of the high energy required to produce them,
compared to timber that requires very less energy for
RE-USE OF WASTE MATERIAL production.
Salvaged products – e.g. old
plumbing, door frames
REDUCING POLLUTION
Recycled contents – agriculture/
Air Pollution – Use of materials with low VOC emissions
industrial waste e.g. Bagasse
(Volatile organic compound)e.g. Cement Paints
Board
Water Pollution – Materials that prevent leaching.
Land Pollution – Materials that reuse waste that would
otherwise have resulted in landfill. e.g. Flyash Bricks
Bagasse products, particle board
SELECTION OF ECO FRIENDLY MATERIALS &
CONSTRUCTION
PERFORMANCE BASED SELECTION:
• REDUCE MATERIAL USE
These materials are energy efficient and also
help reduce the dead load of a building. e.g.
Ferro cement
DURABILITY & LIFE SPAN
Material that are exceptionally durable, or
require low maintenance example PVC pipes.
• Materials can be eco friendly based on how
they perform.
• Use of certain material or techniques can
reduce the amount of material required.
• Durability – The longer the life of a material
the lesser it is required to replace and thus
reduces the quantity required to produce.
SELECTION OF ECO FRIENDLY MATERIALS &
CONSTRUCTION
• Materials that require less energy during
construction e.g. precast RCC members
• Materials that help reduce the cooling loads
example – aerated concrete blocks or
terracotta blocks
• Products that conserve energy – e. g. CFL
lamps.

Precast RCC members

Aerated concrete block Terracotta blocks

 SELECTION OF ECO FRIENDLY MATERIALS &
CONSTRUCTION
• RECYCLABLE Fixtures & equipments that help
conserve water e.g. Dual flush cisterns
• Reuse or Recycle as different product e.g.
steel, aluminium or any non-rusting metal.
• Biodegradable – that decompose easily
example - wood or earthen materials.

http://www.citymetric.com/skylines/9-building-materials-made-entirely-waste-products-932
Construction with
recyclable bottles,
plastics, caps,
cardboard, cellulose
material-reformed with
zeo-form (made from
cellulose fibres and
water), wood splinters,
waste wood sticks,
planks, etc.
ECO FRIENDLY MATERIALS
CONVENTIONAL ECO-FRIENDLY MATERIALS
• Bamboo, Bamboo Based Particle Board & Ply Board, Bamboo Matting
• Sun dried Bricks or sun dried compressed mud blocks
• Precast cement concrete blocks, lintels, slab. Structural and non structural
modular elements
• Calcined Phospho Gypsum Wall Panels
• Calcium silicate boards and Tiles
• Cellular Light Weight Concrete Blocks
• Cement Paint
• Clay roofing tiles
• Water, polyurethane and acrylic based chemical admixtures for corrosion
removal, rust prevention, water proofing
• Epoxy Resin System, Flooring, sealants, adhesives and admixtures
 POTENTIAL ECO-FRIENDLY MATERIALS & TECHNIQUES
• Bagasse Board – BMTPC
• Bricks from Coal Washery Rejects CBRI, Roorkee
• Building Blocks From Mine Waste – SERC
• Burnt Clay Fly-Ash Bricks – CBRI, Roorkee
• Coir Cement Board – CBRI, Roorkee Compressed Earth Blocks
– BMTPC
• EPS Composites and Door Shutters CBRI, Roorkee
• Fiber Fly-ash Cement Boards BMTPC
• Fiber Reinforced Concrete Precast Elements, Wall panels,
Blocks, Manhole Covers –SERC
• Fibrous Gypsum Plaster Boards – CBRI, Roorkee
• Flyash Cellular Concrete, Flyash Cement Brick, Blocks – BMTPC
• Flyash Lime Cellular Concrete – CBRI, Roorkee
• Flyash Lime Gypsum Brick – BMTPC
• Insulating Bricks from Rice Husk Ash-Central Glass and Ceramic
Research Institute, Kolkata
• Jute Fiber Polyester BMTPC
• Non Erodable Mud Plaster – CBRI, Roorkee
• Polytiles – CBRI, Roorkee
• Timber from trees such as Poplar, Rubber, Eucalyptus – BMTPC
• Precast walling roofing components – CBRI, Roorkee
• Prefab Brick Panel System – CBRI, Roorkee
 BIOMIMICRY
Bio mimetic architecture is a contemporary philosophy of architecture that seeks
solutions for sustainability in nature, not by replicating the natural forms, but by
understanding the rules governing those forms.

