“ GREEN BUILDINGS ” energy of water and electricity during the

construction and operation of the structure by

the application of various new technologies
featuring HVAC (Heating Ventilation and
Air Conditioning) systems, intelligent
lighting controls, rain water harvesting and so
on.

Green building is a time-tested, practical and

intuitive approach to creating
environmentally sound buildings. Green
building combines age-old wisdom; tradition
and collaborative design processes; and
modern building science, technology and
materials application. Green building
structures are energy efficient, conserve
resources, create healthier indoor
environments and offer durable and beautiful
ABSTRACT: spaces that use environmentally suitable
materials. Green building incorporates
integrated design concepts, solar orientation,
Green Buildings, with
appropriate footprint sizing, glazing
reference to civil engineering, are those
awareness, material durability, economic
buildings that are highly efficient in terms of
life-cycle analysis, material reuse and
energy usage and that are beneficial to
salvage, natural material content, locally
mankind as well as to the environment. This
available materials and economic
paper deals with the various methods of
sustainability.
making an ordinary structure as an eco-
friendly building. The main theme of GREEN
BUILDINGS is to meet today’s Needs
Numerous methods
without Compromising with that of the
have been employed in the construction
Future’s!!!!!!!!!!
industry so as to make the structure
environmentally sustainable and to reduce “Let’s join hands to promote this
the harmful effects it imposes on the technology for our better sustainable future.”
surroundings as well as to the mankind.
These techniques include usage of
What is Green Building?
conventional to modern materials ranging
from normal wood, lime and glass to
advanced eco friendly concrete and
environmental friendly reflectors. Not only
the materials are those which make the
building green but also the way energy is
consumed in a building reinforces it. Many
energy saving technologies have been
introduced, which include efficient usage of

Green buildings are sited, designed,
constructed, and operated to enhance the
well-being of their occupants and support a
healthy community and natural environment.
Green building is a loosely defined
collection of land-use, building design, and
construction strategies that reduce the
environmental impacts that buildings have on
their surroundings. Traditional building
practices often overlook the
interrelationships among a building, its
components, its surroundings, and its
occupants. “Typical” buildings consume
more of our resources than necessary and
generate large amounts of waste. GREEN
BUILDINGS are ultimately ECO
FRIENDLY.
Other features of an ecological building
might include:
 The varied use of solar panels for
domestic hot water heating,
 Water conservation, possibly
including biological waste water
treatment and re-use, and the simple
collection and recycling of rainwater
for garden use,
 Low energy light bulbs, which can
last up to 100 times longer than
regular bulbs,
 Cellulose insulation (like the paper in
the above example),
 Non-toxic or lead-free paints and
wood preservatives,
 Locally-grown and harvested timber
from sustainably managed forests.
CLASSIFICATION
The term “eco-friendly” can be broadly
categorized into two as
 Eco friendly materials
 Eco friendly techniques
ECO FRIENDLY MATERIALS
Some of the very common Green
construction materials are as described
below:
GREEN CONCRETE:
Green concrete is a revolutionary
topic in the history of concrete industry. This
was first invented in Denmark in the year
1998. Green concrete has nothing to do with
color. It is a concept of thinking environment
into concrete considering every aspect from
raw materials manufacture over mixture
design to structural design, construction, and
service life. Green concrete is very often also
cheap to produce, because, for example,
waste products are used as a partial substitute
for cement, charges for the disposal of waste
are avoided, energy consumption in
production is lower, and durability is greater. deteriorate the working
Green concrete is a type of concrete environment.
which resembles the conventional • The structures do not impose
concrete but the production or usage of such much harm to the
concrete requires minimum amount of environment during their
energy and causes least harm to the service life.
environment.

