null

Clever equipping and

weatherising of a house

makes it eligible for a LEED

platinum rating by the IGBC

+++++A BIO-DIVERSE HOT

SPOT IN THE DRAB PORT

AREA OF MUMBAI

A LOOK AT THE REVIVAL

OF COOLING TOWERS

US PRESIDENT OBAMA’S

GREEN INITIATIVE

®

INDIA’S 1ST

PLATINUM

RATED HOME

green by design

YOUR GUIDE TO ECO FRIENDLY LIVING

NOT FOR SALE

52 PAGE GREEN BY DESIGN SUPPLEMENT

TO HOME REVIEW JULY 09 ISSUE

PROJECTS I Q&A’s I PRODUCTS I ECO REVIEWS I www.home-review.com/gbd�

Cover page July 09-1.p65 7/1/2009, 3:37 PM13

EDITOR’S NOTE

ContentsJuly

2009

FEATURES14 Canny Construction India's first Leed

platinum rated private residence.

18 Nari's Award Winning Lantern

Maharashtra's NARI wins the globe sustainability

research award for its low energy innovation.

22 A Hearth With A Heart An authentic

sustainable farm house by Abhikram of Ahmedabad.

26 The Eco-Friendly Precursor The IOCL

Headquarters in Delhi; a structure which is green

from the inside out.

32 A Low Energy Use Approach A happy mix of

sustainability and aesthetics.

34 The Zero Carbon House Diseno Earle

Architects plug an architectural abyss in eco housing

in southern Spain.

Q&A46 An educative conversation with LEED AP

Architect Hiren Patel.

GREEN MARKET08 Informed retail therapy; a look at an array of

sensible low energy products.

GREEN TALK12 Obama's Green Initiative President Obama's

energy advisor releases a unique green plan.

38 The Return Of Cooling Towers A once

forgotten part of architecture returns to make a

statement.

44 Bentley's Green Definitions Bentley's new

building performance group offers keen solutions.

ECO LIVING30 Grow Your Own Fresh Air Combat indoor air

pollution in an organic way.

40 Green For Grey A city farm in the Mumbai port

region that uses waste to grow food.

42 Get Your Green On An eco friendly store in sync

with nature.

45 Eco Lodge A tree house resort for the earth

carers.

GREEN EVENT50 Greenbuild 2009 A global event dedicated to

responsible architecture.

11

Owner, Publisher & Printer Mr. Anish R. Bajaj for Marvel Infomedia Pvt. Ltd. Printed at Marvel Infomedia Pvt. Ltd., B 62, 1st

Floor, Cotton Exchange Building, Cotton Green Road, Cotton Green, Mumbai 400 033. Published at B 62, 1st Floor, Cotton Exchange

Building, Cotton Green Road, Cotton Green, Mumbai 400 033 Tel (022) 23736133/1 Editor Mr. Anish R. Bajaj Creative Director

Natalie Pedder-Bajaj Features Editor Mala Bajaj Sub Editor Shweta Salvi Writers Sheetal Mishra, Shriyal S, Relin Hedly Layout

Design Krishnakant Surve, Asif Shayannawar Marketing Mumbai B 62, Cotton Exchange Bldg, Cotton Green, Mumbai 400 033

Tel: (022) 32656823, 23736133, 32958501 Fax: (022) 23743069 Email: [email protected].

"Seize every opportu-

nity" seems to be the

order of the day. That

is every chance to be

as eco friendly and

environment conscious

in our day to day life

as possible. Every

aspect of living should

be premeditated and in total reverence to the well

being of planet earth and therefore its climate.

Forecasts for global temps grow increasingly

dire; a 5 deg spike by 2100, a brief instant in geo-

logic time would almost certainly prove to be a

disaster for civilization. The key is to free ourselves at

every level of the energy chain.

We should build smart grid highways, better

insulated buildings, cultivate higher yielding crops

closer home and preferably from recycled organic

waste. A dedicated team of employees at the

Mumbai port trust's central kitchen very ably eluci-

dates this idea.

Where architecture in present times is concerned,

the majority of builders follow the tenet of 'don't do

any more or build any better than you have to'. Now it

looks like builders might actually have to build better,

as building codes move beyond health and safety

and get serious about energy efficiency.

A few responsible builders whose works we

showcase here have already set out on the path of

sustainable and environment preserving construction

e.g. Sudhir Reddy in Hyderabad, Biome Environmen-

tal Solutions Pvt. Ltd. in Bangalore, Hiren Patel and

Abhikram in Ahmedabad and Stup Design Consult-

ants in Delhi.

Everybody loves to talk about increasing the

efficiency of cars, but buildings are kept on the back

burner. Even though experts tell us that buildings are

responsible for almost half of our energy consump-

tion and greenhouse gas emissions, and over three

quarters of our electricity consumption, radical and

significant measures have not been taken yet.

The search for a silver bullet for energy is wrong

on many levels; the real reform has to take place in

our mind-set and approach.

Mala Bajaj

4 I green by design july 2009

Editor's Note & Content.p65 7/1/2009, 2:08 PM6

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HR Subscripation advt.p65 6/9/2009, 10:55 AM2


green market products

Biltec's AAC Systems�Biltec Building Elements Limited

presents a revolutionary new

ecologically beneficial AAC

building system. Developed from

60% fly ash which makes it

extremely eco-friendly, 39%

binders and 1% ad mixtures, this

new generation AAC (Autoclaved

Aerated Concrete) modular,

prefabricated system comes in

the form of blocks, slabs and wall

panels. These systems have

excellent thermal insulation that’s

5 times better than bricks and 9

times better than concrete and

offers superior fire-resistance

that's 3 times greater than bricks

and concrete.

Contact:tel: (011) 41699283

email: [email protected]

Century's FSC CertifiedProducts �Centuryply Architect Plywood, a

premium product of Centuryply

uses timber sourced form FSC

(Forest Stewardship Council)

certified plantations to manufac-

ture its products ensuring its

commitment towards conserva-

tion of forests. FSC was estab-

lished to promote the manage-

ment of forests around the world.

Products carrying the FSC label

are independently certified to

meet the ecological needs of

present and future generations.

Contact: tel: (033) 24978156

web: www.centuryply.com

Tata's Solar Water Heater �Tata BP Solar presents the new

Hot Max solar water heater and

lantern using evacuated tube

technology. Designed with

specially coated glass tubes to

deliver superior performance, the

heater ensures availability of hot

water on partially cloudy days. It

also has high quality PUF insula-

tion for maintaining a high tem-

perature of water inside the tank

and its end caps made from UV

resistant ABS plastic enhances

the aesthetics of the product.

Contact : tel: (080) 66601300

web: www.tatabpsolar.com

Alwitra’s Solar Waterproofing�Combining proven roof sealing

with photovoltaic modules,

Alwitra GmbH & Co. of Trier in

Germany presents Evalon® Solar.

This power-generating roofing

membrane includes uni-solar PV

modules that are directly lami-

nated onto the membrane surface

in a watertight bond using EVA

(Ethylene Vinyl Acetate). As a

characteristic feature, its weather

resistant, transparent polymer-

encapsulated modules consist of

flexible solar cells that are ar-

ranged on top of each other to

utilize wave lengths of the sun-

light. Contact:tel: (040) 27177985


green by design supplement to home review july 2009 issue

Green Market.p65 6/26/2009, 6:45 PM8

july 2009 green by design I 9

products green market

InnovLite's Lighting Systems �InnovLite India Pvt. Ltd presents

its new generation lighting

solutions based on LED lighting.

These products offer high-

efficiency, require low mainte-

nance and are highly durable,

thus providing excellent service to

various levels of the societal

pyramid. These LED products

incorporate the most appropriate

technology for energy saving

lighting solutions.

Contact: tel: (080) 32920984


web: www.innovlite.com

Wacker's Vinnapas® �Wacker presents 'Vinnapas®', a

powder form binder in

cementicious formulations. These

binders make it possible to

manufacture various value added

dry mix applications such as tile

grouts, Exterior Insulation and

Finished System (EIFS) for energy

conservation. EIFS saves up to 75

% of heat inside the building

which escapes through the

exterior wall offering better

weather repellency.

Contact: tel: (022) 67213392


web: www.wacker.com


�Thermoshield's AlbedoRoofingsThermoshield India Pvt. Ltd.

presents Thermoshield High

Albedo coatings, a result of a 2

year experiment conducted at the

Satyam Learning Centre in

Hyderabad monitored by IIID.

Manufactured from a water-based

pure acrylic resin system, these

coatings are energy saving and

flexible. They are also non-toxic,

eco-friendly and form a monolithic

membrane that bridges hairline

cracks. They are completely

washable and resist many harsh

chemicals, reducing thermal

shock and heat access.

tel: 09341221903

email:[email protected]

Luminous Power's SMFBatteries �Luminous Power presents eco-

friendly Sealed Maintenance Free

(SMF) batteries providing ideal

back up power for UPS system,

emergency lights. These SMF

batteries do not require periodic

topping up with water. They also

do not emit any fumes or gases

on a continuous basis. With

features such as long service life,

gas recombination, lead calcium

alloy these become the ultimate

choice for locations where tem-

peratures are not very high and

space is of constraint.

Luminous SMF/VRLA batteries

are designed and manufactured

at the companies’ own high tech

facility in India in Himachal

Pradesh. These batteries are

exported to more than 32 coun-

tries worldwide. The range of

these batteries covers allmost all

sizes and special alloy composi-

tions.

Contact:tel: (011) 25558913

email: ramesh.gupta@luminous

india.com

web: www.luminousindia.com

Green Market.p65 6/26/2009, 6:45 PM9


green market products

Recycled Eggshell Stationary�Designer Nicholas Cheng of

Studioroom 906 presented a

beautiful set of stationary made

from eggshells at the Milan

furniture fair. He used wasted egg

shells that undergo 'a high

pressure technique' to create a

new material that utilizes the

existing proteins and mineral

crystals from the shells. 100

recycled egg shells are used per

set which includes a pencil,

pencil holder, eraser and a A5

sheet of paper. Studioroom 906 is

a design studio based in The

Netherlands.

Contact:

www.studioroom906.com

Freelplay's Mini Lanterns �Freeplay's new ML-1 Mini Lantern

is the answer to practically all

portable lighting needs. It’s one of

the best self sufficient recharge-

able lantern and is also friendly to

the environment.

