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INTRODUCTION

1.1 GENERAL
Green building also known as sustainable or high performance Building is the
practice of: Increasing the efficiency with which buildings and their sites use and
harvest energy, water, and materials; and Protecting and restoring human health
and the environment, throughout the building life-cycle: sitting, design,
construction, operation, maintenance, renovation and deconstruction.

 The `Green Building' concept is gaining importance in various countries,

including India. These are buildings that ensure that waste is minimized at every
stage during the construction and operation of the building, resulting in low
costs, according to experts in the technology.
 The techniques associated with the `Green Building' include measures to
prevent erosion of soil, rainwater harvesting, Preparation of landscapes to
reduce heat, reduction in usage of potable water, recycling of waste water and
use of world class energy efficient practices.

1.2 Why green buildings?

'Better living for all and future generations' is an universal dream. With
increasing urbanization, natural resources are being utilized rapidly and
erratically without any planning and equivalent replenishment. This is not
sustainable development. If such a situation continues for long, the
disparity in living conditions will create social upheaval and revolt. Also,
future generations will not have any natural resources. Thus, the dreams of
our future will shatter if proper steps are not taken in time. Hence, nature’s
basic rule is to be adopted, 'Reduce, reuse and recycle i.e. reduce the
requirement, reuse the waste and recycle to use. Eco-friendly practices
include adequate land use and better site planning so as to not disturb the
natural resources like trees, lakes, rivers etc.
 Conservation of electricity and efficient practices.
 Renewable and non-conventional energy generation.
 Alternative fuels, etc.

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  Water management including drainage waste water disposal,
rainwater harvesting, recycling grey water, etc.
 Maintaining good air quality.
 Human safety and comfort.

1.3 WHAT MAKES GREEN BUILDINGS?

A green building is a structure that is environmentally responsible and resource-

efficient throughout its life cycle. These objectives expand and complement the
classical building design concerns of economy, utility, durability, and comfort.
Green buildings are designed to reduce the overall impact of the built
environment on human health and the natural environment by:

 Efficiently using energy, water, and other resources.

 Protecting occupant health and improving employee productivity.
 Reducing waste, pollution and environment degradation.
For Example:
 Green buildings may incorporate sustainable materials in their
construction (e.g., reused, recycled-content, or made from renewable
resources)
 International Journal of Innovative and Emerging Research in
Engineering Volume 2, Issue 2, 2014 60  Create healthy indoor
environments with minimal pollutants (e.g., reduced product emissions).
 And feature landscaping that reduces water usage (e.g., by using native
plants that survive without extra watering).

2. Fundamental Principles of Green Building and Sustainable Site

Design.

2.1 Sustainable Site Design

Key Principles: Minimize urban sprawl and needless destruction of valuable land,
habitat and green space, which results from inefficient low-density development.
Encourage higher density urban development, urban re-development and urban
renewal, and brownfield development as a means to preserve valuable green space.
Preserve key environmental assets through careful examination of each site. Engage in a
design and construction process that minimizes site disturbance and which values,

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preserves and actually restores or regenerates valuable habitat, green space and
associated eco-systems that are vital to sustaining life.

Key Strategies and Technologies.

• Make more efficient use of space in existing occupied buildings, renovate and
re-use existing vacant buildings, sites, and associated infrastructure and consider
re-development of brownfield sites. Design buildings and renovations to
maximize future flexibility and reuse thereby expanding useful life. • When new
development is unavoidable, steer clear of sites that play a key role in the local or
regional ecosystem. Identify and protect valuable Greenfield and wetland sites
from development.

• Recognize that allowing higher density development in urban areas helps to

preserve green space and reduce urban sprawl. Invest time and energy in seeking
variances and regulatory reform where needed.

• Evaluate each site in terms of the location and orientation of buildings and
improvements in order to optimize the use of passive solar energy, Natural Day
lighting and natural breezes and ventilation.

• Make best use of existing mass transit systems and make buildings and sites
pedestrian and bike friendly, including provisions for safe storage of bicycles.
Develop programs and incentives that promote car-pooling including preferred
parking for commuters who carpool. Consider making provisions for re-fueling or
recharging alternative fuel vehicles.

• Help reduce the urban heat island effect by reducing the building and site
development footprint, maximizing the use of pervious surfaces, and using light
colored roofs, paving, and walkways. Provide natural shading of buildings and
paved areas with trees and other landscape features.

• Reduce impervious areas by carefully evaluating parking and roadway design.

Pursue variances or waivers where local ordinances may unintentionally result in
the over-design of roadways or parking.

• Optimize the use of on-site storm water treatment and ground water recharge.
Minimize the boundaries of the construction area, avoid needless compaction of

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existing topsoil, and provide effective sedimentation and silt control during all
phases of site development and construction.

• Use landscape design to preserve and restore the region’s natural habitat and
heritage while emphasizing the use of indigenous, hardy, drought resistant trees,
shrubs, plants and turf.

• Help reduce night-time light pollution by avoiding over-illumination of the site

and use low cut-off exterior lighting fixtures which direct light downward, not
upward and outward. Fundamental Principles of Green Building and Sustainable.

