The sustainable buildings will fulfill its destiny as a Green Building until it is constructed with the Green Materials. It is most important criteria one should look before construction of a building. The green building material will enhance the energy efficiency, low carbon emission and gives the occupants the health environment. Studies say that 40% of world raw material is consumed by the construction process.
By using Green building materials, transportation, fabrication, installation and other cost are greatly reduced. The green building materials are composed of renewable resources. Depending on the project one has to select the material carefully. The selection of green material should satisfy following criteria
Energy efficiency
Selecting energy efficient products that are energy star rated, such as Air conditioner, Light bulb, Refrigerators etc. which will greatly save energy consumption.
Resource efficiency
The resources used to build should be recyclable, these product should be manufactured with low carbon emission with minimum waste produced. It should be locally available and durable material.
Cost Efficient
The materials that are used should also be cost efficient. The reduction of cost on buying material indirectly places an impact on the environment while construction such buildings.
The sustainability of the building lies in the materials that are used, so it is very important when choosing material for the Green Buildings that the above criteria are meet.
This multifamily project is not a usual one, Sited at San Jose, Silicon Valley as it is called. This four story building is specially built for low income residents. Designed and developed my FAIA, the building is awarded 145 points by California’s Green Point program. It also gained the Gold ratings in both LEED for New Construction and the LEED for Homes Pilot program.
The building includes all the facilities such as laundry facilities, a community room, and computer room. Completed in June 2007 the building is of 72,000 square feet, which has 35 apartments especially reserved for tenants earning less that half the area median income. The ground floor occupy a beauty salon, it also has play area and a courtyard.
The First community Housing would prefer to locate housing in transit oriented location from which all services and resources are easily accessible. The Goal of the development team was based on this, so they choose a site that is adjacent to light rail. The resident most of them does not own a car or know to drive one, so the earned parking area where constructed with building making it high housing density consisting of 81 units per acre.
The Groceries store located at the ground floor allowed resident to buy things at convenience. The environmental aspect that made this project to win LEED certificate are the photovoltaic array fixed at roof top, high performance insulation in 2x6 exterior wall and also the double-glazed windows. The high efficiency heating system also contributes to this aspect.
The Tenants were allowed to use Energy Star appliances in order to conserve energy.
The 30-Kilowatt photovoltaic system generates energy that was used by building’s common areas and a monitor in the community room. The tenants are billed for their own energy use, ensuring that they have a financial incentive to conserve.
Water conservation features like planting drought tolerant plants, a subsurface irrigation system, dual flush toilets, low flow showerheads and faucets were used. The analysis predicts that it will use 21% of energy and 36% of water when compared with conventional building. The tenants are also very keen in using energy efficient, low pollutant products in their homes.
The project has very good window system in every apartment that allows air and natural light to flow into the building freely. The energy, water efficiency and other conservation method of this build has not only brought up LEED certificate but also made it one of the Top Ten Green Project 2009 by American Institute of Architects.
Located inside the campus of American University of Beirut, The Charles Hostler Student Center covers a area of 204,000 sq. feet that includes swimming pool, three basketball, handball, two squash and a volleyball court. It also has Gym for people to exercise. Apart from these, it has auditorium which could accommodate 280 people, meeting rooms, cafeteria and large underground parking area which can occupy nearly 200 vehicles.
The entire structure is a sustainable, eco-friendly building, which is smoke free and uses energy efficiently. The design is so perfect that it maintains the heat and cool at required level during summer and winter respectively. The use of water and other resource are efficiently designed to meet the Green Building Features.
The roofs are fitted with solar collectors that are used of heating water. It has large rain water harvest system. The other systems that are incorporated are Heat Recovery system, Chilled water generation system. The digital building management system will rank first when compared with other systems; it uses high-tech gadgets to conserve energy as much as possible. Properly designed window provides a good ventilation system and allows natural light to flow into building.
GRE as shortly called is a member owned electric utility cooperative, located at Maple Grove, Minnesota adjacent to Arbor Lake, artificial lake created due to gravel excavation. Designed by architects Perkins + Will and spread about 12.5 acre, the build is a four story office building with concrete frame and glass curtain walls.
The building has many green features that lead it to achieve Top Ten Green Project 2009 by AIA (American Institute of Architects). It uses latest state-of-the-art technology that helped it to reach such status, the low energy HVAC system that features under-floor displacement ventilation and geothermal heating and cooling system that utilizes the lake nearby.
The 160 ft, 200kW wind turbine generates energy that is used by the building apart from the contribution from the solar panels which provides about 15 percent of the building’s total electric need. 40 percent of energy is saved by the daylight design structure of the building.
Great River Energy serves as a model of sustainable practices follows the entire standard that will help the environment. Providing with good view of exterior allows plenty of daylight to enter into building.
Good air and water management system conserves these valuable resources. This in-turn allowed reduces the use of HVAC system to conserve the energy. GRE is a second largest electric wholesale supplier in Minnesota, presently it generates and transmits electricity to more than 620,000 residential, commercial, industrial customers and 28 other distribution cooperatives.
This is the newly constructed congregation center on Dodge Avenue in Evanston. They have committed to do the code of Tikkun Olam i.e. repairing the world. Thus they have come up this new construction which was awarded LEED Platinum certificate recently.
The center in Evanston reused the materials from the previous structure; the front doors of the building were fitted with trees displaced during the milling. The windows are properly placed by which the abundant daylight and fresh air is able to fill the building at the same time it cuts the excess heat and glare. The gardens and children’s playground had gabion rubble walls placed at the edges, which is made from the crushed concrete, brick and limestone from local demolition sites.
The rain water harvesting helps them to save the valuable resource, which will be again reused after filtering process. The storm detention garden saves almost 41% of water use comparable to structure’s use. The various parts of the building uses reclaimed Cypress slats that were used in ceilings and linings. They provide a warm look and act as an acoustics barrier. The HVAC displacement system in prayer hall and other public gathering areas are covered neatly with the reclaimed slats.
The raised podium and step in the sanctuary are using the reclaimed dark walnut from fallen or diseased trees from the Chicago Park District. The entire flooring of the building is concrete that has polished, thus saving money required for new flooring. Cabinets and entire wood work throughout the building are made of pressed sunflower seeds, a rapidly renewable wood like source. The low flow toilets and energy efficient appliances are used to conserve water and energy.
The building has two HVAC systems, one of which is in sanctuary and is the displacement system. This system releases the heat from the bottom rather than from top. By this more energy is saved, because it does not require much electricity to pump heat into the room and it is also less noisy that the traditional HVAC system. This system is only placed in the biggest room, which has the highest visitor traffic. The energy saving payback for this system is five to seven years, which is a rapid progress in the area of heating and ventilation.
The second HVAC is also energy efficient which has a programmable weekly calendar and allows the system to heat rooms and hallways in proper schedules. The schedules were prepared after week long analysis on building’s energy usage by the congregation and architectural team. This schedule decides when and which rooms to be cooled or heated. The building is properly insulated so that even when it is not receiving heating or cooling the temperature is maintained perfectly. The building has only one solar panel installed, due to budget issues, which power’s the building’s Eternal Lights.
Combination of sustainable and eco-friendly products used for the building has not only won LEED Platinum but also been awarded one of the Top Ten Green Projects of 2009 by AIA(American institute of Architects).
The Portola Valley Town Center once Portola Valley School has now become a sustainable eco friendly town center, constructed after salvaging the school building, it now saves energy and other resources.
The building is constructed with various materials that are reused such as reclaimed timber and logs from beaches of North California, beams from school building were reclaimed and used.
Slag mix recovered from old smokestacks is used for concrete in the foundations and walls. This mixture cuts by half the carbon footprint of normal concrete. Window and framing uses the reclaimed wood and plywood certified Douglas-fir. The flooring also uses wood from the fallen tree that were milled and reused.
The lighting system uses energy efficient fluorescent lamps and tubes. The exterior walls are insulated with recycled newsprint and the interiors walls are insulated with ground-up blue jeans.
Natural air flows into building freely by the double hung wooden windows. According U.S. Green Building Council, buildings consume 70% of the nation’s Electricity, 40% of its raw materials and 12 percent of its potable water that generates about 39% of carbon dioxide and producing 30% of wastes.
The water conservation system is the greatest challenge for them to implement, since the area is earthquake region. It was difficult for them to store water above or below the ground. Finally the solution for this issue was brought up by the Public works Director Howard Young, his idea was to send water through a length of 2 foot diameter pipe with a manual cut-off value at one end. The pipe has a capacity of 2,500 gallons of fresh water and it was buried in a small ditch.
70kW Solar panel array is mounted on the roofs of library and community hall. They supply enough electricity to lightings system. It also supplies power to charge the electric vehicles in the parking lot via four plug-in sockets. Awarded one of the Top Ten Green Building of 2009 by AIA, this has it own seismograph which will also be monitored by the computer. With all these features the building is definitely is a friend of environment.
Located in Seattle, Washington the newly constructed building has been rated LEED by USGBC. AIA also chose it as one of the Top Ten Green Project of 2009.
Designed by Weber Thompson, it provides a health and creative environment to the people. Completed in April 2008, this building has 6 stories. It was formerly a light industrial area with parks, multi family residences, offices and industrial buildings. The office space is about 37,000 sq feet on four floors; in the ground floor it has retail and restaurant space with a courtyard for social gathering.
The parking area is underground which has two levels to park cars and bicycles. The office space of this building is occupied by an architectural firm, a real estate firm and a marketing firm.
There will be high level of impact from an office environment than a residential complex. The Terry Thomas was designed to meet all the environmental issues and also enhance the health; productivity of the occupant, the high priority is put upon the energy efficiency of the building so that the future payback will be gained.
The project team started the design after analyzing the need of the occupants which is mainly focused on the daylighting, natural ventilation and improved community meeting place. The team came with the design that prioritized the ventilation, day light and better meeting space.
The new headquarters of International Fund for Animal Welfare has been completed recently with all sustainable strategies implemented in it. DesignLAB modeled and designed this 54,000 square foot structure situated in Yarmouthport, Massachusetts.
This building has also been awarded by U.S Green Building Council – LEED Gold Rating.
The IFAW’s goal and mission is ‘to provide a better world for people and animals’.
This new office facilitates open communication, collaboration and interaction for the people and also it is environmental friendly.
Once a polluted brownfield, it was reclaimed with great effort by DesignLAB and they revitalized it. They achieved the natural habitat by removing contaminants and planted many shrubs, trees, plants and grasses. They also implemented rain water absorbing garden, bio swales, and other permeable landscaping systems to absorb rainwater runoff.
The other water conservation systems implemented inside the building were dual flush toilets, low flow faucets, and a state-of-the-art technology septic system that treats the waste waters. The building used recycled material for its construction like FSC certified wood and recycled structural steel. The high performance glass windows and curtain allows only sufficient amount of light and heat into the building and creates a microclimate inside the building.
The employees of IFAW were put into design workshops that helped to maximize their effectiveness to this environment. The final plan they come up with was to reduce 50% of per person used square footage work space and to increase the collaborative workspace. The workshop also helped the employees to maintain the work space properly and to reduce the use of energy and water as individuals. The proper ventilation system provided fresh air to move in and out of the building freely.
Wondering which is the world’s largest green building? Academy of Sciences Museum is the largest LEED Platinum rated building in the world as well as the most sustainable museum building in the world. It is situated in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park.
The designers highlighted the re-usage of the materials in the building while applying for the LEED certification. They reused the seahorse railing and the original tiles at the alligator swamp exhibit. The biggest challenge for the designer was to optimize the natural light from the 200 of roof skylights into living rainforest and coral reef.
The designer redesigned the Aquariums which a twice as big as the original and it uses less water because of filtration and recycling systems that purify water piped in from the Pacific Ocean. The nitrate wastes are purified by natural systems, ensuring that aquarium water can be recycled and reused. In order to achieve LEED certification for the Aquariums they used 50% recycled content for the aquarium’s concrete.
The designers call it as the green roof, yes it is green exactly, it is not just a green roof but a living roof. This roof is fully covered with 1.7 million native plants. Architect Renzo Piano designed the roof as homage to the hills of San Francisco. The highlight in this is how the plants are kept without sliding off the hills. Designer Rana Creek along with Mr.Piano used some 50,000 porous, biodegradable trays called BioTray®, which they made from tree sap and coconut husks as containers for the vegetation to keep the little green plants in place.
Apart from the natural habitat created by the roof, it also reduces the Urban Heat Island Effect, and bringing down the building’s temperature almost 10 degrees. The cistern system in the roof will able to capture 90-98 percent of rainwater, which will be about 3.5 million gallons of rainwater per year.
The planetarium, the Africa Hall, Aquariums, and of course the albino crocodile will turn your head towards them apart from the building itself. This building is surely a eco friendly and sustainable.
The world’s first eco-city is coming up in Dongtan, the third largest island in China at the mouth of the Yangtze River. The sustainable city is not just environmental friendly but also socially, economically and culturally.
Designed by ARUP for the Shanghai Industrial Investment Corporate (SIIC), they aim to bring out the city which will consume less energy and emit a low carbon emission.
The 8,600 hectare (86 square kilometer) site is adjacent to wetland of global importance.
The city will comprise two areas one completely urbanized and the other is used for agricultural purpose, thus creating a buffer zone to manage wetland between the city and the ‘natural’ wetland.
This city will produce energy by itself for it consumption from wind, solar, bio-fuel and recycled city waste. The public transport will use the hydrogen fuel cells. The city will have network of cycle and footpaths that will help the city to achieve close to zero vehicle emissions.
Almost all the building in this city is featured to have sustainability, every building are constructed to use less energy as possible and all of them will incorporate daylight control system, which will help to reduce energy consumption. The public spaces were people gather together will have waste management systems that will ensure waste are collected and recycled.
Dongtan site will have a farmland that will use organic methods to grow foods. The city will have green ‘corridors’ of public space ensuring a high quality of life for residents. The city’s design will possibly attract more employment across country and hope that people will choose to live and work there.
Dongtan demonstrates to the world China’s ability to work closely with the environment and has provided a methodology for sustainable communities across China and beyond.
Green buildings will make our earth greener as they use less energy and emit low carbon with its sustainable design. These buildings are built specially to be eco friendly as they also built using recyclable materials. The world has many green buildings constructed with recycled material but Berkeley’s David Brown Center stands out from all. It is the world’s largest recycled building; almost half of its construction is comprised of recycled materials.
This 50,000-square-foot building is designed to be 40 percent more energy efficient as it uses solar energy generated by the photovoltaic cell fitted in its roof and sun-shades on the South façade. Recycled materials can be seen almost at every nook and corner of this four story building. All the furnishings are made from salvaged wood. A mixture of plaster and salvaged soils are used for wall at ground floor reception area.
“Earth Niche” a permanent art installation built using cob, bamboo, salvaged straw earth. This was made by “The Natural Builder” owned by Marisha Farnsworth. Variety of tables and benches in the building are created by Paul Discoe from Live Edge, a company that repurposes lumber from urban street trees that have been cut down due to storm damage, disease, and for other reasons.
The buildings concrete used ¾ of Slag which makes it truly a sustainable building. Slag is an unwanted byproduct of steel-smelting, that turns out to have fortifying properties and more importantly for sustainability in the long run; greatly reduces the CO2 produced in making cement.
The building uses zinc siding that reduces the need for daylighting. The daylighting program includes the automatic controls to balance the daylight when required.
The indoor air quality is maintained with the help of properly designed windows and ventilation systems.
Radiant heating and cooling operate via tubes set into the concrete structural slabs.
The building power consumption is monitored by an interactive real time monitoring system located at lobby. These all aspects of this building are expected to receive a LEED Platinum rating, the highest certification, from the U.S Green Building Council.
Renewable energy source is gaining more importance than the conventional power sources. The world’s largest solar project is now coming at the desert of Los Angeles that can produce more energy than larger nuclear plants.
This plant when completed will produce 1.3 Gig watts of power beating out China’s 1 GW PV plant that was announced to open this December. The plant is a joint venture of Southern California Edison, which serves the locals and Brightsource, the company who will be constructing the power plant.
The power will be generated by focusing light from the area with mirrors onto a tower. Then heat produced by the tower is used to boil water and the steam will turn a turbine, similar to a traditional coal and nuclear power plant.
This project is built with "Solar thermal Mirror" rather than photovoltaic power because it costs cheaper and is simpler to install than the photovoltaic cells. The Solar thermal mirrors have proved to have longer life span. The projects consist of seven towers that can produce 100 to 300 megawatts of electricity. The first one will be 2013 and other tower will be opened later.
China has big plans that will contribute to the environment and our mother earth. Knowing the importance of the sustainable architecture and rising energy issues, china is planning to build some 10,000 green hotels by 2012 reports the publication ChinaCSR.com.
The director of the Trade Service Division of China’s Ministry of Commerce, Mr.Di Jiankai announced the plan Chinese media that 10,000 hotels will be built in four phases in coming year and will be completed by 2012. Initially 1,000 hotels will be built in 2009, 2,000 in 2010 and following year 3,000 hotels and finally 4,000 hotels will be built in 2012.
Every green hotel built will contribute its part for the environment by reducing about 20% of water consumption, 20% of its electrical usage and above all the 45,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions will be reduced over four years.
The buildings itself will produce its own electricity and they surely have waste management system which will further help in sustainability. Water treatment plants, solar power generators will also be featuring this mega project.
Every building will have clear glasswindows that will allow natural light to flow freely into the buildings thus avoiding use of HVAC system during daytime. Every building will have its own energy monitoring system that will in controlling the energy usage.
The hotel room will have occupant sensor to recognize the person in the room and will turn off the electrical appliances in the absence of occupant. National Standards Commission will review the hotel for every green aspect.
For those in the know, an introduction would be redundant. But for those who aren’t, an introduction is a must – An introduction to GRIHA, or Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment. It is, essentially,
A point based voluntary scoring system to evaluate commercial, residential and institutional buildings on "green scale"
Is based on Indian codes, standards and best practices
Comprises an evaluation panel of eminent professionals
So what’s the big deal about a green building, in the first place? A green building is one that utilizes natural resources to a minimum during its construction and operation. It is evolved through a design process that requires all concerned –the architect and landscape designer and the air conditioning, electrical, plumbing, and energy consultants – to work as a team to address all aspects of building and system planning, design, construction, and operation. They critically evaluate the impacts of each design decision on the environment and arrive at viable solutions to minimize the negative impacts and enhance the positive impacts on the environment.
All right, so what’s the news? The news is that the Union Government of India has, in a landmark decision, made it mandatory for all new buildings of the Public Sector Undertakings and the government to seek new green rating norms in an effort to ensure energy efficiency and tackle climate change threats. Every government building, the law says, must get at least 3-star rating (on a scale of 1-5 stars) under the GRIHA scheme. And why not? The idea is to minimise demand for non-renewable resources and maximise utilization.
Take, for example, the Earth System & Environment Science Engineering Building, a research facility located in the Indian Institute of Technology Campus, Kanpur. The facility, as the name suggests, houses laboratories and other facilities for various disciplines of the environment sciences. The facility is nestled into the existing landscape. In siting the building, the natural course was left undisturbed. The architecture of the building has been designed around the existing vegetation, so as to not disturb the natural surroundings and fully grown.
The facility houses wet labs which are non-air-conditioned spaces on the ground floor and dry labs that are air-conditioned spaces on the first floor. Building design and envelope has been optimised through selection of appropriate wall and roof construction and through adoption of passive design measures after studying the sun path analysis to provide shading devices for windows and roof which would reduce energy demand to condition the spaces. This is probably the only existing building in India with a GRIHA rating of 5 stars, though there are several similar proposed projects, such as the Triburg Headquarters at Udyog Vihar in Gurgaon, Integrated Township in Kanyapur, Asansol, West Bengal, and the Office of Public Works Department, Nashik
Today, glass has an almost indispensable role to play in green architecture. Energy efficient glass is the need of the hour, given its unmatched features of optimum transparency that helps in day lighting of interiors, solar control & thermal insulation which cuts down the relative heat gain, and so on. To elaborate, glass can do the following wonders:
Day Lighting - The use of glass allows the penetration of adequate daylight and facilitates a reduction in power consumption.
Energy Efficiency - High performance glass helps control solar and thermal heat gain, thereby cutting down on air-conditioning expenses.
Recyclability – All architectural glass products are recyclable and qualify as “green” building material.
Recycled Content – The production of glass requires a minimum level of ‘cullet’ or broken glass in the Float Glass manufacturing process thereby by qualifying it as a material with high recycled content.
Acoustic Control – Certain types of architectural glass provide a high degree of acoustic comfort by obstructing the entry of sound from the exteriors of a building.
Blending Interiors with Exteriors – Facades made with reflective glass do not obstruct visibility from the inside.
Self Cleaning – The future belongs to environment friendly self-cleaning glass, a type of architectural glass that keeps itself clean and imparts a brilliant aesthetic effect to buildings.
Green architecture – GRIHA becoming law – Glass. Not just alliteration. A symphony, a necessity, a calling.
To say that Transparence 2009 was a success would be more than an understatement. It would be equivalent to attempting to throw some light on the sun.
28th December 2009, SRM University Campus, G.P Ganesan Auditorium. That’s where it all happened. Transparence blended in with the annual NASA Convention – organized at the same venue on the same day.
In this fourth edition, Transparence proved that it was much more than just an architecture design competition. What started off as a humble attempt to provide students of architecture a platform to showcase their talent, ended up as a lesson in architecture, hard work, innovation, creativity, perseverance and much more for everyone present. At Transparence this year, the students taught more than they learnt. It is well and truly said – Child is the Father of Man.
After a warm welcome and review of the regional rounds through an enjoyable audio-visual, the mentor of the event, Ar. Vidur Bharadwaj delivered an interesting speech. Without much ado, the jury was introduced and the presentations plunged into. Ar. SR Sikka, Ar. I. Zachariah and Ar. Christopher Beninger kindly consented to be the judges.
Eight teams – Two from each of the North, South, West and East regions – competed in the war that was Transparence. The sky was the limit; for a seemingly limitedly-scoped theme (“Ecotel” – an eco-friendly, green hotel building), the students sure came up with some outstanding ideas. Right from forms of nature to fairy tale-like la la lands, they had it all.
The winning concept was “Evolve with nature; nature’s impression in design; a design inspired by elements of nature”. The award was bagged by a team of three enthusiastic youngsters from Sir JJ College of Architecture, Mumbai. The runners up were the IIT Kharagpur team, which used water as the primary element of design conceptualization, mostly in terms of rainwater harvesting and optimum utilization of this life-giving substance. The first runner-up prize was bagged jointly by teams from IIT Roorkee and SAP Chennai, who worked on the concepts of “Bubbles” and “Eco-Village” respectively.
Renowned Architect Karan Grover stood out in the event through his brilliant presentation on Green Architecture, which comprised not just drab powerpoint slides but several videos, images and relevant examples that drove home every point he made.
Saint-Gobain Glass also took this opportunity to launch SGG Envision, its latest offering in architectural glass. Ar. CN Raghavendran did the launch honours.
The end of Transparence 2009 marked the beginning of Transparence 2010, the theme for which was duly unveiled and revealed to be “An International Convention Centre”, and Ar. Niteen Parulekar was proclaimed the mentor.
All in all, the Grand Finale of Transparence 2009 was a truly memorable affair.
After the Union Government, now the state governments, too, are making green buildings the law. Now the Maharashtra State Government has decided to make available incentives in the form of rationalization in property tax /electricity tariff and reduction in State taxes including VAT and Octroi on buildings adhering to green technology norms.
To achieve this, Maharashtra Government proposes to amend the Development Control Rules for the introduction of green building regulations initially in Mumbai Metropolitan City and later in tier II cities of the State. Under the proposed regulations, it will be mandatory for new buildings to use green technologies for recycling dry waste and drainage water, vermin-culture for treatment of wet waste,solarenergy and above all rainwater harvesting. The latest move drew an overwhelming response from various quarters including builders because it has come at a time when the City is reeling under acute water shortage and is destined to face power deficit in the near future.
Maharashtra is not the first state to take this desirable step. Such initiatives have already been initiated in several States including Delhi, West Bengal, Karnataka, Kerala and Rajasthan. But in the realty sector, Maharashtra will be the first to put such incentives on its radar in a more regulatory form.
According to reports emanating from the State, the Housing, Urban Development and Environment Department will hold a meeting very shortly to look into the various aspects of green building regulations and the implementation procedures in Mumbai and later in tier II cities. Brihan Mumbai Municipal Corporation through a notification has already asked developers of new buildings to go for rainwater harvesting system. The objective of the proposed green building regulations is to make all efforts to minimize the impact of climate change. At the same time doing so should not affect the Government’s target of affordable housing in Mumbai and other parts of the State.
All said and done, a step like this taken by the governments of these states is one in the right direction.
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is an internationally recognized green building certification system, providing third-party verification that a building or community was designed and built using strategies aimed at improving performance across all the metrics that matter most: energy savings, water efficiency, CO2 emissions reduction, improved indoor environmental quality, and stewardship of resources and sensitivity to their impacts.
Developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), LEED provides building owners and operators a concise framework for identifying and implementing practical and measurable green building design, construction, operations and maintenance solutions.
LEED is flexible enough to apply to all building types – commercial as well as residential. It works throughout the building lifecycle – design and construction, operations and maintenance, tenant fit out, and significant retrofit. And LEED for Neighborhood Development extends the benefits of LEED beyond the building footprint into the neighborhood it serves.
LEED was created to accomplish the following:
• Define "green building" by establishing a common standard of measurement
• Promote integrated, whole-building design practices
• Recognize environmental leadership in the building industry
• Stimulate green competition
• Raise consumer awareness of green building benefits
• Transform the building market
LEED is a voluntary certification program that can be applied to any building type and any building lifecycle phase. It promotes a whole-building approach to sustainability by recognizing performance in key areas:
1. Sustainable Sites
Choosing a building's site and managing that site during construction are important considerations for a project’s sustainability. The Sustainable Sites category discourages development on previously undeveloped land; minimizes a building's impact on ecosystems and waterways; encourages regionally appropriate landscaping; rewards smart transportation choices; controls storm water runoff; and reduces erosion, light pollution, heat island effect and construction-related pollution.
2. Water Efficiency
Buildings are major users of our potable water supply. The goal of the Water Efficiency credit category is to encourage smarter use of water, inside and out. Water reduction is typically achieved through more efficient appliances, fixtures and fittings inside and water-wise landscaping outside.
3. Energy & Atmosphere
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, buildings use 39% of the energy and 74% of the electricity produced each year in the United States. The Energy & Atmosphere category encourages a wide variety of energy strategies: commissioning; energy use monitoring; efficient design and construction; efficient appliances, systems and lighting; the use of renewable and clean sources of energy, generated on-site or off-site; and other innovative strategies.
4. Materials & Resources
During both the construction and operations phases, buildings generate a lot of waste and use a lot of materials and resources. This credit category encourages the selection of sustainably grown, harvested, produced and transported products and materials. It promotes the reduction of waste as well as reuse and recycling, and it takes into account the reduction of waste at a product’s source.
5. Indoor Environmental Quality
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that Americans spend about 90% of their time indoors, where the air quality can be significantly worse than outside. The Indoor Environmental Quality credit category promotes strategies that can improve indoor air as well as providing access to natural daylight and views and improving acoustics.
6. Locations & Linkages
The LEED for Homes rating system recognizes that much of a home's impact on the environment comes from where it is located and how it fits into its community. The Locations & Linkages credits encourage homes being built away from environmentally sensitive places and instead being built in infill, previously developed and other preferable sites. It rewards homes that are built near already-existing infrastructure, community resources and transit, and it encourages access to open space for walking, physical activity and time spent outdoors.
7. Awareness & Education
The LEED for Homes rating system acknowledges that a green home is only truly green if the people who live in it use the green features to maximum effect. The Awareness & Education credits encourage home builders and real estate professionals to provide homeowners, tenants and building managers with the education and tools they need to understand what makes their home green and how to make the most of those features.
8. Innovation in Design
The Innovation in Design credit category provides bonus points for projects that use new and innovative technologies and strategies to improve a building’s performance well beyond what is required by other LEED credits or in green building considerations that are not specifically addressed elsewhere in LEED. This credit category also rewards projects for including a LEED Accredited Professional on the team to ensure a holistic, integrated approach to the design and construction phase.
9. Regional Priority
USGBC’s regional councils, chapters and affiliates have identified the environmental concerns that are locally most important for every region of the country, and six LEED credits that address those local priorities were selected for each region. A project that earns a regional priority credit will earn one bonus point in addition to any points awarded for that credit. Up to four extra points can be earned in this way.
The Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) is an agency of the Government of India, under the Ministry of Power, created on 1st March 2002 under the provisions of the nation's 2001 Energy Conservation Act. The agency's function is to develop programs which will increase the conservation and efficient use of energy in India. The government has proposed to make it mandatory for all appliances in India to have ratings by the BEE starting January 2010.
The prime aim of BEE is to reduce energy consumption in the country and promote energy efficiency through various strategies and policies. The Bureau of Energy Efficiency also aims at organizing the energy efficiency services available and to develop mechanisms to offer these services. There are a number of organizations that are involved in the movement of energy conservation, and providing leadership to these movements is also under the agenda of BEE.
The BEE in India also has the responsibility of monitoring the effects of energy efficiency programs in different sectors of the country. It is also involved in the process of implementing the Energy Conservation Act and to design programs according to this Act. For this purpose, BEE encourages the private sector to work jointly with the public sector. It also ensures the delivery of different programs related to energy efficiency. For implementing all these programs, the Bureau takes help from different public as well as private organizations of the country.
Objectives
Provides a policy framework and direction to national energy conservation activities.
Coordinates policies and programmes on efficient use of energy with shareholders.
Establishes systems and procedures to verify, measure and monitor Energy Efficiency (EE) improvements.
Solicits multilateral, bilateral and private sector support to implement the EC Act 2001.
Demonstrates EE delivery systems through public-private partnerships.
The Bureau obtains inputs and expertise from private sector, non-governmental organisations, research institutions and technical agencies, both national and international, to achieve these objectives.
Mission
The mission of Bureau of Energy Efficiency is to 'institutionalize' energy efficiency services, enable delivery mechanisms in the country and provide leadership to energy efficiency in all sectors of the country. The primary objective would be to reduce energy intensity in the economy.
The broad objectives of BEE are as below:
To exert leadership and provide policy framework and direction to national energy conservation and efficiency efforts and programs.
To coordinate energy efficiency and conservation policies and programs and take it to the stakeholders.
To establish systems and procedures to measure, monitor and verify energy efficiency results in individual sectors as well as at a macro level.
To leverage multi-lateral and bi-lateral and private sector support in implementation of Energy Conservation Act and efficient use of energy and its conservation programs.
To demonstrate delivery of energy efficiency services as mandated in the EC bill through private-public partnerships.
To interpret, plan and manage energy conservation programs as envisaged in the Energy Conservation Act.
BEE trust areas include:
1. Indian Industry Programme for Energy Conservation
2. Demand Site Management
3. Standards and Labelling Programme
4. Energy Efficiency in Buildings and Establishments
5. Energy Conservation Building Codes
6. Professional Certification and Accreditation
7. Manuals and Codes
8. Energy Efficiency Policy Research Programme
9. School Education
10. Delivery Mechanisms for Energy Efficiency Services
Awards by BEE
NATIONAL ENERGY CONSERVATION AWARDS are given to selected Industrial units who have made systematic and serious attempts for efficient utilization and conservation of energy. Bureau of Energy Efficiency coordinates the Energy Conservation Awards scheme of the Ministry of Power. The Awards were given away for the first time in December 14, 1991.
The BEE Star Energy Efficiency Labels have been created to standardize the energy efficiency ratings of different electrical appliances and indicate energy consumption under standard test conditions. Thus we can also conserve the cost of electricity by switching to electrical appliances with BEE (Bureau of Energy Efficiency) label.
BEE Star Labels
These labels indicate the energy efficiency levels through the number of Stars highlighted in colour on the label. The BEE Star Labels include a Star Rating System that ranges from One Star (least energy efficient, thus least money saved) to Five Stars (most energy efficient, thus most money saved).
We can reduce your electricity bills and help India to increase the availability of electricity for more people, simply by buying Refrigerators, ACs & Tube lights that bear BEE’s Star-Rated Energy Efficiency Labels.
BEE in Automobiles
The Indian Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) recently proposed rating automobiles in the country on the basis of their energy efficiency. The proposal suggests charging a registration fee of Rs 2,000 per vehicle to rate the fuel efficiency of its engine and another Rs 1,000 to assess its energy consumption. Vehicles with the highest efficiency will get a 5-star rating and those with the lowest a single-star rating. The BEE plans to make this procedure mandatory after a few years.
Scheme for star rating office buildings
Energy audit studies in buildings have shown large potential for energy savings both in government and commercial office buildings. Study of the available data has shown that there is an urgent need for improved energy efficiency of buildings.
National commercial energy benchmarking initiatives was taken up with a goal to establish a framework to standardize energy data collection, baseline setting for “typical” commercial buildings, energy performance target setting and monitoring and use the information to improve energy efficiency in buildings. This information can help the user and other stakeholders to evaluate building energy efficiency and track improvements compared to other buildings and recognize the top performers.
The Star Rating Program for buildings would create a demand in the market for energy efficient buildings based on actual performance of the building in terms of specific energy use. This programme would rate office buildings on a 1-5 star scale with 5 star labelled building being the most efficient.
Five categories of buildings – Office buildings, hotels, hospitals, retail malls, and IT parks in five climate zones in the country have been identified for this programme.
Initially, the programme targets the following 3 climatic zones for air-conditioned and non-air conditioned office buildings.
a) warm and humid
b) composite
c) Hot and Dry
It will be subsequently extended to other climatic zones.
To apply for rating of office buildings, a standardized format is developed for collection of actual energy consumption; data required includes building’s built up area, conditioned and non-conditioned area, type of building in a day, climatic zone in which buildings is located, and other related information of the facility.
The technical committee constituted for Energy Base lining and benchmarking of commercial buildings chaired by Director General, Bureau of Energy Efficiency shall be the technical committee for the scheme.
The global manufacturer of building materials Saint-Gobain recently built the world’s first low energy playhouse in the centre of Copenhagen during the UN climate change conference. The house is beautifully and boldly designed by the famous architects at Arkitektfirmaet C.F. Møller.
Saint-Gobain is present in Copenhagen during the UN climate change conference – in a very special way. The world’s first low energy playhouse which is large enough to serve as an annexe in private gardens or yards was proudly built by Saint Gobain. This is happened in the very centre of Copenhagen, at the Højbro Plads square, just opposite the Danish parliament December 7-18, 2009. And it is as great a photo opportunity.
The new, unique concept, “Playhouse” has been developed by six Danish Saint-Gobain companies and the renowned architects at Arkitektfirmaet C.F. Møller. The house, which was approximately 3 x 4 meters, has 40 cm thick walls stuffed with highly effective Isover insulation and three large 3-layer windows panes from Scanglas – one of them in the roof. Inside, the house has been lined with impact resistant plasterboards from Gyproc and acoustic boards from Gyproc and Ecophon that secure a comfortable sound environment. The play house is full of happy kids!
The house has been so perfectly insulated that in principle one could heat with a handful of candle sticks. Simultaneously, the insulation and the windows prevent the house from being over heated during summer. The panes have different coatings depending on their direction – north, south and upwards. The diamond-shape of the house has a beautiful architectural effect, but it also prevents the hot summer sun to heat the house through the south window.
This is a playhouse, but big enough to function as a small guesthouse. On some days the house functions as a studio for the nationwide radio channel NOVA fm broadcasting live climate quiz and interviewing politicians and experts about the conference and CO2-reductions.
The house was a part of Saint-Gobain’s new, global “Habitat strategy” which among other things proclaims that the company is going to be a world leader in supplying materials to sustainable buildings. At the same time it is ushering a new and more close corporation among Danish Saint-Gobain companies.
The six Danish companies involved in the Playhouse project are: Isover (insulation), Scanglas (window panes), Saint-Gobain Glass (pane coatings), Gyproc (plasterboards), Ecophon (acoustic wall absorbents) and Vetrotech (fire protected glass).
Saint-Gobain Glass India (SGGI) has always championed the cause of not just socially responsible but also of environment-friendly business practices. In recent times, this fact has been reinforced by Saint-Gobain receiving 2 awards from Confederation of Indian Industries (CII):
National Award for Water Management as an Excellent Water-Efficient Unit•
National Award for Innovative Case Study for Water Management
Both these awards were received for the Saint-Gobain Glass India World Glass Complex located at Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu. The sprawling 177-acre facility showcases the Company’s commitment to investing in state of the art, world class manufacturing facilities whose hallmark is efficient as well as effective use of natural resources and energy. Indeed, sustainability and eco-friendliness is truly the company’s motto, given that their portfolio of glass products also caters to the needs of green architecture.
The Effort
The Integrated Quality, Environment, Occupational Health & Safety Policy of SGGI clearly brings out the company’s single-minded commitment to protecting the environment through a Consistent Monitoring, Continual Improvement and Environmental Risk Management process. The Integrated Management System certification obtained under QMS, EMS and OHSAS enshrines the above policy.
The following diagram illustrates the Water Management approach at SGGI:
The monitoring & reviewing of the Water Management process at SGGI is performed at all levels, right from the Shift Engineer to the Corporate Delegation.
The Results
All this effort has yielded significant and measurable result. The per capita consumption of water has come down from 140 litres/day in 2006-’07 to 85 litres/day in 2008-’09. Also on the decline is the generation of waste water - while 2006-’07 saw 92,652 kilolitres/day of waste water, 83,371 was the corresponding figure for 2008-’09.
Zero Water Discharge concepts is being applied whereby water is recycled and reused to the extent possible, beyond which it is put to non-industrial use as well. Over the 10 years of its existence, the SGGI World Glass Complex has nurtured 15,000 trees, 12 acres of lawn and 5 acres of foliage.
Awareness and consciousness towards the environment has also actively been spread by company representatives throughout the society; both to families, local communities as well as schoolchildren.
Environment, Health and Safety Initiatives have been taken for the local community as well. De-silting of local lakes, building of water channels and provision of water-efficient sanitation facilities are among these initiatives.
All in all, Water Management is a step in the right direction; a truly commendable and desirable effort on the part of Saint-Gobain Glass India.
GRIHA, an acronym for Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment, is the National Rating System of India. GRIHA is a Sanskrit word meaning – ‘Abode’. Human Habitats (Buildings) interact with the environment in various ways. Throughout their life cycles, from construction to operation and then demolition, they consume resources in the form of energy, water, materials, etc. and emit wastes either directly in the form of municipal wastes or indirectly as emissions from electricity generation. GRIHA attempts to minimize a building’s resource consumption, waste generation, and overall ecological impact to within certain nationally acceptable limits / benchmarks.
GRIHA attempts to quantify aspects such as energy consumption, waste generation, renewable energy adoption, etc. so as to manage, control and reduce the same to the best possible extent.
GRIHA is a rating tool that helps people assess the performance of their building against certain nationally acceptable benchmarks. It will evaluate the environmental performance of a building holistically over its entire life cycle, thereby providing a definitive standard for what constitutes a ‘green building’. The rating system, based on accepted energy and environmental principles, will seek to strike a balance between the established practices and emerging concepts, both national and international. The guidelines/criteria appraisal may be revised every three years to take into account the latest scientific developments during this period.
The Context and Development
Internationally, voluntary building rating systems have been instrumental in raising awareness and popularizing green design. However, most of the rating systems devised have been tailored to suit the building industry of the country where they were developed.
TERI took the responsibility of popularizing green building by developing a tool for measuring and rating a building's environmental performance in the context of India's varied climate and building practices.
This tool has been adopted by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy. This tool, by its qualitative and quantitative assessment criteria, is able to ‘rate’ a building on the degree of its ‘greenness’. The rating would be applied to new building stock of varied functions – commercial, institutional, and residential.
The challenges
The Indian building industry is highly de-centralized with people and/ or groups engaged in design, construction, equipment provision, installation, and renovation working together. Each group may be organized to some extent, but there is limited interaction among the groups, thus disabling the integrated green design and application process.
Hence, it is very important to define and quantify sustainable building practices and their benefits. It is also important to separate the role of different participants in ensuring that the building consumes minimal resources over its entire life cycle and leaves behind a minimal environmental footprint.
Basic features
The system has been developed to help ‘design and evaluate’ new buildings (buildings that are still at the inception stages). A building is assessed based on its predicted performance over its entire life cycle – inception through operation. The stages of the life cycle that have been identified for evaluation are:
Pre-construction stage (intra- and inter-site issues like proximity to public transport, type of soil, kind of land, where the property is located, the flora and fauna on the land before construction activity starts, the natural landscape and land features)
Building planning and construction stages (issues of resource conservation and reduction in resource demand, resource utilization efficiency, resource recovery and reuse, and provisions for occupant health and well being). The prime resources that are considered in this section are land, water, energy, air, and green cover.
Building operation and maintenance stage (issues of operation and maintenance of building systems and processes, monitoring and recording of energy consumption, and occupant health and well being, and also issues that affect the global and local environment.
The benefits
On a broader scale, this system, along with the activities and processes that lead up to it, will benefit the community at large with the improvement in the environment by reducing GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions, reducing energy consumption and the stress on natural resources.
Some of the benefits of a green design to a building owner, user, and the society as a whole are as follows:
Reduced energy consumption without sacrificing the comfort levels
Reduced destruction of natural areas, habitats, and biodiversity, and reduced soil loss from erosion etc.
Reduced air and water pollution (with direct health benefits)
Reduced water consumption
Limited waste generation due to recycling and reuse
Reduced pollution loads
Increased user productivity
Enhanced image and marketability
Rating System
GRIHA rating system consists of 34 criteria categorized under various sections such as Site Selection and Site Planning, Conservation and efficient utilization of resources, Building operation and maintenance, and Innovation points. Eight of these 34 criteria are mandatory, four are partly mandatory, while the rest are optional. Each criterion has a number of points assigned to it. It means that a project intending to meet the criterion would qualify for the points. Different levels of certification (one star to five stars) are awarded based on the number of points earned. The minimum points required for certification is 50.
The criteria have been categorised as follows:
1. Site planning
A) Conservation and efficient utilization of resources
Objective:
To maximize the conservation and utilisation of resources (land, water, natural habitat, avi fauna, and energy) conservation and enhance efficiency of the systems and operations.
Criteria 1: Site Selection:
Commitment:
Site plan should be in conformity to the Development Plan/Master Plan/UDPFI guidelines (mandatory). Site should be located within ½ km radius of an existing or planned and funded bus stops, commuter rail, light rail or metro station or the proposed site is a brownfield site (to rehabilitate damaged sites where development is complicated by environmental contamination, reducing pressure on undeveloped land).
POINT: 1 [Partly Mandatory]
Criteria 2: Preserve and protect the landscape during construction/compensatory depository forestation.
Commitment:
Proper timing of construction, preserve top soil and existing vegetation, staging and spill prevention, and erosion and sedimentation control. Replant, onsite, trees in the ratio 1:3 to those removed during construction.
Proper top soil laying and stabilization of the soil and maintenance of adequate fertility of the soil to support vegetative growth.
POINTS: 4
Criteria 4: Design to include existing site features.
Commitment:
Minimize the disruption of natural ecosystem and design to harness maximum benefits of the prevailing micro-climate.
POINTS: 2 [Mandatory]
Criteria 5: Reduce hard paving on-site and /or provide shaded hard- paved surfaces.
Commitment:
Minimize storm water run-off from site by reducing hard paving on site.
POINTS: 2 [Partly Mandatory]
Criteria 6: Enhance outdoor lighting system efficiency.
Commitment:
Meet minimum allowable luminous efficacy (as per lamp type) and make progressive use of a renewable energy -based lighting system.
POINTS: 3
Criteria 7: Plan utilities efficiently and optimize on-site circulation efficiency.
Commitment:
Minimize road and pedestrian walkway length by appropriate planning and provide aggregate corridors for utility lines.
POINTS: 3
B) Health and well being
Objectives:
To protect the health of construction workers and prevent pollution.
Criterion 8: Provide at least, the minimum level of sanitation/safety facilities for construction workers.
Commitment:
Ensure cleanliness of workplace with regard to the disposal of waste and effluent, provide clean drinking water and latrines and urinals as per applicable standard.
POINTS: 2 [Mandatory]
Criterion 9: Reduce air pollution during construction.
Commitment:
Ensure proper screening, covering stockpiles, covering brick and loads of dusty materials, wheel-washing facility, and water spraying.
POINTS: 2 [Mandatory]
2. Building planning and construction stage
A) Conservation and efficient utilization of resources
Objective:
To maximize resource (water, energy, and materials) conservation and enhance efficiency of the system and operations.
Water
Criterion 10: Reduce landscape water requirement.
Commitment:
Landscape using native species and reduce lawn areas while enhancing the irrigation efficiency, reduction in water requirement for landscaping purposes.
POINTS: 3
Criterion 11: Reduce building water use.
Commitment:
Reduce building water use by applying low-flow fixtures, etc.
POINTS: 2
Criterion 12: Efficient water use during construction.
Commitment:
Use materials such as pre-mixed concrete for preventing loss during mixing. Use recycled treated water and controls the waste of curing water.
POINT: 1
Energy: end use
Criterion 13: Optimise building design to reduce the conventional energy demand.
Commitment:
Plan appropriately to reflect climate responsiveness, adopt an adequate comfort range, less air-conditioned areas, daylighting, and avoid over-design of the lighting and air-conditioning systems.
POINTS: 6 [Mandatory]
Criterion 14 Optimise the energy performance of the building within specified comfort limits.
Commitment:
Ensure that energy consumption in building under a specified category is 10%–40% less than that benchmarked through a simulation exercise. Ensure that thermal comfort in non air conditioned spaces is within specified limits.
POINTS: 12
Energy: embodied and construction
Criterion 15: Utilization of fly ash in the building structure.
Commitment:
Use of fly ash for RCC (reinforced cement concrete) structures with in-fill walls and load bearing structures, mortar, and binders.
POINTS: 6
Criterion 16: Reduce volume, weight, and time of construction by adopting an efficient technology (e.g. pre-cast systems, ready-mix concrete, etc.).
Commitment:
Replace a part of the energy-intensive materials with less energy intensive materials and/or utilize regionally available materials, which use low energy/energy-efficient technologies.
POINTS: 4
Criterion 17: Use low-energy material in the interiors.
Commitment:
Minimum 70% in each of the three categories of interiors (internal partitions, panelling / false ceiling / interior wood finishes / in-built furniture door / window frames, flooring) from low energy materials/finishes to minimize the usage of wood.
POINTS: 4
Energy: renewable
Criterion 18: Renewable energy utilization.
Commitment:
Mandatory provide renewable energy system with capacity equivalent to 1% of connected load for lighting and space conditioning. Meet energy requirements for a minimum of 5% of the internal lighting load (for general lighting) or its equivalent from renewable energy sources (solar, wind, biomass, fuel cells, etc). Energy requirements will be calculated based on realistic assumptions which will be subject to verification during appraisal.
POINTS: 5 [Partly Mandatory]
Criterion 19: Renewable energy - based hot- water system.
Commitment:
Meet 20% or more of the annual energy required for heating water through renewable energy based water-heating systems.
POINTS: 3
B) Recycle, recharge, and reuse of water
Objective:
To promote the recycle and reuse of water.
Criterion 20: Waste- water treatment
Commitment:
Provide necessary treatment of water for achieving the desired concentration of effluents.
POINTS: 2
Criterion 21: Water recycle and reuse (including rainwater).
Commitment:
Provide wastewater treatment on-site for achieving prescribed concentration, rainwater harvesting, reuse of treated waste water and rainwater for meeting the building’s water and irrigation demand.
POINTS: 5
C. Waste management
Criterion 22: Reduction in waste during construction.
Commitment:
Ensure maximum resource recovery and safe disposal of wastes generated during construction and reduce the burden on landfill.
POINTS: 2
Criterion 23: Efficient waste segregation.
Commitment:
Use different coloured bins for collecting different categories of waste from the building.
POINTS: 2
Criterion 24: Storage and disposal of waste.
Commitment:
Allocate separate space for the collected waste before transferring it to the recycling/disposal stations.
POINTS: 2
Criterion 25: Resource recovery from waste.
Commitment:
Employ resource recovery systems for biodegradable waste as per the Solid Waste Management and handling Rules, 2000 of the MoEF. Make arrangements for recycling of waste through local dealers.
POINTS: 2
D. Health and well-being
Objective:
To ensure healthy indoor air quality, water quality, and noise levels, and reduce the global warming potential. Use of low-VOC (volatile organic compounds) paints/ adhesives / sealants.
Criterion 26: Use of low-VOC (volatile organic compounds) paints/ adhesives / sealants.
Commitment:
Use only low VOC paints in the interior of the building. Use water – based rather than solvent based sealants and adhesives.
Employ 100% zero ODP (ozone depletion potential) insulation; HCFC (hydro chlorofluorocarbon)/ and CFC (chlorofluorocarbon) free HVAC and refrigeration equipments and / halon-free fire suppression and fire extinguishing systems.
POINTS: 3 [Mandatory]
Criterion 28: Ensure water quality.
Commitment:
Ensure groundwater and municipal water meet the water quality norms as prescribed in the Indian Standards for various applications (Indian Standards for drinking [IS 10500-1991], irrigation applications [IS 11624-1986]. In case the water quality cannot be ensured, provide necessary treatment of raw water for achieving the desired concentration for various applications.
POINTS: 2 [Mandatory]
Criterion 29: Acceptable outdoor and indoor noise levels.
