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inspired to be

Volume 8
The Future of Green Buildings
-Special Edition

for those inspired by green, written by the experts in green

www.inspiredgreen.in
Dear Inspired
Readers, Contents
I am happy
present you Green
Inspiration for your
to
An inspiring interview with
Ar Karan Grover.
mind. The articles we
have compiled this
time are focusing on 4
Our green project of the month,
the Future of Green
Buildings, and I am sure some of our articles will Suzlon One earth, Pune.

10
move you and motivate you. I had the pleasure
to sit together with Architect Karan Grover and
Architect Christopher Charles Benninger for an
interview, and besides all their great building Ar Yatin Pandya, explaining the
designs they have even more fascinating ideas for nuances of green design.

18
the future of the Green Building Movement. You
can read about futuristic green building design, get
some ideas from Suzlon's One Earth headquaters
in Pune and get to know different Green Building Future of green buildings, and technologies.
Rating Systems around the world. Special thanks go
to our Sponsors who made it possible that Inspired
to be Green is now reaching out to over 7000 Green
Building Enthusiasts.
22
Our passion is to motivate people to go Green and Thought provoking discussion with
spread awareness on how to build Green. Over the Prof. Charles Benninger
past few month we have been working together
with our Initiators from Aluplast, Breezair,
Everest, Nippon Paint, Supreme Petrochem,
26
Roca and Team Sustain on an innovative Green An article explaining the Sustainability and
Building Concept: ZERO ENERGY SPACE. It is a green building rating systems around the world
new dimension of building design with the latest
Green Building Technologies in the market. This
space gives people the chance to experience a high
34
comfort indoor environment with (net) zero energy Article explaining the green features of
consumption. Experience the ZERO ENERGY Paharpur Business Centre

40
SPACE in your city at the Green Building Congress
in Chennai, Economic Times ACEtech in Mumbai
and at Economic Times ACEtech in New Delhi and
see the website www.zeroenergyspace.com Article briefing the concepts of Building
Envelope Insulation
Stay inspired,
44
Isabelle More about:
• Glass wool insulation - Pg 16
We are happy to receive your queries,
comments and contribution • Low temperature laundry - Pg 30
• Zero energy space - Pg 32
130, Old Mahabalipuram Road,
Shollinganallur, Chennai - 600119. • Smart building solutions by Everest- Pg 50
Ph : +91 98432 68083
isabelle@inspiredgreen.in • Realizing GREEN in God’s own country -Pg 52
M E M B E R
www.inspiredgreen.in
Inspired to be GREEN I Volume 8 I 3
AN

INSPIRING

INTERVIEW

WITH

Ar.karan

grover

I had the chance to sit down with


one the most well known and
appreciated Architects in the Green
Building Community: Architect
I ndia’s Future Green Buildings:

“In twenty years, a green building in India will reflect the Indian
Karan Grover. I entered his house
prepared with 8 questions and after culture much better than these days where we are striving
a wonderful 60 minute session, I towards modern buildings copied from the West. Design
walked out with a recipe on how to elements like “jalis” and other passive strategies which keep the
change the world.
building cool will be followed. We will rediscover the roots of
Here is the recap of this inspiring the past what will influence the aesthetics of the new buildings.
interview with the maestro himself…
For every place and every climatic region buildings will show
We started with one simple question;
How will a green building look 20 different design features which support natural ventilation,
years in to the future? natural lighting and cooling. Looking at developments around

From this we moved from topic to the world it is fascinating to see that modern buildings in the
topic, with Karan Grover expressing West are taking advantage of Asian design elements like screens
his views and opinions…
and numerous passive strategies.

~ Isabelle, Editor Inspired to be GREEN


From Ratings to Standards: The Magic of Nature:
Today we are focusing on rating systems more then on It can’t be described in words, what the beauty of
actual green design. People started to think in LEED- nature is. It must be experienced – an early morning
points rather than following passive design from the walk through the forest could make us more sensitive.
beginning. A shift will happen. Rating and certification The sound of nature, the beauty of each tree and plant
systems will lose in importance but standards will be has a positive effect on human beings. We need to
increasing. Let me explain that to you: A LEED rated rediscover our mother nature. Once people experience
building does not necessarily reflect green design. In the beauty, they will demand this beauty also in
the future we will aim to increase standards instead of their buildings. We would demand buildings with
hunting for points. Rating systems get negotiable and individual character which also give us the possibility
are guidelines on the way to a green building. Architects to interact with nature. Parks and landscaped areas
will raise the benchmarks; we will see buildings as around the building are important to find relaxation,
“Net-Zero”, “self-sustaining development” or “Plus- and we will realize the positive effects when we spend
Energy” and not anymore as Silver, Gold or Platinum. time with nature.

Green Community and Collective Technology, Tradition and Design:


Benefit: Passive strategies and design is crucial for every
One green building in the neighborhood of thousands building, new technologies are there to support, but
of non- green buildings does not make a big difference. not to replace passive strategies. Photovoltaic panels
It is about our environment, our neighborhood, our could be integrated in a façade design supporting
city; I am looking towards an integrated green design the passive strategies, and offering the benefits of
like green townships and green cities. We need to technology. Buildings have identity and we should
understand the collective benefits of communities aim to root this identity to our place. Nowadays it is
adopting green standards. Green communities are the architecture of space, buildings all over the world look
base for a sustainable, healthy and fulfilled life. In the the same without considering the place, the tradition
present we can see egotistic developments focused only and the culture. We need to root our buildings to our
on our own benefits, but the time will bring changes place, than buildings will also be more connected to
people. Aesthetics should be based on individual
and we will rediscover to think as a community.
culture that people can relate.

National Institute of Design, Banglore

Inspired to be GREEN I Volume 8 I 5


Build a Green Building YOURSELF:
I want to share the basic green design strategies, which every architect
can easily incorporate in the design to create a green building. It is a
misconception that we need a green architect, a green consultant and the
best green rating system to create a sustainable building. We should just ask
ourselves what we define as green, that will lead into the right direction… I
will share an easy recipe with you:

• Look at the orientation of the building. Make sure that smaller surfaces
are facing east and west.
• Design buffer zones on east and west facades like verandas, equipment
rooms and staircases.
• Integrate screens to allow natural ventilation and cross ventilation to
cool the building.
HNG Corporate Office, Kolkata
• Design inclined windows on the south façade to avoid direct sun
radiation on the windows.
• Try to avoid any openings like windows on the east and west.
• Use ceilings which reflect the natural light and bring
it deep into the room.
• Use green roofs and green walls.
• Design rainwater harvesting pits to collect all rainwater from the site.
• I believe the success of developing a Green Building Community lies
in sharing information without making yourself to the key-person.
Teach people what they need to know to make a green building.

Everyone Is Green:
I can see that every second developer promotes his project with the help of
the word “green”. Most of the times it is only a word, and there is actually no
element which is eco-friendly, energy-efficient or sustainable in this project.
We should employ “green watchdogs” who will ask developers, builders
and product manufacturers to prove their green statements. Consumers
The Park Hotel, Pune
have the right of information and under no circumstances they should be
mislead with the word “green”. Stand up and ask for the green features –
and if you don’t feel it is green, speak up!

We Can Change The World:


There is no community which has a greater impact on the world’s energy
consumption than architects. 50% of the world’s energy is consumed by
buildings. Architects can save at least ½ of the buildings energy consumption
by passive design elements and with the help of energy-efficient technologies.
That means by designing our buildings in a sustainable and energy saving
way we have an impact of 25% on the words energy consumption!

If we work together we can make an extraordinary difference. Our


community is responsible for the survival of this planet. Let’s go
out and change the world!

Inspired to be Green thanks Architect Karan Grover for his valuable time towards
this motivational article.
Jadavgarh Fort Orchid
Boutique Hotel, Pune
Green Facade systems from Kingspan

K ingspan Insulated Panels have been present in the India market


for 3 years with their cold store sandwich panels and roof
sandwich panels for industrial buildings. The Ireland based global
Kingspan has 30+ years of experience with manufacturing insulated
sandwich panels on continous manufacturing lines. Their facade
system has been used in many countries in America, Africa, Europe,
market leader has now announced the launch of their insulated Middle East, Asia & Australia.
facade system designed for building envelopes of commercial The panels combine an amazing insulation value with the aesthetics
and public buildings. of the modern metal based rendering systems. Case studies show a
whopping INR 400+ savings per annum on every m sq of the panel
The use of these products in India is now necessary for the compliance system. As per recent studies the panel system would add up to extra
with the green building concept as well as to comply with the new 3 LEED credit points as compared to conventional brick based wall.
ECBC requirements. The Kingspan system delivers 6 to 8 times better
The other benefit of the system is the elimination of wet trades – no
thermal insulation values than the conventional 9 inches brickwork. brickwork is required and the system is prefabricated hence the risk
This of course means a significant cost saving by reduced heat transfer of site errors is minimized. Kingspan is a member of the Indian Green
through the building envelope. On top of the usual requirements of Building Council. A wide range of FM Approved Firesafe products
water tightness, dust tightness, thermal and structural performance, are available within their product range.
the aesthetics of the system have been a top priority for the design & Besides launching their facade system Kingspan continues to supply
manufacturing of this product. their roof and wall panels as well as cold store panels.

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Green Building Research Institute inspired to be
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for those inspired by green, written by the experts

" THE ELEMENTS "


Green Project of the Month
Suzlon one earth,
hadaspar, pune

TM

Energy Savings Water Savings Recycle Waste Daylight & IAQ


47% 60% 75% 90%
The campus design, interiors, landscape and communication all reflect the core Suzlon
values of agility, creativity, adding value, commitment, and integrity. With One Earth, the
company wanted to create a brand experience for all stakeholders and visitors that would
reflect the global Suzlon brand. The Synefra team was given a dream, a vision and an idea
which they translated into impressive reality. The One Earth campus is the knowledge
and support base for the company’s global operations that penetrate 40 countries.
Here are some of the features incorporated in this project to achieve the prestigious
LEED Platinum ratings. The features are listed similar to the LEED rating system.

Project Team Profile


Owner Suzlon Energy Ltd.
Architect Christopher Charles Benninger Architects, Pune
HVAC Consultants Refrisynth Engineers, Pune
Structural Consultants Vastech Consultants Pvt Ltd, Pune
Landscape Consultants Ravi & Varsha Gavandi Landscape Architects
Contractor Vascon Engineers, Pune
Plumbing Consultants Rahul Dadhphale Piping Consultants, Pune
Energy Consultant/
Environmental Design Solutions, Pune
LEED Facilitator
Project conceived and managed by Synefra E & C Ltd.
Sustainability at the site

The Suzlon project has a Transportation Policy in


place to cater to about 20% of the building occupants
and employees can avail the company bus services
in addition to the 200 executives participate in the
carpooling program and 30 preferred parking spaces
have been reserved for carpools.

Alternative Transportation has been encouraged


in this project by providing 96 e-charging points to
promote the use of low emitting and alternative fuel
stations like electric cars and bikes.

Various Water Treatment Techniques have been used


in Suzlon One Earth project to ensure general water
quality. The Rain water harvesting system helps to
capture and treat and reuse the rain water on site.
This reduces the need for potable water.

The project has mitigated the heat island effect by


providing 90.99% roof with SRI compliant materials.
The steep slope roof is provided with high reflectance
Indiana copper coated Kalzip Aluminium Profile sheet
whereas the flat roof uses white ceramic tiles; a
concept quite often seen in traditional architecture.
The Solar Reflectance Index of these materials is
more than 78, combining envelope performance
with cost effectiveness.

Water Efficiency

The Suzlon project is an excellent example of a building


that is water efficient. The water use is reduced, generated
sewage is treated and reused on site.

To maximize the water efficiency within the buildings


to reduce the burden on municipal water supply and
waste water systems, following water saving fixtures
are installed at site:

1. Low flow faucets (pressure compensated 1.6 GPM


economic aerators)
2. Touchless urinals with hytronic sensor (0.22l/
sec;default flush time of 4 secs.)
3. Geberit concealed Dual Flush - half/full (0.8/1.6 GPF)
The on site waste water treatment is being done through
a Sewage Treatment plant located at basement to treat
the wastewater to tertiary standards. This treated water
is used for Irrigation completely by eliminating the potable
water demand by 100%. The treated water is also used for
AC make up for the water cooled chillers.

