GREEN BUILDING

ABSTRACT
The principle objective currently facing
humanity is to allow a continued growth in
living standards worldwide within diminishing
resources. Architects have an important part to
play, as they influence up to 75% of total energy
use (50% in buildings and 25% in transporting).
What is emerging is a range of new tools and
techniques which are influencing the form and
operation of the building themselves, alongside
a more holistic view of the design process
integrating the key issues of transport, energy,
water, waste and materials. Each year, as much
as 40% of the raw materials and energy
produced in the world are used in the building
sector. Buildings account for one-sixth of the
world's fresh water withdrawals, one-quarter of
its wood harvest, and two-fifths of its material
and energy flows. Building "green" is an
opportunity to use our resources efficiently
while creating healthier buildings that improve
human health, build a better environment, and
provide cost savings. Sustainable design or
building greenish is the opportunity to use our
resources efficiently while creating healthier
buildings. It provides cost savings to all people
in the world through improved human health
and productivity, lower cost building
operations, and resources efficiency and it
moves us closer to a sustainable future.

THE THING MAKES BUILDING GREEN

A green building, also known as a
sustainable building, is a structure that is
designed, built, renovated, operated, or reused in
an ecological and resource-efficient manner.
Green buildings are designed to meet certain
objectives such as protecting occupant health;
improving employee productivity; using energy,
water, and other resources more efficiently; and
reducing the overall impact to the environment.

ECONOMIC BENEFITS OF GREEN

BUILDING
 A green building may cost more up front,
but saves through lower operating costs over the
life of the building. The green building approach
applies a project life cycle cost analysis for
determining the appropriate up-front
expenditure. This analytical method calculates
costs over the useful life of the asses. These and
other cost savings can only be fully realized
when they are incorporated at the project's
conceptual design phase with the assistance of
an integrated team of professionals. The
integrated systems approach ensures that the
building is designed as one system rather than a
collection of stand-alone systems. Some
benefits, such as improving occupant health,
comfort, productivity, reducing pollution
and landfill waste are not easily quantified.
Consequently, they are not adequately
considered in cost analysis. For this reason,
consider setting aside a small portion of the
building budget to cover differential costs
associated with less tangible green building
benefits or to cover the cost of researching and
analyzing green building options.
 Even with a tight budget, many green
building measures can be incorporated with
minimal or zero increased up-front costs and
they can yield enormous savings.

ELEMENTS AND PRACTICE SAMPLING

OF GREEN BUILDINGS
SITING
• Start by selecting a site well suited to take
advantage of mass transit.
• Protect and retain existing landscaping and
natural features. Select plants that have low
water and pesticide needs, and generate
minimum plant trimmings. Use compost and
mulches. This will save water and time.
• Recycled content paving materials,
furnishings, and mulches help close the
recycling loop.

ENERGY EFFICIENCY
• Most buildings can reach energy efficiency
levels far beyond California Title 24
standards, yet most only strive to meet the
 standard. It is reasonable to strive for 40
percent less energy than Title 24 standards.
The following strategies contribute to this
goal.
• Passive design strategies can dramatically
affect building energy performance. These
measures include building shape and
orientation, passive solar design, and the use
of natural lighting.
• Develop strategies to provide natural
lighting. Studies have shown that it has a
positive impact on productivity and well
being.
• Install high-efficiency lighting systems with
advanced lighting controls. Include motion
sensors tied to dimmable lighting
controls. Task lighting reduces general
overhead light levels.
• Use a properly sized and energy-efficient
heat/cooling system in conjunction with a
thermally efficient building shell. Maximize
light colors for roofing and wall finish
materials; install high R-value wall and
ceiling insulation; and use minimal glass on
east and west exposures.
 • Minimize the electric loads from lighting,
equipment, and appliances.
• Consider alternative energy sources such as
photovoltaic and fuel cells that are now
available in new products and
applications. Renewable energy sources
provide a great symbol of emerging
technologies for the future.
• Computer modeling is an extremely useful
tool in optimizing design of electrical and
mechanical systems and the building shell.

