Indian Geotechnical Conference 2017 GeoNEst
14-16 December 2017, IIT Guwahati, India
Geotechnical aspects for the protection of sustainabledevelopment.
G.S. Vyas
Department of Civil Engineering, College of Engineering, Pune Maharashtra – 411005
E-mail :gsv.civil@coep.ac.in.
Keywords:sustainable development; green building; GRIHA; Sustainable earthworks.
1. Introduction The GRIHA measure 34 criteria, Eco-Housing specifies
Geotechnical engineering has a key role to play in 74 criteria including climate, and the LEED-India
enhancing sustainability due to its key position of the considers 51 criteria. In the LEED India, GRIHA and
construction process, where potentiallyadverse impacts Eco-Housing systems, relative importance (weight) of
are highest. Presently, there is a lack ofmethods to criteria is not considered (Vyas et. al. 2012). These
assess the sustainability ofgeotechnical projects in early rating systems were compared for geotechnical aspects.
stages of construction. Sustainable construction
encompass the three pillars viz. economic, 4. Important Outcomes
environmental and social.In thisstudy, existing After comparing the existing green building rating
sustainable building assessment technique in India were systems, it is found that geotechnical engineering can
compared.The role of geotechnical engineering in the contribute toimprove the sustainability of the societal
existing assessment tool were identified. Some system. These include (i) waste management, (ii)
recommendations are made to enhance geotechnical infrastructure developmentand rehabilitation, (iii)
aspects for the protection of sustainable development. construction efficiency and innovation,(iv) energy
Hali et al. (2010) suggested the methodology of efficiency and carbon reduction, (v) materials reduction,
embedding sustainability into geotechnics by selecting (vi) effective land use and management, (vii) economic
SPeAR methodology.Basuet al. (2014) discussed viability and whole life cost and (viii)positive
thesustainability and geotechnical engineering: contributionto society.
perspectives and concluded that a gap exists between
sustainability as aconcept, and as its practical 5. Conclusions
implementation in engineering practice. The authors After comparing the existing green building rating
identified a need for education,research, and effective systems, it is found that geotechnical engineering can
communication regarding sustainabilitywithin the contribute to improving the sustainability of the societal
engineering profession. system. These include (i) waste management, (ii)
infrastructure development and rehabilitation, (iii)
construction efficiency and innovation, (iv) energy
2. Motivation and Objective
The motivation behind the study is to identify the efficiency and carbon reduction, (v) materials reduction,
significance of integrating geotechnics with (vi) effective land use and management, (vii) economic
sustainability. In this study, existing sustainable viability and whole life cost and (viii) positive
building assessment technique in India were compared. contribution to society.Sustainability-related studies in
The role of geotechnical engineering in the existing geotechnology fundamentally belong to two categories:
assessment tool were identified. Some recommendations innovative construction techniques that develop
are made to enhance geotechnical aspects for the sustainability assessment frameworks and those that
protection of sustainable development. contribute to global sustainability through the use of
alternative virgin materials or materials having low
embedded energy.
3. Methodology
The green building assessment tool of Indian buildings References
was started by the IGBC (Indian Green Building Basu, D., Misra, A., &Puppala, A. J. (2014).
Council) in 2006. The Green Rating for Integrated Sustainability and geotechnical engineering:
Habitat Assessment (GRIHA 2007) is developed by the perspectives and review. Canadian Geotechnical
TERI (The Energy and Resources Institute). The IIEC Journal, 52(1), 96-113.
(International Institute for Energy Conservation, Vyas, G. S., and Jha, K. N. (2012). Development of a
Mumbai) developed the Eco-housing Assessment Tool, Framework for Green Building Rating System. 3rd
for Pune and Mumbai Suburbs in 2006, and it was later Inter. Conf. on Const. in Developing Countries,
revised in 2009. Bangkok, Thailand.
