- -=.

---
.. .=~.-
 GREEN FOCUS
BROUGHTTO YOUBY
'"
-GBT-
Getman BuildJng ThchnoIcgies

GREENENGINEER
, DRPREMCJAINIS RESPONSIBLE
FOR
GLAMORISINGTHEPROFESSION OF
MECHANICAL,ELECTRICAL
ANDPLUMBING
(MEP)SERVICEPROVIDERSIN INDIA.
DEEPALINANDWANI PROFILESTHEMAN
WHOMADEMISSIONGREENPOSSIBLE
The next time you see an imposing
building, go beyond its swish
interiors and/or architectural style.
Look at it more holistically. Is it energy
efficient? Does it have a sound public
health engineering system in place? Does
it have a well-networked, integrated
building management system?
Ultimately, it is efficiency on these
parameters that make a commercial or
residential building comfortable to live
and work in. Or that's what Dr Prem C
Jain, head honcho of one oflndia's biggest
MEP services providers, will tell you.
For those not in the know, Mechanical,
Electrical and Plumbing (MEP) service
providers are literally the backroom boys
of any architectural project - the people
who engineer the spaces.
And Dr PC Jain and his Spectral
Services are the Goliaths of this
business. Set up in 1980 with a mission '60S." Besides studying advanced heat and been chosen to host the Asian Games - the
to provide integrated MEP services mass transfer during his post-graduate first time an Indian city was ever going
design ("words that did not prevail in studies at Minnesota, he took classes in the to host an international championship,
the vocabulary at that time," he recalls), history of art and architecture to give his and several hotel projects were coming
Spectral laid emphasis on energy and education a well-rounded edge. up across the capital. What helped
water conservation, total fire safety and With a dream to come back to India and was his decade-long stint with one of
maintaining indoor air quality at levels design energy-efficient systems here, Dr the biggest architectural firms in this
matching international standards. Jain returned to India in the 1970S to work country. His reputation was impeccable,
The renowned 'HVAC engineer' traces with Joseph Allen Stein and the legendary and the services he was offering made
his love for design back to his days in BV Doshi. "I learned the values of design sense - as India was just waking up to the
Benares (now known as Varanasi) and excellence and power of conviction from possibility of optimising efficiency in a
the architecture of the temples along the them." In 1980, he decided to start his own building through a good HVAC (Heating,
Ganga ghats, or temples such as Sarnath, company after a decade with the Stein, Ventilating and Air-conditioning) system.
which he considers the cradle of Indian Doshi & Bhalla powerhouse. Convincing Armed with radical thinking on MEP, Dr
civilisation. Growing up in the 1940s, his architects about the importance of the Jain worked on hotel projects like Samrat,
1. TheCII-Sohrabji first choice was to study engineering at a services his company offered, was an Le Meridien and the Centaur. Since then,
Godrej Green Benares college. He went on to study in uphill task, as MEP was still in its infancy his company Spectral has worked on over
Building Centre, the USA, where he also met Frank Lloyd and most MEP designs were vendor- 100 hotel properties across India - besides
Hyderabad, is the Wright - "one of the greatest architects of driven. "Clients were not sure of the value a host of townships, residential complexes,
first LEEDplatinum our times" through a roommate. "In the that MEP consultants could bring over and hotels, hospitals, corporate offices, IT
certified building in US, I worked on many NASA projects and above vendor designs," he explains. campuses, commercial complexes and
India and outside witnessed the birth of intelligent buildings Dr Jain was the right man in the right large-scale industrial projects. Dr Jain
USA. and building automation systems in the place at the right time. New Delhi had maintains that Spectral Services has

