Green Building

8/30/2013

Is this building green..?????

What is Green Building??

Green buildings are: eco-friendly, resource efficient, very energy efficient, Designed and commissioned to ensure good health for its occupants, More comfortable and easier to live due to low operating and owning costs.

Need
Buildings are a major energy consuming sector in the economy. About 35 to 40% of total energy is used during construction. Non-renewable energy is expensive, unsafe and limited. Generation of green house gases(GHG) is increasing and the sea level is rising.

Large amount of CO2 generation in industries etc. is causing great damages- melting of glaciers, poisoning the sea, disrupting the monsoon etc. Similarly, building industry is producing second largest amount of demolition wastes and GHG(almost 40%).

Need
Nowadays, we should make a way to maximize our natural resources and also help our mother earth to get some relief since pollution is everywhere plus the global warming that we are all experiencing. Through green building we can save a lot of energy.

Importance.
A green building : Is environmentally responsible is resource-efficient throughout its life-cycle: from siting to design, construction, operation, maintenance, renovation, and deconstruction. Depletes very little of natural resources during construction and operation.

Maximizes the use of renewable sources of energy-from suns rays, wind, seas waves and geo sources. These objectives expand and complement the classical building design, concerns of economy, utility, durability and comfort.

Green building concept

Materials Techniques: natural artificial/ mechanical.

Green building concept

Source of Material Renewable sources: Forests Reuse from waste: old plumbing , doors etc.. Wool brick Obtained by adding wool and a natural polymer found in seaweed to the clay of the brick, 37% More strength than burnt bricks Resistant for cold and wet climate

 Sustainable Concrete Crushed glass Wood chips or slag

- a byproduct of steel

manufacturing. Reduces the emission of CO2 Solar Tiles Exist to simply protect a building They spend a large portion of the day absorbing energy from the sun. Paper Insulation Made from recycled newspapers and cardboard Then filled with chemical foam Insect resistant &fire retardant

Triple-Glazed Windows Super-efficient windows Stops heat to enter the building & from direct sunlight Eco Friendly Using Bamboo Replacing The Steel Bars

Implementation 1)natural ways:

Using local climatic condition and synergies. In passive solar building design, windows, walls, and floors are made 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 because, unlike active solar heating systems, it doesn't involve the use of mechanical and electrical devices. The key to designing a passive solar building is to best take advantage of the local climate. Elements to be considered include window placement and glazing type , thermal insulation, thermal mass, and shading.

2)Technology based:

Active solar technologies are employed to convert solar energy into another more useful form of energy. This would normally be a conversion to heat or electrical energy. Inside a building this energy would be used for heating, cooling, or off-setting other energy use or costs. Active solar uses electrical or mechanical equipment for this conversion. Solar photo voltaics is a sustainable energy source.

A green roof or living roof is a roof of a building that is partially or completely covered with vegetation and a growing medium, planted over a waterproofing membrane. Green roofs serve several purposes for a building, such as absorbing rainwater, providing insulation, creating a habitat for wildlife, and helping to lower urban air temperatures and mitigate the heat island effect. The term green roof may also be used to indicate roofs that use some form of green technology, such as a cool roof, a roof with solar thermal collectors or photovoltaic panels.

The building envelope (or building enclosure) is the physical separator between the interior and the exterior environments of a building. It serves as the outer shell to help maintain the indoor environment (together with the mechanical conditioning systems) and facilitate its climate control. Architects use high-performance doubleglazed glass, which is laminated or coated, to moderate interior temperatures by controlling heat loss and gain. The coating filters the heat-producing aspects of solar rays. The use of such glass in green buildings is used comprehensively in tropical climates as well as the Middle East.

Benefits
Efficient Technologies Easier Maintenance Return On Investment Improved Indoor Air Quality Energy Efficiency Water Efficiency Waste Reduction Temperature Moderation Water Conservation Economical Construction For Poor Healthier Lifestyles and Recreation Improved Health.

Statistics in Indian context

According to IGBC, today, India has over 2,110 IGBC registered green building projects amounting to over 1.54 Billion sq. ft of green building footprint with projects spread across the five climatic zones of the country, which has put India on the top 3 countries in world green building map. The vision of the Council is to 'enable sustainable built environment for all and facilitate India to be one of the global leaders in sustainable built environment by 2025

Studies show that a home that is fitted with CFL lamps, solar water heaters and recycling facilities will save around Rs. 2.56 lakh over six years, or around Rs. 3,500 a month

Statistics round the Globe

Organizational bodies and Movements

LEED GRIHA TERI ADaRSH MNRE

Further measures

The green concept has to be developed for local contexts, so that they can still be applied within the parameters determined by local and financial needs. Otherwise, going green will be a mantra that applies to only a privileged few and a hollow one.