ENERGY AUDIT AND CONSERVATION

UNIT-3: ENERGY EFFICIENCY IN BUILDINGS

Introduction:

Energy efficient building design concept:

The concept of energy efficiency in buildings is related to the energy supply needed to
achieve desirable environmental conditions that minimize energy consumption. A suitable
heating and cooling design is one of the best methods to reduce energy cost in buildings.

Energy efficient buildings (new constructions or renovated existing buildings) can be

defined as buildings that are designed to provide a significant reduction of the energy need
for heating and cooling.

It is very expensive to heat or otherwise to cool a building which is not energy efficient. The
building sector accounts for almost 40 per cent of carbon-dioxide emissions
globally. Energy efficiency in buildings can dramatically reduce emissions and promote
climate change mitigation.

The most effective strategy for improving household energy efficiency is to first target your
home's envelope—walls, attic, windows and doors. Then, improve the energy efficiency of
systems, such as heating, cooling, lighting and appliances.

11 Ways to Create Energy Efficient Homes

1. Improve the Insulation in Your Home.
 Thermostat Radiant Barrier Sheathing is used for both the roof and walls. ...
 Spray Foam Insulation. ...
 Insulating Concrete Forms. ...
 Bamboo Plywood.
2. Consider upgrading or replacing windows.
3. Use Compact Fluorescent Bulbs (CFLs) [Replace Incandescent Bulbs]
4. Look for Energy Efficient Appliances.
5. Don't Overuse Appliances.
6. Unplug unused chargers
7. Consider Solar Panels.
8. Schedule Energy Efficiency Audit.
9. Plant Shady Landscaping. [Plant shade trees and shrubs around your house]
10. Turn off unnecessary use of water
11. Improve the efficiency of hot water system

1
Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning Systems:

What is HVAC?

Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) equipment perform heating and/or
cooling for residential, commercial or industrial buildings. The HVAC system may also be
responsible for providing fresh outdoor air to dilute interior airborne contaminants such as
odors from occupants, volatile organic compounds (VOC’s) emitted from interior
furnishings, chemicals used for cleaning, etc. A properly designed system will provide a
comfortable indoor environment year round when properly maintained.

How does my AC work?

An air conditioner cools and dehumidifies the air as is passes over a cold coil surface.
The indoor coil is an air-to-liquid heat exchanger with rows of tubes that pass the liquid
through the coil. Finned surfaces connected to these tubes increase the overall surface area
of the cold surface thereby increasing the heat transfer characteristics between the air
passing over the coil and liquid passing through the coil. The type of liquid used depends on
the system selected. Direct-expansion (DX) equipment uses refrigerant as the liquid
medium. Chilled-water (CW) can also be used as a liquid medium. When the required
temperature of a chilled water system is near the freezing point of water, freeze protection
is added in the form of glycols or salts. Regardless of the liquid medium used, the liquid is
delivered to the cooling coil at a cold temperature.

In the case of direct expansion equipment, the air passing over the indoor cooling
coil heats the cold liquid refrigerant. Heating the refrigerant causes boiling and transforms
the refrigerant from a cold liquid to a warm gas. This warm gas (or vapor) is pumped from
the cooling coil to the compressor through a copper tube (suction line to the compressor)
where the warm gas is compressed. In some cases, an accumulator is placed between the
cooling coil and the compressor to capture unused liquid refrigerant and ensures that only
vapor enters the compressor. The compression process increases the pressure of the
refrigerant vapor and significantly increases the temperature of the vapor. The compressor
pumps the vapor through another heat exchanger (outdoor condenser) where heat is
rejected and the hot gas is condensed to a warm high pressure liquid. This warm high
pressure liquid is pumped through a smaller copper tube (liquid line) to a filter (or
filter/dryer) and then on to an expansion device where the high pressure liquid is reduced to
a cold, low pressure liquid. The cold liquid enters the indoor cooling coil and the process
repeats.

As this liquid passes through the indoor cooling coil on the inside of the heat
exchanger, two things happen to the air that passes over the coil’s surface on the outside of
the heat exchanger. The air’s temperature is lowered (sensible cooling) and moisture in the
air is removed (latent cooling) if the indoor air dew point is higher than the temperature of
the coil’s surface. The total cooling (capacity) of an AC system is the sum of the sensible and
latent cooling. Many factors influence the cooling capacity of a DX air conditioner. Total
cooling is inversely proportional to outdoor temperature. As the outdoor temperature

2
increases the total capacity is reduced. Air flow over the indoor cooling coil also affects the
coil’s capacity and is directly proportional to the total capacity of an AC system. As air flow
increases, the total capacity also increases. At higher air flow rates the latent capacity of the
cooling coil is reduced. Indoor temperature and humidity also affect the total capacity of the
AC system. As indoor temperatures increase, the sensible capacity also increases. Similarly,
as indoor relative humidity increases the latent capacity of the AC system increases.
Manufacturers of AC equipment typically provide a “performance map” of specific
equipment to show how total, sensible, and latent capacity change with changing indoor
and outdoor temperatures and humidity. Power consumption and energy efficiency are also
provided in these charts.

What type of AC systems are available?

Cooling Only Split-System

A split system is a combination of an indoor air handling unit and an outdoor

condensing unit. The indoor air handling unit contains a supply air fan and an air-to-
refrigerant heat exchanger (or cooling coil), and the expansion device. The outdoor
condensing unit consists of a compressor and a condenser coil. Split-systems are typically
found in residential or small commercial buildings. These systems have the highest energy
efficiency rating (EER) of all the available AC systems. Manufacturers are required to take
the EER rating a step further and provide a seasonal energy efficiency rating (SEER) for use
by consumers. SEER ratings vary widely and range from 10 to 20. The higher the SEER rating,
the more efficient the AC system operates. If heating is required, an alternate method of
heating the interior of the building must be used, usually in the form of electric or gas
heating.

Cooling Only Packaged-System

A packaged system is a single unit combining all the components described in the
split system. Since the unit is a package, it must be placed outside the building and indoor
air is “ducted” from the building to the packaged system and back through an air
distribution system. These units typically have SEER rating from 10 to 18. If heating is
required, an alternate method of heating the interior of the building must be used, usually
in the form of electric or gas heating.

Heat Pump

Heat pumps are similar to cooling only systems with one exception. A special valve in
the refrigeration piping allow the refrigeration cycle to be operated in reverse. A cooling
only system cools the indoor air and rejects heat to the outdoors. A heat pump can also cool
the indoor air, but when the valve is reversed, the indoor air is heated. A supplementary
electric resistance heater may also be used to assist the heat pump at lower outdoor
temperatures. In colder climates, heat pumps require a defrost period. During defrost times
the electric heater is the only means of heating the interior of the building. These units are
manufactured as either split or packaged systems.

3
 Chilled Water System

In a chilled water system, liquid water is pumped throughout the building to “chilled
water coils”. Since the liquid water needs to be at a cold temperature, a “cooling plant” is
required. The plant is typically referred to as a chiller plant. Vapor compression equipment
in the plant, similar to that described in “How does my AC work”, cool water to a cold
temperature and pump the cold water to air-to-water heat exchangers where needed.

Window Air Conditioners

As the name implies, a window air conditioner is typically installed in a window or

custom opening in a wall. The Window AC can only cool small areas and are not intended to
provide cooling to multiple rooms or zones. These air conditioners are manufactured as cool
only or can provide both cooling and heating. An optional damper in the unit can provide
fresh outdoor air if necessary.

Packaged Terminal Heat Pump

Packaged terminal heat pumps (PTHP) are are similar to a window-mounted air
conditioner. These units are typically installed in a sleeve passing through the outdoor wall
of an apartment, hotel, school classroom, etc. PTHPs are completely self contained and
require only an electrical connection in addition to the opening in the building shell. They
use the outdoor air as the heat source in winter and as a heat sink in summer. They also can
provide ventilation air. Flexibility and lower installed cost are the primary advantages of the
PTHP. Disadvantages include in-room maintenance, higher operating cost, relatively short
life, imprecise "on-off" temperature control, and they can be rather noisy.

How is humidity controlled with an AC system?

Humidity is becoming more of a concern to building operators and owners. High

indoor humidity leads to mold and mildew growth inside the building. The are several
methods of controlling indoor humidity. The simplest (and most expensive) method is to
connect a humidistat to an electric heater. When the humidity inside the building rises
above the humidistat set point, the heater is turned on. The additional heat causes the air
conditioning system to run longer and remove more moisture.

A more efficient method of controlling humidity is to use the waste heat from the
refrigeration cycle itself. Instead of rejecting the waste heat outdoors, the heat is directed
inside when humidity control is required. One form of heat reclaim is called hot-gas reheat
or “refrigerant desuperheating” where refrigerant is passed through a heat exchanger
located downstream of the cooling coil. The hot high pressure vapor leaving the compressor
passes through this heat exchanger prior to entering the condenser coil. This in turn heats
the indoor air and again causes the AC system to run longer to meet the thermostat set
point. Although more energy is used, this is much more efficient than turning on an electric
heater. Another form of heat reclaim is called sub-cool reheat. This strategy takes the warm
liquid refrigerant from the condenser and passes it through a heat exchanger located
downstream of the cooling coil. Less heat is available using this method because the

4
majority of the heat has already been rejected at the condenser. Since more energy is used
to pump liquid (as opposed to a gas) through the heat exchanger it would appear that this
method is less efficient than the hot-gas method, however, the liquid in the heat exchanger
is sub-cooled in the cold supply air stream which increases the capacity of the air
conditioner. Since more capacity is available, the AC units is able to meet the thermostat
more quickly.