It is part of a larger movement known as Bio mimicry, which is the examination of

nature, its models, systems, and processes for the purpose of gaining inspiration in
order to solve man-made problems.
CHARACTERISTICS
• Bio mimicry uses nature as a model, measure and mentor to solve problems in
architecture.
• It is not the same as biomorphic architecture, which uses natural existing elements
as sources of inspiration for aesthetic components of form.
• Instead, bio mimetic architecture looks to nature as a model to imitate or take
inspiration from natural designs and processes and applies it to the man-made.
WORKS ON 3 LEVELS •BIOMIMICRY
•THE ORGANISM

•ITS BEHAVIOUR
•ECOSYSTEM

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biomimetic_architecture
BIOMIMICRY
ORGANISM LEVEL
On the organism level, the architecture looks
to the organism itself, applying its form and/or
functions to a building.

Norman Foster’s Gherkin’s Tower (2003) has a

hexagonal skin inspired by the Venus Flower
Basket Sponge.

This sponge sits in an underwater environment

with strong water currents and its lattice-like
exoskeleton and round shape help disperse
those stresses on the organism.
BIOMIMICRY
ORGANISM LEVEL
The Eden Project (2001) in Cornwall,
England is a series of artificial biomes
(Biomes are distinct biological
communities that have formed in
response to a shared physical climate)
with domes modeled after soap bubbles
and pollen grains.
Grimshaw Architects looked to nature to
build an effective spherical shape.
The geodesic hexagonal bubbles inflated
with air were constructed of Ethylene
Tetra fluoroethylene (ETFE), a material
that is both light and strong.
 BIOMIMICRY
BEHAVIOUR LEVEL
On the behavior level, the building
mimics how the organism interacts
with its environment to build a
structure that can also fit in
without resistance in its
surrounding environment.

The Eastgate center designed by

architect Mick Pearce, is designed
to minimize potential costs of
regulating the building’s inner
temperature. The building has no
air conditioning or heating but
regulates its temperature with a
passive cooling system inspired by
the self cooling mounds of African
termites. The structure, however,
does not have to look like a termite
mound to function like one and
instead aesthetically draws from
indigenous Zimbabwean masonry.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biomimetic_architecture
 BIOMIMICRY

Termite mounds, like this one in Namibia, contain

a series of bubble-like chambers connected by
branching passages.
 BIOMIMICRY
The Cardboard to Caviar Project founded by
ECOSYSTEM LEVEL
Graham Wiles in Wakefield, UK is a cyclical
Building on the ecosystem level
closed-loop system using waste as a nutrient.
involves mimicking of how the many
components of environments work
How it works:
together and tends to be on the
• The project pays restaurants for their
urban scale or a larger project with
cardboard, shreds it, and sells it to equestrian
multiple elements rather than a
centers for horse bedding.
solitary structure.
• Then the soiled bedding is bought and put into
a composting system, which produces a lot of
worms.
• The worms are fed to roe fish, which produce
caviar, which is sold back to the restaurants.
• This idea of waste for one as a nutrient for
another has the potential to be translated to
whole cities.

http://algalbiomass.weebly.com/graham-wiles-cardboard-to-caviar.html
BIOMIMICRY
ECOSYSTEM LEVEL
The Sahara Forest Project is a greenhouse
that aims to rely on solar energy alone to
operate as a zero waste system.
LOW IMPACT CONSTRUCTION & RECYCLABLE PRODUCTS
‘Low Impact Construction’ describes a body of work which takes in most of the
radical attempts to produce ‘deep green’ buildings with a quite different approach
to construction and the creation of comfort. One of the benefits of most low-impact
constructions is that materials are safe and the processes are easy.

