project-i-green-building.pdf

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Project-I - Green building
Software Engineering (Panjab University)
Studocu is not sponsored or endorsed by any college or university
Project-I - Green building
Software Engineering (Panjab University)
Downloaded by Shadab Shaikh (shadabshaikh80203@gmail.com)
lOMoARcPSD|19992992

A REPORT
on
GREEN BUILDING
Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the Award
of
Degree of Bachelor of Engineering
in
CIVIL ENGINEERING,
Submitted by
NAVEEN BALODI
(GROUP LEADER) LCO18265 KESHAV DUTT ASNORA LCO18264
AMAN SHARMA LCO18259 ROHIT PUNDIR LCO18266
ANIRUDH GUPTA LCO18260 VIKRANT PALSRA LCO18267
ANMOL KALIA LCO18261 VIKAS LCO18268
ARUN PANWAR LCO18262 VIVEK MAGO LCO18269
HIMANSHU BADHAN LCO18263
Under the Supervision of
Er. Arfat Ahmed
Professor
Department of Civil Engineering
CHANDIGARH COLLEGEG OF ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY
DEGREE WING
AFFILIATED WITH
PANJAB UNIVERSITY,
CHANDIGARH-160019
YEAR 2021-22
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CERTIFICATE
Certified that the minor project titled “GREEN BUILDING” submitted to the Civil Engineering
Department of Chandigarh College of Engineering and Technology, Chandigarh, in partial fulfillment of the
requirements for the award of the degree of Bachelor of Engineering in Civil Engineering of Panjab University,
Chandigarh, India is a record of our own work. To the best of our knowledge, this report has not been submitted
to Panjab University or to any other University or Institute for award of any degree.
NAVEEN BALODI
(GROUP LEADER)
LCO18265
KESHAV DUTT
ASNORA
LCO18264
AMAN SHARMA
LCO18259
ROHIT PUNDIR
LCO18266
ANIRUDH GUPTA
LCO18260
VIKRANT
PALSRA
LCO18267
ANMOL KALIA
LCO18261
VIKAS
LCO18268
ARUN PANWAR
LCO18262
VIVEK MAGO
LCO18269
HIMANSHU BADHAN
LCO18263
This is to certify that the statements made by the candidates are correct to the best of my
knowledge and belief. It is further understood that by this certificate the undersigned do not endorse or approve
any statement made, opinion expressed, or conclusion drawn herein, but approve the report only for the purpose
for which it is submitted.
Er. Arfat Ahmed Countersigned:
Project Supervisor
Assistant Professor
Department of Civil Engg.
CCET (Degree Wing)
Sector 26, Chandigarh 160019
Dr. Rajesh Kumar
Professor & Head
Department of Civil Engg.
CCET (Degree Wing)
Sector 26, Chandigarh 160019
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
We would like to express our gratitude to all those who gave us the opportunity to complete this project.
We extend our gratitude to Chandigarh College of Engineering and Technology (Degree Wing) for providing us
the opportunity to explore innovation in the field of construction. We want to thank the Department of Civil
Engineering for giving us such a golden opportunity to commence this project in the first instance.
NAVEEN BALODI
(GROUP LEADER)
LCO18265
KESHAV DUTT
ASNORA
LCO18264
AMAN SHARMA
LCO18259
ROHIT PUNDIR
LCO18266
ANIRUDH GUPTA
LCO18260
VIKRANT
PALSRA
LCO18267
ANMOL KALIA
LCO18261
VIKAS
LCO18268
ARUN PANWAR
LCO18262
VIVEK MAGO
LCO18269
HIMANSHU BADHAN
LCO18263
7th
Semester/ Dept. of Civil Engg.
Chandigarh College of Engg. & Tech. (Degree Wing)
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
TABLE OF CONTENT…………………………………………………………………………….1
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................4
CHAPTER 2: OBJECTIVES OF GREEN BUILDING .................................................................................5
2.1 Saving Energy ...........................................................................................................................5
2.2 Saving water.............................................................................................................................6
2.3 Reducing Waste........................................................................................................................6
2.4 Improving Health and Productivity............................................................................................6
CHAPTER 3: FUNDAMENTALS OF GREEN BUILDING..........................................................................7
3.1 Sustainable Site Design............................................................................................................7
3.2 Water Quality & Conservation.................................................................................................7
3.3 Energy & Environment.............................................................................................................7
3.4 Indoor Environmental Quality..................................................................................................7
3.5 Materials and Resources .........................................................................................................7
CHAPTER 4: CHARACTERISTICS OF GREEN BUILDING........................................................................8
 STEPS IN CONSTRUCTION OF GREEN BUILDING.........................................................................8
Step-1: Assess your needs: .............................................................................................................8
Step-2: Form a Team: .....................................................................................................................8
Step 3: Design for Your Conditions: ................................................................................................8
Step-4: Choose Green Materials: ....................................................................................................9
Step-5: Choose the Right Mechanical Systems:...............................................................................9
Step-6: Get Maximum Benefit from Your Site and Landscape: ........................................................9
Step-7: Test and Maintain: .............................................................................................................9
 ADDITIONAL THINGS IN GREEN BUILDING AS COMPARED TONORMAL BUILDING....................10
CHAPTER 5: COMPARISION OF GREEN BUILDING WITH CONVENTIONAL BUILDING.......................11
5.1 Conventional building.............................................................................................................11
5.2 Energy ....................................................................................................................................11
5.3 Temperature ..........................................................................................................................12
5.4 Energy Stimulation..................................................................................................................12
5.6 Use of Natural Materials.........................................................................................................12
5.7 Reduction of Construction Waste ...........................................................................................12
5.8 Waste.....................................................................................................................................13
5.9 The Problem of Waste ............................................................................................................13
5.10 Waste Management .............................................................................................................13
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5.11 Green Building ......................................................................................................................14
5.12 Reducing Environmental Impact ...........................................................................................14
5.13 Goals of Green Building ........................................................................................................14
5.14 Life Cycle Assessment...........................................................................................................15
5.15 Energy Efficiency...................................................................................................................15
5.16 Cost and Payoff.....................................................................................................................15
CHAPTER 6: HOW TO ACHIEVE GREEN BUILDING OBJECTIVES........................................................16
6.1 Taking an intelligent approach to energy ................................................................................16
6.2 Safeguarding water resources.................................................................................................16
6.3 Promoting health and wellbeing .............................................................................................16
6.4 Keeping our environment green .............................................................................................16
6.5 Creating resilient and flexible structures.................................................................................17
6.6 Connecting communities and people......................................................................................17
6.7 Considering all stages of a building’s life-cycle ........................................................................17
CHAPTER 7: MATERIAL AND ELEMENT ...........................................................................................19
CHAPTER 8: ORIENTATION OF GREEN BUILDING............................................................................23
8.1. The orientation of the building ..............................................................................................23
8.2. Solar shading.........................................................................................................................23
8.3. Building material choices.......................................................................................................24
8.4. Building envelope..................................................................................................................24
8.5. Window-wall ratio (WWR).....................................................................................................24
8.6. Structure design efficiency ....................................................................................................25
8.7. . Efficient lightning.................................................................................................................26
8.8. Water efficiency ....................................................................................................................27
8.9. Renewable energy systems ...................................................................................................27
8.10. Waste management...........................................................................................................27
CHAPTER 9: ADVANTAGE AND DISADVANTAGE OF GREEN BUILDING ............................................28
9.1 Advantages of Green Construction ........................................................................................31
9.2 Disadvantages of Green Construction....................................................................................32
 Green building Technology.......................................................................................................35
CHAPTER 10: DIFFERENT TYPES OF GREEN BUILDING TECHNOLOGIES ........................................36
10.1.Net Zero Concepts ................................................................................................................36
10.2.HVAC (Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning).................................................................37
10.3.Low-Emitting Materials.........................................................................................................37
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10.4.Cool Roofs ............................................................................................................................38
10.5.Green Insulation ...................................................................................................................38
10.6.Solar Power ..........................................................................................................................39
10.7.Smart Appliances..................................................................................................................39
10.8.Water ...................................................................................................................................39
CHAPTER 11: GREEN BUILDING RATING SYSTEM............................................................................40
11.1Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment (GRIHA): -...................................................40
11.2.Leadership in Energy and Environment Design (LEED): -........................................................41
11.3.Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE): - ......................................................................................42
11.4.Indian Green Building Council (IGBC): - .................................................................................42
CHAPTER 12: GREEN BUILDING IN INDIA........................................................................................43
12.1 MATERIAL REPLACED IN GREEN BUILDING .............................................................................46
CHAPTER 13: CONCLUSION............................................................................................................47
REFERENCES ..................................................................................................................................48
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CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION
A ‘green’ building is a building that, in its design, construction or operation, reduces or
eliminates negative impacts, and can create positive impacts, on our climate and natural
environment. Green buildings preserve precious natural resources and improve our quality of
life.