MATERIALS EFFICIENCY
Select sustainable construction materials and
products by evaluating several characteristics
such as reused and recycled content, zero or low
off gassing of harmful air emissions, zero or low
toxicity, sustainable harvested materials, high
recyclables, durability, longevity, and local
production. Such products promote resource
conservation and efficiency. Using recycled-
content products also helps develop markets for
recycled materials that are being diverted from
California's landfills, as mandated by the
Integrated Waste Management Act.
• Use dimensional planning and other material
efficiency strategies. These strategies
reduce the amount of building materials
needed and cut construction costs. For
example, design rooms on 4-foot multiples
to conform to standard-sized wallboard and
plywood sheets.

• Reuse and recycle construction and

demolition materials. For example, using
inert demolition materials as a base course
for a parking lot keeps materials out of
landfills and costs less.
• Require plans for managing materials
through deconstruction, demolition, and
construction.
• Design with adequate space to facilitate
recycling collection and to incorporate a
solid waste management program that
prevents waste generation.

WATER EFFICIENCY
 Design for dual plumbing to use recycled
water for toilet flushing or a gray water system
that recovers rainwater or other no potable water
for site irrigation. Minimize wastewater by using
ultra low-flush toilets, low-flow shower heads,
and other water conserving fixtures.
• Use re circulating systems for centralized
hot water distribution.
• Install point-of-use hot water heating
systems for more distant locations.
• Meter the landscape separately from
buildings. Use micro-irrigation (which
excludes sprinklers and high-pressure
sprayers) to supply water in non turf areas.
• Use state-of-the-art irrigation controllers and
self-closing nozzles on hoses.

OCCUPANT’S HEALTH AND SAFETY

Recent studies reveal that buildings with
good overall environmental quality can reduce
the rate of respiratory disease, allergy, asthma,
sick building symptoms, and enhance worker
performance. Choose construction materials and
interior finish products with zero or low
emissions to improve indoor air quality. Many
building materials and cleaning/maintenance
products emit toxic gases, such as volatile
organic compounds (VOC) and formaldehyde.
These gases can have a detrimental impact on
occupants' health and productivity.
Provide adequate ventilation and a high-
efficiency, in-duct filtration system. Heating and
cooling systems that ensure adequate ventilation
and proper filtration can have a dramatic and
positive impact on indoor air quality.
Prevent indoor microbial contamination through
selection of materials resistant to microbial
growth, provide effective drainage from the roof
and surrounding landscape, install adequate
ventilation in bathrooms, allow proper drainage
of air-conditioning coils, and design other
building systems to control humidity.

BUILDING OPERATION AND

MAINTENANCE
Green building measures cannot achieve
their goals unless they work as intended.
Building commissioning includes testing and
adjusting the mechanical, electrical, and
plumbing systems to ensure that all equipment
meets design criteria. It also includes instructing
the staff on the operation and maintenance of
equipment. Over time, building performance can
be assured through measurement, adjustment,
and upgrading. Proper maintenance ensures that
a building continues to perform as designed and
commissioned.

PROJECT DESIGN
Of the total expenditures an owner will
make over the course of the building's service
lifetime; design and construction expenditures,
the so-called "first costs" of a facility, will
account for 5-10 percent of the total life-cycle
cost. In contrast, operations and maintenance
costs will account for 60-80 percent of the total
life-cycle costs, with land acquisition,
conceptual planning, renewal or revitalization,
and disposal accounting for the remaining 5-35
percent.

PERFORMANCE STANDARDS
 Performance standards set targets and
provide clear direction to designers and building
professionals, while offering flexibility in
determining how to accomplish a particular
standard. Learn more about guidelines,
specifications, and rating systems that have
performance standards.

COST ISSUES
Discover some interesting primers on cost
issues. Explore the environmental and economic
benefits of green building through first cost, life-
cycle cost method, cost-benefit analyses, and
environmental assessment tools.

