A walk through

TERI Retreat
FOR EXPLORING ENERGY EFFICIENT
ARCHITECTURE

Submitted By : Sakshi Saxena l Priyanka Jaiswar

Priyanka l Beenish l Shailja Kumari
 Energy consumed in buildings already represents more than a
third of global consumption, and this share is increasing (IPCC
2007). The bulk of it is used in heating, air conditioning, lighting
and appliances, depending on the surrounding climate.
Energy sources vary depending on development needs.
Households in developing countries like India still rely largely on
biomass. In developed countries, energy for heating largely
Preamble comes from oil and gas; in commercial buildings in India, lighting
and air-conditioning consume electricity from the local grid,
which is primarily generated from coal – all causing most of
today’s carbon emissions from buildings.
The use of electricity sharply rises with income. Energy
consumption in Indian buildings is expected to increase
substantially due to economic growth and human development.
The demand for energy to run appliances such as TVs, air
conditioning and heating units, refrigerators and mobile phone
chargers increases substantially as living standards rise in India.
 Significant increases in energy consumption and resultant
emissions in the buildings sector in India are caused by (WBCSD
2007):
 A switch to electricity along with changing development
profiles
 Powering the higher number of appliances

Preamble  A growing service sector requiring commercial buildings

 The continued rise of the IT economy
 A further shift from rural to urban living due to rise in income
levels
Energy consumption in buildings is thus, a serious threat to the
sustenance of a clean environment, also contributing in its wake
significant greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. It has, however,
been silently continuing with this catastrophic deed given the
demand-side negative motivation to sustain unsustainable
practices in the name of economics, and lack of mandatory
energy ratings of appliances and building codes in India.
 TERI was formally established in 1974 with the purpose of
tackling and dealing with the immense and acute problems that
mankind is likely to be faced with in the years ahead
 on account of the gradual depletion of the earth’s finite energy
resources which are largely non-renewable, and
 on account of the existing methods of their use which are
polluting.
Over the years the Institute has developed a wider interpretation
About TERI of this core purpose and its application. Consequently, TERI has
created an environment that is enabling, dynamic and inspiring
for the development of solutions to global problems in the fields
of energy, environment and current patterns of development,
which are largely unsustainable. The Institute has grown
substantially over the years, particularly, since it launched its own
research activities and established a base in New Delhi, its
registered headquarters. The central element of TERI’s
philosophy has been its reliance on entrepreneurial skills to
create benefits for society through the development and
dissemination of intellectual property.
 The strength of the Institute lies in not only identifying and articulating
intellectual challenges straddling a number of disciplines of knowledge
but also in mounting research, training and demonstration projects
leading to development of specific problem-based advanced
technologies that help carry benefits to society at large.
The global presence and reach attained by TERI are not only
substantiated by its presence in different parts of the world, but also in
terms of the wide geographical relevance of its activities. Symbolic of
About TERI this fact is the annual Delhi Sustainable Development Summit (DSDS),
a major event focusing on sustainable development, the pursuit of the
Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and assessment of worldwide
progress in these critical areas. DSDS attracts the most prominent
thinkers and practitioners in a range of fields that impinge on
development. Since development worldwide is moving towards an
architecture based on partnerships, the leaders who participate in
DSDS come from government, business and industry, multilateral and
bilateral organizations, research and academia and civil society.
 Encouraged by the success of DSDS, TERI has now established the World
Sustainable Development Forum (WSDF), which is guided by the
patronage of a group of select world leaders. WSDF would extend the
experience of each DSDS to other parts of the world and carry out careful
evaluation and monitoring of developments world wide, particularly in
meeting the MDGs.
TERI now has staff strength of over 700 dedicated employees, drawn from
a range of disciplines and experience, supported by infrastructure and
facilities, which are world class and distinctively state-of-the-art. Grouping
of the staff into Areas and broad-based divisions is TERI's way of
encouraging exchange of ideas and information across subject boundaries
and forming interdisciplinary linkages. Each Area’s activities are
About TERI coordinated by an Area Convenor, areas with similar focus and activities
are grouped into divisions and each Division is headed by a
Director/Associate Director. The author worked under the area Centre for
Global Environment Research in the Energy Environment Policy Division,
but also had close interactions with areas Sustainable Building Science
and GRIHA of the Energy Environment Technology Division.
In this world of increasing globalization and buoyed by optimism
generated by the success of the Indian economy TERI moves forward to
meet the challenges of the future through the pursuit of excellence
embedded in its visionary charter. The current study is a step in this
direction by trying to focus attention on emissions from a sector so far
ignored greatly.
 The Energy and resources institute earlier
known as Tata Energy Resources Institute
A powerful and effective combination
of modern science and traditional
knowledge.