There are a number of features which can make a building ‘green’. These include:
• Efficient use of energy, water and other resources.
• Use of renewable energy, such as solar energy.
• Pollution and waste reduction measures, and the enabling of re-use and recycling.
• Good indoor environmental air quality.
• Use of materials that are non-toxic, ethical and sustainable.
• Consideration of the environment in design, construction and operation.
• Consideration of the quality of life of occupants in design, construction and operation.
• A design that enables adaptation to a changing environment.
Any building can be a green building, whether it’s a home, an office, a school, a hospital, a
community centre, or any other type of structure, provided it includes features listed above.
However, it is worth noting that not all green buildings are – and need to be - the same. Different
countries and regions have a variety of characteristics such as distinctive climatic conditions,
unique cultures and traditions, diverse building types and ages, or wide-ranging environmental,
economic and social priorities – all of which shape their approach to green building. This is
why World GBC supports its member Green Building Councils and their member companies
in individual countries and across regions, to pursue green buildings that are best suited to their
own markets.
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CHAPTER 2: OBJECTIVES OF GREEN BUILDING
The objective of green building concept is to develop buildings which use the natural resources
to the minimal at the time of construction as well as operation. Green buildings emphasize on
the resource usage efficiency and also press upon the three R’s – Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.
The technique of green building maximizes the use of efficient construction materials and
practices; boosts the use of natural sources and sinks in the building’s surroundings; minimizes
the energy usage to run itself; uses highly proficient equipment for the indoor area; uses highly
proficient methods for water and waste management. The indoor equipment includes lighting,
air-conditioning and all other needed equipment.
Green Building is a team effort and the designing and construction include consultants from
architecture and landscaping, air conditioning, plumbing, energy and electrical areas. These
consultants have to assess the impact of the each and every design on the environment, keeping
in mind the cost involved. The final design needs to be feasible and should minimize the
negative impacts that the building would have on the environment. Implementation of the green
building concept can lead to a reduction of carbon emission by thirty five percent, water usage
by forty percent, solid waste reduction by seventy percent and reduction in energy consumption
by fifty percent. Green Building concept also emphasizes on the fact that an area with high
biodiversity should be avoided as a site for the construction of a building.
To ensure minimum negative impact on the environment by the construction and operation of
a building, the factors which are to be kept in mind are – to preserve the external environment
to the building location; to improve the internal area for the residents of the building; and also
preserve the areas which are not close to the building.
Saving Energy
Energy saving through green building concept occurs in two ways. First is reduction in the
amount of energy that is consumed in lighting, air conditioning and other building operations.
Second is the usage of energy sources which do not produce any greenhouse gases and are
renewable in nature. Green Buildings emphasize more on natural lighting and concepts of
temperature control and efficient design to further reduce the carbon footprint as well as reduce
cost of operation.
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Saving water
Green Buildings use various methods to reduce water usage, treat and reuse waste water and
filter water from sourced from precipitation. The target is to be able to achieve zero water table
negative impact from the green building.
Reducing Waste
Waste reduction is one of the most important issues that are to be dealt with. In the US alone,
the waste from construction and demolition of buildings accounts for sixty percent of the total
non-industrial waste. Green Building concept emphasizes on improving the design of the
product, re-using and recycling materials. It results in tremendous waste reduction and also
helps to reduce the environmental impact of the building.
Improving Health and Productivity
Hygiene and proper conditions inside the building also help in boosting human productivity.
Hence various businesses concentrate on this aspect. Green building concept provides for
cleanliness and sound working conditions for employees and other inhabitants.
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CHAPTER 3: FUNDAMENTALS OF GREEN BUILDING
There are five fundamental principles of Green Building:
1. Sustainable Site Design
 Create minimum urban sprawl and prevent the needless destruction of valuable land,
habitat and open space.
 Encourage higher density urban development as a means to preserve valuable green
space.
 Preserve key environmental assets through careful examination of each site.
2. Water Quality & Conservation
 Preserve the existing natural water cycle and design the site so that they closely emulate
the site’s natural hydrological systems.
 Emphasis on retention of stormwater and on-site infiltration as well as ground water
recharging.
 Minimize the inefficient use of potable water on the site while maximizing the recycling
and reuse of water, including rainwater harvesting, stormwater, and grey water.
3. Energy & Environment
 Minimize adverse impact on the environment through optimized building siting &
design, material selection, and aggressive use of energy conservation measures.
 Maximize the use of renewable energy and other low impact energy sources.
 Building performance should exceed minimum International Energy Code (IEC)
compliance level by 30-40%.
4. Indoor Environmental Quality
 Provide a healthy, comfortable and productive indoor environment for building
occupants.
 Utilize the best possible conditions in terms of indoor air quality, ventilation, and
thermal comfort, access to natural ventilation and day lighting.
5. Materials and Resources
 Minimize the use of non-renewable construction materials through efficient
engineering and construction, and effective recycling of construction debris. Maximize
the use of recycled materials, modern energy efficient engineered materials, and
resource efficient composite type structural systems as well as sustainably managed,
biomass materials.
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CHAPTER 4: CHARACTERISTICS OF GREEN BUILDING
 Water efficiency: To minimize water consumption one should aim to use the water which
has been collected used purified and reused.
 Energy efficiency: The layout of the construction can be strategized so that natural light
pours for additional warmth. Shading the roof with trees offers an eco-friendly alternative
to air condition.
 Renewable energy: Solar energy could be utilized for a variety of purposes and in a
number of ways generating electricity, providing hot water, and heating, cooling, and
lighting buildings.
 Material efficiency: Material should be use that can be recycled and can generate surplus
amount of energy.
STEPS IN CONSTRUCTION OF GREEN BUILDING
The following Seven Steps to Green Building will provide you with a guide to make your home
Green by Design.
Step 1. Assess Your Needs.
Step 2. Form a Team.
Step 3. Design for Your Conditions.
Step 4. Choose Green Materials.
Step 5. Choose the Right Mechanical Systems.
Step 6. Get Maximum Benefit from Your Site and Landscape.
Step 7. Test and maintain.
Step-1: Assess your needs:
First of all, think about how you and the other members of your household need and want to
live, and how that might change over the next several years. When you’ve analysed this as well
as you can, then think about what kind of site and what kind of house will best meet these needs
and wants.
Step-2: Form a Team:
It takes a lot of people to make a house a reality—designers, engineers, a general contractor
(builder), construction workers, appraiser, lender, insurer, realtor, building officials, inspectors,
and more. Maybe you won’t need all of them, and you probably won’t have to choose all of
them yourself, (for example, the lender may choose the appraiser; the builder probably will
select all the construction workers). But you need to make sure that all these people are on the
same team—your team—all communicating and cooperating to produce the best possible
result. You’ll need to choose people who are willing to work as a team and you’ll need to make
sure the design and building process is set up to facilitate this.
Step 3: Design for Your Conditions:
Before you design your house—before you even choose a site—you need to know the
conditions of your region. These conditions include such things as the climate, topography, and
soil type. They determine what kind of a building will be durable, comfortable, safe, and
efficient in that area.
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Step-4: Choose Green Materials:
Once you’ve selected a good site for your conditions and have a pretty clear idea what kind of
design will work well on it, you can think about materials. Materials should not be divorced
from site and design, however. If you have an extremely steep site, for example, a light structure
out of wood or metal studs would probably work better than a heavy one made from an earth
material. It’s great that there are so many green building materials readily available now. But
that can make it a bit overwhelming when you have to choose one over another. Be sure to
keep your building goals in mind, then use the following seven criteria to help you sort out the
options.
Seven criteria for choosing materials
1. Is the material effective in your conditions?
2. Is the material healthy and safe?
3. Is the material durable and easily maintained?
4. Is the material used efficiently?
5. Is the material available in your area, and can contractors work with it?
6. Is the material cost-effective?
7. Is the material aesthetically satisfying to you?
Step-5: Choose the Right Mechanical Systems:
Modern heating, cooling, and ventilation systems, lighting, and appliances play a major role in
providing us with comfort and convenience, good health and safety. If you understand a few
basics about each of them, you’ll be able to get all these benefits for a reasonable price.
Mechanical systems: heating, cooling and ventilation, Lighting Appliances
Step-6: Get Maximum Benefit from Your Site and Landscape:
Think of your house and site as a single unit and try to understand in the planning stage how
they affect each other.
A. Potential benefits from good site use
B. Ways to maximize benefits from your landscape
Step-7: Test and Maintain:
Once you’ve built your green home, you’ll want to make sure it’s safe for occupancy and able
to perform as efficiently as you and your team intended. You’ll also want to maintain it properly
to prevent deterioration, and keep it healthy, safe, and efficient in the future. Even though your
house won’t be tested or maintained until after it’s built, you still need to address these matters
in the planning stage, so you’ll make contracts and building choices that make testing and good
maintenance possible.
