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Facts and Figures

Location : Salem, Tamil Nadu

Built up area : 3,382 m2

Air-conditioned Area : 2,613 m2

Non Air-conditioned Area : 769 m2

Energy Consumption Reduction : 55 .79 % reduction in energy consumption

compared to GRIHA benchmark

EPI : 61.89 KWh/ m2 /year

Renewable Energy : Rated capacity of solar PV installed on site is 10 KW

GRIHA provisional rating : 5 Stars

Year of completion : 2014

Integrated Design Team Client : Sona College of Technology

Principal Architect : M/s Kadri consultants Pvt Ltd

Landscape Architect : M/s Kadri consultants Pvt Ltd

Structural Consultant : Sona college -Civil Department

Electrical Consultant : Sona college - Electrical Department

HVAC consultant : M/s Airton Consulting Engineers Pvt Ltd

Plumbing consultant : Mr.A.K.Nagabhushana

Green Building Design and Certification : En3 Sustainability Solutions Pvt Ltd.

The Sona Sigma Block project space

comprises of classrooms, Lecture halls,

auditorium, lab spaces, research area,

library and admin office. The project has

installed Total solar PV of 10 kWp, which

is 6.4 % of the total connected load. The

internal lighting energy consumption is

37,574 KWh. Energy generated from

solar is 12000 kWh, which is 31.04% of

total energy required for internal lighting.

Sona College of Technology is an

environmentally responsible institution

and is always striving to protect the

environment and has taken enormous

efforts along with En3 to implement

various sustainability and green measures

in the project from concept to

completion.

 

Figure Showing GRIHA score .Site Sustainability Features

• The project site is within 0.5km radius form a public transportation access for the benefit of the minimizing transportation

pollution and strain on local infrastructure, protects green natural resources.

• The project site had 46 Matured trees of which the team has taken additional efforts to preserve 15 Trees compensatory trees of

the same species in the ration of 1: 3.

• Hence the project team has planted about 138 Trees in compensation as an effort to protect existing landscape and site features.

467 Cum of topsoil was preserved during construction measure to protect the fertile topsoil.

• As the site i s located in a campus, the new Sona sigma block has been designed in such a way that the existing pathways are used

as connecting element and no new pathways are proposed. Also as passive design feature, the block has been located along North

south axis due to site constraint , the longer facade in the east are shaded by a long corridor which acts as connecting element

between Sigma block and the neighbouring blocks and also acts as a connecting element within the block.

• The architectural space zoning was done based on the sun path has been analysed and the planning has been done in such a way

that minimal heat entry is achieved in the project, most of the class room areas are oriented towards East west axis .All the

regularly occupied spaces in the west and south are provided with natural and manmade shading elements.

• The project has less than 25% paved area and more than 50% of the paved area is shaded/ painted with high SRI / covered with

vegetation.

• Timer based automatic controls have been installed on the site for the externals lights and the efficiency of the installed exterior

CFL & LED lights are 21 & 43 Watts much less than the GRIHA requirements of 50Watts.

• Transportation and service corridors on site has been maintained to the possible extent to avoid unnecessary cutting and

trenching of land. All utilities were aggregated and considered along previously distributed areas.

Water Efficiency

i. Water plays an integral part in the greening process of sona campus. The project has

demonstrated a reduction in water consumption by more than 67.4% compared to the base

case scenario by adopting necessary water saving drip irrigation system for shrubs and t rees

and sprinkler for lawns.

ii. The project has demonstrated a reduction in water consumption i.e. 1571.25 KL annually

which is more than 68% compared to the base case consumption of 4935 KL by adopting

necessary saving measures . Low flow taps , sensors based urinals , 3lt / 6lt flushing for water

closets have been installed on site.

iii. The project team has also taken efforts to minimise water loss during construction activities.

The project has adopted measures like use of ready ix concrete only , curing using gunny bags

for columns and beams , ponding on roof etc.

iv. Rainwater harvesting , reuse and recharge are done 100% on site.

Energising The Building

i. Window to Wall ratio (WWR) is maintained within 15.48% which is much lesser than the

GRIHA limitation of 60% or l ess.

ii. The artificial lighting design is done in such a way that the lux levels as recommended in NBC

are adhered to and hence over design of artificial lights are avoided.

iii. Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC) of the fenestration confirms to the benchmarks of Energy

Conservation Building Code (ECBC) 2007. Glass installed in air-conditioned area has 0.62

SHGC and in non-air-conditioned area is 0.86 SHGC. Calculations have been submitted

indicating the effective SHGC of fenestration is less than 0.25

iv. The Project has demonstrated 55.70% EPI reduction from the benchmark EPI of 61.9

kWh/m2/annum to 140 kWh/m2/annum. Selection of CFC free and HCFC free refrigerants

avoids global warming and ozone depletion.

v. The project has installed 10kwp of onsite solar pane to generate renewable e energy.

vi. The Project has adopted energy efficient evaporative cooling methodology to maintain thermal

comfort in most of the regularly occupied spaces.

vii. The project has provided shading element such as jallis to restrict the direct thermal radiation

67% of total living area is day-lit and meets daylight factor as prescribed by National Building

Code (NBC) through provision of daylight windows and roof monitors.

Novelties

The project has achieved overall energy savings of

about 56 % over conventional building using high

performance glazing, efficient design shading

devices, efficient lighting design use of evaporative

cooling mechanism, installation of onsite solar power

. The project has reduced potable water use by 68%

from the calculated baseline design fixture

performance requirements established by the GRIHA

 guidelines. Moreover the building has been designed

to showcase various green and sustainability

measures and practices and the effort is to use this

building to create greater awareness on green

concepts and sustainability to all its visit ors, students

and occupants & spearhead the green movement in

the state and the country.

Resource Management

i. The project has used low embodied energy

industrial waste material such as fly ash in

60% of the total volume of block work &

replaces 21.4 % of the cement used in the

ready mix concrete & the masonry mortar

and plaster.

ii. Project has used low energy materials such

as locally available athangudi tile in the

interior. The segregation of materials like

wood, plastic, glass, empty cement bags etc.

were ensured during the construction phase.

iii. Multi coloured bins with respective signage

is displayed in sigma block to encourage

segregation of waste at source.

Indoor Environmental Quality

i. The project team has implemented necessary measures to

prevent air pollution (dust and smoke) in the vicinity of

the site during construction. The dust suppression

measures includes, provision for wheel washing, provision

of 3 m high barricading around the site, sprinkling of non

potable water on dusty roads ,gravel on regular basis etc.

ii. All the paints and sealants used in the project have low

VOC content

iii. Health and safety of workers during construction, with

effective provisions for the basic facilities such as

sanitation, and clean drinking water, and safety of

equipment or machinery were done during construction

phase.

-Jaskaran Singh , Maganjot Kaur , Triptbir Kaur , Nimesh Taneja , Nakshnoor Singh