• One characteristic of almost all low impact construction is that it remains small
scale and usually rural.
• This often diminishes its value and relevance so it is worth stressing that there
are technical reasons why most of the construction types discussed could not be
employed on both large scale and in urban situations.
• Although the term describes a wide range of techniques, many of the principles,
or characteristics of these buildings are shared and are distinct from much
mainstream construction
LOW IMPACT CONSTRUCTION & RECYCLABLE PRODUCTS
PROPERTIES OF LOW IMPACT CONSTRUCTION
▪ Very low embodied energy
▪ Local, unconventional materials
▪ Low material costs, high labour costs
▪ Passive environmental control
▪ Maintenance
▪ Vision in society

COMMON MATERIALS AND SYSTEMS OF LOW

IMPACT CONSTRUCTION
▪ Earth
▪ Light earth and hemp-line
▪ Strawbale construction
▪ Other crops
▪ Timber
▪ Masonry
▪ Re-used and recycled materials
 RECYCLABLE PRODUCTS
• Cardboard
• Food & drinks cans
• Food & beverage cartons (tetrapak
type containers)
• Paper
• Plastic bottles, tubs and trays: There
are about 50 different groups of plastics,
with hundreds of different varieties.
Most types of plastic are recyclable.
Because most plastics are
non-degradable, they take a long time to
break down, possibly up to hundreds of
years - although no-one knows for
certain as plastics haven't existed for
long enough.
• Timber

http://www.conserve-energy-future.com/cardboard-recycling.php
http://www.wm.com/thinkgreen/what-can-i-recycle.jsp
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paper_recycling
https://recyclenation.com/2015/11/how-to-recycle-plastic-storage-bins/
 EMBODIED ENERGY Construction industry’s interest in
Energy is embodied in everything we use and
depend on; it includes: embodied energy:
• Extraction of raw materials • Understand how building materials
• Transportation of materials
• Manufacture/processing of materials, food, are manufactured
clothing, etc. • Specify sustainable products
• Usage and disposal/recycling
• Greenhouse gas emissions of manufacturing • Consider entire life-cycle of products
processes • Encourage manufacturers to find
• Often ignored because not as “visible” or easy
to track as operational energy more efficient processes
• Commitment to reduce carbon
footprint of buildings
• Embodied energy = the sum of
energy inputs to make a product
LIFE CYCLE ANALYSIS
Life Cycle Analysis involves the “Compilation
and evaluation of the inputs, outputs and the
potential environmental impacts of a product
system throughout its life cycle”.

• Life cycle assessment is a powerful tool for

analyzing aspects of quantifiable systems.
• Not every factor, however, can be reduced to
a number and inserted into a model.
• Additionally, social implications of products
are generally lacking in LCAs.
• Comparative life-cycle analysis is often used
to determine a better process or product to
use.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Life-cycle_assessment
RENEWABLE & NON RENEWABLE SOURCES OF ENERGY
Renewable energy is generally
Before selecting an appropriate renewable
defined as energy that comes from
energy technology to apply to an existing
resources which are naturally
building retrofit project, it is important to first
replenished on a human time scale,
consider a number of factors.
such as sunlight, wind, rain, tides,
waves and geothermal heat.
Few of the factors are:
▪ Available renewable energy resource at or
near the building site
▪ Available area for siting of the renewable
energy technology
▪ Cost of energy purchased from the electrical
or thermal energy provider for the building
▪ Available incentives for offsetting the
installation cost of the renewable energy
system
▪ Local regulations affecting renewable energy
systems
▪ Desire to preserve or not alter existing
architectural features
▪ Characteristics of the energy profiles to be
offset by the renewable energy installation
RENEWABLE SOURCES OF ENERGY