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ADDITIONAL THINGS IN GREEN BUILDING AS COMPARED TO
NORMAL BUILDING
 IG UNITS: Nearly 15-20% of all home energy is lost via windows and doors, having
energy efficient windows in your home should be a priority. For that, the best suitable
option is to use Low-E glasses. The main aim of IG glasses is to prevent heat on the side of
glass where it originates.
 LED FIXTURES: In green buildings, the only type of the lighting fixtures used is LED
(Light Emitting Diode) fixtures. This type of lighting fixtures is somewhat costly,
approximately4 times higher prise than the normal ones. These are solid lights which are
extremely energy-efficient. A significant feature of LEDs is that the light is directional, as
opposed toconventional bulbs which spread the light more spherically.
 PLUMBING: In the Green Plumbing the Plumbing Fixtures discharge ranges from 5
L.P.M to 15 L.P.M. Green Plumbing includes the fixture as below:
 Faucets discharge ranges between 5 L.P.M to 8 L.P.M.
 Shower discharge ranges between 10 L.P.M to 15 L.P.M.
 Water Closet (W.C.) discharge range between 7 L.P.M. to 12 L.P.M
 GREEN WOOD OR ENGINEERING WOOD: Engineered wood products are made
from a combination of wood fibres, strips, and veneer sheets. Smaller diameter trees of the
same hard and soft wood used to manufacture lumber are also used. Engineered wood
products are also called composite wood, and the materials are bonded together using an
adhesive resin which makes the finished product resist warping. Some different products
made from engineered wood include flooring, several types of lumber, and particle board.
 GREEN PAINTS: Paints with reduced levels of VOCs are eco-friendlier than
conventional paints, some house paints have an even lower environmental impact.
Homeowners can select premium-grade zero-VOC paints that also use VOC-free colorants,
are free of vinyl and other plasticizers and include no toxic biocides.
 BRICKS: Fly ash Bricks are considered as the green material of construction. So, in this
caseit is used in the Green Construction.
 CEMENT: If PPC (Portland Pozzolana Cement) is used in construction, it will be green
Material Because PPC contains the Fly ash as the main ingredients.
 RAINWATER HARVESTING: The principle of collecting and using precipitation
from acatchments surface. There are two main techniques of rain water harvestings.
 Storage of rainwater on surface for future use.
 Recharge to ground water.
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CHAPTER 5: COMPARISION OF GREEN BUILDING WITH
CONVENTIONAL BUILDING
Building Type Green Building Non-Green Building
Energy consumption Low High
Indoor Environment
Quality
Very Good Good
Emissions Low High
Waste Management Highly Efficient Efficient
Building Materials Environment Friendly Non-Environmentally
Friendly
Project Practices Sophisticated Normal
Feasibility >5% than Threshold Threshold
A green building uses less energy, water and natural resources, creates less waste and is
healthier for the people living inside compared to a standard building. There is a rapidly
expanding market for green building materials. Green building provides suitable environment
by controlling solar radiation temperature, energy efficiency, water conservation using
domestic treatment plant and indoor air quality. The main aim of green buildings is to reduce
the environmental impact of new buildings. The sustainability in the environment can be well
achieved by reducing the energy emission and consumption by the buildings. Sustainability
means using the energy efficiently. Green Building refers to a structure that is environmentally
responsible and resource-efficient throughout a building's life-cycle. The aim of this project is
to conduct a comparative study on conventional and green residential building. Data regarding
temperature details are represented in energy simulation software – Energy 2D. A study on
various green building rating system is to be conducted. Rate of water consumption and
electricity consumption, waste generated in the selected building were collected for grading the
building using LEED certification. A model showing all elements of green building such as
rainwater harvesting plant, biogas plant, grey water filter, cooling tunnel, etc. were made.
 Conventional building
Conventional Building construction refers to the traditional method of construction where the
construction knowledge is passed from one generation to the other Associated to the wet
construction (in-situ) using reinforced concrete.
Energy
Efficient energy use, sometimes simply called energy efficiency, is the goal to reduce the
amount of energy required to provide products and services. For example, insulating a home
allows a building to use less heating and cooling energy to achieve and maintain a comfortable
temperature. Installing fluorescent lights, LED lights or natural skylights reduces the amount
of energy required to attain the same level of illumination compared with using traditional
incandescent light bulbs. Improvements in energy efficiency are generally achieved by
adopting a more efficient technology or production process or by application of commonly
accepted methods to reduce energy losses. There are many motivations to improve energy
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efficiency. Reducing energy use reduces energy costs and may result in a financial cost saving
to consumers if the energy savings offset any additional costs of implementing an energy
efficient technology. Reducing energy use is also seen as a solution to the problem of reducing
greenhouse gas emissions. Energy efficiency and renewable energy are said to be the twin
pillars of sustainable energy policy. Energy efficiency has proved to be a cost-effective strategy
for building economies without necessarily increasing energy consumption. Thus, a balanced
approach to energy efficiency in buildings should be more comprehensive than simply trying
to minimize energy consumed. Issues such as quality of indoor environment and efficiency of
space use should be factored in. Thus, the measures used to improve energy efficiency can take
many different forms. Often, they include passive measures that inherently reduce the need to
use energy, such as better insulation. Many serve various functions improving the indoor
conditions as well as reducing energy use, such as increased use of natural light.
Temperature
Temperature is a measure of how hot or cold something is; specifically, a measure of the
average kinetic energy of the particles in an object, which is a type of energy associated with
motion. The terms hot and cold are not very scientific terms. Temperature is different from
heat, though the two concepts are linked. Temperature is a measure of the internal energy of
the system, while heat is a measure of how energy is transferred from one system (or body) to
another.
Energy Stimulation
Building energy simulation, also called building energy modeling, is the use of software to
predict the energy use of a building. A typical energy model will have inputs for climate;
envelope; internal gains from lighting, equipment, and occupants; heating, cooling, and
ventilation systems; schedules of occupants, equipment, and lighting. Energy models will
output building energy use predictions in typical end-use categories: heating, cooling, lighting,
fan, plug, process. In addition to energy units, most software includes utility rates input, and
can predict energy costs.
Use of Natural Materials
Natural materials are generally lower in embodied energy and toxicity than man-made
materials. They require less processing and are less damaging to the environment. Many, like
wood, are theoretically renewable. When natural materials are incorporated into building
products, the products become more sustainable.
Reduction of Construction Waste
Minimal construction waste during installation reduces the need for landfill space and also
provides cost savings. Concrete, for example, has traditionally been pre-mixed with water and
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delivered to the site. An excess of material is often ordered, to prevent pouring delays should
a new shipment be needed. This excess is usually disposed of in a landfill or on-site. In contrast,
concrete mixed on-site, as needed, eliminates waste, and offers better quality control.
Designing floor intervals to coincide with the standard lengths of lumber or steel framing
members also reduces waste. Taking advantage of the standard sizes of building materials in
the design phase reduces waste produced by trimming materials to fit, as well as the labor cost
for installation.
Waste
Waste, or rubbish, trash, junk, garbage, depending on the type of material or the regional
terminology, is an unwanted or undesired material or substance. It may consist of the unwanted
materials left over from a manufacturing process (industrial, commercial, mining or
agricultural operations,) or from community and household activities. The material may be
discarded or accumulated, stored, or treated (physically, chemically, or biologically), prior to
being discarded or recycled. It is also used to describe something we use inefficiently or
inappropriately.
The Problem of Waste
Waste can be regarded as a human concept as there appears to be no such thing as waste in
nature. The waste products created by a natural process or organism quickly become the raw
products used by other processes and organisms. Recycling is predominant; therefore,
production and decomposition are well balanced and nutrient cycles continuously support the
next cycles of production. This is the so-called circle of life and is a strategy clearly related to
ensuring stability and sustainability in natural systems. On the other hand, there are man-made
systems which emphasize the economic value of materials and energy, and where production
and consumption are the dominant economic activities. Such systems tend to be highly
destructive of the environment as they require massive consumption of natural capital and
energy, return the end product (waste) to the environment in a form that damages the
environment and require more natural capital be consumed in order to feed the system (where
resources and space are finite) this is ultimately not suitable. The presence of waste is an
indication of overconsumption and that materials and are not being used efficiently. This is
carelessly reducing the Earths capacity to supply new raw materials in the future. The capacity
of the natural environment to absorb and process these materials is also under stress. Valuable
resources in the form of matter and energy are lost during waste disposal, requiring that a
greater burden be placed on ecosystems to provide these. The main problem is the sheer volume
of waste being produced and how we deal with it.
