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Case studies of LEED NC certified buildings Building 2: The second building is based on net zero
building concept. The project achieved the LEED
Building 1: The first building attempted fifty seven India NC (V.
points under LEED-NC (V 2.1) out of a total of sixty
nine possible points. They were able to earn all the Platinum rating achieving sixty four out of sixty nine
attempted points except for one, successfully possible points. For the category Innovation in
scored 56 points and were rewarded platinum Design, it applied for all five possible points and
rating under LEED-NC in the year 2009. They scored credits for LEED Accredited Professional as
achieved all the five attempted points under LEED AP was involved from planning stage till
innovation in design. The credits they have applied certification of the project; On-Site Renewable
under this category are Rain water harvesting tank Energy as energy consumption for heating, cooling,
as rain water harvesting is executed in the building ventilation and lighting is covered in full by
and rain water is collected for reuse and ground renewable energy. A photovoltaic system on the
water recharge. The capacity of the storage tank is roof generates some 88,884 kilowatt hours of
650 kilolitres. Based on average rainfall, renewable electricity each year while the annual
approximately 2,662,000 litres of rainwater are consumption of the building is 78,910 kilowatt
harvested on-site every year. Besides this light hours and also roof is covered with Kalzip panels
coloured open paver and shaded paved areas aid (Stucco Embossed) which have very high Solar
absorption of rain water decreasing the run-off; Reflectance i.e. almost 78.85%; Construction Waste
Comprehensive strategy and design to minimize Management as Various materials were identified
embodied energy in construction of the building, a during design phase that can be made of salvaged
comprehensive strategy to avoid approximately materials. Some of the reused materials in the
640 tonnes of project are Structural Steel (old steel beams were
reused to make staircase),
Mild steel, Ceramic Tiles (waste ceramic tiles from Case study of GRIHA certified buildings
another project reused as flooring material for all
porta cabins), Kota stone (reused as a flooring Building 1: This has been designed as energy
material and water proofing material in efficient building that complies with the ECBC
underground tanks), Fly ash bricks, Kerb Stones (Energy Conservation Building Code) and has
(painted ad reused on the periphery of the building achieved 3-star GRIHA (Green Rating for
for hard paved surface, GI framing (reused as Integrated Habitat Assessment) green rating
framing structure for the rubber wood cladding in certification. To earn bonus points, they have
the reception area of the project) and Soiling earned all possible points (4/4) by doing
Stones; Regional Material as the materials such as comprehensive lifecycle cost analysis of the
ready mix concrete, polyurethane insulation, project considering the cost arising from owning,
cement, fly ash brick masonary, false ceiling operating, maintaining etc. This was considered
gypsum were harvested, extracted and important for project viability. They have scored
manufactured within 800 kms of the building’s another point for Integration of earth-air tunnel
site; and Reduced Site Disturbance Development to reduce the annual building cooling/heating
as it has proportioned the soft and hard paved load as in the hospital, the Earth air tunnel (EAT)
area to be 1:1 i.e. half is the concretized paved system is incorporated to provide pre-cooling of
area and half is the unpaved or area with grass. fresh air in Treated Fresh Air Units (TFAs) from 44
degree C to 28 degree C then cooling coils would
Building 3: The building is LEED U.S.G.B.C. further cool the air from 28 degree C to 14
Platinum certified. It has earned 5/5 possible degree C. Next point earned was Resource
points under innovation in design category for recovery from solid waste management and the
passive architectural design as a prominent feature process of biomethanation for treatment of food
of the building is the top-lit atrium, which not only wastes generated from the canteen is applied.
lights up the indoor spaces but provides a sense of Setting up of a treatment plant for handling 300
grandeur to the office interior. The building is kg of waste daily resulted in 18 m3 of biogas and
designed in a way that allows sunlight to penetrate 30 kg of manure. Both biogas and manure are
almost 85% of the interior spaces. The vertical utilized within the campus. The payback period
stone louvers have been effectively used to soften was one-and-a-half years. Fourth point earned
the harsh sunlight entering the building, especially was for passive architectural design strategies.