SOLAR ELECTRIC PV SOLAR THERMAL

PV arrays convert sunlight to SOLAR HOT WATER SYSEMS
electricity. Systems are made up of Solar hot water systems use a collector
modules assembled into arrays that to absorb and transfer heat from the
can be mounted on or near a building sun to water, which is stored in a tank
or other structure . A power inverter until needed.
converts the direct current (DC) These systems are categorized by the
generated by the system into temperature at which heat is most
grid-quality alternating current (AC) efficiently delivered and the collector
electricity. type that is best suited for that
There are typically three scales of delivered temperature including low
solar installations: temperature (unglazed collectors), mid
utility-scale, commercial, and temperature (flat-plate collectors), and
residential. high-temperature (evacuated tube
collectors).
RENEWABLE SOURCES OF ENERGY

WIND SOLAR VENTILATION PREHEATING

Wind energy is created by uneven solar SYSTEMS
heating of the Earth’s surface. Solar ventilation preheating systems
This wind flow, or motion energy, can be heat ventilation air for applications
harnessed by modern wind turbines to needing high volumes of ventilation
generate electricity. air.
Wind turbines use rotating propeller-like In principle, the sun warms the
blades to harness the energy in the wind collector surface, where heat is then
and drive a turbine that generates conducted from the surface to a
electricity. thermal boundary layer of air.
Fans then draw the boundary layer
though holes in the collector before
the heat can escape by convection.
NON RENEWABLE SOURCES OF ENERGY

A non-renewable resource is a Coal, petroleum, and natural gas are

natural resource cannot be considered non renewable because they can
re-made or re-grown at a scale not be replenished in a short period of time.
comparable to its consumption. These are called fossil fuels.

Also soil, natural stone are the non renewable

sources.

PROBLEMS ARISING FROM THE

EXPLOITATION OF NATURAL RESOURCES:
▪ Deforestation
▪ Desertification
▪ Extinction of species
▪ Forced migration
▪ Soil erosion
▪ Oil depletion
▪ Ozone depletion
▪ Greenhouse gas increase
▪ Extreme energy
▪ Water pollution
▪ Natural hazard/Natural disaster
 SUSTAINABLE PLANNING &
ARCHITECTURE
UNIT 4:
Green buildings – Rating system: LEED, GRIHA, BREEAM, etc, Case
Studies
 GREEN BUILDING

• Refers to a structure and using process that

is environmentally responsible and resource
efficient throughout a building’s life cycle :
from site to design, construction, operation,
maintenance, renovation, and demolition.

• Green building – also known as sustainable

or high performance building increases the
efficiency with which buildings and their
sites use and harvest energy, water, and
materials.
 GREEN BUILDING CONCEPT
• These are buildings that ensure waste is
minimized at every stage during the
construction and operation of the building,
resulting in low costs
• A Green building is a structure that is
environmentally responsible and resource
OBJECTIVE
efficient throughout it’s life cycle.
• To reduce the overall impact of the built environment on human health
and the natural environment
• Efficient use of energy, water and other resources.

• Protect occupant health and improve employee productivity.

• Reduction of waste, pollution and environment degradation.

 Goals of green building
• Fundamental principles:
– Emphasize taking advantage of renewable resources: Using sunlight
through passive solar, active solar, and photovoltaic techniques
– Using plants and trees through green roofs, rain gardens
– Reduction of rainwater run-off
– Structure Design Efficiency,
– Energy Efficiency,
– Water Efficiency,
– Materials Efficiency: Using techniques, such as packed gravel or permeable
concrete instead of conventional concrete or asphalt to enhance
replenishment of ground water
– Indoor Environmental Quality Enhancement,
– Operations and Maintenance Optimization, and
– Waste and Toxics Reduction
 Structure design efficiency
• In designing environmentally optimal buildings, the objective is to minimize
the total environmental impact associated with all life-cycle stages of the
building project.
• A variation of every design variable may affect the environment during all
the building's relevant life-cycle stages.