2.2 Water Quality and Conservation

Key Principles: Preserve the existing natural water cycle and design site and
building improvements such that they closely emulate the site’s natural “pre-
development” hydrological systems. Emphasis should be placed on retention of
storm water and on-site infiltration and ground water recharge using methods that
closely emulate natural systems. Minimize the unnecessary and inefficient use of
potable water on the site while maximizing the recycling and reuse of water,
including harvested rainwater, storm water, and gray water.

Key Strategies and Technologies:

• Recognize that the least costly, least time consuming and most environmentally
preferable design for site and storm water management is often the one in which
the design of buildings and site improvements respect the existing natural flows
and features of the land, instead of designing the building and site improvements
with total disregard for the site, which results in needless, extensive, disruptive,
costly and time consuming excavation and earthmoving.

• Conduct a thorough site assessment and strategically locate buildings and site
improvements so as to preserve key natural hydrological features. Special effort
should be made to preserve areas of the site that serve as natural storm water
retention and ground water infiltration and recharge systems. Preserve existing
forest and mature vegetation that play a vital role in the natural water cycle by
absorbing and disbursing up to 30% of a site’s rainwater through evapo-
transpiration.

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• Minimize the building’s footprint, site improvements and construction area, and
minimize excavation, soil disturbance and compaction of existing topsoil as this
soil in its natural Uncompacted state serves a vital role in absorbing and storing
up to 80% of natural rainfall until it can be absorbed by vegetation or enter the
site’s natural sub-surface ground water system.

• Design and locate buildings and site improvements to optimize use of low-
impact storm water technologies such as bio-retention, rain gardens, open grassy
swales, pervious bituminous paving, pervious concrete paving and walkways,
constructed wetlands, living/vegetated roofs, and other technologies that support
on-site retention and ground water recharge or Evapotranspiration. Storm water
that leaves the site should be filtered and processed naturally or mechanically to
remove trash and debris, oil, grit and suspended solids. Use “hold and release”
technologies such as dry retention ponds only as a last resort as these technologies
do not preserve the natural water cycle, have little or no benefit in terms of
ground water recharge and result in needless additional site disturbance.

• Establish a water budget for the building and implement a design that minimizes
the use of potable water by using low-flow plumbing fixtures and toilets and
waterless urinals. Harvest, process and recycle rainwater, site storm water, and
building gray water and identify appropriate uses within the building and site. Use
on-site treatment systems that enable use of rain water for hand washing, grey
water for toilet flushing, rain and storm water for site irrigation, cooling tower
make-up and other uses.

• Conserve water and preserve site and ground water quality by using only
indigenous, drought resistant and hardy trees, shrubs, plants and turf that require
no irrigation, fertilizers, pesticides or herbicides.

2.3 Energy and Environment

Key Principles: Minimize adverse impacts on the environment (air, water,

land, natural resources) through optimized building siting, optimized building
design, material selection, and aggressive use of energy conservation measures.
Resulting building performance should exceed minimum International Energy
Code (IEC) compliance level by 30 to 40% or more. Maximize the use of
renewable energy and other low impact energy sources.

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Key Strategies and Technologies:

• Optimize passive solar orientation, building massing and use of external shading
devices such that the design of the building minimizes undesirable solar gains
during the summer months while maximizing desirable solar gains during winter
months.

• Optimize building orientation, massing, shape, design, and interior colors and
finishes in order to maximize the use of controlled natural day lighting which
significantly reduces artificial lighting energy use thereby reducing the buildings
internal cooling load and energy use. Consider the use of light shelf technology.

• Use high performance low-e glazing, which can result in significant year round
energy savings. Consider insulated double glazing, triple glazing or double pane
glazing with a suspended low-e film. Selective coatings offer optimal light
transmittance while providing minimal solar gain and minimal heat transmission.
Window frames, sashes and curtain wall systems should also be designed for
optimum energy performance including the use of multiple thermal breaks to help
reduce energy use.

• Optimize the value of exterior insulation and the overall thermal performance of
the exterior envelope assembly. Consider advanced/high performance envelope
building systems such as structural insulated panel systems (SIPS) and insulated
concrete form systems (ICF’s) that can be applied to light commercial and
institutional buildings. SIPS and ICF’s and other thermally “decoupled” envelope
systems will offer the highest energy performance.

• Use energy efficient T-8 and T-5 bulbs, high efficiency electronic ballasts, and
lighting controls. Consider using indirect ambient lighting with workstation based
direct task lighting to improve light quality, reduce glare and improve overall
energy performance in general office areas. Incorporate sensors and controls and
design circuits so that lighting along perimeter zones and offices can be switched
off independently from other interior lights when day lighting is sufficient in
perimeter areas.

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• Use state-of-the art, high efficiency, heating, ventilation and air conditioning
(HVAC) and plumbing equipment, chillers, boilers, and water heaters, etc. Use
variable speed drives on fan and pump motors. Use heat recovery ventilators and
geothermal heat pump technology for up to 40% energy savings.

• Avoid the use of HCFC and Halon based refrigeration, cooling and fire
suppression systems. Optimize the use of natural ventilation and where practical
use evaporative cooling, waste heat and/or solar regenerated desiccant
dehumidification or absorption cooling. Identify and use sources of waste energy.

• Use Energy Star certified energy efficient appliances, office equipment, lighting
and HVAC systems.

