The document discusses sustainable and energy-efficient building materials and technologies, highlighting their importance in addressing energy efficiency and conservation. It covers various topics including the concept of embodied energy, recyclable materials, passive design, and energy-efficient construction technologies. Additionally, it emphasizes the need for sustainable practices in architecture to reduce environmental impact and enhance building performance.

1. M.ARCH (ENVIRONMENTAL ARCHITECTURE)
SUSTAINABLE, ENERGY EFFICIENT BUILDING
MATERIALS AND TECHNOLOGIES
SUBMITTED TO
SUBMITTED BY
TADIBOINA SAMANTHA KUMAR
SEMESTER 2

2. SUSTAINABLE, ENERGY EFFICIENT BUILDING MATERIALS AND
TECHNOLOGIES
CONTENTS
OBJECTIVES:
● To Understand the concept of Energy efficiency
● An insight into various Energy Efficient Materials and Sustainable Construction
Technology
UNIT I INTRODUCTION ON ENERGY EFFICIENCY
➔ Energy Efficiency
➔ Energy Conservation
➔ Recourse Consumption
➔ Distribution of Energy use in India
➔ Factors affecting the Energy use in Buildings
➔ Pre Building Stage, Construction Stage & Post Occupancy stages
➔ Concept of Embodied Energy
➔ Energy needs in Production of Materials
➔ Transportation Energy
➔ Concept of light footprint on Environment
UNIT II RECYCLABLE AND RENEWABLE MATERIALS
➔ Concept of Recyclable materials
➔ Sustainable Building Materials
➔ Life Cycle Design of Materials
➔ Biodegradable & Non-Biodegradable Materials
Green rating and Building Materials
➔ LEED and other Green rating Systems
➔ Concept of Resource rescue,
➔ Concept of Recycled content,
➔ Concept of Regional materials,
Rapidly renewable materials
➔ Fly ash bricks,
➔ Cement
➔ Recycled Steel,
➔ Bamboo based products
UNIT III PASSIVE DESIGN IN MATERIALS
➔ Passive Design and Material Choice
➔ Traditional Building Materials
➔ Importance of envelope material in internal temperature control
➔ Specification for walls and roofs in different climate –
➔ Material and Humidity Control
UNIT IV SUSTAINABLE CONSTRUCTION

3. ➔ Design issues relating to sustainable development including site and ecology,
community and culture, health, materials, energy, and water
➔ Domestic and Community buildings using self help techniques of construction,
adaptation, repair and management
➔ portable architecture
UNIT V ENERGY EFFICIENT TECHNOLOGIES
Energy Efficient Construction Technology
➔ Filler Slab
➔ Rat trap Bond
➔ Technologies developed by CBRI
➔ Traditional Building Construction Technologies
Introduction to other Technological interventions to save Energy
➔ Intelligent Buildings
➔ Energy Conservation through Technological intervention
➔ Saving Energy used for lighting by design innovation
➔ Case studies
OUTCOMES:
● An understanding on sustainability as applicable to architecture and planning.
● Ability to critically analyse buildings with respect to sustainability.

4. SUSTAINABLE, ENERGY EFFICIENT BUILDING MATERIALS AND
TECHNOLOGIES
UNIT I INTRODUCTION ON ENERGY EFFICIENCY
➔ Energy Efficiency
Energy efficiency is key to ensuring a safe, reliable, affordable and sustainable energy system for the future.
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,
1. insulating a home allows a building to use less heating and cooling energy to achieve and maintain a
comfortable temperature.
2. 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 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 and are high
priorities in the sustainable energy hierarchy.
In many countries energy efficiency is also seen to have a national security benefit because it can be used to
reduce the level of energy imports from foreign countries and may slow down the rate at which domestic energy
resources are depleted.
➔ Energy Conservation
Energy conservation are efforts made to reduce the consumption of energy by using less of an energy service.
This can be achieved either by using energy more efficiently or by reducing the amount of services used.
In the case of fossil fuels, the conservation also can include finding new ways to tap into the Earth’s supply so
that the commonly used oil fields are not drained completely. This allows for those fields to replenish
themselves more. This is not a process that happens overnight, when you are talking about replenishing natural
resources you are talking about alleviating excess demand on the supply in 100’s of years’ time to allow nature
to recover.
Why it is Important?
Without energy conservation, the world will deplete its natural resources.
The goal with energy conservation techniques is reduce demand, protect and replenish supplies, develop and use
alternative energy sources, and to clean up the damage from the prior energy processes.
Practical Methods of Energy Conservation
1. Install CFL Lights: Try replacing incandescent bulbs in your home with CFL bulbs.
2. Lower the Room Temperature: Even a slight decrease in room temperature lets say by only a degree or
two, can result in big energy savings. The more the difference between indoor and outdoor temperature, the
more energy it consumes to maintain room temperature.

5. 3. Fix Air Leaks: Proper insulation will fix air leaks that could be costing you. During winter months, you
could be letting out a lot of heat if you do not have a proper insulation.
4. Use Maximum Daylight: Turn off lights during the day and use daylight as much as possible. This will
reduce the burden on the local power grid and save you good amount of money in the long run.
5. Get Energy Audit Done: Getting energy audit done by hiring an energy audit expert for your home is an
energy conservation technique that can help you conserve energy and save good amount of money every month.
6. Use Energy Efficient Appliances: When planning to buy some electrical appliances, prefer to buy one with
Energy Star rating. Energy efficient appliances with Energy Star rating consume less energy and save you
money. They might cost you more in the beginning but it is much more of an investment for you.
7. Drive Less, Walk More and Carpooling: Yet another energy conservation technique is to drive less and
walk more. This will not only reduce your carbon footprint but will also keep you healthy as walking is a good
exercise.
8. Switch Off Appliances when Not in Use: Electrical appliances like coffee machine, idle printer, desktop
computer keep on using electricity even when not in use. Just switch them off if you don’t need them
immediately.
9. Plant Shady Landscaping: Shady landscaping outside your home will protect it from intense heat during hot
and sunny days and chilly winds during the winter season. This will keep your home cool during summer season
and will eventually turn to big savings when you calculate the amount of energy saved at the end of the year.
10. Install Energy Efficient Windows: Some of the older windows installed at our homes aren’t energy
efficient. Double panel windows and other vinyl frames are much better than single pane windows.
Other Energy Conservation Techniques
1. Education: Education is probably the most powerful of the energy conservation techniques that can be used.
2. Zero Energy Balance: Zero Energy Balance is more than techniques of conserving energy in green
construction.
3. Alternative Power: The use of alternative power is one of the most key energy conservation techniques
because almost all of the transition models require that the existing processes be upgraded or replaced to more
energy efficient models too.
4. Cap and Trade Agreements: Cap and trade agreements are used as part of the process of regulating and
conserving consumption and pollution for manufacturing industries.
5. Reduced Demand: There are numerous initiatives that are working to reduce the overall demand on the
energy resources of the world.
6. Research & Development: Continued funding of research and development projects in the energy
conservation field is how we discover the changes that can be made to reduce consumption and discover
renewable methods to provide us with the energy that modern life requires.
➔ Recourse Consumption
Resource consumption is about the consumption of non-renewable resources.
Specifically, it may refer to:
● water consumption
● energy consumption
● natural gas consumption/gas depletion
● oil consumption/oil depletion
● logging/deforestation
● fishing/overfishing
● land use/land loss or
● resource depletion and
● general exploitation and associated environmental degradation
➔ Distribution of Energy use in India
The energy policy of India is largely defined by the country's expanding energy deficit and increased focus on
developing alternative sources of energy, particularly nuclear, solar and wind energy.
India ranks 81 position in overall energy self-sufficiency at 66% in 2014.