Energy efficiency
• To reduce operating energy use, high-efficiency windows and insulation in
walls, ceilings, and floors increase the efficiency of the building envelope
• Passive solar building design
• Orienting windows and walls and provide measures to shade windows and roofs
during the summer while maximizing solar gain in the winter. In addition,
effective window placement (day lighting) can provide more natural light and
lessen the need for electric lighting during the day.
• Solar water heating further reduces energy costs.
• Onsite generation of renewable energy through solar power, wind
power, hydro power, or biomass etc.
 Water efficiency
• Reducing water consumption and protecting water quality are key objectives in
sustainable building. One critical issue of water consumption is that in many areas,
the demands on the supply exceed its ability to replenish itself.
• To the maximum extent feasible, facilities should increase their dependence on
water that is collected, used, purified, and reused on-site.
• The protection and conservation of water throughout the life of a building may be
accomplished by designing for dual plumbing that recycles water in toilet
flushing.*
• Waste-water may be minimized by utilizing water conserving fixtures such as
ultra-low flush toilets and low-flow shower heads.*
• The use of non-sewage and grey water for on-site use such as site-irrigation will
minimize demands on the local water supply system.

*http://www.wateraid.org/news/news/ecosan-toilets
http://www.sulabhinternational.org/
 Materials efficiency
• Green building materials are composed of renewable resources.

• Green materials are environmentally responsible because impacts are

considered over the life of the product.

• Depending upon project-specific goals Green building material/product

selection criteria :
– Resource efficiency
– Indoor air quality
– Energy efficiency
– Water conservation
– Affordability
 Resource Efficiency
• Recycled Content: Products with identifiable recycled content, including
postindustrial content with a preference for post consumer content.
• Resource efficient manufacturing process: Products manufactured with
resource-efficient processes including reducing energy consumption,
minimizing waste (recycled, recyclable and or source reduced product
packaging), and reducing greenhouse gases.
• Locally available: Building materials, components, and systems found
locally or regionally saving energy and resources in transportation to the
project site.
• Durable: Materials that are longer lasting or are comparable to
conventional products with long life expectancies.
 Indoor environmental quality enhancement
• Indoor Air Quality seeks to reduce volatile organic compounds, or VOCs,
and other air impurities such as microbial contaminants. Buildings rely on
a properly designed ventilation system (passively/naturally- or
mechanically-powered) to provide adequate ventilation of cleaner air
from outdoors or recirculated, filtered air as well as isolated operations
(kitchens, dry cleaners, etc.) from other occupancies.
• Low or non-toxic materials: Materials that emit few or no carcinogens,
reproductive toxicants, or irritants as demonstrated by the manufacturer
through appropriate testing.
• Moisture resistant: Products and systems that resist moisture or inhibit
the growth of biological contaminants in buildings.
• Systems or equipment: Products that promote healthy IAQ (indoor air
quality
 Operations and maintenance optimization

• No matter how sustainable a building may have been in its design and
construction, it can only remain so if it is operated responsibly and
maintained properly.
• Every aspect of green building is integrated into the O&M phase
• Ensuring operations and maintenance(O&M) personnel are part of the
project's planning and development process which will help retain the
green criteria designed at the onset of the project building's life.
• The addition of new green technologies also falls on the O&M staff.
• Although the goal of waste reduction may be applied during the design,
construction and demolition phases of a building's life-cycle, it is in the
O&M phase that green practices such as recycling and air quality
enhancement take place