Environmental Goals: Desirable properties in green concrete:

Green Concrete is expected to fulfill
the following environmental obligations: Today, it is already possible to produce
and cast very green concrete. Even a super
• Reduction of CO2 emissions green type of concrete without cement but
by 21 %. This is in accordance with, for example, 300 kg of fly ash instead
with the Kyoto Protocol of can be produced and cast without any
1997. changes in the production equipment. But
• Increase the use of inorganic this concrete will not develop strength, and it
residual products from will of course not be durable. Therefore, the
industries other than the concrete must include aspects of performance
concrete industry by approx. like:
20%. • Mechanical properties
• Reduce the use of fossil fuels (strength, shrinkage, creep,
by increasing the use of waste static behavior etc.)
derived fuels in the cement • Fire resistance (heat transfer,
industry. etc.)
• The recycling capacity of the • Workmanship (workability,
green concrete must not be strength development, curing,
less compared to existing etc.)
concrete types. • Durability (corrosion
• The production and the use of protection, frost, new
green concrete must not
 deterioration mechanisms,
etc.)
Advantage of green concrete:
GREEN BUILDING FEATURES
There are several advantages related to
green concrete and can be summarized as Green Building Have Many Advantages

below: & Features. Some Important Fractures are

• Reduced CO2 emissions. indicating below.

• Low production costs as • Energy efficient equipment

wastes directly substitute the for air conditioning and
cement. Lighting systems.
• Saves energy, emissions and
• Use of onsite renewable
waste water.
energy.
• Helps in recycling industry
• Measurement and verification
wastes.
plan to ensure energy &Water
• Reduces the consumption of
savings.
cement overall.
• Better workability. • Reduction of building
• Sustainable development. footprints to minimize the
• Greater strength and impact on environment.
durability than normal • Installation of high efficiency
concrete. irrigation methods and
• Compressive strength and selection of vegetation which
Flexural behavior is fairly have low water consumption.
equal to that of the
• Controls and building
conventional concrete.
management systems.
• Green concrete might solve
some of the societies’ • Recycling of construction
problems with the use of debris to other sites.
inorganic, residual products • Use of building materials
which should otherwise be having a high recycled
deposited. content.
 • Use of rapidly renewable
materials.
• Declaration of site as “Non-
smoking” area or have
designated area of smoking.
• Providing daylight and views
for the occupied areas.
organizations are considering Green
Buildings in a major way. This has resulted
in a spurt in the demand for green materials
& equipment. From a humble beginning of
20,000 sq.ft of green footprint in the country
in the year 2003, to a staggering 70 million
sq.ft till date, green buildings are well poised
to reach scalar heights.

Today a variety of green building

projects are coming up in the country -
residential complexes, exhibition centers,
hospitals, educational institutions,
laboratories, IT parks, airports, government
buildings and corporate offices.

GREEN BUILDING MOVEMENT IN

INDIA:

The Green Building movement has gained

tremendous momentum during the past 5
years, ever since the Green Business Centre
embarked on achieving the prestigious LEED
rating for their own center at Hyderabad.
Need for sustainable alternatives:
The ‘Platinum Rating’ for the Green
• Steel, cement, glass,
Business Centre building has sensitized the
aluminium, plastics, bricks,
stakeholders of the construction industry.
etc. are energy-intensive
Today, several corporate and Government
 materials, commonly used for • Water-saving plumbing
building construction. fixtures.
Generally these materials are • Landscapes planned to
transported over great maximize passive solar
distances. energy.
• Extensive use of these • Minimal harm to the natural
materials can drain the energy habitat.
resources and adversely affect
• Alternate power sources such
the environment.
as solar power or wind power.
• On the other hand, it is
•
difficult to meet the ever-
growing demand for buildings
by adopting only energy
efficient traditional materials
(like mud, thatch, timber, GREENBUILDING PRACTICES:

etc.) and construction

methods.
Technology for Alternative:
Materials for low cost Housing should be:
• Energy Efficient
• Environment Friendly
• Employment Generating.
Green architecture may have
characteristics:
Green building brings together a vast
array of practices and techniques to reduce
and ultimately eliminate the impacts of
buildings on the environment and human
health.
E.g. Using sunlight through passive solar,
active solar and photo voltaic techniques and
using plants and trees through green roofs,
rain gardens, and for reduction of rainwater
these
run-off.