The ML-1 features a cluster of

ultra-bright LEDs as the primary

light source for space illumination,

and also has a single-LED direc-

tional light source for use as a

reading light or flashlight. In

addition to wall recharging ability,

you can power it yourself using

the trusted Freeplay self-charge

technology. Contact: web:

www.freeplayenergy.com

Recycled CardboardEco-Furniture�Creating objects of wonder,

Argentina-based artists Santiago

Morahan with his Diseno

Cartonero (roughly translated to

'Garbage Collector Design')

project creates functional and

elegant pieces of furniture from

cast-off cardboard scavenged by

garbage collectors.

The artist collects his recycled

cardboard materials by purchas-

ing it from garbage collectors at a

higher price. Morahan then makes

all his pieces by hand, so that

each becomes a unique creative

expression. Contact email:

[email protected]

web: www.disenocartonero

.blogspot.com

Benjamin Moore�Benjamin Moore's Natura line of

zero-VOC paints and primers are

made for residential and light

commercial use. These spatter-

resistant paints contains a

proprietary, 100% acrylic resin

made by Benjamin Moore, and

meets California's Collaborative

for High Performance Schools

(CHPS) standards. While most

zero-VOC paints use colorants

containing as much as 150 gms

per ltr, Natura uses Benjamin

Moore's own Gennex zero-VOC

colorants. Contact:

web: www.benjaminmoore.com


Green Market.p65 7/1/2009, 12:03 PM10


products green market

�ChromaBrilliant Chroma™ radiates like a

coloured jewel when lit, opening

up new design possibilities.

These solid surfaces are satu-

rated with patented colour

infusion technology; they can be

completely reprocessed at end-of-

life, and enjoyed over and over

again.

These surfaces are thick and

stable for engineer load bearing

applications.

They also offer unlimited

aesthetic and design options and

have an amazing clarity for

unrivaled light transmission.

Contact:


web: www.3form.eu

Recycled MacadamiaNut Bowls�As an innovative material, Husque

brings together the iconic Austra-

lian macadamia nut, the prin-

ciples of recycling, and the

ingenuity of Australian design.

Each item is hand finished by

mirror polishing the coloured

glaze and hand rubbing the

Husque with macadamia oil to a

satin finish.

The original Husque bowl

quickly became popular. Inspired

by the macadamia nut shell's

natural state, the exterior is a

smooth satin finish, hand rubbed

with macadamia oil while the

inside is mirror polished.

Contact: web: www.husque.com


Scrap Lights Made From TwiceRecycled Cardboard�Creating a brighter future,

Graypants Inc. introduces their

sustainable scrap lights instilling

a new spirit into salvaged pieces

of corrugated cardboard. These

scrap light shades are made

entirely from repurposed card-

board boxes. All the available

lampshades are handmade and

therefore vary slightly in shape

and size.

Contacts email:

[email protected]

web: www.graypants.com


Herman Miller's BeCollection �Design power-house Herman

Miller launched its 'Be Collection'-

a group of office accessories

called as to 'Be Comfortable', 'Be

Organised' and 'Be Connected'.

The range includes an innova-

tive personal heating /cooling unit,

a pair of Yves Behar-designed

lights and the Babble voice

privacy technology. Its keyboard

platforms and monitor arms are

also eco-friendly.

Contact:web:

www.thebecollection.com

Green Market.p65 6/26/2009, 6:46 PM11



green talk obama's green initiative

Much of the world

breathed a sigh of relief

when the poll results

rolled in confirming the election of

Barack Obama as the new

president of the US. Environmen-

tal groups had high hopes for this

year's budget following the

president's ‘new green deal' in

America and the government's

earlier commitment to cut green-

house gases by 80% by 2050.

The US president-elect Barack

Obama then named an environ-

mental and energy team with the

aim to tackle global warming

quickly and develop alternative

forms of energy. He selected

Nobel-prize winning physicist

Steven Chu as energy secretary

and Coral Browner, a confidante

of former Vice President Al Gore,

to lead a White House council on

energy and climate.

Mr. Obama made clear his

plans to take energy policy in a

sharply different direction from

President George W. Bush,

promising moves to address

global warming and support

research into alternative energy

sources such as wind, solar and

bio-fuels. In his words, "America

must develop new forms of

energy and new ways of using it."

He further said the dangers of

being too heavily dependent on

foreign oil "are eclipsed only by

the long-term threat of climate

change which, unless we act, will

lead to drought and the famine

abroad, devastating weather

patterns and terrible storms on

our shores, and disappearance of

our coastline at home."

Dr Chu suggested that we

paint the roofs and pavements of

our towns and cities white, as it

will help the planet reflect, rather

Obama's

Green Initiative

PRESIDENT OBAMA'S ENERGY

ADVISOR RELEASES A GREEN

PLAN PROCLAIMING THAT

THE WORLD'S ROOFS SHOULD

BE PAINTED WHITE AS PART

OF EFFORTS TO SLOW DOWN

GLOBAL WARMING.

than retain heat from the sun. "You

change the albedo of the earth,"

he explained. "The sunlight comes

down and it actually goes back

up. There is no greenhouse

effect." Moreover, more pale

surfaces could also slow global

warming by reflecting heat into

space rather than allowing it to be

absorbed by dark surfaces where

it is trapped by greenhouse gases

and increases temperatures.

In a wide-ranging discussion

at the three-day Nobel laureate

Symposium in London, the

professor described climate

change as a 'crisis situation', and

called for a whole host of mea-

sures to be introduced, from

promoting energy efficiency to

renewable energy such as wind,

wave and solar. Professor Steven

Chu also said the US was not

considering any large scale 'geo-

engineering' projects where

science is used to reverse global

warming, but was in favour of

'white roofs' everywhere.

He said lightening roofs and

roads in urban environments

would offset the global warming

effects of all the cars in the world

for 11 years. "If you look at all the

buildings and if you make the

roofs white and if you make the

pavement more of concrete type

of colour rather than a black type

of colour and if you do that

uniformly, that would be the

equivalent of… reducing the

carbon emissions due to all the

cars in the world by 11 years -

just taking them off the road for

11 years," he said.

The three day Nobel laureate

Symposium ended in a memoran-

dum that is likely to influence any

international agreement on

climate change at the end of this

year in Copenhagen. Furthermore,

environmentalists insist the

developed world must commit to

cutting carbon emissions in order

to set an example for poorer

countries. Secretary Chu said he

was optimistic the US could lead

the way through energy efficiency

measures and boosting the use of

renewable sources like solar,

wind, nuclear and clear coal.

The symposium has gathered

some 60 scientific experts and 20

Nobel Laureates to talk about

climate change. The high level

meeting was hosted by the Royal

Society and the Prince of Wales.

US President Barack Obama Dr Steven Chu.

Obama-1.p65 6/26/2009, 6:39 PM12



CONVEYING a substantial message to the rest of the real estate industry and inspiringit to follow suit, Avani Residence in Hyderabad can be deemed as one amongst a nichegroup of structures authentically built, following all the principles of green architecture.Owned by Mr. Arjun Valluri and Sarada Akkineni and designed by Architect SudhirReddy, its green catalyst was Dr. Vishal Garg. The residence has subsequently receivedIndia's first Platinum certification for a private residence from the Indian Green Build-ing Council (IGBC).

Designed for green living, the day lighting and ventilation are two incredibly impor-tant sustainable aspects, well incorporated into the core design plan of the house. Brief-ing and on an opening note, Dr Vishal Garg, the green facilitator Avani Residence said,"People tend to revel in day lighting, a good view and clean fresh air." Constructed in apleasant location, the residence has been designed in such a way that all these prerequi-sites are adequately met. The advantage of having a lake and the Golconda fort nearby isalso capitalised upon and these two form a pretty picture for the occupants of the house

THIS PAGE SPREAD

Front view of the

Avani residence, the

house has been

awarded the LEED

platinum certifica-

tion by IGBC.

CANNY

CONSTRUCTIONContributing to the growth of the green building industry, India's first

platinum certified residence inspires creativity and depicts all the

elements that contribute to responsible architecture.

TEXT BY SHRIYAL S PHOTOGRAPHS PRAVEEN MANIK & RENDITION BY THE OWNER

ARJUN VALLURI

Avani Residence.p65 7/1/2009, 12:11 PM14



canny construction feature

THIS PAGE

Taking into consider-

ation the advantage

of solar power, the

residence is fitted

with a solar hot

water system and

sophiscated solar

photovoltaic cels.

along with the planted greenery.The residence is fitted with a solar hot water system, solar photovoltaic equipment

and most of the doors and panelling are made from recycled wood. Dr Garg furtheropined that the construction of this house along with the elements used will send out astrong signal to the rest of the fraternity. Indians have traditionally treated the use of oldmaterial in a new house as taboo, but the Avani residence shatters this old myth byusing quality recycled teak in all the woodwork of the house. A few other definingfeatures evident in this residence and in sync with the sustainable model, are the use oflow VOC paints, passive cooling, energy efficient air conditioning, use of very efficientglass, grey water recycling and a cool roof.

In terms of the engineering, the green design technology that is incorporated is theefficient VRF (virtual routing and forwarding) system for air conditioning. The houseuses 'heat recovery wheels' which bring in fresh air and pre-cools the house with theoutgoing air, thereby reducing the consumption of energy. LED lights, motion sensors,




THIS PAGE

Only high albedo

roof coatings

(SRI=85) which

reflect back the solar

radiation, are used.

Since the owner

preferred the colour

grey for the sloping

roof, the reflecting

coating itself was

formulated in this

colour. The windows

are fitted with

double glazed low e-

glass which does an

efficient job of

shading the house.

hydraulic lifts and clever waste water management are some more features complement-ing the innovative green plan of the house.

The photovoltaic system in this house comes with a power conditioning unit whichis unlike the regular photovoltaic inverters. Dr. Garg further elucidates the underlyingdesign of this residence by saying that generally, photovoltaic systems are designed insuch a way that they produce more energy than required. This is not preferred by him,so a power conditioning unit installed ensures that there is a maximum amount ofgenerated energy utilised.

Where lighting is concerned the basic lighting used is already of the energy conserva-tion variety, aiding it the house is also supported by water efficient fixtures, very lowflow fixtures and 6 light pipes that bring daylight into the basement.

Keeping water efficiency at the fore Dr. Vishal Garg has seen that only those fittingsare used around the house, that are high in efficiency and quality. The grey water gath-ered is treated and reused for landscaping needs and the flushing of toilets. A sophisti-cated rain water harvesting system collects up to 10,000 litres, the water so collected istreated and reused for several functions including irrigation.