Project details
Site location : 30 km south of Delhi, in northern Haryana at GUAL
PAHARI
Introduction Site includes : Forestry , Micro propagation technology park (MTP)
, Patchy greens, Retreat centre ,
Golf range , Golf Course
Site area : 36 hectares
Climate : Composite
Building type : Institutional
Architects : Sanjay Prakash and Teri
Year of start/completion :1997–2000
Cost of the project Civil works : Rs 23.6 million; Electrical works - Rs
2.5 million
Cost of various technologies : Rs 18.54 million
 Forest Area

Root Zone System

Retreat Centre

Deciduous trees

N
 RETREAT, TERI’s vision of building a sustainable habitat, is not just the first of
its kind in this part of the world, but also one that inspires many such habitats
to be created in the future. What was once a swampy, degraded wasteland,
TERI Retreat the 36-hectare TERI campus at Gual Pahari, Gurgaon, today is a lush green
habitat. Built as a model training complex, RETREAT demonstrates efficient
utilization of energy, sustainable, and integrated use of both natural
resources and clean and renewable energy technologies, and efficient waste
management.
With a built-up area of 3000 square metres, this 30-room training hostel
includes conference facilities for 100 people, dining space and kitchen,
recreational area, computer room, and a library. What makes RETREAT
unique is its total independence of the city’s grid system and the near-
complete freedom from city services and infrastructure. Interestingly,
energy planning in the building has led to a reduced load of 96 kW (peak)
from a conventional 280 kW (peak), showing a saving of 184 kW (peak).
Basically, three important things were considered in the creation of the
complex. Firstly, the functionality of the building was assessed, trying to see
how energy is used in it. Secondly, the design of the complex minimized
demands of energy in the building by architectural intervention through
passive concepts like solar orientation, lattice work for shading, insulation,
and landscaping. Thirdly, the space-conditioning and lighting demands were
met through energy efficient systems whereas the electric energy demands
were fulfilled by renewable energy sources.
 Various passive design concepts have resulted in reduction of space
conditioning loads by 10% – 15%. Building envelope efficiency, which
result in lowering of space-conditioning loads, was achieved by adoption
of various passive techniques as listed below:
 The roof is insulated by using vermiculite concrete and China mosaic
white finish. Walls are insulated by using Styrofoam insulation.
 Part of the building is partially sunken into ground in order to take
advantage of ground storage and thus stabilize internal
Passive Design temperature.
For Load  Shading devices and fenestration have been adequately designed to
cut off summer sun and to let in winter sun.
Reduction  Glare-free daylight has been adequately provided in the conference
hall, library, and recreation hall through use of specially designed
skylights.
 Landscaping has been adequately designed so that wind directions
are favourably altered.
 Deciduous trees are used in the southern side of the building to
shade the building during summer. During winter, the trees would
shed their leaves thus letting in winter sun.
  The building is oriented along the east–west axis so as to have
maximum exposure along north and south. Architecturally, the
building is consciously freed from the confines of a strict
Orientation orientation in order to demonstrate that though energy-
conscious architecture needs to be somewhat oriented, the
orientation need not be rigid and interesting patterns can be
formulated for architectural purposes. In RETREAT, the north
block is made slightly concave towards the front, while the south
block forms a hybrid convex surface facing the winter sun. The
points of the south block broadly fall on the surface of large
imaginary cones that generated the slightly free geometry and
this allows the architecture to break away from the grid iron
approach that is associated with ‘solar architecture’ normally.
CLIMATE :- Composite

Coordinates: 28°25'3
4"N 77°9'1"E
North orientation receives maximum day light during.

Reception Area

A north view of the RETREAT

building
• South orientation receives maximum
solar radiation during winters which
is preferable as composite climate
receives severe winters. The
orientation ensured winter sun (while
keeping the summer sun out) and
adequate daylight in the building .
• South forms a hybrid convex surface
facing the winter sun. south view of the building showing
hostel

south view of the building showing

south view of the building showing
Hostel rooms
Dining area of hostel
GEOMETRY OF THE BLOCK

• The north block is made slightly

concave towards the front. South
forms a hybrid convex surface
facing the winter sun.