Inspired to be GREEN I Volume 8 I 11


Energy Efficiency

The following measures have been taken to improve the Jet fans for parking ventilation: As opposed to conventional
building envelope design: ducted arrangement, fresh air is drawn through large openings
provided on the periphery of the basement, and pushed
• Optimized Orientation - Mass Articulation / Mutual
by PLC controlled dual speed jet fans towards the center
Shading High Performance Glazing
of the basement. The foul air is picked up at 10 locations
• The exposed glass is 4mm Clear Annealed + 0.76mm
and exhausted onto the terrace level by exhaust fans. The
PVB + 6mm KT 455 + 12mm Air gap + 6mm Clear
connected load is brought down to 216 kW as opposed to
Heat Strengthened. U value- 0.32 Btu/hr.ft2.ºF;
472 kW expected in conventional ways. The operation of fans
Solar Factor- 0.26
is based on signals received from CO sensors which further
• Over Deck Insulation
reduces electrical consumption.
• Interior lighting power density <0.8W/sqft (350 Lux
Average) Task Lighting at Each Workstation/ Daylight Harvesting
• Use of Day lighting and Occupancy sensors Design/ Exterior LED Street Lights: The building envelope
optimizes its daylight harvesting potential, thereby greatly
Some of the HVAC system Green Building features are: reducing the energy requirement of the building.
• HVAC equipment efficiencies have been designed to
exceed the ASHRAE 90.1 2007 Efficient Lighting Design: Making maximum use of daylight
• System Flexibility Of Variable Refrigerant Volume System helps to save a significant amount of energy. The 9-ft full height
• Pre-cooling And Heat Recovery glazing coupled with a narrow floor plate - 79 ft in general
• Direct-indirect Evaporative Cooling and 59 ft in block F and G - provide tremendous potential for
daylight harvesting. This potential has been fully utilized by
HVAC (Heating Ventilation Air Conditioning) Systems: nonobtrusive placement of enclosures like conference rooms
Air recycling systems that filter and also cool the air before and the use of intelligent lighting controls.
re-supplying have been introduced to reduce load on air Cutouts along the periphery wall in the basement and a
conditioners. The indoor unit’s cooling operation offers large one at the centre of the building cut down the need for
flexibility to the user to control the desired temperature in any basement lighting during the daytime.
location in the premises according to individual preferences.
The lighting system in the interiors incorporates dimmable
Controls for switching on or switching off, scheduling,
ballasts, electronic ballasts, occupancy sensors, motion sensors
temperature and air flow are possible for each enclosed space. and daylight sensors. These ensure that lights get switched on
Such flexibility of operation based on users’ needs curtails only when required. The general lighting level from the ceiling
wastage and enables substantially higher energy savings than luminaries is fixed at 350 lux. The artificial lights can be dimmed
conventional systems. up and down from 0% to 100% depending on the adequacy of
available daylight to meet the 350 lux requirement. The task
Direct-indirect evaporative cooling: Systems such as Indirect
lights have a built-in occupancy sensor in conjunction with a
Evaporative Cooling have been used in certain areas to help continuous dimmer. Lighting of individual offices is controlled
maintain comfortable temperatures of 25°C and eliminate the by combined daylight and occupancy sensors.
need for air conditioners. This has helped reduce the total air
conditioning required for the project substantially. Exterior LED Based street lights: The project also showcases
enhanced energy savings due to a LED based Outdoor Lighting
The Renewable Energy system to generate on-site green system, which results in around 65% savings (in terms of
power consists of 18 Wind mills combined with 243 Solar wattage) when compared with a conventional scheme. All the
Panels and 5.69% of the building’s energy is being provided by outdoor lights are controlled through the Integrated Building
on-site renewable energy. Management System.
Materials

To reduce impacts resulting from extraction and processing of


new virgin materials, products with high recycle content are
used, which measure to about 13.26% of the total value of the
materials in the project. The use of PPC cement for non structural
areas with fly ash, use of Rerolled reinforcement steel, Fly Ash
Bricks, High recycled content carpets and modular ceilings are
also a part of the Green design features.

To support regional economy and reduce environmental impact


resulting from transportation, around 80% of regional materials
(within a radius of 800 km) are used in this project. Out of this
around 20% of regional materials have been extracted and
manufactured regionally.

Rapidly renewable materials like Tarkett Bamboo flooring, Asis


Board, Archidply, Interface Carpets, Cotton/ Jute carpets were
used and amounted to 5.89% of the building material cost.

Indoor Environmental Quality

The Suzlon One Earth team has taken measures to ensure a very high level of indoor
environment in this project. Some of the Green features pertaining to IEQ are listed below
• Campus is non smoking.
• CO2 Sensors have been provided in densely occupied spaces and workstation
areas to monitor and control CO2 levels inside the building.
• HVAC system is designed for 30% additional ventilation rates required by ASHRAE
Standard.
• Low emitting materials - To reduce the quantity of indoor air contaminants Low
Emitting Adhesives, Sealants, Paints and Carpets and composite wood products
have been used.
• 3M Mats are being used at the entrances to prevent dust entering into the
building. Separate exhausts for the photocopier rooms, separate plumbing at
selected service rooms.
• Task lights are provided for individual control for all the workstations and
occupancy sensors are provided for all the areas such as cabins, meeting rooms
and workstation areas.
• For Thermal Control openable panels are provided in the glazing for more than
50% of building occupants.
• Also there are remote controls for each Indoor VRV unit for thermal control.
• Multi occupant spaces provided with multi functional light module, DSI Smart
Sensor occulux, CEFL PIR Occus switches.
• More than 75 % of spaces have been designed to get daylight & more than 90%
of occupants have views to outdoors. The workstations are designed with low
partition for better external view.
• The basement is designed to be an active part of the structure and not a dead end
meant only as a parking area. It houses the cafeteria and the central plaza and
receives useful daylight through punctures in the upper slab. The result of this
approach is a sense of openness and visual connect in the basement, making the
area activity oriented even while ensuring optimal use of space.

Inspired to be GREEN I Volume 8 I 13


Innovation in design

GREEN DESIGN EDUCATION – Suzlon has in place a ‘Green to make people understand that resources such as paper,
Design Education’ policy through which green design education cardboard, food, etc. should be used responsibly in order to
in given to the new recruits, green awareness program to achieve a green office environment. The policy will project the
employees as per training calendar & continuous Green fundamental understanding that waste management starts
Education Programs, distribution, display and dissemination of at an individual level and that the person generating waste
green education information. should be aware of its importance.

GREEN HOUSEKEEPING POLICY –Suzlon with help of CBRE has Suzlon has identified various processes to recognize and
in place a ‘Green Housekeeping’ policy through which a green develop the human behavioral skills necessary to understand
housekeeping products and process has been implemented. and appreciate the inter-relationship between man and his
bio-physical surrounding. The entire One Earth campus is based
EXEMPLARY PERFORMANCE IN REGIONAL MATERIAL – The upon the principle of initiating and promoting awareness about
project has achieved exemplary performance by using regional sustainability. Among the various communication strategies
materials which measure to about 50% of the total value of the adopted at Suzlon One Earth are Green Design Education,
materials in the project Green Signage, and the Green Tour. These strategies consider
the built environment in its totality and create a continuous
CONSTRUCTION ON RENEWABLE ENERGY - The project process for effectively communicating the goals of social
offsets more than 50% annual energy consumption used sustainability through the building and its users.
during construction with renewable energy. This is the most
unique approach taken by any project to ensure dedicated CONSTRUCTION ON RENEWABLE ENERGY - Suzlon made
concern towards environment. an attempt to offset the environmental impact of energy
consumed by the facility, since the Offsite Green Power
Zero Waste Policy - In addition a Zero Waste Policy has produced is more than 50% of Project’s Energy Consumption.
been formulated that is slated to become a very ambitious,
committed and synchronous part of Suzlon’s already Summary of Power Consumption from DG & MSEB
established list of Green Corporate Social Measures. The Zero From Total Actual power
From DG generated from
MSEB Consumption
Waste Policy will guide people to redesign their resource use offsite windmill
system with the aim of reducing waste to zero. It will also help 34151.4 60097 94248.4 7208180
Glasswool – Green Insulation Material
for GREEN BUILDINGS
By Mr.Biswajit Roy (U.P Twiga Fiberglass Ltd.)

T he efficiency of resource consumption and an impact of the built environment on human health & natural
environment during the building lifecycle can be significantly influenced by opting for the right insulation.

Thermal insulation material offers significant resistance to the path of • BS 476 part 6 & 7 - Class ‘O’ /Class 1 rated. Probably the only
heat flow and helps to: insulation that conforms to ZERO spread of Flame.
• BS 476 part 5. - Class P rated (highest class for ignitability test)
• Reduce energy requirement
• Reduce green house gas emission.
• Save scarce environmental resources like fossil fuel Durability
Hence, thermal insulation materials are used in buildings to provide a Glasswool helps to increase the life span of the system as it is -
comfortable working & living environment efficiently.
• Chemically almost neutral & hence minimum or zero reactivity
Glasswool is one of the best thermal insulation materials known to with any material.( pH value is close to 7)
mankind. As a green building material, it is a preferred option by • Non corrosive ( it does not contain impurities like sulphur,
specifiers and users from among all the insulation materials available, chloride)
owing to its superior performance as mentioned. • Hydrophobic (water repellent chemicals are added in the
product). There is no capillary (wick-type) action and hence
does not retain significant quantum of moisture. In ‘wet to
Thermal Performance dry’ cycle, it breathes out moisture and regains its original
Glasswool helps in reducing energy loss through roof and wall by up performance.
to 30% owing to:
Environmental Performance
• Low and yet wide range of thermal conductivity values
(K values; in range of 0.03 to 0.04 W/m.K) pertaining to its Glasswool is classified as a “Green Building Material” for following
wide range of densities (10 - 130 Kg/cu.m), Uniform fibre reasons:
distribution, Resilient and Hydrophobic nature.
• Raw material is silica sand, the earth’s most abundantly occurring
• High and stable thermal resistance (R-value) over long time natural material which replenishes itself in nature. Unlike in
period. other insulation material, primary raw materials are not based on
fossil fuel
Glasswool when used in optimum thickness and mass in building • Recycled content like glass cullet from industrial waste is used
envelope conforms to U-value as recommended in various standards which otherwise would be destined for landfills .
like ECBC 2007, Ashrae 90.1,2007. • Site waste of glasswool can be sold off to various local equipment
manufacturers. Even when it is disposed off to landfill, it does not
Fire Performance create any kind of environmental pollution.
Glasswool will not support combustion even in direct prolonged • Normally no adhesive is used for installation of glasswool in
contact with flames as it is made from pure silica sand.It emits no toxic buildings. It is easy to apply and easy to reclaim.
fumes or smoke, the two biggest hazards to health and life. It is in • Glasswool is packaged through a vacuum packaging system that
compliance with stringent fire norms as per the following standards - reduces its volume significantly (e.g reduction ration 1:7). It
saves transportation cost and energy.
• FM • No VOC as the material is oven-cured and no CFC present as
• International Maritime Organisation (IMO)
• BS 476 part 4 – Non combustible there is no blowing agent present.

Glasswool Compliance with LEED India NC, Green building rating system

LEED Credit Category LEED Requirement Fiberglass Insulation Contribution


1-10 points depending on percent reduction on
It helps to reduce building energy consumption by
Energy and Atmosphere-Optimize energy used.
providing adequate insulation (achieving required
energy performance ”Project should comply with final version of ECBC-
R,U-value) in building envelop and HVAC system.
LEED-INDIA NC”
Material and resource- recycled 1-2 points depending on post consumer, post 15-20% post industrial waste (e.g Glass cullet) is
content industrial recycled content recycled.
In India 2 existing manufacturing units in North
Material and resource- 1-2 points depending on 20% total building material
(U.P) and West (M.H) can help to provide these
regional/local manufacturing is locally manufactured (within 800 KM radius)
points
Acoustic benefit in buildings, water proofing with
Innovation and Design process 1-4 points depending on the innovation applied fiberglass tissue, fiberglass wool as concrete
reinforcement.

NOTE: No individual building material enables a credit point taken within LEED
Inspired to be GREEN I Volume 8 I 17
Mr. Yatin Pandya
Architect, Footprints E.A.R.T.H (Environment Architecture
Research Technology Housing), pandyatin@gmail.com

Redefining the
Greys of the Green

G
reen has been a fashionable word these days. Unfortunately, more often than
not it has remained a word rather than a colour. As a result it gets interpreted in numerous
shades. While on one hand fully glazed buildings using a photo sensitive glass product may
be rendered as green, on the other end building with adequate comfort conditions without
use of air conditioners would not find favours with the LEED rating system. There needs to be a
boundary defining the blacks and whites of the green. No doubt that with the current state of
affairs, which has rendered the environment dismal grey, every possible shade of green may
be a welcome tone. Range is vast but we still need to define priorities.