from the north-west and south-west directions; Some of them adopted in the building were:
Rain water harvesting tank as the building has a building orientation designed to gain maximum
rain water harvesting system and grey water is benefits, self-shading building block, the spindle
used for non-potable purposes like flushing and shaped design reduces air pressure on the
watering the gardens; Reused Material as During building surface, the building blocks and their
construction, 96.6% of the building waste was location create an air channel between blocks.
collected and diverted to authorized disposal
agencies. To reuse resources, furniture from its old Building 2: The building covers an area of
office was remodeled and used in the building and approximately 10 acres and is designed as an
also 2.5% of the building material, like bamboo eco-friendly office complex, rated 3-star by
flooring, is from rapidly renewable resources, and GRIHA. It has large, contiguous, flexible &
7.7% is reused or salvaged material; Energy efficient floor plates and earthquake resistant
efficiency (Exemplary Performance) as the building structure.
performed exceptionally under Energy and It has earned 2/4 bonus points. To earn points
Atmosphere by exceeding the threshold under this stage, the management started a
requirement and using 60 % less energy than a labour camp and scored a point for it. The camp
conventional building owing to its day lit design included a creche as well as a hygiene and safety
and other passive architectural measures, energy initiative for the labours. Arrangements were
efficient fixtures and efficient water cooled HVAC made with external agencies and internal audit
system and LEED Accredited Professional as LEED was done time to time to ensure the
AP was hired for providing design guidelines for Effectiveness and the purpose followed strictly
the building, documenting, scrutinizing the entire by the camp. Next point was earned for
construction process and sending the documents preservation of an old banyan tree as an
to U.S.G.B.C. for acquiring the certification.
approximately 100 year old banyan tree was The green building is a building that has high-
prevented from cutting and was included into efficiency in the use and consumption of natural
design of the building. resources, water, energy, and materials that are
used throughout building’s life- cycle i.e. design,
construction, operation, maintenance, renovation,
Abstract and demolition. Green building practices can
substantially reduce negative environmental
Construction sector is one of the largest end users impacts. Green building reduces operating costs,
of environmental resources and one of the largest enhances building marketability, and helps in
polluters of manmade and natural environments increasing workers’ productivity and health
around the globe. Green buildings have benefits. The environmental benefits include
experienced rapid growth in the past several years. conservation of natural resources, waste
Rating systems have been developed to measure reduction, improvement of air and water quality,
the sustainability level of green buildings. The and protection of the ecosystem.
purpose of rating systems is to certify the different Green building rating systems are designed to
aspects of sustainable development during the assess and evaluate the performance of buildings
planning and construction stages and to from planning, designing, constructing, and
incorporate best-practice experience for achieving operations. Rating system guidelines and standards
higher certification level. The study reported in this can be categorized into two groups: those which
paper is part of a broader study where the concentrate on specific building components or
objectives are: (1) to compare different rating areas, and those which identify the buildings as a
systems used in developing and developed whole evaluation entity. As the concentrations of
countries, (2) to identify the roles and limitations different rating systems vary, the same building can
of current environmental building assessment be green credited by one while failed to be
methods in ascertaining building sustainability in credited by another at the same time.
developing countries, and (3) to compute Sathyanarayanan (2009) reports that in terms of
sustainability and composite index using AHP by construction workers’ health and safety there is
utilizing the framework suggested by Ding (2007). vey little difference between green and non-green
Only the first objective is addressed and briefly projects. He exclaims further that it is not wise to
reported in this paper. In the context of India it is say such buildings as sustainable in terms of
found that the rating systems do not consider workers’ health and safety.
economic and climatic conditions. This study may India has a varying range of geographic features
be useful to all the stakeholders involved in the from north to south and from east to west.
evaluation of green building. Climatic conditions also vary in these regions thus
it is felt prudent to consider climatic condition of
the region in a green building rating system.