Roof insulation is not common in homes, but the Avani Residence has 100 percentroof insulation; this feature is further strengthened with the use of aerated concreteblocks. The exposed walls are built with these blocks adding immensely to the insula-tion values. The entire roof coverings are shared by three components; plants, turf andreflective coating. High albedo roof coatings (SRI=85) which reflect back the solar ra-diation, are what were selected by Dr. Garg. Since the owner preferred the colour greyfor the sloping roof, the reflecting coating itself was formulated in this colour. The




canny construction feature

THIS PAGE

As the site on which

the Avani Residence

is constructed had a

deep slope a lot of

excavation was

required, all the

same a maximum

amount of natural

topography was

preserved and

appropriate land-

scaping was carried

out in keeping with

the requirements of

the IGBC rating

system.

windows are fitted with double glazed low e-glass which does an efficient job of shadingthe house and resulting in a conservation of energy as it reduces the use of air condition-ing.

As the site on which the Avani Residence is constructed had a deep slope a lot ofexcavation was required, all the same a maximum amount of natural topography waspreserved and appropriate landscaping was carried out in keeping with the requirementsof the IGBC rating system. The guidelines of 'Vastu' too have been woven in within itsfabric of sustainability. The house finally has been rendered with an excellent heat islandeffect.

The ample covered parking place provided ensures that there is no dearth of parkingspace, and the charging of the electric vehicles is done with ease as this facility is alsowell taken care of.

So dedicated is the owner to the principle of a low environmental impact, that he hasset aside an area in his house where he entertains visitors and educates them on the greenfeatures of the house. So much so that he even distributes explanatory literature, in thehope that more people would iconize him and follow him in this noble path.ContactMr. Arjun ValluriRd 78, plot # 31,32,33,34Bharani Enclave,Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad - 500033




SUSTAINABILITY if practised from the heart and soul can certainly fetch results in apositive and appreciable way and that is exactly how NARI (Nimbkar Agricultural Re-search Institute) won the Globe Sustainability Research Award 2009 for its lantern cumstove called the Lanstove. This honour was awarded to NARI's representative directorAnil Rajvanshi, by H.R.H crown princess Victoria of Sweden, at a ceremony in thewinter garden of the Grand Hotel in Stockholm on June 3rd 2009.

The award winning Lanstove is an extremely efficient dual purpose system. It is apressurised lantern with rare-earth mantle lighting which also doubles up as a cookingstove. This unique lantern which not only illuminates but also acts as a cooking deviceruns on a low concentration [50% (w/w)] ethanol-water mixture. The 50% ethanol-water mixture is less flammable than pure ethanol, making it safe to handle and henceideal for household cooking purposes. It burns very cleanly and therefore is environmen-tal friendly as well.

The Globe Award originated in 2007 in Sweden and was founded by the interna-

NARI’S AWARD

WINNING

LANTERNIn a tough competition with five prominent nominees the Indian

research institute NARI (Nimbkar Agricultural Research Institute),

won the Globe Sustainability Research Award 2009.

TEXT BY SHEETAL M PHOTOGRAPHS: COURTESY NARI.

Mr. Anil Kumar

Rajvanshi

(Director, NARI)

Nari.p65 7/1/2009, 12:05 PM18



nari’s award winning lantern feature

THIS PAGE LEFT

The lanstove,

winner of the Globe

Sustainability

Research Award

2009.

THIS PAGE RIGHT

An electronic

rickshaw by NARI - A

sustainable trans-

port option.

tional business network and marketplace Globe Forum with the aim to support andencourage successful and innovative CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) work. TheGlobe Award 2009 acknowledges prominent researchers, innovators, cities and compa-nies from all parts of the world within four categories, Sustainability Research,Sustainability Innovation, Sustainable City and Sustainability Reporting.

The goal of the Globe Sustainability Research Award, this year was to discover andencourage researchers and research institutes prominent in sustainability research. Thejury for the Sustainability Research Award was chaired by Mohan Munasinghe, NobelPeace Prize Laureate 2007 and Vice Chairman of the UN Intergovernmental Panel onClimate Change. Jury members were Dr. Mona Makram-Ebeld, former member of theEgyptian Parliament and Professor of political science at the American University, CairoEgypt; Frederick C. Dubee, Senior Adviser, United Nations Global Compact Program,working extensively in China and Asia, and Tommy Borglund, Head of CSR services atHallvarsson & Halvarsson Sweden.

"The Globe Sustainability Research Award jury analyses and judges several criteria,including originality, practicality, and contributions to humanity through economicgains, social development and environmental protection." said, Mr. Mohan Munasinghe,Chairman of the Globe Sustainability Research Award jury. Talking more about NARIMr. Mohan said, "The Nimbkar Agricultural Research Institute (NARI) project ondevelopment of a low grade ethanol filled cylinder, which provides energy to produce ahigh quality light output in lanterns, as well as clean fuel for cooking systems, was theoutstanding example of sustainability research, based on these criteria."

On receiving the prestigious award Mr. Rajvanshi said, "We are delighted to receivethis prestigious international award at the hands of HRH Crown Princess Victoria. Thisaward recognises and confirms NARI's philosophy that high tech solutions based onlocal resources can be developed appropriately by a rural organization to solve the basicproblems of the people residing in such areas of the world."

NARI, (www.nariphaltan.org) is an NGO and a non-profit research and develop-ment institute. It was established in 1968 by Mr. B.V. Nimbkar who remained its firstpresident till 1990. Since then Dr. Nandini Nimbkar is the permanent president. Theinstitute undertakes research and development in agriculture, renewable energy, animal

Nari.p65 6/26/2009, 6:11 PM19



husbandry and sustainable development. It is situated in the rural town of Phaltan inMaharashtra state. Phaltan is about 100 km from Pune and 300 km south-east ofMumbai. The Institute actively collaborates with researchers in other organizations andinstitutes such as NFCL, NCL, BARC, TIFR and BAIF, UF (USA) and UNE (Austra-lia).

One of the main categories in the product portfolio of NARI is renewable energy inwhich they have talked about their sustainable products and systems. Its solar poweredethanol distillation plant which was set up in 1980s at their campus was capable ofdistilling 50 l/day of 94% (v/v) ethanol from NARI's Madhura sweet sorghum hybrid.The solar collector area was 38 sq. m. About 70% of the energy for distillation camefrom solar energy. A solar detoxification pilot plant was also set up to treat distilleryeffluent at the NARI campus. It could clean 200 litres of diluted distillery waste in twodays. The photo catalyst chemical used could be recycled and the waste water had 90%transmittance and hence was fit for discharge in waterways. Additionally, NARI hasdeveloped a biomass gasifier for loose agricultural residues like sugarcane leaves whichare the major pollutants of air.

NARI has also developed technologies for a green, pollution free sustainable trans-port system for developing countries. The institute has manufactured pedal rickshaws,motor assisted pedal rickshaws and electric rickshaws; all of which have been exported toEurope and America. NARI can transfer their technologies under license to any inter-ested party.

Mr. Rajvanshi the director of NARI and the originator of the Lanstove concept hasover 30 years of experience in the field of renewable energy, r&d and rural development.He has a B.Tech degree in mechanical engineering from IIT Kanpur and has a Ph.D.from the University of Florida, USA. He left a very lucrative career in the US to comeback and settle down in rural India. He is the author of the national policy on EnergySelf Sufficient Talukas, which was run by MNES, New Delhi. In 1998, he was inductedin the U.S. based Solar Hall of Fame. He was also awarded the prestigious Jamnalal BajajAward for rural development in 2001. In 2004 his work on the electric cycle rickshawwas awarded the Energy Globe Award (also called the Oscars of Energy). He has authoredand co-authored 135 publications in various national and international journals includ-ing 35 editorial articles on sustainable development and spirituality in some of themajor newspapers and magazines of India.Contact:Nimbkar Agricultural Research Institute (NARI)Tambmal, Phaltan-Lonand RoadP.O.Box 44Phaltan-415523, Maharashtra, Indiatel: (02166) 222396/220945email:[email protected]/ [email protected]: www.nariphaltan.org

THIS PAGE LEFT

The solar detox pilot

plant located at the

NARI Institute.

THIS PAGE RIGHT

The institute is

situated in the rural

town of Phaltan,

Maharashtra.

Nari.p65 6/26/2009, 6:59 PM20



A HEARTH

WITH A HEARTParul Zaveri and Nimish Shah of Abhikram capably adhere to the

principles of old world sustainable architecture to create a simple

yet tasteful retreat for danseuse Mallika Sarabhai in the outskirts of

Ahmedabad.

PHOTOGRAPHS: COURTESY ABHIKRAM

WHEN Mallika Sarabhai was planning herfarm house near Gandhinagar in the out-skirts of Ahmedabad, Gujarat she very as-tutely left it in the capable hands of NimishShah and Parul Zaveri of Abhikram. Theirideology of wanting to re-establish the rel-evance of the use of traditional materials,technologies and craftsmen in the contem-porary built environment context, verymuch matched up with her desire of whatan ideal house should be.

Her brief to them was simple, shewanted a house which adhered to all theprinciples of sustainability and providedfor a simple and tasteful retreat. The bud-get was to be moderate and the principles

MVS Residence at the farm.p65 6/26/2009, 6:27 PM22



a hearth with a heart feature

of Vastu Shastra had to be incorporated.Keeping these tenets in mind the ar-

chitect duo pruned down the practice ofelaborate drawings and in fact made dowith just three in the initial stages aidedby a few more sketches later on in the ex-ecution.

A young contemporary city based con-tractor was commissioned by Parul Zaveriand appropriate supervision was provided,for the smooth and efficient execution ofthe design concept.

The sustainable architectural con-tinuum began with the use of thick brickwalls which would facilitate the exclusionof heat and which in turn would renderthe indoors with a cool ambience, mini-mizing the use of air conditioners. Struc-tural arches in brick were used to lessenthe loads on the lintels which were con-structed out of thin Kotah stone. This de-tail greatly reduced the use of cement andconcrete, once again a feature in keepingwith the sustainable vision for the house.

OPPOSITE PAGE

TOP View of the

farm from the

verandah.

OPPOSITE PAGE

BOTTOM North

eastern verandah,

where the arches

meet.

THIS PAGE TOP &

BOTTOM Details of

the China mosaic

work in the toilet

courtyard.