6. The primary energy consumption in India is the third biggest after China and USA with 5.5% global share in
2016.
The total primary energy consumption from
crude oil (212.7 Mtoe; 29.38%), natural gas (45.1 Mtoe; 6.23%), coal (411.9 Mtoe; 56.90%), nuclear energy
(8.6 Mtoe; 1.19%), hydro electricity (29.1 Mtoe; 4.01%) and renewable power (16.5 Mtoe; 2.28%) is 723.9
Mtoe (excluding traditional biomass use) in the calendar year 2016.
In 2013, India's net imports are nearly 144.3 million tons of crude oil, 16 Mtoe of LNG and 95 Mtoe coal
totalling to 255.3 Mtoe of primary energy which is equal to 42.9% of total primary energy consumption.
About 70% of India's electricity generation capacity is from fossil fuels.
India is largely dependent on fossil fuel imports to meet its energy demands
➔ Factors affecting the Energy use in Buildings
Building Energy is a very wide field which is affected by a variety of factors on many scales.
The highest impact on energy consumption is caused by heating and cooling loads,
and some of these factors are :
1. Site of the building, and the exposure of the building to the sun and how much this affects the heating
and cooling loads.
2. The regional climate in which the building exists, and its influence on wind speed and direction,
temperature, humidity levels and so on . and this is important to calculate the thermal comfort zone for
the building which if exceeded, the users of the building will use more energy to feel comfort again.
3. Light design also affects the use of energy. Design the building to benefit from natural light or depend
on artificial lights
4. Also the material of the building highly affects the energy consumption, it is good to use recycled
materials and high performance ones with high capacity which able to isolate the building interior from
the outside in hot and cold climates.
5. Environmental and weather conditions
6. Materials used in construction (walls, windows, doors, roof...),Walls to windows ratio
7. Exposure of building, windows...Architecture (overhangs, Trombe wall, roof shape...)
8. Application of the building.
9. Building orientation
➔ Pre Building Stage, Construction Stage & Post Occupancy stages
Building Performance Evaluation (BPE) is the process of evaluating the performance of a building with Post
Occupancy Evaluation (POE) being one of its major parts. It can be carried out in new, existing and refurbished
domestic and non-domestic buildings.
The BPE process and associated activities can be applied at the project stages listed below and help inform
project development, enhance delivery, optimise performance and provide feedback:
1. Concept and Design stage
2. Construction stage
3. Pre-occupancy stage
4. Post-occupancy evaluation (POE) stage

7. BPE allows you to evaluate the performance of different components and aspects of a building, including:
● building fabric
● building services and controls strategies
● energy, fuel and water use
● handover and commissioning processes
● occupant satisfaction
● occupant comfort
➔ Concept of Embodied Energy
Embodied energy is the energy consumed by all of the processes associated with the production of a building,
from the mining and processing of natural resources to manufacturing, transport and product delivery.
Embodied energy does not include the operation and disposal of the building material, which would be
considered in a life cycle approach.
Embodied energy of common materials
Generally, the more highly processed a material is the higher its embodied energy.
Material PER embodied energy MJ/kg
* Fibre cement figure updated from earlier version and endorsed by Dr Lawson.
Source: Lawson 1996
Kiln dried sawn softwood 3.4
Kiln dried sawn hardwood 2.0
Air dried sawn hardwood 0.5
Hardboard 24.2
Particleboard 8.0
MDF (medium density fibreboard) 11.3
Plywood 10.4
Glue-laminated timber 11.0
Laminated veneer lumber 11.0
Plastics — general 90.0
PVC (polyvinyl chloride) 80.0

8. Synthetic rubber 110.0
Acrylic paint 61.5
Stabilised earth 0.7
Imported dimensioned granite 13.9
Local dimensioned granite 5.9
Gypsum plaster 2.9
Plasterboard 4.4
Fibre cement 4.8*
Cement 5.6
In situ concrete 1.9
Precast steam-cured concrete 2.0
Precast tilt-up concrete 1.9
Clay bricks 2.5
Concrete blocks 1.5
Autoclaved aerated concrete (AAC) 3.6
Glass 12.7
Aluminium 170.0
Copper 100.0
Galvanised steel 38.0
Materials with the lowest embodied energy, such as concrete, bricks and timber, are usually consumed in large
quantities.
Materials with high energy content such as stainless steel are often used in much smaller amounts.
As a result, the greatest amount of embodied energy in a building can be from either low embodied energy
materials such as concrete or high embodied energy materials such as steel.
Assembly PER embodied energy MJ/m2

9. Elevated timber floor 293
110mm concrete slab-on-ground 645
200mm precast concrete, T beam/infill 644
Assembly PER embodied energy MJ/m2
Timber frame, concrete tile, plasterboard ceiling 251
Timber frame, terracotta tile, plasterboard ceiling 271
Timber frame, steel sheet, plasterboard ceiling 330
Assembly PER embodied energy MJ/m2
Single skin AAC block wall 440
Single skin AAC block wall gyprock lining 448
Single skin stabilised (rammed) earth wall (5% cement) 405
Steel frame, compressed fibre cement clad wall 385
Timber frame, reconstituted timber weatherboard wall 377
Timber frame, fibre cement weatherboard wall 169
Cavity clay brick wall 860
Cavity clay brick wall with plasterboard internal lining and acrylic paint
finish
906
Cavity concrete block wall 465
Guidelines for reducing embodied energy
Each design should select the best combination for its application based on climate, transport distances,
availability of materials and budget, balanced against known embodied energy content.
The guidelines
● Design for long life and adaptability, using durable low maintenance materials.
● Ensure materials can be easily separated.
● Avoid building a bigger house than you need — and save materials.
● Modify or refurbish instead of demolishing or adding.
● Ensure construction wastes and materials from demolition of existing buildings are reused or recycled.
● Use locally sourced materials (including materials salvaged on site) to reduce transport.