Heat pipe heat exchangers or run-around coils perform a similar function when
humidity control is required. Two heat exchanger are placed in the air stream, one upstream
of the cooling coil and the other downstream of the cooling coil. These heat exchangers are
connected together with piping. A heat transfer fluid, whether it be water or refrigerant, is
either pumped or gravity fed from one heat exchanger to the other. The heat exchanger
down stream of the cooling coil (re-heat coil) cools the liquid medium inside the heat
exchanger and heats the air passing over the heat exchanger. The cold liquid inside the heat
exchanger is moved to the heat exchanger upstream of the cooling coil (pre-cool coil) where
it pre-cools the air passing over the heat exchanger and warms the liquid passing through
the heat exchanger. The affect of a heat pipe or run-around coil is to reduce the sensible
heat capacity of the AC system. The latent capacity of the AC system increases if direct-
expansion equipment is used or remains relatively constant if chilled water equipment is
used. Since the sensible capacity of the AC system has been reduced, the system must run
longer to meet the thermostat set point thereby removing more moisture.

How do refrigerants deplete the Ozone layer?

Refrigerant 22 (R-22 or MonoChloroDiFlouroMethane, CHClF2) is one of the most

common refrigerants and is used in a wide variety of applications such as refrigeration,
aerosol propellants, cleaning solvents, and foaming agents for plastics. This refrigerant is
believed to be partially responsible for damaging the earth’s ozone layer and it’s use is being
phased out over the next two decades. The ozone layer is a result of sunlight reacting with
oxygen to produce a layer in the stratosphere more than 10 km above the earth’s surface.
As R-22 refrigerant escapes from an AC system through leaks or is released into the
atmosphere by other means, the R-22 molecule containing the chlorine atom
(“monochloro”) rises in the atmosphere. Sunlight breaks down the R-22 molecule to yield a
free chlorine radical (Cl-). The free chlorine radical combines with ozone (O3), decomposing
it into normal oxygen (O2).

AC refrigerants come in many varieties. R-22 is the most common, however, due to
interactions with the ozone layer R-22 is being phased out. Refrigerants manufactured as
replacements for R-22 are HFC-134a, R-410a, R-410b to name a few. The new refrigerants
do not contain the chlorine atom and are not harmful to the earth’s ozone layer.

5
 Energy economic analysis:

Energy economics is a broad scientific subject area which includes topics related
to supply and use of energy in societies. Due to diversity of issues and methods applied and
shared with a number of academic disciplines, energy economics does not present itself as a
self-contained academic discipline, but it is an applied sub-discipline of economics.

Improving the energy efficiency (EE) of an economy is the most obvious way to meet energy
and environmental objectives, including security of energy supply. However, current
investment levels appear suboptimal from an economic perspective. A better understanding
of the economics of EE may provide insight on how to develop the EE investment potential
in an economy.

Energy shortage and environmental pollution are two critical issues in this century that must
be appropriately solved to produce new energy and at the same time to reduce emissions.
Renewable energy is being considered as a more promising way for it, and offering an
excellent opportunity to supply clean electricity with a non-CO2 emitting technology.
Especially after the Fukushima nuclear accident in Japan, renewable energy is got a growing
respect in the world. It is the energy which comes from natural resources such as sunlight,
ocean thermal gradients, wind, rain, tides, and geothermal heat, etc. Recently, under the
government policy guidance, Solar, wind and ocean thermal energy has attracted more and
more attentions. Numerous efforts have been paid in R & D to improve the efficiency to
generate electricity.

The state or national university research centres would be expected to set up a research
programme to develop a general framework for analysing the welfare impact of EE
investments and apply this to perform a cost/benefit analysis of different types of investment
(including for new assets and the rehabilitation of existing ones). It should analyse the non-
economic barriers to EE (such as split incentives, bundle rational or organisational failure),
and ways to overcome them. It should also reflect on the need and scope for public
intervention and draw lessons from the different policies to improve EE. In particular, it
should analyse the usefulness of policies aiming at facilitating access to finance or
developing specific financial instruments to support EE investments. The project may involve
any additional activity that the university centre would be ready to undertake with the
sponsorship in the line of research, including:  Organisation of courses and seminars 
Creation of databases  Surveys.

Domestic Energy Consumption, Savings Energy use in Buildings:

Residential buildings:
Electricity consumption in Indian homes has tripled since 2000. The percentage of
households with access to electricity has increased from 55% in 2001 to more than 80%
in 2017. In 2014, an electrified Indian household consumed about 90 units (kWh) of
electricity per month on an average; enough to run four tube-lights, four ceiling fans, a
television, a small refrigerator, and small kitchen appliances with typical usage hours
and efficiency levels in India. This is three-fourths of the average monthly household
consumption in China, a tenth of that in the USA, and a third of the world average .

6
All states show considerable increase in total residential electricity consumption in
recent years according to data compiled by the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) from
distribution companies (see Figure 1). Between 2004 and 2015, states like Assam,
Bihar, Chhattisgarh, and Jharkhand with low initial household electrification showed a
high growth rate of their residential electricity use (about 11%-16%). States with higher
household electrification like Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, and Tamil Nadu grew at lower,
but still substantial, rates (6%-8%), with high absolute numbers.

Figure 1: Residential Electricity Consumption growth in selected states (2004-2015)

Source: Annual General Reviews for individual years (CEA).

The CEA data along with the census data and the rural electrification data can be used
to estimate average monthly electricity consumption of an electrified household in
different states. It is validated against the tariff orders issued by state regulators and
find interesting results (see Figure 2).

7
Figure 2: Household access and average monthly consumption per electrified household

Source: Authors’ estimates from 2011 census and GARV dashboard

Three insights emerge:

 One, an electrified household in Delhi consumes about 250-270 units or kWh of
electricity per month on average, approximately the same average amount consumed by an
electrified household in Germany. At the same time, such an electrified household in Delhi
consumes significantly more than other Indian cities (Chandigarh: 208 units; Ahmedabad:
160 units; Puducherry: 150 units; and Mumbai: 110 units). This is in part due to high
ownership of air-conditioners (12% of total households) and air-coolers (70%), and tariff
subsidies in Delhi. Yet, other socio-economic reasons still need to be examined.

 Two, electrified households in larger states like Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Tamil
Nadu, with higher rates of electrification, consume on an average a lower amount of about
80-90 units per month. Karnataka is on the lower end with about 60 units. On the other hand,
households in Punjab (about 150 units) and Haryana (about 110 units) consume much more. .
While there may be some discrepancies in the data due to incorrect reporting on use and
number of consumers by distribution companies, the scale of these discrepancies is likely to
be small given the limited number of un-metered and illegal connections in the residential
sector.

 Three, states like Uttar Pradesh (UP), Jharkhand, and Chhattisgarh show high monthly
household electricity consumption. It is unlikely that states with a high share of newly
electrified households and low reliability of power supply consume as high as an average

8
household in Chandigarh or Mumbai. The reported household consumption is high possibly
due to metering issues. For instance, 40% of the total residential connections in UP are rural
un-metered connections. As their actual consumption is not metered, the distribution
companies estimate their consumption based on norms approved by the regulator (currently
the norm is 144 kWh/kW/month, a high number). Distribution companies have not conducted
any sample studies to justify this norm despite being asked by the regulators. High estimation
of consumption from un-metered connections as well as measurement issues in metered
connections can mask the actual consumption.

Finally, the electricity consumption within states also exhibit significant inequity at the
household level. According to the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO)’s surveys,
about 20% of electrified households consume less than 30 units of electricity per month,
while about 80% consume less than 100 units per month in urban areas. In rural areas,
90% of the electrified households consume less than 100 units. This distribution varies
with states. In most states, about 15-20% of all the households consume less than 30
units per month. The states consuming the least electricity are Karnataka, West Bengal,
Bihar, and Jharkhand.

Commercial buildings:

India’s buildings are silent power guzzlers. Residential and commercial structures consumed
nearly a third (32 percent) of the country’s total electricity in 2016, according to the latest
annual energy statistics published by the Ministry of Statistics, Planning and Implementation.
And as Indian cities grow, building energy demand is sure to surge.

The government’s policy agency, Niti Aayog, estimates that energy demand from India’s
buildings will increase by more than 800 percent in 2047 compared to 2012. Under the
current standards, the country will face higher energy costs and skyrocketing consumption for
decades. At the same time, air pollution will worsen, adding to the impact of climate change.
That’s why India needs better building efficiency policies and programs now.

9
India took an important step forward in June by launching the revised Energy Conservation
Building Code (ECBC) 2017. Developed by Ministry of Power and Bureau of Energy
Efficiency, the code prescribes energy performance standards for new commercial buildings
to reduce energy consumption and promote low-carbon growth. It sets parameters for
builders, designers and architects to integrate renewable energy sources in building design,
with a goal of achieving a 50 percent reduction in energy use by 2030.