020 I
ARCHITECT & INTERIORS INDIA JUNE 2010 Iwwwitpcom
 GREEN FOCUS
BROUGHT

-
..
GBT-
TD YOU BY

innovated to achieve maximum output Spectral's success, he believes, is due promotes the HVAC industry. He also German Building 1eclmoIogies
from the HV AC systems they design. "We to their ability to offer optimisation of all launched the Indian Green Building
have used heat recovery wheels and high services, a nightmare for most architects. Council (IGBC), a branch of the US Green
COP (Coefficient of Performance) chillers. "A building cannot be complete without Building Council (USGBC).
We have supplied treated fresh air on us," he insists. "We are involved right from "Green buildings are essential for the
demand through CO2 monitoring," he the planning stage." When he started out survival of the human race on Planet
points out. in the 1980s, about 20% of a building's Earth," he says. "Spectral has all along
Even today, Dr Jain says, Spectral pays maintenance bill went into feeding energy designed MEP systems as identified in the
a lot of attention to designing efficient requirements. Today, he has brought it Green Building ratings. It was, therefore,
HVAC systems. "An efficient HV AC down to almost 7% or even lower. Roof only natural for us to become the leader
system begins with an optimised envelope and wall insulations, double glazing and in designing MEP services for green-rated
design by the architect and the MEP even the orientation of doors and windows buildings too."
service provider - with plenty of daylight, can help keep energy bills down. According to Dr Jain, traditional Indian
cross-ventilation, high-quality indoor As part of its portfolio, Spectral Services architecture has always been energy
air and improved thermal properties to now offers green building services, HVAC efficient. There is a millennia-old reservoir
achieve competitive installation costs system, electrical system, plumbing and of knowledge that can help reduce energy
within a building," he elucidates. "Properly public health engineering, fire fighting consumption in buildings today. Typical
designed and installed HV AC systems reap and protection system, and integrated principles include climate-responsive
multiple benefits for occupants, building building management. design, use oflocal and sustainable
owners, contractors and the environment. But the cause closest to his heart is materials, and water harvesting methods.
It increases comfort and reduces energy that of green buildings. Dr Jain is one Climate-responsive architectural elements
costs for residents, reduces complaints of the biggest proponents of using green like courtyards, clusters, wind towers, roof
for building owners and benefits the technology to reduce the carbon footprint terraces andjaalis (stone lattices), among
environment through reduced greenhouse we leave behind as we rapidly urbanise. He others, are used for climate control and
gas emissions. Well-sealed and balanced was instrumental in setting up ISHRAE have become social and cultural elements
duct systems and proper filtration improve (Indian Society of Heating, Refrigerating of Indian architecture.
indoor air quality and safety by reducing and Air-conditioning Engineers) in 1981. The challenge, says Dr Jain, is to 2. Potni Knowledge
the possibility of backdraft." Based on its parent American model, it reconcile these ancient methods with Centre, Noido.

www.itp.comIJUNE 2010 I ARCHITECT & INTERIORS INDIA 021

GREEN FOCUS
BROUGHT TO YOU BY
~..