While, turning off the television at night, rather than keeping it on a standby mode can save
billions of Rupees worth of Energy (50 million pound estimated for entire UK in a year). We still
need to identify our own spectrum of green and chart strategies around the same. It has to be
a contextual resolution rather than a global statement. Universal-global norms have been one
of the major factors in aggravating the problems. For example, even for the basic essential
tasks there are such diverse norms existing in the world that universalising them with the higher
denominator as the benchmark will only remain unduly wasteful. For example, an average
consumption of water in USA is 600 litres per person per day, in Europe it is 250 litres, 135 litres
is the Indian average while in Africa they manage with as little as 30 litres per day. India has
8 vehicles per thousand as compared to nearly 800 of America. Ninety percent of word’s
cars are owned by sixteen richest nations accounting for only one fifth of world population.
Need India follow the suit? India ironically ranks fifth in the energy requirements. Of which
buildings account for nearly forty percent. (Residences 23.4% and Commercial buildings 6.6%).
Industries follow next with 36.5% and agriculture 30.7%. As a development agent dealing with
the building industry it makes us quite responsible for our decision making.
I n a daytime use building nearly ninety two percent of energy is spent
in cooling (60%) and day lighting (32%). The same figures for residential
buildings are 64%. This makes it quite logical for us to prioritize cooling and
day lighting to be the preoccupation of the sustainable designs. How does
our decision matter in these aspects? For example a building type can be
a critical decision for its energy demands. A multi owner high-rise residential
building has energy demands of (59.8KWH/sq. M) one and half times that
of the single owner low rise building (40 KWH/sq. M), owing largely to the
elevators and the energy intensive services. Entertainment centres guzzle
three and a half times (135 KWH/ sq. M) while hotels and data centres
are ten times more intensive. But topping all the list are the recently found
shopping malls pegging energy needs at 565 KWH/sq. M. Needless is the
debate whether after all these if they even measure up to the plurality and
vitality of the traditional street bazaars. Air conditioners take up nearly half of
the energy demands consuming at 1000 watt unit rate versus a fan which is
only 80 watts. Do we need to chart an agenda for twenty percent reduction
of air conditioning load to resolve to find comfort without one? It is also a
fallacy to think that modern times imply more comfort. Electricity has been
invented and applied since over two centuries but the energy consumption
of entire year of 1950, even after 150 years of its invention, is equivalent of
today’s consumption of six weeks only. And yet it remains inaccessible to
over 40% of world’s population. Where has it got consumed and what are its
alternatives? Entire estimated stock of fossil fuel of the world is equivalent of
eleven days of solar energy. Moreover one kilowatt of solar panel saves one
ton of carbon dioxide. In last fifty years world’s population has doubled and
that along with the enhanced consumerism has put strain on the resources.
Not to mention the severities of alarming pollution levels. In this reality of
world and times of inundated construction can we pull ourselves back to
question the taken for granted conclusions?

Inspired to be GREEN I Volume 8 I 19


I t still makes sense to apply commonsense and
conventional wisdom in resolving architecture. As
architects we are called to take six basic decisions and the
Any building, good or bad, demands the architectural
decision on these six aspects. If only we understand the
wider implications of these decisions we would be able to
sum total of which is architecture. make informed choices and arrive at the resolutions basically
sustaining. While smallest details can matter and advanced
A) Sitting and location: This has severe implication through technology can help further in achieving efficiency of
orientation, exposure and impact of natural forces. In western environment management these device or technology
hot arid zones of India orienting a building with its longer faces based solutions come later after the basic architectural
to North-South compared to East-West can reduce solar resolutions. For example if heat gain through clear glass
radiation and exposure and thereby the energy demands to opening is seen as 100% the double glazing can help reduce
nearly half. it by about ten to twenty percent. The tainted glass can
reduce by about forty percent. As against external awning
B) Form and Mass: This has potential for confronting natural or a meter wide eaves band can reduce it easily by over sixty
forces as well as to benefit from mutual shading and scaling. percent. Thus technology does not absolve us, as doctor of
As a thumb rule exposure levels and thereby energy demands vital forces, from our primary responsibility of managing the
can be reduced in a building in hot-arid zone up to ten basic architectural resolution in consonance with the forces
percent by optimising on volumes of the building in areas of nature and the local context.
such as passages, verandas, toilets, alcoves etc. Something
So the debate is not about shying away from the technological
like split levels. By adding a floor with reduced radiation
advancements but rather to let it play as second fiddle and
from the top it gets reduced to about twenty percent. It is
not to hide architectural fallacies behind the facades of
nearly halved by attaching the building from sides as well
energy intensive technologies. Through history we have known
as stacking floors above. of full wall openings or undeterred views but we resolved them
either as perforated Jaali walls in Rajput or Islamic phase or as
C) Space organisation: This governs the extrovertedness or
stained glass openings in colonial phase. Both discouraged
introvertedness, compactness or fragmentation, along with ingress of heat and yet provided extended views from inside
directionality and exposure value of the architecture. For out while protected outsider’s peek within. Smaller apertures
example traditional buildings from hot arid regions have been of Jaali created microclimate features to induce velocity of
compact, stacked and attached in their form, and have air and cooling of air particle through Ventury and Bernoulli’s
been interspersed with multiple yet small scale courtyards to principle respectively. There is no logic for omission of
reduce heat gain. As against Bungalows of the hot-humid overhangs for curtain glazed western or Southern facades in
zones have been extroverted with veranda like living spaces present day buildings, in our extreme hot climate condition.
in the periphery to increase its transparency to breeze. We seem to have left our bearings somewhere...

D) Elements of Space making: This forms the essential Here is one of the interpretations to demonstrate sustainable
syntax of the architecture and thereby it’s interactivity with builtform using recycled waste material.
external conditions. For example a pavilion like structure
Manavsadhna Activity Centre is the very different
with prominence of inclined roof form versus lightness-often
interpretation of sustainability. A community centre in a
absence- of wall is the syntax of hot-humid climate. Conversely
squatter settlement, it uses the building components recycled
predominance of wall and subjugation of roof is the grammar
from the domestic and municipal waste. The entire building
of hot-arid climate zones.
is the demonstrative application of waste recycled products
E) Material and Construction techniques: This is vital in setting indigenously developed. Recycling the waste answers the
forth the chemistry of building with external elements through call of environment through reduced pollution, empowers
its thermal coefficient, material properties and dynamics and employs the poor through value addition processes,
of its physics. If sunburnt clay block is taken as an unit of and helps towards affordable and durable housing as these
energy demand of material, cement is nearly ten times products are cheaper and more performing than the present
as energy intensive, steel thirty times, PVC 120 times and options. The building uses fly ash bricks, dump fill site waste
aluminium 160 times. residue bricks, stabilised soil blocks, wood crate panels,
glass bottles and waste filled plastic bottles etc. for walling
f) Finishes and surface articulation: Although seemingly micro, options. It uses cement bonded sheets with clay tiles, stone
the skin rendering turns out to be the first aspect of building slabs, glass-plastic bottle filled filler slabs etc. for the roofing,
to negotiate with environmental conditions. As the first line wrapping waste reinforced F.R.P., oil tin container panelling,
soldier it takes most of the brunt of the vagaries of nature. wood crate panelling etc. for the doors and windows and in
Dark versus white or very light colour rendering with glossier parts waste-fly ash-china mosaic tiles and blocks for flooring.
surface can create up to five degree temperature difference These become live demonstrations for the urban poor to
within through its high reflectance value. emulate in their homes.

The team at Inspired to be Green would like to thank Architect Yatin Pandya for sharing his valuable time and insights on
Green and Sustainable Architecture with us. We will be covering 2 very interesting projects by Ar. Yatin Pandya in our next issue.
The projects are the Environmental Sanitation Institute and the Gandhinu Gam Ludiya.
S
ustainable development as defined by the
Brundtland Commission is “development
that meets the need of the present without
compromising the ability of future generations
to meet their own needs”. The world is now
confronted with the challenge of optimizing the use
of the currently available resources in a way to meet
the needs of the present generation without affecting
the following generations.

The building sector alone accounts for 30-40 percent


of global energy use, which reiterates that Sustainable
Development is the need of the hour for the building
sector. The current practices of Green Buildings are
still in the phase of development, which is growing day
by day through various practices and R&D’s across the
globe. This article shall focus on the futuristic ideas and
technologies corresponding to the building sector.

The Rotating Tower by David F


isher
Dubai has garnered much attention in recent years with a never-
ending supply of architectural wonders being built (or proposed)
at a head spinning pace. One such architectural marvel is the
“Rotating Tower” by David Fisher.

The building which exemplifies dynamic architecture has been


aptly named “Rotating Tower” as the floors would be capable
of rotating around a central axis. It will be continually in motion,
changing shape and giving residents the ability to choose a new
view at the touch of a button. The form of the building would
constantly change as each floor rotates separately giving a new
view of the building as it turns. According to Fisher, the building
ensures a very high resistance to earthquakes as each floor
rotates independently.
The new tower is the first building of its size to be produced in
a factory. Each floor, made up of 12 individual units, complete
with plumbing, electric connections, air conditioning, etc., will be
fabricated in a factory. These modular units will be fitted on the
concrete core or spine of the building at the central tower.
The 59 floor building will be powered entirely by sun and wind
energy and the architect claims that the building will generate
10 times more energy than required to power it, thus making
it a positive energy building. Solar panels will be fitted on the
roof to harness sunlight, and a total of 48 wind turbines will be
sandwiched between the rotating floors, placed so that they
are practically invisible. Each wind turbine could produce up to
0.3 megawatt of electricity, and it is estimated that 1,200,000 Project website, picture & information source:
kilowatt-hours of energy would be generated every year. www.dynamicarchitecture.net
Teatro Del Agua by Charles Patton
Charles Paton has come up with his Seawater Greenhouse Project,
which takes a low-cost, low-energy, carbon-neutral approach to
desalination.
The Teatro del Agua, utilizes energy from the sun, the sea and the
atmosphere to create cooling and fresh water. The process is based
on the Seawater Greenhouse concept and the range of possibilities
for cooling is considerably enhanced by using seawater. This is a
relatively new development, requiring the use of low cost plastics
for pipes, pumps and heat exchangers (metals that are adequately
corrosion resistant to seawater are generally too expensive for such
applications).
The Teatro del Agua works by coupling “a series of evaporators and
condensers such that the airborne moisture from the evaporators
is then collected from the condensers, which are cooled by deep
seawater.” The sweeping structure will incorporate solar panels to
provide heat for the evaporators and will operate almost entirely
on renewable energy. The Teatro del Agua is planned to be built in
Spain’s Canary Islands.
The proposed development covers an area of about 400 000 square
meters. In the sunny climate of the Canary Islands, the amount of
solar energy falling on this area is very large, reaching about 320 MW.
If, for example, just 1/10th of that energy were used to distil fresh
water from seawater, around 300 m3 per day of freshwater would
be produced. The buildings are thus self-sufficient in water, and the Picture & information source:
surplus is sufficient to irrigate some 50,000 m2 of gardens. inhabitat.com/2008/06/18/charles-patons-teatro-del-agua/

Dice House by Sybarite


Sybarite, a British Architecture firm has designed an extraordinary
architectural concept of “Dice House”. It is a zero carbon home
emphasizing the outline of the Dice. The 9x9 meter cube which sits
on an octagonal plinth, is set back from the facade of the house to
emphasize the outline of the Dice.
This Dice house has been provided with maximum opening from all
sides so that you can have a view of its surroundings. The front and
rear facades are broken up by glazing’s and openings maximizing
access to and from the house and providing a view of its surroundings.
The centerpiece is a photovoltaic umbrella dome that collects roughly
90 percent of the house’s energy needs. Made of a common plastic,
the dome traps heat like a greenhouse. That hot air warms water
in a tank tucked under the roof, turning out a daily average of 80
bath-ready gallons, even on the darkest days of December. At the
umbrella’s apex, a generator-equipped turbine produces electricity
and, in chilly months, drives heat into the house. Photovoltaic cells
studding the 484-square-foot dome floor create additional electricity
generating an estimated average of 33 kilowatt-hours per day. The
roof is covered in plants under the dome. Walls made of structural
board stabilize temperatures. Windows circumscribed by a big dot—
the “one” side of the die—absorb light from the sun-drenched south.
Picture & information source: The excellent multiple dwelling scheme of Dice house makes it a truly
www.solarpowerbuzzmedia.com/2010_07_01_archive.html standout home.

Inspired to be GREEN I Volume 8 I 23


Thin-film PhotoVoltaic textiles
The thin-film photovoltaic textiles are essentially solar panels
created from organic photovoltaic. While not as efficient
as the silicon based type, they are able to be molded and
modified without any manufacturing process.
Photovoltaic textiles have the potential to extend the
integration of solar technology into buildings or items such
as garments, tents or coverings.
Structure: Fibers consisting of nano-layers of polymer-based
organic compounds are flexible solar cells, which include a
polymer-based anode. Two different nano-materials in bulk
hetero junction blends as the light absorbing materials, and
a semi-transparent cathode to collect the electrons, formed
by coating these materials onto flexible polypropylene (PP)
fibers layer by layer, respectively, to produce electricity.
Photovoltaic performances of the fibers were analyzed
by measuring current versus voltage characteristics
under AM1.5 conditions. The maximum value obtained
as the short-circuit current density of photovoltaic fibers
was 0.27 mA/cm2.