Commitment:
Ensure outdoor noise level conforms to the Central Pollution Control Board–Environmental Standards–Noise (ambient standards) and indoor noise level conforms to the National Building Code of India, 2005, Bureau of Indian Standards, Part 8–Building Services; Section 4–Acoustics, sound insulation, and noise control.
POINTS: 2
Criterion 30: Tobacco and smoke control.
Commitment:
Zero exposure to tobacco smoke for non-smokers, and exclusive ventilation for smoking rooms.
POINTS: 1
Criterion 31 Universal accessibility
Commitment:
To ensure accessibility and usability of the building and its facilities by employees, visitors and clients with disabilities
POINTS: 1
3. Building operation and maintenance
Objective
Validate and maintain ‘green’ performance levels/adopt and propagate green practices and concepts.
Criterion 32: Energy audit and validation.
Commitment:
Energy audit report to be prepared by approved auditors of the Bureau of Energy Efficiency, Government of India.
POINTS: Mandatory
Criterion 33: Operation and maintenance protocol for electrical and mechanical equipment.
Commitment:
Ensure the inclusion of a specific clause in the contract document for the commissioning of all electrical and mechanical systems to be maintained by the owner, supplier, or operator. Provide a core facility/service management group, if applicable, which will be responsible for the operation and maintenance of the building and the electrical and mechanical systems after the commissioning. Owner/ builder/ occupants/ service or facility management group to prepare a fully documented operations and maintenance manual, CD, multimedia or an information brochure listing the best practices/do’s and don’ts/maintenance requirements for the building and the electrical and mechanical systems along with the names and addresses of the manufacturers/suppliers of the respective system.
POINTS: 2 [Mandatory]
4. Innovation
Criterion 34: Innovation points.
Four innovation points are available under the rating system for adopting criteria which enhance the green intent of a project, and the applicant can apply for the bonus points. Some of the probable points, not restricted to the ones enumerated below, could be
1. Alternative transportation
2. Environmental education
3. Company policy on green supply chain
4. Life cycle cost analysis
5. Any other criteria proposed by applicant
POINTS: 4 [Beyond 100 points]
Scoring points for GRIHA
GRIHA is a guiding and performance-oriented system where points are earned for meeting the design and performance intent of the criteria. Each criterion has a number of points assigned to it. It means that a project intending to meet the criterion would qualify for the points.
GRIHA has a 100 point system consisting of some core points, which are mandatory to be met while the rest are optional points, which can be earned by complying with the commitment of the criterion for which the point is allocated. Different levels of certification (one star to five stars) are awarded based on the number of points earned. The minimum points required for certification is 50. Buildings scoring 50 to 60 points, 61 to 70 points, 71 to 80 points, and 81 to 90 points will get one star, ‘two stars’, ‘three stars’ and ‘four stars’ respectively. A building scoring 91 to 100 points will get the maximum rating viz. five stars.
LEED points are awarded on a 100-point scale, and credits are weighted to reflect their potential environmental impacts. Additionally, 10 bonus credits are available, four of which address regionally specific environmental issues. A project must satisfy all prerequisites and earn a minimum number of points to be certified.
In LEED 2009 there are 100 possible base points plus an additional 6 points for Innovation in Design and 4 points for Regional Priority. Buildings can qualify for four levels of certification:
USGBC LEED 2009 (v3):
Certified
40-49 points
Silver
50-59 points
Gold
60-79 points
Platinum
80 points and above
Note that the LEED for Homes rating system is much different than LEED v3, with different point categories and thresholds that reward efficient residential design
USGBC LEED v2.2:
In LEED v2.2 for new construction and major renovations for commercial buildings there are 69 possible points and buildings can qualify for four levels of certification:
The Energy Conservation Building Code (ECBC), launched on 28 June 2007, is a document that specifies the energy performance requirements for all commercial buildings that are to be constructed in India. The code is mandatory for commercial buildings or building complexes that have a connected load of 500 kW or greater or a contract demand of 600 KVA or greater. The code is also applicable to all buildings with a conditioned floor area of 1,000 m2 (10,000 ft2) or greater.
The ECBC has been developed by India’s Bureau of Energy Efficiency, and is mandated by the Energy Conservation Act, 2001, passed by the Indian Parliament in September 2001.
ECBC is a set minimum energy efficiency standards for design and construction. ECBC encourage energy efficient design or retrofit of buildings so that it does not constrain the building function, comfort, health, or the productivity of the occupants and also have appropriate regard for economic considerations (life cycle costs i.e. construction + energy costs are minimized).
BEE would take suitable steps to prescribe guidelines for energy conservation building codes. Central Government can prescribe energy conservation building codes, and direct owners/occupiers to comply with them. State Government can modify the code in response to local climate conditions. ECBC provides a platform for the Broad stakeholders such as Building Industry, manufactures, professionals, Government Agencies etc to participate. ECBC addresses local design conditions and construction practices. It also emphasis on maximizing building envelope benefits – to encourage better designs.
ECBC defines the norms of energy requirement per sq. metre of area and takes into consideration the climatic region of the country, where the building is located. Norms have been developed to cater to 5 different climatic zones in India such as composite, hot and dry, warm and humid, moderate and cold.
The energy from the rays of the sun that can be converted to usable heat and electricity is referred to as solar energy. Solar energy is power derived from the rays of the sun. It is considered to be one, if not the most, environmentally friendly source of energy that can be used on earth. This solar energy can be converted into some other forms of energy and can be used for various applications. Solar panels harvest sunlight and actively convert it to electricity.
Using solar panels is a great way to generate clean and renewable electricity from solar energy to power remote appliances, or even the average home. Having a solar panel energy system can be a great thing because it will allow you to save money on your energy costs. It can be very expensive to heat or cool your house so having a way to use the sun's energy can be very beneficial. Most of the things about using solar energy are positive except in some cases the cost can be expensive. Solar energy is used to reduce global warming at the same time saves lots of money.
Residential solar panels
Residential solar panels continue to be one of the largest trends in green building and energy conservation. Solar panels are quickly becoming one of the most affordable ways to lower utility costs for the homeowner.
Homes connected to the utility electrical grid are known as grid-tied homes or on-the-grid systems, while off-grid homes rely on batteries and need to be a safe distance from power lines. Most homeowners choose to work on the grid due to the added security from the utility company.
Residential solar energy systems still function on cloudy days by drawing upon backup electricity from the utility company (for on-the-grid systems), and the same is true during night hours. For off-the-grid systems, the panels are usually connected to a battery storage system as the backup power source and will extract energy if there is a deficiency that day.
Solar Cells
Solar panels are made up of number of solar cells. Solar Cells, or photovoltaic cells, are arranged in a grid-like pattern on the surface of the solar panel. These solar voltaic cells collect sunlight during the daylight hours and covert it into electricity. Sometimes the term solar cell is reserved for devices intended specifically to capture energy from sunlight, while the term photovoltaic cell is used when the light source is unspecified. The field of research related to solar cells is known as photo voltaic.
Solar electric panels contain many photovoltaic cells electrically connected and packaged behind glass for mechanical protection and electrical insulation. The modules are usually connected together in an array and with other components such as a mounting frame and an electrical inverter (for on grid) or a charge controller and batteries (for off grid).
In addition to solar panels, a photovoltaic (PV) system requires a mounting structure to tilt panels toward the sun, an inverter to convert panel-generated direct current (DC) into appliance-friendly alternating current (AC), battery storage to compensate for unfavourable weather conditions, and a charge controller to regulate battery operation.
Two Forms of solar cells
There are two main forms of solar cells in existence today, and these are; "solar electricity panels" and "solar hot water panels". The two different technologies allow us to either generate electricity for our homes or to heat the water we use.
The combination of a solar hot water panel with other renewable energy technologies, such as solar panels, or a home wind turbine can work quite well together in providing a source of cheap, clean, and renewable energy for our homes.
Solar Panel
Solar panels consist of modules that contain solar cells and convert sunlight into direct current (DC) electricity. An inverter within the panel converts the DC power into alternating current (AC) electricity that is used to heat and cool the home, and also operate any home appliance or device.
Solar Panels are a form of active solar power. The term solar panel is used to describe two completely different technologies, both of which generate energy from sunlight, and both of which are packaged in the form of panels:
a photovoltaic module is used to generate electricity
a solar thermal collector is used to generate heat (generally hot water)
Solar panels are typically constructed with crystalline silicon, which is used in other industries (such as the microprocessor industry), and the more expensive gallium arsenide, which is produced exclusively for use in photovoltaic (solar) cells.
Other, more efficient solar panels are assembled by depositing amorphous silicon alloy in a continuous roll-to-roll process. The solar cells created from this process are called Amorphous Silicon Solar Cells, or A-si. Solar Panels constructed using amorphous silicon technology is more durable, efficient, and thinner than their crystalline counterparts
For very important solar projects, such as space probes that have to rely on solar energy, very-high efficiency solar cells are constructed from gallium arsenide by a process called molecular beam epitaxy. Solar cells constructed by this process have several p-n junction diodes, each designed to be maximally efficient at absorbing a given part of the solar spectrum. These solar panels are much more efficient than conventional types, but the process and materials involved make them far too expensive for everyday applications.
The newest solar panels function on the molecular or quantum level, and represent an exciting new technology coming into play. These solar panels are created by implanting carbon nanotubes or quantum dots into a treated plastic. Unlike silicon-based solar panels, these solar panels do not have to be constructed in a clean room, and therefore production costs are somewhat diminished.
Power production
In direct sunlight at the surface of the equator, a maximally efficient photovoltaic cell about 1/5m in diameter creates a current of approximately 2 amps at 2 volts, however, due to the Earth's atmospheric interference, terran solar panels will never perform as well as solar panels exposed directly to the sun's rays.
Solar hot water panel
Solar hot water panels are a means to harness the sun's energy in a unique way. Like traditional solar panels, solar hot water panels are placed in direct sunlight, oftentimes arrayed on rooftops. A solar hot water array often referred to as a solar hot water heater, uses the energy from the sun to heat a fluid, which is in turn used to move heat generated in the array to a heat storage vessel. The process starts by heating a body of sanitized water and storing it in a hot water cylinder. Next, solar hot water panels would be installed on the rooftop, each with a darkly-coated absorber plate complete with water circulation tubes.
The tubes carry the heated water from the solar water heater to a place where it can be used or stored. A heat exchanger released heat and circulates the cooled water back to the solar hot water array to be reheated. This cycle of heating, energy utilization, and cooling is begun anew with each sunrise and lasts throughout the day for the effective life of the solar hot water heater. These arrays are especially useful for businesses that utilize large quantities of hot water, such as the pictured Laundromat.
Solar hot water heaters are composed of a several hot water panel units, and can be fully automated systems.
Being a heavy user of fossil fuels, China contributes greatly to pollution and ozone layer destruction. 70% of China’s needs are met by fossil fuels; however, in recent times the country has taken some steps towards environment preservation by relying on wind and solar power as sources of energy.
A vast fan-shaped roof of an 800,000 square-foot facility located in China has officially taken the title of “largest solar-powered office building in the world“. It is situated in Dezhou, Shangdong Province in northwest China. This world's largest solar energy office building was opened on November 27, 2009. Its semi-circular, dial-shaped roofsare covered with solar panels. The building covers an area of 75,000-square-meter. The office building is modelled after the sun dial structure.
The design of the new building is based on the sun dial and “underlines the urgency of seeking renewable energy sources to replace fossil fuels.” Conservation of steel was carefully considered through construction and the building is primarily white, which both symbolizes clean energy and reflects solar radiation back to the atmosphere rather than absorbing it as unwanted heat.
The building provides many services such as space for exhibition centres, scientific research facilities, meeting and training facilities and a sustainable hotel. This building is named as the Sun and the Moon Altar micro-row buildings. The architecture included the Chinese characters for sun and moon. It'll be a showcase of solar design, solar desalination, and, of course, about 50,000 square-feet of solar panels on the exterior.
Aside from the obvious sustainable nature of the solarpanel – clad exterior, other green features include advanced roof and wall insulation practices resulting in an energy savings of 30% more than the national standard. In addition, the external part of the construction makes use of about 1 percent of the amount of steel that was used to build the famous Olympic Stadium, Bird's Nest.
This centrepiece of the $22 billion development–the world’s first sustainable city–will be a 1.4 million square-foot solar building that is energy positive; that is, it will actually produce more power than it needs. This energy efficient building will procure 95% of its energy needs from alternative energy sources. This building also has the facilities of solar hot water and a solar energy theme park.
The building's ground-breaking solar energy and power-saving technologies, some of which have already been patented, include a number of technical advances that will push forward the mass applicationof solar energy. Its extraordinary profile and cutting edge, symbolic design has already made it a local as well a national and international landmark.
Renewable Energy is now playing a vital role in providing clean energy solutions. Being a tropical country, India is blessed with an enormous amount of solar energy, both in terms of heat and light, throughout the year. The Government of India has already started focussing its attention towards the development and deployment of renewable energy systems and devices including solar energy in the country through the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy.
Solar energy in broad terms can be harnessed through two routes: Solar Thermal and Solar Photovoltaic. The Solar Thermalroute has applications such as water heating, air heating, cooking, drying of agricultural and food products, distillation of water, water purification, detoxification of wastes, cooling and refrigeration, process heat for industry, steam generation for cooking and electricity generation.
Through the Solar Photovoltaic route, solar lights, solar pumps, solar road studs, solar blinkers, solar power plants for villages, telecommunication systems, energy for computers, solar power for schools and hostels, battery charging, railway signalling etc can be powered.
The designing of energy efficient buildings based on solar passive architecture along with energy efficiency measures is also an upcoming activity. Most of these systems & devices have been developed in India through Research & Development and demonstration programmes.
Solar Energy Conclave 2010
Recently, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) along with Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) organized a 'Solar Energy Conclave 2010' which provided a common platform to share the experience of various stake-holders including the NRI's in promotion of Solar Energy in India and making the National Solar Mission targets, a reality.
The main objective of the event was to showcase the opportunities and the potential of solar energy development in the country. With the launching of National Solar Mission, India was set to harness its huge solar potential. At that juncture the conclave provided a common ground for Non-Resident Indians (NRI's) and Indian stakeholders to join hands for making the National Solar Mission a success and facilitate further expansion.
National Solar Mission inaugurated by PM Dr. Manmohan Singh
India’s Prime Minster Dr. Manmohan Singh inaugurated the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission on 11th January 2010 at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi at the Solar Energy Conclave 2010. The Mission was launched under the brand name ‘Solar India’. While launching he said its success could transform India’s energy prospects.
Speaking on the occasion, the Prime Minister said that this National Solar Mission has the pride of place in India’s National Action Plan on Climate Change. Its success has the potential of transforming India’s energy prospects, and contributing to national as well as global efforts to combat climate change. This Mission is one of the major priorities of the second term of our government. He congratulate Dr. Abdullah and the other colleagues particularly Shri Shyam Saran, for the work they have done in bringing this to fruition.
He said that the target of 20,000 MW of solar generating capacity by the end of the 13th Five Year Plan is an ambitious target but he believes that the target is doable and that everyone should work single-mindedly to achieve it as priority national endeavour.
The carefully crafted regulatory and incentive framework that has been unveiled today has several innovative features. We expect that it will lead to a rapid scale up of capacity. This will encourage technological innovation and generate economies of scale, thereby leading to a steady lowering of costs. Once parity with conventional power tariff is achieved, there will be no technological or economic constraint to the rapid and large-scale expansion of solar power thereafter, he said.
He hoped that the mission would also establish India as a global leader in solar energy, not just in power generation but in manufacturing and technology.
He also said-It was the vision of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru that enabled India to create world-class scientific and technological capacities in the field of atomic energy and space sectors. Solar energy can also be the next scientific and technological frontier in India after Atomic Energy, Space and Information Technology.
“If the ambitious roll out of the Mission is to become a reality, we will have to create many ‘Solar Valleys’ on the lines of the Silicon Valleys that are spurring our IT industry across the four corners of our country. These valleys will become hubs for solar science, engineering and research, fabrication and manufacturing,” he added. He urged industry to see the mission as a huge business opportunity.
In his concluding remarks he said that “The Sun has long been recognized as a primal source of all energy on earth. In an ancient civilization like India, the Sun has been worshipped as the God who bestows life and sustains it. The bounty of the Sun is truly inexhaustible, renewable and free. It is to this source of energy that humankind must turn to meet the twin challenge of energy security and climate change. I wish the Jawaharlal Nehru Solar Mission every success.”
Dr. Farooq Abdullah on the Solar Energy Conclave 2010
Dr. Farooq Abdullah said India plans to install 20 million solar lights and 20 million square metres of solar panel to generate 20,000 MW by 2022 as part of the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission, Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy.
Farooq Abdullah, in his note address “By 2022, we aim to install 20 million square metres of solar thermal collectors and save 7,500 MW power generation capacity,” he said at the launch of the mission here. “We want 20 million solar lights to be installed by 2022, which would result in a saving of one billion litres of kerosene every year.”
“In the next three years, India plans to add 1,300 MW of solar power, of which 1,100 MW will be grid-connected and 200 MW will be off-grid. This is our first benchmark. If we achieve this, achieving the remaining target will not be impossible. A huge constraint in the commercial use of solar energy has been its cost. Today, the initial cost of solar energy is very high, especially for grid power generation. We aim to bring down the cost as quickly as possible,” Dr. Abdullah added.
Attendees of Solar Energy Conclave 2010
Non-Resident Indian Professionals.
Technology leaders - researchers, scientists and engineers.
Industry leaders -manufacturers, system integrators, financial and insurance services providers, investors, entrepreneurs and analysts.
Academic leaders - professors, teachers, university and school facilities managers.
Government leaders - policy-makers and utility representatives.
Future leaders - students, green builders and homeowners.
Benefits
Better understanding of mutual need and strengths.
Exposure to state of art technologies.
Sharing of experience.
Technology and research & Development Collaborations.
Renewable Energy (RE) is now making a noticeable impact especially in the lives of rural masses. Simultaneously though, its use for urban and semi-urban applications is also growing by the day. The Indian RE programme was amongst the first few such programmes to shape up globally. Since then, it has assumed respectable market leadership position in a few areas more so in wind energy and solar energy. Increasing usability of the Renewable energy leads to the establishment of RE relevant fraternities.
The Solar Energy of India (SESI), established in 1976, and having its Secretariat in New Delhi, is the Indian Section of the International Solar Energy Society (ISES). SESI is a multi-faceted national membership organization. With its long history and extensive technical and scientific expertise provided by its members, the Society is a modern, future oriented non-governmental organization (NGO). SESI has been serving the needs of the renewable energy community and the Society supports its members in the advancement of renewable energy technological, implementation and education.
Objectives
The objectives of SESI are to advance, promote & propagate the use of all forms of renewable energy by encouraging basic and applied research in renewable energy. Its interests cover all aspects of renewable energy, including characteristics, effects and methods of use, and it provides a common ground to all those concerned with the nature and utilization of this renewable non-polluting resource.
The Society is interdisciplinary in nature, with most of the leading energy researchers and manufacturers of renewable energy systems and devices of the country as its members. High academic attainments are not a prerequisite for membership and any person engaged in research, development or utilization of renewable energy or in fields related to renewable energy and interested in the promotion of renewable energy utilization can become a member of the society.
Functions
To encourage the use and acceptance of Renewable Energy technologies.
To realize a national community of industry, individuals and institutions in support of Renewable Energy.
To create and distribute publications for various target groups to support the dissemination of renewable energy technologies.
To bring together industry, science and politics in workshops, conferences and summits on Renewable Energy.
To advise governments and organizations in policy, implementation and sustainability of Renewable Energy activities in India.
Activities
Collecting, compiling, and disseminating information relating to renewable energy.
Organizing seminars and conferences, by publishing books, memoirs, journals and proceedings in the field of renewable energy.
Instituting awards.
Establishing formal education curriculum in collaboration with other institutions.
Establishing renewable Energy Centres in collaboration with corporates, NGOs, Foundations, individuals and government bodies
Collaborating and co-operating with other scientific societies, institutions, and academies in the country and abroad for research, development, and furtherance of renewable energy utilization.
Expanding the existing membership base.
Interaction with the International Solar Energy Society for possible initiation of any joint activities.
Recognition of the leading lights of the day in the entire area of RE.
Hosting of an International Conference on Renewable Energy better known as ICORE annually.
Conducts the meetings of SESI Governing Council & Annual General Meetings of SESI Members.
Members of SESI
SESI has presently 2000 members consisting of (1) Life Members, (2) Student Members,(3) Organizational Members, (4) Fellows and (5) Patrons. SESI has regional chapters located in Guwahati (North-Eastern Chapter), Kolkata (Eastern Chapter), Andhra Pradesh and local chapters in Pondicherry and Coimbatore.
Administration
The affairs and property of the society are administered by its Governing Council consisting of 20 members including the President, six Vice Presidents, Secretary, Treasurer, and 11 members of whom one shall be the immediate past-President (ex-officio). The council meets two or three times in a year. Day-to-day administration is provided by the Society Secretariat. Regions in which sufficient interest exists, regional or local chapters of the Society have been/can be established. The Annual meeting of the members is held at the time of its Annual Convention.
SESI Journal
SESI Journal publishes original contributions on all the aspects of renewable energy including basic science, technology, policy, economics, extension and field monitoring issues. It contains research papers, technical notes, short communications, book reviews, letters to the authors, reports of conferences and meetings etc. SESI Journal will be useful to graduates, postgraduates, researchers and professionals working in different areas of renewable energy.
Saint-Gobain Abrasives aims to be a global steward of Sustainable Development. Saint-Gobain Abrasives recognize the importance of protecting the environment in the communities they live and work and encourage all employees to act accordingly to reduce the carbon footprint.
Recently in North America, Saint-Gobain Abrasives has inaugurated the “Green Tag” program to promote the Group’s environmental commitment. The Goal of this “Green Tag” is simple. Any environmentally-friendly product, process or tool may be identified by a “Green Tag” label, indicating its ecological benefits: an effective way to show customers the environmental progress made by Saint-Gobain.
This recent implementation of a new program, GreenTag, will further develop the evaluation of policies, procedures and improvements in operations, through products, purchasing and production at Saint-Gobain. How the company presents its corporate identity and ongoing actions of eco-consciousness sends a strong message on its commitment to safe practices and the dependability of their brands.
Leona Fleischmann, Director of Marketing Communications for Saint-Gobain Abrasives in North America said, “With the growing focus on eco responsibility, having this mark shows our support of greener ways in product designs, processes and end-user uses that make a measurable, positive impact on the environment. The goal was to keep it simple, distinctive and specific. The development of Green Tag creates a marketing platform to “tag” / promote initiatives associated to the manufacture and/or use of product(s) that help protect the environment.”
The e2010 program, aimed at saving 31 million sheets of paper used in printing electronic communications, is one of the “Green Tag” initiatives.
Not only “Green Tag”, Saint-Gobain Abrasives are also carrying out many environmental actions such as actively engaging in recycling and ISO programs and have won numerous awards, including the 1998 American Eagle Award from the ASMMA for the best recycling program among national manufacturers. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency also awarded Saint-Gobain with the 2009 Energy Star Partner of the Year Award.
ISHRAE, the "Indian Society of Heating, Refrigerating & Air-conditioning Engineers" was founded in 1981 in New Delhi by a group of eminent HVAC&R professionals. Between 1989 & 1993, ISHRAE Chapters were formed in all major cities in India and also in the Middle East. ISHRAE has grown rapidly and now has more than 3000 HVAC&R professionals as members in 11 chapters in India and abroad. The Delhi Chapter is the first and the oldest of the constituent chapters of ISHRAE and has about 700 members.
Organizing successful international and national exhibitions is one of ISHRAE’s major activities. Its primary objective is to further the arts and sciences of heating, refrigerating and air-conditioning. ISHRAE has successfully organized more than ten exhibitions out of which four have been in New Delhi.
ISHRAE is an associate of ASHRAE(American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-conditioning Engineers). ISHRAE Foundation Trust was formed in 1995, mainly to consolidate the Society's resources and to channel them towards projects necessary for achievement of Aims and Objectives, as listed below.
Aims and Objectives
Advancement in Heating, Refrigerating and Air-conditioning Engineering and related Sciences.
Education of interested persons in said sciences through lectures, demonstrations and publications.
Rendition of Career Guidance and Financial Assistance to students of said Sciences.
Encouragement of Scientific Research.
To establish facilities for testing, rating, certification of air-conditioning, refrigeration, and allied equipment and systems.
To offer consultancy services in the areas of Education and Training in said sciences.
To disseminate and make available to the Government, Industry, and General Public information relating to said sciences through papers, reports and periodic publications.
Priority Areas
Training
ISHRAE has recognised that training technical personnel is the single most important need at present, to improve the quality of HVAC & R work and raise it to meet ever-increasing customer expectations. It has also been felt that the existing manpower needs continuing education to equip them with the latest technology. This has become particularly relevant in the wake of globalisation of the Indian economy. Several industry leaders have also strongly expressed the need for such training.
Testing, Rating & Certification of Equipment and Devices
The last few years have seen a surge in manufacturing of both - major equipment as well as ancillaries and devices in the HVAC&R Industry. This has given rise to a need for a facility which will undertake testing, and will develop ratings which will help the industry establish reliable ratings and encourage development work.
Advisory Council
In addition to the Board of Trustees, an Advisory Council consisting of eminent persons in the fields of Air-Conditioning, Refrigeration and Allied fields, are to be formed to deliberate on the activities of the foundation.
Sustainable Development
ACREX INDIA 2010, which is Asia’s largest International Exhibition and Conference catering to Air Conditioning, Refrigeration, Ventilation & Building Services Industry is organised by ISHRAE, endorsed by ASHRAE and supported by the Indian Green Building Council, the Bureau of Energy Efficiency, and the Refrigeration & Air-conditioning Manufacturers Association amongst others.
ACREX INDIA 2010 was held at the Bombay Exhibition Centre from 17th - 20th February and brought together leading companies and technologies that focussed on energy efficiency, indoor air quality, and innovation in and products and services that are green and sustainable.
Solar Energy for Air-conditioning was featured by Mamata Energy of Ahmedabad
The Indian Green Building Council (CII organization) and the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (Govt. of India) were both supporting agencies that influence the development of the Industry and its products.
ASHRAE (The American Society, with 55 000 members) endorsed ACREX for the 1st time with an active contribution to Workshops, Seminars and overall Promotion
With substantial overseas participation, ACREX demonstrated India as a prime market for efficient products
The event was produced professionally by UBM, a leading International Media and Exhibition Company
Workshop for BEE Energy Star
A Half day workshop on “Workshop for BEE Energy Star Labelling and Energy Efficiency Improvement in Buildings‟ has been organised by ISHRAE.
BEE Star labelling program for buildings has recently been launched by Bureau of Energy Efficiency, New Delhi, for evaluating the energy performance of buildings. There was a provision of issuing “Energy star labels" to buildings as per their energy efficiency, similar to the energy star labels for home appliances (e.g. air-conditioners, tube-lights). Energy audit studies in buildings have shown large potential for energy savings both in government and commercial office buildings.
KOCHI: Incorporating energy-efficiency measures in buildings has the potential to save up to 50 per cent energy, since buildings are responsible for 40 per cent of the total greenhouse gas emissions.
For existing buildings, the savings potential through alterations and energy-efficient fittings is between 20 and 25 per cent. Even non air-conditioned buildings can go green, by making optimal use of wind and daylight and by adopting other environment-friendly measures. These were stated at ‘Go Green' – a seminar-cum-exhibition on green buildings, organised here on Friday by the Rotary Club of Thripunithura and KREEPA, as part of their Akshaya Vikas Project.
Making a presentation, Siva Kishan, chief executive officer of GRIHA – Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment (which is the national rating system for green buildings), said the Energy Conservation Building Code regulates the usage of power in new buildings. “Green-rating mechanisms have been able to sensitise the construction industry to the benefits of integrated design and resource efficiency, from both the economic and environmental perspective. A rating system for India must respond to the country's diversity and help develop sensible solutions relevant to different building projects.”
In her presentation on ‘Green buildings – the potential to earn carbon credits,' Mayurika Chakraborthy, senior consultant with Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu India, said that less power consumption for lighting, air-conditioning, etc., would mean lesser usage of electricity from the thermal-power dominated power grid. “This in turn means an equivalent reduction in the amount of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide that are released from fossil fuels. This makes a green building eligible to earn carbon credits.”
Guruprakash Sastry, manager (Green Initiatives) of Infosys, said the IT firm has been aggressively going ahead with its plan to design all its buildings as green buildings, to optimise energy performance and occupant comfort. “Sustainable buildings and saving every percentage of electricity and water make business sense and reduces expenses, especially when the annual electricity bills exceed Rs.120 crore and the water consumption is over 3 billion litres.”
Quoting Winston Churchill, Sathiaram Ram of IGBC, Hyderabad, said, “We shape our buildings. Thereafter, they shape us.” Buildings consume more energy than industry and vehicles. The green concept must become part of society's DNA. Even a 100-sq ft building can make a difference in shaping a better world. The intangible benefits of green buildings include better working/living atmosphere, he said and cited how a 20,000 sq ft green building saved Rs.9 lakh a year.
“India also has a great opportunity to export green-building technologies. Already, India has 508 green buildings spread over 358 million square ft area,” Mr. Ram said.
“ENERGY STAR® Partner of the Year” -- the highest award presented to participating organizations by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) -- has been bagged by Saint-Gobain for outstanding energy management and reductions in greenhouse gas emissions for the second year in a row.
Saint-Gobain's accomplishments will be recognized at an awards ceremony in Washington, DC, on March 18, 2010. No other manufacturer of glasscontainers or fibre glass insulation has ever received the Partner of the Year award.
According to the announcement, through a wide range of energy-awareness programs, process improvements and energy management practices in 2009, Saint-Gobain businesses in North America were able to reduce their energy usage by 2.2 percent--equivalent to the amount of energy needed to make nearly 486 million glass bottles or enough fiber glass insulation for more than 100,000 typical U.S. homes. The company's energy-use reduction equalled a reduction in carbon dioxide emissions of more than 70,000 tons last year.
"We're very proud of the contributions made by employees throughout our organization which made this award possible," says Gilles Colas, general delegate for Saint-Gobain in North America. "As the world leader in building materials, energy efficiency is central to our 'habitat' business strategy. This is demonstrated in our strong focus on sustainable development and environmental responsibility in the products we supply and in our manufacturing processes. The Partner of the Year Award underscores our commitment to limiting the environmental impact of our manufacturing processes and protecting the health of the communities where we live and work."
"Saint-Gobain is leading the fight against climate change through greater energy efficiency," says Gina McCarthy, EPA Assistant Administrator for Air and Radiation. "Saint-Gobain's robust energy management program is a model for others and affirms that energy efficiency is our most cost-effective climate strategy."
The 2010 Partner of the Year Awards recognize efforts to use energy efficiently in facility operations and to integrate superior energy management into overall organizational strategy. Award winners are selected from more than 17,000 organizations that participate in the ENERGY STAR program.
In keeping with our endeavour to bring you the best in information about glass and its uses, we are proud to announce that Mr. S. Srinivas, IGBC & LEED Accredited Professional and Principal Counsellor of the Confederation of Indian Industry will host a webinar on the subject "Green Buildings & High Performance Glass" next week. Watch this space for further details.
Green Building Index (GBI) is Malaysia’s industry recognised green rating tool for buildings, founded to promote sustainability in the built environment and raise awareness among Developers, Architects, Engineers, Planners, Designers, Contractors and the general public about environmental issues and our responsibility towards future generations.
In August 2008, PAM (Pertubuhan Akitek Malaysia or Malaysian Institute of Architects) Council endorsed and approved the formation of the new Sustainability Committee, tasked primarily with developing and establishing the Green Building Index of Malaysia. A target deadline of April/May 2009 was set to launch this Green Rating. Accordingly, Malaysia’s Green Building Index was introduced on 3 January 2009, at the Green Design Forum organized by the Pertubuhan Akitek Malaysia (PAM).
The GBI rating tool provides a yardstick for developers and building owners to design and construct green, sustainable buildings that facilitate energy saving, water saving, a healthy indoor environment, better connectivity to public transport and the adoption of recycling, all to reduce the impact on the environment.
Objectives of the GBI
GBI has been developed keeping in mind the tropical Malaysian climate, environmental and developmental context, and cultural and social needs. It has been created to:
Define green buildings by establishing a common language and standard of measurement;
Promote integrated, whole-building designs that provide a better environment for all;
Recognise and reward environmental leadership;
Transform the built environment to reduce its negative environmental impact; and
Ensure that new buildings are sustainable and existing buildings are refurbished and upgraded to improve the overall quality of building stock.
Tiers of GBI Accreditation
GBI accreditation for buildings is separated into three tiers:
At the highest level is the GBI Accreditation Panel, the independent regulatory body for GBI accreditation.
At the intermediate level are the GBI Certifiers, consisting of experienced professionals that conduct the assessment and accreditation of project submissions.
On the front-end level are the GBI Facilitators - professionals who work together with clients and design teams to enhance their projects to meet or exceed GBI rating system requirements.
GBI Rating System
Buildings are awarded the GBI rating based on the following 6 key criteria:
1) Energy Efficiency (EE)
Improve energy consumption by optimising building orientation, minimizing solar heatgain through the building envelope, harvesting natural lighting, adopting the best practices in building services including use of renewable energy, and ensuring proper testing, commissioning and regular maintenance.
2) Indoor Environment Quality (EQ)
Achieve good indoor air quality, acoustics, visual and thermal comfort. These will involve the use of low volatile organic compound materials, application of quality air filtration, proper control of air temperature, movement and humidity.
3) Sustainable Site Planning & Management (SM)
Selecting appropriate sites with planned access to public transportation, community services, open spaces and landscaping. Avoiding and conserving environmentally sensitive areas through the redevelopment of existing sites and brown fields. Implementing proper construction management, storm water management and reducing the strain on existing infrastructure capacity.
4) Materials & Resources (MR)
Promote the use of environment-friendly materials sourced from sustainable sources and recycling. Implement proper construction waste management with storage, collection and re-use of recyclables and construction formwork and waste.
5) Water Efficiency (WE)
Rainwater harvesting, water recycling and water-saving fittings.
6) Innovation (IN)
Innovative design and initiatives that meet the objectives of the GBI.
GBI Classification
Points
GBI Rating
86+ Points
Platinum
76 to 85 points
Gold
66 to 75 points
Silver
50 to 65 points
Certified
GBI Rating Tools for Non- Residential
The GBI Non-Residential Rating tool evaluates the sustainable aspects of buildings that are commercial, institutional and industrial in nature. This includes factories, offices, hospitals, universities, colleges, hotels and shopping complexes.
Of the six criteria that make up the GBI rating, emphasis is placed on energy efficiency and indoor environmental quality as these have the greatest impact in the areas of energy use and well-being of the occupants and users of the building.
By improving on the efficiency of active (mechanical and electrical) systems as well as incorporating good passive designs together with proper sustainable maintenance regimes, significant reductions in consumed energy can be realised. This can lead to a reduced carbon footprint and also offers long-term savings for the building owners.
Maximum Points Allocation for Non- Residential
Part
Item
Maximum Points
1
Energy Efficiency
35
2
Indoor Environmental Quality
21
3
Sustainable Site Planning & Management
16
4
Material & Resources
11
5
Water efficiency
10
6
Innovation
7
Total Score
100
GBI Rating Tools for Residential
The GBI Residential Rating tool evaluates the sustainable aspects of residential buildings. This includes linked houses, apartments, condominiums, townhouses, semi-detached and bungalows.
This tool places more emphasis on sustainable site planning & management, followed by energy efficiency. This serves to encourage developers and home owners to consider the environmental quality of homes and their inhabitants through better site selection, provisions of public transport access, increased community services and connectivity, as well as improved infrastructure.
Such achievement will help reduce the negative impact to the environment and create a better and safer place for residents and the community as a whole.
Maximum Points Allocation for Residential
Part
Item
Maximum Points
1
Energy Efficiency
23
2
Indoor Environmental Quality
11
3
Sustainable Site Planning & Management
39
4
Material & Resources
9
5
Water efficiency
12
6
Innovation
6
Total Score
100
GBI Assessment Process
Stage 1: Application & Registration
First the GBI Application Form with the Applicant’s contact details, project information and supporting documents are to be submitted Greenbuilding index Sdn Bhd (GSB). GBI registration number will be given to the applicant towards the payment of the fees. GBI Certifier will then be appointed for the project.
Stage 2: Design Assessment (DA)
As the next stage, the applicant should submit the project for GBI Design Assessment (DA) either directly or through an appointed GBI Facilitator. The GBI Certifier will then undertake the Design Assessment for GSB. This may involve a presentation by the Applicant and their Project Design Team or by the GBI Facilitator. The GBI Certifier will upon completion, table the assessment report to the GBIAP to register and award the certification. The provisional GBI Design Assessment certification will then be issued with the accompanying GBI score sheet to show the scores achieved.
Upon completion of the project, the Applicant should submit for the Completion and Verification Assessment (CVA). This is to be done within 12 months after the completion of the building or when the building becomes 50 percent occupied, whichever is the earlier. The final GBI award will be issued by the GBIAP upon completion of this CVA assessment. Buildings are awarded GBI - Platinum, Gold, Silver or Certified ratings depending on the scores achieved. Buildings will have to be re-assessed every three years in order to maintain their GBI rating to ensure that the buildings are well-maintained.
GBI Registration Fees
Size of Project
Total Gross Floor Area (sq.m)
Registration Fees (RM)
Single Residence
Below 2,000
5,000.00
Small
Up to 4,000
8,000.00
Intermediate
4001 to 10,000
10,000.00
Medium
10,001 to 30,000
20,000.00
Large
30,001 to 50,000
32,000.00
Extra Large
50,001 to 100,000
45,000.00
Mega Project
Above 100,000
Assessment fee will be determined on a project-by-project basis
Within the Saint-Gobain Strategic Research Program on energy-saving and environmentally-friendlyprocesses, the Group’s researchers have achieved a world first: a biomass-supplied glass-melting campaign.
Glass is composed of raw materials and cullet melted in furnaces where energy is usually supplied by gas combustion. Thanks to a new technology, Saint-Gobain Glass’s Renedo plant (Spain) has produced a marketable glass through a process where gas combustion is partially replaced by that of timber residue collected from surrounding commercial forests. These tests were performed in a specially-designed furnace designed by the R&D teams from the Avilès R&D Center and Saint-Gobain Recherche (Paris).
“This highly compact furnace has been developed on the Renedo site thanks to the skills and know-how of the Avilès R&D Center engineers”, explains Maria Marcos Fernandez, head of the center. “The cooperation between production and R&D has been first class, and we were especially motivated to see our Renedo plant become the first to carry out these tests and start melting glass using biomass” adds Miguel Angel Diez Gonzalez, plant manager. Thanks to this technology, Saint-Gobain has proven that biomass can supply a significant portion of the energy needed for melting glass. During the preliminary tests, the teams even succeeded in melting glass with over 65% of energy supplied by biomass.
“A lot still remains to be done to reach an industrial scale, we have already been able to demonstrate that biomass is compatible with quality glass-melting, and that making such a use more widespread in the future would not only limit the carbon footprint but also improve a furnace’s energy balance. This would complement a series of measures recently implemented in our plants, which have already led to a 6% drop in energy consumptionover the last three years” concludes Manuel Pimentel, Saint-Gobain Glass Industrial Director for the Iberian Peninsula.
Saint-Gobain Technical Fabrics has just celebrated the start-up of the new Saint-Gobain Velimat furnace in Gorlice (Poland).
Larger and more modern than the former installation it is replacing, this furnace serves two glass mat production lines. Using leading-edge technologies, this new equipment is also more environmentally-friendly, consuming less energy and improving the efficiency of the batch-house.
Eric Daniel, General Manager of Saint-Gobain Technical Fabrics Europe for non-woven products, thanked all the teams involved in constructing the furnace. “Starting up a furnace is an exceptional moment in the life of a business, especially right now, as this spells a return to work after several months of down-time.
” Olivier Lluansi, General Delegate of Saint-Gobain for Eastern Europe, reiterated the importance of involving all Group businesses in the implementation of the habitat strategy: “Saint-Gobain is set on becoming the world’s leading provider of solutions for tomorrow’s habitat. We are building these solutions together, step by step, by working as closely as possible to our customers and anticipating their needs, thanks to the combination of all our talents inside the Group. And Saint-Gobain Velimat has its part to play.
” In the presence of Piotr Mokrzan, General Manager of Saint-Gobain Velimat, the furnace, “godmothered” by a process engineer, was jointly lit by the site’s newest and most senior employees. In keeping with tradition, the flame arrived from another Group plant, in this case Isover in Gliwice, transported by oil-lamp.
Saint-Gobain Solar is one of the four newcomers in the joint venture Dii. Founded in 2009 under the name "Desertec Industrial Initiative", Dii set out to create the necessary framework for running the Desertec project.
And the aim of Desertec: to produce sustainable, climate-friendly power from the energy potential of the deserts in the Middle-East and North Africa (MENA zone) and prepare the integration with the European energy market. Fromsolar power sources, the long-term aim is to satisfy a substantial portion of electricity needs in the MENA zone countries and meet up to 15% of Europe’s electricity demand.
Fabrice Didier, Managing Director of Saint-Gobain Solar, explains: "In cost terms, solar thermal energy is one of the most promising sources of electricity for decades to come. To make this competitive, cooperation between companies is essential. The Desertec project helps set the framework for such cooperation.”
Saint-Gobain Solar develops and offers various key components designed for solar thermal plants, notably mirrors, receivers and heat storage units. Thanks to this expertise, the Saint-Gobain Solar Business Unit will be able to contribute to the Dii initiative and help establish a sound industrial base for solar energy.
Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics’ acoustic insulation products Green Glue has been certified by Underwriters Laboratories, one of the oldest recognized laboratories in the US, enabling its products to wear the UL label in the USA and ULC in Canada.
This certification follows the safety tests conducted by this laboratory. The evaluation of Green Glue’s combustion characteristics on reinforced inorganic cement panels confirmed that the product meets the UL fire standards for building materials.
Where many local regulations require products to be tested by a nationally-recognized laboratory before being commercialized, contacting Underwriters Laboratories was done on a voluntary basis.
Green Glue products are manufactured in Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics’ Granville facility (New York, USA).
Today is 40th anniversary of the “Earth Day”!!!! How many of us are aware of this? How are you going to contribute on this Earth Day 2010?
Every contribution of each of you can make a drastic change in the sustainability of the earth. Yes, little drops can make an ocean. Try to follow a few simple tips mentioned below and make your contribution to the Earth. Let us leave a greener Earth greener for our future generation!
Earth Day
Earth Day is a day designed specially to spread the awareness and appreciation for the Earth's environment. It was founded by U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson as an environmental teach-in held on April 22, 1970 and is celebrated in more than 175 countries every year. Earth Day is now observed each year on April 22 in virtually every country on Earth and coordinated globally by the Earth Day Network.
Tips to Go Green
Install compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs). They last 10 times longer, putting fewer of them in landfills. They consume two-thirds less energy, emitting less carbon into the atmosphere; and they emit less heat than standard bulbs, so they're safer and cooler. They cost a little more, but in the long run, they save money.
Always bring home Energy Star-rated light bulbs and fixtures, which use at least two-thirds less energy than regular lighting, and install timers or motion sensors that automatically shut off lights when they're not needed.
Turn off the lights when leaving the room for 15 minutes or more
Lighters are usually considered disposable so they will most likely end up in land fills. You can use the cardboard matches which are much more eco-friendly because they are made of recycled material.
Steam that escape from pots while cooking increases the cooking time and heats up the indoor air. More energy is used to cook and to run the air conditioner. Put lids on pots, especially if they contain a boiling liquid, and the food will cook more quickly and use less energy.
Skip rinsing your plates before putting them into the dishwasher. On an average you will save 15 gallons of water per load. Plus, you will save time.
Use a water filter to purify tap water instead of buying bottled water. Not only is bottled water expensive, but it generates large amounts of container waste.
Bring a reusable water bottle, preferably aluminum rather than plastic, with you when travelling or at work.
Wash clothes in cold water whenever possible. As much as 85 percent of the energy used to wash clothes using machine, heat the water.
Wear clothes that don't need to be dry-cleaned. This saves money and cuts down on toxic chemical use.
Don't take baths, take showers. Showers save half the amount of water comparable with the water used to bath.
Install a low-flow showerhead. They don't cost much, and the water and energy savings can quickly pay back our investment.
Make sure you have a faucet aerator on each faucet. These are inexpensive and conserve heat and water, meanwhile keeping the water pressure high.
Plant a Tree - It's good for the air, can keep you cool.
Plant drought-tolerant native plants in the garden. Many plants need minimal watering.
Intake Locally raised, humane, and organic meat, eggs, and dairy whenever you can. Purchasing from local farmers keeps money in the local economy and also fresh food can be consumed.
Make investments in high-quality, long-lasting products. This might cost more now, but there is no need for replacing the items frequently. Thereby waste can be minimized.
Keep your cell phones, computers, and other electronics as long as possible. Donate or recycle them responsibly when the time comes.
Make it a habit to turn off your computer and the power strip it's plugged into, when you leave for a day.
Support energy-saving computers, monitors, and printers
Print on either sides of the paper or use the back side of old documents for faxes, scrap paper, or drafts. Avoid color printing and print in draft mode whenever feasible.
Buy chlorine-free paper with a higher percentage of post-consumer recycled content.
We ourselves can make very effective, non-toxic cleaning products whenever you need them by using few simple ingredients like baking soda, vinegar, lemon, and soap. Making your own cleaning products saves money, time, and packaging-not maintains the indoor air quality.
Purchase furniture, carpeting, and paint that are free of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and won't off-gas toxic chemicals.
Walk or use bike to work. This saves on gas and parking costs while improving your cardiovascular health and reducing your risk of obesity.
Choose a fuel-efficient vehicle.
Going to a car wash is a lot more water efficient than washing your car at home.
The average person uses 6 paper napkins a day. That is a lot of waste going into our landfills. So switch to cloth napkins and wash them in my environmentally friendly laundry product and reuse them.
Reduce, Recycle and Reuse….
How well you are participating to make Eco-smart Earth?
Compressed Air Best Practices® interviewed Mr. Brad Runda, Manager-Energy, Saint-Gobain Corporation. Here follows the interview:
Congratulations on Saint-Gobain being named a 2010 ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. This is the second year in a row you’ve won the award.
Q: Why was this award received?
A: Thank you! We were honored to win this award. The EPA award recognizes businesses that demonstrate their commitment to environmental protection through superior energy management which integrates the use ofEnergy Startools and resources. It recognizes our commitment to and success in achieving superior energy management as well as our active participation in the ENERGY STAR program. Saint-Gobain is truly committed, from the top down, to improving energy efficiency which leads to reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. Our CEO truly supports the effort. He sees the value from both a cost savings perspective and an environmental perspective.
Saint-Gobain is proud to be the first and only manufacturer of glass containers or fiberglass insulation to ever receive this award. In 2008 and 2009, Saint-Gobain’s North American energy-use reduction equated to the amount of energy we would require to make nearly over 1.1 billion glass containers or enough fiberglass insulation for over 250,000 typical homes! The savings are equivalent to a reduction in carbon dioxide emissions of about 140,000 metric tons.
Q: What specific actions at Saint-Gobain were recognized by ENERGY STAR for this award?
A: The key Saint-Gobain energy management accomplishments recognized by ENERGY STAR for 2010 award were the following:
Accomplishing a 2.2 % reduction in energy intensity in spite of the economic downturn.
Expanding the company’s network of energy champions to impact 98% of its energy consumption.
Improving the company’s energy culture and in-house resources, evidenced by an increased number of facility energy assessments conducted internally by company teams.
Contributing to EPA’s completion of the ENERGY STAR energy performance indicator for container glass plants by extensively testing the tool.
Leading the glass container industry by encouraging executives in the industry to take advantage of ENERGY STAR resources to help them improve energy performance in their companies.
Working within its Energy Value Chain to promote energy management with ENERGY STAR, both upstream and downstream of the company.
Q: How is Energy Management structured at Saint-Gobain?
A: Saint-Gobain pursues energy reductions in three primary areas: buildings, transportation, and manufacturing facilities. My role is to focus on manufacturing and buildings. We have over 140 manufacturing facilities in Canada and the U.S. and over 150 sites that are involved in building materials distribution. Another person in the company focuses on transportation.
I work at the Saint-Gobain corporate level. I champion efforts for culture change around energy efficiency. I manage and oversee the over-all energy efficiency efforts of the company. I help coordinate projects, work with third parties, and am responsible for the agreements reached with the energy management supplier base. I work with the dozens of people in the business units who have responsibility for energy management. Internal selling is an important part of what I do.
We have four main divisions: Construction Products (CertainTeed) Containers, Innovative Materials, and Building Materials Distribution (Norandex). Each division contains Energy Champions who are responsible for energy efficiency within their respective business units. The divisions have an executive-level sponsor. I will work with the sponsors and Energy Champions to understand and help accomplish their goals. Yearly plans are made by each division and we track our progress with metrics and monthly and quarterly conference calls.
Some divisions, like Containers, are more energy intensive due to the nature of the process. They correspondingly have a larger staff of Energy Champions than other divisions. Our goal is for every plant to have an Energy Team which coordinates with the respective Energy Champion to identify, prioritize and execute energy efficiency projects. I sometimes help the plants directly on specific projects.
Q: How does Saint-Gobain communicate the results of energy management?
It is critical to have a communications strategy. Our strategy focuses on letting our own employees know what we are accomplishing with energy efficiency and with ENERGY STAR. We have a strong level of support from our internal communications people - both at the corporate level and in the business units.
We publish success stories and energy related articles in the weekly “North American Business Report”, our company e-newsletter. The articles communicate internal actions and programs where we have saved energy and announce which of our own products have received the ENERGY STAR rating.
Our energy program grows as people help promote it. We try to raise awareness which leads to participation in the efforts, causing people to think about it and practice it. It has the effect of changing the culture of the business you work in. We want an internal culture of energy awareness within the company.
Q: What advice would you offer to Energy Managers starting a program?
A: Senior management support is essential. It really helps things along when the CEO comes out with a commitment to the energy program. I recommend becoming an ENERGY STAR partner company and being active within the ENERGY STAR program. It is important to network with people and see what they are doing with energy management both inside and outside of your own industry. This is the big advantage of being connected to the ENERGY STAR program. It’s a nice network of folks willing to share ideas. Networking is particularly important if you are just getting started with energy management.
There are a whole host of ideas and resources provided through ENERGY STAR including how to get started. Don’t be afraid to ask questions of people who have “been there and done that”. People involved with are usually willing to share ideas.
Q: How did you get involved with the energy management program at Saint-Gobain?
A: I have been working at Saint-Gobain for over nine years. My first position within Saint-Gobain was the Energy Manager for the Containers division. Earlier in my career, I worked in the key accounts group of a utility company. Part of my job was to help key account customers reduce their energy consumption. That was when I got “hooked” on reducing energy consumption.
When I first started in the Energy Manager position covering Saint-Gobain North America, I knew one thing - we had to hit the ground running. We wanted to save money and energy during year one of the program. The challenge was that we have over 150 plants in North America – with dozens of unique processes. Developing the network of Energy Champions and Energy Teams was a big key to success. We couldn’t afford to get caught up in over-analysis, so we asked a lot of basic questions and then established reasonable goals for energy savings. We push hard to identify low-cost and no-cost ideas we can implement quickly. Compressed air is an area that always presents opportunity so we targeted compressed air system assessments. We knew there was low-hanging fruit there, capable of delivering results during year one of the program.
Q: What metrics are used to measure results?
A: Performance metrics are based upon our goal which is to reduce the energy consumption per unit of product produced at Saint-Gobain. We use metrics like “btu’s per ton” and “kWh per ton”. At the plant level, these are readily understood metrics that lead to cost savings and also to good discussions. There are a lot of things that come out of that.
An external metric we use is the ENERGY STAR Energy Performance Indicator for Glass Containers. That is a measure that we use to benchmark our performance against. How many mmbtu’s does it take to make a ton of glass? We know how many it takes for all of our furnaces and we try to benchmark against all our plants across the globe.
Q: What specific energy efficiency projects do you focus on?
A: There is always a concern about the integrity of the process. People that run plants are paid to produce profitably and we are very conscious about understanding the processes and making sure that energy efficiency projects don’t hurt our capabilities to produce. On the contrary, they should enhance our ability to produce. I always remind our plant managers that I’ve never done an energy efficiency project (like lighting, compressed air, drives, ect…) that hasn’t helped their processes.
Things really do depend upon specific processes at specific plants. We have conducted a lot of Energy Kaizen events. We also focus on low-cost initiatives. The most common projects involve primarily lighting, compressed air, and combustion efficiency (natural gas).
As an example, in our glass related processes, the biggest energy consumer is the melter. It’s a large furnace made out of thick refractory material, covered in insulation. You put raw materials and recycled glass in it to melt the glass at 2800 °F. You have losses in the walls and the exhaust. We focus a lot on this opportunity. The glass businesses are also a significant user of compressed air and we have spent a lot of time these systems.
Q: How important is compressed air as an energy-source at Saint-Gobain?
A: It depends upon the process, but it’s safe to say that compressed air plays a critical role in most of our processes. Without compressed air, we simply can’t make most of our products. For example, if you want to form a glass container, you need a substantial amount of compressed air. Compressed air is a vital and expensive utility and we definitely want to manage it properly. We use all types of air compressors throughout the company.
Q: How has Saint-Gobain gone about optimizing compressed air systems? What has the process been and please describe some over-all results.
A: Our process begins, in each facility, with a system assessment. We really like to work with a credible, unbiased company to do the assessments. When you perform compressed air assessments you have to look at the supply and demand sides at the same time. You can’t focus on one side and not the other. Leaks are a great example. You can fix all the leaks in the plant and not save any energy. If your compressor goes into blowoff - what have you saved? Nothing. You have to go back to air compressors and make sure they aren’t in blowoff. Once you’ve done that, you’ve accomplished the savings.
Being able to measure various parts of the system is key. A thorough compressed air system assessment will provide measurements of not only energy consumption (kW, kWh), but will also measure how much cfm is being used (on a per unit basis) in the production processes.
Q: Please describe some specific actions taken with compressed air systems.
A: We have had good success with central monitoring and control systems in compressor rooms where you have multiple air compressors. Some have thousands of horsepower of connected load. These centralized control systems can help improve the process – not just reduce energy costs. They can help reduce downtime, make repairs planned events vs. emergency events, and also avoid the use of emergency backup rental air compressors.
A good measurement and control system can also provide better quality compressed air. A good controls system helps to avoid pressure swings. We have found that control system help save energy but, more importantly, improve the consistency and quality of the compressed air. Managing dewpoint is another example. This translates into process improvements in our plants.
We have had good experiences with all the optimization opportunity-areas with compressed air systems. We have focused on fixing compressed air leaks and then making sure our compressor controls can capitalize on the reduced artificial demand. A leak management system is important to maintain. We operate all makes and types of air compressors; rotary screws, centrifugals, and recips. They all have unique issues. Piping/storage is also a common opportunity that we typically see. Last but not least is new compressor technology. When you have older/bigger centrifugals, you can find savings by purchasing newer air compressor technology.
I wouldn’t say, however, that there are any huge movements, major step changes, in air compressor technology. Often incentives help decide the technology we implement. Local utility incentives can lead us to move to a VFD rotary screw air compressor to replace an existing screw - due to a payback improved by the utility incentive.
Q: How do you optimize compressed air dryers and filters?
A: We do the math on compressed air dryers. We like the heat of compression type dryers and have some installed when those dewpoints are required. They aren’t inexpensive though so the numbers don’t always work. We will put them in where we have good utility incentives. In other places refrigerated dryers make the most sense. One thing I look for when buying a refrigerated air dryer, is to only consume energy when I need to. I’m a particular proponent of cycling refrigerated air dryers.
The issue with compressed air filters is to maintain them on a timely basis. We’ve been guilty of cranking up plant pressure due to untimely filter maintenance. The timely execution of filter maintenance programs is very important to protect air quality and system pressure.
In the wake of the country’s fast-depleting natural resources and increasing pollution levels, US President Barrack Obama has rolled out numerous policies to maximise energy-efficiencyand minimise wastage. Recently, he announced a $6 billion “HOMESTAR Program” to retrofit into American homes for a more energy-efficient approach to living.
Home Star is expected to save hundreds of dollars a year on the electricity spends of middle-class families in U.S. The highlights of the program are $1,000 - $1,500 Silver Star Rebates and $3000 Gold Star Rebates. Moreover, these rebates are for the direct benefit of consumers.
Home Star will reimburse homeowners for residential energy upgrades such as air sealing, insulation, new light bulbs and new appliances. They would be eligible to receive up to $2,000 for implementing at least two upgrades from a list of qualifying measures, or up to $3,500 for at least four qualifying measures. Higher incentives would be available to homeowners who achieve energy savings of at least 20 percent.
Weatherization projects that reduce energy consumption by 20 percent would be eligible to receive up to $4,000 in incentive money, plus $1,500 for every additional 5 percent reduction in energy consumption. The Times also notes that all Home Star incentives would be capped at 50 percent of project costs, and a percentage of projects would be audited to ensure that the improvements perform as expected. The plan is projected to cost $23 billion over two years.
Guardian Industries - one of the largest manufacturers of fibreglass insulation and energy-saving glass products supports Obama’s Home Star program. The R&D department - Science and Technology Centre of Guardian Industries encourages an energy-efficient approach through the use of its high performance, green products.
“The U.S. can significantly reduce its energy use by promoting home retrofits that rely upon proven techniques and materials,” said Russell Ebeid, chairman of the board.
“We support Home Star because it will save energy and lower homeowners' energy bills.”
Residential energy efficiency improvements covered by the Home Star program can reduce energy waste in most homes by 20 to 40 percent, and when combined with low-interest financing, can be cash flow positive. A nationwide initiative to improve the efficiency of America’s 128 million homes would result in significant reductions in building-related greenhouse gas emissions and generate long-term energy savings for American consumers.
Established in 1974, TERI is a research organization that works towards global sustainable development through eco-friendly practices. TERI came into being with the purpose of dealing with the environment-related problems that loom large in the face of mankind,
on account of the steady depletion of the earth's finite and largely non-renewable resources and
on account of the existing methods of the use of these resources, which are polluting
Origin
Over the years, TERI has expanded the interpretation of its core purpose and application. The body intends to create an environment that is enabling and dynamic, through the right approach towards the use of energy, and modify current patterns of development which are largely unsustainable. TERI has grown to establish a presence not only in India but is perhaps the only developing country institution to have established a presence in North America and Europe and on the Asian continent in Japan, Malaysia and the Gulf.
The global reach attained by TERI is substantiated not only by its presence in different parts of the world, but also in terms of the wide geographical relevance of its activities. Symbolic of this fact is the annual Delhi Sustainable Development Summit (DSDS), a major event focusing on sustainable development, the pursuit of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and assessment of worldwide progress in these critical areas. DSDS attracts the most prominent thinkers and practitioners in a range of fields that impinge on development.
TERI GRIHA Rating System
Being committed to sustainable development, TERI has taken upon itself the responsibility of acting as a driving force to popularize green building by developing a tool for measuring and rating a building’s environmental performance in the context of India’s varied climate and building practices. This tool, by its qualitative and quantitative assessment criteria, has been able to rate a building on the degree of its greenness.
The Indian building industry is highly decentralized, involving diverse stakeholders engaged in design, construction, equipment provision, installation, and renovation of buildings. Each group may be organized to some extent, but there is limited interaction among the groups, thus disabling the integrated green design and application process. Hence, it is very important to define and quantify sustainable building practices and their benefits. It is also imperative to delineate the role of each actor in ensuring that the building consumes minimal resources in its entire life cycle and leaves behind minimal environmental footprint. The role of TERI GRIHA would be to bridge this gap, by addressing to these above issues and to promote a sustainable future in the building sector.
TERI’s green building rating evaluates the environmental performance of a building holistically over its entire life cycle, thereby providing a definitive standard for what constitutes a green building. The rating system is a voluntary scheme that has been developed based on accepted energy and environmental principles and seeks to strike a balance between the established practices and emerging concepts, both nationally and internationally. Its structural development is a result of a thorough study and understanding of the current internationally accepted green building rating systems and the prevailing building practices in India. It has also derived useful inputs from the voluntary building codes/guidelines being developed by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency, the Ministry of Non-Conventional Energy Sources, MoEF (Ministry of Environment and Forests), Government of India and the Bureau of Indian Standards.
The guidelines/criteria for appraisal would be revised every three years to take into account the latest scientific developments during this period.
TERI-GRIHA’s green design practices, and the array of individual and institutional professionals who put these in practice, would be publicized and promoted to achieve the following goals.
It has immense replication probability for seeing is believing.
It motivates the user and the owner to fulfill their commitment to the environment by emulating the example it sets.
It helps generate awareness on the concept of green building.
It stimulates competition among peers to achieve the same performance or to endeavour to better it.
Currently the system has been developed to help design and evaluate new buildings (buildings that are still at the inception stages). A building is assessed based on its predicted performance over its entire life cycle inception through operation. The stages of the life cycle that have been identified for evaluation are the pre-construction, building design and construction, and building operation and maintenance stages. The issues that get addressed in these stages are as follows.
Pre-construction stage (intra- and inter-site issues)
Building planning and construction stages (issues of resource conservation and reduction in resource demand, resource utilization efficiency, resource recovery and reuse, and provisions for occupant health and well being). The prime resources that are considered in this section are land, water, energy, air, and green cover.
Building operation and maintenance stage (issues of operation and maintenance of building systems and processes, monitoring and recording of consumption, and occupant health and well being, and also issues that affect the global and local environment).
TERI University
The Institute established the TERI University in 1998. Initially set-up as the TERI School of Advanced Studies, it received the status of a deemed university in 1999. The University is a unique institution of higher learning exclusively for programmes leading to PhD and Masters level degrees. Its uniqueness lies in the wealth of research carried out within TERI as well as by its faculty and students making it a genuinely research based University.
TERI now has staff strength of over 700 dedicated employees, drawn from a range of disciplines and experience, supported by infrastructure and facilities, which are world class and distinctively state-of-the-art. The Institute continues to grow in size, spread and intensity of work undertaken.
In this world of increasing globalization and buoyed by optimism generated by the success of the Indian economy TERI moves forward to meet the challenges of the future through the pursuit of excellence embedded in its visionary charter.
Activities of TERI
TERI is a leading Indian non government organization (NGO), a global think tank conducting research and analysis in the genres of energy and environment, is a university with a vast focus, which ranges from micro organisms to global climate change and everything in between. In its 30 years of existence, TERI has completed more than 2600 projects. TERI has about 20 divisions and some important divisions are:
Biotechnology and Management of Bioresources division
Climate Change Division
Energy-Environment Technology Division
Policy Analysis Division
Water Resources Policy and Management Division
Social Transformation Division
TERI’s competence in the water sector
The Water Resources Policy and Management (WRPM) group in TERI comprises a multi-disciplinary team of engineers (civil, chemical, environmental, and water resources), geologists, architects, planners, scientists, economists, and sociologists. The thrust areas of the group include:
Water availability and quality modeling and impact assessment
Socio-economic analysis vis-à-vis water management
Water systems efficiency
Policy, institutional, and regulatory reforms
Watershed planning
Awards
TERI instituted the TERI Corporate Awards for Environmental Excellence in 2001 and TERI Corporate Awards for Corporate Social Responsibility in 2002. In 2007 TERI introduced the Corporate Awards to Business Response to HIV/AIDS in collaboration with GTZ. Since inception we have received more than 600 applications for the awards.
Role of TERI in recognizing environment-friendly initiatives
TERI Corporate Environmental Awards
The corporate sector is emerging as a critical player in India’s development process. The environmental implications of India’s industrialization process indicate that pollution has been rising with, and often faster than, the growth in industrial production. Driven by the rising scale and intensity of environmental pressures and society’s changing expectations from the corporate sector, business and the environment, traditionally seen as divergent issues, are steadily coming closer. Realizing the increasing complexities facing the environment, corporates have begun to recognize their responsibility. In the recent years, a number of corporates have taken bold and visible steps to integrate sustainability elements into their overall corporate strategy.
In order to provide impetus to sustainable development and to encourage the ongoing process of environmental management and protection within the corporate sector, TERI instituted the Corporate Environmental Awards in 2000/01. Encouraged by the overwhelming response and sincere interest shown by the Indian corporate houses, TERI confers the awards annually.
TERI Corporate Social Responsibility Awards
TERI CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility Awards) seeks to identify best practices and innovations of Indian corporate in fulfilling t heir responsibilities towards diverse stakeholders. In the process, TERI also aims to sensitize the corporates to their responsibilities as good citizens of a developing world. The prime objective of these awards are to assess the extent of integration of CSR concerns with corporate functioning, responsiveness to the needs of different stakeholders, and development of innovative partnership models to fulfill social responsibility.
View the official video of the International Year of BioDiversity that shares thoughts on how a viable and balanced eco-system can be designed and built by none other than us - the homo sapiens sapiens. Says UN Secretary General, Ban Ki Moon, "We humans are the Force. The consequences for economies and humans are profound."
If you were involved in a Project that directly worked on the concept of building and maintaining the ecological equilibrium, share it with us.
You can login to your dashboard, and use the Articles section on the Left menu, to contribute your article.
This article was contributed by Mr. Nagaraj L of M/s.Ellenn Associates that focuses on Green Architecture, Civil Engineering, Interior Designing, Property Valuation, and Consulting.
At the outset I propose, our main aim in this session is to understand the behavior of our nature and the effects of going against it, such as deforestation, mining, pollution, etc. Importance of maintaining a balance amongst all creatures and hence we could possibly regain harmony on our Planet. Also understanding how Green Building concepts and related topics could improve health and comfort levels of occupants. Study the root causes of recession in general. Effectively control Industrial pollution by adapting Green Building Concepts. Adapting our Industrial Engineering and Management in an Eco friendly manner. Governments stand in encouraging positive environmental practices.
In general, most of us aware of my title NATURE – GREEN BUILDING CONCEPTS - QUALITY LIFE. Here I have made efforts to identify the causes and impact of going against nature and find some effective solutions to overcome it. Also, the importance of understanding and maintaining harmony with nature is given an emphasis.
Cycle of life in nature:
Creation and destruction are in the cycle of life.
Nature and Our Planet Earth:
If we go with nature, nature comes with us. If we do not, it waits, tolerates & ultimately it will be destroyed prematurely. For this to happen, we would be mainly responsible. It is time to remember there is only one Earth, now it is in our hands, let us save it.
Need for making Buildings Green:
Green Building practices can substantially reduce negative environmental practices and improve existing unsustainable design, construction and operational practices. As an added benefit, green design measures reduce operating costs, enhance building marketability, increase worker productivity and reduce potential liability resulting from indoor air quality problems.
Negative Environmental Impacts:
Where to dispose this plastic waste, which may not be decomposed for millions of years.
Air pollution due to Industries with poor or no knowledge of its effects.
Air pollution due to smoke emitting Vehicles
Balanced Environment:
Raw Nature
Biodegradable materials
Existence of Plants, Animals, Birds, etc., for Nature’s harmony.
Given a thought, human beings of the Modern Era or Scientific Era (till certain period) are responsible for such an astonishing development of Science and technology.
At the same time some of the technologies, inventions and developments are short term in terms of their effects on nature which results in long term negative environmental impacts – for this, we have to blame none because the need of that hour may be as such, they/we would not have thought about it, as there was no need for it or aware of it at that period.
Some of the features of Green Buildings: Sustainable Development:
Use of Resources to meet our needs without depriving the resources for Future Generations.
* Efficient use of Water with Rain Water Harvesting and Recycling of waste water
* Use of Renewable Energy
* Use of Recycled / Recyclable Materials
* Orientation of the Buildings or Structures : Varies according to the Climatic, topographical, Regional, Social Conditions of the place.
* Effective use of Landscapes
* Improved Indoor Air Quality for Health and Comfort
Tangible Benefits:
* Reduction in Operating Costs
* Optimization of Performance
* Energy Savings: 40-50 % (As per CII)
* Water Savings: 20-30 % (As per CII)
* Normal Building Energy Consumption:
Break up (subject to variation):
Air Conditioning - 57%, Area Lighting - 22%, Miscellaneous Equipments - 16%, Ventilation Fans - 5%
Intangible Benefits:
* Environmental Benefits: Reduce impact on the Environment
* Health and Safety Benefits: Enhancement of Occupant Comfort Levels
* Improvement in Efficiency of Occupants
The main types of Pollution are Air, Water, Land, Noise, Radioactive and Thermal. It is very important to understand the nature, its behavior and the effects of going against the nature such as deforestation, mining, polluting atmosphere etc
Study the root causes of recession in General.
I choose to take an interesting example of an animal in particular the Lion for instance. It hunts when it is hungry and only when it (or its family) is hungry. But it is bound to hunt again when it is hungry again. So that this process keeps hunting again, only when required keeps the lion on its toes for the survival, that keeps the lion fit and healthy and also a biological balance in nature is achieved. (Lion doesn’t know what Recession means but Nature knows it all). Similarly, we can see harmony in nature with some tribals who do not believe in hunting today for tomorrow’s food, they hunt or search for food only when they are required to. This keeps them physically fit and healthy throughout most of their lives. Their unselfishness, peace of mind, has no boundaries I believe. That is the order and beauty of nature.
Quality of Life:
Now, it is our turn and responsibility to reduce, control and ultimately eradicate the negative environmental practices which are mainly accountable for me to use the words Quality of Life. When I say good quality of life it does not mean to me richness in cost of living but it means richness in how well we can balance our life with nature, comfort health levels of living creatures on Earth. In my view, we can lead a better quality of life only if we experience a better environment.
We should make it mandatory that after invention of anything for that matter, we should test it for its adverse effects on nature, whether it is biodegradable/decomposable and so on. Also we should adapt and practice our Industrial Engineering and Management in an Eco friendly manner. Further, it is important to take measures to curb practices that are not suitable to nature or take remedial measures to go with the nature as far as possible in whatever fields we are in.
Otherwise, I regret to state that nature will take it to the limit and ultimately takes its own course, we and our future generations lose our good quality life and eventually the total pre-destruction of our planet ‘Earth’ for that we would be mainly responsible.
Government’s Stand/Role:
Also, Governments and Public organizations should encourage persons, entrepreneurs and Industrialists by honouring, and rewarding those Industries who identify and rectify their own negative environmental practices.
To be practical in future we should follow characteristics of animals or tribals to maintain harmony on our planet.Ultimately, we might even think of reversing our Technology cycle to balance and save our Planet Earth. I repeat, there is only one Earth, it is in our hands, let us join hands to save it.
You can get in touch with Mr. Nagaraj at
2293, 4th Main, Vijayanagar 2nd Stage, Bangalore, PIN-560040.
E mail: l.nagaraj16@gmail.com and ellennassociates@gmail.com
Phone: +9180 9980047576
Ref: Knowledge from electronic media, experience with nature and as professional Civil Engineering and Green Architecture Consultant, Knowledge on Green Building Concepts from the Training Programme on Indian Green Building council (IGBC).
NOTE: Images from this presentation are removed as Glazette is unable to ascertain the validity of their source.
In recent years, several techniques for capture and use of solar energy have been developed. This technology is being bettered by the day, along with a growing awareness of the benefits of the use of solar energy.
Glass in architecture is one of the major driving forces of this change in the attitude towards the harnessing and use of solar energy. The latest development is the creation of a system called Integrated Concentrating (IC) Solar Facade System that tracks and utilizes solar energy from glass façades for generating electricity.
This advanced façade system was developed by the Center for Architecture Science and Ecology (CASE). The system is architecturally integrated into the facades and roof atria of buildings to provide optimum outside view and flood the interiors with daylight.
The system is made up of rows of pyramid-shaped glass receptors, which change their direction frequently to keep track of the sunlight. All the energy is stored in a small photovoltaic cell built in the center of each pyramid. The transparent design not only makes the system attractive, but also allows light to pass through the system more effectively for energy storage.
The IC Solar System facade produces electricity with a PV cell that captures much of the solar energy that is used for purposes such as heating water for domestic purposes, space heating (or, possibly, for distributed absorption refrigeration cooling) and reduction of solar heat gain by the building. The glass pyramid shape actually serves to magnify light and increase the natural lighting inside a building while decreasing the need for artificial light. The design and operation of the system permits direct partial views of the outside to the building's inhabitants.
Working Process:
The advanced feature is the miniaturized concentrator solar cell, which uses a lens with concentric grooves to focus collected light. Even though it is only the size of a postage stamp compared to the usual solar collector area that spans 4 x 4 feet, the cell is much more efficient in collecting and reusing solar energy. The lens focuses incoming sunlight onto the solar cell. Microchannels at the base of the module transfer energy in the form of heat and light to wires contained inside. Each vertical stack of lenses rolls and tilts like a track blind, keeping the surface of the lenses faced to incoming sunlight as the sun changes position in the sky throughout the day.
This modular design can also be attached to a range of existing building structures and also implemented into new designs. This system requires very less maintenance and is very useful for regions with hot climate.
The winner of the first place in the Emilio Ambasz Prize for Green Architecturefor International Buildings this year was European Investment Bank in Luxembourg. This truly iconic building was designed by Ingenhoven Architects.
This extensively glazed building is famed for its unique structural design, apart from several energy-efficient design elements. By virtue of these qualities, this office building achieved the coveted “Very Good” rating under the United Kingdom’s Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM). It is also the first building on continental Europe to have been assessed under this scheme.
The headquarters of the EIB boast of a 170 meter-long tubular glassand steel structure with a zigzagging non-hierarchical office layout. This 72,500 sq meter building has enough office space and facilities for 750 employees and includes indoor ‘warm’ atria, a cafeteria, restaurant, and a connection to nearby buildings.
The building is completely shielded by 13,000 sq meters of glass that allow the penetration of daylight easily from all angles. Operable windows allow occupants to directly control the room temperature and permit natural ventilation.
Glass Roof
The highlighted tubular glass roof, framed with light-weight steel, covers 170m by 50m of building area. Being glazed, the roof offers maximum daylight and transparency and is key to the building’s environment-friendly concept as it curves around the office floor plates. The tubular glassenvelope allows for daylighting of the working bays. The transparency of the external envelope is reflected internally by an open office layout that promotes free interaction.
This glass roof curves around the floor plates to create atriums in the V-shaped “gaps” of the building wings. The landscaped winter gardens on the side of the valley are unheated and act as climate buffers; they reduce variations between the outside temperature and the desired temperature in the offices, thereby contributing to lowering heating requirements in winter and cooling requirements in summer.
In contrast, the atriums on the boulevard side serve as circulation spaces. The largest atrium houses the main entrance to the building, and so temperatures in these areas have to be kept at a comfortable level. Both winter gardens and “warm” atriums are naturally ventilated through open flaps in the shell to draw fresh air into the building and to reduce heat gain especially in the summer months.
Cold water pipes also run through the concrete floor slabs, creating chilled ceilings in order to cool the building in summer and to regulate the building temperature between seasons. In winter, thermal energy from solar heat gain is used to heat the building, thus reducing energy consumption.
Energy Conservation
Mechanical systems such as lighting, sun shading, heating, cooling and ventilation can be controlled individually. Wastage is avoided as much as possible, as individual settings are reset to the most efficient levels possible several times a day by the central control unit. Staff members can open their windows to the atriums and winter gardens or to the outside at almost all times.
All offices are equipped with a control panel that allows building users to individually regulate blinds for sun shading, lighting and temperature. Artificial office lighting is restricted to 300 Lux throughout the offices. However, staff can illuminate their individual work spaces with desk lamps to 500 Lux. This overall reduction in general lighting Lux levels significantly reduces the building’s energy consumption.
All surfaces - walls, floors and ceilings - are also designed to make optimum use of daylight, enhance luminosity and thus contribute to a pleasant working atmosphere.
Efficient Construction Materials
Construction materials were selected in accordance with the energy used for their manufacture, with materials with the least energy consumption given preference. The internal façade frames, for example, which cover a surface area of 17,600m2, are made of wood rather than aluminium because research found that the energy used in the manufacture of the wooden materials is only 2% of that which would have been expended in the manufacture of the equivalent aluminium profiles.
This environmental philosophy extended to the construction site, where the majority of materials were chosen for their small environmental impact. For example, all wood used has been certified by the FSC or the PEFC (programme for the endorsement of forest certification).
The ultra modern houses of these days have ultra modern bathroom designs made of glasses.These days glass occupies the major ir rather we can say the entire area of the bathroom.Glass knobs can be used for shower,taps,etc which looks beautiful.Glass flooring of the bathroom is the modern trend.Glass bath tubs can also be used in bathroom which increase the beauty as well as the pleasure of taking bath.Glass racks can also be made in bathrooms for keeping various items required.Glass basins can also be used which will enhance the beauty of the bathroom.Glass basins of various shapes,colours and modern design are easily available in modern market which can be utilized to beautify the room.Again bent glasses can be used to make showercase and shower enclosure in bathroom.Glass doors can also be used in bathroom.The another important item present in bathroom is mirror.But bathroom mirror are the victims offrustating effect of fogging which obstruct the clear view.This problem can be tackled by using anti fogging glass mirror in bathroom.By using this types of mirror we can get rid of the frustating fogging effect.
In modern houses,glass can also be used for making modular fire place.It will look much more attractive and beautiful and will enhance the beauty of the place.Modular fire place can be used in the drawing room to keep the room warm and cozy,and also to make the room look beautiful.
For desining purpose glass aquarium are also very commomly used thing.Glass aquarium of various shapes and sizes can be used for decoration.PMMA known as acrylic glass can be used for making aquarium look much more beautiful.Glass in interior desining can also be used for making walk waysin balconies orglass walk ways can also me made in super markets and malls for enhancing the beauty of the mall and also to attract more visitors.Glass walk ways with water flowing beneath it in lawns will make the lawn look wonderful and very attractive.
The mondern outdoor glass furnitures can be used every where to increase the beauty of the place.The outdoor furnitures from Java Island,Indonesia has unique design and contemporary styles.They can be used from drawing room to lawns everywhere.There is another type of glass known as Smart Glass which can be used to block all lights passing or just some lightsby pressing the botton.So,this type of glass can be used in the interior of show rooms to make the show room look much more attractive and modern.
Hence in todays world glass has grown out of bounds and is making the lives of home owners far more easier and is giving home owner absolutely no reason to hesitate to use of glass in the construction of their houses.What could be better then bright,open room with excellent outdoor view facilities by huge sheet of glass,without having to spend your days cleaning them.
HITEX Build 4 India 2009 is scheduled to be held from 13-16 November,2009 in Hyderabad. It will exhibit four concurrent shows(Constromat India, Builtmat India, Facimat India and Inframat India.
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All right, so what’s the news? The news is that the Union Government of India has, in a landmark decision, made it mandatory for all new buildings of the Public Sector Undertakings and the government to seek new green rating norms in an effort to ensure 
The facility houses wet labs which are non-air-conditioned spaces on the ground floor and dry labs that are air-conditioned spaces on the first floor. Building design and envelope has been optimised through selection of appropriate wall and roof construction and through adoption of passive design measures after studying the sun path analysis to provide shading devices for windows and roof which would reduce energy demand to condition the spaces. This is probably the only existing building in India with a GRIHA rating of 5 stars, though there are several similar proposed projects, such as the Triburg Headquarters at Udyog Vihar in Gurgaon, Integrated Township in Kanyapur, Asansol, West Bengal, and the Office of Public Works Department, Nashik.jpg "GRIHA")
Day Lighting - The use of glass allows the penetration of adequate daylight and facilitates a reduction in power consumption.
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After a warm welcome and review of the regional rounds through an enjoyable audio-visual, the mentor of the event, Ar. Vidur Bharadwaj delivered an interesting speech. Without much ado, the jury was introduced and the presentations plunged into. Ar. SR Sikka, Ar. I. Zachariah and Ar. Christopher Beninger kindly consented to be the judges. .jpg "saint Gobain Glass"){kind=spacer}
The winning concept was “Evolve with nature; nature’s impression in design; a design inspired by elements of nature”. The award was bagged by a team of three enthusiastic youngsters from Sir JJ College of Architecture, Mumbai. The runners up were the IIT Kharagpur team, which used water as the primary element of design conceptualization, mostly in terms of rainwater harvesting and optimum utilization of this life-giving substance. The first runner-up prize was bagged jointly by teams from IIT Roorkee and SAP Chennai, who worked on the concepts of “Bubbles” and “Eco-Village” respectively. 
1. Sustainable Sites
The Indian building industry is highly de-centralized with people and/ or groups engaged in design, construction, equipment provision, installation, and renovation working together. Each group may be organized to some extent, but there is limited interaction among the groups, thus disabling the integrated green design and application process.
The carefully crafted regulatory and incentive framework that has been unveiled today has several innovative features. We expect that it will lead to a rapid scale up of capacity. This will encourage technological innovation and generate economies of scale, thereby leading to a steady lowering of costs. Once parity with conventional power tariff is achieved, there will be no technological or economic constraint to the rapid and large-scale expansion of 
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ACREX INDIA 2010, which is Asia’s largest International Exhibition and Conference catering to Air Conditioning, Refrigeration, Ventilation & Building Services Industry is organised by ISHRAE, endorsed by ASHRAE and supported by the Indian Green Building Council, the 
Being committed to sustainable development, TERI has taken upon itself the responsibility of acting as a driving force to popularize green building by developing a tool for measuring and rating a building’s environmental performance in the context of India’s varied climate and building practices. This tool, by its qualitative and quantitative assessment criteria, has been able to rate a building on the degree of its greenness.
The advanced feature is the miniaturized concentrator solar cell, which uses a lens with concentric grooves to focus collected light. Even though it is only the size of a postage stamp compared to the usual solar collector area that spans 4 x 4 feet, the cell is much more efficient in collecting and reusing solar energy. The lens focuses incoming sunlight onto the solar cell. Microchannels at the base of the module transfer energy in the form of heat and light to wires contained inside. Each vertical stack of lenses rolls and tilts like a track blind, keeping the surface of the lenses faced to incoming sunlight as the sun changes position in the sky throughout the day. 
The highlighted tubular 
Mechanical systems such as lighting, sun shading, heating, cooling and ventilation can be controlled individually. Wastage is avoided as much as possible, as individual settings are reset to the most efficient levels possible several times a day by the central control unit. Staff members can open their windows to the atriums and winter gardens or to the outside at almost all times.