• Consider on-site small-scale wind, solar, and/or fuel cell based energy
generation and co-generation. Purchase environmentally preferable “green”
power from certified renewable and sustainable sources.

2.4 Indoor Environmental Quality

Key Principles: Provide a healthy, comfortable and productive indoor

environment for building occupants and visitors. Provide a building design, which
affords the best possible conditions in terms of indoor air quality, ventilation,
thermal comfort, access to natural ventilation and day lighting, and effective
control of the acoustical environment.

Key Strategies and Technologies:

• Use building materials, adhesives, sealants, finishes and furnishings which do

not contain, harbor, generate or release any particulate or gaseous contaminants
including volatile organic compounds.

• Maximize the use of natural day lighting. Optimize solar orientation and design
the building to maximize penetration of natural daylight into interior spaces.
Provide shades or daylight controls where needed.

• Maximize the use of operable windows and natural ventilation. Provide

dedicated engineered ventilation systems that operate independently of the
buildings heating and cooling system. Ventilation systems should be capable of
effectively removing or treating indoor contaminants while providing adequate

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amounts of fresh clean make-up air to all occupants and all regions of the
building. Monitor indoor air conditions including temperature, humidity and
carbon dioxide levels, so that building ventilation systems can respond when
space conditions fall outside the optimum range.

• Provide a smoke free building. When smoking must be accommodated, provide

completely dedicated smoking areas are physically isolated, have dedicated
HVAC systems, and remain under negative pressure with respect to all adjoining
spaces. Assure that air from smoking areas does not get distributed to other areas
of the building does not re-enter the building through doors or vestibules,
operable windows, or building fresh air intakes.. Locate outdoor smoking areas so
that non-smokers do not have to pass through these areas when using primary
building entrances or exits.

• Design building envelope and environmental systems that not only treat air
temperature and provide adequate ventilation, but which respect all of the
environmental conditions which affect human thermal comfort and health,
including the mean radiant temperature of interior surfaces, indoor air humidity,
indoor air velocity, and indoor air temperature. Following these principles and
providing a building that is also responsive to seasonal variations in desirable
indoor humidity levels, air velocity, and mean radiant temperatures can also result
in significant energy savings as improved occupant comfort results in less energy
intensive operation of the buildings air-side heating and cooling system.

• Maximize occupant health, comfort and performance by providing occupants

with individual space/zone control of heat, ventilation, cooling, day-lighting and
artificial lighting whenever possible.

• Prevent contamination of the building during construction. Take steps to

minimize the creation and spreading of construction dust and dirt. Prevent
contamination of the building and the buildings heating, cooling and ventilation
systems during the construction process. Protect construction materials from the
elements so that they do not become damp, moldy or mildewed.

• Provide a clean and healthy building. Use biodegradable and environmentally

friendly cleaning agents that do not release VOCs or other harmful agents and
residue. Prior to occupancy install new air filters and clean any contaminated
ductwork and ventilation equipment. Use fresh outdoor air to naturally or

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mechanically purge the building of any remaining airborne gaseous or particulate
contaminants.

2.5 Materials and Resources

Key Principles: Minimize the use of non-renewable construction materials and

other resources such as energy and water through efficient engineering, design,
planning and construction and effective recycling of construction debris.
Maximize the use of recycled content materials, modern resource efficient
engineered materials, and resource efficient composite type structural systems
wherever possible. Maximize the use of re-usable, renewable, sustainably
managed, bio-based materials. Remember that human creativity and our abundant
labor force is perhaps our most valuable renewable resource. The best solution is
not necessarily the one that requires the least amount of physical work.

Key Strategies and Technologies:

• Optimize the use of engineered materials which make use of proven engineering
principles such as engineered trusses, composite materials and structural systems
(concrete/steel, other…), structural insulated panels (stress skin panels), insulated
concrete forms, and frost protected shallow foundations which have been proven
to provide high strength and durability with the least amount of material.

• Identify ways to reduce the amount of materials used and reduce the amount of
waste generated through the implementation of a construction waste reduction
plan. Adopt a policy of “waste equals food” whereby 75% or more of all
construction waste is separated for recycling and used as feedstock for some
future product rather than being landfilled. Implement an aggressive construction
waste recycling program and provide separate, clearly labeled dumpsters for each
recycled material. Train all crews and subcontractors on the policy and enforce
compliance.

• Identify ways to use high-recycled content materials in the building structure

and finishes. Consider everything from blended concrete using fly ash, slag,
recycled concrete aggregate, or other admixtures to recycled content materials
such as structural steel, ceiling and floor tiles, carpeting, carpet padding,
sheathing, and gypsum wallboard. Consider remanufactured office furniture and
office partition systems, chairs and furniture with recycled content or parts.

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• Explore the use of bio-based materials and finishes such as various types of
Agri-board (sheathing and or insulation board made from agricultural waste and
byproducts, including straw, wheat, barley, soy, sunflower shells, peanut shells,
and other materials). Some structural insulated panels are now made from bio-
based materials. Use lumber and wood products from certified forests where the
forest is managed and lumber is harvested using sustainable practices. Use
resource efficient engineered wood products in lieu of full dimension lumber
which comes from older growth forests.