It’s an important initiative. Buildings that meet requirements of the ECBC are between 17
and 42 percent more efficient than conventional buildings, offering enormous potential for
energy savings. A parallel effort on a code for new residential construction is also underway.
For maximum effectiveness, the new code must be made mandatory and built into
municipalities’ bylaws. But there’s an obstacle: the code must first be adopted by the states,
and then implemented by local bodies―an immensely slow process. As that effort moves
forward, here are several strategies that could help urban leaders and decision-makers in
India’s energy sector improve energy use in buildings.

For governments: Mandate efficiency, establish baselines

Under the existing 2007 Energy Conservation Building Code, India’s state governments and
municipalities were responsible for adopting, mandating and enforcing the rules. This has had
limited success. As the new code is phased in, it must be made an integral part of building
design and construction, just as fire safety and structural standards are. The government
10
needs to incorporate efficiency considerations in construction and procurement guidelines
and establish benchmarks for building energy use. And to do that, it will need data.
Transparent, accurate, reliable and accessible electricity use data for buildings is a basic
requirement for creating baselines. Once standards are created, governments can implement
mandatory or voluntary energy-use disclosure programs, and offer tax incentives to
encourage energy savings.

For builders/developers: Share information, upgrade technology

Too often, builders, buyers and investors in India lack adequate access to information on
energy performance data and certification. Developers don’t always know that energy
performance-certified buildings enjoy higher property values and faster leasing, often at a
premium, according to a report by the Natural Resources Defense Council.
Similarly, buyers don’t hear about benefits like easier maintenance, lower energy costs and
better ventilation and insulation in hot climates. Certifying and labeling buildings based on
their energy use would build trust in tenants and buyers, and stimulate the market for efficient
buildings.

Technology upgrades are also needed. India currently lacks testing, standardization and
certification for efficient building materials, which discourages innovation and advances.
What constitutes efficiency at different scales of construction also needs a re-look.

For the wider market: Collect data, increase capacity

Strong efficiency mandates for new buildings can create markets for jobs, materials and
expertise. But several impediments currently exist, which can be remedied by targeted action.
The first is that building energy use data is not collected systematically. Without it,
benchmarks for energy performance are weak. To help build investor confidence in energy-
efficient projects, industry and government need to take the lead on assembling data and
establishing reliable electricity-use baselines for different building types.

In addition, lax enforcement of buildings codes, combined with low demand for energy-
efficient building technology, has dampened India’s market for products like insulation, wall
materials, fenestration and shading devices. Strengthening enforcement can boost demand for
these products.

At present, no more than 30 energy service companies exist to help implement energy
efficiency projects, and access to financing is a major challenge for them. Creating lending
priorities and financing instruments that encourage energy-efficient construction can address
this problem.

Energy-efficient building requires skilled craftspeople, but most companies have little
incentive to train such workers. A comprehensive assessment by the Bureau of Energy
Efficiency or an independent organization could identify where new jobs can be created, or
where government agencies could create programs to improve building skills.

Building efficiency has been recognized as critical to India’s climate change mitigation
strategy and global climate commitments. By focusing on the opportunities at hand, India can
significantly transform the building efficiency landscape and meet its emissions reduction
goals.

11
Green Buildings:

A green or sustainable building is one which uses less water, optimizes energy efficiency,
conserve the natural resources, generate less waste and provide healthier space for occupants.

National Building Code (NBC) provides the guidelines on energy consumption for green
buildings in India.

Green Buildings- Global & Indian Scenario

According to the International Energy Agency existing buildings are responsible for more
than 40% of the world’s total primary energy consumption and for 24% of global carbon
dioxide emissions. Green building practices aim to reduce the environmental impact of
buildings through environmentally friendly construction practices.
A green building as defined by Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) is the one which
uses less water, conserves natural resources, optimizes energy efficiency, generates less waste
and provides healthier spaces for occupants, compared to a conventional building. A
combination of sustainable design, green construction methods and sustainable materials
made of renewable resources, are essential for construction of green building.
The five basic principles that define the functioning of a green building include:
1. Sustainable Site
2. Water Efficiency
3. Energy Efficiency
4. Material & Waste Management
5. Indoor Environmental Quality

Sustainable Sites
A building foot-print of green buildings should be as small as possible to minimize
environmental impacts. It is of paramount importance during the construction phase of green
building to preserve the existing landscape and retaining the bio-diversity. While it might not
be possible to entirely retain the biodiversity while constructing buildings, there is always a
possibility to promote plantations of the native species at micro and macro level at the
environment surrounding the building. Instead of using water guzzling plants and lawns, most
of the recent green building constructions ensure to develop a Zen gardens.
It is of vital importance to protect soil and reduce water pollution during building
construction & operation. Allowing more open areas within the building compound and on
roof-tops reduce the overall heat-island effect, which in effect makes the surrounding cool
and thus Air-conditioning is less required. Buildings designed with ample ventilation for air
and light circulation potentially reduces a significant portion of the building energy use.

12
Water Efficiency
One of the most important aspects of a green building design is that it must either limit or
eliminate the use of potable water for landscape irrigation, air-conditioning make-up etc. To
attain self –sufficiency in terms of water usage, one has to either increase the ground water
table or to reduce the usage of water through effective and appropriate water management
practices such as grey water treatment plant, rainwater harvesting systems, sustainable urban
drainage systems etc.
It is vital to maximize water efficiency within green buildings so as to reduce the burden on
municipal water supply and wastewater systems. Since every soil type vary in water-holding
ability, nutrient content, pH and salinity, it is essential to have an expert advice from the
landscape consultants so as to improve the water usage and water table recharge. Sustainable
habitat management and therein water management would insure not only healthy lifestyle
but also the ever-growing demand for water can be met without sacrificing growth due to
lack of it.

Energy Efficiency
The most common aspect associated with green buildings is energy efficiency and to most
people, a green building is nothing but an energy efficient building. A green building design
always verifies and ensures that it supports energy efficient lifestyle in long run. The building
is always designed (orientation, sun-shading, construction material aspects etc.) relative to the
bio-climatic conditions Energy efficiency in a green building could be derived by designing
the building properly. Building design should ensure proper day-lighting, thereby reducing
the need for electricity. A properly shaded & oriented building, using intelligent landscape
properties will not only ensure proper day lighting, but would also ensure the flow of fresh air
thereby making the interior pleasant for most of the time.
Passive solar building design is an actively practiced green building design concept which
plays a key role in energy efficiency. In passive solar building design, windows, walls, and
floors are made to collect, store, and distribute solar energy in the form of heat in the winter
and reject solar heat in the summer. Mirco-generation of energy at the building by the use of
roof top solar PV or small wind for electricity requirements and generation of thermal energy
by use of solar collectors or geothermal heat pumps would ensure energy efficiency and
energy conservation is achieved to the best possible potential in a green building.

Material & Waste Management

One of the most neglected aspects of a green building is material and waste management.
This shall begin right from the construction level where reuse of existing materials from

13
previously occupied buildings shall be ensured. Material management shall be financially
attractive as there are possibilities to reduce the cost to the builder/developer which can then
be passed on to the consumer. The “3R” concept of reduce, reuse and recycle is to be
practiced as a part of material and waste management during a green building design and
construction.

Indoor Environmental Quality

Although much is known about the health effects of poor design and ways to overcome them
through good design, this aspect of green building is where a tremendous amount of research
is needed. A sustainable habitant / green building design should take into consideration the
types of materials that is utilized especially paints, furnishing, carpets etc which require
conforming to certain standards of VOC (volatile organic compound) which help prevent
health hazard. Indoor environment quality is also ensured by providing properly well
ventilated spaces.

Green Building Ratings and Councils in India

Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment
GRIHA (Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment) is India’s national rating system
for sustainable habitats. It is an indigenous system designed and developed by the MNRE
(Ministry of New and Renewable Energy) in collaboration with TERI (The Energy and
Resources Institute). ADaRSH has trained over 10,000 professionals, students, and
government officials in various capacities on green habitats in the Indian context. ADaRSH
firmly believes in equipping rofessionals and the real estate industry with the requisite skills
to design and build sustainable habitats, such that dependency on a handful of green building
professionals is minimized.

Association for Development and Research of Sustainable Habitats

ADaRSH- (Association for Development and Research of Sustainable Habitats) is an
independent society, registered under the Societies Act, 1860 for the interaction on scientific
and administrative issues related to sustainable habitats in the Indian context. It was founded
jointly by MNRE (Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, Government of India) and TERI
(The Energy and Resources Institute, New Delhi) along with a handful of experts in the fields
related to sustainability of built environment from across the country. ADaRSH promotes
GRIHA - The National Rating System (Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment) as a
design and valuation tool for green buildings and habitats.

