What is GREEN BUILDING?

• A ‘green’ or ‘sustainable’ building is one which is designed and

constructed by using materials and resources to create a
structure that is energy-efficient, modern and long-lasting.
• These types of buildings are designed to find the right balance
between having a low impact on the environment while also
efficiently serving all the purposes it was built for.
• Green buildings offer immense potential to reduce
consumption & regenerate resources from waste and
renewable sources
 ADVANTAGES OF GREEN BUILDINGS
These types of buildings
• use less water,
• optimise energy-efficiency,
• conserve natural resources
• produce a considerably less amount of waste
• reduce operation costs
• improve the quality of life
 WHAT IS THE ROLE OF GLASS IN
GREEN BUILDINGS?
Glass plays a significant role in constructing and designing green
buildings.
• It can be used to enhance the aesthetics of a structure,
improve its design, improve thermal performance and even
create a comfortable environment for the occupants.
• Glass is known to be an excellent green material. Types of
glasses like solar control glasses and low-e glass can reflect
heat or UV rays to maintain optimal temperature inside the
building
• Glass in buildings also substantially reduces the need for
artificial lighting and allows daylight to make the interiors
airier and more open.
• Glasses such as AIS Ecosense, a low-E high
performance energy efficient glass helps a green
building achieve great balance between all the
parameters, and blocks a high amount of solar
radiation by reflecting away the infrared part of
sunlight. This helps building remain invariably cool
in summers and cuts down on the energy bills and
air conditioning usage.
 ADVANTAGES
Glass, suitably treated, aids in enhancing the
Sustainability rating of a structure in the following
ways:
• It provides optimal thermal insulation, reducing
heat gain inside buildings leading to lesser
electricity and utility costs.
• Suitably sized and sited glass elements like
windows, skylights, doors and walls provide
great natural lighting without glare for the
inside of the building, leading to lesser artificial
lighting and associated costs.
• Glass can also filter out harmful UV (Ultraviolet)
solar radiation of the B type (UVB).
• Sustainable glass is recyclable.
 ADVANTAGES
• Glass can also provide acoustic insulation and
comfort leading to a tranquil internal
environment.
• A well-planned design that uses glass extensively
can lead to Sustainable structures that have
significantly lesser weight.
• Sustainable Glass is also available in multiple
colour and design options for pleasing aesthetics.
• Glass can also be used to generate renewable
energy through solar-thermal and photovoltaic
applications and wind turbine, which benefit
from light weight of the reinforced glass fibres.
• Glass has proved to be an important ally in the
development of Sustainable Construction or Green
Construction
• glass, treated in various ways, offers benefits that are
not just functional or aesthetic but also Sustainable.
Impact on Environment
• The biggest advantage that makes glass a
major component in green buildings is the fact
that it is recyclable and also does not have a
huge impact on the environment itself.
• Glass can play a role in accomplishing greater
indoor environmental quality and when used
carefully, can also improve energy efficiency.
• Glass also provide enhanced air quality,
excellent day lighting and general health &
well-being of the occupants.
GLASS SELECTION
• Glass plays a unique and important role in building design
and the environment. It affects design, appearance,
thermal performance and occupant comfort. The selection
of the right glass is a crucial component of the design
process.
• India being a tropical country, we need to be careful while
selecting a glass. Selection of glass has become more
complex since a variety of glasses are available to choose
from, ranging from performance to aesthetics.
• The properties of glass have also become multifaceted,
able to perform a wide variety of functions, like Solar
Control to Thermal Insulation. Solar and thermal
performance will often be a high priority decision along
with appearance (color, transparency and reflectivity).
• AIS products can help architects achieve LEED/IGBC or
GRIHA certification for their projects in a number of areas
such as energy performance, recycled content, regional
material, daylight and views.
ENERGY MANAGEMENT
• Key factors which play an important role in designing the
building envelope with glass are as follows.
• Solar Factor (SF) / Solar Heat Gain Co-efficient (SHGC)
• U-Value
• Relative Heat Gain (RHG)
• Visual Comfort
Solar Factor (SF) /Solar Heat Gain Co-efficient (SHGC)
• A combination of the directly transmitted solar and
radiant energy and the proportion of the absorbed solar
energy that enters into the building’s interior. The lower
the number the better solar control
U-Factor (U-Value)
• This is the measurement of air-to-air thermal
conductance or insulation between indoors and
outdoors through the glass. The lower the number the
better the insulation or thermal control.
Relative Heat Gain (RHG)
• RHG is calculated as follow = (Solar heat gain factor
(ASHRAE) 630° W/m2 X shading coefficient of the
glass) + ( Temperature Difference x U value)
• Heat gain due to Solar Factor contributes to 80% of
RHG value
• Heat gain due to U-value contributes to 20% of RHG
value
Visual Comfort
• Visual Light Transmission
• It is defined as the percentage of light transmitted
through the glass. It does not determine the color of
the glass.
• Glass should provide for optimum daylight inside as
per the outside condition. Excessive daylight creates
glare and makes the occupant uncomfortable
WINDOW WALL RATIO (WWR) Composite /
Hot & Dry /
Window Wall Ratio (WWR)

0 ~ 30% 31% ~ 40% 41% ~ 50% 51% ~ 60%

Window wall ratio is the ratio of total Warm & Humid

Maximum Light
window area to the total gross exterior Transmission
(%)
27 20 16 13

wall Maximum Solar

0.25 0.25 0.20 0.20
Factor / SHGC
Window Wall Ratio = Total Glazing
Maximum U 3.3 3.3 3.3 3.3
Area / Total Gross Wall Area Moderate
Window Wall Ratio (WWR)

•Determination of Window Wall Ratio Maximum Light

0 ~ 30% 31% ~ 40% 41% ~ 50% 51% ~ 60%

of a building Transmission
(%)
27 20 16 13

•Determination of the performance Maximum Solar

0.4 0.4 0.30 0.30
Factor / SHGC
values of the glazing like solar factor,
Maximum U-
U-value & Light transmission. (check value
(W/SqmK)
6.9 6.9 6.9 6.9

value specific to each climatic zone Cold

Window Wall Ratio (WWR)
0 ~ 30% 31% ~ 40% 41% ~ 50% 51% ~ 60%
and window wall ratio) Maximum Light

•Determination of M Factor for the Transmission

(%)
27 20 16 13

trade-off of solar factor requirement by Maximum Solar

Factor / SHGC
0.51 0.51 0.51 0.51

the use of shading devices such as Maximum U-

overhangs, vertical fins etc. value

(W/SqmK)
3.3 3.3 3.3 3.3
Skylight Maximum U- Maximum
Skylight is a fenestration factor SHGC
surface having a slope of 60 Clima
te Witho 0~ 2.1%
With
degrees from the horizontal Curb
ut 2% ~ 5%
plane. Other fenestration, Curb SRR* SRR*
even if mounted on the roof Comp
11.24 7.71 0.40 0.25
of a building, is considered osite
vertical fenestration. Hot &
11.24 7.71 0.40 0.25
• Skylight shall comply with Dry

the maximum U-Factor Warm

and maximum SHGC &
11.24 7.71 0.40 0.25
Humi
requirements of table d
Skylight area is limited to
Mode
a maximum of 5% of the rate
11.24 7.71 0.61 0.40
gross roof area of the Cold 11.24 7.71 0.61 0.40
prescriptive requirement.