• Evaluate all products and systems used for their ability to be recycled when they
reach the end of their useful life. Preference should be given to products and
systems that facilitate easy, non-energy intensive separation and recycling with
minimal contamination by foreign debris.

• Recognize that transportation becomes part of a product or building materials

embodied energy. Where practical, specify and use locally harvested, mined and
manufactured materials and products to support the regional economy and to
reduce transportation, energy use and emissions.

3. BENEFITS OF GREEN BUILDINGS

Buildings have an enormous impact on the environment, human health, and the
economy. The successful adoption of green building strategies can maximize both
the economic and environmental performance of buildings.

A. Environmental Benefits:
 Enhance and protect biodiversity and ecosystems.  Improve air
and water quality.
 Reduce waste streams.
 Conserve and restore natural resources.
B. Economical Benefits:
 Reduce operating costs.
 Create, expand, and shape markets for green product and services.
 Improve occupant productivity.
 Optimize life-cycle economic performance.

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C. Social Benefits:

 Enhance occupant comfort and health.

 Heighten aesthetic qualities.
 Minimize strain on local infrastructure.
 Improve overall quality of life.

D. How do buildings affect climate change?

 The energy used to heat and power our buildings leads to the consumption
of large amounts of energy, mainly from burning fossil fuels - oil, natural
gas and coal - which generate significant amounts of carbon dioxide
(CO2), the most widespread greenhouse gas.
 Reducing the energy use and greenhouse gas emissions produced by
buildings is therefore fundamental to the effort to slow the pace of global
climate change. Buildings may be associated with the release of
greenhouse gases in other ways, for example, construction and demolition
debris that degrades in landfills may generate methane, and the extraction
and manufacturing of building materials may also generate greenhouse
gas Emissions.

4. AGENCIES FOR GREEN BUILDING EVOLUTIONS

LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design): LEED is

a third party certification program and the nationally accepted benchmark for the
design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings.
Developed by the U.S. Green Building Council in 2000 through a consensus-
based process, LEED serves as a tool for buildings of all types and sizes. LEED
certification offers third party validation of a project’s green features and verifies
that the building is operating exactly the way it was designed to:

 5 Major Categories:
1. Sustainable Site Development.
2. Water Savings.

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 3. Energy Efficiency.
4. Materials Selection.
5. Indoor Air Quality.
 The number of points the project earns determines the level of LEED
Certification the project receives. LEED certification is available in four
progressive levels according to the following scale:
 There are 100 base points; 6 possible Innovation in Design and 4
Regional Priority points
1. Certified 40–49 points.
2. Silver 50–59 points.
3. Gold 60–79 points.
4. Platinum 80 points and above

5. Green Building Construction Techniques

5.1 Building Simulation Analysis

Building simulation analysis follows a systematic approach to ensure the most

accurate output. It includes a detailed study of the following factors:

 Energy Analysis
 Solar Isolation Analysis
 Daylight Analysis
 Location Analysis
 Light Pollution Analysis
 Reflection & Glare Analysis

5.1.1 Energy Analysis: The purpose of energy simulation is to estimate the

total annual energy consumption of buildings so as to inform the building design
process to create energy efficient choices. Energy analysis takes into account
variety of factors involved in the design, including but not limited to

5.1.2 Solar Isolation Analysis: It is the amount of electromagnetic energy

(solar radiation) incident on the surface of the earth. Solar isolation analysis is the

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study of incident solar radiation impacting on building. Incident solar radiation
(isolation) refers to the wide spectrum radiant energy from the Sun which strikes
on surface. This includes both a direct component from the Sun itself (sunshine)
and a diffused component from the visible sky (skylight). Depending on the site
chosen, it can also contain a reflected component from other surfaces in the model
and the ground. The objective of the analysis is to determine the amount of
radiation received on the various surfaces of the building being analysed to
identify options for installation of Photovoltaic modules. It also helps in selection
of facade materials that would support better interior environmental quality while
improving energy efficiency.

5.1.3 Daylight Analysis: Good design for building requires sufficient

daylight for tasks performed within a space. This is achieved by providing enough
means to let in diffused light from the sky, but keep out direct light from the sun
to prevent heat gain and glare. Daylight analysis is the process by which the
amount of diffused sunlight that enters into the interior of a building is estimated.
This analysis does not take into account the direct sunlight entering into the
building, but it uses the luminance of the standard overcast sky from weather files
as the measure of the exterior diffused sunlight. It helps us assess the impact of
the exterior surfaces on the entry of this light into the interior floor space of the
building.

5.1.4 Location Analysis: The early consideration of environmental

constraints and possibilities will help the creative designer to conceive a building
whose design draws upon these factors. Location analysis enables designers to
exploit climatic conditions in order to maintain comfort, minimizing the need for
artificial control or the choice of suited materials. A typical location analysis
covers: Wind patterns: Prevailing wind conditions, seasonal wind and the
temperature of wind Temperature: Average, maximum and minimum rainfall
Humidity: Humidity conditions persisting in an area and in selection of
appropriate materials for facade and building interiors Climate summary: The
micro-climate of a site dictated by topography, altitude and urban density
Rainfall: Average daily rainfall.