14
Energy Conservation Building Code
The Energy Conservation Building Code (ECBC), is a code developed by an Expert
Committee, set up by India’s Bureau of Energy Efficiency, with support and guidance from
United States Agency for International Development (USAID), which specifies the energy
performance requirements for all commercial buildings with an electrical connected load of
500 kW or more. BEE with the support of USAID is promoting ECBC awareness and
voluntary adoption through training and capacity building programmes, pilot demonstration
projects, and identifying steps for compliance check and monitoring of ECBC.
The ECBC provides design norms for:
 Building envelope, including thermal performance requirements for walls, roofs, and windows;
 Lighting system, including daylighting, and lamps and luminaire performance requirements;
 HVAC system, including energy performance of chillers and air distribution systems;
 Electrical system; and
 Water heating and pumping systems, including requirements for solar hot-water systems.

Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design

Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) consists of a suite of rating systems
developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) for the design, construction and
operation of high performance green buildings, homes and neighborhoods. LEED is intended
to provide building owners and operators a concise framework for identifying and
implementing practical and measurable green building design, construction, operations and
maintenance solutions. Among the current members of World Green Building Council, India
ranks second in certification after the United States, with 292 million square feet of LEED-
certified floor space, followed by China and Canada.

Indian Green Building Council

The Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) was formed by Confederation of Indian Industry
(CII) to usher in a green building movement in India and facilitate India to become one of the
global leaders in green buildings. With an aim to provide a single-point reference on green
building products and technologies, IGBC has developed a Directory on green building
materials & service providers, the first of its kind in India. The Directory will serve as a ready
reference to all builders, consultants, architects, contractors etc, and also serve as a single-
point reference to those seeking inputs / details on green building material and equipment.
IGBC has developed the green building rating systems for different types of building.
 IGBC Green Homes
 IGBC Green Factory Building
 IGBC Green SEZ

15
 IGBC Green Townships
List of IGBC certified Green Home Projects (Residential projects)

Building Location Rating Area (sq. ft.)

Ackruti Greenwoods Mumbai Pre-Certified, Gold 818,964
Aliens Developers - Aliens Space Pre - Certified,
Station -1 Hyderabad Platinum 8,53,776
Pre - Certified,
Aqua Lily Chengulpet Platinum 13,00,000
Aquila Heigths Bangalore Pre-Certified, Gold 6,50,950
August Park Banglore Pre-Certified, Gold 408379
Avani Residence Hyderabad Platinum 5,500
BCIL T ZED Homes Bangalore Platinum 1,75,350
Bella Vista Thane (Mumbai) Pre-Certified, Gold 9,044.91
Kasavanahalli, Sarjapura
Bhuvana Greens road, Bangalore Pre-Certified, Gold 396,951
Brigade Exotica Bangalore Pre-Certified, Gold 16,00,002
Camelot Kansal-Mohali - Punjab Pre-Certified, Gold 42,29,000
Crosswinds Bhandup (W), Mumbai Pre-Certified, Gold 1,20,000
czar's Greenways road at Chennai. Precertified Platinum 79,680
Dosti Ambrosia Wadala-Mumbai Pre-Certified, Gold 204,896
Eco Eden City Boisar, Maharashtra Pre-Certified, Gold 25,259
Ecociti Noida Precertified Platinum
Eleven Eleven Sky Villas Chembur, Mumbai Pre-Certified, Gold 4,698.18
GAUR CITY Greater Noida Pre-Certified, Gold 7,70,000
Godrej Garden Enclave - B type
Towers Mumbai Precertified Platinum 965,953
Godrej Palm Grove Chennai, Tamil Nadu Pre-Certified, Gold 21,00,000
Pre - Certified,
Green Grace Hyderabad Platinum 92903
Hebron Enclave KR Puram, Bangalore Precertified Platinum 33,350.97
INORA Park, TATA Housing
Dev. Co. Ltd. Pune Pre-Certified, Gold 303,390
Pre - Certified,
Kalpataru Hills Thane Platinum 37966
Pre - Certified,
Kalpataru Pinnacle Mumbai Platinum 13471
Pre - Certified,
Kalpataru Riverside Mumbai Platinum 68596
La Residency Mumbai Pre-Certified, Gold 12,000
Pre - Certified,
Mahindra Chloris Faridabad Platinum 42735
Mahindra Eminente, Building A
&C Mumbai Precertified Gold
Mahindra Lifespace Developers Pre - Certified,
Limited - Mahindra Splendour Mumbai Platinum 80,000
Pre - Certified,
Mahindra Royale Pune Platinum 35990

16
Manbhavan Pune Pre-Certified, Gold 13,557
Mantri DSK Pinnacle Bangalore Pre-Certified, Gold 531,586.50
Mapleton Chennai Pre-Certified, Gold 806,129
Marvel Arco Pune Precertified Platinum 22,490
Mayfair Apartments and
Lakewood Enclave Thalambur Pre-Certified, Gold 17,532.35
Pre - Certified,
Megapolis Pune Platinum 139364
Nautilus - E5 Vadodara - Gujrat. Precertified Silver 2891.78
Nitesh Columbus Bangalore Pre-Certified, Gold 5,67,365
NOEL Greenature Kochi, Kerala Pre-Certified, Gold 2,45,745
Noel Serenia Kakkanad Pecertified Silver 103,571.85
One Avighna Park Mumbai Precertified Platinum 597,658
Orion Mumbai Pre-Certified, Gold 264,333
Oval Nest Warje, Pune Platinum 16,592
Pre - Certified,
Park Infinia Pune Platinum 3642
Planet Green Vadodara Precertified Platinum
Purva Atria Platina Bangalore Pre-Certified, Gold 1,54,225
Raisina Residency Gurgaon Pre-Certified, Gold 120774
Renaissance Nature Walk Bangalore Pre-Certified, Gold 540,112
Rustomjee Urbania Mumbai Pre-Certified, Gold 2,49,000
Shem Park Chennai Gold 90,610
Shree Ram Infrastructure Ltd. - Pre - Certified,
Palais Royale Mumbai Platinum 25,00,000
Signature Estates Guwahati Pre-Certified, Gold 4,77,913
Soudhamini Bangalore Precertified Gold
Springs Chennai Pre-Certified, Gold 1,95,028
Pre - Certified,
Srishti Mumbai Platinum 68596
The Address Mumbai Pre-Certified, Gold 2,998,958
Chikkathirupathi,District:
The Empyrean Kolar, Karnataka Pre-Certified, Gold 1,071,671.15
Tirumala Habitats Mulund, Mumbai Precertified Platinum 376,736
Trimurtys Aurum Jaipur Precertified Gold
Vighnaharta Cooperative Society
(Proposed) Curry Road, Mumbai Pre-Certified, Gold 33,000
Vijay Galaxy Thane Pre-Certified, Gold 17,384.17
Viraj Tower Thane, Maharashtra Pre-Certified, Gold 197,908.68
Viswa Syamalam Chennai Platinum 2,755
Windermere Koregaon Park, Pune. Precertified Platinum 319,990
X'czar Mumbai Precertified Platinum 16,00,001

List of IGBC certified green factory building projects

Project Location Rating Area (sq. ft.)
Pennar Engineered Building Systems
Limited Sadashivpet, Hyderabad Gold 13525
Tata Motors Ltd. Pimpri, Pune Gold 683154

17
Mainetti (India) Pvt. Ltd. Sriperumbudur, Chennai Platinum 12168
Orient Craft Ltd Rajasthan Silver 18499
Cummins Generator Technologies G-06
India Ltd. Plant 2 ,MIDC,Ranjangaon Gold 11797
Grundfos Pumps India Pvt Ltd Thoraipakkam, Chennai Gold 10341

List of LEED rated green buildings in india

Project Location Rating Area (sq. ft.)

247 Park Mumbai Gold 18,00,000
ABN AMRO - KRM Towers Chennai Gold
ABN Amro Bank - Central Enterprises Chennai Gold 1,00,000
ABN Amro Bank N.V. Ahmedabad Platinum 1,00,000
Admin Building, HED-Talegaon
Complex Pune Platinum
Ahill Apparel Tirrupur Gold 40,474
American Embassy School New Delhi Gold
Anna Centenary Library Building Chennai Gold 3,59,040
Aquamall Water Solutions Limited Dehradun Gold 75,000
Ashok Leyland Corporate Office Chennai Gold 1,92,000
Bagmane World Technology Center Bangalore Gold 782,651
Burt Hill India Office Interiors Ahmedabad Platinum
CA Technologies India Hyderabad,
Building 2 Hyderabad Gold
CB Richard Ellis South Asia Pvt Ltd. Mumbai Silver
CDPL Corporate Office Hyderabad Silver 27,400
Cement House Mumbai Gold 109,609
Central Control Room (CCR), Chanda Chanda, Dist. Chandrapur,
Cement Works Maharashtr Platinum 19,138.23
Chennai Development Center 5 Chennai Gold 2,40,538
CII - Suresh Neotia Centre of
excellence for leadership Kolkatta Silver 2,36,782
CII-Sohrabji Godrej Green Business
Centre Hyderabad Platinum 20,000
Cisco B4 Bangalore Platinum
Cisco VTV Banglore Platinum 2,36,782
Citibank N A Mumbai Platinum
Cognizant Green Campus Coimbatore Gold 7,25,606
Cognizant Green Campus Kolkata Silver 6,41,837
Cognizant MEPZ Campus Chennai Gold
Santacruz (West), Kalina,
Commercial Building at Kalina Mumbai Gold 118,604
Commerzone Building No.4 Pune Gold 4,78,199
Nirlon Knowledge Park,
Cooling Tower Cafe Goregaon - East Gold 8,830
CRISIL House Mumbai Platinum
Dabur Corporate Office Gurgaon Gold 1,00,000