-GBT- modern technological innovations. "Green
German Buikfing-olugies
technologies can easily be adapted to
modern living. The emphasis should
be on optimum design of the building
envelope through careful modelling and
computer simulation," he suggests. "The
objective is to minimise the energy and
water demand of the buildings, and then
3. Board room provide these through the most efficient
of the Spectral and cost-effective systems. Green cities
Servicesoffice also generate minimum waste by recycling
building in Noida. all the waste water and generating power
from all solid waste."
4. Work studio. Modern technologies have found
solutions that make energy saving easier
5. The office while keeping costs low. A green building
building is designed uses key resources like energy, water,
in such a way that materials and land more efficiently than
it allows sunlight to buildings that are just built to code. With
penetrate almost more natural light and better air quality,
85% of the interior green buildings typically contribute to
spaces. improved health, comfort and productivity
of the occupants. "My office in India uses
no artificial light at all," specifies Dr Jain.
Among the many advantages of living
and working in a green building, he
mentions improved energy efficiency
(between 20 to 50% energy savings over
conventional buildings) and increased
water savings (around 30 to 50%). "You
use toxin-free materials in building
construction. In fact, there is increased
use of regional materials and products
with recycled content," says Dr Jain. "The
emphasis while designing a building is
on natural ventilation. The idea is to
promote the use of daylight for better
health and productivity."
Over the years, Spectral has designed
11 Platinum-rated green buildings -
including cn Sohrabji Godrej Business
Centre, Hyderabad; ITC Centre, Gurgaon;
Wipro Technologies, Gurgaon; Spectral
Headquarters, Noida; ABN Amro Bank,
Ahmedabad; HSBC Office, Gurgaon;
ITC Royal Gardenia, Bengaluru; Green
Boulevard, Noida; Kohinoor Hospital,
Mumbai; Patni Knowledge Centre, Noida;
and Space Matrix, New Delhi.
The best project as far as an efficient
HVAC system and a unique green building
project goes, is the cn Sohrabji Godrej
Business Centre in Hyderabad. It earned
a LEED rating of 56 credits and became
a certified LEED Platinum for new
construction - the first in India and the
first outside the USA. Vegetated roofs
cover 55-60% of the building's roofs,
while the remaining portion of the roof is
covered by solar photo-voltaic panels with
a 24KW capacity. The 100 to 120 units of
power generated per day are fed into tl1e
grid and meets 20% of the total energy
cost of the building.
The green roofs on the building are
divided into parcels that are separated by

SPECTRAL
CORPORATE
OFFICE,NOIDA
-r=r If you arein the businessof creatingenergy-efficientgreenbuildings,you have
to ensurethat yourown corporatebuildingmatchesthe beststandardsof green
\ II technology. Soit iswithSpectral's Corporate Officein Noida- a LEED-certified
PlatinumGreenBuildingthat has beendesignedas perfeaturesspecifiedbythe
- j
USGreenBuildingCouncil(USGBC).
Theproject,spreadover800sqkm,harmoniouslyblendshightechnologywith
craft in orderto createa micro-climatethat's conduciveto indooractivitiesbut
alsoallowsfor interactionwith the surroundingsin a synergeticway. A prominent
featureof the buildingis the top-lit atrium,which not onlylightsup the indoor
spacesbut providesa senseof grandeurto the office interior.Thebuildingis
designedin a waythat allowssunlightto penetratealmost85%of the interior
spaces.Theverticalstonelouvershavebeeneffectivelyusedto softenthe harsh
sunlightenteringthe building,especiallyfrom the north-westandsouth-west
directions.However,they allow airto passthroughandcoolthe interiorspace.
In orderto makethe buildinggreenandsustainable,DrJainandhis team
haveput into placea systemthat helpsto savewaterandenergy.Thebuilding
hasa rainwaterharvestingsystem,andgreywater is usedfor non-potable
purposeslikeflushingandwateringthe gardens.Thewater consumptionlevels
havebeenreducedby the useof high-efficiencyfixtureslikeoccupantsensors.
Roofgardensinsulateandprotectthe buildingagainstthe harshnorthIndiaheat.
Eco-friendlymaterialslikeGwaliorstoneandred sandstonehavebeenusedfor
claddingthefacade.
In sum, Spectral'sfour-storeycorporateofficeis day-lit,dischargesno waste

,..
---- andwater (thanksto the sewagetreatmentplantandrainwaterharvestingsystem)
anduses60%lessenergythana conventionalbuilding.
t