5.1.5 Light Pollution Analysis: Light pollution is excessive or obtrusive

artificial light that disrupts ecosystems and has adverse health effects. This

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analysis aims to quantify the level of light pollution. It covers the following
aspects:

Light trespass: Luminance values at certain site physical locations

Over Illumination: Evaluation of areas exceeding the suggested lighting power

density

Sky Glow: Brightening of sky caused by outdoor lighting and natural atmospheric
and celestial factors.

5.1.6 Reflection & Glare Analysis: Reflection analysis helps in

understanding the glare-pattern on the site. This helps in designing the facade of
the property with an understanding of its implications to nearby locations (e.g.
pools, parking, roads). Using reflection analysis, it is possible to calculate and
display the effects of reflections in the same way as shadows. Using a sun-path
diagram, the entire annual potential for reflections at the selected focus point on a
building can be obtained at any given point.

5.2 Green Techniques:- Emphasis of four ‘R’s:-Via sound designing,

construction and building commissioning without compromising structural
durability, indoor pollutant levels, ventilation, building code requirements, or
marketability includes:-

Reduce :- lower quantity of building material, resources, and embodied energy

are used.

Reuse:-construction materials that are practical and structurally sound are reused.

Recycle: - recycled materials are used, and home is designed for recyclables.
Renewable:- energy from natural sources and renewable building materials are
emphasized. The technique which emphasizes these four “R‟s are called as
Green Techniques.

These Green techniques can be classified as follows:-

 Structural or civil techniques.

 Electrical techniques
 Special systems/ technique

5.2.1 Structural Techniques:-

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Insulated Wall :- All of us pay to heat and cool our homes and wish we could
pay much less than we do. In a typical home, space conditioning and comfort bills
can account for up to one-half of a home's energy bills with the remaining portion
due primarily to water heating, lighting, and appliances.

Installation of the cost-effective level of insulation is extremely important.

Homeowners can affect their energy usage, save money, and help the
environment all at the same time. Investing in energy-efficient options, such as
insulation, will provide a continued payback to the homeowner and a more
enjoyable and comfortable living environment for many years, as well as a
reduction in emission of greenhouse gases. Types:-

1. Air gap insulation

2. Cotton insulation

3. Mineral wool insulation

4. Plastic Fibre insulation

Green Cement :- Green Cement is a combinations incorporating limestone,

fly ash or ground granulated blast-furnace slag can be specified and, in some
exposure conditions, may be more appropriate. The cement industry is actively
recovering the energy from wastes by increasing the use of non-fossil fuels such
as waste solvents; refuse derived fuel (RDF), certain non-recyclable paper and
plastics, sewage pellet, and meat and bone meal. Using these alternative fuels not
only reduces the need for landfill sites or disposal by incineration but also helps
preserve our finite reserves of fossil fuels.

Fly ash brick:- This is a fine, glass-powder recovered from the gases of burning
coal during the production of electricity. These micron-sized earth elements
consist primarily of silica, alumina and iron. When mixed with lime and water the
fly ash forms a cementations compound with properties very similar to that of
Portland cement. Because of this similarity, fly ash can be used to replace a
portion of cement in concrete, providing some distinct quality advantages. Adding
fly ash to stabilized soil bricks or ordinary bricks can increase their compressive
strength. Other benefits include:

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1) Low water absorption

2) Less consumption of mortar

3) Economical & eco-friendly

4) Low energy consumption

5) No emission of Green House Gases

5.2.2 Electrical Techniques:-

 Conservation Techniques :
1. Optimum use of natural light.
2. Replacing incandescent lamps by compact fluorescent lamps (CFL‟s).
3. Replacement of conventional fluorescent lamp by energy efficient
fluorescent lamp.
4. Replacing of mercury/sodium vapor lamp by halides lamp.
5. Replacing HPMV lamps by high pressure sodium vapor lamps.
6. Replacement of luminaries by more energy efficient luminaries.
7. Replacement of conventional ballast by energy efficient ballast.
8. Obtain flexibility in light control circuit by using sensors,
microprocessors.

 Generation Techniques:
Solar Lighting:- The system is provided with battery storage backup
sufficient to operate the light for 10-11 hours daily.

5.2.3 Special Techniques:-

5.2.3.1 Grey Water Management:- All household wastewater, except

toilet waste, is called grey water. Grey water from washing dishes, showers, sinks
and laundry comprises the largest part of residential wastewater. This water when
Filtered and recycled can be used in the toilets, or for irrigation.

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 Fig 1: Grey Water Treatment

5.2.3.2 Rain Water Harvesting :- Rain water harvesting is a process of

collecting the rain water that falls on terraces and roof tops during the monsoons
and storing it in tanks, pits, trenches, bore wells, unused wells etc. or directing it
so that it percolates into the ground water. Rain water harvesting Includes-

1. Collecting rain water.

2. Purifying it to an extent.

3. Directing it to subsoil spaces below the plot where it can be stored, by gravity.

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 Fig2: Rain Water Harvesting System

5.2.3.3 Passive solar heating and Cooling :- Passive design is design

that does not require mechanical heating or cooling. Homes that are passively
designed take advantage of natural energy flows to maintain thermal comfort.
Your building's windows, walls, and floors can be designed to collect, store, and
distribute solar energy in the form of heat in the winter and reject solar heat in the
summer. This is called passive solar design or climatic design. Unlike active solar
heating systems, passive solar design doesn't involve the use of mechanical and
electrical devices, such as pumps, fans, or electrical controls to move the solar
heat. Passive solar buildings range from those heated almost entirely by the sun to
those with south-facing windows that provide some fraction of the heating load.
The difference between a passive solar home and a conventional home is design.
The key is designing a passive solar building to best take advantage of your local
climate. You can apply passive solar design techniques most easily when
designing a new commercial building or home. However, existing buildings can
be adapted or "retrofitted" to passively collect and store solar heat.