18
DBAG Nirlon Deutsche Bank Mumbai Gold
Delta Power Solutions India Pvt. Ltd. Rudrapur, Uttarakhand Gold 2,23,329
Deutsche Bank Ludhiana Branch. Ludhiana Silver
Dr.Reddy's Laboratories Ltd -
Corporate Office Hyderabad Gold 1,54,935.7
DuPont Knowledge Center Hyderabad Silver 2,48,459
Electrical Systems & Equipment,
Electrical & Automation Operating
Company, Larsen & Toubro Limited Ahmednagar Gold 39,841
EMC BECP Bangalore Gold
Enercon India Pvt Ltd Mumbai Gold 55,000
ETL BPO Park Chennai Gold 12,00,000
Express Avenue Mall Chennai Gold
Fast Track Building 1 & 2, Wipro
Technologies Noida Gold 1,99,325
FLSmidth House Chennai Gold 2,77,703
Frontier Business Systems Pvt. Ltd. Bangalore Gold
Godrej Bhavan Mumbai Gold
Godrej Waterside IT Park Kolkata Gold 21,69,388
Great Lakes Institute of Management Manamai Platinum 2,01,543
Green Boulevard Noida Platinum 9,52,000
Grundfos Pumps India Pvt Ltd Chennai Gold 70,000
Haworth Pune India Regional Office Pune Gold 7,900
HCL Green Data Centre Noida Platinum
Heritage Madurai Hotel & Resort Madurai Gold
Hiranandani BG Building Mumbai Platinum 95,000
Hotel Fortune Select Dasve LAVASA City Silver 105660
HSBC Baroda Vadodara Platinum
HSBC GSC Hyderabad 1 Hyderabad Silver 1,98,986
HSBC House - Finance COE, Phase-1 Gurgaon Platinum
HUDA - Annexe II Building Hyderabad Certified 21,356
Hyderabad Institute of Technology &
Management Hyderabad Silver 78,820
IDFC Bank Chennai Gold
IGP Office Gulbarga Gold 33,000
IMTMA's Banglore International
Center Bangalore Certified 14,81,040
Indira Gandhi International Airport,
Terminal 3 New Delhi Gold 7,001,973
Infinity Benchmark Kolkata Platinum 5,60,535
Infosys Technologies Jaipur Platinum 2,64,560
ING Vysya Bank Mumbai Gold
InterfaceFLOR Bangalore Gold 4,265
IT Park, TCS Ltd. Bhubaneshwar Platinum
ITC Green Centre Gurgaon Platinum 1,70,000
ITC HOTEL - The Maratha Mumbai Platinum
ITC Kakatiya Hyderabad Platinum
ITC Maurya Hotel New Delhi Platinum
ITC Royal Gardenia Bangalore Platinum 68,497.82
19
ITC Sonar Kolkata Platinum
ITC The Grand Central Platinum
ITC The Mughal Agra Platinum
ITC Windsor Bangalore Platinum
K Raheja Corp C 30 BKC Mumbai Gold 1,20,000
K Raheja Corp.- Novartis Building,
Mindspace Hyderabad Platinum 351,945
Kalpataru Square Mumbai Platinum 3,26,937
Kohinoor City Mall Mumbai Gold
Kohinoor Hospital Mumbai Platinum 2,27,432
L & T EDRC 1 Chennai Silver 81,720
Leadership Development Institute,
TCS Thiruvananthapuram Silver
Logix Cyber Park Noida Silver 1,01,26,643
M Moser Delhi Certified
Max Super Speciality Hospital New Delhi Gold 2,23,593
Menon Eternity Chennai Platinum
Microsoft Building 3 Hyderabad Gold 5,95,000
Mindspace Airoli, Building No 8 Mumbai Gold 237,498
Minestone Green Diamonds Gujarat Gold 40,000
Modine Thermal Systems Pvt. Ltd. -
Factory Sriperumbudhur Silver 72,056
Modine Thermal Systems Pvt. Ltd. -
Office Sriperumbudhur Gold 32,152
Motorola Manufacturing Facility Sriperumbudur, Chennai Silver 25,084
Mudra House Mumbai Gold
Navins WSS Towers Chennai Gold
NEG Micon India Pvt Limited, (Vestas
India) Chennai Gold 20,000
Net Magic Chennai Data Centre Chennai Gold
NIIT Technologies Ltd. (Software Greater Noida (Uttar
Development Block - 1) SEZ Pradesh) Platinum 307,005
Nirlon Knowledge Park (Phase I) Mumbai Gold 1,311,098
Nirlon Knowledge Park, Phase 2 Mumbai Gold
Nokia India Private Limited Gurgaon Gold
Nokia Siemens Networks, Phase II Noida Gold
Nothern Operating Services Pvt Ltd Bangalore Gold
NH 49, Maradu, Kochi,
NUCLEUS - Mall and Office KERALA Gold 210,000
Odyssey Building - GE India
Technology Centre Pvt. Ltd Bangalore Gold 3,29,318
Olympia Technology Park Chennai Gold 18,00,000
Oracle India Pvt. Ltd., Phase 3
Building Hyderabad Gold 1,94,252
Paharpur Business Center New Delhi Platinum
Patni Computer System, Block B. Noida Gold 83,727.08
Patni Knowledge Center Noida Platinum 4,60,000
VIMTA Life Sciences
Pre-Clinical R & D Laboratory Campus, Genome Valley, Gold 39,673

20
 Hyderabad
Pritech Park Bangalore Platinum 2,190,992
Project Location Rating
Project OII - RBS Chennai Certified
PS Srijan Tech Park Kolkata Gold 4,50,000
Pune Marriott Hotel & Convention
Centre, A Panchshil Project Senapati Bapat Road Gold 81,9187.4
Rajiv Gandhi International Airport Hyderabad Silver 12,59,378
Rane Institute for Employee
Development Chennai Silver 17,000
RMZ Millenia Business Park Chennai Gold 17,17,635
Sabarmati Gas Limited Gujarat Gold
L & T Hazira Manufacturing
SBU Block, L & T, Hazira Complex Platinum 15,000
Scope International Pvt. Ltd. Chennai Gold 361,160
Shell Business Service Center - Phase
1 Chennai Platinum 90,000
Shriram The Gateway Chennai Gold 11,50,100
SNQS Internationals Avinashi Silver 35,542
Software Development Block 1,
Infosys Technologies Ltd Thiruvananthapuram Platinum 1,61,312.8
Software Development Block 3 Pune Gold 4,43,473
Space Matrix Office New Delhi Platinum
Spectral Services Consultants Pvt Ltd Noida Platinum 15,000
Spectral Services Consultants Pvt Ltd Hyderbad Gold 2,015
Suzlon One Earth Pune Platinum 8,16,171
Symantec Pune India Pune Gold
Syntel Global Development Center Chennai Gold 8,32,000
Tamilnadu Legislative Assembly Chennai Gold 9,37,092
TCS Technopark Chennai Gold 19,22,909
TECCI PARK Chennai Silver 5,80,000
Technology Block, L&T Hazira Platinum 36,893
Technology Centre II, L&T Chennai Certified
Technopolis Kolkata Gold 7,75,000
Tecpro Towers Chennai Silver 100596
Thermax Corporate House Pune Silver 64000
TSI Waverock - Phase I Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh Gold 650,000
Turbo Energy Chennai Platinum 37,362
TVH AGNITIOPARK Chennai Gold 7,20,000
Unitech Commercial Tower Gurgaon Gold 1,29,694
Wadia International Centre, C II Worli, Mumbai - 400025. Gold 3,30,131
Wipro Chennai Development Center-
SEZ Chennai Silver 5,05,000
Wipro Enterprise Data Center, Wipro
Limited, SEZ,Knowledge Park IV,
Greater Noida Greater Noida Gold 52,300
Wipro Enterprise Data Center,Wipro
Limited, SEZ,Knowledge Park IV,
Greater Noida Greater Noida Gold 52,300

21
Wipro Limited (Infotech Division) Kotdwar Silver 71,687
Wipro Special Economic Zone Pune Gold 4,09,443
Wipro Special Economic Zone (EC)
Tower "S2" Bangalore Silver 6,01,300
Wipro Special Economic Zone (SR) -
Tower S3 Banglore Silver 4,52,201
Wipro Special Economic Zone,
Gopannapally,S1 & S2 Hyderabad Gold 1,49,239
Wipro Technologies Gurgaon Platinum 1,75,000
Wipro Technologies Vizag Gold 48,875
Wipro Technologies (Tower - 4) Kolkata Gold 71,687
Wipro Technologies SDB1 Kochi Gold 1,00,000
Wipro Technologies, BHDC Bhubaneshwar Silver 48,875
World Bank Building Chennai Silver 1,36,000
Xylem Bangalore Gold 5,25,000
Yahoo Software Development India
Pvt. Ltd. Bangalore Gold
Yamuna - Corporate office Kirloskar
Brothers Limited Pune Platinum 1,29,995
YCH DistriPark India Chennai Chennai Gold 3,06,771

Why do green buildings cost more than traditional buildings?