10. ● Select low embodied energy materials (which may include materials with a high recycled content),
preferably based on supplier-specific data.
● Avoid wasteful material use. For example, specify standard sizes wherever possible (windows, door,
panels) to avoid using additional materials as fillers. Some energy intensive finishes, such as paints,
often have high wastage levels so try to buy only as much as you need.
● Ensure offcuts are recycled and use only sufficient structural materials to ensure stability and meet
construction standards.
● Select materials that can be reused or recycled easily at the end of their lives using existing recycling
systems.
● Give preference to materials that have been manufactured using renewable energy sources.
● Use efficient building envelope design and fittings to minimise materials (e.g. an energy efficient
building envelope can downsize or eliminate the need for heaters and coolers, water-efficient taps can
allow downsizing of water pipes).
● Ask suppliers for information on their products and share this information.
➔ Concept of light footprint on Environment
the effect that a person, company, activity, etc. has on the environment,
for example the amount of natural resources that they use and the amount of harmful gases that they produce:
Every organization should work towards a zero environmental footprint by conserving, restoring, and replacing
the natural resources used in its operations.
the harmful effects of your activities on the environment
You can reduce your environmental footprint by recycling as much as you can.
UNIT II RECYCLABLE AND RENEWABLE MATERIALS
➔ Concept of Recyclable materials
Raw or processed material that can be recovered from a waste stream for reuse.
Recycling is the processing used materials (waste) into new products to prevent waste of potentially useful
materials.
Recycling is a key component of modern waste reduction and is the third component of the "Reduce, Reuse and
Recycle" waste hierarchy.
Recyclable materials include many kinds of glass, paper, metal, plastic, textiles, and electronics.
Although similar in effect, the composting or other reuse of biodegradable waste such as food or garden waste is
not typically considered recycling. Materials to be recycled are either brought to a collection center or picked up
from the road side, then sorted, cleaned, and reprocessed into new materials bound for manufacturing.
Recyclable Materials List
Acceptable Items Unacceptable Items
*Newspaper *Glass
*Magazines *Styrofoam (packing peanuts etc.)
*Glossy Ads (paperclips & staples OK) *Food and Liquids
*Telephone Books *Green Waste (tree limbs, grass, etc.)
*Plastic Containers (see below) *Dirt or Rocks

11. *Tin Cans (labels can be left on) *Large Appliances
*Aluminum Cans * Plastic not listed below
*Corrugated Cardboard *Plastic Grocery Bags
*Cereal Boxes *Aerosol Cans, Paint Cans
*Tissue Boxes *Motor Oil, Car Batteries
*Metal Hangers *Light Bulbs
*Paper Towel/Toilet Paper Rolls
*Junk Mail
*Small Appliances – examples
Toasters,Irons,Coffee Makers,Kitchen Mixers, Pots
and Pans
*Office Paper,*Wrapping Paper
➔ Sustainable Building Materials
Sustainable Building Materials List
What are sustainable building materials?
Sustainable building materials are materials that are ecologically responsible because their impact on the planet
is not as damaging as traditional building materials.
Low VOC Paint
VOC’s stands for organic volatile compounds, which are chemical compounds emitted from most paints and can
affect human health. Low VOC paints are usually odorless and have no chemical solvents so they will greatly
improve your indoor air quality.
Bamboo Flooring
Bamboo is a long lasting and rapidly renewable material that is beautiful and easy to install. Rapidly renewable
materials are normally harvested within a 10-year or shorter cycle. It does not harm indoor air quality since it
does not contain volatile organic compounds (VOC’s).
Wool Carpeting
Woven wool is a clean, environmentally friendly option for residential and commercial carpeting. Wool is a
rapidly renewable material, has low VOC emissions, is fire resistant, biodegradable, compostable and adds a
layer of insulation to the floor.

12. Cotton Batt Insulation
Cotton is also a rapidly renewable material and is a natural way to provide insulation. Cotton provides high
thermal resistivity values, emits no VOC’s, works as a sound attenuator, is non-toxic, and 100% recyclable.
Ecological Concrete
Concrete is one of the most used materials in the construction industry. The problem is that generating concrete
has a large impact on global warming. The solution is to use concrete mixtures that contain recycled materials.
Recycled wood chips, crushed glass or slag can be added to the concrete mixture. Concrete has a very long life;
it can be formed into any shape and is recyclable.
Paper Insulation Panels
These insulation panels are made from recycled newspapers and cardboards. They are an ecological alternative
to using insulating foam and they are made fire-resistant by adding boric acid and calcium carbonate.
Sustainable building materials technologies can improve economic and resource efforts, increase labor
productivity of building occupants and reduce harmful environmental impacts.
1. Straw Bales
Rather than relying on new research and technology, straw bale building hearkens back to the days when homes
were built from natural, locally-occurring materials. Straw bales are used to create a home’s walls inside of a
frame, replacing other building materials such as concrete, wood, gypsum, plaster, fiberglass, or stone. When
properly sealed, straw bales naturally provide very high levels of insulation for a hot or cold climate, and are not
only affordable but sustainable as straw is a rapidly renewable resource.
2. Grasscrete
As its name might indicate, grasscrete is a method of laying concrete flooring, walkways, sidewalks, and
driveways in such a manner that there are open patterns allowing grass or other flora to grow. While this
provides the benefit of reducing concrete usage overall, there’s also another important perk — improved
stormwater absorption and drainage.
3. Rammed Earth
What’s more natural than the dirt under your feet? In fact, walls that have a similar feel to concrete can actually
be created with nothing more than dirt tamped down very tightly in wooden forms. Rammed earth is a
technology that has been used by human civilization for thousands of years, and can last a very long time.
Modern rammed earth buildings can be made safer by use of rebar or bamboo, and mechanical tampers reduce
the amount of labor required to create sturdy walls.
4. HempCrete
HempCrete is just what it sounds like – a concrete like material created from the woody inner fibers of the hemp
plant. The hemp fibers are bound with lime to create concrete-like shapes that are strong and light. HempCrete