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 Fig3: Passive Solar Design

Technical Comparison between Conventional and Green Building

Description Conventional Green Building
Wall 230 mm Brick Wall or Autoclave Aerated
200 mm Concrete Concrete block or
Block wall Cavity Wall using
Rigid Insulation
Roofing 125 mm RCC Slab or Minimum 75 mm Over
250 mm Flat Slab Deck rigid Insulation
without any Beam
Roof Protection Conventional Water Membrane Water
Proofing Proofing
Flooring Floor tiles Local Stone/Bamboo
Flooring
Interior Lighting Tube or Bulbs T-5 or T-8 Bulbs
Water Efficiency Conventional System 100% on Water Site
Water Treatment
Building Management Typical System Intelligent BMS with
System High degree of
Automation
Building orientation As Per Site Design Lesser Surface Area
exposed to East Or
West
Ratio of Voids to Built As per Standard design Increased No of voids
Area Parameter to facilitate more light
& Ventilation
Super Structure Typically Concrete or Fly Ash or Concrete
Brick Used Block with with
Concrete Structure

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 Building area to site As per Design Building Area is
Area Ratio Requirement Increased Vertically to
reduce the amount of
land, One floor
development is avoided
Table 1: Comparison between Conventional and Green Building

6. Case Study on ITC Green Centre

Building : ITC Green Centre

Location: Gurgaon, India
Floor Area: 1, 70,000 Sq.Ft
Architect: Rajendra Kumar & Associates,
New Delhi, India
www.rka.com
Significance: Platinum Rated green building

Rated by: USGBC-LEED (US Green Building Council - Leadership in Energy

and Environmental Design) through CII IGBC, Hyderabad

www.igbc.in

Year: 2004

Points Scored: 52/69

Building Energy simulation done by: Visual DOE 2

Energy consumption Statistics

• Normal building of similar area – 35,00,000 kWh/year

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 • ITC Green Centre – 20,00,000 kWh/year

• Annual Energy Savings Rs. 9 Million

• % increase in initial cost - 15%

• Payback of initial investment – 6 years

Fig4: ITC Green Building

About ITC

India’s most valuable corporations with a market capitalization of US$ 10 billion.

Ranked by Forbes as one of ‘World’s Best Big Companies’, ITC contributed over
Rs. 6600 crore to the exchequer, in 2004-08. ITC’s core businesses, products and
brands include

• FMCG - Cigarettes, Branded Packaged Foods, Lifestyle Retailing,

Greeting, Gifting and Stationery

• Hotels

• Paperboards, Specialty Papers and Packaging

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 • Agri Business

ITC social & ecological commitment

ITC endeavors to minimize the direct and indirect environmental impact of its
business operations. ITC strives to be a

• ‘Carbon Positive’ Corporation - use of environment friendly fuels,

renewable energy and large-scale afforestation have enabled the
Company to sequester 85.6% of the carbon dioxide emitted by its
operations in 2004-05

• ‘Water Positive’ , Zero Water Discharge & Solid Wastes

corporation

The ITC Green Centre Project:

The ITC Green Centre houses the headquarters of ITC’s Hotels Business and
was declared the worlds largest Platinum rated Green Building when it was
certified in 2004.

• The project was conceived to be a “Green building” in sync with ITC’s

commitment towards a “Greener” tomorrow.

• Unique character to the building is that it got the Platinum rating at a time
when the rating was not customized to suit Indian condition and priorities.

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 • Since most of their projects were rated Gold, ITC decided to go a step
ahead and try for the platinum rating. It may sound like a short step
forward, but it took the company a lot of time and effort to get all the
nuances of a platinum-rated green building right.

Green Materials

• The first hurdle was acquiring green materials like green wood obtained
from sustainable forests and low-volatility organic compounds for
construction, which at that time were not easily available in the country.
Here, ITC received help from USGBC, which helped it source the
materials. Numerous energy sensitivity exercises had to be conducted
with ITC design and architecture consultants and employees, sensitizing
them with issues of environment conservation.

Why Glass?

During the project design it was targeted to cut down the energy
consumption significantly, compared to a conventional building. At ITC Green
Centre, energy consumption has been slashed by as much as 51% through design
integration alone. In fact, in daytime, unlike other office buildings, artificial light
is not consumed at all here. The glazing for the building has been designed to
maximize the effect of natural light, largely eliminating the need for artificial
ones.

At the same time, the window glass, while allowing light inside, does
not allow heat. This, not only keeps the office cool from inside during the
day, but also decreases the load on air-conditioners.