THIS PAGE TOP &

BOTTOM

Recycled windows

and decorative mud

plaster on the

exterior walls.

The inclined roof made up recycledwooden rafters and Mangalore tiles wasslung 90 cms beyond the supporting walls.The roof was equipped with a sprinklersystem which very simply and efficientlywould bring down the temperatures dur-ing the hot months.

The house was composed of two bed-rooms, a living, dining cum kitchen area,attics and a verandah. A swimming poolwas later incorporated into the scheme.

Mallika Sarabhai's residence had at itscore a courtyard which had a centralsunken area providing for a multitude ofuses. It could be used as a lounge with thesimple use of thick 'Gaddies' or even filledwith water to create an indoor plunge poolof sorts. On special occasions it could beconverted into an artistic water body byfloating candles and flowers. The roof cov-ering the central courtyard was set higherthan those of the rest of the house allow-ing for hot air to rise and escape and inturn creating a constant ventilation cycleof fresh air in the interior of the house.

Bringing the goal of sustainability evencloser the architects employed Rajasthani




a hearth with a heart feature

THIS PAGE LEFT

Mud plastered wall

calls for moderate

maintenance

THIS PAGE RIGHT

Central courtyard

with a sunken area.

craftsmen to coat the exterior walls with mud plaster an ancient Indian technique whichwould once again help in the reduction of the indoor ambient temperature. The tradi-tional technique was adhered to in its full form with additional embellishments on themud wall, those being of it being punched with a small steel utensil to create interestinghollows. These were further decorated with mirror pieces rendering the façade with astunning look.

The sustainable architecture continuum was adhered to once again in the area ofwoodwork. Every piece of wood used in the construction of the house was procuredfrom old sites which were being torn down. Old window shutters were fitted in anupside format to make use of the openable parts but at a lower level. This made sense asventilation was required more at the floor level, as all the sleeping and lounging wasplanned on mattresses and cushions placed directly on the floor.

The outdoor toilet was beautified with intricate china mosaic detailing; once againsustainability was at the foreground, as this is traditionally achieved with the use ofrecycled glazed tiles.

The flooring all over the house was constructed in situ, in various colours using theIPS (Indian Patent Stone) method by traditional craftsmen.

Initially 6 sq mts. of solar panels were installed to take care of the energy required forthe pumping of water. However this was augmented with solar batteries and some moreenergy needs were offset so much so that apart from the lights and fans, the fridge,toaster and a computer were also being run on renewable energy.

This eco friendly, sustainable house has withstood the test of time well; it is now 12years since its conception and it can still cater to needs of the growing family with itsmultitude of activities.

With this house it has been proved that architecture in itself only mirrors and em-braces the sensibility of the architect and the owners and here it is sustainability whichis more than evident.




THE ECO-FRIENDLY

PRECURSORThe IOCL headquarters in New Delhi is designed as an energy-

conscious, state-of-the-art, green building and emerges as the best

and the most intelligent corporate office in the country, if not in the

region…

TEXT BY SAVITHA HIRA PHOTOGRAPHS: COURTESY STUP CONSULTANTS PVT. LTD.

STUP Consultants.p65 6/26/2009, 6:21 PM26



the eco-friendly precursor feature

OPPOSITE PAGE

Buildings are

positioned to ensure

that the longer

facades face north

and south and the

shorter facades face

east and west to

maximise thermal

efficiency, resulting

in energy saving.

THIS PAGE LEFT

The sky frame is

fitted out with a

passive cooling

function: its sleek

steel frame houses

stainless steel

fly-masts supporting

tensile fabric

structures hanging

like kites or

suspended parasols.

THOSE who know architect Abhin Alimchandani would within minutes of interactingwith him realise that the man is a store-house of knowledge with quick references frompages of architectural world history. Responding to a situation with sliver-sharp focuscoupled with the panache of a well-read and well-heeled professional, has facilitated hiscompany STUP Design Consultants' growth as one of the leading players in the grow-ing infrastructure development projects in and out of India.

The contract for designing and constructing the Indian Oil Corporation Headquar-ters' building in Delhi was won by the company through a national-level architecturaldesign competition. STUP's cutting-edge steel and glass design was conceived as a greenbuilding projecting the twin concerns of sustainability and the optimal use of energy ina futuristic composition. Inspired by the blade of a knife, its geometries are juxtaposedwith a composition of blocks and cores proportioned with great care so as to define anaspect ratio ideal for the latitude of New Delhi. The blocks create a unifying geometry,whilst they simultaneously frame the building against the sky. The block-n-core con-figuration also helps the structure respond to the seismicity of Delhi.

Basically the building is a composite construction, designed in steel and concreteand broadly comprises the Executive Block, General Office Block & Board Room Blockthat have been imaginatively grouped to form an interesting architectural compositionresulting in dramatic un-built spaces between them. While the Executive and Generaloffice blocks are physically integrated, the Board Room block, which is somewhat sepa-rated is linked by two glass bridges at upper levels, floating as it were in the open centralspace. This space is fitted with a sun-screen on top creating a semi-shaded open atrium.

Visualised from the sky, the building resembles a semiconductor chip; its definingcharacter, the sky frame is lined with silicon: solar collectors and photovoltaic cells glit-




ter as they catch sunlight and transmit the energy for building use. The sky frame isfitted out with a passive cooling function: its sleek steel frame houses stainless steel fly-masts supporting tensile fabric structures, hanging like kites and suspended parasols,providing shade to the carefully shaped Atrium Plaza located below. In fact, the AtriumPlaza is conceived as a rather innovative concept and is one of the highlights of theproject, paying homage to the India Habitat Centre. It provides a grand naturally-cooled entrance, where the curved surfaces of the building channelise wind across thefountains and greenery of the fabric-shaded court; and the natural evaporative coolingprovides an effective green alternative to the conventional climate-controlled atrium.

IOCL is conceived as a building incorporating passive and active solar architecturalstrategies and innovations: both generating energy as well as minimising energy con-sumption. Its three-block architectural configuration very cleverly overcomes the inher-ent limitation of the site caused by a fuel station occupying one of the vantage corners.Above all, the building blocks are positioned so as to ensure that the longer facades faceNorth and South and the shorter facades face East & West. Such a disposition of blocksmaximises thermal efficiency of the building, resulting in significant energy saving. Whilethe North & South facades are fitted with structural glazing, perhaps the most stunningaspect of the building is built into the road-facing southern facades, where stainless steelbrise-soleils form a spectacular array of photovoltaic sunshades, at once protecting thebuilding from the harsh southern sun while simultaneously capturing its energy andtransferring it to a battery bank. This is a commendable example of the architects'response to branding as this innovative façade of steel, glass and silicon projects an imageof immense sophistication. At once futuristic and state-of-the-art, it projects the notionof a clean and green energy on the very façade of IOCL's corporate headquarters.

IOCL's position as a progressive 21st century organization meeting the challenges ofa globalised world is sustained through the use of steel and metal: through sharp linesand edges of the building and the hint of stainless steel in the railings, the sunshades,

PREVIOUS PAGE

RIGHT

A solar garden

where green dunes

are juxtaposed with

solar panel lined

beds, photosynthe-

sis and photovolta-

ics bringing energy

to the landscape.

THIS PAGE TOP

The interiors are

best exemplified by

the conference hall,

with its sleek

custom designed

fittings in steel and

glass, contrasted

with suspended

wooden plates

sweeping across the

ceiling..




the eco-friendly precursor feature

THIS PAGE LEFT

Framing views and

welcoming maxi-

mum daylight

penetration.

THIS PAGE RIGHT

At dusk, the building

and its water walls

light up, through an

array of invisible and

subtle lights,

concealed in the

landscape.

the spider fittings, the suspended canopies and fly masts, andperhaps most expressively in the stark cantilevered steel staircasesprojecting the image of the refinery in a most metaphoric man-ner. Internally, spaces are column-free and some of the roomscommand a spectacular view of the adjacent garden. Like AlvarAalto, the work spaces have been organized on a rectangular gridwith lobbies, ducts and staircases taking a circular form. Thefacilities and the recreation areas are also curves. A suspendedsteel and glass staircase, with a cantilevered steel staircase and aminimalist stainless steel frame suspended five floors holding largecurved panels of glass defines the VIP entrance to the northeast.The feeling of suspension is heightened by the large curve in ametallic suspended canopy descending from the sky frame andframing the entrance below.

The interiors are best exemplified by sleek custom-designedfittings in steel and glass. An effective use of LED fixtures bringscolour and light, while rooms are defined by minimalist straightlines and rich stone, always framing views and welcoming naturallight. The sustainability theme is reflected in the lighting con-trol system where the lights adjust their intensity to compensatethe daylight, while the variable refrigerant air-conditioning system works in consonancewith the building management system to effectively optimize energy consumption.

At dusk, the building and its water walls light up, through an array of invisible andsubtle lights, concealed in the landscape, creating a calm and peaceful ambience, as theday descends into night. This is an architecture designed in homage to the man wholoved gardens and gave Delhi its wonderful architectural institutions: Joseph Allen Stein,while the white metal and the strong simple lines are inspired by the architecture ofRichard Meir's white buildings….where the sun plays an enabling role, providing lightand shade, while simultaneously defining forms in space.

This is architecture in homage to Energy. A building forged by the movement of thesun, its shape and form, its orientation, reflecting the sun's path across the sky, while itsglittering steel features reflect the sun and the unique shining futuristic silicon façadeharnesses its energy….

The project is envisaged through a biocli-matic approach with optimized operations in:

Climatisation - Reduced heat gain in sum-mer by locating cores on east and west andorienting building north-south.Heat retention in winter - minimum en-ergy loss and passive cooling techniques.Lighting - Maximum Daylight penetra-tionPassive Solar Design - Evaporative coolingin plaza is achieved with natural windguided by aerodynamic forms flowing overaeration ponds and fountains. Alternativeenergy sources have been used such as pho-tovoltaic cells and solar collectors.Recycling - Recycled water is used for land-scaping, aeration ponds, cooling andflushing.




Grow Your Own Fresh Air

Indian environmentalist, Kamal

Meattle illustrates eco friendly

ways to combat indoor air

pollution with the help of three

easily available and maintainable,

house plants.

With a vision to reshape commer-

cial buildings in India using

Kamal Meattle, the environmen-

talist opts for an air cleaning

system involving plants instead of

traditional HVAC equipments

used in the past at this business

centre, rendering it an eco-friendly

and sustainable building.