13. blocks are super-lightweight, which can also dramatically reduce the energy used to transport the blocks, and
hemp itself is a fast-growing, renewable resource.
5. Bamboo
Bamboo might seem trendy, but it has actually been a locally-sourced building material in some regions of the
world for millennia. What makes bamboo such a promising building material for modern buildings is its
combination of tensile strength, light weight, and fast-growing renewable nature. Used for framing buildings
and shelters, bamboo can replace expensive and heavy imported materials and provide an alternative to concrete
and rebar construction, especially in difficult-to reach areas, post-disaster rebuilding, and low-income areas with
access to natural locally-sourced bamboo.
6. Recycled Plastic
Instead of mining, extracting, and milling new components, researchers are creating concrete that includes
ground up recycled plastics and trash, which not only reduces greenhouse gas emissions, but reduces weight and
provides a new use for landfill-clogging plastic waste.
7. Wood
Plain old wood still retains many advantages over more industrial building materials like concrete or steel. Not
only do trees absorb CO2 as they grow, they require much less energy-intensive methods to process into
construction products. Properly managed forests are also renewable and can ensure a biodiverse habitat.
8. Mycelium
Mycelium is a crazy futuristic building material that’s actually totally natural – it comprises the root structure of
fungi and mushrooms. Mycelium can be encouraged to grow around a composite of other natural materials, like
ground up straw, in molds or forms, then air-dried to create lightweight and strong bricks or other shapes.
9. Ferrock
Ferrock is a new material being researched that uses recycled materials including steel dust from the steel
industry to create a concrete-like building material that is even stronger than concrete. What’s more, this unique
material actually absorbs and traps carbon dioxide as part of its drying and hardening process – making it not
only less CO2 intensive than traditional concrete, but actually carbon neutral.

14. 10. AshCrete
AshCrete is a concrete alternative that uses fly ash instead of traditional cement. By using fly ash, a by-product
of burning coal, 97 percent of traditional components in concrete can be replaced with recycled material.
11. Timbercrete
Timbercrete is an interesting building material made of sawdust and concrete mixed together. Since it is lighter
than concrete, it reduces transportation emissions, and the sawdust both reuses a waste product and replaces
some of the energy-intensive components of traditional concrete. Timbercrete can be formed into traditional
shapes such as blocks, bricks, and pavers.
Knowing Green Building materials is an important step in designing a green building to be more efficient and
energy saver. Green Building Materials list is presented below.
1. Aluminum:
2. Rock:
3. Thatch:
4. Brush:
5. Ice:
6. Mud and clay:
7. Fabric:
8. Ceramics:
9. Foam:
10. Limestone:
11. Petrochemicals:
12. Plastic:
13. Glass:
14. Rammed earth:
15. Steel:
16. Metal:
17. Fly ash:
18. Wood:
19. ECO surfaces:
20. Faswell:
21. Durisol:
22. Fly ash-Stone Powder-Cement Bricks:
23. Cast-in-situ fly ash walls:
24. Land Fill and Landscape:
25. Calcium Silicate Bricks:
26. Fly ash-Lime-Gypsum Product named ’Fal-G’:
27. Sintered Light Weight Aggregate:
28. Cellular Light Weight Concrete:
29. Autoclaved Aerated Concrete:
30. Stabilized Mud Fly Ash Bricks:
31. Clay Fly Ash Bricks:
32. Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs):
33. Cork:
34. Cellulose Insulation:
35. Terrazzo:

15. 36. Green paint:
37. Bamboo:
38. Adobe:
39. Cob:
40. Cordwood:
41. Earthbag:
42. Lightweight Concrete:
43. PaperCrete:
44. Poured earth:
45. Straw bale:
➔ Life Cycle Design of Materials
It aims to concretise the multiple requirements of functionality
technical specifications and further into designs of materials.
LIFE CYCLE DESIGN
1. SERVICE LIFE DESIGN
2. LIFECYCLE ECONOMY
3. FINANCIAL ECONOMY
4. ECONOMY OF NATURE OPTIMISATION (ECOLOGY)
Strategies: Strategies for Life Cycle Design are:
➔ Minimising Resource Consumption
➔ Selecting Low impact Resources and processes
➔ Product Lifetime Optimisation
➔ Extending Lifespan of Materials
➔ Facilitating Disassembly
➔ System Design for Eco-efficiency
Life Cycle Design of Materials
It aims to concretise the multiple requirements of functionality, economy, resistance, aesthetics and ecology into
technical specifications and further into designs of materials.
LIFECYCLE ECONOMY
FINANCIAL ECONOMY
ECONOMY OF NATURE OPTIMISATION (ECOLOGY)
ies for Life Cycle Design are:
Minimising Resource Consumption
Selecting Low impact Resources and processes
Product Lifetime Optimisation
Extending Lifespan of Materials
efficiency
, economy, resistance, aesthetics and ecology into

16. ➔ Biodegradable & Non-Biode
The goal of recycling is to separate waste products into two major categories, Biodegradable and Non
biodegradable.
(Definition) Biodegradable materials are composed of waste from living organisms and the actual plant, animal
or other organism when its life ends.
Examples of Biodegradable materials, often referred to as “bio
● • Human and animal waste • Plant products, wood, paper, food waste, leaves, grass clippings
● • Remains from the death of living creatur
It is very important to note that biodegradable waste can serve to support the future life of other organisms. This
waste can be used to provide nourishmen
course includes humans.
Changing biodegradable materials into something useful and nourishing is called bio degradation or
decomposition. This process includes the help of other living o
insects. Other natural elements such as water, oxygen, moisture and sunlight also required to enable
decomposition.
(Definition) Materials having properties that do not breakdown or decay are called Non
Examples include: • Glass • Metals • Plastics • Electronic devices • Medical waste
Non-biodegradable materials do not breakdown naturally. But, that doesn’t mean they cannot be reused.
The key difference here is that the process requires time, en
Biodegradable Materials
The goal of recycling is to separate waste products into two major categories, Biodegradable and Non
(Definition) Biodegradable materials are composed of waste from living organisms and the actual plant, animal
rganism when its life ends.
Examples of Biodegradable materials, often referred to as “bio-waste”, include the following:
• Human and animal waste • Plant products, wood, paper, food waste, leaves, grass clippings
• Remains from the death of living creatures
It is very important to note that biodegradable waste can serve to support the future life of other organisms. This
nourishment and a healthy environment condition for living organisms
Changing biodegradable materials into something useful and nourishing is called bio degradation or
decomposition. This process includes the help of other living organisms, such as bacteria, fungi and small
insects. Other natural elements such as water, oxygen, moisture and sunlight also required to enable
(Definition) Materials having properties that do not breakdown or decay are called Non-biodeg
• Glass • Metals • Plastics • Electronic devices • Medical waste
biodegradable materials do not breakdown naturally. But, that doesn’t mean they cannot be reused.
The key difference here is that the process requires time, energy and expense.
The goal of recycling is to separate waste products into two major categories, Biodegradable and Non-
(Definition) Biodegradable materials are composed of waste from living organisms and the actual plant, animal
waste”, include the following:
• Human and animal waste • Plant products, wood, paper, food waste, leaves, grass clippings
It is very important to note that biodegradable waste can serve to support the future life of other organisms. This
t and a healthy environment condition for living organisms, which of
Changing biodegradable materials into something useful and nourishing is called bio degradation or
rganisms, such as bacteria, fungi and small
insects. Other natural elements such as water, oxygen, moisture and sunlight also required to enable
biodegradable.
biodegradable materials do not breakdown naturally. But, that doesn’t mean they cannot be reused.