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Architect’s requirements from glass

According to Ar.Rahul Kumar of Rajender Kumar and Associates who

were the architects of this project, when they started working on the facades
they needed a company which gave them enough options to test out the designs
and do the energy modeling analysis.

Saint-Gobain with its expertise to address such situations could work

closely with the architect and the client and provided them various options
of modern sustainable glazing.

Challenges of sustainable glazing

It is always an interesting challenge to work out a sustainable glazing

design for tropical climatic conditions. While doing modern office buildings one
has to ensure that the light penetrates deep into the interior spaces and at the same
time keep the heat out.

ITC could achieve the twin proposition of lending in abundant natural light
yet cutting down the heat gain in the interiors with advanced high
performance glazing solutions.

Design Intent:

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 • High energy efficiency of the façade with optimum light
transmission

• On the Northern side, the glass solution was required to give a

higher light transmission due to the orientation of the building.

The Green Building norms emphasize on daylight (natural lighting) and

unrestricted vision as they both are linked to human health and
productivity. Glass is the only material which can help to achieve these
requirements.

Building Design:

By giving the ‘L’shape configuration the width of the floor Plate is reduced for
the same amount of floor plate area thereby allowing natural light to penetrate
deep into the ‘interior spaces

The building is a composition of three parts.

• Two office wings are held together by a central atrium that as an

ensemble creates a large L-shaped figure focused on an exterior
landscaped court.

• The L-shape blocking ensures that part of the façade is always

shaded.

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 • The L-shape office wings end into hexagonal ends that make a very strong
presence on the approach roads.

Fig 5: Plan of ITC Green Building

• The atrium joins the different functions of the building and connects them
into an ensemble encouraging a sense of community and interaction.

• The octagonal atrium has side light from the top to provide a glare

– free natural lighting in the interior without allowing direct heat gain
from the roof.

• Interior roller shades to reduce Heat gain.

Glass solution for day-lighting & energy efficiency strategy:

 sSaint-Gobain’s Cool-lite Blue Green double glazed with Ecologic

which has very low solar factor (SF) and U-Value with optimal light
transmission

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• The north side with Parsol Green double glazed with Ecologic
with higher light transmission and low solar factor (SF) and U-Value to
maximize day lighting.
MATERIALS USED

Carpet

CRI Green Level certified

Recycled content of 60%

Source : Bealuie of America , US

High Reflective Roof Coating

Energy Star certified

Emissivity of 0.94.

Source : Energy Seal Coatings, US

Lighting Fixtures & Lamps

Efficient light fixtures with electronic ballast ,

source : Philips

T5 & CFL lamps ,

Source : Osram

Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (AAC) Block

55% Flyash content

Source: BILT Infrastructure Ltd.

Double Glazed Windows

U value 1.9 w/m2 K

Glass by Saint Gobain

Portland Pozzolana cement

26% pozzolona Source : BIRLA Plus

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 Ready Mix Concrete (RMC)

Fly ash (3.36%)

Source : Birla RMC

Medium Density Fibre Board (MDF)

85% rapidly renewable materials

(Eucalyptus which is grown with in ten years life cycle) 15% recycled material

Source : Nuwud

Salient features of Platinum rated ITC Green Centre

a) Sustainable Site

1. Alternative Transportation: Parking, shower & changing facilities

for bicyclists, pool cars with charging facility.
2. Storm Water Management: Rainwater recharge pits to ensure zero
discharge into municipal drainage.
3. Heat Island Effect: 80% underground parking. More than 75% of the
terrace has been insulated and coated with the reflective high albedo roof
paint.

4. Light Pollution Reduction: Minimum exterior lighting to limit night sky

pollution.

b) Water Efficiency

1. Water Efficient Landscaping: Native plants, high efficiency irrigation

system and 100% recycled water for irrigation.
2. Innovative Waste Water Technologies: Fluidized Aerobic
Bioreactors (FAB) sewage treatment plant provided.

3. Water Use Reduction: 40% reduction in water usage over base case.

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c) Energy & Atmosphere

1. Energy: Exceeds ASHRAE 90.1 base case standards by 51%.

2. Envelope: External wall of 250mm thickness. Autoclaved Aerated

Concrete Blocks, double glazed windows, 75mm-thick extruded polystyrene
roof insulation. Extruded polystyrene (XPS) is a type of insulation material
with a high R-value, good moisture resistance, high structural strength and
low weight. Extruded polystyrene is used extensively as thermal insulation in
industrial, commercial and residential construction
3. HVAC: Chillers of COP 6.1, double skinned AHUs, VFDs, VAVs,
Heat Recovery Wheel.

4. Hot Water: Solar thermal technology.

5. Ozone Depletion: All HVAC equipment are free from CFC / HCFC /
Halons.

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d) Materials and Resource

1. Storage and Collection of Recyclables: Separate storage bins provided at

each floor level for different recyclable materials such as paper, cardboard,
glass, plastic and metals.