• The point of the south block

broadly falls on the surface of
large imaginary cones that
generated the slightly free
geometry & this allow the
architecture to break away the
grid iron approach normally
associated with solar
architecture.
• Winds are generally light but gain force in the summer and monsoon
seasons.
•Building designed as such wind direction can be redirected.
• Deciduous trees used in the south to shade the building in summers.
• In winters trees shed their leaves thus letting in winter sun.
•South side partially sunk into ground to reduce heat gains and loses.
• East and west devoid of opening are shaded.
 NORTH FACADE

HOSTEL BLOCK
ADMINSTRATION BLOCK

1200

2400
A deeper façade of
hostel building promotes
diffused daylight to the
North side openings were 1500
rooms.
mm &2400mm wide and
1400mm&1200mm high in order to Overhang =550mm
facilitate optimum daylight Vertical fin=550mm
 SOUTH FACADE

HOSTEL BLOCK ADMINSTRATION BLOCK

Overhang =550mm
Vertical fin=550mm
South side openings(small) were
1500 mm wide and 1500mm high
in order to facilitate comparatively
less daylight.

2100
2800

Overhang =1200mm
Vertical fin=850mm
EAST/WEST FACADE

STAIR CASE(BUFFER ZONE)

Eastern -Western facades are thermal

buffer zones, receives maximum insolation.

East –West are covered with jallis as shown

in the picture.

Eastern-Western side of building

have transformer room.
 •Exterior Wall Assembly: : From outside to inside, wall
construction consists of 45 mm Stone cladding, 40 mm
PUF/Insulation ,230 mm brick 15 mm cement mortar.
•U-assembly(For all sides) = 0.274 Btu/h-ft2-F

Exterior Roof Assembly: From outside to inside, wall construction

consists of 13mm high SRI tiles,65mm Brick, 50mm PUF, 9.5mm
screed, waterproofing, and 203mm” concrete slab on the interior.
•U-assembly = 0.064 Btu/h-ft2-F
Type Glazing
Window Glazing- single
Properties Clear
Window (Assembly) 1.5
U-value (in W/m²-K)
Visible Light 71%
Transmittance
Solar Heat Gain 0.41
Coefficient
"SC" (shading
Window type Orientation SHGC
co-efficient)

W1 N 0.42 0.49

W2 E/W 0.41 0.48

W3 S 0.47 0.55
 They have provide a high level of thermal
comfort control system to individual occupants
and to shared groups in multi occupant spaces
(i.e,conferences ) to promote the productivity,
comfort and well being of the occupants.

Indoor plantation to improve air

quality indoors.
Roll out mats at the
entryways minimize dirt
and particulates from
entering the building.

