I.

Defining GREEN BUILDING

The ideal green building would be a building project that would allow the
preservation of most of the natural environment around the project site, while still being able
to produce a building that is going to serve a purpose. The construction and operation will
promote a healthy environment for all involved, and it will not disrupt the land, water,
resources and energy in and around the building. 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. A green building is one whose construction and lifetime of operation
assure the healthiest possible environment while representing the most efficient and least
disruptive use of land, water, energy and resources. The optimum design solution is one
that effectively emulates all of the natural systems and conditions of the pre-developed site
– after development is complete.
● Eco-construction, also referred to as sustainable construction or green building,
proposes various possibilities of reducing the environmental impact of buildings.
● Green building is not a specific construction method, but it brings together a set
of techniques, materials and technologies which when suitably integrated in a
 construction project, contribute to enhancing its environmental performance.

II. GREEN Goals and Objectives

Green building, or sustainable design, is the practice of increasing the efficiency
with which buildings and their sites use energy, water, and materials, and of reducing
impacts on human health and the environment for the entire lifecycle of a building.
Green-building concepts extend beyond the walls of buildings and include site planning,
community and land-use planning issues as well.
The objective of green building concept is to develop buildings which use the
natural resources to the minimal at the time of construction as well as operation. Green
buildings emphasize on the resource usage efficiency and also press upon the three R’s
– Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.
 While many green materials and technologies do cost more, it has been
demonstrated that many green strategies and technologies actually cost the same and
some even cost less than traditional “not-so-green” technologies. By blending the right
mix of green technologies that cost less with green technologies that cost the same or
slightly more, it is possible to have a very green building project that costs the same as a
conventional one. Often the key to a cost effective green building and site design lies
within the interrelationships and associated cost and performance trade-offs that exist
between different building systems. For example, the use of high performance windows
and window frames increases the first cost of the building envelope, however the
resulting reduction in the size and cost of the buildings heating and cooling system more
than offsets the added cost of the better glazing system. The result is a building that has
a comparable or perhaps even a lower first cost, a higher comfort level, lower energy
use, and lower energy bills and operating cost for the life of the building.
The technique of green building maximizes the use of efficient construction
materials and practices; boosts the use of natural sources and sinks in the building’s
surroundings; minimizes the energy usage to run itself; uses highly proficient equipment
for the indoor area; uses highly proficient methods for water and waste management.
The indoor equipment includes lighting, air-conditioning and all other needed equipment.

III. Impacts of Going GREEN

● Optimizes energy efficiency
● Limits water consumption
● Makes maximum use of recycled, recyclable and non-toxic materials
● Generates as little waste as possible during the construction process and
subsequent occupation.
● Conserve natural resources
● Improve air and water quality
● Protect biodiversity and ecosystems
● Reduce operating costs
 ● Improve occupant productivity
● Create market for green product and services
● Improve quality of life
● Minimize strain on local infrastructure
● Improve occupant health and comfort

IV. Elements of a GREEN BUILDING

A. Sustainable Site Design
a. Key Principles
● Minimize urban sprawl and needless destruction of valuable land, habitat
and green space, which results from inefficient low-density development.
● Encourage higher density urban development, urban redevelopment and
urban renewal, and brownfield development as a means to preserve
valuable green space.
● Preserve key environmental assets through careful examination of each
site.
● Preventing and reducing construction damage to the site requires extra
attention and low-impact methods.
● Engage in a design and construction process that minimizes site
disturbance and which values, preserves and actually restores or
regenerates valuable habitat, green space and associated ecosystems
that are vital to sustaining life.
● Create a design that works with natural features, protecting trees,
streams, and soils as parks, effective drainage, and energy-saving shade.
● Connect buildings to the sun and wind for significant energy savings and
work with existing development patterns.
● Grouping buildings together is often the best way to reduce impacts,
provide valuable community greenspace, and cut costs.
b. Examples:
● Slate Roofing
○ Slate is naturally formed rock which is used to make tiles.
○ Slate tiles have high durability and they are used as roofing
materials.
 ○ Slate roofing is preferred when it is locally or cheaply
available.

● Grasscrete Method
○ Grasscrete is a method of laying concrete flooring,
walkways, sidewalks, and driveways in such a manner that
there are open patterns allowing grass or other flora to grow.
○ This provides the benefit of reducing concrete usage overall
○ This method improved stormwater absorption and drainage.

● Having a Sustainable Site Design

○ Site selection can have a significant impact on the
environmental impact of a project site. Some specific
parameters to consider when selecting a site include:
 ● Avoid flood plains – continued development in
natural flood plain areas has contributed to increased
flooding, decreased flooding and increased soil loss.
● Provide buffers for bodies of water – Development
around bodies of water such as streams and wetlands
should be limited and include buffers of undisturbed
areas of 50′-100′ or more.
● Avoid greenfields – greyfields and brownfields are
often less expensive to develop, place less stress on
infrastructure and limit the environmental impact of
developing previously undeveloped sites.
● Transportation – the impact that transportation of
people and goods to a site has can be significant. Try
to select sites that encourage the use of public and
non-motorized transportation.
B. Water Quality and Conservation
a. Key Principles:
● Preserve the existing natural water cycle and design site and building
improvements such that they closely emulate the site’s natural “pre-
development” hydrological systems.
● Emphasis should be placed on retention of stormwater and on-site
infiltration and groundwater recharge using methods that closely emulate
natural systems.
● Minimize the unnecessary and inefficient use of potable water on the site
while maximizing the recycling and reuse of water, including harvested
rainwater, storm water, and gray water.

b. Examples:
● Rainwater Harvesting
○ In simple terms, it is the active collection and distribution of
rainwater which rather than going to the sewage is put into use in
daily life.
 ○ Typically, rainwater is collected from the rooftops, deposited in a
reservoir with filtration. Once the water is purified, it can be used
for cultivation, gardening, and other domestic uses.