Waste Management
Waste management is the precise name for the collection, transportation, disposal or recycling
and monitoring of waste. This term is assigned to the material, waste material that is produced
through human being activity. This material is managed to avoid its adverse effect over human
health and environment. Waste management is something that each and every household and
business owner in the world needs. Waste management disposes of the products and substances
that you have use in a safe and efficient manner.
“Waste management is the generation, prevention, characterization, monitoring, treatment,
handling, reuse and residual disposition of solid wastes”. There are various types of solid waste
including municipal (residential, institutional, commercial), agricultural, and special (health
care, household hazardous wastes, sewage sludge).”
To be sustainable we need to move the emphasis toward a system that is local, community
based, makes use of low tech/low energy systems and is focused on waste minimization. Other
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methods of managing waste include:
 Waste minimization is an approach that aims to reduce the production of waste through
education and the adoption of improved production processes and less wasteful practices.
 Recycling by separating certain materials within the waste stream and reprocessing them.
The recycling of many materials is currently not financially viable.
Green Building
Green building refers to both a structure and the using of processes that are environmentally
responsible and resource-efficient throughout a building's life-cycle: from siting to design,
construction, operation, maintenance, renovation, and demolition. In other words, green
building design involves finding the balance between homebuilding and the sustainable
environment. This requires close cooperation of the design team, the architects, the engineers,
and the client at all project stages. The Green Building practice expands and complements the
classical building design concerns of economy, utility, durability, and comfort. Leadership in
Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is a set of rating systems for the design,
construction, operation, and maintenance of green buildings which was Developed by the U.S.
Green Building Council. Other certificates system that confirms the sustainability of buildings
is the British BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment
Method) for buildings and large-scale developments. Currently, World Green Building Council
is conducting research on the effects of green buildings on the health and productivity of their
users and is working with World Bank to promote Green Buildings in Emerging Markets
through EDGE Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies Market Transformation Program
and certification. Although new technologies are constantly being developed to complement
current practices in creating greener structures, the common objective of green buildings is to
reduce the overall impact of the built environment on human health and the natural
environment by:
 Efficiently using energy, water, and other resources.
 Protecting occupant health and improving employee productivity.
 Reducing waste, pollution and environmental degradation
Reducing Environmental Impact
Globally buildings are responsible for a huge share of energy, electricity, and water and
materials consumption. Buildings account for 18% of global emissions today or the equivalent
of 9 billion tons of CO² annually. If new technologies in construction are not adopted during
this time of rapid growth, emissions could double by 2050, according to the United Nations
Environment Program. Green building practices aim to reduce the environmental impact of
building. Since construction almost always degrades a building site, not building at all is
preferable to green building, in terms of reducing environmental impact. The second rule is
that every building should be as small as possible. The third rule is not to contribute to sprawl,
even if the most energy-efficient, environmentally sound methods are used in design and
construction.
Goals of Green Building
The concept of sustainable development can be traced to the energy (especially fossil oil) crisis
and environmental pollution concerns of the 1960s and 1970s. The green building movement
in the U.S. originated from the need and desire for more energy efficient and environmentally
friendly construction practices. There are a number of motives for building green, including
environmental, economic, and social benefits. Green building brings together a vast array of
practices, techniques, and skills to reduce and ultimately eliminate the impacts of buildings on
the environment and human health. It often emphasizes taking advantage of renewable
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resources, e.g., using sunlight through passive solar, active solar, and photovoltaic equipment,
and using plants and trees through green roofs, rain gardens, and reduction of rainwater run-
off. Many other techniques are used, such as using low-impact building materials or using
packed gravel or permeable concrete instead of conventional concrete or asphalt to enhance
replenishment of ground water. While the practices or technologies employed in green building
are constantly evolving and may differ from region to region, fundamental principles persist
from which the method is derived: siting and structure design efficiency, energy efficiency,
water efficiency, materials efficiency, indoor environmental quality enhancement, operations
and maintenance optimization and waste and toxics reduction. On the aesthetic side of green
architecture or sustainable design is the philosophy of designing a building that is in harmony
with the natural features and resources surrounding the site.
Life Cycle Assessment
A life cycle assessment (LCA) can help avoid a narrow outlook on environmental, social and
economic concerns by assessing a full range of impacts associated with all cradle-to-grave
stages of a process: from extraction of raw materials through materials processing,
manufacture, distribution, use, repair and maintenance, and disposal or recycling. Impacts
taken into account include (among others) embodied energy, global warming potential,
resource use, air pollution, water pollution, and waste. Although LCA is widely recognized as
the best way to evaluate the environmental impacts of buildings (ISO 14040 provides a
recognized LCA methodology), it is not yet a consistent requirement of green building rating
systems and codes, despite the fact that embodied energy and other life cycle impacts are
critical to the design of environmentally responsible buildings.
Energy Efficiency
Green buildings often include measures to reduce energy consumption – both the embodied
energy required to extract, process, transport and install building materials and operating
energy to provide services such as heating and power for equipment. To reduce operating
energy use, designers use details that reduce air leakage through the building envelope (the
barrier between conditioned and unconditioned space). They also specify high-performance
windows and extra insulation in walls, ceilings, and floors. Another strategy, passive solar
building design, is often implemented in low-energy homes. Designers orient windows and
walls and place awnings, porches, and trees to shade windows and roofs during the summer
while maximizing solar gain in the winter. In addition, effective window placement (day
lighting) can provide more natural light and lessen the need for electric lighting during the day.
Solar water heating further reduces energy costs. Onsite generation of renewable energy
through solar power, wind power, hydro power, or biomass can significantly reduce the
environmental impact of the building. Power generation is generally the most expensive feature
to add to a building.
Cost and Payoff
The most criticized issue about constructing environmentally friendly buildings is the price.
Photo-voltaic, new appliances, and modern technologies tend to cost more money. Most green
buildings cost a premium of <2%, but yield 10 times as much over the entire life of the building.
In regards to the financial benefits of green building, over 20 years, the financial payback
typically exceeds the additional cost of greening by a factor of 4-6 times. And broader benefits,
such as reductions in greenhouse gases and other pollutants have large positive impacts on
surrounding communities and on the planet. The savings in money come from more efficient
use of utilities which result in decreased energy bills.
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CHAPTER 6: HOW TO ACHIEVE GREEN BUILDING
OBJECTIVES
There are a number of ways to make a building green. These include: -
Taking an intelligent approach to energy
 Minimising energy use in all stages of a building’s life-cycle, making new and renovated
buildings more comfortable and less expensive to run, and helping building users learn to
be efficient too.
 Integrating renewable and low-carbon technologies to supply buildings’ energy needs, once
their design has minimized inbuilt and natural efficiencies.
Safeguarding water resources
 Exploring ways to improve drinking and waste water efficiency and management,
harvesting water for safe indoor use in innovative ways, and generally minimized water use
in buildings.
 Considering the impact of buildings and their surroundings on stormwater and drainage
infrastructure, ensuring these are not put under undue stress or prevented from doing their
job.
Promoting health and wellbeing
 Bringing fresh air inside, delivering good indoor air quality through ventilation, and
avoiding materials and chemicals that create harmful or toxic emissions.
 Incorporating natural light and views to ensure building users’ comfort and enjoyment of
their surroundings, and reducing lighting energy needs in the process.
 Designing for ears as well as eyes. Acoustics and proper sound insulation play important
roles in helping concentration, recuperation, and peaceful enjoyment of a building in
educational, health and residential buildings.
 Ensuring people are comfortable in their everyday environments, creating the right indoor
temperature through passive design or building management and monitoring systems.
Keeping our environment green
 Recognising that our urban environment should preserve nature, and ensuring diverse
wildlife and land quality are protected or enhanced, by, for example, remediating and
building on polluted land or creating new green spaces.
 Looking for ways we can make our urban areas more productive, bringing agriculture into
our cities.
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Creating resilient and flexible structures
 Adapting to our changing climate, ensuring resilience to events such as flooding,
earthquakes or fires so that our buildings stand the test of time and keep people and their
belongings safe.
 Designing flexible and dynamic spaces, anticipating changes in their use over time, and
avoiding the need to demolish, rebuild or significantly renovate buildings to prevent them
becoming obsolete.
Connecting communities and people
 Creating diverse environments that connect and enhance communities, asking what a
building will add to its context in terms of positive economic and social effects, and
engaging local communities in planning.
 Ensuring transport and distance to amenities are considered in design, reducing the impact
of personal transport on the environment, and encouraging environmentally friendlyoptions
such as walking or cycling.
 Exploring the potential of both ‘smart’ and information communications technologies to
communicate better with the world around us, for example through smart electricity grids
that understand how to transport energy where and when it is needed.
Considering all stages of a building’s life-cycle
 Seeking to lower environmental impacts and minimize social and economic value over a
building’s whole life-cycle (from design, construction, operation and maintenance, through
to renovation and eventual demolition).
 Ensuring that embodied resources, such as the energy or water used to produce and
transport the materials in the building are minimized so that buildings are truly low impact.
