Building Construction IV:

Chapter 7 – Sustainable Construction Techniques

Chapter 7: Sustainable Construction Techniques

Sustainable building involves considering the entire life cycle of buildings, taking environmental
quality, functional quality and future values into account. The five objectives for sustainable
buildings are as follows:
 Resource Efficiency
 Energy Efficiency (including Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction)
 Pollution Prevention (including Indoor Air Quality and Noise Abatement)
 Harmonization with Environment (including Environmental Assessment)
 Integrated and Systemic Approaches (including Environmental Management System)

WHAT IS GREEN BUILDING?

The term green building is used to describe design and construction of buildings with some or all
of the following characteristics:
 Buildings that have minimal adverse impacts on local, regional, and even global
ecosystems;
 Buildings that reduce reliance on automobiles;
 Buildings that are energy-efficient in their operation;
 Buildings and grounds that conserve water;
 Buildings that are built in an environmentally responsible manner from low-
environmental-impact materials;
 Buildings that are durable and can be maintained with minimal environmental impact;
 Buildings that help their occupants practice environmentalism, e.g. by recycling waste;
and
 Buildings those are comfortable, safe, and healthy for their occupants.

Green building addresses the relationship between a building and the land on which it sits; how the
structure might help to foster a sense of community or reduce the need for automobile use by its
occupants; how to minimize energy use in the building (energy consumption being one of the
largest environmental impacts of any building); and how to create the healthiest possible living
space.

Energy conscious design

The main features of energy efficient housing relate to
o Building orientation
 Longer façade facing south
 Appropriate spacing between buildings
o Site planning
 Energy conservation
 Passive space heating modes
 Active space heating modes
o Internal room layout
o Window placement, sizing and shading
o Use of insulation
o Ventilation

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o Use of heat absorbing building materials

o Landscaping
o Use of energy efficient appliances

Energy type
1. Renewable
It is the term used to cover those energy flows, which occurs naturally and repeatedly in the
environment and can be harnessed for human benefits.
Sources: Sun, gravity force, earth’s rotation
Examples
 Solar energy
 Wind
 Wave
 Hydroelectric
 Bio-mass
 Energy from waste
 Tidal power
 Geo thermal energy

2. Non-Renewable
The flow of energy that can be extracted from the elements available, as the source goes on
depleting while the energy is being generated.

Sources
Minerals, nuclear elements
Examples,
 Fossil fuel
 Nuclear energy
 Electricity by fuel

1. Solar Energy
Active solar heating
Active solar is a term which refers to the use of solar energy to "actively" convert the energy in
sunlight into other forms. It is contrasted to passive solar which refers to certain architectural
design elements by which buildings make use of the sun's energy for heating, and/or cooling.

Photovoltaic (PV) cells are semiconductor devices, usually made of silicon, which contain no
liquids, corrosive chemicals or moving parts. They produce electricity as long as light shines on
them, they require little maintenance, do not pollute and they operate silently, making photovoltaic
energy the cleanest and safest method of power generation.

Photovoltaic cells come in many sizes, but most are 10 cm by 10 cm and generate about half a volt
of electricity. PV cells are bundled together in modules or panels to produce higher voltages and
increased power. When sunlight strikes the surface of a PV cell, this electrical field provides
momentum and direction to light-stimulated electrons, resulting in a flow of current when the solar
cell is connected to an electrical load. Photovoltaic panels are generally available in capacities

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ranging from 5W up to 200W peak output. Lower wattage panels are typically 12-V,while most
high-wattage panels are available only in 24-V configurations.

Passive solar heating

Various components of building designed in such a way, which maximizes the collection of solar
heat, which is stored and then distributed throughout the building without any expenditure of
conventional for of energy. That is, a building is designed in such a way that it uses maximum
amount of solar energy trapped inside the building.

Passive solar building design uses a structure's windows, walls, and floors to collect, store, and
distribute the sun's heat in the winter and reject solar heat in the summer. It can also maximize the
use of sunlight for interior illumination. The technology is called passive solar design, or climatic
design. Unlike active solar heating/cooling systems, it doesn't involve the use of mechanical and
electrical devices (such as pumps, fans, or electrical controls) to circulate the solar heat. Buildings

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designed for passive solar incorporate large south-facing windows and construction materials that
absorb and slowly release the sun's heat. The longest walls run from east to west. In most climates,
passive solar designs also must block intense summer solar heat. They typically incorporate natural
ventilation and roof overhangs to block the sun's strongest rays during that season.

Passive solar design can be used in most parts of the world. If designed by an experienced passive
solar architect, buildings using passive solar design principles don't have to cost more up front than
conventionally designed buildings. And when they do, the savings in energy bills quickly pay for
themselves.