SALIENT FEATURES:
• Energy-efficient lighting and
• Minimal disturbance to
appliances.
landscapes and site condition
 • Use of Recycled and efficiency windows and insulation in walls,
Environmental Friendly Building Ceilings, and floors. Another strategy,
Materials. passive solar building design, is
oftenimplemented in low-energy homes.
• Use of Non-Toxic and
Designers orient windows and walls and
recycled/recyclable Materials.
place awnings, porches, and trees to shade
• Efficient use of Water and
windows and roofs during the summer while
Water Recycling
maximizing solar gain in the winter. In
• Use of Renewable Energy addition, effective window placement (Day

• Indoor Air Quality for Human lighting) can provide more natural light and

Safety and Comfort lessen the need for electric lighting during the
day. Solar water heating further reduces
• Effective Controls and
energy loads.
Building Management Systems

Intelligent Lighting Controls

Energy efficiency:
One of the most significant
developments within the technology of
Green buildings often include intelligent microprocessor based controls is
measures to reduce energy use. To increase the use of intelligence provide greater
flexibility, leading to better management of
the efficiency of the building envelope, (the light. They make it possible to create an
barrier between conditioned and aesthetically pleasing environment, while at
the same time saving energy.
unconditioned space), they may use high-
 The concept behind these controls is
to operate lighting automatically according to
the function of an area, the time of day,
ambient light levels, or occupancy. The
single most important aspect is
programmability, that is, the ability to
remember lighting levels as a series of
settings. These settings, also known as
scenes, can be recalled automatically by the
dimmer system or by the central building
control system.
Lighting controls can be either stand
alone, room dependent types, or larger
networked systems, where the dimmer units
are fitted in an electrical cupboard and
operated by a network of external devices
like sensors and control panels. The
networked systems have the advantage of
allowing control of different rooms or areas
from many points. In a domestic setting this
could be a wall mounted switch panel near
the main entrance that acts as a master to
several rooms.
Network systems also have standard
serial ports, which makes integrating to
central controllers much easier. These
interfaces are usually bi-directional, so a
central controller can request a level change
and then confirm the action. The information
from the lighting system can also be used for
determining energy consumption or for
mimicking occupancy patterns while the
house is unoccupied. Standalone dimmers
can be interfaced too, via infra-red remote
control though this only provides for one way
operation without the ability of determining
if a request has taken place.
Intelligent lighting controls have
many advantages over manual ones,
including convenience, creating ambience,
increased design flexibility, energy savings,
reduced lamp replacement costs and security.
Scenes, once set up, can be easily recalled
manually from wall mounted switch panels
or by remote control. They can be recalled
automatically by timer, by daylight sensor or
according to occupancy. Once a new scene is
selected the lighting will fade to the new set
of levels at a pre-determined rate.
When dimming a lamp the energy
saved is as high as 98% of the proportion of
unused energy. Because the human eye
perceives light non-linearly, it is possible to
reduce light levels by over 10% before the
reduction in brightness is noticed. This would
lead to a near 10% saving in energy
consumption. A 50% reduction in dimming
levels would save around 40% of the energy.
Intelligent dimmers ramp or fade a
lamp to a preset level. This is particularly
important when the lamp is first turned on.
Incandescent lamps tend to fail at this point
due to thermal shock of the cold filament. By
fading the lamp to the set level, also known
as "soft start", a lamp's life is extended
considerably. At 10% dimming a lamp will
last twice as long and at 50% dimming it will
last 20 times as long. Voltage stabilization,
available on more expensive systems,
protects lamps against spikes and peaks in
mains voltage.
In warm climates and in the summer
months when air-conditioning is used,
lowering the thermal load of the lighting can
also save energy. Solid state dimmers, unlike
their rheostat predecessors, do not dim
lighting by losing the excess energy in the
form of heat through a resistive load. Instead
they switch the load on and off 100 times a
second with a time delay proportional to the
amount being dimmed.
Not all lamps are dimmable, some
like compact fluorescent lamps, can only be
switched on or off. However, energy can still
be saved if they are turned off automatically
when not required. For example, during a
bright day the lamps near a window can be
turned off where normally they would be left
on. A sensor that measures daylight provides
an input value to the controller that will
measure the value over time and use that
information to switch or dim circuits to
predetermined levels.
Energy savings can be derived
through occupancy detection. Sensors are
mounted in rooms, which detect if there is
movement within the room or area. They feed
that information back to the controller, which
counts a period of time that no movement has
been detected for. Each time movement is
detected the count will be reset. Once
movement has not been detected for a preset
period of time the lighting in that room or
area can be either switched off or turned
down to a low energy saving level. After a
further period of no movement they can be
turned off altogether.
Lighting can play an important part in
security, deterring intruders whether the
property is occupied or not. Low levels of
illumination can be programmed to operate at
night in certain rooms or hallways. When the
building is unoccupied, levels can be selected
that copy normal usage. This can be by time
clock or by selecting a vacation mode.
Dimmed or selectively switched levels of
illumination will save energy and is more
effective than leaving lighting on or using
simple plug in timers.
The principle of lighting controls is to
either dim or switch the lighting according to
requirements. Mains power comprises of an
alternating current that flows in one direction
and then in the other along the cable at the
rate of 50 or 60 cycles per second, measured
as frequency in Hertz. The value 50 or 60Hz
is dependent on the power system of the
country.
If we were to look at this waveform it
would appear as a stretched S shape on its
side. Draw a line through the middle and this
is what is called the zero crossing point.
Dimming is achieved by turning a
solid state switch or triac off and then on
again a period of time after this point has
elapsed. The longer this time, the less energy
will pass through the triac and into the lamp
and the more it will be dimmed. This turning
on and off of the triac occurs every time the
mains crossing point is reached (half phase),
100 times per second.
Some controllers use a
microprocessor control with the above timing
function being handled by an analogue
circuit. More sophisticated systems, called
digital dimmers, operate the switching direct
from the microprocessor. This has the
advantage of greater reliability, quieter
operation, lower cost and smaller controls
lighting controls.
Some other commonly followed
techniques in a building to conserve every
kind of energy are
Rain Water harvesting
Rain water harvesting and ground
water recharge is also essential for an eco-
friendly development. The harvesting of
rainwater basically involves the collection of
water from surfaces on which rain falls and
storing this water for later use. The process of
water soaking into the ground to turn into
groundwater is known as groundwater
recharge. Rain water can be collected and
used in gardens or to wash cars, thereby
saving our water resources.
Low flow Toilets
Choose low flow toilet mechanisms.
These use less water while still doing the
same job as regular toilets. Obviously, you
will save water and money on water bills.
Installation of Skylights in the Roof
This will allow natural sunlight to
illuminate the building for free, especially
over rooms that is the darkest. Sunlight is
more powerful than any bulb, so the light will
flow through much of the room where the
skylight is installed. Or add in sun lights
which will provide lights in the day time.