http://sites.ndtv.com/property/3272-2/
http://www.hindustantimes.com/mumbai-news/mumbai-housing-society-switches-to-solar-power-saves-2-lakh-a-month
-on-electricity-bills/story-PY6wMwmK3Em7vh0HcMSZcO.html
 Waste reduction
• Green architecture also seeks to reduce waste of energy, water and
materials used during construction.
• For example, in California nearly 60% of the state's waste comes from
commercial buildings. During the construction phase, one goal should be
to reduce the amount of material going to landfills.
• Help reduce the amount of waste generated by the occupants as well, by
providing compost bins.*
• To reduce the impact on wells or water treatment plants, several options
exist.
– "Greywater", wastewater from sources such as dishwashing or washing machines, can
be used for subsurface irrigation, or if treated, for non-potable purposes, e.g., to flush
toilets and wash cars.
– Rainwater collectors are used for similar purposes.
• Centralized wastewater treatment systems can be costly and use a lot of
energy. An alternative to this process is converting waste and wastewater
into fertilizer, which avoids these costs and shows other benefits.

*http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/thane/green-loving-housing-society-now-adopts-bio-co
mposting/articleshow/58184803.cms
HOW TO MAKE GREEN HOMES
 Regulation and operation
• The Indian building industry is highly de-centralized with people
and/ or groups engaged in design, construction, equipment
provision, installation, and renovation working together.
• Each group may be organized to some extent.
• Hence, it is very important to define and quantify sustainable
building practices and their benefits.
• It is also important to separate the role of different participants in
ensuring that the building consumes minimal resources over its
entire life cycle and leaves behind a minimal environmental
footprint.
 Indian Green Building Council
• The Indian Green Building Council (IGBC), was formed in the year 2001 by
Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).
• The vision of the council is to usher in a green building movement in
India and facilitate India to become one of the global leaders in green
buildings by 2015.
• With a modest beginning of 20,000 sq ft (1,900 m2) green built-up area in
the country in the year 2003, today more than 1053 green buildings (as on
April 2011) with a built-up area of over 648,000,000 sq ft (60,200,000 m2)
are being constructed all over India, of which 147 green buildings are
certified and fully functional
• LEED India for New Construction
• LEED India for Core and Shell
• IGBC Green Homes
• IGBC Green Factory Building
• IGBC Green SEZ
• IGBC Green Townships
https://igbc.in/igbc/
 Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment
• GRIHA has been developed after a thorough study and understanding of
the current internationally accepted green building rating systems and
the prevailing building practices in India.
• The team has researched on several international rating systems. A few
team members were also sponsored under a study tour by USAEP (United
States Asia Environmental Partnership) to understand the eco-rating
systems prevalent in the US.
• The team has vast experience in providing design assistance to green
buildings in the country and long and varied experience in carrying out
energy conservation studies in existing hotels, offices, and other
commercial building.
• The team has effectively utilized the several multi-disciplinary strengths
and experiences of the colleagues at TERI to arrive at the tools that
addresses cross-cutting issues in the design, development, and operation
of a green building.

http://www.grihaindia.org/
 http://www.breeam.com/
BREEAM
• BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method),
first published by the Building Research Establishment (BRE) in 1990
• World’s longest established method of assessing, rating, and certifying
the sustainability of buildings
• More than 250,000 buildings have been BREEAM certified and over a million are
registered for certification – many in the UK and others in more than 50 countries
around the world.

Purpose of BREEAM
▪ BREEAM works to raise awareness amongst owners, occupiers, designers and operators
of the benefits of taking a sustainability approach.

▪ It helps them to successfully and cost effectively adopt sustainable solutions, and
provides market recognition of their achievements.

▪ BREEAM aims to reduce the negative effects of construction and development on the
environment
Scope of BREEAM
Highly flexible, the BREEAM standard can be applied to virtually any building and
location, with versions for new buildings, existing buildings, refurbishment projects
and large developments:

▪ BREEAM New Construction

▪ BREEAM International New Construction
▪ BREEAM In-Use
▪ BREEAM Refurbishment
▪ BREEAM Communities

BREEAM is used in more than 70 countries, with several in Europe having gone a stage
further to develop country-specific BREEAM schemes operated by National Scheme
Operators (NSOs). There are currently NSOs affiliated to BREEAM in:

Netherlands – the Dutch Green Building Council operates BREEAM NL

Spain – the Instituto Tecnológico de Galicia operates BREEAM ES www.breeam.es
Norway – the Norwegian Green Building Council operates BREEAM NOR
Sweden – the Swedish Green Building Council operates BREEAM SE
Germany – the German Institute for Sustainable Real Estate (DIFNI) is operating BREEAM
DE
 LEED
▪ Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is one of the most
popular green building certification programs used worldwide.