● Grey Water Recycling

○ Grey water can be defined as untreated wastewater which has not
come into contact with water closet waste.
○ Basically, it emanates from showers, bathtubs, bathroom wash
basins, washing machines, and dishwashers. Treatment of
greywater can include:
■ Filtering
■ Settlement of solids
■ Flotation and separation of lighter solids
■ Aerobic or anaerobic digestion
■ Chemical or UV disinfection
 DGTS – Domestic Grey Treatment System

● Pressure Reduction
○ Pressure reducing valves are being very commonly installed in
high rise residential and commercial buildings to help to maintain
a consistent water pressure at the water fixtures across the entire
building from top to bottom.
○ They automatically reduce the high incoming water pressure from
the city mains to provide a lower, more functional pressure for
distribution to homes.
C. Energy and Environment
a. Key Principles
● Minimize adverse impacts on the environment (air, water, land, natural
resources) through optimized building siting, optimized building design,
material selection, and aggressive use of energy conservation measures.
● Maximize the use of renewable energy and other low impact energy
sources.
b. Examples
● Passive Solar Design
o Windows or other devices that collect solar energy should face within
30 degrees of true south and should not be shaded during the heating
season by other buildings or trees from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day.
During the spring, fall, and cooling season, the windows should be
shaded to avoid overheating. Be sure to keep the window glass clean.
o Solar heat is transferred from where it is collected and stored to
different areas of the house (thermal mass) by conduction,
convection, and radiation.

● Light Shelf Technology

o Shelf lighting, adding a reflective shelf in front of the glazing, is also a
popular solution to introduce more daylight into the building.
 o Daylighting is the use of glazing to allow natural light into spaces,
often replacing the use of artificial light. By glazing, we typically mean
glass or plastic.

D. Indoor Environmental Quality

a. Key Principles
● Provide a healthy, comfortable and productive indoor environment for
building occupants and visitors.
● Provide a building design, which affords the best possible conditions in
terms of indoor air quality, ventilation, thermal comfort, access to natural
ventilation and daylighting, and effective control of the acoustical
environment.
b. Examples
● Underfloor air distribution (UFAD)
○ As part of HVAC system designs, this method is becoming a
popular alternative to conventional ceiling-based air ducts. UFAD
uses the open space between the structural concrete slab and a
raised floor system, to carry conditioned air directly into building
zones.
○ Air is returned from rooms at ceiling level, taking advantage of the
natural buoyancy of warm air (Thermal Stratification). This helps
remove the heat produced by office appliances and occupants, as
well as removing air contaminants from the conditioned space
more efficiently.
 ○ Help reduce overall plenum heights. A large overhead plenum for
bulky supply ducts can be replaced with smaller ceiling plenum for
return air, combined with a raised floor for supply air and other
services.

HVAC – Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning

● Desiccant Cooling System
○ A desiccant is a substance, either solid or liquid, which absorbs
water molecules from air and dehumidifies it. The desiccant,
initially used to absorb moisture from the air, is later regenerated
by heating the desiccant so that it releases the absorbed moisture.
This phase change cycle is a continuous process that drives the
operation of desiccant systems.
○ Less electric consumption as alternative energy sources can be
used
○ CFC, HFC, HCFC refrigerants are not used. Refrigerants used in
HVAC equipment are potent greenhouse gases and can lead to
significant global warming and ozone depletion.
References:
● https://cleanawater.com.au/information-centre/guide-to-rainwater-harvesting-and-treatment
● https://gosmartbricks.com/water-efficiency-green-buildings/
● http://www.iraj.in/journal/journal_file/journal_pdf/14-319-14822287831-5.pdf
● https://www.ny-engineers.com/blog/underfloor-air-distribution-overview-and-benefits
● https://inhabitat.com/11-green-building-materials-that-are-way-better-than-concrete/
● http://greeneconomypost.com/sustainable-site-planning-18040.htm
● https://designandbuildwithmetal.com/columnists/riegger-charlene/2013/04/16/daylighting-
offers-many-benefits-for-green-building
● https://www.legrandgroup.com/en/our-solutions/green-building/green-building-description
● https://www.calrecycle.ca.gov/greenbuilding/basics
● https://www.conserve-energy-future.com/green-building.php
● https://www.greenbuilt.org/about/importance-of-green-building/
● http://www.greenspacencr.org/building/pros/how_b/elements_b/site.html
● https://www.ukessays.com/essays/environmental-sciences/the-objective-of-green-building-
concept-environmental-sciences-essay.php