This is not true and a common misconception promoted by ignorant architects and
contractors afraid of building in a different way. A good architect knows how to save their
clients money. The client sets the budget, and a project should come in below that budget.
With a clear direction of budget, there is no reason you cannot build a green building for the
same price or less than a traditional building.

The issue arises when you try to compare "apples and oranges." For instance, if you
are comparing a building with solar panels to a traditional building without solar panels, of
course it appears the traditional building costs less. This is focusing solely on the up-front
cost of building. This model fails to take into account how the building with solar panels will
immediately begin producing energy and lowering your monthly electricity bill. The lifecycle
cost of the solar building will be much less. This monthly benefit, called a return on your
investment, quickly pays for any additional up-front cost for purchasing the solar panels.

Numerous studies have shown investments into green products and systems will pay
for themselves at least ten times over the life of the building. Luckily, the benefits and
opportunities to save money on the operational costs are enormous. The combination of
energy savings, water reduction and maintenance costs will catch the attention of building
owners and translate to bottom line benefits.

22
The first step is energy efficiency. If every home in the U.S. used an Energy Star refrigerator,
we could close ten aging power plants.

The next step is energy reduction. Replacing your burnt out light bulbs with compact
fluorescent bulbs would prevent enough pollution to equal removing one million cars from
the road. Natural light easily replaces the need for lights in the first place.

The energy savings alone in a green building could pay for green improvements
several times over with a return on investment within 1-7 years.

In the case where you are comparing similar materials, the costs end up being the same. For
instance, a bamboo floor installs the exact same way as a traditional wood floor. The
material costs are now the same, and use of the bamboo does not result in the clear cutting
of a forest.

Finally, green buildings offer social benefits not easily seen. Student test scores are
15% higher in spaces lit with natural daylight. WalMart has discovered their retail sales
increase in stores with natural light. Office workers report greatly reduced absenteeism in
an environment with natural, non-toxic materials.

Although there are green materials that cost more than their traditional
counterparts, there are also many more whose cost is far below the standard. Advances in
recycling, new materials and better designs have allowed for a new generation of
environmentally-friendly products that are less costly to produce. Of course, green materials
also have a very important long term benefit of not destroying our planet's resources.

What is a smart building and how can it benefit you?

A smart building is any structure that uses automated processes to automatically

control the building’s operations including heating, ventilation, air conditioning, lighting,
security and other systems. A smart building uses sensors, actuators and microchips, in
order to collect data and manage it according to a business’ functions and services. This
infrastructure helps owners, operators and facility managers improve asset reliability and
performance, which reduces energy use, optimizes how space is used and minimizes the
environmental impact of buildings.

Buildings that aren’t “connected” are the same buildings they were decades ago.
They have provided the essentials: shelter, temperature control and safety at the same
efficiency level for years. But newer buildings, or older structures that have been converted
to smart buildings, are constantly changing. They are living organisms connected to a
network with intelligent and adaptable software.

At the most fundamental level, smart buildings make occupants more productive with
lighting, thermal comfort, air quality, physical security, sanitation and more at lower
costs and environmental impact than buildings that are not connected.

The benefits

23
 Creating or transforming a building into a smart building is beneficial for both the
owner and the organizations working within.

These benefits range from energy savings to productivity gains to

sustainability. Smart building strategies can reduce energy costs, increase the productivity of
the facility staff, improve building operations, support sustainability efforts and enhance
decision-making across the organization.

One example of energy efficiency is the use of optimal start/stop, which allows the
building automation system to learn when it should bring the air conditioning system online
for a particular zone in the building. Another feature is electrical loads that are grouped into
categories from critical to high priority to non-essential.

What are the benefits of owning and working in a smart building?

Smart buildings are expected to save money in more ways than one might think. They can
significantly reduce energy and operating costs, but there are a number of expected not-so-
obvious benefits gained from implementing a smart building system. These could give a
boost to a building owner’s return on investment while providing occupants with an
intelligent work environment.

Some potential advantages of owning or working in a smart building include:

 Tenant retention
 The better your building is at keeping its tenants comfortable, the more likely
they will want to be there. Smart buildings could offer unique perks to employees and in
turn help reduce turnover.

 High-speed connection

 Your building isn’t connected unless the people inside are. Smart buildings
can be outfitted with high-speed internet and voice over internet protocol services. Since
businesses increasingly rely on the internet, an increase in speed could mean an increase in
production and revenue.

 Self-monitoring
 Smart buildings are designed to constantly gather data and monitor
themselves for problems in the structure’s facilities. So, for example, if an elevator breaks
down, the building could find the problem, self-diagnose and communicate with the
appropriate organization to get it fixed. Smart buildings can also monitor system
performance to increase energy savings. Overseeing these processes could decrease
complaints about inefficient or failed facilities, reducing time spent addressing potential
problems.

 Comfort factor

24
 Smart buildings are set to adapt to the way people live. They have control
of heating, ventilation, air conditioning and lighting, learning the schedules of those who
operate these systems in order to optimize comfort.

 Increased safety and security

 It is becoming increasingly important for people to feel safe at the workplace,
and smart buildings can help in those efforts. Take, for example, a situation in which a fire
alarm goes off. A smart building can detect smoke, tell occupants to evacuate the building,
contact the correct authorities and prepare the structure for minimizing the spread of risk.
Security also is an important issue, and the deployment of cameras and the ability to stream
footage from a surveillance camera to a laptop can increase safety and provide peace of
mind to tenants.

 Big data, big reward

 Data can help enterprises make sound decisions, and owning a smart building
means being updated with the latest data on operational costs. This data is sent to a
network operation center where appropriate changes can be made.

 Brains turn a building into a green building

 With decreased energy usage comes a favorable impact on the environment.
Intelligent efficiency measures if applied to 35% of the eligible commercial floor area in
buildings with 50,000 or more square feet could save upwards of 50 terawatt hours by
2030, assuming a conservative savings estimate of 20% – more than 1% of U.S. projected
energy use by that year. Combined with 17 other common-sense efficiency measures, the
U.S. could save 22% of its total projected electricity use in 2030, according to Buildings. The
ability to adjust power consumption to be used only when needed as well as the potential
for the installation of reusable energy decreases the need to burn fossil fuels.

Explain about the three primary rating systems for Green buildings in India

There are three primary Rating systems in India.

1. GRIHA
2. IGBC
3. BEE

Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment (GRIHA)

Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment (GRIHA) is India’s own rating system
jointly developed by TERI and the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, Government of
India. It is a green building design evaluation system where buildings are rated in a three-
tier process. The process initiates with the online submission of documents as per the
prescribed criteria followed by on site visit and evaluation of the building by a team of
professionals and experts from GRIHA Secretariat. GRIHA rating system consists of 34
criteria categorized in four different sections. Some of them are –
(1) Site selection and site planning,
(2) Conservation and efficient utilization of resources,

25
 (3) Building operation and maintenance, and
(4) Innovation.
Commonwealth Games Village, New Delhi, Fortis Hospital, New Delhi, CESE (Centre
for Environmental Sciences & Engineering) Bldg, IIT Kanpur, Suzlon One Earth, Pune and
many other buildings has received GRIHA rating).

Indian Green Building Council (IGBC)

The Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) is the rating system
developed for certifying Green Buildings. LEED is developed by the U.S. Green Building
Council (USGBC), the organization promoting sustainability through Green Buildings. LEED is
a framework for assessing building performance against set criteria and standard points of
references. The benchmarks for the LEED Green Building Rating System were developed in
year 2000 and are currently available for new and existing constructions.

Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) formed the Indian Green Building Council
(IGBC) in year 2001. IGBC is the non profit research institution having its offices in CII-
Sohrabji Godrej Green Business Centre, which is itself a LEED certified Green building. Indian
Green Building Council (IGBC) has licensed the LEED Green Building Standard from the
USGBC. IGBC facilitates Indian green structures to become one of the green buildings.