Ventilator window of size 450*450 mm is

equipped with a exhaust fan to outlet the foul
odour out of the washroom/toilet.
 RETREAT makes full use of the most abundant source of
energy, namely the sun, by tapping the sun’s energy in
different ways, both directly and indirectly. Some of the
Ensuring a innovative ways of tapping solar energy and using energy
sustainable more efficiently at RETREAT are
supply of 1. Solar water heater,
energy 2. PV (photovoltaic) panels,
3. Gasifier,
4. Underground earth tunnels, and
5. Waste water recycling.
 An array of 24 solar water heaters forms a part of the parapet
wall of the living quarters. The system can deliver up to 2000
litres of hot water (at 65 °C) every day. In winter, when the
days are short and the sun less intense, gas derived from
burning twigs, dry leaves, etc. serves as a back-up source to
heat the water. The heat given off when the standby
generator is running is also collected and utilized in the solar
Solar water water heater, as a back-up source.
heater
 The building is powered by a PV- gasifier hybrid system.
Photovoltaic- Firewood, dried leaves, twigs, crop residues after the harvest and
gasifier hybrid such other forms of biomass, fuel the 50 kW gasifier. The 10.7-kW
(peak) roof-integrated PV system generates power from solar
power plant energy. The power available from both the gasifier and the
systems is managed and controlled with the help of a building
management system. The gasifier meets the daytime loads,
when the solar PV plant charges the batteries. The excess power
generated from the gasifier also goes to charge the battery bank.
During the night, the gasifier is switched off and loads are met by
the 240 V battery bank. The external lights and water pumps are
powered by independent stand-alone PV systems. Most of the
external lights located outside the building are powered by
independent panels.
 The living quarters (the south block) are maintained at
comfortable temperatures (approximately between 20 °C and 30
°C) round the year not by conventional air conditioners but by
circulating naturally cooled air, supplemented, whenever
Earth Air required, with a system of absorption chillers powered by LPG
Tunnels (EATs) (liquefied petroleum gas). The concept is based on the
observation that underground cellars are usually cooler in
summer and warmer in winter. Underground structures are not
exposed to the sun and thus do not heat up as much. Secondly,
the surrounding earth insulates them, which helps in maintaining
a more or less constant temperature. Temperatures recorded at
roughly 4 metres below the surface show that they are stable and
reflect the average annual temperature of a place. However, the
cooler air underground needs to be circulated in the living space.
Each room in the south block has a ‘solar chimney’; warm air rises
and escapes through the chimney, which creates an air current:
the cooler air from the underground tunnels rushes in to replace
the warm air. Two blowers installed in the tunnels speed up the
process. The same mechanism supplies warm air from the tunnel,
during winter. So efficient is the system that in winter, when
outside temperature at night is 10 °C, it is a comfortable 22 °C
inside.
 A set of eco-friendly chillers, which run
Absorption on LPG and require minimum
electricity, provide extra cooling when
chillers needed. LPG being a non-renewable
source of energy, efforts are under way
to run the chillers on producer gas
generated by the wood-based gasifiers.
The conference centre, which
accommodates up to 100 participants,
is conditioned by means of the
ammonia-based absorption chilling.

Recycling is essential for sustainability.

Waste water Waste water is recycled using the root zone
recycling by technique. It is a natural waste water
treatment process based on aerobic and
root zone anaerobic decomposition of the contents in
the roots of the reeds (phragmytes) and
system microbial organisms. The process is natural,
economical, and efficient and gives quality
treated water. This water is used for
irrigation.
 Sustainable systems do not stop at using such renewable sources
Energy-efficient of energy as the sun and firewood – the energy so produced must
be used efficiently. RETREAT uses the energy efficient compact
lighting fluorescent lamps (CFLs), which give the same quality and amount
of light as normal incandescent bulbs but require only one-fourth
as much energy. Energy efficient tube lights with electronic chokes
are used for conference halls, recreation room, computer room,
dining hall and in administration areas. The conference rooms
enjoy glare free daylight through strategically placed skylights. In
the living rooms, strategically placed light points and specially
designed swivels make it possible to use the light at a study table
as well as for bedside reading. Time based controls switch off lights
at pre-set time. Key tag system is installed in the rooms for energy
conservation.

CONFERENCE ROOM

SOLAR LIGHTS USED IN GARDEN SOLAR STREET LIGHTS

 The elaborate, extensive, and sensitive network of sensors, linked to
a central station, monitors every heartbeat of the system 24 hours a
day, 365 days a year. The ‘data-loggers’ keep tabs on virtually every
relevant part of the entire system. At any given instant, one can find
Monitoring the out what it is like outside – how warm, how sunny, how humid – and
how these conditions have affected the same parameters inside;
system one can know how much power is being consumed in different parts
of the building and how much is being generated; one can check the
temperature of the water being delivered through the hot water
system. Thus, the facility is also a first-rate source of immense
quantities of scientific data that can power many more experiments
and indeed influence the design of other such facilities the world
over.
Performance Superior performance has been
recorded by the RETREAT system in
the past, in part attested by the
author during his visit to the centre. A
table summarizing the various climatic
performances is given in side.
As can be seen above, the
temperature differentials recorded
above are significantly within the
comfort levels of most people, and the
system thus proves its point in not
only saving on energy and resources,
but also on the emissions which would
otherwise have been generated by
excessive reliance on the regional grid
with insignificant renewable
contribution.
Of course, the advanced technology comes with a cost – a barrier many small-scale entities
might be hard-pressed to overcome. The cost break-up can be seen in the table below:

The building being only

partially loaded as yet now
consumes a maximum of 40
units of electricity per hour.
The PV system generates on
an average 55 units per day
on a sunny day. The total cost
of technology, Rs. 1.85 crore,
was recovered by RETREAT in
the very
first year of operation by way
of cost savings in the local
grid and resource savings.