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Eco design sustainable buildings for a new India

Mili Majumdar
Electrical India, June 2008


Most of today's architectural expressions demonstrate human dominance over nature.
That 'The design process should leave a minimum footprint of man-made constructions
on the environment' is the philosophy that TERI abides by. This article focuses on some
basic measures advocating sustainability for new built structures.

Shelter is a basic human need. Buildings and habitats are designed and constructed to
fulfil this. Since the industrial revolution, the world has witnessed incalculable
technological achievements, economic and population growth, and ever increasing use
of natural resources. Increased urbanisation, seen today, is a result of this overall
growth. The green cover, and ground water resources have been forced to give way to
these rapidly developing urban structures.

Energy is another major resource that is being consumed indiscriminately to meet the
power demand for air-conditioning, lighting and equipment. Citing an example of the
growing urban metropolis of Delhi in India - it lost its green buffer to give way to the
growth of satellite towns of Noida and Gurgaon, resulting in sudden weather changes
due to unobstructed hot/cold winds from neighbouring States. On the other hand, had
these impacts been studied earlier, preventive interventions could have been possible.

Most conventional practitioners of modern design and construction, find it easier to
develop buildings in a vacuum - as if nature, place and context do not exist. Most of
today's architectural expressions demonstrate human dominance over nature. Inefficient
and overuse of limited natural resources is evidently rampant. On the other hand,
sustainability demands restraint over use of natural resources. Sustainability in the
sector of building design is a complex concept of multidisciplinary character. Its
realisation requires an integrated design approach involving all key stakeholders in the
process of designing, planning and constructing buildings.

The architect, landscape engineer, owner, user, electrical, mechanical, plumbing
engineers and energy professionals need to work hand-in-hand to evolve a sustainable
design that allows leaving a minimum environmental footprint and yet does not forego
any of the modern-day comfort requirements of human beings. The basic principles of
sustainable design or 'green design' as it is popularly known, are to aim for maximum
resource conservation, to enhance efficient utilisation of nonrenewable resources by
adopting efficient systems, and to maximise use of renewable forms of energy as well as
to re-cycle and reuse resources. These principles need to be applied throughout the
building life-cycle e.g. during the site planning and development stage, building planning
and construction, and building operation and maintenance.

Through this article, I attempt to analyse the causative reasons behind un-sustainable
design, during different stages of the building life-cycle, and to measure ways and
means to address these concerns. The first section of the article, addresses the site
planning and design phase 6f a building. A subsequent article shall cover the design
interventions required in building planning and construction stages to save energy, water
and other material resources. Health and well-being of a building's occupants are two

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other important aspects in green buildings, which would also be addressed
subsequently.

About T E R I
TERI is a dynamic and flexible organisation with a global vision and a local focus, TERI
was established in 1974. As an organisation, it is deeply committed to every aspect of
sustainable development. From providing environment-friendly solutions to rural energy;
from tackling global climate change issues to enhancing forest conservation efforts
among local communities; from advancing solutions to growing urban transport & air
pollution problems to promoting energy efficiency in the Indian industry, the emphasis
has always been on finding innovative solutions to make the world a better place to live
in.

However, while TERl's vision is global, its roots are firmly entrenched in the Indian soil.
Today, it operates out of its regional centres in Mumbai, Bangalore, Goa, Guwahati and
Mukteshwar - and has a presence in Japan and Malaysia. It has also set up affiliate
institutes in Washington DC, USA as TERI-NA and in London, UK as TERI-Europe.

While in its initial period, TERI's focus was mainly on documentation and information
dissemination activities; research activities in the fields of energy, environment, and
sustainable development were initiated towards the end of 1982.Since then, TERI has
developed and implemented various projects on sustainable and energy efficient
building designs and concepts.

TERI has successfully completed various projects in design and implementation of
energy efficient technologies and systems for clients like lIT Kanpur, NTPC, lTC, CII and
several other private and" government organisations. For the past five years, TERI has
also organised the annual Delhi Sustainable Development Summit (DSDS), which is
swiftly gathering momentum as a major forum for the convergence of globally renowned
leaders and thinkers dealing with the issue of sustainability.