How It Works
Every passive solar building includes five distinct design elements (see diagram 1):
1. An aperture or collector — the large glass area through which sunlight enters the building.
2. An absorber — the dark surface of the storage element that absorbs the solar heat.
3. A thermal mass — the material that stores the absorbed heat. This can be masonry materials
such as concrete, stone, and brick; or a water tank.
4. A distribution method — the natural tendency of heat to move from warmer materials to
cooler ones (through conduction, convection, and radiation) until there is no longer a
temperature difference between the two. In some buildings, this strictly passive distribution
method is augmented with fans, ducts, and blowers to circulate the heat.
5. A control mechanism — to regulate the amount of sunlight entering the aperture. This can
be as simple as roof overhang designed to allow more sunlight to enter in the winter, less in
the summer.

Diagram 1: Elements of passive solar design, shown in a direct gain application.

2. Biogas
Biogas is actually a mixture of gases, usually carbon dioxide and methane. It is produced by a few
kinds of microorganisms, usually when air or oxygen is absent. (The absence of oxygen is called
“anaerobic Conditions.”) Animals that eat a lot of plant material, particularly grazing animals such
as cattle, produce large amounts of biogas. The biogas is produced not by the cow or elephant, but

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by billions of microorganisms living in its digestive system. Biogas also develops in bogs and at
the bottom of lakes, where decaying organic matter builds up under wet and anaerobic conditions.

Biogas is a Form of Renewable Energy Flammable biogas can be collected using a simple tank, as
shown here. Animal manure is stored in a closed tank where the gas accumulates. It makes an
excellent fuel for cook stoves and furnaces, and can be used in place of regular natural gas, which
is a fossil fuel. Biogas is a form of renewable energy, because it is produced with the help of
growing plants.

3. Rain Water Harvesting

RAIN, A FORM of precipitation, is the first form of water in the hydrologic cycle, the continuous
circulation of water in the earth-atmosphere system. Rain is the primary source of water that feeds
rivers, lakes, and groundwater aquifers. Rivers, lakes, and groundwater are all secondary sources of
water. Currently, most of us depend entirely on secondary sources for our water supplies. The
value of rainwater, the primary source of water, is typically ignored. Rainwater catchment directly
responds to the value of this primary source of water, making optimal use of rainwater where it
falls. Rainwater collection has been used for several thousand years as a way to take advantage of
seasonal precipitation that would otherwise be lost to runoff or evaporation. While rainwater can
provide water for many uses, the most common use is for agricultural irrigation and residential
potable water.

There are numerous identified benefits of water catchment from either rooftop or ground level:
 It provides a self-sufficient water supply located close to the user.
 It reduces the need for, and hence the cost of, pumping groundwater.
 It provides high-quality soft water that is low in mineral content. Rooftop rainwater
harvesting is usually less expensive than other water sources. Rooftop rainwater harvesting
systems are easy to construct, operate, and maintain.

Whether it is large or small, a rainwater harvesting system has six basic components:
1. Catchment area: the surface upon which the rain falls. It may be a roof or impervious pavement
and may include landscaped areas.
2. Conveyance: channels or pipes that transport the water from catchment area to storage.

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3. Roof washing: the systems that filter and remove contaminants and debris. This includes first-
flush devices.
4. Storage: cisterns or tanks, where collected rainwater is stored.
5. Distribution: the system that delivers the rainwater, either by gravity or pump.
6. Purification: includes filtering equipment, distillation, and additives to settle, filter, and disinfect
the collected rainwater.
Requirements:
 Catchment Area
 Gutters
 Flush mechanism
 Clean Water Tank

Rainwater harvesting and storm water catchment consists of up to six primary compo nents
depending on the degree of water quality required. These components include catchment,
conveyance, filtration, storage, distribution, and purification.

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Calculation of Water Volume from Rain Water Harvesting:

V = C x I x A / 10.75

Where,
V = Volume in Litres
I = Annual Rainfall in mm
A = Catchment Area
C = Run-off Coefficient (Roof tile: 0.8 – 0.9, Concrete: 0.6 – 0.8, CGI: 0.7 – 0.9)

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What is green building?

The term green building is used to describe design and construction of

buildings with some or all of the following characteristics:

 Buildings that have minimal adverse impacts on local, regional, and

even global ecosystems
 Buildings that reduce reliance on automobiles
 Buildings that are energy-efficient in their operation
 Buildings and grounds that conserve water
 Buildings that are built in an environmentally responsible manner from
low-environmental-impact materials
 Buildings that are durable and can be maintained with minimal
environmental impact
 Buildings that help their occupants practice environmentalism—e.g., by
recycling waste
 Buildings that are comfortable, safe, and healthy for their occupants

What is a "green" roof?

The term “green” roof may refer to an actual green vegetative roof or it may
refer to a roof that utilizes “green” technology, such as a photovoltaic (solar
electricity) system.

A green vegetative roof is one that is partially or completely covered with

vegetation and soil, or a growing medium, planted over a waterproofing
membrane. Additional layers, such as root barrier or drainage and irrigation
systems may also be included. Green roof systems have been shown to
reduce heat transfer through the roof, decrease storm water pollutants, and

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cut down on storm water volume by naturally evaporating the runoff through
the plant respiration process.