022 I
ARCHITECT & INTERIORS INDIA JUNE 2010 I www.itp.com

GREEN FOCUS
BROUGHT TO YOU BY
\it
-GBT-_u
Gmnan Building'Thchnologi..
6. Asian Heart Institute and Research
Centre, Mumbai.
7. Doha City Centre.
8. Grand Hyatt, Mumbai.
9. Escorts Heart Institute, Jaipur.
parapets. Laid on top of a concrete roof,
the green roof system (which comprises
two inches of sandy soil topped with paver
blocks and overlaid with a uniform grass
sod) begins its build-up with three layers
of waterproofing. In its appearance and
composition, green roofs are identical to
the grassy pedestrian and parking areas.
All wastewater and runoff generated
by the building is recycled by root zone
treatment, in which specially selected
plants purify and filter the water that
irrigates them. The water leaving the root
zone treatment is directed to one of three
ponds and is used for domestic purposes.
The building has achieved a 35% reduction
in potable water through the use of low-
flush toilets and waterless urinals.
At Wipro Technologies Development
Centre, his other notable project, the green
building concept was directed at making
an eco-friendly, high-performance, low-
wastage and intelligent building that is
sustainable along with having a minimal
negative impact on the environment. It
also aimed at the conservation of energy
and resources at every level, to save even
the top soil and the trees on the project
site. Free cooling method or blowing
natural air that passes through air filters is
used to ventilate the building, again saving
on electricity - since it ensures that there
024 ARCHITECT & INTERIORS INDIA I JUNE 2010 I wwwitp.com
is no need for air-conditioners.
The courtyard design at Wipro is
inspired by the traditional inward-looking
haveli plan that performs varied functions.
Designed to form a light well, it acts as a
micro-climate generator - thus reducing
energy consumption. Mutual shading of
the courtyard walls keeps them cooler
than the outside walls; while a large water
body and vegetation in the middle of the
courtyard reduces its temperature by
evaporative cooling.
Dr Jain is promoting not just green
buildings, but a culture of sustainable
design that involves the use of techniques
that are in conformity with nature.
Topping his list of priorities are soil
erosion and sedimentation control by
native/adaptive vegetation; development
of a new site on a previously developed
site to make it more efficient and reduce
impact on environmentally-sensitive
land; reduction of heat island effect by
roof vegetation, installation of rainwater
harvesting system to reduce potable water
consumption; and use of salvaged/recycled
material in construction.
Despite the unquestionable benefits
associated with green buildings, there
are several roadblocks to achieving the
standards of sustainable development.
"There is a lack of understanding and
....
awareness of practical issues in going
green, which is hindering the acceptance
of green building principles," says Dr
Jain. "Another challenge faced by green
buildings is the slightly higher investment
costs. Here, government incentives can
encourage growth in green renovation or
retrofit activity. It will act as a catalyst.
Meanwhile, owners of buildings can be
motivated by reduced lifecycle costs,
higher return on investment and improved
tenant satisfaction (in the case of
commercial buildings). Tenants can take
the benefit of lower operating costs and
improved quality oflife."
For now, a green building costs 2.5%
to 3% more than a conventional building
- but as 224 million sqft in 347 buildings
under construction in India over the next
five years go green, Dr Jain is convinced
that "a green building could cost less than
a conventional building. Commercial
buildings have had a head-start on the
green building concept in India; but this
is expected to spread to the residential
sector soon. With rising awareness, there
has been an increase in the number of
consultants to cater to 'green' clients."
But that's considered good news by Dr
Jain, who believes that more players in
the market translate into a much better
developed and aware marketplace. mill
GREEN FOCUS
BROUGHT TO YOU BY
\it
- GBT- IN CONVERSATION
Germon
WITHTHEGREENAMBASSADOR
Building 'IidmoIogieo
You were one of the founding fathers
of the Green Building movement in
India. Are you happy with the way it
has been evolving?
Yes, of course, the Green Building
Movement is a wonderful journey to be on.
I have been involved from day one, along
with Karan Grover and Jamshyd Godrej,
when the Green Building rating came to
India. A challenge that still remains is
the cost of green buildings, which is still
higher than conventional buildings in
India - the reason being, we do not have
enough products in India that are truly
green. And we do not have a system to