IGBC has developed the following green building rating systems for different types
of building in line and conformity with US Green Building Council. Till date, following Green
Building rating systems are available under IGBC;

26
1. LEED India for New Construction
2. LEED India for Core and Shell
3. IGBC Green Homes
4. IGBC Green Factory Building
5. IGBC Green SEZ
6. IGBC Green Townships

Some examples of LEED rated building in India

Sr. Green Buildings Rating received

No

1 ABN Amro Bank N.V., Ahmedabad LEED ‘Platinum’ rated

2 American Embassy School, Delhi LEED ‘Gold’ rated
3 Anna Centenary Library Building, Chennai LEED ‘Gold’ rated
4 Biodiversity Conservation India Ltd (BCIL) – Bangalore LEED ‘Platinum’ rated
5 Birla International School, Jaipur LEED ‘Gold’ rated
6 CII – Sohrabji Godrej Green Business Centre LEED ‘Platinum’ rated
7 ITC Green Centre – Gurgaon LEED ‘Platinum’ rated
8 Olympia Technology Park – Chennai LEED ‘Gold’ rated
9 Rajiv Gandhi International Airport – Hyderabad LEED ‘Silver’ rated
10 Suzlon Energy Limited – global headquarter in Pune LEED ‘Platinum’ rated

Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE)

BEE developed its own rating system for the buildings based on a 1 to 5 star scale.
More stars mean more energy efficiency. BEE has developed the Energy Performance Index
(EPI). The unit of Kilo watt hours per square meter per year is considered for rating the
building and especially targets air conditioned and non-air conditioned office buildings. The
Reserve Bank of India’s buildings in Delhi and Bhubaneshwar, the CII Sohrabji Godrej Green
Business Centre and many other buildings have received BEE 5 star ratings.
Indians were aware of Green Building concepts from the beginning. Conventional
homes with baked red colour roof tiles and clay made walls is a really good example of
energy efficient structures that are used to keep cool during summers and warm during the
winters. Most of rural India is still attached to this building technology with naturally
available materials like clay, wood, jute ropes, etc. Today we have advanced technologies
that create smarter systems to control inside temperature, lighting systems, power and
water supply and waste generation. Green buildings might be a bit heavy on the pursebut
are good for the environment. In this rapidly changing world, we should adopt the
technology that helps us to save precious natural resources. This would lead us to true
sustainable development.
References: GRIHA, IGBC,USGBC and BEE official websites

Discuss on IGBC Green Existing Buildings (O & M) Rating System

27
Since independence, India has experienced enormous growth in the construction industry.
Since the last two decades, this growth has multiplied several times. Growing construction
activity means a growing requirement of land, energy and materials. Construction of
buildings requires various raw materials which leaves an additional burden on limited natural
resources of earth. In addition, constructed buildings also have energy and other resource
requirements in its lifetime. To enable the construction industry to be environmentally
friendly, Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) has established the Indian Green Building
Council (IGBC).
Green buildings are environmentally sustainable buildings that use minimum resources and
contribute in lesser waste generation. Whether Green buildings are really green is to be
decided against the predefined rating systems. There are three primary Rating systems in
India- (1) GRIHA, (2) IGBC and (3) BEE. IGBC rating system is the most dominant rating
system in India. However, IGBC rating systems are for new buildings and leaves existing
building untouched for such ratings.

To address existing buildings to be rated for green building rating systems; IGBC has
launched exclusive ‘IGBC Green Existing Building O&M Rating in April 2013. By applying
IGBC Green Existing Building O&M criteria, existing buildings can be sustainable over the
life cycle of the building. By using these new criteria, the building owner and developer can
apply green concepts to reduce the environmental impacts and measure the outcome. As per
IGBC, existing building can reduce water & energy consumption by around 15 – 30 % and
also reduce waste and contribute in pollution reduction. This in turn provides better health &
higher satisfaction levels for occupants.

Figure: Categories of IGBC’s Green Existing Buildings O&M rating system

IGBC Green Existing Building O&M Rating will be governed by Green Existing Buildings
O&M Committee. The committee includes facility managers, corporate, government,
builders, developers, architects, consultants, manufacturers and industry representatives.

28
Every year, the rating system will be reviewed by the committee. This will ensure that it is
updated and contemporary.

Key important points about IGBC Green Existing Building O&M Rating;
1. IGBC Green Existing Buildings O&M Rating System is voluntary.
2. The rating is designed to suit all building types in all climatic zones and is for both
air-conditioned and non-air conditioned buildings.
3. The pilot version of IGBC Existing Buildings O&M rating system is applicable for all
types of non-residential buildings e.g. office buildings, IT Parks, BPOs, shopping
malls, hotels, hospitals, airports, banks, etc.
4. Residential and Factory buildings will not be eligible. They can use other existing
rating systems. However, Buildings which are 80% occupied with respect to the
carpet area and operational for a minimum of one year are eligible for certification
under IGBC Existing Buildings O&M rating. In addition, Projects already certified
and operational for more than 1 year are also eligible
5. Campus projects having multiple buildings can be considered as one single project for
registration and certification. However each building has to individually conform to
the energy, water and fresh air mandatory requirements.
6. Unlike other available rating system, this new rating systems will have very less
documentation requirement.
7. Water management has maximum weightage in rating. For energy related aspects,
following standards are recommended to use – Energy Conservation Building Code
(ECBC) or the Energy Performance Index (EPI) by BEE.
8. Levels of certification are (1) Certified for Best Practices, (2) Silver rating for
outstanding performance (3) Gold rating for national excellence (4) Platinum rating
for global leadership.
9. IGBC Existing Buildings O&M rating will be valid for a period of 3 years from the
date of issue of the certification.
Project developer/Building owner interested in IGBC Green Existing Buildings O&M
Certification for their project is required to register with IGBC on IGBC website. Website
provides all the necessary information like required documents, templates, important
communications, etc. Project developer/building owner has to satisfy all the mandatory
requirements to get IGBC Green Existing Building O&M certification.

Solar Passive Architecture:

Passi v e S ola r Desi gn

Passive solar design refers to the use of the sun’s energy for the heating and cooling of living
spaces by exposure to the sun. When sunlight strikes a building, the building materials can
reflect, transmit, or absorb the solar radiation. In addition, the heat produced by the sun
causes air movement that can be predictable in designed spaces. These basic responses to
solar heat lead to design elements, material choices and placements that can provide heating
and cooling effects in a home.

Unlike active solar heating systems, passive systems are simple and do not involve
substantial use of mechanical and electrical devices, such as pumps, fans, or electrical
controls to move the solar energy.

29
Passive Solar Design Basics
A complete passive solar design has five elements:

GRAPHIC COURTESY OF EERE

 Aperture/Collector: The large glass area through which sunlight enters the building. The
aperture(s) should face within 30 degrees of true south and should not be shaded by other
buildings or trees from 9a.m. to 3p.m. daily during the heating season.

 Absorber:The hard, darkened surface of the storage element. The surface, which could be
a masonry wall, floor, or water container, sits in the direct path of sunlight. Sunlight
hitting the surface is absorbed as heat.

 Thermal mass: Materials that retain or store the heat produced by sunlight. While the
absorber is an exposed surface, the thermal mass is the material below and behind this
surface.

 Distribution: Method by which solar heat circulates from the collection and storage
points to different areas of the house. A strictly passive design will use the three natural
heat transfer modes- conduction, convection and radiation- exclusively. In some
applications, fans, ducts and blowers may be used to distribute the heat through the house.

 Control: Roof overhangs can be used to shade the aperture area during summer months.
Other elements that control under and/or overheating include electronic sensing devices,
such as a differential thermostat that signals a fan to turn on; operable vents and dampers
that allow or restrict heat flow; low-emissivity blinds; and awnings.

Passive Solar Heating

The goal of passive solar heating systems is to capture the sun’s heat within the building’s
elements and to release that heat during periods when the sun is absent, while also
maintaining a comfortable room temperature. The two primary elements of passive solar

30
heating are south facing glass and thermal mass to absorb, store, and distribute heat. There
are several different approaches to implementing those elements.

Direct Gain

The actual living space is a solar collector, heat absorber and distribution system. South
facing glass admits solar energy into the house where it strikes masonry floors and walls,
which absorb and store the solar heat, which is radiated back out into the room at night.
These thermal mass materials are typically dark in color in order to absorb as much heat as
possible. The thermal mass also tempers the intensity of the heat during the day by absorbing
energy. Water containers inside the living space can be used to store heat. However, unlike
masonry water requires carefully designed structural support, and thus it is more difficult to
integrate into the design of the house. The direct gain system utilizes 60-75% of the sun’s
energy striking the windows. For a direct gain system to work well, thermal mass must be
insulated from the outside temperature to prevent collected solar heat from dissipating. Heat
loss is especially likely when the thermal mass is in direct contact with the ground or with
outside air that is at a lower temperature than the desired temperature of the mass.

Indirect Gain

Thermal mass is located between the sun and the living space. The thermal mass absorbs the
sunlight that strikes it and transfers it to the living space by conduction. The indirect gain
system will utilize 30-45% of the sun’s energy striking the glass adjoining the thermal mass.

TROMBE WALL AT ZION VISITOR CENTER AT ZION NATIONAL PARK IN UTAH.

THE TROMBE WALL IS THE LOWER TWO PANES OF THE LOWEST LEVEL OF
GLASS. IMAGE COURTESY OF NREL

The most common indirect gain systems is a Trombe wall. The thermal mass, a 6-18 inch
thick masonry wall, is located immediately behind south facing glass of single or double
layer, which is mounted about 1 inch or less in front of the wall’s surface. Solar heat is
absorbed by the wall’s dark-colored outside surface and stored in the wall’s mass, where it
radiates into the living space. Solar heat migrates through the wall, reaching its rear surface in
the late afternoon or early evening. When the indoor temperature falls below that of the
wall’s surface, heat is radiated into the room.

31
Operable vents at the top and bottom of a thermal storage wall permit heat to convect
between the wall and the glass into the living space. When the vents are closed at night,
radiant heat from the wall heats the living space.

Passive Solar Cooling

Passive solar cooling systems work by reducing unwanted heat gain during the day,
producing non-mechanical ventilation, exchanging warm interior air for cooler exterior air
when possible, and storing the coolness of the night to moderate warm daytime temperatures.
At their simpliest, passive solar cooling systems include overhangs or shades on south facing
windows, shade trees, thermal mass and cross ventilation.