▪ It includes a set of rating systems for the design, construction, operation, and
maintenance of green buildings, homes, and neighbourhoods

LEED 2009 encompasses ten rating systems for the design, construction and
operation of buildings, homes and neighbourhoods. They are as follows:

▪ Green Building Design & Construction

▪ Green Interior Design & Construction
▪ Green Building Operations & Maintenance
▪ Green Neighborhood Development
▪ Green Home Design and Construction

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leadership_in_Energy_and_Environmental_Design
https://www.usgbc.org/leed
 LEED
Certification level:
Buildings can qualify for four levels of certification:
❖Certified: 40–49 points
❖Silver: 50-59 points
❖Gold: 60-79 points
❖Platinum: 80 points and above
 CASE STUDIES

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_energy_efficient_buildings_in_India
 Suzlon Energy Limited - Pune
• Suzlon’s global headquarter in Pune - “One Earth”
• The facility has been LEED ‘Platinum’ rated and certified as an eco-friendly
building by the Green Building Council.
• Built to perfection on an area of 41,000 square meters (10.13 acres)
• One Earth can be counted as among the largest green building projects in
India and is living proof that our world can be replenished with a little green
effort, everyday.

http://www.suzlon.com/about/suzlon-one-earth
 Biodiversity Conservation India Ltd (BCIL) - Bangalore
• As a green builder who strives for the conservation of diversity in vegetation, forests,
culture and urban lifestyles, BCIL has created some of the most energy-efficient residential
homes
• The company’s TZed homes in Whitefield, Bangalore has been certified as the first
residential apartment in the world to be rated ‘Platinum’ under LEED.
• TZed, which means “Towards Zero Energy Development”
• Is a 2,49,000 sq.ft. green project spread across 5.5 acres and is designed to reduce lighting
and energy by nearly 70 per cent.
• No home at BCIL TZed Homes uses incandescent lamps, halogens and fluorescent tubelights

https://greenbuildingsindia.wordpress.com/2013/07/04/biodiversity-conservation-india-ltd-bcil-green-building-in-banglo
re/
 ITC Green Centre - Gurgaon
• Renowned as one of the early adopters of the green building movement in India, the
ITC Green Centre is still considered a benchmark for green buildings.
• It was the first 'Platinum' rated building in India and has endeavored to adopt green
practices that go beyond recycled waste and day-lit offices.
• Built-in area of 180,000 sq.ft., the building features alternative transportation
facilities, storm water management system, solar thermal technology, reflective
high-albedo roof paint, minimal exterior lighting, separate smoking rooms with
exhaust system and zero-water discharge
• More than 10% of the building materials are refurbished from other sites and 40% are
from within 500 miles of the project site
The Druk White Lotus School - Ladakh
Traditional mud brick masonry is used internally to provide increased thermal performance
and durability
La Cuisine Solaire - Auroville
This building puts to use appropriate technologies and passive solar concepts to
achieve energy-efficiency
Doon School - Dehradun
Doon school drastically reduced the need for artificial heating/cooling air
conditioning through solar thermal systems and cross-ventilation

Raintree Hotels - Chennai

Setting new standards of environmental responsibility without compromising on guest
experience
Rajiv Gandhi International Airport - Hyderabad
This greenfield airport has been built at a cost of Rs 2,478 crore

Patni Knowledge Centre

Set up with an investment of Rs.175 crores, this Green IT-BPO centre is spread over 5
acres of land and seats over 3,500 people.
Nokia - Gurgaon