Maglev Wind Turbine


Renewable energy produced from the wind has garnered much
attention and support in recent years. But now a super power wind
turbine has come along that may be just what the renewable energy
industry needs. The Maglev wind turbine, which was first unveiled at
the Wind Power Asia exhibition in Beijing, is expected to take wind
power technology to the next level with magnetic levitation.

How Does It Work? The vertically oriented blades of the wind turbine
are suspended in the air above the base of the machine, replacing the
need for ball bearings. The turbine uses “full-permanent” magnets,
not electromagnets — therefore, it does not require electricity to run.
The full-permanent magnet system employs neodymium (“rare earth”)
magnets and there is no energy loss through friction. This also helps
reduce maintenance costs and increases the lifespan of the generator.

Advantages over conventional wind turbines: They’re able to use


winds with starting speeds as low as 1.5 meters per second (m/s). Also,
they could operate in winds exceeding 40 m/s. currently; the largest
conventional wind turbines in the world produce only five megawatts
of power. However, one large maglev wind turbine could generate one
gigawatt of clean power, enough to supply energy to 750,000 homes. It
would also increase generation capacity by 20% over conventional wind
turbines and decrease operational costs by 50%. If that isn’t enough,
the maglev wind turbines will be operational for about 500 years!
Nano-vent skin by Agustin Oteguis
Nano-vent skin project was born as an alternative to all the gigantic
projects being built around the world. Nano Vent-skin (NVS) tries to
make people think on a smaller scale and apply it to existing buildings,
houses and structures (tunnels, road barriers, etc) to generate energy.
With this approach NVS makes existing objects greener by covering them
with a skin made out of micro wind turbines.
It consists of a set of micro turbines (25mmx10, 8mm), which generate
energy from wind and sunlight. The outer skin of the structure absorbs
sunlight through an organic photovoltaic skin and transfers it to the
nano-fibres inside the nano-wires which then are sent to storage units
at the end of each panel. Each turbine on the panel generates energy
by chemical reactions on each end where it makes contact with the
structure. Polarized organisms are responsible for this process on every
turbine’s turn. The inner skin of each turbine works as a filter absorbing
CO2 from the environment as wind passes through it.
Each panel has four round supply units (one on each corner). These units
are in charge of:
• Monitoring that all the turbines are working.
• Delivering material to regenerate broken or malfunctioning turbines.
• Receiving and storing the energy produced by the turbines.
In order to achieve the best outcome of energy, the blades of each
turbine are symmetrically designed. With this feature, even if the wind’s
direction changes, each turbine adapts itself by rotating clockwise or
anti-clockwise, depending on the situation. NVS is not trying to reinvent
or reshape nature. It’s just acting as a merger of different means
and approaches into energy absorption and transformation, which
will never happen in nature.

Super Futuristic Green Car Design


(Globetrotter 2017)
A decade from now, the worldwide culture will be one of environmental
consciousness, where increased awareness of climate issues will
have engendered a scrutinizing and well-educated consumer niche.
The Globetrotter is inventive as a lightweight, nimble urban vehicle
aimed at various emerging and developed markets in 2017.
Given the likelihood that tomorrow’s consumers will be environment-
sensitive, Globetrotter is designed from the ground-up and inside-
out to be customizable and minimalistic at every step. It aspires to
be functional, frugal, and fun, and gentle on the environment as
well. The level of individualization this offers to the consumer market
allows for the car to seamlessly fit into virtually any global context.
An ultra-lightweight, solar-powered plastic car designed by HARSHA
RAVI will be the future of transportation. Winning him the coveted
Young Designer of the Year Award, Ravi’s car design for 2017 is
independent of fossil fuels, packed with eco-friendly technologies,
and cuts back the weight and bulk of today’s gas guzzlers. His design
employs a carbon-neutral, bio-plastic body that is 12% petroleum-
based and 88% corn-based, which cuts manufacturing energy by
30%. And there’s more: a zinc-air fuel cell, a nano-paper battery,
airless tires, and nano-paints to absorb solar energy while parked to
charge its batteries, and woven seat material.

The Globetrotter is, indeed, the ultimate “tread lightly” automobile


for the environment-savvy consumer.

Inspired to be GREEN I Volume 8 I 29


25
GREEN BY NATURE:
GREEN BY RATINGS

India House Pune

I had a wonderful conversation with Christopher Benninger at his breathtaking office and residence, “India House,”
at Pune. ~ Isabelle, Inspired to be GREEN

Isabelle: Sir you have designed many sustainable buildings and most
recently the Suzlon One Earth campus that is LEED Platinum rated
Prof. Christopher and also received the Five Star rating from TERI-Griha – what is the
Charles Benninger secret behind your sustainable design?
CCB: We are applying a lot of thought when we design a building; we are using the
given conditions of the place to our advantage to save energy and save resources.
For example, here in India House, the orientation was chosen to maximize natural
ventilation. The open courtyard allows the wind to enter and cool down the building in
a passive way. Louvers in front of the windows are designed to block direct sunlight,
allowing tempered natural light to enter deep into the rooms. Since they are operable
we can control the light throughout the day and in different seasons. We have selected
a good reflective color that bounces the light deep within the rooms. We have used a
thermo-isolative material on the roofs that cuts temperatures by five percent and the
light reflective tiles on them reflect the sunlight and further cool the roofs. It is easiest to
start the battle at the envelope edge than to bring it inside the structure.

Green design is not only the concern of architects. It is the task of the entire project team
and the owner who must bring a passion for green design in to the building process. A
good deal of the approach deals with the location selection, the site development and the
Director, Christopher day to day management of the earth works, vehicles, and the attitude toward the people
Charles Benninger working on the site. You can’t just put the whole responsibility to the architect, thinking
Architects Pvt.Ltd that by sitting in his studio he will just specify and design the solutions. The leadership
and the sense of mission, and the passion for a sustainable world must emanate from the
client. We all need to bring ideas on to the design table. This is the only way we create
a green community and build sustainable structures.
Isabelle: You are talking about a green points than you,” was a very good idea. I think the green rating
community, what status will green buildings have systems are trying to make bad things a little bit better. This
teaching tool and game is a good beginning. But it is not the
in the future?
way to solve the world’s environmental problems. I would like
to start at “Point 0” and outline the picture.
CCB: Buildings in themselves are microcosms of cities and
we should start to treat buildings like that, as a micro unit If you look at the pattern of early human civilization you can
of a bigger system. Green buildings are micro models of see that villages always developed around a micro-watershed
sustainable systems that must be amplified to the macro scale. catchment area, with dense vegetation and forests housing flora
While the number of rated green buildings is expanding, it and fauna and a wide variety of biomass. The insect and bird
will always be a miniscule share of the total built fabric of life was intermixed into an ecologically balanced system, of
urban form. We now have to think of “ Sustainable Cities” of which mankind was just a small part. As villages grew people
which these individual structures are just like the biological required more and more land for agriculture and firewood . . .
cells of the city, or small parts of urban fabric. Their roles are and here the problem starts. More land for agriculture means
to demonstrate and to show the way. They are not the solution. that forests, and the supporting biomass were cut and burned and
transformed into fields. During the monsoon, after the biomass
There is a natural way of building. We all used to do that by is removed through harvesting, the topsoil of the gets washed
nature several decades back. It was just the way we worked into streams, rivulets, rivers, lakes and oceans. The rainfall in
that made us design buildings that had cross ventilation, thick the catchment areas remains within the same volume and the
walls for insulation and plenty of light off of the verandahs. carrying capacity of the drainage systems are reduced through
Here were vents at the top of the ceilings to release the hot air siltation. Filling in from the bottom the streamsides erode and
that rose up. widen, collecting more silt making the rivers shallower! This
Maybe ten years back we had just ten building materials on results in flooding and the powerful flood currents erode more
our pallet and they all came from nearby areas. Suddenly we and more land. Meanwhile the cutting and burning of the hill
had a plethora of complicated, new and composite materials. slopes and tops continues unabated. The forested hilltops are
We started to air condition everything. Aluminum Composite denuded of their firewood! Goats and other domestic animals
graze over the barren lands, eating the biomass coverage and
Panels cladding everything became the in thing. Hermetically
chewing away even the roots of protective plants leaving the
sealed, stuffy and dark rooms became the norm. From green
hills unprotected. What soil is left is blown away in the hot, dry
by nature we started designing bad, irresponsible and rude
summer winds covering the countryside with dusty polluted
buildings that insulted one’s sense of good manners. Now that
air. Dense forests with wildlife and fish filled streams became
we switched from designing in a “green by habit manner,” we
desolate wastelands.
started designing just plain bad buildings that guzzled energy,
polluted the air, wasted water and required artificial lighting. At the same time our population continues growing. We try to
We were specifying toxic materials that required a huge carbon solve this problem by using chemical fertilizers and pesticides
footprint to produce and to transport. Then the idea of making to grow hybrid plants that promise abundant harvests. These
us learn by numbers came on the scene. Giving us points for weak crossbreed plants cannot survive without chemical
doing the wrong thing a little bit better caught everyone’s treatments. The treatments are toxic and these poisons
imagine. We are all basically children. We are anal-retentive deteriorate very slowly, nesting into aquifer systems and
seekers of attention. So “Hey, look at me, I have more green poisoning the subsoil layers.

YMCA campsite Pune Centre for Development Studies and

Inspired to be GREEN I Volume 8 I 27


Now we have solved our first problem of amplifying the food are emitted during production or are latent within the finished
supply to feed the enlarged population, but we have created products? Yes, we are learning to do the wrong thing better
a new problem for the environment. All the chemicals and and better, but we are doing it wrong from the beginning.
toxins are now washed into the subsoil, the subterranean water
reserves and the aquifers that keep the water system vibrant. Isabelle: You are right, I have not thought about
Many of the cash crops, like sugar cane, are water guzzlers. it this way.
One acre of sugar cane requires enough water to irrigate
I will give you another example that may open your eyes:
seven acres of leafy green vegetables of food crops. It is more
expensive to grow sugar cane in India than to import it from The GREEN REVOLUTION involved the introduction of
tropical rainforest areas like Cuba and Malaysia. So even the high-yield varieties of hybrid seeds after 1965 and requiring
rural economy becomes dependent on an unsustainable mode the increased use of fertilizers and irrigation. This scientific
of agricultural production. The Green Revolution is not so feat provided the increase in production required to make
green after all. India self-sufficient in food grains, thus improving agriculture
We have started the same vicious cycle with our buildings. in India. This movement is now is blamed for the spread of
First we made use of regionally available materials and tried land degradation in India due to excessive use of fertilizers
to use the weather conditions to our advantage by designing and pesticides. It requires immense amounts of capital each
buildings that allow natural ventilation to cool our buildings year to purchase equipment and fertilizers. This may lead
and daylight to illuminate our spaces. Slowly we started to to a cycle of debt if a farmer is unable to repay the loans
move away from our traditions. We developed buildings required each year. Additionally, the crops require so much
that are very uncomfortable without the help of technologies water that water tables in some regions of India have dropped
like air conditioning, elevators and artificial lighting. We dramatically. This drop continues affecting negatively the
developed sanitary systems that demand huge per capita process of desertification. Where cash crops demand high
consumption of water. Here we are, right now, trying to levels of irrigation the evaporating water creates salinization
solve the problem of our energy-guzzling buildings. destroying the fertility of the land. Already, the low water
We call the solution Green Buildings. That is actually the point is starting the process of salinization. If continued, this will
where we are trying to make something bad a little bit better. leave vast land tracts infertile and spelling a disaster for India.
We start with the wrong assumptions and we do the wrong Fifty years ago the Green Revolution was started for a
thing better and better and better. We get points for doing good cause and saved millions of people from death and
the wrong thing better and better. We try to reduce energy starvation. Now the environment must bear the cost, and we
consumption with new non-toxic materials and incorporate will be affected soon. I do not wish the same process to take
systems that are more energy efficient. But we have no idea place with our buildings. We should think about sustainable
about the ecological impact of production of those materials. solutions without negatively effecting the environment.
New technologies come from all over the world to cut down
Let us design buildings with local resources,
on energy bills, but have we ever thought of how much
energy is spent in transporting these materials, equipment,
incorporate technologies carefully and pay a lot of
and their inputs around the world? Do we know what toxins attention to a balance with Mother Nature.