authenticate the greenness of a product.
We do not have qualified laboratories
and testing methods that can validate
the claims of the manufacturers bringing
out green products. If we had more true
green products, our movement would have
progressed further. To encourage green
products, we hold a Congress. When we
started, we had five products - and now
we have more than 100. I hope that in a
couple of years we will have more than
1000 products. When the competition
for green products grows, the pricing will
naturally come down; and that will be a
boost for the Green Building movement.
You were instrumental in setting
up the Indian Society of Heating,
Refrigerating and Air Conditioning
Engineers (ISHRAE). Tell us
something about ISHRAE's synergy
with the Indian Green Building
Council (IGBC).
ISHRAE has been a member of
ASHRAE (American Society of Heating,
Refrigerating and Air Conditioning
Engineers), a society I joined when I was
a young student in Benares in the '50S.
I started ISHRAE in 1980. It is identical
to ASHRAE, but Indianised. ASHRAE is
a society of white-collar professionals. I
challenged this because, in India, our best
learning comes from shop-floor operators.
026 ARCHITECT & INTERIORS INDIA I JUNE 2010 I wwwitpcom
I wanted to keep ISHRAE open to them.
For three years, ISH RAE operated from
my home with 4-5 colleagues joining
me. We didn't have a lot of money, and
our wives contributed about Rs100 per
meeting from the month's grocery account.
The second challenge was retaining
members. After one year, we realised that
the annual members were not renewing
their memberships. So we started the
concept oflife-membership with a
minimal fee of Rs500 per member. Today,
we have 10,000 members with more
than 20% being non-degree holders. To
me, they are the best members. Now, we
have 35 autonomous chapters of ISH RAE
operating profitably across the country.
When we wanted to buy our first office
way back in 1989-90, we were struggling
to raise Rs7.5 lakh. Today, we have more
than Rs7.5 crore in our coffers. When we
started IGBC, we realised there was a need
for a synergy between IGBC and ISH RAE.
Fortunately, this has happened. About 3-4
years ago, the then president saw merit in
linking ISH RAE with IGBC. It is now one
of our strong supporters. All our literature
carries ISHRAE's name as a nodal body
supporting our efforts. The logic is
simple. Most of the energy in a building,
particularly in a commercial building,
goes towards air-conditioning. IGBC and
ISHRAE have been growing up like twin
sisters, and I treat them as my children.
What encouragement is being given
to the developers/manufacturers of
green products?
Within the CII, we have a group to
encourage these people. This group will
support any entrepreneur who has got a
good green product, but does not have
money. Once it is convinced that the
entrepreneur is genuine and the product
is right, it will arrange for a soft loan from
a bank. About 65 products are currently
being developed through this initiative.
Of course, a lot more needs to happen on
this front. More and more technologies
and products must be developed locally
- such as what Mili Majumdar and her
group did with the sewage treatment
plant in the Godrej Building Centre. It
is very important for the government to
encourage this.
The concept of an MEP service
provider is still relatively new in
India, so it must have been quite
difficult for you when you started
Spectral in 1980. Do you think the
green building concept is actually
helping the growth ofMEP service
providers and why?
You are quite right. When I came back to
India after doing my PhD, we had very
good consultants (Maneck Dastur for
air-conditioning; Murthy for Electricals;
Menon for plumbing). They were all giants
in their fields, but we did not have one
unified consultant who offered all these
services. Since different people were
providing inter-related services, it used to
create a lot of problems. Moreover, due
to a lack of an integrated approach, there
was no optimisation of the services - and
hence the utilities were also costing the
users more. We at Spectral believe in a
wholesome approach, and have therefore
succeeded. Today, when an electrical or
mechanical engineer joins Spectral, we
train him to be a services engineer. We
have an in-house training facility where
every new recruit goes through a month-
long training course. About the link
between green buildings and MEP, Green
buildings mean optimised energy; and
optimised energy can only come through
optimised MEP. (One must appreciate that
the largest operating cost in a building
is MEP.) Luckily, I started integrated
optimised MEP services 20 years ago -
so when the Green Building movement
came to India, I was ready for it. Spectral
already had this wealth of optimised MEP
experience when IGBC started. I!:!I