MATERIALS SELECTION
Learn the attributes of environmentally
preferred or green building materials, including
a selection criteria and a three-step process for
choosing green building products. A matrix of
information on green construction materials
from several building projects that placed an
emphasis on achieving environmental benefits is
also available. Designing building products
made with recycled tires was developed in order
to provide technical information on physical tire
properties for designers of buildings who use
tire-derived products. It even includes cross-
section illustration of a tire and appendix listing
tire-derived building and landscape products
which is published by the California Integrated
Waste Management Board.
REVIEWED TECHNIQUE
HEAT ON A COOL WHITE ROOF
The energy efficiency benefits of reflective
roofing materials
According to the new Title 24 cool roof
standards, concrete tile and clay tile roofs must
have a minimum initial total solar reflectance of
0.40. All other products must have a minimum
initial total solar reflectance of 0.70 when tested
according to ASTM E903 or E1918. For
purposes of calculating credit for a cool roof
under both the performance and prescriptive
methods, a roof that meets these criteria reduces
heat gain through the roof by 36 percent. Of
course, the impact of this reduction on energy
usage will depend on the aspect ratio of the roof,
a large, single-story warehouse will have a
larger roof area than a high-rise office building
with a smaller footprint. Studies by Lawrence
Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) and the
Florida Solar Energy Center have found
considerable differences in reflectance among
roofing materials, such as single-ply membranes,
built-up roof systems, metal roofing, and
modified bitumen. New Title 24 Standards
Approved, Go Into Effect June 1 Many single-
ply membranes are available in white with
reflectance of 70 to 80 percent or more. For
some single plies, a dark membrane can be
combined with a white coating to achieve the
same reflectance, provided the coating is
properly applied. Built-up roofing systems
(BURs) vary widely in their reflectance, from
five to 80 percent, depending on the surfacing.
Covering aggregate with a white cementitious
coating can increase reflectance to 55 or 60
percent. Using a white reflective coating on a
built-up roof can yield higher reflectance of 70
to 80 percent.

An indoor stadium in
Utah provided A Californian concern
provided
 with the reflective roofing technique.
with white toppings.

METHOD 1
Although not generally considered a "cool
roof"— that distinction is reserved for white,
reflective tops of buildings— The engineers
researching from European models say that
green or vegetated roofs can provide insulation
and outlast conventional roofs while making a
building more energy efficient. The soil of a
green roof is usually a mix of organic and
mineral material two to 18 inches deep,
depending on type of vegetation. The plant
selection and landscaping design also varies. For
instance, The Gap Headquarters Building in San
Bruno was designed so that from the air it is
hard to distinguish from the grassy California
hills around it. Vegetated surfaces have a
cooling effect, since the foliage gives off
moisture in a process known as
evapotranspiration. This means that green roofs
may help reduce the urban heat island effect
caused by dark rooftops and pavements
absorbing and radiating the sun's heat.
METHOD 2
Many single-ply membranes are available in
white with reflectance of 70 to 80 percent or
more. For some single plies, a dark membrane
can be combined with a white coating to achieve
the same reflectance, provided the coating is
properly applied. Built-up roofing systems
(BURs) vary widely in their reflectance, from
five to 80 percent, depending on the surfacing.
For BURs surfaced with aggregate, LBNL
reflectance data ranges from 10 percent for dark
aggregate to nearly 50 percent for white marble
chips. Covering dark aggregate with a white
cementitious coating can increase reflectance to
55 or 60 percent. Using a white reflective
coating on a built-up roof can yield higher
reflectance of 70 to 80 percent. Modified
bitumen’s reflectance range from five to 25
percent, but it is possible to increase reflectivity
to about 65 percent by adding a white reflective
coating. Concrete and clay tile may be
purchased in white, increasing solar reflectance
to about 70 percent, as compared to 20 to 30
percent for red tile.
BENEFITS OF COOL ROOF
CONSTRUCTION
ENERGY SAVINGS
For highly absorptive roofs, the difference
between the surface and ambient air
temperatures may be as high as 90°F, while for
highly reflective roofs with similar insulative
properties; the difference is only about 10°F. For
this reason, "cool" roofs are effective in
reducing cooling energy use. Individual energy
savings depend on many factors, including
geographic location and climate, existing
insulation levels in the building, the type of roof
installed, and how well it is kept clean and
maintained. The Environmental Protection
Agency says that in the right situations, cooling
energy savings can be as high as 50 percent.
 Bar chart demonstrating energy
savings in dollars from
Installation of cool roof in US
cities. For every 1000 sq.ft
of cool roofing on air conditioned
buildings saving potential
ranges from $4 in Philadelphia
and $3 in Phoenix.