Mahindra United World College Pune

Centre for Development Studies and Activities Pune

About CCB:
Christopher Benninger’s early career was as a teacher at Harvard University and in India, where he founded the School of
Planning at Ahmedabad and the Center for Development Studies and Activities under the University of Pune. Sixteen years
ago, well past the age of fifty, he gave up a thriving academic and United Nations consulting career, starting an architectural
studio nearly from scratch. Along with his partner, Akkisetti Ramprasad and senior colleagues Rahul Sathe, Daraius Choksi,
Harsh Manrao and others, an architectural studio was quickly turned into an internationally acclaimed “design house,” winning
the prestigious American Institute of Architect’s Award, India’s Designer of the Year Award amongst others. Their studio’s
patrons have ranged from the King of Bhutan, Queen Noor of Jordan, Nelson Mandela, and the United Nations to corporates
like the Kirloskars, Suzlon, the Bajaj Group, Cochin Refineries, the Taj Hotels, the Mahindras, Tata Technologies, Executive
Ship Management (Singapore) and many more. They have served voluntary agencies like the SOS Children’s Villages, YMCA,
Arthabod, the Good Sheppard Homes and the TGBMS. Their present focus is on the new campus of the Indian Institute
of Management at Kolkata, the new National Capitol Complex in Bhutan and the Azim Premji University at Bangalore.
(More information on projects and ideas at www.ccba.in/home.htm)
Inspired to be Green thanks for this great conversation beyond green buildings and towards more sustainability. It was a
pleasure to listen to the vast experience and knowledge of Architect Christopher Charles Benninger about the connections of
our ecosystem.
LOW TEMPERATURE
LAUNDRY
Mr. Abhay Desai
Director Marketing South Asia,
Diversey India Pvt. Ltd.

T
he On Premise Laundry (OPL) segment of the deposit on the fabric and machines which lead to reduction
market is defined as Healthcare or Hospitals, Hotels in machine and fabric life. Thus:
and large Flight Kitchens that launder their own
• High energy leads to high fuel consumption which
linen in their own premises or in-house. The washers in
these segments range in the size from 10 to 200 kgs capacity increase the cost
machines. These accounts choose to process their own • High temperatures leads to high linen deterioration
laundry in-house for the following reasons: which again results to higher cost
• High temperature systems will have wash formulas
• In some cases it is more cost effective to wash linen on designed of high alkaline, that provide the potent
premise.
cleaning force which helps to mask stains. However
• It gives the user complete control over the wash quality
when the same is discharged to sewage, would increase
of linen which in the long term helps in controlling
the COD and BOD levels, resulting in an increase in
cost on account of linen discards.
• It helps the user to set and maintain linen standards. sewage treatment cost.

To offset all the above critical points, OPL are now moving
The five basic variables that affect cleaning performance to a new concept of low temperature and low alkalinity wash
in any laundry operation are: process. The distinctive advantages of the low temperature
• Water system are:
• Agitation or Mechanical Action • Energy savings up to 30% due to lower temperature
• Time • Water savings up to 28%
• Chemicals • Productivity savings up to 30% due to shorter wash
• Heat or Temperature processes
The proper balance of all the above brings about maximum • Affluent reductions up to 30% due to reduced water
cleaning economy and efficiency. To maintain work quality consumption
when one variable is changed, we have to compensate by • Extended linen life up to 30% due to lower temperature
changing the other. All OPLs typically try to maintain this wash processes.
proper balance. The laundry wash formulas which are a
series of operations or steps designed to loosen, suspend A low temperature wash process provides the user
or remove soil from linen are also critical in ensuring that with the above mentioned possible savings because of
we achieve the desired economy and efficiency. Most of the a combination of:
OPL today use the standard high temperature wash process, • Good wetting agent
which involve high temperature, high alkalinity and high • Low temperature bleaches
detergency action. This in turn leads to higher water,
energy and power cost. This low temperature system, which uses a milder bleaching
Once the soil is removed from the surface or linen, the left system and lower temperature, will be the future of OPL. As
over is stain which needs bleaching action will mask or resources like water, energy, power are scarce & expensive,
decolorize it. it will become the need of the hour for all OPLs to move
Bleaching operation predominantly has both Chlorine to a processes which will consume less water, energy and
and Oxygen as bleaching agents. However excessive power. Many local municipal corporations today have
temperature can be detrimental in some parts of the wash already regulated supply of water to OPLs and to full fill
cycle. Bleaching in high temperature can cause fabric balance needs, many of them get water supply from wells,
damage or can result to setting of stains in initial stage. tube wells and tankers.
High temperature systems also mean higher consumption of
energy which is required to achieve the desired performance. As water is the largest consumable in Laundry and single
most important factor that can affect the quality of wash
Many OPL today, sometimes have machines which because performance, it becomes important for all OPLs to
of technical or mechanical problems are unable to provide adopt the system. This not only saves water, but also low
the required high temperatures. In such cases most users temperature bleach provides a superior performance. The
end up compromising on wash performance. There are also low temperature system saves an over all operating cost and
concerns of water hardness in many parts of the country also helps preserving the environment and hence achieving
which can be an issue. In high temperature system, scaling the mission and goal in reduction of Global Warming.
A cleaner,
healthier
future.
As JohnsonDiversey, you expected us to deliver the best,
most effective portfolio of cleaning products. You relied on
our world-class innovation and service to make cleaning
and sanitation more efficient. You valued partnering with us
to address the most challenging needs. You looked to our
leadership in making a cleaner, healthier future for the world.

Now, we’re simplifying our name under one powerful


brand—Diversey—to better reflect our world leadership in the
commercial cleaning and hygiene business. As Diversey, you
can continue to expect us to deliver the very best products,
services and partnership. And you can count on us to do even
more to deliver real, sustainable value.

We’re Diversey, and we’re leading the world toward


a cleaner, healthier future.

Diversey India Pvt. Ltd


A - 8, Laxmi Towers, Bandra Kurla Complex
Mumbai 400 051
Tel: 022 66444222
www.diversey.com
ZERO ENERGY SPACE
Experience the
Future of Buildings
Vision

A
Net Zero building which is energy efficient as well products and strategies. The concept is exhibited at the
as generates all it’s power needs with PV panels Indian Green Building Congress 2010, Chennai from 6th-
on the rooftop - a Green Building par excellence. 9th October (Asia’s largest Green Building Conference),
The growth of Green Building materials and products ET ACEtech, Mumbai, ET ACEtech, Delhi (Asia’s largest
has been very encouraging, but awareness needs to Construction related Exhibition).
improve within the design & construction community. Yes, the Zero Energy Space can do all of that and more.
Since most of the green building materials and This building is independent of the electricity grid and
strategies are different from conventional construction is powered by solar-energy only. It shows the latest
practices it needs efforts to educate people and make technologies and materials used for construction of
them realize that green practices can be incorporated energy efficient buildings without compromising on
in every building. high comfort and healthy indoor environment.
Reaching out to 250,000 people by 2010 The Zero-Energy-Space is on a building awareness tour
We believe in a holistic approach to education, where through India starting it’s way from Chennai to Mumbai
industry stakeholders can understand the concepts and Delhi. With prominent exhibitions like the IGBC
through “hands – on” approach and are able to see Congress and ET ACEtech exhibitions this program will
“sustainability” in action. Showcasing a building which reach out to more then 2.5 lakh people in 2010. Leading
by example is the motto for this initiative sponsored by
actually works without grid connection inspires people.
Aluplast Windows, Breezair, Everest Industries, Nippon
Visitors get more confident about using/applying green Paints, Supreme Petrochem & Roca.

Can a building work without electricity connection?

Can green building design and materials reduce the energy consumption of an
air conditioned space by 60% or more?

Can the savings be achieved without compromise on


indoor quality and performance?
SUSTAINABLE FEATURES
Everest Fibre Cement Boards: Nippon Paints: Breezair fresh air:
The drywall construction with fiber cement boards LOW-VOC Paints are used on the interiors to create a Air conditioning consumes a major part of the energy
creates a strong, lightweight, water resistant and healthy indoor environment and avoid toxins which consumed by a building. The Breezair system works
energy-efficient building envelope which is also could lead to respiratory problems of occupants. Solar through an evaporative cooling cycle and consumes
suitable for a variety of finishes. The recycled content Reflective Paint on the outer skin reflect s sunlight 1/10 of the energy of a conventional air conditioning
of the boards is 55%. and reduces the solar heat gain through the envelope, device additional to 100% fresh air ventilation.
thus reducing the energy consumption.

Photovoltaic by team sustain: Aluplast Windows:


The sun is a strong power-generator. To convert the sun's High performance double glazed units and energy-saving
energy to electricity the building accommodates photo-voltaic UPVC frames contribute towards lower energy consumption
panels on the rooftop. Through the use of an inverter and a and reduced sound transmission. This German product saves
battery storage the uninterrupted power-supply can be energy by reducing infiltration and the frames are provided
guaranteed. The building is completely independent from the with thermal breaks to prevent heat ingress.
electricity grid.

Surabhi Bamboo: Supreme Insuboard & Roca Bathroom:


Bamboo is one of the most sustainable building Beardsell: Water is one of the most precious resources on earth.
materials as it grows rapidly and can be harvested in a Insulation of wall and roof is a vital part of a building's Water efficient fixtures for toilets and taps reduce
much shorter time than hardwoods. With the help of envelope, to prevent the transfer of heat in either the fresh water consumption in a building and also
modern production techniques bamboo is direction. This product reduces heat ingress through contribute towards points in the LEED rating system.
transformed in to an excellent material for flooring, walls/roof and hence cuts down energy consumption
furniture and other interior design elements. for air conditioning. Insuboard offers one the highest
insulation values for XPS insulation.

This is an innovative marketing and awareness campaign from inspired to be green. To receive more information &
join the concept.

Experience the ZERO ENERGY SPACE in your city at the Green Building Congress in Chennai,
Economic Times ACEtech in Mumbai and at Economic Times ACEtech in New Delhi and see
the website www.zeroenergyspace.com

Inspired to be GREEN I Volume 8 I 33


Introduction LEED
There are many Green Building Rating Systems The LEED building rating system is broken into
out there and we’re about to give you some 6 different credit categories for which points are
information about the larger, more influential ones. earned based on the green merits of the project
The following list of nations represents a significant being rated. With over 25,000 registered projects,
proportion of the Earth’s population and each it is the largest green rating system in the US. The
nation listed here is at least attempting to answer USGBC established benchmarks for the LEED
the call on why we must live more sustainably. green building rating system in 2000. LEED is
a framework for assessing building performance
Sustainability in the United States and meeting sustainability goals. Certification
is generally voluntary, but is quickly becoming
The United States, with approximately 300 a requirement to follow the LEED protocols for
million people, is the largest consumer of energy government buildings and in certain localities.
in the world. In comparison, the average Indian is
one of the world’s smallest consumers of energy. LEED Platinum Certified -Artists for Humanity EpiCenter-
Massachusettes- USA
The majority of the energy consumed in the US
comes from fossil fuels with less than 9% from
nuclear and around 7% from renewable energy
sources. Paradoxically, the United States, with
it’s huge appetite for energy, is also a world leader
in sustainability initiatives. There are several
notable rating systems in the US of which we
want to talk about LEED, Energy Star and Green
Globes for this article:

USGBC: First, let’s talk about the United States


Green Building Council. Founded in 1993, is LEED Platinum Certified -Living Homes- Santa Monica- USA

a non-profit trade organization that promotes


sustainability in how buildings are designed, built
and operated. With over 20,000 members, the
USGBC is best known for the development of the
Leadership in Energy and Environmental
Design or LEED green building rating
systems and the annual Greenbuild
conference and exposition that
promotes the green building
industry.

Sustainability and
Green Buildings
around the World!
By Joe Koizen,
LEED AP &
Jeslin Varghese
PMP, LEED AP
(Principals at
Green Building
Research Institute,
San Antonio,
Texas, USA)
GBI - Green Globes USGBC and CaGBC – it establishes a vision for a project’s
environmental and social responsibilities from a new vantage
Green Globes is an environmental point. With more than 60 registered projects spanning the
assessment, education and rating length of Canada, the buildings are pursuing certification
system that is promoted in the United States by the Green under a more vigorous performance standard than the normal
Building Initiative, a Portland, Oregon-based non-profit. LEED process. The Living Building Challenge is not meant
The system, which is an on-line interactive software tool, to compete with LEED and in fact has been endorsed by both
awards points under multiple categories. Currently, Green the USGBC and CaGBC.
Globes has over 250 certified projects in the US.

EPA- Energy Star BREEAM:


Energy Star is an international standard BREEAM is a voluntary
for energy efficient consumer products measurement rating for green buildings that was established
originated in the US. It was first created in the UK by the Building Research Establishment. It stands
as a US government program by the Clinton Administration for BRE Environmental Assessment Method. Since its
in 1992, but Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Taiwan inception in 1990, it has grown in scope and geographical
and the EU have also adopted the program. Devices carrying relevance by being exported in various forms across the
the Energy Star logo, such as computer products, appliances, globe. It’s equivalents in other regions include LEED
buildings and other products, generally use 20%-30% less in North America, Green Star in Australia, and HQE in
energy than required by US federal standards. Currently, France. It is touted as being the largest and most widely used
there is more than 1.9 billion square feet of floor space in the environmental assessment tool in existence.
US that has met the Energy Star label.