17. Glass and plastic can be reused to make other products, but the waste must first be separated by type of material
and then processed into a usable substance.
Biodegradable materials recycle naturally to a usable substance. However, they can still be a hazard to society.
The methane gas byproduct from decomposition is harmful to the environment. There are methods to capture
this gas to use as a source of energy.
Non-Biodegradable material waste creates more of a problem for society. Discarded computer parts, batteries,,
used motor oil and medical supplies all contain harmful chemicals.
Society must devise methods to encourage separation of these materials so they can be treated for reuse or safe
disposal.Recycling is a process to protect society from hazards of our huge volume of waste problems.
Green rating and Building Materials
➔ LEED and other Green rating Systems
➔ Concept of Resource rescue,
Right now our society extracts materials from the earth, uses them for a short time and after that time these
materials become waste. This causes great social and ecological problems for us all. We’re all responsible and
we can all do our bit to save the planet. As an individual, you can reduce the amount of waste you produce at
home by:
● Buying less;
● Composting all kitchen and garden waste;
● Saying no to plastic bags and using reusable bags instead;
● Repairing instead of replacing;
● Reducing your resource and energy usage;
● Buying recycled goods
With Resource Rescue,
1. Encourages to reuse materials;
2. Educating the community in how to reduce landfill,
3. Support the cause by supplying industrial and commercial discards, off-cuts and over-runs at a very
low prices.
4. Aim is to continue to reduce waste and to encourage the creative and innovative use of resources.
Concept of Resource Rescue aims to encourage the re-use of materials that would otherwise have been thrown
away, reducing the demand for new raw materials as well as reducing the environmental impact of waste going
into landfill.
➔ Concept of Recycled content,
➔ Recycled Content: Comprised of pre-consumer and/or post-consumer material that is used as a raw
material in the manufacture of products.
➔ Pre-Consumer Recycled Content: Material diverted from the waste stream during a manufacturing
process. Excluded is reutilization of materials such as rework, regrind or scrap generated in a process
and capable of being reclaimed with the same process that generated it.
➔ Post-Consumer Recycled Content: Material generated by households or by commercial, industrial and
institutional facilities in their role as end-users of the product which can no longer be used for its
intended purpose. This includes returns of material from the distribution chain.
➔ Concept of Regional materials,
Regional materials are produced within a certain distance from your project site.
LEED, the most common standard used, defines regional materials in MR Credit 5 as “building materials or
products that have been extracted, harvested, or recovered, as well as manufactured, within 500 miles of the
project site for a minimum of 10% or 20%, based on cost, of the total materials value.”

18. This radius typically includes several neighboring states and provides a wealth of eligible products.
KEY ADVANTAGES
When specifying regional products, look at raw materials that represent the most weight and greatest
transportation cost, such as brick, cement, steel, glass, wood, and sheetrock.
Far too often, green products are defined by individual characteristics such as VOC levels or recyclability. By
specifying regional materials, however, a product’s sustainability profile will extend to extraction,
manufacturing, and transportation practices.
Consider how far a product must travel between its point of origin, the manufacturing site, and your building
site. Each step of the journey burns transportation fuel. If you cut down on the travel distance, however, a
product’s environmental impact is greatly lessened.
“This creates a much smaller carbon footprint for the materials,” explains Nye, “reducing what could be
thousands of miles worth of greenhouse gas emissions related to product transport.”
Rapidly renewable materials
➔ Fly ash bricks,
➔ Cement
➔ Recycled Steel,
➔ Bamboo based products
Material selection is always a huge element of new construction, renovation, and commercial outfitting.
Although the percentage of points allocated to the Materials and Resources (MR) category decreased from 19 to
13 percent in the 2009 LEED rating system, materials remain the primary visual and tangible interaction points
between occupants and buildings.
The aesthetics, durability, and sustainability features of materials are major considerations for project teams.
Rapidly renewable and regional materials tell a story about project teams and their finished spaces.
For many teams, rapidly renewable products, like cork and bamboo, represent something new, different,
aesthetically pleasing, and kind to the environment. Additionally, buying regional products made for and by
local people supports local economies – an activity that everyone can support.
What Are Rapidly Renewable Materials?
The USGBC defines “rapidly renewable” as a material that’s able to regenerate itself in 10 years or less.
That includes bio-based products made from plants harvested on a 10-year (or shorter) cycle. The goal of using
rapidly renewable content is to reduce the number and quantity of products made from fossil-fuel derivatives.
Rapidly renewable materials include linseed, straw, cotton, wheat, sunflowers, natural rubber, bamboo, and
cork.
These feedstocks are often used in green building products, like linoleum, straw bales, cotton batt insulation,
wheat board panels, bamboo cabinetry, cork flooring, soy-based foam release agents, and fabrics.
Intent
To reduce the use and depletion of finite raw materials and long-cycle renewable materials by replacing them
with rapidly renewable materials.
Requirements