The environmentalist with the

help of IIT and similar organiza-

tions discovered three common

green plants that help grow fresh

air indoors. At the TED 2009

conference, Kamal Meattle

demonstrated how it was pos-

sible to generate fresh air in the

confines of an office or any other

living space with the help of the

said houseplants. He illustrated

how these plants if placed in

strategic spots in homes and

offices can give rise to cleaner,

chemical-allergen free indoor air.

The three plants utilised in the

process were the Areca palm

(Chrysalidocarpus lutescens),

Mother-in-law's tongue (Sansevi-

eria trifasciata) and the Money

plant (Epipremnum aureum).

Emphasizing more on this

green concept, Mr. Kamal

Meattle said, "We will now be

principles of green architecture,

Kamal Meattle initiated the

Paharpur Business Centre and

Software Technology Incubator

Park (PBC™-STIP) in New Delhi.

These institutions are an eco-

friendly oasis for businesses

promoting the generation of

unpolluted air in indoor spaces.

Plants lead to fresher indoor air, increasing

productivity by almost 20%.

The Paharpur Business Centre

and Software Technology

Incubator Park.Kamal Meattle

Kamal Meattle (eco living).p65 7/1/2009, 1:04 PM30


grow your own fresh air eco livinggreen by design supplement to home review july 2009 issue

Plants if placed in strategic spots in homes and

offices can give rise to cleaner, chemical, allergen free indoor air.

replicating this concept in a much

larger way at GreenSpaces a

notified SEZ in the city of

Faridabad, where we intend to

use over 60,000 indoor plants. The

demonstration will clearly prove

that 'green is green' and will

elucidate that it is possible to

reduce the consumption of energy

in buildings from 40% to 10%

through technology, lifestyle

change and an educated design

plan. Not only will people avail of

purer air at work but it will also

result in a substantial drop in the

carbon foot-print". He also added,

"At the Paharpur Business Centre,

we have a full-fledged IAQ (Indoor

Air Quality) division called

'Cleanair' which provides consult-

ing services on indoor air quality

issues to companies."

The Areca palm plant com-

monly known as the living room

plant eliminates CO2 by convert-

ing it into oxygen. Another com-

mon plant, the Mother-in-law's

tongue is also known as the

bedroom plant as it converts

carbon dioxide into oxygen during

night hours in the absence of

sunlight. The third plant com-

monly called the Money plant or

Pothos is helpful in contributing to

an elevation in the quality of

indoor air by eradicating formal-

dehydes and other volatile

chemicals present in it.

These plants lead to fresher

indoor air, increasing productivity

by almost 20%. Additionally

these houseplants not only

convert CO2 to O2 but also act as

effective filters of common air

pollutants. The concerned plants

were tested successfully for 15

years at the Paharpur Business

Centre and Software Technology

Incubator Park in New Delhi, India

proving their effectiveness

conclusively. The research con-

ducted at this organization further

confirmed a 42 probability of

increase in one's blood oxygen by

one percent if one stayed indoors

in such a building for the duration

of 8 hours a day. Furthermore, the

Government of India published a

study describing this building as

the healthiest building in India.

The study was based on a

research which proved that the

incidence of eye irritations were

reduced by 52 percent, respira-

tory ailments by 34 percent;

headaches were reduced by 24

percent, lung impairment by 12

percent and asthma by 9 percent

in comparison to other buildings.

Kamal Meattle has been an

environmentalist in India for a long

time. In the year 1980, he helped

India's apple industry develop a

less wasteful form of packaging,

resulting in the saving of several

acres of forest trees.

Contact

Paharpur Business Centre &

Software Technology

Incubator Park,

Nehru Place Greens,

New Delhi 110019, India

tel : (011) 41207171

web: www.pbcnet.com

Money plant

(Epipremnum aureum).

Mother-in-law's tongue

(Sansevieria trifasciata)Areca palm

(Chrysalidocarpus lutescens),

Kamal Meattle (eco living).p65 7/1/2009, 3:33 PM31



A LOW ENERGY USE

APPROACHBiome Environmental Solutions Pvt. Ltd of Bangalore believes

that using natural elements while constructing any edifice; will

vastly improve the life of its occupants.

TEXT BY SHEETAL M. PHOTOGRAPHS LAVANNYA GORADIA

COURTESY THE ARCHITECT

THE real estate sector in Bangalore is growing rapidly, however this currenttrend has wreaked havoc on the environment. Keeping this in mind, the inex-haustible effort of Chitra Vishwanath Architects has been able to make a differ-ence with over 500 buildings, across geographies. These have been built withecological ethics in place over a period of 18 years. The company is now knownas Biome Environmental Solutions Private Limited after merging with the likeminded company Rainwater Club.The founders, Chitra and Vishwanath and their efficient team believe thatsustainability can be achieved without compromising on the aesthetics of a build-ing and still provide equal or more comfort levels than the current energy-inten-sive trends.

Moreover, The Rain Water Club has an extensive record of providing knowl-edge services in water management and rainwater harvesting, ecological wastewater treatment and sanitation practices.

Chitra K Vishwanath Architects has designed several real estate developmentprojects; these include residences, institutions and hospitality projects. In allthese structures the underlying design plan has always been aided by ecological

principles, integration of water and energy and proper land-use. The institute has craftedsome remarkable sustainable projects and Mr. Rajagopal Kadambi and Mrs.JyothiRajagopal's home is one amongst them. Bearing in mind the owners' passion for art, theentire house is planned for a display of artefacts and antiques collected by them overtime.

During the construction of this house special attention was paid to its sustainablevalues and its benefits. For instance, the walls were built with stabilized mud blocks andleft totally unplastered; this ensured a minimum amount of maintenance and a savingon cost could be well accrued over time. The walls are niched and the clever alcovesplanned draw attention to the display of art pieces. The Kota floor is understated and

THIS PAGE TOP

The walls are built

with stabilized mud

blocks and left

totally unplastered.

THIS PAGE BOTTOM

The natural light

filters in through

strategically fitted

coloured glasses in

the ceiling.

Chitra Vishwanath.p65 7/1/2009, 3:07 PM32



a low energy use approach feature

provides just the right foil for the beautiful furniture collection laid over it. A very smartsustainable idea employed in the house is the use of natural light filters achieved withthe help of coloured glass panes fitted in the ceiling at strategic points. The end result isaesthetically spectacular too.

The roof of the house is composed of ribbed hollow clay blocks; these provide insu-lation and it is seen that the rooms are cooler by a few degrees. A part of the roof isconstructed with mud blocks and forms the vault roof which further re-defines thevolume of space. This has just a minimal steel mesh covering it.

Once the occupants shift into their new home, they not only get busy with thearrangement of their personal articles but they also have to take into consideration theproper arrangements for their daily requirements of water, electricity and other services.To solve the problem of an adequate and steady water supply Biome EnvironmentalSolutions Private Limited equipped the Rajgopal residence with an efficient rainwaterharvesting system. The system which was installed not only collected and recycled therainwater but it recharged a well too. This ensured that the rain water was sent back tothe earth without polluting it or without it passing on into the city sewer. Additionallythe black and grey water from the toilets was treated naturally and the water so obtainedwas again employed for the irrigation of the accompanying farm.

Biome Environmental Solutions Private Limited through its work prefers practisingsustainability sincerely and considers it as a luminous green initiative. At this respon-sible architectural firm the team believes in following those values that make proper useof local and traditional resources in an optimized manner.Contact:Biome Environmental Solutions Pvt. Ltd1022, 6th Block, 1st Floor, HMT Layout,Vidyaranyapura Main Road, Vidyaranyapura,Bangalore - 560097tel: (080) 41672790email: [email protected]: www.biome-solutions.com

THIS PAGE TOP

LEFT View of the

dining area, illumina-

tion is achieved with

the help of a lamp

made of recycled

glass.

THIS PAGE BOTTOM

LEFT The house is

consciously planned

to accommodate the

art and antique

collection of the

owners.

THIS PAGE RIGHT

The roof is made of

ribbed hollow clay

blocks which

insulate the house

and keep the

interiors cooler.

Chitra Vishwanath.p65 6/26/2009, 7:11 PM33



THE ZERO

CARBON HOUSEDiseno Earle architects are responding to the increasing demand for

modern sustainable design as clients become more knowledgeable

about renewable energy products and their benefits.

TEXT BY SHEETAL M. PHOTOGRAPHS: COURTESY THE ARCHITECT

AS the residents of the Costa Del Sol gradually wake up to global environmental needs,Diseno Earle begins to plug the architectural abyss that envelops eco-housing strategyin Southern Spain. The philosophy behind Zero Carbon House is a lesson to all on howwe can reduce our growing carbon footprint, without compromising in style and com-fort.

A team of architects at Diseno Earle have designed a highly unique and contempo-rary villa with two specific objectives in mind; first to achieve a virtually zero carbonfootprint and secondly to reduce running costs to an almost self-sufficiency level. Byharnessing and exploiting natural elements within the design the architects believe thehome will be 80 percent more efficient than a similar sized home, with 75 percent lesswaste than a traditional design. All this will go towards a massive reduction in runningcosts. The villa is to be sited on a plot overlooking the La Quinta Golf Course and willbe built using sustainable construction methods ensuring total regard for the localenvironment and social footprint.

THIS SPREAD

The water features

are an important part

of the cooling

dynamics and a

mirage psychology

for the zero carbon

house.

OPPOSITE PAGE

TOP

The striking profile

of the house hides a

multitude of energy

saving strategies.

GBD - The Zero Carbon house.p65 6/26/2009, 5:40 PM34



the zero carbon house feature

Whilst virtually every architectural feature contributes to the overall sustainability ofthe project, by no means has the design element been forfeited over ecological function.This is a strikingly original home packed with the kind of superlative features one wouldwant to experience in 21st century luxurious living. The 3, 125 square metre plot pre-sented a major challenge to the architects, long and narrow and sitting on a 45 degreegradient, there is virtually no flat land. However, it does have stunning views over thegolf course to the famous La Concha mountain backdrop to Marbella. The total projectbuild will be 650 square metres. The house is on three levels, a 'floating' glass walkwayleads to the entrance which opens into the upper level of a double-height glass atrium,drawing the eye through 180 degree of panoramic views. This level includes a kitchen,dining room and main living room. A swimming pool and two terrace areas are alsolocated at the same level, with a separate guest house at the far end of the plot.