FLOW CHART
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CHAPTER 7: MATERIAL AND ELEMENT
1. Bamboo: Bamboo is considered one of the best eco-friendly building materials. It has an
incredibly high self-generation rate, with some being reported to have grown up to three
feet within 24 hours. It continues spreading and growing without having to be replanted
after harvest. Bamboo is a perennial grass and not wood and grows on every continent,
except Europe and Antarctica. It also has a high strength-to-weight ratio, even greater
comprehensive strength than concrete and brick, and lasts incredibly long. It is, therefore,
the best choice for flooring and cabinetry. Unfortunately, bamboo requires treatment to
resist insects and rot. If left untreated, bamboo contains a starch that greatly invites insects,
and it could swell and crack after absorbing water.
2. Precast Concrete Slabs: The slabs are formed at a manufacturer’s site and are shipped in
whole sections to construction sites. Some are made entirely of concrete but have large
hollow air spaces, like concrete blocks. Precast concrete slabs are used for walls and
building facades as they hold up well to all sorts of weather, while others can be used for
floor and flat roofs. Concrete is an excellent way of controlling heat within a building and
is affordable as a building material. The sustainability of precast concrete slabs is higher
than many traditional concrete options as the slabs often take much less energy to produce
and assemble. Precasting concrete also allows the material to properly cure in a controlled
environment, rather than exposing it to a variety of unfavourable weather conditions while
curing at a construction site. As such, precast concrete slabs avoid cracks and structural
faults within the concrete and eventual demolitions.
3. Cork: Just like bamboo, cork grows very quickly. It can also be harvested from a living
tree, which continues to grow and reproduce more cork, which is a tree bark. Cork is
resilient, flexible and reverts to its original shape even after enduring sustaining pressure.
Its resilience and resistance to wear, makes it a common element in floor tiles. It also
excellently absorbs noise, making it perfect for insulation sheets, and due to its excellent
shock absorption qualities, it perfect for sub-flooring. It can also be a good thermal insulator
as it is fire resistant, especially if untreated, and does not release toxic gases when it burns.
Cork, in being nearly impermeable, does not absorb water or rot. Unfortunately, it can only
be sourced from the Mediterranean, making shipping it a bit costly. Fortunately, it is
extremely light and only requires less energy and emissions to ship.
4. Straw Bales: It is another green building material that can be used as a framing material.
They have good insulation properties and can act as soundproof material. It can also be
used as fill material in between columns and in beams framework/ as they cannot allow air
through, they can have some fire resistance properties. Straw can be harvested and re-
planted easily with minimal environmental impacts. Making straw into bales also has very
low influence. They can also be placed in walls, attics and ceilings, to contribute to cooler
the house in the summer and warmer temperatures in the winter.
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5. Recycled Plastic: Rather than sourcing, mining and milling new components for
construction, manufacturers are using recycled plastic and other ground-up trash to produce
concrete. The practice is reducing greenhouse gas emissions and is giving plastic waste
new use, rather than clogging landfills and contributing to plastic pollution. A blend of
recycled and virgin plastic is also used to make polymeric timbers, for use in making fences,
picnic tables and other structures, at the same time, saving trees. Plastic from two-liter
bottles can be spun into fiber for the production of carpets. Reused plastic can also design
products such as cable pipes, roofs, floors, PVC manholes, and PVC windows.
6. Reclaimed Wood: Using reclaimed wood is one of the most environmentally responsible
ways to save trees and reduce the amount of lumber in landfills. Reclaimed wood can be
found in retired barns, excavation companies, home remodelling contractors and
companies, salvage yards, and shipping crates and pallets. Reclaimed wood is good for
structural framing, cabinetry, and flooring. It is lightweight but has less strength and each
piece’s integrity should be assessed and chosen for an appropriate project. Also, most wood
is susceptible to insects and degradation, meaning it needs reinforcement and additional
treatment.
7. Reclaimed or Recycled Steel: Steel can be used for the framing process, in place of wood,
increasing the durability of a structure against earthquakes and high winds. A 2,000-square
foot house requires about 50 trees to build, but a frame made from recycled steel requires
the steel equivalent of just six scrapped cars. Steel is 100% recyclable and significantly
reduces the ecological impact of new construction. Mining, heating and shaping products
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made from aluminium and steel requires a lot of energy, but properly and efficiently reusing
or recycling them into new products, lowers the energy used, and makes the material more
sustainable, the recycled metal is long-lasting and does not require frequent replacements.
It does not burn or wrap and is therefore perfect for roofing, building facades and structural
support. Additionally, recycled steel is water- and pest-resistant.
8. Plant-based Polyurethane Rigid Foam: Rigid foam has for long been used as insulation
material in building. It was first used after a top manufacturer of surfboard material, was
fined by the EPA, and subsequently put out of business, for using a toxic material. The new
surfboard material was made from plant-based polyurethane rigid foam, which came from
bamboo, kelp and hemp, rejuvenating the surfboard industry. It is now in use in the
manufacturing process including that of turbine blades and furniture. The material is rigid
and relatively immovable, meaning it can be used for insulation. Additionally, it offers
protection against mould and pests. It is also heat resistant, protects against mould and
pests, and can be perfect as sound insulation.
9. Rammed Earth: It is a technology that has been used throughout human civilization for
thousands of years and lasts a very long time. It is a popular and affordable solution to
creating steadfast foundations, floors and walls, through natural materials such as chalk,
earth, gravel or lime, and then compacting them. When pressed tightly in wooden forms, it
creates walls that have a similar feel to concrete. Buildings made from rammed earth are
made safer or fortified by the use of rebar or bamboo. Mechanical tamper can greatly reduce
the amount of labour required to create sturdy walls. Rammed earth walls and floors can be
used as thermal storage, allowing the sun to warm them in the day and slowly release the
warmth in the cooler evenings.
10. Ferrock: It is a relatively new material and it uses recycled materials such as steel dust
from the steel industry, or ferrous rock leftover from industrial processes, usually sent to
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the landfill. It creates a concrete-like building material, stronger than the concrete itself. It
traps and absorbs carbon dioxide as part of its drying and hardening process. This makes
ferrock carbon neutral and a lot less CO2 intensive as compared to traditional concrete. It
is a viable alternative to cement and can be mixed and poured to form driveways, staircases,
pathways, and more structures. Some researchers believe ferrock is more resilient to
weather than concrete.
11. Terrazzo: This is a mosaic style of flooring where small pieces of marble or granite are set
in polished concrete or epoxy resin. When well maintained, terrazzo floors can last up to
40 years without losing their brilliance. The original terrazzo was set in cement and was
modelled after 20th-century Italian work. Today, 90% of terrazzo floors are made with an
epoxy resin. A company like Terrazzo & Marble Supply company manufactures ‘forever
floors’ from their own epoxy, which incorporates materials like brass, aluminium and zinc,
along with recycled glass, beer bottles, marbles and porcelain. A terrazzo floor might be
more expensive than carpets, but you will have to replace carpets. Terrazzo floor, on the
other hand, can last for over four decades, making it a sustainable building material.
Additionally, before pouring terrazzo into place, you can use the colour of your choice and
make the floor of your choosing. It makes for easy-to-clean floors, which can also be
installed in high-traffic areas like schools, airports, and stadiums.
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CHAPTER 8: ORIENTATION OF GREEN BUILDING
The orientation of green buildings to be constructed is the position of the building on the site
or the plot of land selected for the project with respect to the sidewalks, the roadways, and the
landscaping features. The physical shape of how the building will appear to us forms the shape
of the structure.
There are many options and choices when it comes to shape of office building construction.
We can have square, rectangular or even triangular shapes. These three are on the top list as
this offer the strongest support systems than any other shape. The top logical positioning helps
in determining the building orientation.
1. The orientation of the building
Orientation is the building’s positioning concerning the path of the sun and wind patterns. It is
one of the passive design techniques for improving thermal comfort inside the building.
Orientation regarding climatology is the key in the initial stages of planning and helps in
optimizing the heating and cooling needs throughout the building.
2. Solar shading
Solar control and shading directly impact on the energy efficiency of the building. The cooling
load can be minimized to one-fourth of the building’s load. Shading devices such as fins
and chajjas (overhangs) are designed to get a minimum exposure of the sun in summer while
allowing the winter sun inside the space. This helps in regulating and reducing the electrical
load on the building. Solar orientation is important to consider while designing an effective
shading device. Some solar shading elements can be trees, hedges, overhangs, vertical fins,
low-shading coefficient glass, blinds, and louvers.
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3. Building material choices
Material selection for the building’s construction plays a crucial role in deciding its impact on
the environment. Locally available materials that are non-toxic and sustainable should be
selected for the construction to reduce the environmental impact of transportation. Recycled
materials can also minimize waste products from the environment. UV-reflective paints can be
used on the exterior walls to reduce the heat gain of the building. Material on the roof also plays
a major role in the energy efficiency of the building. China mosaic white finish, vermiculite
concrete, and polystyrene insulation are some materials that can be used as a roofing material.
