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Green Building:
1. Introduction
A green building is one which uses less water, optimizes energy efficiency, conserves
natural resources, generates less waste and provides healthier spaces as compared to a
convectional building.
The concept of green buildings is not as nascent as we think it is. For example, our own
ancestors worshipped the five elements of nature - Earth as 'Prithvi, Water as "Jal', Agni as
'Energy', Air as 'Vayu', and Sky as 'Akash'. Today through the LEED (Leadership in Energy &
Environmental Leadership) green building rating system, we are rediscovering the Indian ethos.
Green buildings are operationally very efficient compared with similar conventional
buildings. The various operational savings and other benefits are stated below.
Energy Efficiency
Green buildings are around 25-30% more energy efficient, with gold-rated buildings as
much as 37% efficient. On an average, green buildings obtain 2% of their energy from
renewable or green sources. This energy efficiency proves beneficial during peak periods, when
energy costs rise due to higher demand. This reduces the demand for fossil fuel-generated
electricity and reduces pollution and the emission of GHGs.
Water Efficiency
Green buildings use 20-30% less water compared with similar conventional buildings.
This reduces the operational water expenses and the pressure on civic amenities. Moreover, 70100% of used water is treated and reused for landscaping and air conditioning. This reduces the
load on an area's sewage system. Through these measures of conservation and the reuse of water,
green buildings save on operational costs and simultaneously promote sustainability.
Waste Reduction
Green buildings emphasize waste reduction. Construction wastes and demolition debris are
the main wastes produced during the construction process, and these wastes degrade the quality
of the environment. Green buildings ensure waste reduction by: the reuse and minimization of
construction wastes and debris and diverting them to recycling units; the use of existing building
structure and reclaimed building materials in the core and shell of a project; the
Increased use of recycled content in construction materials; designing the structure to produce less
scrap and execute it according to the plan. Green buildings reduce construction waste by
approximately 50% compared with that of similar conventional buildings, hence accruing all the
above-mentioned benefits.
This was perhaps the case for the CII-Godrej GBC building when it was the first time that a
green building rating tool was being applied in the country.
The design in this case took about one-and-half years while the construction was completed in
about 9 months!
Thanks to the Green building movement; now there is so much of capacity building that has
happened in the country. Now, there is absolutely no difference in the time involved in
constructing a green building vis-a-vis a normal building. The time schedule for the rating can be
synchronized with that of the building. This has been amply demonstrated in buildings like the
Wipro in Gurgaon and Grundfos in Chennai.
Unfortunately, many of these new methods are compromising the ability of our planet home to
sustain us in the long or even medium term.
Despite our technological advances, our housing needs have remained similar - albeit with
increased levels of comfort and technology. This is because in the last few thousand years,
humans have evolved very little physically. It is our technology that has changed and it has
changed the way we build - not always for the better.
The new challenge is to use our technology to minimize environment impacts, whilst
continuing to improve the comfort and performance of the homes we create.
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