Installation of Solar Panels

Solar heating will provide energy for
the building in many ways. It can heat water
at the most basic level. Solar energy is pure,
clean energy. As an added bonus, the surplus
energy can be transferred to a battery and
stored for later use; however, be aware that
this will increase your costs considerably,
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT:
depending on the size of the battery. Solar
water tanks can heat stored water for
Green building practices aim to
whatever reason you need hot water for, such
as showers and tea. reduce the environmental impact of
buildings.
Usage of Low Wattage Lights
Eg: In the United States, more than
These are a great way to save energy
easily. They plug straight into any lighting 2,000,000 acres (8,100 km²) of open space,
unit and use less energy. Some are even wildlife habitat, and wetlands are developed
brighter than standard light bulbs but are
consuming a lot less energy each year.
Consider using motion sensor light
bulbs for both indoors and outdoors. These
will keep you from leaving a room without
turning the lights off. Outdoors, they can save
a lot of money on wasted electricity but will GREEN BUILDING MATERIALS:
illuminate your pathway to the door when
needed. These are also good burglar Building materials typically
deterrents, as the sudden switching on of a
light is very disconcerting when unexpected. considered to be 'green' include rapidly
renewable plant materials like bamboo and
straw, lumber from forestscertified to be
sustainably managed, dimension stone,
recycled stone, recycled metal, and other
products that are non-toxic, reusable,
renewable, and/or recyclable.
 E.g. Trass, linoleum, sheep wool, and
panels made from paper flakes, baked
earth, rammed earth, clay,
vermiculite, flax linen, sisal, sea
grass, cork, expanded clay grains,
coconut, wood fiber plates, calcium
sand stone...
THREE BASIC STEPS OF PRODUCT
SELECTION:
• Research
• Evaluation
• Selection.
REDUCED WASTE:
• During the construction
phase, one goal should be to
reduce the amount of material
going to landfills.
• Well-designed buildings also
help reduce the amount of
waste generated by the
occupants as well, by
providing on-site solutions
such as compost bins to
reduce matter going to
landfills.
• To reduce the impact on
wells or water treatment
plants, several options exist.
"Grey water", wastewater
from sources such as
dishwashing or washing
machines, can be used for
subsurface irrigation, or if
treated, for non-potable
purposes, e.g., to flush toilets
and wash cars. Rainwater
collectors are used for similar
purposes.
BENEFITS:
 Environmental benefits
 Reduce the impacts of natural
resource extraction,
manufacturing, operations
and disposal
 Economic benefits
 Improve the bottom line
 Health and safety benefits
SOME EXAMPLES OF GREEN
BUILDINGS IN INDIA
LEDEG TRAINEES’ HOSTEL, LEH