Stairs lead down to a lower level which houses three bedrooms, two bathrooms, amaster suite, TV room and family room. Additionally a plant room located on the

THIS PAGE BOTTOM

The house is on

three levels, a

'floating' glass

walkway leads to

the entrance which

opens into the

upper level of a

double-height glass

atrium, drawing the

eye through 180

degree of panoramic

views.




basement level contains the water holdings tanks. The kitchen, opening out onto an eastfacing terrace, positioned to take advantage of the morning sun and partial shading isprovided by a pergola. The main living area is connected to the kitchen and dining roomby a bridge which passes over water.

Externally the most apparent feature is the roof line which sits wing-like above thebuilding line. The roof form and its distance from the building is what holds the solarpanels at the correct angle to maximize effectiveness whilst also taking care of privacy.Less direct heat is transmitted into the house and the space between the two rooflinesallows air to pass over the building adding to the cooling effect. Perimeter adjustablelouvered vents are also located just below the building roofline allowing cooler air topass through rooms while removing the accumulated hot air. Glass forms a major struc-ture of the structure. However, to prevent excessive conduction, the 'double skin effect'is utilized along with adjustable louvered panels. The main living area hovers above a'mirage' of water which appears to merge with the swimming pool but is in fact part ofthe cooling system. Fed by a canal which runs adjacent to the length of the pool, this30cm-deep 'mirage pool' cools the air passing over it, and so contributes to the over alldynamic of the cooling process.

A rainwater reclamation system will be installed and grey water will be recycled fromholding tanks situated in the basement. The pool will be saline, negating the use ofstandard pool chemicals.

A photovoltaic system will supply the electricity to run a radiant heating systemwithin the floor. The adjustable louver-wall convection system will optimize heat cap-ture during the day and retain the warmth by night. Geo-thermal energy will provide aback-up cooling and heating system. In keeping with the design ethos, only wood fromverified managed sources will be used as will low VOC paints and LED lighting. Envi-ronmentally sensitive smart glass technology reacting to sunlight will reduce the coolingload through self-adjusting opacity levels. The kitchen layout optimizes storage designto decrease waste and all appliances will be the latest low energy, water-efficient models.The villa is available to purchase and will be completed at the end of 2009.

THIS PAGE TOP

LEFT The V-wing

roof shape affords

the PV array a

maximum exposure

to the sun and

minimum exposure

to the eye.

THIS PAGE TOP

RIGHT Outer view of

the entire house.

THIS PAGE BOTTOM

A schematic plan of

the house.



green talk cooling towers


Like other forms of sustain

able architecture 'cooling

towers' are also a very

efficient step towards bringing

down global warming. 'Cooling

towers' the name itself indicates

its function; these are heat

removal devices used to transfer

process waste heat to the atmo-

sphere.

Some of the other common

preferred names for cooling

towers are; wind scoops, wind

scrappers, and wind catchers

etc. Presently facing stiff competi-

tion from commercial air condi-

tioners, these efficient devices

deserve to be studied as a bio-

climatic solution in today's energy

starved times. However the

context of landscape, form, use,

construction, maintenance and

utility will have to be taken into

account simultaneously.

A cooling or wind tower

functions on several principles;

first a wind catcher is capped

and has several directional ports

at the top (traditionally four). By

closing all but the one port facing

away from the incoming wind, air

is drawn upwards using the

Coanda effect; that is the ten-

dency of a fluid jet to stay at-

tached to an adjacent curved

surface that is very well shaped.

This generates significant cooling

ventilation within the structure

below, but is not enough to bring

the temperature below ambient

alone - it would simply draw hot

air in through any cracks or

windows in the structure below.

Therefore, the key to generat-

ing frigid temperatures seems to

be that there should be very few

cracks at the base of the thick

THIS FORGOTTEN FORM OF

ARCHITECTURE IS BACK AS A

MODERN AND TRENDY

ELEMENT OF PRESENT DAY

ARCHITECTURAL SOLUTIONS

TO HELP SAVE ON PRECIOUS

ENERGY WITH THE HELP OF

A PASSIVE COOLING

CONCEPT.

structure below, but there should

be a significant air gap above the

qanat (a water management

system). A qanat has a substan-

tial amount of water, as there are

frequent well-like reservoirs along

its path. Completely shaded from

the sun, a qanat also aggregates

the cold, sinking air at night,

which is then trapped within,

unable to rise up to the less

dense surface air. A wind

catcher, however, can create a

pressure gradient which sucks at

least a small amount of air

upwards through a house. This

cool, dry night air, being pulled

over a long passage of water,

The Return Of

Cooling Towers

The windcatcher of Dowlat-abad in Yazd is one of the

tallest extant windcatchers

Colling towers.p65 7/1/2009, 2:18 PM38


cooling towers green talkgreen by design supplement to home review july 2009 issue

evaporates some of it and is

cooled down further.

The cooling or wind tower is

an efficient medium of air condi-

tioning and has been extensively

used throughout the Middle East.

In fact it is seen that it has

already made a foray in contem-

porary architecture in Iran. Paris-

based architects Herve Richard

from France and his Iranian wife

Shiva Tolouie have carried out

extensive studies on this subject

in the town of Yazd, central Iran,

for almost five years.

In India this system was only

limited to the desert region (e.g.

Rajasthan and some parts of

Gujarat) but now a revival of this

ancient form of passive cooling is

seen all over our country. These

days more and more of present

day architects are relying partially

if not entirely on this form of a

cooling concept. At the Sohrabji

Godrej Green Business Centre at

Hyderabad, Ar Karan Grover has

used wind towers for catching

wind and then tunnelling it

through a shaft. This passively

cooled air is then circulated.

Another example of an effi-

cient employment of wind

catchers is the Khadke House in

Pune, a home designed by

Navkar Architects. The skylight in

the house acts as a solar chim-

ney, pulling out the hot air of the

house towards the turbo ventila-

tors on either side, which in turn

throw out the air. While wind

catchers, strategically pull in the

cool breeze and distribute it to all

the bedrooms. A water tank

above the wind catcher further

cools the incoming air.

A combination of traditional

methods of sustainability along

with modern architectural solu-

tions seems to be the answer to

today's need of the hour. 'Zero

energy buildings' is what is

required in the present day

scenario or at least near zero

energy use construction.

Wind Tower

ExhaustWind Wind Direction

Air Drawn

into Qanat

Cooled

Basemant

Low Pressure Zone

EarthEarth

Earth

Air Current (cooled by convection and evaporation)Water flowing in qanat

An ab anbar with double domes

and windcatchers in the central

desert city of Naeen, near Yazd.

The Didcot power station repre-

sents an industrial cooling tower.Working of a wind scoop.

Colling towers.p65 6/26/2009, 5:36 PM39



Green For Grey

Learn how with a little

meaningful effort you can

grow your own food and

magically do away with waste at

the same time. a dedicated

team’s heartfelt work bears fruit.

In contrast to the vast sea, load

carrying cranes and dust and

smoke spewing trucks is a bio-

diverse hot spot heart-fully

the recycling of the organic waste

generated at the premises of the

central kitchen. Bitten by the

'green' bug and led by Dr. R. T.

Doshi and under the able guid-

ance of Shri Dipak Suchde the

team has very capably managed

to create a terrace farm, housing

and nurturing more than 150

varieties of herbal, medicinal and

flowering plants.

created and nurtured by a very

environment conscious group of

employees of the Mumbai Port

Trust. We are talking about the

terrace garden of the central

kitchen at the MbPT which lies

deep in the heart of the Victoria

Dock.

This 3000 sq. ft. haven is the

green initiative of a dedicated

team of people which facilitates

This 3000 sq. ft. haven is the green initiative of a team of people which

recycles the organic waste generated at the central kitchen of MbPT.

Fresh organic produce

obtained from the

terrace farm of the

central kitchen of the

MbPT.

MBPT City farm (Eco Living).p65 7/1/2009, 3:21 PM40


green for grey eco livinggreen by design supplement to home review july 2009 issue

The farming technique fol-

lowed at the MbPT kitchen terrace

garden is called 'Natueco' and is

the brainchild of Professor S. A.

Dabholkar. Natueco affects the

environment and the farmer in a

dynamically positive manner.

There are several advantages

which are intrinsic to this very

innovative farming technique. It

not only brings down the cost of

farming dramatically but also the

effort of waste disposal is done

away with. Secondly as food is

grown right at the site of its use,

the food miles are totally negated

and people are converted into

happy 'locavores'. If the poor and

needy were to follow this low-cost

method of growing food they

would not only ably handle the

problem of garbage disposal but

deal with malnourishment above

all else. Liberating the urbanites

from the commercial dependence

of food the happy bye product

would of course be the aspect of

a substantial reduction in the

carbon footprint.

The actual method of this eco

friendly farming entails the

soaking of a biomass consisting

of leaves from the trees surround-

ing the kitchen building, in a 4 day

old diluted culture. This culture is

made from cow dung, cow urine,

jaggery and water. Subsequently

this biomass is layered with

topsoil, mulched and left in a

heap for 30-100 days. The nutrient

rich soil thus derived is now

capable of recycling the kitchen

waste which is added to it in

appropriate quantities on a regular

basis. The planting material so

obtained; entirely from the site

itself is then housed in scrapped

oil or paint drums, once again a

bye product of port activities.

Once the apt saplings are planted

the abundant sunlight and a little

care and watering is all that is

required to produce a healthy

yield of fruits, grains and veg-

etables.

This simple and 'doable by all'

farming technique is only filled

with benefits; with the integration

of agriculture in to daily life it

gives rise to a unique educational

The roots penetrate no further

than the stone slabs.

The Tailed Jay butterfly, a welcome visitor.

Some plants a are planted

directly on the floor.

opportunity for all especially the

young. Such community urban

farms can bring individuals closer

forming strong bonds of unity.

There are some misconceptions

too, such as there is a fear of a

foul odour emanating from the soil

or an increase in flies and other

insects. It is very clearly evident

that these are fallacies provided

the technique is followed correctly

and in fact the only things that

proliferate are pretty birds and

butterflies. Another misplaced

worry is that the roots may

penetrate the slab. it is noticed

that the roots of the plants only go

down as much as the soil and

penetrate no further.

This ingenious method literally

spins gold in the way of precious

food, from absolute waste and

helps in the recycling and reusing

of free available resources at the

same time letting loose a burst of

green amidst the drab concrete

port environment.