Shading

OVERHANG DESIGN FOR SHADING. DIAGRAM COURTESY OF THE ARIZONA

SOLAR CENTER. THE STEEPER ARROW SHOWS THE ANGLE OF THE SUN'S RAYS
DURING THE SUMMER, WHILE THE SHALLOWER ARROW INDICATES THE
ANGLE DURING THE WINTER.

To reduce unwanted heat gain in the summer, all windows should be shaded by an overhang
or other devices such as awnings, shutters and trellises. If an awning on a south facing
window protrudes to half of a window’s height, the sun’s rays will be blocked during the
summer, yet will still penetrate into the house during the winter. The sun is low on the
horizon during sunrise and sunset, so overhangs on east and west facing windows are not as
effective. Try to minimize the number of east and west facing windows if cooling is a major
concern. Vegetation can be used to shade such windows. Landscaping in general can be used
to reduce unwanted heat gain during the summer.

Thermal Mass

Thermal mass is used in a passive cooling design to absorbs heat and moderate internal
temperature increases on hot days. During the night, thermal mass can be cooled using
ventilation, allowing it to be ready the next day to absorb heat again. It is possible to use the
same thermal mass for cooling during the hot season and heating during the cold season.

32
Ventilation

Natural ventilation maintains an indoor temperature that is close to the outdoor temperature,
so it’s only an effective cooling technique when the indoor temperature is equal to or higher
than the outdoor one. The climate determines the best natural ventilation strategy.

In areas where there are daytime breezes and a desire for ventilation during the day, open
windows on the side of the building facing the breeze and the opposite one to create cross
ventilation. When designing, place windows in the walls facing the prevailing breeze and
opposite walls. Wing walls can also be used to create ventilation through windows in walls
perpendicular to prevailing breezes. A solid vertical panel is placed perpendicular to the wall,
between two windows. It accelerates natural wind speed due to pressure differences created
by the wing wall.

In a climate like New England where night time temperatures are generally lower than
daytime ones, focus on bringing in cool night-time air and then closing the house to hot
outside air during the day. Mechanical ventilation is one way of bringing in cool air at night,
but convective cooling is another option.

Convective Cooling

The oldest and simplest form of convective cooling is designed to bring in cool night air from
the outside and push out hot interior air. If there are prevailing nightime breezes, then high
vent or open on the leeward side (the side away from the wind) will let the hot air near the
ceiling escape. Low vents on the opposite side (the side towards the wind) will let cool night
air sweep in to replace the hot air.

At sites where there aren’t prevailing breezes, it’s still possible to use convective cooling by
creating thermal chimneys. Thermal chimneys are designed around the fact that warm air
rises; they create a warm or hot zone of air (often through solar gain) and have a high exterior
exhaust outlet. The hot air exits the building at the high vent, and cooler air is drawn in
through a low vent.

There are many different approaches to creating the thermal chimney effect. One is an
attached south facing sunroom that is vented at the top. Air is drawn from the living space
through connecting lower vents to be exhausted through the sunroom upper vents (the upper
vents from the sunroom to the living space and any operable windows must be closed and the
thermal mass wall of the sunroom must be shaded).

33
Eco-housing concepts:

An Eco-house (or eco-home) is an environmentally low-impact home designed and built

using ... A vegetable patch outside the house for some food. The concept of an eco-
house means a dwelling that has a low impact on the environment.

An Eco-house (or eco-home) is an environmentally low-impact home designed and built

using materials and technology that reduces its carbon footprint and lowers its energy
needs.

A green home is a type of house designed to be environmentally sustainable.

Green homes focus on the efficient use of "energy, water, and building materials". A green
home may utilize sustainably sourced, environmentally friendly, and/or recycled building
materials.

Green building (also known as green construction or sustainable building) refers to both
a structure and the application of processes that are environmentally responsible and
resource-efficient throughout a building's life-cycle: from planning to design, construction,
operation, maintenance, renovation, and demolition.

Eco-materials play a key role in material science and technology to minimi- ze

environmental impacts, enhance the recyclability of materials, and to increase energy
and material efficiency. ... Eco-materials are those that can contribute to reduction of
environmental burden through their life cycles” (Shinohara 2004).

How can you make a house eco friendly?

10 Top Green Home Building Ideas
1. Build Smaller. No matter how green you build a large home; a smaller home with
the same energy-efficient and eco-friendly construction techniques will have a
smaller environmental impact. ...
2. Go Solar. ...
3. Cool Your Roof. ...
4. Harness Geothermal Power. ...
5. Rely on Recycling. ...
6. Use Sustainable Materials. ...
7. Work with Your Land. ...
8. Focus on Water.

Eco House Concept

Eco house is a concept of ecological and biopositive home with low energy consumption. It
relies on the concept of a Passive House originally developed in Germany. Demands of such
house are typically below 15 kWh/m2 a year, which is 1/7 part of a common house’s energy
consumption. Thanks to reduced heat losses and optimized energy supply it is possible to
achieve 90% saving on heating in comparison with a usual house.

34
Such an attractive economy is achievable thanks to using of heat insulating panels 40 to 50
cm thick, ensuring heat transmission coefficient no higher than 0.25 W/(m2K). Windows
consist of triple insulating glass units. Air tightness is one of the major factors which ensure
energy efficiency. Therefore a controlled ventilation system in habitable space becomes a
strict necessity. A heat exchanger is integrated into a ventilation system to ensure
recuperation of heat. In summer a ventilation system works inversely and cools the incoming
air. This effect may be enhanced by installing a heat exchanger which uses temperature
difference between air and ground to obtain energy. Besides, it is becomes common to
actively use solar energy for heating, how water supply and power generation. Normally an
Eco house should not require a large-scale heating system – heating is required only in a
couple of the coldest months and is provided by a small-scale system.

Another key to energy efficiency is correct location and orientation of a house. Ideally it
should be protected from cold northern winds by features of a landscape. Windows in a
northern wall should be small to avoid heat losses, sometimes northern windows are even
dispensed with. In turn, southern windows have large area and can ensure positive energy
balance if well-insulated.

The most advanced Eco houses can incorporate aspects of an Active house (Energy-plus
house) – with an extraordinary qualitative insulation and active using of renewable energy
systems it can cover the whole demands in energy and even feed the surplus power to the
grid.

35
But an Ecohouse is not only about saving energy and money. Environment and health are
another important aspects incorporated into the concept. An Eco house is built of materials
which are natural, 100% renewable and do not have any negative impact on the environment.
It is also obvious that living in an Ecohouse should be good for health. A good example of a
suitable material is straw panels.

Eco-friendly and sustainable housing has been a hot topic in property development over the
past couple of years. As new advancements in “green” technologies emerge, businesses and
consumers alike are transforming their properties to be more environmentally-friendly. 19%
of all Australian households have solar panels or solar water heaters installed, according to
the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). What’s more astonishing about this statistic, is that
just three years ago, only five percent of households had rooftop solar panels. However,
while there’s been an increase in solar energy consumption over the years, there’s still a
significant percentage of the population who aren’t “in the know” about what it means to be
green.
What does “eco-friendly” mean?
The term “eco-friendly” literally means “not environmentally harmful” according
to Merriam-Webster, and its first known use was in 1989; although the term
“environmentally friendly” is older, dating back to 1971. Most commonly used when
referring to products that contribute to green living and other sustainable practices, eco-
friendly products also prevent pollution in the land, air and water.

What practices are environmentally friendly?

Eco-friendly also refers to the practices that make someone more conscious about how he or
she absorbs natural resources. Daily habits including using less water, gas and electricity are
common examples of ways that anyone can contribute to a greener environment.

36
For example, keeping lights off during the day when there’s plenty of natural sunlight, or
turning off the thermostat when it’s cool outside, are ways to cut energy costs and develop a
“green thumb”. They key to make more of the natural resources you have by using less or
being mindful of how you consume them. Businesses can also institute similar practices by
employing recycle and waste-reduction programs, or using sustainable building materials,
such as solar-thermal cladding or bioplastics made from discarded shrimp shells.

Which features make up a “green” house?

Organic ingredients, materials that grow without toxic pesticides or herbicides or products
made from recycled products containing glass, wood, metal or plastic are some of the most
common types of eco features. Biodegradable products break down through natural
decomposition making it less harmful to the ecosystem, and recycled products just make
environmental common sense. Why throw out something you can repurpose into something
else for a lot less than it would usually cost you?
Other features include wind power systems, low-flow water fixtures, energy-efficient
lighting, and veggie-based insulation, like paint made from soy or carpeting made from corn,
as seen in the Inhabitat infographic below:

37
38
 How can construction of these properties be eco-friendly?

The types of materials that you use for constructing a property isn't the only way to be
environmentally conscious. Methods such as using software for paperless estimating instead
of paper statements lets you scale back on printed materials, especially when you have to
make adjustments and/or write up new quotes. Other options that make a construction site
more green include technologies such as the Halo Light, which has a rechargeable lithium-
ion battery that provides 12 hours of power, so you use less electricity on site.

So if you haven’t adopted a green thumb, consider the ways you can. And next time you’re
planning on building property, contemplate this: does it make good eco-friendly and
economic sense to “go green”? If so, then build it (with your ecosystem in mind).

39