2. Resource Reuse: More than 10% of the building materials are refurbished /
salvaged from other sites.
3. Recycled Content: Fly ash based cement; Fly ash based AAC Blocks,
acoustic ceiling, glass, ceramic tile, MDF cabinets, etc.
4. Regional Materials: More than 40% of the building materials are from within
500 miles of the project site.
5. Rapidly Renewable Materials: Such as medium density fibre board.
6. Certified Wood: New woods used are certified under the Forest Stewardship
Council, US.

e) Indoor Environmental Quality

1. Environment Tobacco Smoke Control: Designated smoking rooms are

provided at convenient locations with separate exhausts.
2. CO2 Monitoring: Sensors at various locations monitor CO2 levels.
3. Low Emitting Materials: Low VOC levels of adhesives / sealants used for
carpets /composite woods / paints.
4. Daylight and views: Views to external glazing from at least 90% of regularly
occupied areas.

f) Innovation and Design Process

1. Green Education: Educating visitors, construction workers, employees,

consultants on sustainability.

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Highlights of the building

1. Use of glass which has 19% recycled content helped ITC to get points in
recycle content.
2. Use of other recycled and recyclable resources, with materials like fly ash
based cement etc. More than 10% of the building materials used are recycled,
refurbished or salvaged from other sites

3. 40% of the total raw materials used were procured within 500 miles of the
project site such as double glazed glass façade and window framing,
250mm thick autoclaved and aerated concrete block wall
4. Daylight and views: Views to external glazing from at least 90% of regularly
occupied areas
5. Use of solar photo voltaic for emergency lighting

6. Use of green material to reduce heat gain from rooftop / building envelope
with high performance glazing and proper insulation material

7. CFC/HCFC free HVAC equipment is used to combat ozone

depletion.

8. Installation of solar hot water system and solar concentrator for kitchen

9. Use of green material to reduce heat gain from rooftop /

Side walls. Low cost version of this idea is to paint the rooftop white or
roll out gunny bags in summer.

GREEN FEATURES OF THE BUILDING

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• Fly Ash based cement used

• Autoclave Aerated Concrete (AAC) Blocks

• Double glazed windows with low-e coating

• Rain water harvesting

• Water saving techniques

• CFC, HCFC & Halon free air- conditioning system

• Energy efficient lighting (T5 lamps with electronic ballast, high efficient
luminaires)

• Water efficient landscaping

• Sewage treatment plant and waste water recycling.

• Use of Low VOC, rapidly renewable & certified materials

• Eco friendly house keeping chemicals & practices

• Carbon dioxide (co2) monitoring indoor chemical & pollutant source

control (Dedicated copy printer room with independent exhaust) indoor air
quality (iaq) system.

• Optimized energy performance through efficient designs light pollution

reduction ozone protection ( by using cfc, hcfc & halon free refrigerants)
water use reduction storm water management

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 • Use of recycled materials

• CO2 monitoring systems in AHU (operates when internal co2 is 530ppm Or

more than external atmosphere)20 days flush out of entire building air prior
to occupation.

Team Players of Platinum rated ITC Green Centre

Owner Project Management M/s. ITC Ltd.

Architects & interior designers M/s. Rajender Kumar Associates (RKA)

Structural Consultant M/s. V. G. Associates

Electrical consultant M/s. Kanwar Krishnan Assoc P. Ltd.

HVAC Consultant M/s. Spectral Consultants Pvt. Ltd.

Landscape consultant M/s. Design Cell

LEED facilitator M/s. Confederation of Indian Industry

Energy consultant M/s. The Energy & Resources Institute

Commissioning agency M/s. Environmental Design Solutions

Plumbing consultant M/s. Deolalikar Consultants (P) Ltd.

Structural peer review M/s. IIT, Delhi

Materials Testing & Research M/s. Shriram Institute for Indl. Research

View’s on ITC Green Centre

Encouraging Employee Living in the Vicinity to cycle to the work or those

Employee who is residing far away from working place use Car pool. Today 70% of
Employee using Car pool.

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We had a Cost Run Over of 12% adding that Similar project Undertaken after this one
saw reduced cost of 4-7 percent. Actually now the cost of such building would be
lower than that of a Normal Building.

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 7. Conclusion:

In an environmentally stressed world, green buildings are moving from an exotic

curiosity to a necessity. Buildings are perhaps the single greatest stress on the
environment, accounting for the world's fresh water withdrawals, one-quarter of its
wood harvest, and two fifths of its material and energy flows. In such a scenario of
shortages of clean water and other materials, and the possibility of devastating
climate change, the greening of buildings constitutes a collective vital. Given the
political difficulties of obtaining energy, and likely future shortages of conventional
energy sources, we cannot ignore the enormous conservation that green buildings
make possible. And buildings with natural materials and lighting also create a
happier, healthier, more productive atmosphere. In today’s Era Green Buildings are
essential as environmental balance is very important for survival and further
development of human beings. Green Buildings are only way to a sustainable future.

“If the intention is to construct a new Home to live in, it is advisable to go for a
GREEN HOME rather than the ordinary Conventional Home. Because, the
percentage increase of (12-15) % in the total cost is not a negligible amount when
the intention is just to renovate or retrofit an Old Home”

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8. References

 International Journal of Engineering Research & Technology (IJERT)

 IOSR Journal of Mechanical and Civil Engineering (IOSR-JMCE)

 International Journal of Application or Innovation in Engineering &

Management (IJAIEM)

 International Journal of Innovative and Emerging Research in Engineering

 Journal of Engineering Research and Studies

 Emerging Technology for Sustainable Development Congress

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