19. Use rapidly renewable building materials and products for 2.5% of the total value of all building materials and
products used in the project, based on cost.
Rapidly renewable building materials and products are made from agricultural products that are typically
harvested within a 10-year or shorter cycle.
UNIT III PASSIVE DESIGN IN MATERIALS
➔ Passive Design and Material Choice
➔ Traditional Building Materials
➔ Importance of envelope material in internal temperature control
➔ Specification for walls and roofs in different climate –
➔ Material and Humidity Control
UNIT IV SUSTAINABLE CONSTRUCTION
➔ Design issues relating to sustainable development including site and ecology,
community and culture, health, materials, energy, and water
➔ Domestic and Community buildings using self help techniques of construction,
adaptation, repair and management
➔ portable architecture
UNIT V ENERGY EFFICIENT TECHNOLOGIES
Energy Efficient Construction Technology
➔ Filler Slab
➔ Rat trap Bond
➔ Technologies developed by CBRI
➔ Traditional Building Construction Technologies
Introduction to other Technological interventions to save Energy
➔ Intelligent Buildings
➔ Energy Conservation through Technological intervention
➔ Saving Energy used for lighting by design innovation
➔ Case studies

20. 1. Define embodied energy?
Embodied energy
Embodied energy is one part of a building material’s overall environmental impact.
Embodied energy is the total energy required for the extraction, processing, manufacture and delivery
of building materials to the building site.
Energy consumption produces CO2, which contributes to greenhouse gas emissions, so embodied
energy is considered an indicator of the overall environmental impact of building materials and
systems.
Unlike the life cycle assessment, which evaluates all of the impacts over the whole life of a material
or element, embodied energy only considers the front-end aspect of the impact of a building material.
It does not include the operation or disposal of materials.
Why reduce embodied energy?
Energy consumption during manufacture can give an approximate indication of the environmental
impact of the material, and for most building materials, the major environmental impacts occur during
the initial processes.
The total amount of embodied energy may account for 20% of the building’s energy use, so reducing
embodied energy can significantly reduce the overall environmental impact of the building.
How is embodied energy measured?
It is expressed in megajoules (MJ) or gigajoules (GJ) per unit weight (kg or tonne) or area (m2
)
When selecting building materials, the embodied energy should be considered with respect to:
 the durability of building materials
 how easily materials can be separated
 use of locally sourced materials
 use of recycled materials
 specifying standard sizes of materials
 avoiding waste
 Selecting materials that are manufactured using renewable energy sources.

21. 2. list out the factors affecting the energy used in buildings
 How the building is used (laboratory, office, classroom, etc )
 The age of the building
 The type of construction
 Mechanical system type (and vintage)
 Recent upgrades and maintenance on the mechanical equipment (especially the building’s
control system)
 Outside air temperatures
 The occupancy of the building
 The insulation of the building
 Window type and shading
 Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) Schedules
 The sophistication of the temperature control system
 Specialty equipment, e.g. lasers, MRI machines, etc.
3. list out few biodegradable and non-biodegradable materials
All products made with plant-based molded pulp materials
All products made with petroleum-based materials like plastic, styrofoam etc.
BIODEGRADABLE
it comprises of materials which get broken down by microorganism in nature and thus does not
pollute the environment.
eg: Paper, Clothes, Banana peels, fruit, cardboard, vegetables etc....
NON BIODEGRADABLE
it contains materials like Glass, plastics etc... which do not get decomposed by microorganisms.
eg: Plastic toys, Glass, Steel, Rubber (Synthetic), Fertilisers (Chemical compounds and stuff) etc...
4. list out few bamboo based products
1. Forestry
Erosion Control
Soil Stabilization
Environmental Remediation
Windbreaks
CO2 Sequestration
Sound Screens
Commercial Plantations
Landscaping
2. Wood Industry
Particle Board
Medium Density Fiberboard (MDF)
Oriented Strand Board (OSB)
Mat Board
Corrugated Roofing Sheets
Flooring
Molding
Beams
Glulam
Plybamboo
Veneer
Lumber
Strand Woven Bamboo (SWB)
Poles
3. Pulp and Paper Industry
Newsprint
Bond Paper
Toilet Tissue
Cardboard
Cement Sacks
Coffee Filters

22. 4. Textile Industry
Clothing
Underwear
Socks
Bullet Proof Vests
Blankets
Towels
Sheets
Pillows
Mattresses
Baby Diapers
5. Bioenergy Industry
Charcoal
Biofuel
Pyrolysis
Firewood
Gasification
Briquettes
Pellets
Biomass
6. Food and Beverage Industry
Bamboo Shoots
Bamboo Wine
Bamboo Tea
Bamboo Beer
Bamboo Vinegar
Charcoal Coated Peanuts
7. Automotive Industry
Steering Wheels
Dashboards
Interior Trim
Body Parts
8. Sports and Recreation Industry
Bicycles
Skateboards
Surfboards
Snowboards
Polo Balls
Baseball Bats
Ski Poles
Fishing Rods
Golf Tees
Inline Skates
9. Electronics Industry
IPhone/IPad Cases
Mouse
Keyboards
Headphones
Speakers
Laptops
10. High Tech Industry
Bioplastics Composites
11. Farming Industry
Greenhouses
Fencing
Fish Traps
Farming Tools
Baskets
Animal Fodder
Beehives
Containers
Animal Pens
Props and Support Sticks
Water Pipes
Waterwheels
12. And Everything Else...
Houses
Furniture
Bridges
Cutting Boards
Baskets
Toys
Bathtubs
Steamers
Weapons
Musical Instruments
Chopsticks
Helmets

23. Blinds
Door and Window Frames
Medicine
Incense Sticks
Matches
etc...
5. mention any four simple architectural passive techniques that can be adopted by an architect
to enhance the thermal performance of buildings
PASSIVE ARCHITECTURE DESIGN SYSTEMS •
• Thermal mass construction • • Wind towers • • Passive down draft evaporative cooling systems • •
Earth tunnel cooling • • Roofing systems • • Roof gardens • • Trombe wall • • Solar chimney • • Light
shelf
6. mention any two passive cooling techniques that can be used in humid climates
These design strategies reduce heat gains to internal spaces.
- Natural Ventilation - Shading
- Wind Towers - Courtyard Effect
- Earth Air Tunnels- Evaporative Cooling
- Passive Down Draught Cooling- Roof Sprays
7. what do you mean by envelope
The building envelope is the physical separator between the interior and exterior of a building.
Components of the envelope are typically: walls, floors, roofs, fenestrations and doors.
Fenestrations are any opening in the structure: windows, skylights, clerestories, etc.
A good building envelope involves using exterior wall materials and designs that are Climate-
appropriate, structurally sound and aesthetically pleasing.
These three elements are the key factors in constructing your building envelope.
It is a key factor inthe “sustainability” of a building.
Common measures of the effectiveness of building envelopes include protection from
the external environment, indoor air quality, durability, influx of natural light, and
energy efficiency.
8. give any two definitions for sustainability
1.Brundtland Commission
“Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future
generations to meet their own needs.”
2.using a resource so that the resource is not depleted or permanently damaged
9. what are the strategies used for external spaces for energy conversion in hot and dry climate
1 Orientation of the building
2 Shape of the building
3 Shading
General building problems in hot climates:
High temperature, High solar radiation, Moisture or high RH level, Excessive heat gain in
summer, Heat loss during winter