The lighter the color of the material used on the roofs, the lesser the heat gainfor the building.
4. Building envelope
The building envelope is the division or a barrier between the interior of a building and the
exterior. It controls the exchange of air, water, heating, and cooling in the building’s interior.
Therefore, it is important to consider the components that make up the envelope. It includes
the roof, walls, doors, windows, and foundations of the building. Besides experiencing various
structural loads, it also accounts for air, heat, and moisture loads. Also, the building’s exterior
such as color and texture contribute to the heat gain/loss for the building. An envelope can be
either tight (in cold climates) or loose (in hot climates) based on the location in which the
building is built. A loose envelope lets air flow freely throughout the building while a tight
envelope controls the airflow in and out of the building.
5. Window-wall ratio (WWR)
The Window-wall ratio is the ratio of the window area to the exterior wall area of the facade.
It is an important value in determining the energy performance of the building. Since windows
cause energy loss twice more than the wall, it has impacts on heating, cooling, lighting, and
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ventilation. Thus, the size and number of windows should be designed according to the climatic
conditions. Besides, interior and exterior shading, along with high-performance glazing
systems can reduce the undesirable solar heat gains through the windows.
6. Structure design efficiency
The building and construction sector accounts for almost half of the total usage and
consumption of raw material, thus causing exhaustion of natural resources available. Thus, the
optimization and selection of structural systems concerning the minimal weight of the structure
help to minimize the exhaustion of natural resources. Also, structure-wise typical shapes, cross-
sections, and varieties are being developed to optimize the structure.
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7. . Efficient lightning
Lightning comprises both the artificial light sources (bulbs, CFLs, LEDs, etc.) and the daylight
from the sources such as windows, skylights, or bay windows. A slight flaw in deciding the
light for space can cause negative health and psychological effects. Problems such as headache,
decreased work efficiency, reduced comfort level, and increased blood pressure can arise by a
poor lightning design. Thus, energy-efficient lightning-like CFLs or LEDs should be used
instead of incandescent bulbs, which will reduce not only energy consumption but also heat
pollution.
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8. Water efficiency
Regulating water consumption and maintaining water quality are the fundamental goals in a
green building. Thus, dual plumbing design may be sought as a solution to protect and
safeguard water throughout the life cycle of the building. Water-conserving plumbing fixtures
can also be used to reduce water wastage. The recycled gray water can be utilized for toilet
flushing and landscaping. Proper drainage infrastructure and water harvesting pits need to be
designed to ensure the least wastage of water possible.
9. Renewable energy systems
The renewable integrated systems are now being used like a solar water heater and solar
chimneys to cool the inside temperature. The electricity can be harnessed through solar energy
with the help of photovoltaic systems at the rooftop or the facades. After meeting the needs of
the building, it can go off-grid, which has multiple benefits such as reduced electricity cost, a
power source for the neighborhood along with keeping the environment clean. Geothermal
energy is still in the developing phase for its effective use at the building level.
10. Waste management
Waste management is required to reduce the burden of waste generated by the residents to the
landfills. It is done by implementing, by reducing, recycling, and reusing the waste generated
by the building. Therefore, initial planning is required for dedicated space requirements during
early design stages. The generated waste needs to segregate on-site as degradable and non-
degradable. Therefore, wastewater collection systems and plumbing systems are required to be
well-thought and well-designed. The construction stage is the one where all the waste
management strategies are implemented. Sufficient site accommodation is required for the
waste and recycling systems.
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CHAPTER 9: ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF GREEN
BUILDING
Advantages of Green Buildings
a) Green buildings are energy-efficient: One important advantage of green buildings is that
they can be considered to be quite energy-efficient. While old conventional buildings are
usually not insulated at all and lose plenty of heat, eco-friendly buildings can keep plenty
of heat inside since they are insulated properly. This means that in an energy-efficient
building, you have to heat less since the heat is kept inside much more efficiently. In turn,
also your spending on heating will be significantly lower compared to living in an old
conventional building.
b) Higher fraction of eco-friendly materials: In green construction processes, the fraction
of eco-friendly materials is often also much higher compared to regular building. For
instance, the materials for green buildings are chosen in line with the sustainability and
resource-conservation goal. This means that a significant fraction of those materials will be
recycled and also the woods that are used are generally fast-growing ones like bamboo.
Therefore, green construction is pretty focused on making building practices as eco-
friendly as possible.
c) Water-efficient devices: Another upside of green buildings is that water-efficient devices
are installed whenever possible. For instance, conventional toilets often use large amounts
of water for every flush. However, a big fraction of this water can be saved by installing
water-conserving toilets instead of conventional ones. This is not only true for toilets, but
also for many other devices like washing machines, dishwashers and so on. Thus, by using
water-efficient devices, we can greatly reduce our water demand, which will become pretty
important in the future since water will become a quite scarce resourcedue to global
warming.
d) Reduction in waste: Green construction also has the goal to minimize waste. For instance,
this could mean that materials that are left from construction processes are not disposed
into landfills, but that those materials are rather reused for other purposes instead. By
reusing those materials, we could greatly reduce the waste from construction practices,
which would greatly improve our overall ecological footprint.
e) More efficient recycling: In order to reduce our waste production even further, it is also
crucial to improve recycling processes in the construction sector. For instance, this could
mean that a higher fraction of materials is reused in case a house will be demolished. By
recycling and reusing a higher fraction of those materials, waste production can be reduced
and our natural resources can be used much more efficiently.
f) Less air pollution: Energy-efficient buildings also imply far less air pollution. For the
production of energy, large amounts of fossil fuels are used, which in turn implies
significant emissions. Thus, if the energy demand can be reduced through green building
techniques, also the amount of fossil fuels that have to be used on a global scale can be
reduced significantly. Thus, green construction can contribute to better air quality and to
less particle pollution.
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g) Reduction in greenhouse gas emissions: A reduction in the use of fossil fuels through
green construction also implies a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. In turn, global
warming can be slowed down to a certain extent and we as humanity can mitigate the
adverse environmental effects that are associated with climate change.
h) Protection of our natural resources: We as humanity still use large amounts of fossil
resources that will become depleted sooner or later. Thus, in order to improve sustainability,
we should try to save natural resources whenever possible. In the construction sector, large
amounts of natural resources can be saved by green constructionprocesses since a higher
fraction of materials can be recycled and a higher fraction of eco-friendly materials are used
compared to conventional building practices.
i) Emphasis on renewable energies: Another benefit of green building is that this kind of
construction relies on green energies instead of conventional fossil fuels. For instance, for
green buildings, solar panels are often used to generate energy so that the building will not
need to use energy that is produced with the help of fossil fuels. By using renewable
alternative energy sources, green construction makes a big contribution to speedup the
energy transition process from fossil fuels to green energy sources, which is crucialto
mitigate various environmental problems, including global warming and all sorts of
pollution.
j) Concept takes the whole life cycle of a building into account: green building also takes
into account the whole lifecycle of a building when it comes to the evaluation of whether
certain measures and features are eco-friendly or not. For instance, while some materials
may be considered to be eco-friendly for the construction process, they might be rather
harmful when it comes to the demolition of the building. Thus, by taking all phases of the
lifecycle into account, architects that operate in the green building sector could vastly
improve the overall ecological footprint of a building.
k) Day lighting is utilized as best as possible: Since green buildings often rely on renewable
energy sources like solar power, they are already much eco-friendlier compared to
conventional buildings in terms of energy. However, green buildings can save even more
energy by using daylight as a major lighting source. This often implies the use of large
windows in order to brighten up a room. By doing so, less energy has to be produced since
the daylight may be sufficient during the day without using any additional lights.
l) Use of renewable plant materials: For green construction, it is also crucial to use
renewable plant materials as often as possible. For instance, when it comes to the material
that should be used for flooring, bamboo or other sustainable woods are used in green
construction in order to ensure to meet the sustainability goal.
m) Use of recycled metals and other construction materials: Compared to conventional
building, a much higher fraction of recycled materials is used for green construction. For
example, a significant fraction of metals or stones that are used in green building had been
recycled before. By using those recycled materials, green construction can use as few
resources as possible and can significantly improve the efficiency regarding the use of our
natural resources.
n) Improvements in indoor air quality: Since green construction aims to use eco-friendly
materials, also the indoor air quality is often much better compared to conventional building
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styles. Moreover, a bigger emphasis will be put on the air circulation, which will further
improve the overall indoor air quality in homes that have been constructed in a green
manner.
o) Use of compost bins: green construction often also involves the use of compost bins. The
use of those bins is quite helpful to further improve the ecological footprint of residents
since organic waste can be decomposed through composting instead of disposing it into
landfills. Thus, overall waste production can be further reduced through the useof
composting related to green buildings.
p) Rainwater collection: green buildings often also have facilities installed which can collect
and store the rainwater. This water can be used for gardening purposes or for flushing our
toilets. Thus, by collecting rainwater, we will have to use less tap water and large amounts
of tap water can be preserved over time. Although this might seem like a rather minor
advantage, water will become quite a scarce resource in the future due to global warming
and it definitely makes sense to save as much water as possible whenever we can.
q) Overall health improvements: Since the indoor air quality will be improved, also the risk
for pulmonary diseases might decrease by living in green buildings. Moreover, since plenty
of natural and sustainable materials are used for decoration and flooring, this will lead to
further health benefits since our body will often react much more positive to natural
materials compared to synthetic ones.
r) Higher market value: green buildings will likely become even more popular in the future
since people become more aware of our environmental problems and that it is time for a
change if we want to ensure a livable future for the next generations. This increasing
awareness regarding eco-friendly living May also translate into increasing property prices
for houses that have been constructed in a green manner. Thus, also if you plan to sell your
home one-day, green construction may also ensure you a higher resale value in the future.
s) Tax advantages and subsidies: In many countries and regions, there is also plenty of tax
benefits associated with green construction. This may include certain one-time payments if
you decide to build a house that has sufficient eco-friendly features. Therefore, you might
get part of the building costs back from the government, which may increase your incentive
to go for a green home instead of a house that is constructed in a conventional manner.
t) Smart long-term investment: Even though the construction costs for green buildings are
often higher compared to the costs of conventional buildings, green buildings may still save
you plenty of money in the long run. Since you will have to spend less money on heating
and water, chances are that the higher initial construction costs will amortize over time.
Thus, if you consider investing in a green home, you should not only take into account the
high initial costs, but also the long-term benefits.
u) Compliance with stricter laws and regulations: In many countries, the regulations and
laws regarding eco-friendly construction have become much stricter over time. Buildings
have to meet minimum energy efficiency requirements before the construction of those
buildings is granted. Thus, in order to assure that you meet all those requirements,going for
green construction might be a good idea.
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v) Clean conscience: Apart from all the other benefits related to green construction, you
will likely also have a clear conscience by engaging in this eco-friendly building style since
you know you made a big contribution to ensure a liveable future for the next generation.
This knowledge will also give you plenty of energy for several tasks of your daily life,
which may further improve your overall quality of life.
Disadvantages of Green Construction
a) High initial costs: Apart from the various advantages of green construction, there are also
some problems with green building. For example, green construction often implies pretty
high initial building costs which are usually higher compared to conventional construction
practices. This may discourage people to invest in green construction. However, there are
also plenty of savings on energy and water in the long run and people should take all those
factors into account when it comes to the decision whether to invest in green buildings or
not.
b) Green construction is not a magic pill: Although green building can improve your
ecological footprint, it is no magic pill to solve all our environmental problems. There is
still plenty of work required from your side to make your behavior as green as possible. For
instance, if you buy a green home but behave in a quite eco-unfriendly manner, your
ecological footprint might actually be worse compared to a person who lives in a
conventional home but behaves much eco-friendlier in his or her daily life.
c) Energy supply may depend on weather conditions: If your green home relies on green
alternative energies like solar power, your energy supply might be dependent on outside
weather conditions. For instance, if there is rain for a quite long period of time, chances are
that you might run out of energy sooner or later. Thus, it might be a good idea to have a
backup option so that green buildings can use conventional energies as an emergency
resource.
d) Unclear long-term effects: Since green construction is a relatively new technology, the
long-term effects of this practice are still relatively unclear. For instance, we do not know
if there are any negative effects 50 years from now related to those green buildings. This
may result in significant levels of insecurity for people who currently decide whether they
want to build a green home or not.
e) Technology problems: Since the technology related to green construction is relatively new
and not entirely mature yet, chances are that there might be some technology issues
sooner or later. For instance, the energy supply may not work that good or the internet
connection might be quite poor. Thus, there might be plenty of technology issues that
might have to be fixed over time, which may translate intosignificant additional
costs and efforts.
f) Maintenance may be difficult: Since green construction often uses the latest technologies,
the maintenance of those devices might be difficult since technology becomes increasingly
complex and very few craftsmen keep their knowledge up to date. Thus, you depending on
the area you live in, you might also have a pretty hard time finding a qualified worker in
case you need repairs or for other maintenance tasks.
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g) Indoor air temperature may greatly vary over time: In many buildings that can be
considered to be green, you might just have limited control over the inside air temperature
since it is often controlled from one central spot. Therefore, you might suffer from too high
or too low temperatures and your overall quality of life might decrease due to this
insufficient control over the indoor room temperature.
h) Some people might not like the design of green buildings: Since the design of green
buildings is optimized to use the daylight as efficiently as possible, the shape of those green
buildings might be rather exotic. This kind of construction style might not please everyone
and many people may even refrain from buying a green flat since they just do not like the
design of those green buildings at all. Therefore, depending on how important the design
of a building is for you, you may also want to refrain from investing in green construction
projects due to the unusual shapes of those buildings.
i) Experienced green construction workers may be rare: It may also be rather difficult to
find experienced green construction workers. Most of the construction workers out there
are quite experienced in the conventional construction of buildings, but lack experience and
knowledge when it comes to green buildings. Thus, it might be quite hard for you to find a
company that will construct you a green home and those companies might also have a long
waiting list.
j) Green construction is not suitable for all locations: Green building tries to use as much
sunlight as possible in order to produce energy and to use the daylight to further reduce the
need of using conventional energy sources. However, in regions that do not have many
sunny days over the course of the year, those green buildings may not be the way to go
since the outside conditions may not be suitable for it.
k) Availability issues of green construction materials: Even though green construction has
become quite popular over the past decade; it is still a relatively new building technology
and the infrastructure around green construction has not been optimized yet. Therefore, it
might also come to availability issues of green construction materials, especially if you live
in a region where green construction is still considered to be rather exotic and the
infrastructure for green building is missing.
l) Funding problems for green buildings: Banks may also be rather skeptic when it comes
to the financing of green homes. Many financial institutions still prefer to hand out loans
for conventional buildings since they have much more experience and knowledge in the
valuation of those conventional homes. Thus, it might be hard for you to get a loan for
green construction projects since banks may put a rather low valuation on your home in
their books.
The benefits of green buildings
The world over, evidence is growing that green buildings bring multiple benefits. They provide
some of the most effective means to achieving a range of global goals, such as addressing
climate change, creating sustainable and thriving communities, and driving economic growth.
Highlighting these benefits, and facilitating a growing evidence base for proving them, is at the
heart of what we do as an organization. The benefits of green buildings can be grouped within
three categories: environmental, economic and social. Here, we provide a range of facts and
statistics from various third-party sources that present these benefits.
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Environmental
One of the most important types of benefit green buildings offer is to our climate and the natural
environment. Green buildings can not only reduce or eliminate negative impacts on the
environment, by using less water, energy or natural resources, but they can - in many cases -
have a positive impact on the environment (at the building or city scales) by generating their
own energy or increasing biodiversity.
At a global level:
 The building sector has the largest potential for significantly reducing greenhouse gas
emissions compared to other major emitting sectors.
 This emissions savings potential is said to be as much as 84 gigatons of CO2 (GtCO2) by
2050, through direct measures in buildings such as energy efficiency, fuel switching and
the use of renewable energy.
 The building sector has the potential to make energy savings of 50% or more in 2050, in
support of limiting global temperature rises to 2°C (above pre-industrial levels).
At a building level:
 Green buildings achieving the Green Star certification in Australia have been shown
to produce 62% fewer greenhouse gas emissions than average Australian buildings, and
51% less potable water than if they had been built to meet minimum industry requirements.
 Green buildings certified by the Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) results in energy
savings of 40 - 50% and water savings of 20 - 30% compared to conventional buildings in
India.
 Green buildings achieving the Green Star certification in South Africa have been shown to
save on average between 30 - 40% energy and carbon emissions every year, and between
20 - 30% potable water every year, when compared to the industry norm.
 Green buildings achieving the LEED certification in the US and other countries have been
shown to consume 25 per cent less energy and 11 per cent less water, than non-green
buildings.
Economic
Green buildings offer a number of economic or financial benefits, which are relevant to a range
of different people or groups of people. These include cost savings on utility bills for tenants
or households (through energy and water efficiency); lower construction costs and higher
property value for building developers; increased occupancy rates or operating costs for
building owners; and job creation. The Business Case for Green Building soughed to strengthen
the link between green buildings and the economic benefits they can offer.