Contact

www.natuecocityfarming

.blogspot.com

MBPT City farm (Eco Living).p65 7/1/2009, 12:06 PM41



Get Your Green On

Omved a store that gives

the Eco-conscious

something to smile

about, with a comprehensive

range of organic, eco friendly

products manufactured within

the guidelines of Ayurveda!

Priti Mehta and Sucheta

Khandwala are founders and

directors of Omved a retail chain

of stores marketing the largest

range of pure and natural prod-

ucts which are made following

the Vedic traditions of ancient

India. They sell only that which

comes for the earth and will go

back to be earth- merchandise

with a complete karmic cycle. It is

the newest venture of the J. E.

Hammer Group, a privately held

multi-national, multi-business

conglomerate.

They have researched and

revived several old methods of

manufacturing key products

meant for household use, food

incense and 100% chemical free

body, hair and face care prod-

ucts.

Sourcing and using the infinite

wisdom of Indian Gurus and

inspiring craftsmen and artisans

and beauty aids. Some of the

authentic products ethically

manufactured by them are high

quality organic spices, herbal

dyed organic bath and bed linen,

pvc free yoga mats, non toxic

Herbal healiing Rajais.

One of their retail outlets.

Omved Phoenix.p65 6/26/2009, 5:25 PM42


get your green on eco livinggreen by design supplement to home review july 2009 issue

from the remotest part of our

country and finally creating a

range of products that satisfy

stringent codes of quality and

aesthetics has been a long yet

satisfying journey for these very

environment conscious founders

of Omved. They commission only

those tradesmen and manufactur-

ers who adhere to fair trade

practices and try to minimize their

impact on the environment

considerably. The packaging of

the products too is ably managed

with recycled ware and it is seen

that only water based inks are

employed in the printing of all

their labels and stationary.

Shopping at Omved is particu-

larly special and holistic as you

not only stock up on authentic eco

friendly products but the retail

outlets are well stocked with

pamphlets and fliers on various

subjects from 'knowing your

Doshas' and 'analysing your

Chakras' to rating the 'toxicity of

your homes' and 'how to read

labels'. Wellness and Optimum

health is what they want for their

patrons and they ably provide for

it with the sustainable bridge

between modern life and the over

5000 year old Vedic wisdom.

'Om' means the absolute and

'Ved' means knowledge, to live in

complete wisdom and awareness

is the founding principle of

Omved. Since the products are

based on the eternal principles or

'Sanatan Dharma', they are not

religious in nature but spiritual

and so universal in their applica-

tion. The products and services

offered by this brand are in a

class of their own, thus Omved is

not a store but a guide to living

natural, eating natural, and feeling

beautiful from the inside out!

Contact

Omved Lifestyle Pvt Ltd

Plot No 19, Road No 9

Midc, Andheri,

Mumbai 400093

Tel 9122 28203154/32911679

Website: omved.com

Email:[email protected]

High quality organic spices. Non toxic incense.

Bronze/kansa Dinnerware.

Omved Phoenix.p65 6/26/2009, 5:24 PM43



green talk bentley's green definitions

According to the U.S. Green

Building Council -- whose

LEED certification program

has become the de facto stan-

dard for sustainable building --

buildings consume 72 percent of

electricity, 39 percent of energy,

and 14 percent of potable water

in the United States alone.

Globally, buildings use 40 percent

of raw materials and account for a

significant portion of the green-

house gas emissions that affect

climate.

The infrastructure community

is rising to the challenge to

develop buildings that consume

fewer resources, generate less

waste, and cost less to operate.

In response to this global call for

high-performance buildings,

Bentley launched a new group in

September 2008 to help archi-

tects, engineers, construction

professionals, and owner-opera-

tors design, build, and operate

better-performing, more sustain-

able buildings.

Bentley's new Building Perfor-

mance Group focuses on solu-

tions that address the immediate

global need to create and main-

tain energy-efficient, environmen-

tally friendly, safer buildings that

also set the benchmark for

occupant comfort. Among the

group's current offerings are

Bentley's recently acquired

Hevacomp line of building ser-

vices design software and the Tas

software for in-depth energy

analysis and simulation. The

Hevacomp product line is an

important addition to Bentley's

portfolio of solutions that help

sustain infrastructure and the

environment because Hevacomp's

substantive analysis applications

BENTLEY'S NEW BUILDING

PERFORMANCE GROUP

FOCUSES ON SOLUTIONS

THAT ADDRESS THE IMMEDI-

ATE GLOBAL NEED TO CRAFT

AND SUSTAIN ENERGY-

EFFICIENT, ECO-FRIENDLY,

SECURE EDIFICES.

leverage the content of building

information. Together, these

products enable rigorous building

analysis and simulation for

improved building performance.

"The creation of our new

Building Performance Group

underscores Bentley's long-term

commitment to providing compre-

hensive software solutions for

sustaining infrastructure," said

CEO Greg Bentley. "It will make

available a growing number of

highly integrated, advanced

software tools that architects,

engineers, and low-carbon

consultants can deploy to ad-

dress the increasing demand for

buildings designed with lifecycle

performance in mind. These

better-performing buildings will

be more energy and water

efficient, will emit less carbon

waste, and will be safer to

operate and work or live in."

Headed by Vice President

Noah Eckhouse, the Building

Performance Group is comprised

of a team of highly skilled busi-

ness developers, industry experts,

and sales and support profession-

als with specialized knowledge

and broad experience in building

performance issues. "Sustaining

infrastructure is what we focus on

at Bentley, and building perfor-

mance is emblematic of our

purpose," Eckhouse said.

Bentley's building performance

products enable those who

design, build, and operate

structures, to fulfill three potential

requirements, one is to comply

the existing and emerging govern-

ment regulations around the world

associated with energy efficiency,

carbon emissions, water con-

sumption, earthquake, wind and

flood resistance, and other

performance-related parameters,

the second parameter is to

consider and compare design

alternatives with early-stage

conceptual design software and

the third factor is to calculate the

impact of design and design

changes on building performance

with engineering precision.

Bentley's

Green Definitions

Bentley-1.p65 6/26/2009, 5:23 PM44



eco lodge eco living

Eco Lodge

Are you looking for a

relaxing and luxurious

holiday without putting

the environment at the risk?

Then your quest is over, Daintree

Ecolodge would be the perfect

eco-friendly holiday destination

for you and your family.

Daintree Eco Lodge & Spa has

been voted as the world's leading

eco lodge at the 2007 World

Travel Awards. It is an ideal

tropical resort located in North

Queensland, Australia offering a

tree-house style accommodation.

As you succumb to indulgent

sleep-inducing massages and

mud, salt and hot oil treatments

in a sheltered valley in the

Daintree, you can rest easy in the

knowledge that all the water is

treated on site and the lodge has

a strong focus on preserving and

proclaiming the original heritage

of this valley. "We own this land

freehold, but we don't do anything

without asking the original elders,"

says lodge founder and owner

Terry Maloney. "The three Ps -

people, planet and profit - you've

got to have them in balance."

Daintree Eco Lodge & Spa

takes advantage of the pure

natural spring water which

originates from the property's own

pristine waterfall. This water is

tested regularly and provides total

supply for guest usage and resort

operations. It is the purest water

in the region. One of the many

attributes that makes the Daintree

Spa one of the most unique spas

of the world is its natural setting,

which allows guests to be fully

immersed in nature, from the time

they arrive at the property and

most importantly after each

treatment.

The beauty of the Daintree

region is due to the variety of

nature featured, a total of 8

wildlife habitats - billabong, open

grass land, mangroves, riverine,

low land rainforest, creeks, and

cane to estuary habitat. Of

Australia's 36 mangrove species,

28 are found in the Daintree.

Ecotourism is a proactive tool

within the sustainable tourism

framework that Daintree Eco

Lodge & Spa utilises to protect

and preserve the properties -

natural environments (rainforest,

river systems, mangroves),

biodiversity and ecosystems and

the rich aboriginal cultural heri-

tage, while at the same time

generating sustainable business

development in the tourism and

hospitality operations of the Eco

Lodge. They have developed

management systems, through

policy and protocol frameworks,

to ensure best practice tech-

niques, such as energy manage-

ment, waste management,

environmental management, to

name a few, are carried out in the

day to day business of the lodge.

To further Daintree's commit-

ment to best practice sustainable

tourism and ecotourism, strategic

alliances have been developed

with various commonwealth and

state government departments.

One of these departments is the

Australian Greenhouse Office

(AGO). Daintree Eco Lodge & Spa

formalised a partnership with

AGO under the Greenhouse

Challenge which focuses Daintree

Eco Lodge & Spa’s efforts on

reducing greenhouse emissions

and most importantly, requires

Daintree Eco Lodge & Spa to

satisfy detailed audits and energy

management assessments

carried out by AGO.

Pure natural spring water which originates

from the property's own pristine waterfall.

It is an ideal tropical resort

located in North Queensland,

Australia offering a tree-house

style accommodation.

Daintree Ecolodge.p65 6/26/2009, 5:23 PM45


Q & A hiren patel


Q&A with Hiren Patel

ARCHITECT HIREN PATEL

TALKS ON ACQUIRING A

LEED AP TITLE AND DIS-

CUSSES HIS PLANS FOR

AUTHENTIC SUSTAINABLE

ARCHITECTURAL PROJECTS

IN THE FUTURE.

What is your perception on

the current green building

scenario in India and how do

you think the builder and

designer could further pro-

mote this concept?

The green building awareness is

growing rapidly in India. Archi-

tects and builders have now

started thinking of a building

keeping in mind its environmental

impact. It means one has started

taking the hazardous effects of

non-planned construction seri-

ously. This further inspires one to

compare and learn from the

environment conscious design

concept of our historical build-

ings, a wonderful idea towards

the appreciation of our valuable

heritage. According to me we

should positively promote the

green building concept, as this

would then result in making our

environment cleaner and more

health oriented. Also for a greener

India apart from the thrust on

sustainable construction we will

have to cut down on the current

use of energy in order to avoid

disastrous outcomes.

What made you take the

LEED AP exam and how has

this impacted your practice?

I was very excited and interested

in taking the LEED AP exam as I

wanted to understand the LEED

concept. It was a particularly

pleasurable experience to prepare

for the exam as it transported me

to my school days. After becom-

ing a LEED AP the quality of my

designs has scaled considerably.

I now work on my projects

keeping the landscape of the site

at fore; the stepping stone to

assessing a project is by studying

the dynamics of the space around

it. A building is a tangible struc-

ture which needs to be in sync

with the landscaping that circum-

scribes it. After getting the tag of

LEED AP I try and work more like

a 'scientist' rather than an archi-

tect.