Design features
 Traditional materials and methods of
construction have been modified and
adapted to achieve energy efficiency
 Predominantly south exposure with
no overhangs for maximum winter
gains.
 Entrance lobby designed as a
solarium on the south side.
 Bedrooms provided with various
types of Trombe walls (half Trombe,
unvented Trombe, and vented
Trombe) or direct gain systems for
passive heating.
TORRENT RESEARCH CENTRE,
AHMEDABAD
Design features
1. Design maximizes the use of locally
available natural materials and avoids
the use of synthetic materials.
2. RCC-framed structure with brick in-
filled walls, with glossy enamel paint
on cement/vermiculite plaster on the
internal surface.
3. Vermiculite, a natural mineral, is
extensively used for the insulation in
roof and cavity walls to achieve the
required R-values, along with
cement–brickbat-based
waterproofing
4. PDEC (passive downdraft
evaporative cooling) system has been
designed and adopted for space
conditioning of the building.
5. Daylight integration has been made
for reducing energy usage.
6. Innovative use of half-round ceramic
pipes, on the outer face of the inlet
and exhaust shafts of the PDEC
system, to reduce the entry of larger
dust particles by creating local
turbulence.
SOLAR ENERGY CENTRE, GUAL
PAHARI, GURGAON
Design features
Technical and administrative block
 1. Courtyard planning with single-
loaded corridors for ventilation and
landscaped courtyard to modify
microclimate
2. Hollow concrete block walls to
reduce heat gains
3. Properly designed windows and
shading devices
4. Provision for rooftop evaporative
cooling
5. Insulation for air-conditioned blocks
Workshop building
1. Building section developed for
ventilation and day lighting
2. Heat gain by the roof minimized by
insulation and reflective roof finishes
Guest house
1. Built on the south slope of an
undulating site, and partially
earthbermed from three sides.
2. Terrace garden is watered during the
summer months. The evaporation of
water modifies the microclimate and
also absorbs a major part of the
cooling load in summer.
3. A special section of the roof provided
with manually-driven ventilators to
ensure cross-ventilation of each guest
suite.
4. External surfaces of the building
finished with white reflective paint
5. Windows protected by arched
sunshades (overhangs and sidewalls)
of predetermined dimensions to avoid
direct sun during summers.
6. Solar water heaters integrated with
the architectural design have been
provided for each bathroom.
7. A sunny terrace provided near the
kitchen to facilitate solar cooking.
OUR FUTURE TASKS
 To evaluate the eco-friendly
properties of each of these materials
 Develop recommendation for the
world considering Eco-housing
criteria
 Evaluation of Financial impacts of
using eco-friendly materials
ADVANTAGES OR PROPERTIES
OF GREEN MATERIALS
 Reuse/recycle
 Renewable Source
 Reuse of Waste product
 Embodied Energy
 Local Availability
 Reduction in air, land and water
pollution
 Durability & Life span
 Aids Energy Efficiency in buildings
 Biodegradable
CONCLUSION:
As mentioned earlier, the external
appearance of a green building does not differ
much from the conventional ones. The only
criteria to be considered is that it costs a bit
higher i.e., some 4 to 8% higher that the
ordinary constructions. But it is obvious that
in future such buildings will be of prime
importance because of the increasing need to
conserve our environment. From this, it is
clear that it is our sole responsibility to insist
installing green methods and techniques and
promote GREEN BUILDINGS,
To Meet Today’s Needs Without
Compromising With That Of The
Future’s!!!!!!!!!!
REFERENCES:
• “GREEN BUILDING
CONCEPT” Eco friendly
and indirect method of
energy conservation,
• By A.Jignesh C Sailor, B
Himanshu,ANaik, C Chaudri
Rakesh.
• http://www.igbc.in
• http://www.greenconcept.co
m