24. 10. how can energy efficient buildings aid sustainability
Start with these 6 steps.
 Turn Off Electrical Devices When Not In Use
 Implement Intelligent Energy Controls
 Utilize Energy Efficient Products
 Utilize Decentralized Power or Micro-grids
 Find a Power Balance
 Educate Your Workforce
11. Differentiate between energy efficiency and Energy Conservation
Energy conservation involves a change in behavior to save energy (turning off the lights,
powering down computers and electronic equipment at night, lowering the thermostat in
winter and raising it in summer).
Energy efficiency means physical upgrades like replacing worn out weather stripping,
repairing leaking ductwork, adding insulation, replacing inefficient lighting and appliances,
etc.
Energy efficiency is “using less energy to provide the same service.”
The best way to understand this idea is through examples:
 When you replace a single pane window in your house with an energy-efficient one, the new
window prevents heat from escaping in the winter, so you save energy by using your furnace or
electric heater less while still staying comfortable. In the summer, efficient windows keep the heat
out, so the air conditioner does not run as often and you save electricity.
 When you replace an appliance, such as a refrigerator or clothes washer, or office equipment, such
as a computer or printer, with a more energy-efficient model, the new equipment provides the
same service but uses less energy. This saves you money on your energy bill.
Energy conservation is reducing or going without a service to save energy. For example:
 Turning off a light.
 Replacing an incandescent lamp with a compact fluorescent lamp, which uses much less energy to
produce the same amount of light.
Both efficiency and conservation can save you money and reduce the amount of energy
12. define sustainable building materials
In building, environmentally-friendly materials are those in which, for their production, placing and
maintenance, actions of low environmental impact have been performed.
They have to be durable, reusable or recyclable, include recyclable materials in their composition and
have to be from resources of the area where the building activity will take place –they have to be local
materials.
These materials also have to be natural (soil, adobe, wood, cork, bamboo, straw, sawdust, etc.) and
must not be spoilt by cold, heat or humidity.
Sustainable tech materials and products
They have to be highly durable and can incorporate different technologies, such as capturing energy,
capturing C02 while removing pollution. They are used when, in the long term, they have a lower
environmental cost than the natural materials.

25. 13. discuss briefly the role of green rating system in promoting sustainable building materials
 Materials are the essential components of buildings construction.
 Chemical, physical and mechanical Properties of materials as well as an appropriate
design are accountable of the building mechanical strength.
 The design of green buildings should thus begin with the selection and use of eco-
friendly materials with related or better features than traditional building materials.
Building materials are usually selected through functional, technical and financial
requirements.
 Among the directions for solutions is to be found in new material applications,
recycling and reuse, sustainable production of products or use of green resources,
Careful selection of eco-friendly sustainable building materials may be the fastest
way for builders to start integrating sustainable design concepts in buildings.
14. list a few traditional building materials used to achieve temperature and humidity control
Traditional building materials like wood, grass, palm, and bamboo are cheaper as well as
cooler than masonry
15. give the advantages and disadvantages of portable architecture
A portable building is a structure that is designed and built to be movable rather than located
permanently.
A portable building is also called moveable, demountable, transportable and temporary architecture.
What are the advantages of using a portable building?
 Construction Phase:
 Construction Speed:
 Quality of Units:
 Building performance is maximized:
 Materials used are Ozone-friendly:
 Recyclable materials:
 Minimized waste:
 Health and Safety:
What are the disadvantages of using a portable building?
 Limited customization
 Limited service area
 Financial plans
 Room sizes are limited
16. list a few issues related to sustainable water management in buildings
 Accessible
 Aesthetics
 Cost-effective
 Durable
 Functional
 Productive
 Secure/safe

26. 17. write a short note on the Technologies developed by CBRI
 C-Bricks
 Clay fly ash bricks
 Concrete Masonry Blocks
 Wood Without Tree – Rice-Husk Plastic Wood
 Fluorogypsum Plaster
 Heat Reflective Treatment Using White Glazed Tile Pieces
 Confined Masonry
 Liquid Extinguishant Fire Extinguisher
 Eco-Friendly Antifungal Additives For Paint
 New Thermal Insulation Tile Using Exfoliated Vermiculite Waste
 Precast Rc Waffle Units
18. list a few energy efficient traditional Building Construction Techniques
1. Location Location, Location:
2. Smaller is better:
3. Energy Efficient Equipment:
4. Proper Insulation:
5. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle:
6. Use Sustainable Building Materials:
7. Install Solar Panels:
8. Energy Star Windows:
9. Rainwater Harvesting Systems and Tankless Water Heaters:
10. Eco-Friendly Lighting:
11. Water Conserving Fixtures:
12. Programmable Thermostat:
13. HVAC System:
14. Efficient Landscaping:
15. Harness Geothermal Energy:
19. Define an energy efficient building. List the factors affecting energy used in buildings
Energy efficiency means using less energy to provide the same service.
the main factors:
 environmental and weather conditions
 materials used in construction (walls, windows, doors, roof...)
 exposure of building, windows...
 application of the building building orientation
 architecture (overhangs, Trombe wall, roof shape...)
 walls to windows ratio
 usage schedule
 type of heating or cooling
20. explain the relation between the recycling and sustainability