Having received the LEED

accreditation, how much

importance is given to issues

related to sustainability in

your new projects? (Please

share details on your current

sustainable projects.)

After receiving the LEED accredi-

tation, my level of confidence has

increased and my entire team is

more focused in this direction.

????Architect Hiren PatelModel of a project designed by architect Hiren Patel.

Q & A Hiren Patel.p65 7/1/2009, 12:09 PM46


hiren patel Q & Agreen by design supplement to home review july 2009 issue

Furthermore, we have now started

working on projects with

sustainability at the core of the

design plan. We don't work on a

project to merely get the LEED

certification but we try to design a

sustainable green project which

would be of some help in saving

our planet.

We keep a close watch on the

project points and try to tie up the

loose ends in such a way, that

there are no short comings in the

original scheme. This entire

process is adhered to in spite of it

being very complicated and many

a times we have had to motivate

the team to work on this with

dedication as it requires a lot of

documentation and precise paper

work.

Currently, we are working on

some residences, an office

building and a factory for LEED

certification. We also have on

hand a mass housing project and

an apartment complex for the

same. Housing segments are my

company's prime area of work. In

following the principle of

sustainability it is seen that many

a time the client too has to be

convinced to do that little extra bit

in the way of building a truly

sustainable and low environment

impact structure. In the execution

of our work nowadays, we also try

to blend in the aspect of carbon

credits and would like to synchro-

nize it with the LEED certification

The LEED AP exam was

initiated by US green build-

ing council or USGBC; how

relevant is the rating system

to our buildings in India?

There is bound to be some

variation in the rating system of

both countries and this invites a

lot of open criticism in the build-

ing fraternity at this end. Person-

ally I feel that sustainable building

techniques should go beyond a

rating system and should acquire

more of an ethical bend. How-

ever I am sure, a system will be

established eventually, to suit

Indian conditions and it is now the

job of both architects and builders

to make an effort to propagate

and strengthen this concept..

What are your visions on the

mainstreaming of

sustainabil i ty?

In India sustainable construction

is still a niche concept and even

though it is not very apparent

now, this method of architecture

would be very beneficial to the

community at large and a positive

impact on society could be

achieved if viewed in totality. I

strongly believe that sustainable

design should now form the

mainstream of architectural

education and if one looks care-

fully the essence of the entire

concept becomes visible.

Q & A Hiren Patel.p65 6/26/2009, 5:20 PM47


Havells Eco-Living

Havells India Ltd. is reck

oned as a billion-dollar-

plus organisation and one

among India's largest and fastest

growing electrical and power

distribution equipment manufac-

turers. Havells launched its

consumer electrical products

such as CFLs, fans, modular

switches and luminiaires. Being

focused on product innovation

and energy efficiency, the com-

pany launched CFLs rather than

GLS-ordinary light bulbs which are

an energy deficient light source.

Additionally, the company

launched E-Lite, the T-5 FTL fixture

that gives more light output and

consumes less energy compared

with a conventional FTL fixture.

The company offers all these

products across categories at

multiple price points and applica-

tions. Covering the entire gamut

lighting needs. Targeted at end-

users, architects and consultants,

the showroom caters to the rising

need of the customers by provid-

ing a one-stop-shop for their entire

electrical needs. It offers varied

designer category products,

catering to the vast market

dynamics and specifically de-

signed for use in a variety of

indoor and outdoor applications

along with long life and low

maintenance costs.

Acquiring a number of interna-

tional certifications, Havells and

its brands have emerged as the

preferred choice for electrical

products for discerning individu-

als and industrial consumers both

in India and abroad.

Contact:

QRG Towers,2D, Sec - 126,

Express way, Noida - 201304

tel: (020) 4771000

of household, commercial and

industrial electrical needs, all

these products are available at

Havells Galaxy outlets in Delhi,

Mumbai, Noida, Gurgoan,

Lucknow, Kolkata and Bokaro as

well as with all the electric

dealers and retailers across the

country. It introduced its new

range of green CFL called 'Lilliput'.

As the name suggest, it is small

in size and circumference and

complies with RoHS (European

norms on Restriction of Hazard-

ous Substances), Certified

European approval.

Havells energy efficient fans in

the premium category have also

started making a mark in the

international markets for fans. The

company has taken the initiative

to reach directly to the consumers

through 'Havells Galaxy' - a one

stop shop for all electrical and

promotion havells eco-living

Hevells Prom.p65 7/4/2009, 11:03 AM48


The rapid increase in the

energy intensity of commer-

cial buildings has been

engaging the attention of the

Government for some time.

Though the overall share of

commercial sector in electricity

consumption is only about 6.6%,

it has been growing at a rate of

11-12% over the last few years.

This rate of increase in energy

consumption is much more rapid

than the rate of increase in the

floor area of commercial build-

ings, which is about 9% per year.

This increase in energy intensity of

commercial buildings is

especially alarming since the

overall energy intensity of the

Indian economy is declining at

about 2% per year.

Several studies have borne out

the fact that our building design

does not take into efficiency

aspects consideration. As a

result, in commercial buildings,

the annual energy consumption

per sq. m. of the floor area is

about 200 kWh or even more.

Efficient design alone has the

capability to reduce the same to

120-160 kWh. Before 1973, the

year of the first energy crisis, the

energy consumption of new

buildings in all the industrialized

countries was about 200 kWh/

sq.m, but it has now reduced

drastically as most of the devel-

oped countries have adopted

building energy efficiency codes

for the design of new buildings.

BEE introduced the Energy

Conservation Building Code

(ECBC) in 2007 for new, commer-

cial buildings having a connected

load of more than 500 kW. (Nor-

mal domestic connection is 4 to 6

kW). ECBC defines norms of

energy performance for various

building components, and takes

into consideration, the climatic

region. The application of these

norms lowers the building's

energy requirement without

affecting the function, comfort,

health or productivity of the

occupants.

There is also vast scope for

energy efficiency improvements in

existing buildings. With the

advancement of the energy

efficiency practices and technolo-

gies, it is possible to cut down

energy costs significantly in

buildings by initiating a system-

atic energy audit followed by

implementation of cost effective

energy efficiency measures.

Implementations of the

recommendations of energy

audits have resulted in verified

energy savings 20 to 40% due to

increased efficiencies in end uses

such as lighting, cooling, ventila-

tion, refrigeration etc. Energy

cost savings resulting from

energy efficiency measures

directly benefit building owners

and occupants. BEE is promoting

the implementation of energy

efficiency measures in existing

buildings through Energy Service

Companies(ESCOs) which

provide an innovative business

model through which the energy-

savings potential in existing

buildings can be captured, and

the risks faced by building

owners can also be addressed.

The performance-contract based

payments for energy savings

achieved through the interventions

carried out by the ESCO ensure

that savings are achieved, and

that the payments by the building

owners to the ESCO are related to

the achievement of these savings.

In order to further accelerate

the energy efficiency activities in

the commercial building sector,

BEE has now developed a Star

rating programme for office

buildings which is based on the

actual performance of a building

in terms of its specific energy

usage in kwh/sqm/year. This

programme rates office buildings

on a 1-5 Star scale, with 5 Star

labeled buildings being the most

efficient. The Star rating

Programme provides public

recognition to energy efficient

buildings, and create a "demand

side" pull for such buildings.

Buildings with a connected load

of 100 kW and above are being

considered under the BEE star

rating scheme.

Five categories of buildings -

office buildings, hotels, hospitals,

retail malls, and IT Parks in five

climate zones in the country have

been identified for this

programme. The Star rating for

office buildings would help the

building owners in cutting down

the operating costs with reduced

electricity bills and create a

stimulus for the design of efficient

(ECBC compliant) new buildings

for the up-gradation of energy

efficiency of existing buildings.

The programme is initially

launched in the following 3

climatic zones for air-conditioned

and non- air-conditioned office

buildings:

i. Warm and Humid

ii. Composite

iii. Hot and Dry

It will be subsequently ex-

tended to other building types and

climatic zones within this year.

www.bee.gov.in/ecbc.php

BEE Star Rating of Office Buildings

bee star rating of office buildings promotion

Dr. Ajay Mathur,

Director General, BEE

Bee Prom-1.p65 7/4/2009, 11:34 AM49



green event greenbuild 2009

Greenbuild 2009

The much awaited

Greenbuild expo, a green

event dedicated to green

buildings is scheduled for the

month of November 2009 . It will

highlight the role of buildings

and its function in protecting

and improving the environment.

Buildings play a critical role in

protecting and improving our

environment and the health of the

people who occupy them.

USGBC's Greenbuild conference

and expo endows an incompa-

rable chance to unite with other

green building peers, industry

experts, and influential leaders as

they share innovations in the

green building movement.

Greenbuild is a reckoned

conference and expo committed

to green building. Its 2009 ses-

sion will be held from November

11-13 in Phoenix, Arizona. Thou-

sands of building professionals

from all over the world will team

attendees came to Boston to

partake in this momentous event.

There were persons representing

all 50 states, 85 countries and 6

continents. The courses held in

the year 2008 offered the first

glimpse of the new curriculum in

accordance with LEED 2009. The

LEED for new construction, LEED

for existing buildings and LEED

for commercial interiors technical

review workshops will continue to

be offered through local chapters

through the end of first quarter

2009. These older technique

reviews will be for those who still

wish to prepare for the current

LEED AP exams or for those who

are currently working on a LEED

project. Greenbuild promises to

be the perfect venue for spread-

ing the messages of green to all

concerned individuals.

up at the Greenbuild for stupen-

dous educational sessions,

famous speakers, green building

tours, special seminars and

networking events. The expo will

highlight the role of buildings and

its role in protecting and improv-

ing the environment.

Greenbuild has experienced

tremendous growth since it's

inception in 2002. USGBC has

worked through many challenges

to accommodate the demand for

new exhibit space as many eager

and well-respected companies

contact them each day. Every year

Greenbuild offers a wide selection

of USGBC LEED (Leadership in

Energy & Environmental Design)

workshops taught by highly

qualified LEED faculty and

experts. These workshops take

place before and after the confer-

ence education sessions.

Greenbuild 2008 in Boston

was truly a display of revolutionary

green concepts. More than 28,000

Greenbuild 2009.p65 6/26/2009, 5:20 PM50

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Documents

energy consumption

energy efficiency

energy chain

page green

low energy innovation

low energy use approach

eco friendly living

eco housing