Sustainability in Canada Breeam Certified -Keynes Collge-UK

The Canadian Federal Government, through


the Auditor General Act, has made a goal of
advancing sustainable development a public
policy for all of Canada. As in the United States, federal,
provincial and local utility incentives exist to encourage
responsible management of natural resources.

The non-profit Canadian Green Building Council was formed


to promote sustainability in how buildings are designed,
built and operated. As in the US, the CaGBC is perhaps
best known for the development of the Leadership in Energy
and Environmental Design or LEED green building rating
systems and the annual national conference and exposition
that promotes the green building industry. Currently there CaGBC Certified -Omega Centre for Sustainable Living- Canada
are more than 2000 registered projects throughout Canada.

The CaGBC’s “Green Up” program provides tools,


performance standards and resources to help building owners
and operators understand, measure and compare on-going
performance of their buildings to help them find efficiencies
and improvements to achieve deep reductions in energy and
water use, and greenhouse gas emissions.

The CaGBCs “Living Building Challenge” was established


as an additional outlet to promote the goals set forth by the

Inspired to be GREEN I Volume 8 I 35


Sustainability in the Middle East Wafi City, Dubai

The Middle East Centre for Sustainable Development


(MECSD) has a mission to promote innovation enabling
sustainable development in the Middle East. The Centre will
enable guidelines, technical support and Green Certification
within the reach of all interested parties that wish to
progress on sustainable development projects in the region.
The Centre was established to address standardization and
integration of Green building requirements within Dubai,
establish local “Energy Efficiency” certification and norms
and guidelines, technical support and green certification
within the reach of all interested parties that wish to embark
on a sustainable path within the region. Some specific
examples:

UAE & LEED


Little noticed in the US & India, is his Highness Sheikh Sustainability in Singapore
Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum’s dictate that all As part of Singapore’s strategy for sustainable
new buildings in the United Arab Emirates meet LEED growth, the Inter -ministerial committee on
standards. Sheikh Mohammed, Prime Minister of the UAE Sustainable Development has set a target of
and ruler of Dubai has mandated that all new buildings in 35% reduction in energy intensity by 2030
the emirate be meet LEED standards. As you might guess, from 2005 levels. As buildings account for about one third
a huge emphasis is placed on water conservation as well of Singapore’s total electricity consumption, the energy
as an adaptation of the standard LEED credits to meet the efficiency of buildings is a prime target. To this end, the
unique challenges of construction in the UAE. It is believed government has already put in place both incentives and
that this mandate will cause a revolution of sorts given that regulations under a Green Building Master Plan. The
the world’s architects, contractors, engineers of nearly target is to make 80% of all Singapore’s buildings “green”
every large American and European firm of consequence is by 2030. The government is further introducing a $100M
designing and building in Dubai and Abu Dhabi – two key Green Mark Incentive Scheme for Existing Buildings to
cities in the UAE. encourage and incentivize building owners to undertake
necessary retrofits to upgrade their buildings.
Estidama – Pearl
Estidama is a building design Nanyang University, Singapore

methodology for constructing and


operating buildings and communities more sustainably. The
program is a key aspect of the “Plan Abu Dhabi 2030” drive
to build the city of Abu Dhabi according to innovative green
standards. Estidama is the Arabic word for sustainability.
The program is not itself a green building rating system like
LEED or BREEAM, but rather a collection of ideals that
are imposed in an elective code type of format. However,
within Estidama there is a building rating system called
the “Pearl”. This system is used to evaluate building
design in Abu Dhabi.
Sustainability in India
Finally let’s talk about sustainability and green building HPCB – High Performance Commercial Buildings in
initiatives in India. Though the terms “sustainability” India is an initiative targeted at air conditioned commercial
and “green buildings” are relatively new– the practices buildings aiming at establishing relevance and impacts
surrounding them were never new to India. Ancient and of low-energy passive strategies and making them
medieval structures are testimony to the fact that India Code compliant. According to the Bureau of Energy
has a long history in Green Buildings and sustainability. efficiency - ECBC / Energy Conservation Building Code
India is one of the largest growing economies in the compliant building use 27-30% less energy compared to
world with economic growth rate of 8.9%. Commensurate traditional buildings.
with economic growth, urbanization in India is growing TERI or The Energy and resources institute formerly
fast. Everyday – India’s growing economy needs more known as Tata energy research institute has been supporting
energy, water and resources for the built environment. The India’s Energy and sustainability demand for the last 30
construction sector in India is witnessing a fast growth years. Some of Teri’s notable contributions include the
due to several factors. Some of the key growth drivers rating system called GRIHA. TERI does a lot of research
are increased demand for housing, strong demographic and brings value to the Indian society in areas including
impetus, expansion of organized retail, increased demand alternative energy including new age bio fuel, green
for commercial office spaces by multinationals and IT buildings, bio technology, etc.
hubs, and coming up of SEZs (special economic zones).
Let’s look at some of the sustainability and green building BEE- Similar to the Energy Star program in the US – BEE
initiatives in India. or Bureau of Energy efficiency promotes STAR RATING
for electrical equipments and appliances. Recently the
The Indian Green Building Council represents all the BEE has introduced a rating for building as well where
stakeholders in the construction industry. It has developed buildings based on Energy Performance Index gets a score
a green building rating programs that cover commercial, between 1-5 stars. The Lower the EPI (KWh.Sq.m) –
residential, and factory buildings and special economic the higher the star rating.
zones. Rating programs would help projects to address
all aspects related to the environment and is an effective So now you know what’s happening around the world with
tool to measure the performance of the building/project. respect to sustainability, energy and water conservation and
IGBC along with the Ministry of Commerce and Industry green buildings. And you also know what’s happening in
developed the Green SEZ guidelines. The Green SEZ Rating your corner of the planet. We would like to end this article
System encourages projects to exceed the requirements of by a verse from the Rig-Veda – Let noble thoughts come
many codes and standards. from all sides.

IGBC Green Homes Platinum Certified - TZED Banglore GRIHA 5 star rated - CESE, IIT Kanpur

Inspired to be GREEN I Volume 8 I 37


• This is the only seamless green wall system & the basal infrastructure is not seen as it always covered with thick
vegetation.
• This is the most Sustainable living wall system, as the external installations have already sustained varied climatic
conditions, from 2 degrees C to 46.5 degrees C temperature.
• This is a modular system and it consists of Living wall panels of size 30cm x 30cm x10cm.
• Weight of Living wall when fully saturated with water is less than 8.5 kg per sft.
• The growth medium is longevity enabled & replenishment of organic materials or change of growth medium is not
required for many years.
• Panels have in built irrigation system, which works on gravity & assure that each cell of the panel gets water.
• The panels have provision to introduce illumination and also mist irrigation through the panels. the introduction of
spraying system makes maintenance easy in case of high rise buildings
• The panels can be planted in the place or pre-grown panels are also available. One can have ready effect from
first day of installation.
PAHARPUR
BUSINESS CENTRE

GREEN EXISTING BUILDING


PAR EXCELLENCE

Paharpur Business Centre and Software Technology Incubator Park (PBC™ - STIP) has been conducting it’s business
in a environmentally friendly manner since it’s inception some two decades ago and it firmly believes that care for
environment is intrinsic to its business.

Introduction:
Paharpur Business Centre & Software Technology Incubator Some of the notable initiatives taken by PBC have been in the
Park, is an SME, & is engaged in the business of providing area of energy saving, water conservation; water harvesting
furnished office space on a “plug n play” basis, to a host of and indoor Air Quality (IAQ).
multinational and Fortune 500 companies planning forays into
the Indian market place, in a mountain fresh air ambience and Environmental Responsibility:
facilitating business through it’s suite of twenty-eight support Our service business must have minimum impact on our
services at one stop. All it’s offices are equipped with state of surroundings, neighbors and environment. Our motto
the art facilities & services. “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle” is applied wherever practicable in
our business without sacrificing quality of life.
Motto: A good environment ultimately
In accordance with the above, the PBC has formulated a
leads to sustainable development. number of procedures and processes to improve and sustain
Under this PBC signed a MoU with MCD and adopted a 4-acre their environmental performance.
area that was a slum and converted it into a beautiful park by
To begin with the Business Center at Nehru Place Greens
planting more than 2000 trees and shrubs. This tremendously
is a No Smoking Building – much before Government of
improved the air quality in the area, as prior to this it was a
Delhi made it mandatory for all commercial buildings in the
concrete jungle with no green space.
city to be “No-Smoking” buildings. The occupants are not
PBC™ - STIP strictly follows the principle of 3 R i.e. “reduce, allowed to eat in offices; the PBC has separate designated
reuse and recycle” as stated in its environment policy. Over the areas for both smoking & eating. This was done in order to
past many years it has taken several environmental initiatives for improve the quality of indoor air & to fight the ill- effects of
sustainable development without sacrificing the quality of life. sick building syndrome.
Indoor Air Quality A View of Green House
The Indoor Air Quality at PBC™ - STIP meets the specified PBC offers, near mountain fresh air, in the heart of New
ASHRAE (American Society for Heating Refrigeration and Delhi – for those who work in the building which improves
productivity, as a person does not get tired and feels fresh, thus
Air conditioning Engineers) Standards. A dedicated Indoor
leading to good health, fewer sick days.
Air Quality division equipped with a lab has been set up to
continuously monitor and improve the indoor air quality. PBC A study was conducted by CPCB – MOEF, Government of
India & as per this, it was found that providing cleaner air
uses bio-technology originally developed by NASA to purify the
reverses the effects of pollution. People working at Paharpur
air. This process makes use of plants like Sensevieria Trifasciata
Business Centre in Nehru Place, which has filters to clean
that produces oxygen at night, Areca Palm and Money Plant. pollutants from air, were found to have 10-12% less lung
impairment than those working in Nirman Bhawan & Mausam
PBC has been practicing this natural system of air purification
Bhawan, where there are no air filters.
through plants for nearly two decades now. This ensures lower
Compared to other buildings in Delhi, the incidences of
CO2 levels that result in higher blood oxygen and higher
Eye irritation reduced by 52%, Respiratory symptoms by
productivity. This is done through a very scientific system: air
34%, Headaches by 24%, Lung impairment by 12% and
from a height of 120 ft is sucked in, passed through a water Asthma by 9% at PBC.
shower to free it from any water soluble particles / pollutants,
PBC posts air quality readings on their website: www.pbcnet.
it is then pumped into a chamber / Green House which has
com, please log on for the day’s readings.
more than 1500 plants that enrich it with oxygen and increase
its humidity. The oxygenated air is then fed into the AC plant Growing Fresh Air at PBC:
for cooling. This treated fresh air is provided to all the floors
A Natural Way of Purification………
through individual AHUs.
…….. By Using Green Plants
The AC plant has been so designed that it does not reuse the
Areca Palm
air but takes in fresh air every time. To save energy, a heat • Produces Oxygen during the day
recovery wheel is placed that exchanges heat. It reduces the • Removes Chemical Toxins
temperature of the incoming air. A chemical cartridge has also • Easy to maintain.
been installed in the wheel to reduce the poisonous gases like
Sensevieria Trifasciata
SO2. As a result of this we have been able to maintain SO2
• Produces Oxygen at night
levels to below detectable limits. Other than this there has
• Removes Chemical Toxins
been partial reduction in NO2 and SPM levels. The HVAC • Easy to maintain
system provides fresh air supply to 20 cfm per person. The
Apart from initiatives taken in the field of Indoor Air Quality, the
building is designed to accommodate 400 people at a time
PBC has also taken initiatives in the field of waste management,
with 4 plants per person.
energy & water conservation.

Inspired to be GREEN I Volume 8 I 41


Energy Conservation: Waste Management
In any organization 60% of the total power consumption is • Waste is segregated at the point of its generation itself.
attributed to the Air Conditioning Plant. The PBC converts food waste into organic natural
manure through vermiculture with the help of worms.
To reduce the load on the air conditioning plant, the project This waste is like a value-added product that improves
has installed green mesh outside the west facing balconies, the plants & the environment.
placed green plants in the balcony, all the windows have
• Organic waste management is done through
solar films and are sealed with rubber lining to prevent
vermiculture. The manure produced is rich in microbes,
infiltration of air. humus and plant. All these are available at minimal cost
Apart from this a Heat Recovery Wheel has been installed and are used for horticulture purpose.
to transfer the heat from the incoming air to the outgoing • Inorganic waste like paper, aluminum foils, plastic
exhaust air. PBC also follows a lot of good practices like bottles, is recycled.
cleaning the AHU filters on a daily basis, monitoring and
recording temperatures at all levels on a 24 x 7 basis. Water Conservation
The project has installed sub meters at all strategic locations • Rain Water Harvesting:
in the building in order to track the daily power consumption • PBC collects the rain water from the roof and through
and to control any wastage hence, electricity consumption is pipes it goes to an underground tank where the system
recorded twice a day in order to have an effective control on filters the collected water and recharge it back into the
the daily power consumption. ground.

Motion Sensors have been installed in the bathrooms in • This technology has been provided by the Centre For
order to control electricity wastage. Science And Environment, New Delhi.
• The effective water saving at normal rainfall at PBC is
AT PBC™- STIP all General Lighting Solution lamps (GLS)
183,000 liters per annum.
have been replaced by Compact fluorescent Lamps (CFL),
while maintaining the same lux levels this has resulted in a • The surface water from the surrounding areas is diverted
net saving of 6.04 MW per month. to a well in the NPG park from where the ground water
is recharged.
This initiative has also been extended to the PBC Team that
• All the balconies in the building have a large number
has also taken the step forward and replaced the GLS lamps
of plants that are being watered with drip irrigation to
at their home with CFL lamps. Assuming that 60 W lamps
avoid water wastage.
were replaced by 11W CFL lamps, there was a straight
saving of 49 W thus, resulting in a cumulative saving of • Sensor Taps have been installed in all the Washrooms to
approximately 12 MW per month. avoid water wastages.

This is based on the declaration by each Team member that • The Water monitoring that is done at all the major water
three lamps have been replaced per house and based on five consumption points is also compared on a monthly
basis.
hours of lighting per lamp per day.
• Use of dual flush Toilets.
PBC™ - STIP replaced 1,600 old tube lights with 1,200 new
TLD true light & electronic ballast while maintaining the • Use of effluent water for gardening.
lux level as per DIN 5035 standards. This initiative resulted
in saving of 9.29 MW per month i.e. a saving of 15 W per As a part of the ongoing campaign to endeavor to improve
Hour per tube light. the Environmental Performance, the project has installed
Waterless Urinals in PBC, by this a savings of 19,500
As a results of various Energy conservation initiatives liters of water every month and 234,000 liters in a year
the project’s MDI has come down from 735 to 392 KVA can be achieved.
Green Building Certification: LEED
Existing Buildings
With the goal of maximizing operational efficiency while PBC’s efforts & initiatives have been widely recognized and
minimizing environmental impacts, PBC™-STIP aims to get rewarded by the Industry and Government alike and some of
certified for USGBC LEED(EB) - “Platinum” certification the awards & accolades received by us for the responsible
by 2010. In this regard, PBC™ - STIP has changed the entire actions in the area of environment are Greentech Silver Award
HVAC system with energy efficient equipments. The new
2002, Ethics is good Business award in December 2005 from
system has the following advantages:
H.E. Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, Hon’ble President of India,
• New Trane water screw chiller is energy efficient, Golden Peacock Award 2007 for Environment Management,
with a COP of 6.15 Greentech Environment Excellence Gold Award 2007,
• Variable frequency drives (VFD) are installed at pumps, Commendation Certificate from Delhi Transco Limited
AHUs & cooling tower fans to regulate energy as per for the efforts towards promotion of Energy Efficiency &
heat load requirement.
Renewable Energy Measures, Special Jury Recommendation
• Complete HVAC system is monitored & analyzed in
Award for “Innovative System Design in IAQ” from Bry-Air
terms of energy consumption and heat load through
in 2008, G-Cube Shrishti Award for Good Green Governance
Building Management System (BMS).
• The system has CO2 sensors to regulate the fresh air on April 22nd 2008 from the Honorable Chief Minister of
inlet inside the air-conditioned space. Delhi Ms. Sheila Dikshit, etc.
• There are UVC emitters installed in AHUs to keep the
air clean of indoor air contaminants. The Road Ahead
• There are VAV units installed in the supply air ducts that
PBC will replicate similar initiatives but on a much larger &
can sense the heat load in that area and adjust the airflow.
advanced level in their new project that is being promoted
• The combination of pre filters (MERV 8), bag filters
by the management of PBC™ - STIP – Green Spaces™, a
(MERV 13) & electronic filters (at fresh air) put in the
AHUs can remove most of the air borne particles. notified SEZ, 1.67million square feet of commercial building.
• Double skin AHUs reduce the noise generated and hence This will be built as the World’s Greenest & most energy
reduce discomfort to the users. efficient commercial building.
• Cleanliness of the supply air ducts is checked regularly. This project will help to demonstrate that it is economically
possible to reduce the energy use in commercial buildings
The Recognitions: from 40% - 10% through technology, lifestyle changes
and design. The project will look to demonstrate that
PBC™ - STIP has effectively demonstrated that small
the GreenSpaces™ model is sustainable and thus can be
environmental initiative can result in substantial savings
replicated across geographies.
for an organization, enhances its corporate image and
contributes towards sustainable growth of the organization. For more information on this new project log on to the
Thus, contributing positively in nation building and saving website: www.greenspaces.in
the environment for the future generation.

Inspired to be GREEN, thanks Veenu Kapoor - Manager Corp. Comm, Paharpur Business Centre & Software Technology
Incubator Park, for sharing this information with us.

Inspired to be GREEN I Volume 8 I 43


BUILDING ENVELOPE
INSULATION
A KEY TO ENERGY SAVING
& SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
By Mr.Himanshu Agrawal, Manager – Sustainable Building Solutions BASF Construction Chemicals (India) Pvt. Ltd.

ABSTRACT:
Buildings across the globe consume 60-70% of the total energy demand in a building is due to “Building Envelope” which
electricity generated and are a major contributor to the contributes to 60-75% of the heat gain/loss. Recognizing the
greenhouse gases. The maximum share of this energy usage need to save energy and minimize green house gases, efforts
is in conditioning (heating or cooling) the building interiors. are being made to increase the awareness and importance of
In India, which has a tropical climate, insulation of building reducing energy loads in a building.
envelope would result in major energy saving and minimizing the
Insulation of building envelope has become one of the key
greenhouse gas emissions which would contribute to a green
practices across the globe to effectively manage heat incidence
and sustainable development. This paper dwells on the various
in the buildings and save on the high energy cost.
aspects of “Total Insulation” of building envelope that includes
moisture insulation (waterproofing) and thermal insulation. For roofs, both LEED-India and GRIHA advocate over-deck
insulation as against the conventional way of under-deck
insulation; green credit points for building envelope insulation
INTRODUCTION: are credited for over-deck roof insulation.
It is estimated that across the total life-cycle of a building, the In over-deck insulation, a thermal insulation with waterproofing
design and construction of a commercial building constitutes just is provided over the RCC as a barrier against direct solar heat
20-30% of the overall cost; the rest comprises of operations and on RCC roof slab. This prevents the RCC slab from heating up.
maintenance costs. Hence, it is important to actually consider The conventional method is under-deck thermal insulation
how the high cost of operating can be reduced substantially. by using methods like false ceiling or extruded polystyrene.
Today’s modern buildings – marvels in terms of architecture and However its effectiveness is always a question since the
technology – have led to an adverse impact on the environment. thermal barrier is provided under the RCC roof slab. Some heat
Buildings are responsible for more than half of harmful passes through the under-deck insulation and decreases the
greenhouse gas emissions in most major cities of the world. comfort level of the room. If the building is air-conditioned,
this heat leakage increases the AC load. Hence it can safely
The maximum energy demand 50-70% in a building is for be concluded that over deck insulation has its own advantages
conditioning (heating or cooling) the interiors. This major against under deck.
BUILDING ENVELOPE INSULATION – A HOLISTIC APPROACH:
Brick Bat Coba:
The love of the Indian construction industry is the use of brick bat coba for
roofs. This system consists of putting brickbat on flat roofs to give a slope
and then grouting the same with cement mortar admixed with some water
proofing compounds. This is mostly finished with IPS topping with a tile pattern
cut into the top to form crack inducer joints to prevent cracks from appearing;
alternatively China mosaic is done as the top wearing course. There is a myth
that brick bat coba offers waterproofing and also insulation against heat.
Nobody can rightly call it a waterproofing material because it is porous and
allows the entry of water into it very easily, serving as a reservoir. Neither is
it, by any stretch of the imagination, a thermal insulation product. In fact the
heat absorbed by brick bat coba it is the same as that absorbed by concrete.

Advantages:
• Provides Slope: This system provides an excellent • Cracks Up: Brick bat coba cracks up due to
slope for the water to drain away. As water does temperature variation and movements due to
not accumulate and as it has a certain capacity to thermal stresses. Once cracks appear, water travels
absorb water, there is no leakage. below the coba and leakage starts. It is very difficult
to trace the inlet point & repair it.
Disadvantages: • Difficult to Dismantle: Some parts of the coba stick
• Impose Dead Load: This system puts unnecessary so well to the concrete that an attempt to dismantle
dead load on the structure. the system may damage the slab.

Tar Felt / APP Membrane:


This system uses layers of tar interspersed with various forms of reinforcements to hold the layer together and prevent
cracking to provide impermeable layer between the water and the surface to be protected.

Advantages:
• Cheap
• Suitable for AC sheet roofing

Disadvantages:
• Not UV Resistant: Tar/Bitumen - the binder in the system disintegrates
on contact with 'UV' radiation leading to biodegradation of reinforcement
leading to collapse the system.
• Debonding: Vapour trapped inside exerts vapour pressure resulting in
debonding of the membrane.

Mud Phuska:
In this conventional system of providing thermal insulation, a [Reference: SP 41, Handbook on functional requirements of
10 cm layer of puddled clay mixed with grass straw is applied building (Other than industrial buildings), Part 1-4, Bureau of
in slope on a sand-bitumen waterproofing layer. This layer is Indian Standard (1988)]
consolidated and plastered with 13 mm of cow-dung mortar.
The traditional and conventional systems of waterproofing and
Tile bricks are laid flat on plastered surface and the joints are
thermal insulation in India worked well for ages to suit the
grouted with cement mortar.
Indian construction and economics. However, these systems
The Thermal and surface properties of mud phuska do not have a long life and require frequent maintenance.
These systems also do not suit the complicated site dynamics
Density = 1622 kg/m3 of today’s construction and do not offer insulation values to
Thermal conductivity = 0.750 W/mK comply to ECBC norms.
Specific heat capacity = 0.88 kJ/kg-K

Inspired to be GREEN I Volume 8 I 45


TOTAL INSULATION CONCEPT 2. THERMAL INSULATION:

To provide over-deck roof insulation that complies to ECBC Peripor Board: The Water-
requirements, a composite built-up is required which consists of resistant insulation.
a thermal insulation material with high “R-value”, coupled with a
When building components
suitable waterproofing and complete with a light weight material
are subject to pressure and
for the slope built-up for water run-off. A typical schematics of total moisture, the insulating
insulation built-up would be as shown in the diagram below. materials used should absorb
as little water as possible
since water absorption has a
significant detrimental effect on thermal insulation. Peripor
Board has been developed specifically for such applications.
It is a high-quality thermal insulation product with a water-
resistant bead surface. This combination of properties
greatly reduces water absorption and is thus suitable
for use in the tropics.

Elastopor Board: Thermal Insulation PUR Board.


Polyurethane Resin (PUR) based thermal insulation boards
offer best in class insulation performance. Higher densities
make the boards tough and can be used in trafficked
system built-ups. Elastopor Boards are specially designed
I. ROOF INSULATION COMPONENTS: with skin layer on both faces, making it resistant to water
ingress and long lasting.
1. WATERPROOFING
MASTERSEAL® 550 EL: Two-component, flexible, cementitious, MASTERSEAL 755 SPF: Spray applied PU foam for
polymer modified, brush-applied, water-proof coating can be thermal insulation is a two component system, spray
applied directly on the concrete substrates and provides watertight applied at site. This allows spray application on complex
sealing of pores and dormant cracks in the substrate. substrate shapes and confined spaces, besides it lowers
materials transportation cost.
SONOSHIELD® HLM 5000R: Single component, moisture curing,
liquid applied, modified polyurethane, Elastomeric water-proof A comparative graph of “R-value” with the above insulation
membrane has >600% elongation. materials as compared to brickbat coba is shown here:

MASTERPREN® TPO: Single-ply, preformed, TPO water-proof


3
membrane is a single-ply, water-proof membranes available in
glass/polyester reinforced versions. 2.5
R Value, sq.m.K/W

MASTERPREN® TPO can be selected and designed on the basis of 2


the roof overlay like green roof, podium, ballasted roof, metal deck.
It is also capable of re-roofing the existing leaking roof without 1.5
dismantling the existing system. 1
CONIROOF®: Spray-applied, PU water-proof membranes consists of 0.5
low-modulus PU membrane which is best in class for high elasticity
and high adhesion capability which makes it perform on variety of 0
150mm RCC 150mm RCC+ 150mm RCC+ 150mm RCC+
substrates like natural stones, bricks, metal sheets, marine ply and
100mm 50mm 50mm
even old/leaking bitumen membranes and PVC membranes. BrickbatKoba PERIPOR Elastopor
Comparitive charts for Dead Load & Thermal II. WALL INSULATION COMPONENTS:
Resistance “R” for 150mm thick overlay:
Though a major contribution to heat gain in a building is from
walls, still, wall insulation has never been of much concern or
simply, wall insulation has just been neglected. Some traditional
ways of providing thermal insulation to the walls have been in the
form of using light coloured stone tiles on exteriors to minimize
sunlight, double-wall with air cavity, cavity wall with insulation
material as infill, insulating panels on interiors, etc. However,
each of these methods have their own disadvantages as apart
from not offering a high thermal insulation, they have the problem
of rain water seepage, water filling the cavity, poor indoor air
quality, decrease of valuable internal space, etc.

All these drawbacks are avoided by using “External Insulation &


Finishing System” (EIFS) on the walls.

• SENERGY EIFS system consists of Neopor insulation board,


adhesive for fixing insulation board to the substrate, anchoring
system for fixing the reinforcing mesh in place over the insulation
board and base coat which provide the mineral substrate
for the application of the top coat. The top coat provides the
long lasting aesthetics and finish to the system. Based on the
insulation performance warranted, the type and thickness of
insulation board is designed.

Sections of EIFS on a framed sheathing and on a


concrete/plastered brick surface are as shown below:

3. SLOPE BUILT-UP

ThermocreteTM:
A need is felt for a suitable material to replace brickbat coba
for the purpose of making slope/fall on the flat roof slab for
the purpose of water run-off and also for the protection of
waterproofing and insulation layers.

Inspired to be GREEN I Volume 8 I 47


EIFS offers the following benefits which are not
offered/matched by other wall insulation methods
• EIFS has superior energy efficiency by reducing
heat transmission and helps in reducing HVAC load.
• The adhesive coat, base coat & top finish coat are
polymer based and provide high degree of water
resistance to the wall.
• It can be applied to new & existing structures.
• External Location; Virtually Seamless – Reduced
Air Infiltration
• Offers design flexibility, shapes, colors and textures
• Flexible and Lightweight Material
• Little Routine Maintenance
• It is the only solution for insulating
existing buildings.

Neopor Insulation Board: This high performance thermal insulation board is used in SENERGY EIFS
• Contains Infrared absorbers/ deflectors
• 20% higher energy efficiency then EPS
• Flame retardant grade (B2)
• K value of 0.032 W/m.K
• Free of CFC, HCFC or HFC

CONCLUSION
Buildings consume a major portion of electricity a one-stop 360O solution for the building envelope
generation and put a lot of stress on the society at insulation. Adopting Green Building practices
large in terms of electricity shortage and emission will substantially reduce or eliminate adverse
of greenhouse gases. With the fast depleting fossil environmental impacts and improve upon
fuel reserves and ever increasing electricity prices, it existing unsustainable design, construction and
is imperative to adopt energy saving measures. It is operational practices.
necessary for the construction industry to adopt green
measures which would benefit their own pocket and For additional information on Building Envelope
the society. We should adopt workplace strategies Insulation, contact author at BASF Construction
to meet sustainability goals while reducing overall Chemicals (India) Pvt. Ltd., C-68, TTC Industrial
occupancy costs. Today, global companies are offering Area, MIDC Turbhe, Navi Mumbai-400613.
to the Indian construction industry, new products, Phone +91 22 4157 7777, Fax 022-4157 7766.
technology, systems and application expertise as e-mail: himanshu.agrawal@basf.com

About the Author


Himanshu Agrawal did his graduation in Civil Engineering from
Regional Engineering College – Surat (South Gujarat University) in
1991. He has a rich experience of industrial project management
and worked with companies like United Phosphorus Ltd., Metrochem
Industries Ltd., Cyanamid India Ltd. & BASF India Ltd. He has also
worked in Sales with BASF Construction Chemicals (India) Pvt. Ltd.

Currently working as “Manager – Sustainable Building


Solutions” in Marketing with BASF Construction Chemicals
(India) Pvt. Ltd. to develop and promote Green and Sustainable
products, technology & systems for the construction industry.
Inspired to be GREEN I Volume 8 I 9
E
very time you see a new mall or residential/IT Park it is designed around being nature friendly and is resistant to
coming up in your area, more often that not you see moisture, fire and termite attacks. One of the most booming
the area being cleared of its Green cover. It is the price sectors in India is the hospitality sector and with so many
that we have to pay in order to make way for newer projects international events like Commonwealth Games slated to go on
and giving more people a suitable place to live and work in. the floor, it will definitely add to the surge. However, they are
However, if intelligent building practices are made an order of
also required to operate at breakneck speeds where everything
the day we can always strive to minimize the impact and help
has to be on time, every time.
provide nature with time to replenish its lost resources.
Any modern architect would suggest you to use Fibre Cement
The Innovative Building Practice: FCB Boards because of their quick installation. These boards in
combination with different frameworks like timber, steel and
One of the recent trends, pioneered by Everest Industries is the
aluminum offer unique dry wall constructions thus maximizing
extensive usage of Fibre Cement Boards in construction. There
are a number of advantages offered by FCB’s in judgment space utilization along with savings on time. Our in-house
to wood and wood-based products. For one, being easily architect Mr. Rakesh Verma has been a vociferous supporter of
re-locatable and are made from 40% recycled material. So that FCB’s even before he joined Everest. They have become more
makes them a clean green material by default. It also helps that popular in recent times for their low cost of installation.

EXPERIENCE CHANGE WITH


SMART BUILDING SOLUTIONS
EVEREST INDUSTRIES

Tata Bakery, Munnar Lavasa, Pune

Sreedharan Eye Hospital, Mumbai Westler Resort, Muvattupuzha


It’s Smart to Use Smart Steel Acoustic Ceilings are Here for You
Aesthetics and design are a major part of any modern Everest Acoustic Ceilings offer a number of advantages
workspace. To ensure optimum level of safety, Everest over the conventional false ceilings or other similar
Industries presents Smart Steel Doors an innovative products. For one, they are made using high quality
security system keeping in mind your beautiful home When
mineral wool and composite fibres with superior
you are making an addition of a shed or different exterior
acoustic performance and improved resistance to
construction it’s much simpler if you go out and buy yourself
humidity. Also the tiles are acrylic coated to offer
smart & flexible solutions s than to try and do it all yourself.
Modern Business need modern buildings that need to be outstanding light reflectance and are complemented with
highly specified with the latest environment friendly features. a variety of grids for a complete acoustic experience
Offering 100% customized smart steel buildings; it is the that brighten up the interiors.
most innovative, best in class technology for manufacturing
They are excellent for heat insulation and resistance
& erecting buildings offered under the ages of Everest
against fire. One of the unique features it offers is
Industries. Besides design flexibility, these buildings are also
resistant to moisture; adverse weather conditions, earthquakes resistance to sagging/deformation even under higher
termites & fie. Smart Steel has many benefits over doing it moisture exposure. Usually during monsoon or due
your self and can make your life so much simpler and save to faulty installation, acoustic ceilings start sagging
lots of time. You can find a smart steel building for nearly any after sometime. This, apart from looking out of place,
type of construction you need to erect. also leaks out insulation – thus defeating the basic
purpose of putting up a false ceiling. Everest’s
It is one of the motivating factors for an employee to come to
Acoustic Ceilings do not sag, are very lightweight
office and a reason for a new recruit to feel encouraged about
and install quickly.
his cubicle or bay.

Green Building: The Success Mantra


Swissotel, Kolkata
The benefits drawn by sustainable development and Green
Construction methods can be categorized into tangible
and intangible advantages. While some are instantly
identifiable, some can be realized over time. The difference
lies in focusing on the occupants comfort and internal
environment. We can encourage building of sustainable
sites by using the landscape effectively, using alternate
fuel vehicles within the complex and use heat reflective
materials like paint, building materials etc.

Similarly, water conservation needs to be dealt seriously


with if any project aims to attain zero damage to
environment. Simple steps like using water saving fixtures,
reducing landscaping turf, using negative ground cover,
conceptualizing rainwater harvesting infrastructure right
from the inception etc. are time tested ways to save water.
Everest has evolved the drywall construction technique
using Fibre Cement Boards that save upto 40% water over
conventional wall making techniques. In fact, Everest’s
commitment to sensitivity to nature is such that our
Fibre Cement Boards itself are constructed from reusable
material. It consists of 35% of fly ash, recycled cement and
5% of paper kraft.

It is no unknown fact that natural resources, although


abundant, aren’t unlimited. It is better to take corrective
measures early on and make the best possible use of
everything that’s available.

Inspired to be GREEN I Volume 8 I 51


Realizing GREEN
in God’s Own Country

Man has stood up for Nature!


The planet Earth has been celebrating 23rd September as World The third day was screening of the film ‘The Inconvenient Truth’ by
Green Building day. This year, the World Green Building Council former US Vice President and Noble Laureate Al Gore. Over 350
took as bold and vital step to spread awareness and create a students at FISAT, Kochi attended the screening and encouraging
worldwide movement on SUSTAINABLE ARCHITECTURE. IGBC to initiate many more such educative programs.
The Indian Green Building Council heed to this clarion call was
delegated to all its 9 chapters,among which the Cochin Chapter took The fourth day began with a seminar on Climate Change by
the onus creating a serious and sensitive GREEN campaign in the Sri. Dharesan Unnithan, Director, Energy Management Centre,
Business capital of Kerala. Thiruvananthapuram and Dr.V. Madhusoodana Kurup, Director,
School of Industrial Fisheries, Kochi. The seminar brought up various
Spearheaded by B R Ajit, Chairman, IGBC – Cochin Chapter, the snapshots of climate changes of the past and projected changes on the
week long initiative was intended to focus not on ‘celebration’ but on future. The packed auditorium of St. Teresa’s College was a witness
‘realization’ of the sensitive elements of man’s ignorance, neglection to one of the most informative sessions held in the campus.
and arrogance towards earth. Each day was given a theme and a
message to be communicated to a select audience, by virtue of which Day five saw a formal gathering with P V Kiran Ananth, Senior
it would envelope the major disciplines of the community. Counsellor, CII presenting a lecture on ‘Carbon Footprint – Impact
of climate change’. He highlighted the basics of the term ‘GREEN’
The week was inaugurated by Sri. K Babu M.L.A flagging off over and dwelled in depth the impact of our current routines and systems
100 student cyclists of Energy Conservation Society (ECS) and on the environment..
Calicut University, National Service Scheme who were pedaling
from Kozhikkode –Thiruvananthapuram observing National Cycle The sixth day began with a colourful event with over 60 kids battling
Day. The students were given a green welcome at the Durbar Hall with their mid term exams came to TocH school premises to paint
ground, Ernakulam by G Vishwanathan, District Governor, Rotary on the theme ‘ My Home – Green Home’. IGBC Chairman B R
International who distributed saplings to each cyclist as part of Ajit highlighted the importance of conserving energy to the creative
Rotary International’s initiative to plant more than 1 Lac trees. children who went on to sketch some bold, innovative and dynamic
Doned in White T-shirts and caps distributed by BSA Cycles and ideas and themes.
Zuari Cements, the students parked the cycles on the dias and were
felicitated for their noble campaign. The concluding day program was held at BTH, Kochi with Mr.
Dominic Presentation M.L.A inaugurating the function. Ar. Jaigopal
The Second Day was themed ‘Our Beautiful Earth – The role of presented a hilarious slide show on grunt and brunt of city-chaos. My
religion in spreading Green Awareness’. The evening gained a Green Book’, a pocket diary of green notes was distributed to the
huge momentum with the children of Pallikoodam performing a
gathering, who were admiration of the concept of spreading green
magnificent street play on man’s unkind approach towards nature.
messages that even a common man can adopt in his life The week
Later, Prof.Dr. C V Jayamani, Rev. Fr. K. M. George and Adv.
long exercise concluded with Adarsh Kavungal, IGET; extending
Mayankutty Mather, eminent scholars in their respective religion
contributed and enlightened the audience on how each religion has many thanks to all the volunteers, sponsors, media and the audience
been contributing words of wisdom on conserving earth and retaining who pledged along with B R Ajit to take responsibility of spreading
every natural element on earth. the Green message and abiding by it for the years to come.

Inspired to be GREEN commends


this marvellous effort by the
IGBC Cochin Chapter.

Information and Photographs


Courtesy: IGBC – Cochin Chapter

Article compiled by:


Ar. Mahesh Pillai
Asst. Director- Architectural Project
Management, Ajit Associates Kochi.

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