In this study different green building rating
INTRODUCTION
systems have been compared and classified
broadly under developed countries like the USA,
India is the seventh largest country in the world. It
UK, and developing countries like India and China.
has a leading economy and it is home to over one
In the next section, an overview of green building
billion people living in various climatic zones.
rating systems is presented. These systems are
subsequently compared on certain important
Construction plays a very important role in the
issues such as life cycle assessment, renewability,
country’s economy contributing 8.1 percent of the
forest certification, locally produced materials,
GDP. Commercial and residential sectors are major
health and safety of construction worker, project
markets for the construction industry. These
management, and climatic conditions.
sectors consume a lot of energy throughout the
Subsequently, the results are discussed briefly and
life cycle of buildings, thus becoming a major
conclusions presented.
contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. As a first
step towards green development, Government of
India mandated several corporate organisations
and institutions to use green practices in their new
construction.
AN OVERVIEW OF GREEN BUILDING LEED-2011 for India NC Rating System
RATING SYSTEMS
The LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental
Design) rating system has been developed by the
BREEAM -2011 NC Rating System U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) in 2000. The
LEED India green building rating system was
The BREEAM (Building Research Establishment’s developed by IGBC (Indian Green Building Council)
Environmental Assessment Method) was first in October 2006. The LEED-2011 for India NC rating
launched in 1990 and was the first green building system is categorized into sustainable sites-23.63%,
performance assessment method. This method water efficiency- 9.1%, energy and atmosphere-
was developed in the UK. The BREEAM-2011 NC 31.82%, materials and resources-12.73%, indoor
assesses the performance of the building. This environmental quality-13.63%, innovation in design
rating system is divided in the following areas: -5.45% and regional priority -3.64 %. The LEED
management-12%, energy use-19%, health and assessment tool is developed for new construction,
well-being-15%, pollution-12%, transport-8%, land existing buildings, commercial interiors, core and
use and ecology-10%, materials-13%, waste - 7.5% shell, homes, neighborhood development, school,
water-6% and innovation where the percentage and retail. This system awards rating of buildings as
values represent the weights given to the certified, silver, gold, and platinum. It uses simple
respective parameter in the rating system. checklist format to rate building performance.
The BREEAM rating system is designed for courts, The rating system contains one element, indoor air
eco homes, education, industrial, healthcare, quality (IAQ) management during construction that
multi-residential, offices and new construction. explicitly addresses construction worker safety and
Building life cycle stages covered by the BREEAM- health. The intent of this element is to protect the
2011 NC are design stage and post construction construction workers and building occupants from
stage. A certificate of the assessment result is potential air quality problems during the
awarded to the individual building based on single construction or renovation process. On successful
rating scheme of outstanding, excellent, very implementation of an IAQ management plan, the
good, good, pass, unclassified with percentage project receives one LEED-NC credit, which is almost
score 85, 70, 55, 45, 30, less than 30 respectively. negligible and thus underscores the minimal
consideration that the rating system gives to
The BREEAM rating system has made an impact construction worker safety and health. It should be
worldwide, with Canada, Australia, Hong Kong, noted, however, that other elements within the
Netherland and other countries using the BREEAM rating system which are aimed to improve the safety
methodology in developing their own and health of the end-user, such as the use of low-
environmental building assessment methods. The emitting materials, may benefit the safety and
assessment methods and tools are all designed to health of construction workers as well.
help construction professionals understand and
mitigate the environmental impacts of the GRIHA Rating System
developments they design and build. As BREEAM
is predominately a design-stage assessment, it is
GRIHA (Green Rating for Integrated Habitat
important to incorporate details into the design as
Assessment) is the Indian national green building
early as possible. By doing this, it will be easier to
rating system. It was developed by TERI (The Energy
obtain a higher rating and a more cost-effective
and Resources Institute) in 2007. This rating system
result. The methods and tools cover different
is divided into: sustainable site planning-21.2%,
scales of construction activity. The BREEAM
health and well being- 9.6%, building planning and
development is useful at the master planning
construction-7.7%, energy: end use-36.5%, energy:
stage for large development sites like new
renewable- 7.7%, recycle, recharge and reuse of
settlements and communities.
water-6.7%, waste management-4.8%, building
operation and maintenance-1.9%,
and innovation points-3.9%. The GRIHA rates the , 2 points are given if forest stewardship council
buildings from 50-60 one star, 61-70 two stars, 71- (FSC) certified timber is used.
80 three stars, 81-90 four stars, and above 90 % The breeam reserves 1 credit for materials which
five stars. A building is assessed based on its are transported from nearby area. In green star, no
predicted performance over its entire life cycle — credit is allotted for this. In the LEED, one gets 1
from inception to operation. The stages of the life point if a minimum 10% of total building materials
cycle that have been identified for evaluation are: were extracted, processed and manufactured
pre-construction, building design, and within a 500 mile radius; a second point for 20%
construction, and building O & M (operation and minimum of total building materials. In the GRIHA,
maintenance). The issues that are addressed in 2 points are allotted for minimum 40% usage of
these stages are as follows. flyash (by volume of materials used), for 100% load
Pre-construction stage (intra- and inter-site issues) bearing and no load bearing walls.
Building planning and construction stages (issues Health and safety of worker is equally important as
of resource conservation and reduction in resource of occupant which is not considered in the breeam,
demand resource utilization efficiency, resource leed and green star. But in the GRIHA, 2 points are
recovery and reuse, and provisions for occupant allotted for at least, minimum level of
health and well-being). The prime resources that sanitation/safety facilities for construction
are considered in this section are land, water, workers(mandatory criteria).
energy, air, and green cover. The breeam rating system assigns 12% weightage
Building O&M stage (issues of O&M of building for project management aspect whereas 18 points
systems and processes, monitoring and recording are given in green star and 6% weightage is given in
of consumption, and occupant health and well- the griha.
being, and also issues that affect the global and
local environment).
Conclusion
Life cycle stages considered in BREEAM are: design
stage (DS) - leading to an interim BREEAM certified Green building is not a simple fusion of green
rating, and post-construction stage (PCS) – leading design, techniques, and materials. It is a holistic
to a final BREEAM certified rating. Further, in solution to achieve the concept of sustainable
BREEAM there are two approaches to the development in the project life cycle including
assessment at the post-construction stage: a post- project planning, designing, constructing, operating
construction review of an interim design-stage and demolishing. In this paper different rating
assessment and a post construction assessment. systems that are used in developing countries like
Renewability is considered in all the rating systems India, china and developed countries like the USA,
and in the leed-nc, 1 point is allotted if 5% of the UK, Germany are compared and it is observed that
total value of building materials comes from life cycle assessment is not included in the green
rapidly renewable sources, defined as 10-year star and GBAS but in the BREEAM, it has been
rotation or less. In the BREEAM, 4 credits for considered and 10 points are allotted for life cycle
construction waste management and 1 credit for assessment of green building. In the context of
recycled aggregate is allotted. In green star, 5 developing countries, economy is more important
points for recycling waste storage, recycled content so it is necessary to consider life cycle cost of green
and reuse of materials is allotted. In GRIHA, 5 building which is not taken into account in the
points is reserved for re-newable energy utilization GRIHA, the GBAS, and the LEED.
(partly mandatory), 3 points for re-newable energy All rating system however considers renewability.
based hot- water system, 2 points for waste water As timber is the most important material in building
treatment, 5 points for water recycle and reuse construction and cutting of wood is harmful to
(including rain-water) and 6 points for utilization of environment, points should be given to wood that
fly-ash in building structure. comes from a sustainable source and is certified
In the breeam it is mandatory to carry out through any credible program. Forest certification is
programme for the endorsement of forest not considered in the GRIHA and the GBAS.
certification (pefc)- tier level 3. In the LEED, 1 point The authors believe that, similar to end-user safety
is reserved if 50% or more of the wood-based and health, construction workers safety and health
materials and products are FSC certified. In green must be considered in green building.
star
Project management is important to achieve
economy and reduce construction waste on site.
In the BREEAM, green star, green globe, and the
GRIHA, project management aspect is
considered.
In India, topography and climate changes from
north to south and from east to west. For such
varied conditions, a rating system should also
consider topographical and climatic factor.