Site Planning and Design
Development of a site for building purposes requires disruption and disturbance of
existing natural systems. The most sustainable and environment sensitive development
is one that requires very minimal site disturbance. Resource conservation measures
pertaining to site planning should entail minimum disturbance and depletion. Some
recommended measures to achieve efficient site planning are given below.

A) Preserve and protect vegetation and soil from degradation during construction
Preservation and protection of existing vegetation, particularly mature trees, is highly
recommended. This is done by avoiding cut and fill in the root zones, delineating and
fencing the drip line of all trees or a group of trees. Trees should also be protected
against damages from carving, nailing, fires or heat emitting construction activity. The
topsoil, in most cases, is the most nutrient rich layer that supports vegetative growth.
Topsoil removal and preservation should be mandatory for projects with site area greater
than 10,000 sqm. The preserved topsoil should to be relaid for vegetative growth
through a suitable process, after ensuring its nutrient contents as per laid out codes and
standards. Suitable measures such as contour trenching, mulching to prevent soil
erosion and run-off should also be taken.


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On the design front, the site planning should reflect design strategies that promote use
of green belts and protected wetland to establish an innate network of native habitats,
and to support flexible spaces integrated with the landscape for community gathering or
informal activities.

B) Reduce hard paving
Hard paved parking lots, pathways, plazas and courts should be minimized. Hard paved
areas enhance imperviousness of the site and generate a heat island effect, which
causes a sharp microclimate temperature rise. By reducing perviousness of the site,
hard paving also lowers the localised aquifer recharge potential. Dark coloured and
constructed surfaces absorb solar energy and radiate it back when the ambience is
cooler. So, typically one finds a sharp temperature rise in built urban areas than in green
areas. Thus, design strategies should look at a combination of soft and hard landscape,
use of pervious paving, use of light coloured surfaces with higher solar reflective index,
shaded hard paved surfaces. Planting trees and bushes adequately also help to
minimize the heat island effect.

C) Use more native I indigenous species in the landscape
In the current design paradigm, architectural projects - particularly large residential
projects, boast of extensive green cover. In effect, we get to see expansive lawns, which
symbolise the 'green spaces'. Little do we realise that maintained lawns are one of the
largest water consumers in any landscape. Lawns need as much as 40%-60% more
water as compared to native/ indigenous plant species or trees. Native species protect
the nutrients in the biomass, promote eco-diversity, and require less maintenance and
water as compared to exotic species. Because of their ability to adapt to local conditions,
the native communities slow down the depletion of natural resources while maintaining
the character of regional landscape. Diverse communities with varying ages and
characteristics - such as trees, shrubs, vines and perennials should be planted - and
monocultures and invasive species should be avoided. In addition, water requirement for
landscaping should be controlled through adoption of efficient irrigation practices e.g.
drip irrigation.

D) Enhance site lighting efficiency and avoid light trespass I light pollution
Site lighting is mainly used to illuminate connections between buildings and support
facilities such as sidewalks, parking lots, roads, community gathering spaces,
landscaped areas and for security purposes. It must be carefully designed to avoid
waste and nuisance. It must address a few basic standards such as - it should avoid
over luminance; it should be properly shielded to avoid light pollution; the optical control
of light is also critical. Light pollution can be defined as waste light emanating from
building sites that produces glare and adversely affects the environment. Waste light
does not contribute to increased night time safety, utility or security and needlessly
consumes energy. Light pollution can also potentially disrupt biological cycles in plants
and animals, including humans.

Recommended practices
i) Restrict area and time for night time illumination - Minimise areas on site that
need to be illuminated all night. For security lighting, motion-sensors may serve
the purpose, in place of constant lighting.
ii) Clearly identify the actual purpose of lighting to determine minimum
acceptable levels - Safety and security lighting is an important part of exterior

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lighting. Layered lighting provides minimal ambient illumination with accents on
hazards, destinations and architectural features.
iii) Use energy-efficient lamps and ballasts - The most efficient new lamps
produce ten times as many lumens per watt of power as a conventional
incandescent bulb. Savings on operating-cost and labour, including deferred
bulb replacement quickly recover the cost of re-Iamping. Technologies to
reduce light pollution include full cut-off luminaries, low reflectance surfaces,
and low-angle spotlights.
iv) Use of appropriate control strategies -Simple timers or photocells can be used
to turn lights on and off at appropriate times.
v) Use renewable energy sources for lighting and other outdoor power -
Photovoltaic power is low-maintenance and very reliable. Its design must be
specific to both the region and the site. It requires storage batteries for night
time lighting. Manufacturers also offer solar path-lights, streetlights, and
security lights. Low voltage lighting with photovoltaic collectors should be
considered for an energy-efficient alternative.

Energy Efficiency in Green Buildings
One of the primary requirements of a green building is that it should have optimum
energy performance and yet should provide the desirable thermal and visual comfort.
The three fundamental strategies adopted to optimise energy performance in a
building can be broadly classified into the following.

A) Incorporate solar passive techniques in a building design, and enhanced building
material specifications, to minimise load on conventional systems (heating,
cooling, ventilation and lighting)
Passive systems provide thermal and visual comfort by using natural energy sources
and sinks e.g. solar radiation, outside air, sky, wet surfaces, vegetation, internal
gains, etc. India has six climatic zones ranging from extreme conditions in the cold
regions of Leh and Ladakh to extreme hot & dry conditions in Rajasthan. A building
in a cold climatic zone needs to adopt measures to maximise its solar heat gains by
embracing measures like maximum exposure to the south, windows to capture heat,
dark coloured surfaces, high thermal mass and insulation, to retain the captured
warmth of the sun OR use of design elements such as trombe wall, sun spaces etc.

On the other hand, a building designed for a hot climate should take measures to
reduce solar gain like, smaller window sizes, shaded walls, minimum exposure to the
west and east. OR use of design elements like solar chimneys, wind towers, etc to
maximise ventilation. Use of building materials like energy efficient glass, e.g.
insulated double glass units with solar control coatings can reduce heating / cooling
demand by 8-10%.

To state an example - the TERI Retreat Building at Gurgaon (a residential training
complex of TERI) built in the composite climate of Delhi, employs several passive
techniques to cut down its energy demand for heating, cooling and lighting. Building
insulation and glare free daylight are only some of these features. Part of the building
is partially sunk into the ground in order to take advantage of ground storage - and
thus stabilise internal temperatures. Shading devices and fenestration have been
designed to cut off summer sun and to let in winter sun. Landscaping favourably
alters wind directions. Deciduous trees used in the south side of building shade the

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building during the summer. During winters, the trees shed their leaves to let in the
winter sun.

Space conditioning of a part of the building happens through a network of
underground air tunnels laid at a certain depth below ground. These earth-air tunnels
laid at a certain depth below ground. These earth tunnels stabilize internal
temperatures. A solar chimney with a flat plate collector on top creates a draft and
exit for hot air on the south-side rooms.

On the other hand, the TERI Conference Complex located in the hills of Uttaranchal
which is predominantly cold and cloudy has incorporated passive techniques to
allow maximum solar gain and to retain warmth in the spaces. The orientation of the
building is south and southeast. Trees have been strategically planted on the
northern side to buffer against cold winds, while the southern face is left exposed for
maximizing energy gain from the sun. Insulation using fiberglass panels in the
ceilings and walls preserve heat and absorb sound as well.

To cite another example, TERIs Southern Regional Centre in the moderate climate
of Bangalore, has effectively used passive solar energy for enhancing comfort, and
to negate adverse site impacts. The site posed a challenge with primary wind
movement being from south to north, and the presence of a foul smelling nallah
flowing along the southern boundary of the site. The site constraint resulted in a built
form to deflect the foul winds and yet ensure ventilation adequacy.

A black absorption double-wall with Cuddapah stone cladding, was built in the south
to offset the negative impact of the site. The suns rays, heat, and the black south
wall increasing the temperature of the immediate environment around (in this case
being the air within the cavity). This causes the heated air inside the cavity to rise
upwards through convectional means. These convectional currents are pulled away
by the natural winds blowing south to north. This creates a vacuum at the top core of
the structure.

To fill the vacuum air from inside is drawn up which is again pulled up by the moving
convectional currents. This system of rising of hot air and drawing in of cool fresh air
is a continuous process. Hence, reverse wind circulation is established by bringing in
the cool fresh air from the north open face of the building and drawing it through the
entire section of the structure, and removing it by conventional means up through
solar wind vents. Thus, sun energy is used effectively to enhance ventilation (for
better comfort levels) and deflect unwanted wind flow. It was an added advantage for
day lighting as the design atrium spaces with skylights, it is designed in such a way
that natural light enters the heart of the building, considerably reducing the
dependence on artificial lighting. Energy efficient lighting like efficient lamps,
luminaires and control strategies further reduces lighting loads on the building.

B) Design energy-efficient lighting and HVAC systems (heating, ventilation and
airconditioning)
Once the passive solar architectural concepts are applied to a design, the load on
conventional systems (HVACand lighting) is greatly reduced. Further, energy
conservation is possible by efficient design of the artificial lighting and HVAC system
using energy efficient equipments, controls and operation strategies.


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TERI's experience in the CII-Godrej Green Business Centre (GBC) in Ahmedabad,
shows about 35% energy saving was achieved by efficient lighting and HVAC
systems. The building has received the prestigious Platinum rating by the United
States Green Building Council (USGBC). The lighting power density of the proposed
building was reduced by use of efficient lamps - compact fluorescent lamps, high-
efficacy tube lights, luminaries and ballasts. Further, the building being fully day lit,
huge savings result by use of day linking strategies. The contribution of lighting
energy savings in the overall, improved energy performance of the GBC building by
15%.

The improved HVAC system efficiency contributed to another 20% energy savings.
Energy conservation measures in the HVAC system included use, of efficient
watercooled chillers with high COP, variable air volume systems, efficient cooling
towers, primary/secondary chilled water pumping systems, and suitable control
strategies. Wind catchers designed as evaporative precoolers were designed for pre-
cooling of fresh air input into the air handling units of the HVAC system.

C) Use renewable energy systems (solar photovoltaic systems I solar water heating
systems) to meet a part of the building load
The pressure on the earth's nonrenewable nonrenewable resources can be eased
by effective use of the earth's renewable resources e.g. solar, geothermal, wind and
biomass energy. The Retreat Complex of TERI has used a judicious combination of
biomass and solar energy to meet all its energy requirements. The CII- Godrej Green
Business Centre has a 23 kWp roof integrated solar photovoltaic system to meet
nearly 20% of the building's energy requirements for lighting and air conditioning.

D) Use low energy materials and methods of construction, and reduce
transportation energy
An architect should also aim at efficient structural design, reduction of use of high
energy building materials such as glass, steel etc. and reducing transportation
energy. Use of environmentally sensitive construction materials and techniques
reduce embodied energy content of buildings. Some common products are - use of
flyash in building materials e.g. use of blended cement for structural systems; use of
flyash based bricks and blocks etc; use of ferrocement and precast components for
columns, beams, slabs, staircases, lofts, balconies, roofs etc; use of wood
substitutes for doors/ windows/ cabinet frames and shutters.

Conclusion
Energy savings of up to 60% are achievable if buildings are designed using green
design principles. The final selection of the design measures should be done after
doing a cost benefit analysis of the same. Typically, the measures described have a
payback period between 1-3 years. In the current perspective of increasing energy
demand for powering the energy intensive systems in a building, time has come
when, green design should not be an isolated effort by an inspired individual, but a
standard design process which is adopted in all our future buildings.