DOWNSIZED A/C EQUIPMENT

A reflective roof can reduce peak cooling
demand by 15 percent, meaning that the capacity
of a commercial building’s HVAC system can
be downsized.

EXTENDED ROOF LIFE

 Roofs undergo significant expansion and
contraction as they heat and cool throughout the
day. Heat absorbed by the roof can also
accelerate degradation by ultraviolet rays and
water. A reflective roof can reduce the amount
of thermal shock that occurs on the roof surface
and make the roof last longer. This also means
that less retired roofing has to go to landfills.

EXISTING EXAMPLES OF GREEN

PROJECTS
City of San Diego's Ridge haven Green
Building (US)
At a glance, the Ridge haven Building
appears identical to its neighbor. In 1996,
however, the 73,000 sq ft. Ridge haven Building
was completely renovated with many cost-
effective sustainable performance methodologies
and technologies. As a result, the Ridge haven
Building now uses 65 percent less total energy
than its nearly identical neighbor, yielding a
saving of more than $70,000 in annual utility
costs. This equates to $1 per sq ft. in annual
savings. Even more important, the building
occupants love its light and "healthy"
atmosphere, boosting their productivity.

The Hewlett building (US)

The Hewlett building, which cost $23
million to construct, is certified with a gold
rating under the U.S. Green Building Council's
standards, the first commercial building in
California with that status. Its landscaping is
drought-tolerant. Insulation comes from recycled
denim --the shredded factory scraps left over
from making blue jeans. Solar shingles line the
roof. More than 83 percent of the wood,
including the cherry trim, second -growth
redwood siding, framing lumber and outdoor
benches, is certified as having been grown
sustainable. Tiles in showers and restrooms are
made of recycled glass. The carpets are made of
recycled nylon. People come in here all the
time, they look around and they say, `Wow!' ''
said Eric Brown, the foundation's
communications director. ``We want to be an
exemplar of good practices. Our environmental
grant-making focuses on energy and the West.
This seemed like a no-brainer.'' The building's
windows and roof have reflective coatings to cut
down on heat. Motion sensors turn off the lights
in unoccupied rooms. Storm water is filtered in
natural swales outside. Heat and cool air are
pumped through vents in the floor, so only the
lowest six feet of each room is cooled or heated,
saving energy.

RATING SYSTEMS
During the past four years, the amount of
commercial and high-rise residential building
space certified under national green building
standards has increased from 8 million square
feet in 2000 to 149 million square feet today,
according to the U.S. Green Building Council, a
non -profit organization in Washington, D.C.,
made up of architects, designers, planners and
other building professionals. The council's 4-
year-old rating system, known as LEED --for
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design
-- is the most commonly used rating to certify
environmentally sustainable architecture in the
nation.
 The green construction in our country is not
as much as the vision that is created in foreign
claims. But the thorough knowledge and
researching can cope us to run with the outsiders
and even make our country worthy for design
considerations

CONCLUSION
We must have to develop and establish a
vision that embraces sustainable principles, an
integrated design approach and a clear statement
of the project’s vision, goals, design criteria and
priorities. Also the design approach must
endeavor the conceptual ideas and contingencies
for additional research and analysis of specific
options, Seek sponsorship or grant opportunities,
to develop a project schedule that allows for
system testing and commissioning and to create
effective incentives and oversight.