At a global level:
 Global energy efficiency measures could save an estimated €280 to €410 billion in savings
on energy spending (and the equivalent to almost double the annual electricity consumption
of the United States). At a country level:
 Canada’s green building industry generated $23.45 billion in GDP and represented nearly
300,000 full-time jobs in 2014.
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 Green building is projected to account for more than 3.3 million U.S. jobs by 2018. At a
building level:
 Building owners report that green buildings - whether new or renovated - command a 7 per
cent increase in asset value over traditional buildings.
Social
Green building benefits go beyond economics and the environment, and have been shown to
bring positive social impacts too. Many of these benefits are around the health and wellbeing
of people who work in green offices or live-in green homes.
 Workers in green, well-ventilated offices record a 101 per cent increase in cognitive scores
(brain function).
 Employees in offices with windows slept an average of 46 minutes more per night.
 Research suggests that better indoor air quality (low concentrations of CO2 and pollutants,
and high ventilation rates) can lead to improvements in performance of up to 8 per cent.
Our Better Places for People project focuses on creating buildings which are not only good for
the environment, but also support healthier, happier and more productive lives.
World GBC and the Green Building Council of South Africa established a joint project to
develop a framework to enable complex socio-economic issues to be integrated into any green
building rating system in the world.
The numerous benefits that green building holds, is a further justification for going green.
These include the following:
1) Environmental benefits
The most important benefit of green building is that which it offers to our environment. It
positively influences our climate and overall ecosystem by reducing water use and energy
sources that pollute our environment, such as coal and carbon dioxide discharged into the
atmosphere. Green building not only decreases water wastage, but preserves natural resources,
defends biodiversity and enhances our air and water quality. Green building also reduces your
carbon footprint by producing less waste and decreasing the number of toxic gases set free into
the air. In this way, the pace of climate change is slowed down, and a positive contribution to
saving our environment is made.
2) Cost efficiency and economic benefits
Saving the environment actually saves you money. It provides you with several economic and
cost-effective benefits. These include decreased operating costs, enhanced occupant efficiency
and savings on tenant utility bills. Moreover, it enhances your return on assets and profits due
to your savings in operating costs. Lastly properties that are green built, require lower
maintenance costs as they are built from sustainable components which in turn adds value to
the property.
3) Health benefits
Going green means building away bad toxins and having the ability to breathe in fresh, clean
air. Having a good indoor environment protects the tenant’s health and enhances their quality
of life by avoiding serious illnesses induced by the inhalation of toxic substances. An improved
indoor quality not only safeguards your life, but it can also strengthen employee productivity.
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Employees working in clean and green built properties tend to have better concentration and
focus capabilities, improving their work performance.
It is important to know that going green does not entail a compromise of your current lifestyle
or comfort. The advantages of green building extend far beyond finances and the ecosystem; it
benefits people on a social level. People are healthier and enjoy an improved quality of life.
Employees are more productive as they work in a cleaner and better working environment.
Finally, the cycle concludes as the increased productivity leads to a better economy.
Green building Technology
A Green building is nothing more than a building which is built using reusable materials and
other materials which make the building efficient and environmentally friendly. And Green
building technology typically covers everything from geothermal heating to energy-efficient
appliances.
Green Building Construction presents one big solution to this unsustainable growth. By now
we all know, a green building is a structure which is designed, built, renovated, operated, or
reused in an environmentally friendly and resource-efficient manner. In addition to that, these
buildings are designed to meet certain critical objectives like:
 Protecting Occupant Health
 Improving Employee Productivity
 Conservation Of Energy, Water, And Other Fast Depleting Resources
 Reduce The Use of Energy, Water, And Other Fast Depleting Resources
 Lower Carbon Footprint
 Reducing The Overall Impact to The Environment
 Better Indoor Air
Green building technology can really help in achieving these objectives in an efficient manner.
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CHAPTER 10: DIFFERENT TYPES OF GREEN BUILDING
TECHNOLOGIES
The below list strikes a perfect balance between eco-friendly building materials which can be
used to building sustainable building structures and more advanced green technologies like
solar which can go long way in cutting down energy consumption. These materials and
technologies are being actively used by builders and developers across the world.
1. Net Zero Concepts
Net zero or Zero energy buildings are built to effectively operate independently of the standard
electric grid. In simple words, they are able to produce their own power through the use of
renewable energy sources. And yes, “Zero” here refers to both energy consumption and carbon
emissions. Basically, such building structures consume zero net energy annually and do not
produce any carbon emissions as it largely relies on renewable energy supplies like solar or
wind power.
In addition to net zero concepts there are a certain building which efficiently produces energy
which is more than its requirement. Such buildings produce a surplus of energy; hence they are
known as “Energy-Plus Buildings”. On the other hand, some buildings produce little less than
the required energy, they are called “Near-Zero Energy Buildings”.
Zero energy homes are expressly built to be enormously energy efficient with passive solar
designs and excellent insulation. While design is just one part, the building powers itself using
active solar panels and wind collectors, some buildings also use biofuels for heating.
And one fact we cannot ignore to mention, building a zero-energy home is no easy task, also
it’s not cheap. Zero energy concepts are still a niche form of construction which involves high
up-front costs. But again, the rewards of building such homes are a perfect blend of technology
which barely affects the environment compared to today’s typical construction project.
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2. HVAC (Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning)
About half of a building’s energy demands are devoted to heating, ventilation, and air-
conditioning (HVAC). Hence, it is barely surprising that this particular field has become an
important point for innovation.
Today all modern constructions employ HVAC systems; in fact, it is one function that
designates them as modern buildings or homes. Through a series of ducts, house warm or cool
or dehumidified air flows into all the rooms of a home. A centrally placed HVAC system is
one of the most silent and convenient ways to cool the entire house.
 HVAC Systems comprise of water-cooled screw chillers with a high coefficient of
performance and eco-friendly refrigerant.
 AHU’s, cooling towers, pumps; jet fans with adjustable frequency drives are modulated by
centralized IBMS with the installation variable air volumes inside the designated areas.
 AHUs are interlinked with Heat Recovery Units to reduce the cooling load on the chiller.
 For better IAQ, use of Demand Control Ventilation system with Co2 sensors is a must.
The main objective of an HVAC system is to reduce the electricity consumption of the building
from the electricity grid.
3. Low-Emitting Materials
Selecting low emitting materials and products not only improves human health but also goes
long way in protecting the overall environment. In addition to that, it also helps the building
projects achieve green building credits from agencies like LEED, IGBC, and GRIHA; hence it
is an important consideration in today’s design and construction world.
In general, low-emitting materials credit applies to a very wide range of building products
which include the following:
 Interior paints and coatings applied on-site
 Interior adhesives and sealants applied on-site
 Flooring
 Composite wood
 Ceilings
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 Walls
 Thermal and acoustic insulation
In addition to the above, it also applies to the commercial and residential furnishings which
later fill the living spaces. The reduction or no use of low emitting materials is better for the
environment, for indoor air quality and are approved for use around people with environmental
sensitivities.
4. Cool Roofs
The effect a roof can have on energy is often ignored, the impression of which can be
momentous. In winter, inadequate or damaged roof insulation allows heat to easily escape and
during summers, heat gained through the roof not only upsurges the cooling load but also
increases the electricity demands.
A cool roof is one sustainable green building technology which aims at reflecting the heat and
sunlight away. It helps largely in keeping the buildings at standard room temperatures by
depressing heat absorption and thermal emittance. Simply put, they reflect more of the sun’s
rays than average shingle roofs and avert the warm/cool air inside the home from escaping
through the top of a building.
The typical design of cool roofs makes use of special tiles and reflective paints which absorb
less heat and also reflect most of the solar radiation away. Typically, cool roofs easily reduce
temperatures by more the 50 degrees Celsius during the summer months. Cool roofs help in
minimizing the dependence on air conditioning systems, which in turn helps in reducing the
energy use and lowering greenhouse gas emissions that result from powering our heating and
cooling.
5. Green Insulation
Energy-efficient heating can only keep a building warm if there is sufficient thermal insulation
to keep the heat inside. Another fact that might surprise you is that Insulation is one of the
greatest concerns when it comes to the construction of buildings and homes.
But most people don’t understand that these insulators are simply wall filters which do not
necessarily demand the use of expensive and highly finished materials.
While choosing the best possible insulating materials, there are some prerequisites that one
could consider. Some of them are discussed below.
 Costing of the insulating material
 Measurement of the area where insulation is to be done
 Degree of insulation required
 Costing of energy being consumed for heating and cooling
 Sensible fire-proof
 Non- absorption of moisture
 Non – vulnerable to undergo deformation
 Insolent of attack of little insects
Identifying basic insulating materials is very important. Here is a list of basic insulating
materials; wool insulation materials, slag slabs, natural fiber insulation materials, Porotherm
bricks, gypsum board, vermiculite, and perlite insulation materials, cementitious foam
insulation materials, gasket cork sheet, insulation facings etc.
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