27. Recycling that reduces toxic wastes and environmental pollution obviously provides
immediate benefits to human health. By reducing wastes, recycling also conserves natural
resources, protects natural ecosystems, and encourages biological diversity, all of which
enhance the long run sustainability of the biosphere.
For recycling to be sustainable it should not create waste that is more damaging to the
environment than discarding the original item would be, and/or less efficient to create the
product you end up with at the end of the recycling process, than it would be to extract, and
refine from raw materials, or that of a suitable alternative.
21. discuss the advantages of fly ash bricks that make it an efficient building materials in
sustainable design
 Fly ash, a by product of coal combustion, can be recycled.
 it is considered a sustainable material when reused in bricks or other building materials.
 Fly ash is produced by burning coal.
 One way to recycle this waste is to use it to make bricks or cement.
 Currently, about 43 percent of fly ash is recycled. The rest is either dispersed into the
atmosphere, sent to a landfill, or mixed with water and held in a slurry retention pond.
 Fly ash bricks replace the clay with fly ash, and some manufacturing processes use pressure
instead of heat to cure the bricks, reducing the amount of energy required to manufacture.
GreenBenefitsofFlyAshBricks
 There is a specific benefit to using fly ash bricks or cement for green building and LEED
projects because they are considered a recycled material. This will help earn points
in Materials & Resources (MR) Credit.
22. explain the concept of the light pipes and mirror ducts
Working Principles of Mirror Ducts
A simple system that uses duct made of highly reflective material to bring in natural light into
the space, enabling a considerable energy natural light into the space, enabling a considerable
energy consumption saving. There are no mechanical parts involved and no power is required.
Mirror ducts capture zenith daylight (which is brighter than lateral daylight) through external
collectors. Light is channeled into horizontal reflective ducts within the false ceiling which
then exits through the ceiling apertures above a user. Such light is usually glare-free.
Daylight level across the building depth is more even. 3 types of mirror ducts are tested for
their reflectivity and effectiveness. These are, in order:
Working Principle of Light Pipes

28. The system is essentially a pipe that sticks out of a building's roof and reflects sunlight
directly into an interior room.
It is more energy efficient than skylight since less energy escapes from the interior due to less
surface area.
There are 2 types of light pipes.
One type of light pipe is equipped with rotating mirror which is located in open area while the
other type does not have any rotating mirror.
23. neatly sketch and label a rat trap Bond and list advantages
Rat trap bond is a brick masonry method of wall construction, in which bricks are placed in vertical
position instead of conventional horizontal position and thus creating a cavity (hollow space) within
the wall. Architect Laurie Baker introduced it in Kerala in the 1970s and used it extensively for its
lower construction cost, reduced material requirement and better thermal efficiency than conventional
masonry wall, without compromising strength of the wall.
This is where approximately 30% Material (brick and mortar) is saved and thus overall construction
cost is reduced. Cavity provides effective thermal and sound insulation. This makes rat trap bond
energy and cost efficient building technology.

29. ADVANTAGES OF USING RAT TRAP BOND
 Requires approximately 25% less bricks and 40% less mortar than traditional masonry
 Reduced material requirement results in considerable cost saving
 Strength of wall is not compromised, it remains same as traditional masonry wall.
 Cavity induced in wall provides better thermal insulation, resulting in cooler interiors during
summer and warmer interiors during winter.
 All vertical and horizontal reinforced bands, lintels (for standard size openings), electrical
conduits are hidden inside wall, resulting in better aesthetic appearance without plastering
(exposed brickwork).
Rat-Trap Bond DISADVANTAGES
1. Not a good sound insulator.
2. Excavation of soil needed for the manufacturing of bricks may lead to environment problems.
24. what do you understand by life cycle analysis of building
LCA is a technique to assess environmental impacts associated with all the stages of a product's life
from raw material extraction through materials processing, manufacture, distribution, use, repair and
maintenance, and disposal or recycling. Designers use this process to help critique their products.
LCAs can help avoid a narrow outlook on environmental concerns by:
 Compiling an inventory of relevant energy and material inputs and environmental releases;
 Evaluating the potential impacts associated with identified inputs and releases;
 Interpreting the results to help make a more informed decision.
25. sketch a section of the Madras terrace roof indicating the materials used

30. 26. what are the consequences of sick building syndrome
Headache, dizziness, nausea, eye, nose or throat irritation, dry cough, dry oritching skin,
difficulty in concentration, fatigue, sensitivity to odours, hoarseness of
voice, allergies, cold, flu-like symptoms, increased incidence of asthma attacksand
personality changes.
27. outline any two low embodied and Two High embodied energy building materials
Material PER embodied energy MJ/kg
Kiln dried sawn softwood 3.4
Kiln dried sawn hardwood 2.0
Air dried sawn hardwood 0.5
Hardboard 24.2
Particleboard 8.0
MDF (medium density fibreboard) 11.3
Plywood 10.4
Glue-laminated timber 11.0
Laminated veneer lumber 11.0
Plastics — general 90.0
PVC (polyvinyl chloride) 80.0
Synthetic rubber 110.0
Acrylic paint 61.5
Stabilised earth 0.7
Imported dimensioned granite 13.9
Local dimensioned granite 5.9
Gypsum plaster 2.9
Plasterboard 4.4

31. Fibre cement 4.8*
Cement 5.6
In situ concrete 1.9
Precast steam-cured concrete 2.0
Precast tilt-up concrete 1.9
Clay bricks 2.5
Concrete blocks 1.5
Autoclaved aerated concrete (AAC) 3.6
Glass 12.7
Aluminium 170.0
Copper 100.0
Galvanised steel 38.0
28. outline any four ways of ensuring that the embodied energy in materials is low
When selecting building materials, the embodied energy should be considered with respect to:
1. the durability of building materials
2. how easily materials can be separated
3. use of locally sourced materials
4. use of recycled materials
5. specifying standard sizes of materials
6. avoiding waste
7. selecting materials that are manufactured using renewable energy sources.
29. what are the objectives of any building rating organisation
The objective of IGBC Green New Buildings rating system is to facilitate a holisitc approach
to create environment friendly buildings,
through architectural design,
water efficiency,
effective handling of waste,
energy efficiency,
sustainable buildings,
and focus on occupant comfort & well-being.

32. 30. What do you understand by filler slabs?
Filler slab roofs: An alternative roofing technology
A. INTRODUCTION TO RCC FILLER SLAB
Filler slab technology is a simple and a very innovative technology for a slab construction.
The reason why, concrete and steel are used together to construct RCC slab, Concrete is good in
taking compression and steel is good in tension. Thus RCC slab is a product which resists both
compression as well as tensile.
Knowing this much if we want to move further to understand the “Filler slab” technology,
B. MATERIALS SELECTION AS PER NEED AND DESIGN
Light weight, inert and inexpensive materials such as low grade Mangalore tiles, Burnt Clay Bricks,
Hollow Concrete blocks, Stabilized Mud blocks/ Hollow Mud blocks, Clay pots, Coconut shells etc.
can be used as filler materials. These materials are laid in the grids of steel reinforcement rods and
concreting/concrete topping is done over them.
D. ADVANTAGES OF FILLER SLAB TECHNOLOGY: