Cover Story Green Bldgs Jan11

8/2/2019 Cover Story Green Bldgs Jan11

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Cover Story

January 2011 FaCTS FOr yOu 7

By: uma Bansal

GreenBuildinGs

Pay off

As the mercury level

continues a relent-

less climb, it calls

for measures to

combat it. Even be-

fore end-users gear up to take ad-

vantage of green developments,

cool by nature buildings have

notched the top position in global

debates on environment sustain-

ability. With environment concerns

such as pollution, global warming

and shortage of greenery gaining

prominence, developing buildings

which are green and will not only

help protect the environment but

also save our natural resources

has become our necessity. In the

middle of steel and concrete con-

structions, eco-friendly buildings

or green building techniques can

actually help in saving the envi-ronment.

Informs Seemant Sharma,

director and general manager,

ES, Building Efficiency, Johnson

Controls India, According to the

United Nations Environment

Program, buildings consume

30-40 per cent of global energy.

There is no single larger global

contributorand thereby poten-

tial reducerof carbon than the

building sector. Todays buildingowners and managers have an in-

creasing responsibility to address

energy efficiency within their or-

ganisations.

As per Environment Protec-

tion Agency (EPA), green build-

ingsalso known as sustainable

or high-performance buildings

are the practice of increasing the

efficiency with which buildings

and their sites use and harvest

energy, water, and materials;

Businesses can lower their operating expenses and earn

goodwill too by operating from green buildings. The best part

is that these buildings would not cost you much more than a

normal building if designed the right way.


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8 FaCTS FOr yOu January 2011

and protecting and restoring hu-

man health and the environment,

throughout the building life-cycle

(siting, design, construction, opera-

tion, maintenance, renovation and

deconstruction), explains Sharma.

Green buildings typically con-

sume 40-50 per cent less energy

and 20-30 per cent less water; theseprovide better daylight views and

a fresh quality of air, hence mak-

ing the working/living environment

healthier. For building managers

and owners, the challenge today is

to design, build and operate build-

ings in the most efficient economi-

cal and environmentally responsible

way and green buildings certainly

have the answer for this need, he

adds.

Vidur Bharadwaj, director, The3C Company, sums up, The main

idea behind any green development

is to reduce the adverse effect on the

environment by minimising wastage

of energy, material and water at eve-

ry stage. A green building uses less

water, optimises energy efficiency,

conserves natural resources, gener-

ates less waste and provides healthi-

er spaces for occupants.

Benefits of greenbuildings

In terms of benefits for develop-

ers and occupants, Green build-

ings offer developers with higher

rents and resale value along with

speedier environment related ap-

provals. For tenants, green build-

ings offer lower operating expenses

in terms of reduction in energy and

water costs. Moving away from eco-

nomics, a green building also leads

to improved health and well-being of

occupants, informs Jayesh Kariya,

head-real estate and construction at

KPMG, India.

Businesses going for green build-

ings stand to enjoy the following

marketing advantages:

1. Enhanced brand image

2. Public goodwill3. Enhanced marketing capabil-

ity

4. Unique selling proposition

(USP)

5. Better employee retention and

attraction

6. Ecologically correct

7. Productivity benefits

Green measures

Practices which make a build-ing green include the way it is con-

structed, materials which are used,

and a number of active and passive

features. These also include the way

the building is maintained and run,

the embodied energy in a material

used in the building, usage of ener-

gy-efficient mechanical and electri-

cal systems, correct quantity of glass

not only in usage but in kind and

location, and reduction in usage of

recycled and rapidly used material,informs Bharadwaj.

Says P.S. Deodhar, founder, MIT-

RAMAX Energy, The five main as-

pects currently adopted are design

and architecture of a green build-

ing, water conservation, use of solar/

wind energy, solar water heating andsewage and garbage processing:

Design and architecture.

Design and architecture of a green

building, including landscaping and

the exterior design, should ensure

there is more shaded area and also

the area to plant and grow local spe-

cies of plants within the plot.

Conservation of water has to

be aimed in various ways. Rain

falling over the whole area of the

complex should be harvested andused in the building. The toilet de-

sign should be chosen to flush with

minimal water and plumbing should

have separate lines for drinking and

flushing. Used water from kitchen

and bath has to be treated and re-

used for gardening.

Use of solar/wind energy.

The solar and wind energy has to

be used to supplement the electri-

cal grid power. Rooms are to be de-

signed to use the natural light so asto minimise the usage of electricity.

CFL and LED light fixtures save

the energy. Efficient insulation in

walls, ceilings and floors should be

used for better temperature con-

trol.

Solar water heating. Fully

programmable solar hybrid water

heating systems make available hot

water instantaneously on 24365

basis. Such a solar water heating

system will save at least 7.2 units/flat/day for an average of 300 days.

Sewage and garbage process-

Green buildings typically consume 40-50

per cent less energy and 20-30 per cent less

water Seemant Sharma, director and general manager, ES,Building Efficiency, Johnson Controls India

Practices which make a building green

include the way it is constructed, materials

which are used, and a number o active and

passive eatures Vidur Bharadwaj, director, The 3C

Company


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ing. Presently, sewage is treated by

physical and biological treatment

units using conventional method.

In another natural treatment sys-

tem, they use wetland species forsewage treatment. This ancient

technology using wetland species is

named root zone cleaning system.

Such a root zone of plant along with

the soil system plays an important

role in wastewater treatment. The

treatment efficiency is 90 to 98 per

cent.

Green measures adopted by the

recently constructed green build-

ings include preservation and reuse

of fertile top soil, central courtyards,maximum utilisation of natural day

lighting, ventilation, roof gardens to

reduce heat impact, water recycling

for irrigation and air-conditioning,

treatment of wastewater, use of

energy-efficient air-conditioning

systems, handling of construction

waste, use of materials with recycledcontent, and use of paints, sealants

and adhesives with low volatile or-

ganic compound.

It is estimated that 40 per

cent of energy consumption in a

building is on account of heating,

ventilation and air-conditioning

(HVAC). Green buildings haveprovision for solar protection to

prevent heat gain in the prem-

ises during the day, which further

helps in preserving the energy.

This is done by maintaining the

ambient temperature within the

premises so as to reduce the usage

of air-conditioning. In winters,

the natural heat can be allowed in

the premises using the same solar

shades, thereby helping the heat-

ing system perform better.Thus the designing of the build-

ing plays a vital role. Green build-

ing techniques emphasise on taking

advantage of renewable resources

like sunlight (through passive so-

lar, active solar and photovoltaic

techniques) and plants and trees

(through green roofs and rain gar-

dens) and reduction of rainwater

run-off.

At The 3C Company, we are

blending new technologies withclassic ones to develop high-per-

formance sustainable buildings

which would help in reducing the

carbon footprints on earth. Innova-

tive concepts like a courtyard as a

microclimate generator, a sunken

court and fins to ensure maximum

diffused natural light entering the

basement, use of grass pebbles or

green pavers to reduce day glaring,

a light well to produce an aesthetic

language, use of double glazed glass

The fve main aspects currently adopted are

design and architecture o a green building,

water conservation, use o solar/wind

energy, solar water heating, and sewage and

garbage processing P.S. Deodhar, founder, MITRAMAXEnergy

sotio to achieve the Go of Gree Bidig

Building performance simulation. It refers to a range of analytic design services

that are essential for the design of an efficient, sustainable and green building. Some of

the various analyses available are energy analysis, fenestration analysis, solar insolation

analysis, daylight analysis, location analysis, light pollution analysis, reflection and glare

analysis, shadow analysis, visibility/views analysis, acoustic analysis and computational

fluid dynamics analysis.

Sustainable building management software. These monitor building performance(for energy, water and indoor air quality) and provide facility management support (manag-

ing maintenance schedules, alerts), lease management and building/tenant asset manage-

ment.

Water management system. It monitors the water usage of the property in real

time, enabling one to take corrective actions when required and drive significant cost and

resource savings.

Energy management systems. These enable property owners/managers to see the

big picture and monitor the energy usage of the property so as to make the property more

energy-efficient.

Building integrated photovoltaic systems. Integration of photovoltaic technology

into the architectural design of buildings and structures, thereby producing electricity. Use

of photovoltaics as building elements offsets wastage by reducing the amount spent onbuilding materials.

Integrated building management solutions. These control and monitor the build-

ings mechanical and electrical equipment such as ventilation, cooling/heating, lighting,

pumps, access control, fire systems and security systems.

Lighting automation systems. These use occupancy-based lighting control, elec-

tronic dimming ballast based lighting control and programmable time scheduling.

Others. Use of eco-friendly and less energy-intensive materials and energy-efficient

appliances in buildings; high-albedo and vegetated roofs to reduce heat absorption;

water conservation techniques like rainwater harvesting, waste water recycling, dual

plumbing systems and low-flow water fixtures; and integration of renewable energy

technologies.

Raghav Adapa, sustainability consultant, Surmount Energy Solutions


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yield ten times as much over

the entire life of the building.

The typical payback period for

projects in India is estimated

to be 3-7 years according tothe World Green Building

Council, says Adapa.

Informs M. Selvarasu,

LEED accredited professional

and director, LEAD Consul-

tancy & Engineering Services,

We have completed the fol-

lowing two buildings and re-

sults are as follows:

Computer Associate Build-

ing: The additional invest-

ment will get paid back in four years. This project is LEED

Gold rated and located at Hy-

derabad.

Anna Centenary Library

Building: This is a govern-

ment building, located at Chennai.

Here again the payback period is

four years and the building is LEED

Gold rated.

CertificationKariya says, Presently, the

green building concept in India is

at a very nascent stage. Also the

laws and codes are voluntary with

absence of an explicit nationalised

green building code. To be able to

achieve the goals, the concept of

green building has to be institution-

alised with proper legal frameworks

clearly defining the role and respon-

sibilities of stakeholders in a phased

manner. Currently, IGBC providesLEED India certification on attain-

ment of certain prerequisite stand-

ards. The developer has to submit

entire project related information

including general drawings on pro-

ject registration.

Services and solutionsproviders

MITRAMAX Energy. It caters

to solar electricity and intelligent

automatic water heating systems

for apartment complexes. For the

rest, it has a line of agencies that can

work on a turnkey basis.

Johnson Controls, Build-

ing Efficiency. It provides prod-

ucts and services to optimise en-

ergy use and improve comfort and

security for buildings and homes.For building owners seeking to go

green, equipment standards are an

important issue and as an HVAC

equipment manufacturer with York

brand we bring the highest efficien-

cy standards. Our building manage-

ment system accurately controls

and provides the maximum perfor-

mance using the least amount ofenergy, claims Sharma of Johnson

Controls India.

Surmount Energy Solutions.

It is a technology-driven organisa-

tion focused on creating green for

lifetime solutions for urban devel-

opment and construction projects

across the globe. It focuses on fol-

lowing service lines: Consulting,

commissioning, LEED facilitation;

building simulation and analysis;

building solutions like lighting,building automation and controls,

and solar photovoltaic; and green

building education and awareness.

En3 Sustainability Solution.

It claims to deliver sustainable de-

sign and solutions for any project.

Its footprint today encompasses

over 160 projects and 6.97 million

sq. metres (75 million square feet)

of green spaces that are being de-

veloped in over 46 cities across the

world. Its areas of expertise are sus-

Platinum-rat Leed-certifed company, Green Boulevard, Noida (UP), by the 3C Company

I you do thorough design analysis and

design the building right way, it should

actually not cost you much more than a

normal building Deepa Sathiaram, executive director,

En3 Sustainability Solution


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12 FaCTS FOr yOu January 2011

mjor Cotribtor to Thi Report

Deepa Sathiaram, executive director, En3 Sustainability Solution Jayesh Kariya, head-real estate and construction, KPMG, India M. Selvarasu, LEED accredited professional and director, LEAD Consultancy & Engi-

neering Services Dr Prem C. Jain, chairman of IGBC, and chairman and managing director of Spectral

Services Consultants P.S. Deodhar, founder, MITRAMAX Energy Raghav Adapa, sustainability consultant, Surmount Energy Solutions Seemant Sharma, director and general manager, ES, Building Efficiency, Johnson

Controls India SMH Adil, director, Global Evolutionary Energy Design (GEED) India Vidur Bharadwaj, director, The 3C Company

The additional investment on Computer

Associate Building completed by us will

get paid back in our years M. Selvarasu, LEEDaccredited professional and director, LEAD Consultancy &Engineering Services

tainable design, building energy-

efficiency studies, green materials

and products analysis, green build-

ing certifications and training, cor-

porate sustainability strategy, anddevelopment of green standards

and codes.

Some of En3s completed and

certified green building projects

in India include Grundfos Pumps,

World Bank Building, Elnet Infra-

structures BPO Park, Wipro CDC5

Campus, BCIL T-ZED Homes, Tamil

Nadu Legislative Assembly and Info-

sys BPO.

Surmount. It has executed nu-

merous projects in India as well asabroad. A few of its projects in India

are Commonwealth Games-Delhi,

Marathon Realty, Marathon Futu-

rex, Marathon Innova, Larsen &

Toubro and Unitech.

Spectral Sustainability Group

(SSG). It provides a complete range

of green building services including

facilitation as well as energy simula-

tion. It claims to be equipped with

state-of-the-art software to incorpo-

rate advanced sustainability featuresin project design.

LEAD Consultancy & Engi-

neering Services (India). It offers

services like green building facilita-

tion, energy modeling and lighting

simulation, third-party commis-

sioning for buildings, HVAC de-

sign, electrical engineering system

design, public health engineering

design, fire detection and protec-

tion systems design, lighting design

with software simulation analysis,

integrated building management

systems, sun path analysis with re-

spect to building orientation, over-

shadowing and the design of exte-rior shading of the buildings, and

carbon advisory.

3C Company. The projects of

The 3C Company, such as Wipro

Campus (Gurgaon), Patni Cam-

pus (Noida) and Green Boulevard

(Noida), are platinum-rated LEED-

certified. Our patrons at these cam-

puses have been saving up to 45 per

cent on their energy cost, informs

Bharadwaj.

Global Evolutionary EnergyDesign (GEED) India. It is a low-

carbon consulting organisation with

expertise in building energy mod-

eling, HVAC and air-flow modeling

using computational fluid dynamics

techniques, design of smart energy

management system, fault detec-

tion and diagnostics, sustainability

planning and advisory, design of net-

zero-energy building/housing com-

plexes, utilisation of waste heat in

industrial processes, and cogenera-

tion and tri-generation system feasi-

bility study.

Looking forward

With growing awareness about

green buildings and higher demand

for the same, the market for such

eco-friendly structures is expected

to reach an all-time high. The day

is not far off when going green and

constructing green buildings will

be the norm of the day and green

buildings will play a catalytic role in

addressing issues of climate change.

In fact, over a thousand greenbuildings have been registered with

the Indian Green Building Coun-

cil (IGBC) till date. IGBC certi-

fies green buildings based on their

energy efficiency and sensitivity

towards the environment. Accord-

ing to relevant sources, there is ex-

pected to be around 92.9 million sq.

metres (1 billion square feet or 1000

million sq. feet) of green developed

area in our country by 2012, says

Bharadwaj.The society needs to be a bit more

captivated for the future than by the

glory of the past. It is our responsi-

bility to work towards a better and

greener world by trying to reduce

the carbon footprints on earth and

green building is one such initiative

to control climate change and lead

an eco-friendly lifestyle.

The author is executive editor at EFY

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