Green Building: A Step Towards Sustainable Architecture: Ritu Sinha [PDF]

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Green Building: A Step Towards Sustainable Architecture Ritu Sinha*



A recent report released by the United Nations (UN), titled ‘Buildings and Climate Change’ states that 30-40% of all primary energy is used in buildings. With growing concerns about the environment and the ongoing energy crisis, the concept of green building was developed. These buildings are designed, constructed and operated to have a minimum impact on the environment and aims at conserving energy. Green buildings accelerate the adoption of building practices that result in efficient use of natural, sustainable and renewable resources for residential and commercial construction. It is a part of the comprehensive urban development program geared toward development of sustainable communities with sustainable urban infrastructure. This practice is also gaining momentum as the corporate world strategizes for integrating environmental concern into their operations in ways that align with core business strategy, bottomline goals and corporate citizenship. Improved air quality and reduction in energy bills would be significant benefits gained by common people. This paper is an attempt to focus on greening homes and offices, espousing the motto of saving money and cutting down on CO 2. It also provides an analytical discussion on need, benefits and economies of investment in green buildings. Further it elaborates challenges and barriers facing the green building industry. The paper concludes with multiple policy prescriptions for the government as well as the private sector pertaining to conversion from conventional building practices to green building technologies.



Introduction Modern building practices show little regard for energy efficiency, environmental or social impact of the built environment over their entire life cycle. This indiscriminate use of natural *



Faculty Associate, IBS, Mumbai, India. E-mail: [email protected]



IUP. All Rights Reserved. Green A Step Towards Sustainable Architecture © 2009Building:



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resources put pressure on the ecosystem. Buildings voraciously consume natural resources, building construction creates vast quantities of waste material and building operations contribute extensively to environmental pollution. Apart from this, poor patterns of building design lead to congestion and inefficient use of land, resulting in greater energy consumption, loss of productivity, polluted runoff to surface water and wastewater treatment systems, loss of agricultural lands, fragmented habitats and fiscal stress to local communities. In Buildings and Climate Change, the United Nations Environment Program recently reported that on a worldwide basis 30-40% of all primary energy is used in buildings. Hence, it requires the inclusive reckoning of not only construction, operations, and maintenance, but also the impact of capital improvements over the building’s useful life and demolition and disposal afterward. As people face the cost of environmental damage, leaders in the building industry are conscious of the need to explore solutions that are environmentally harmonious, resulting in efficient use of natural, sustainable and renewable resources. This has accentuated the need of the concept called Green Building. It is also known as sustainable building and proposes practices and techniques to reduce and eliminate the impact of buildings on the environment and human health. They put emphasis on exploiting the benefit of renewable resources, e.g., using sunlight through solar equipments and photovoltaic techniques and using plants and trees through green roofs, rain gardens, and for reduction of rainwater run-off. It also makes use of other practices like using packed gravel for parking lots in place of concrete or asphalt helps in enhancing replenishment of ground water. On the aesthetic side of green architecture or sustainable design, it is the idea of designing a building that is in synchronization with the natural features and resources leading to the sustainable development. The key steps in designing sustainable buildings involves: specifying ‘green’ building materials from local sources, reducing loads, optimizing systems, and generating on-site renewable energy. With the growing awareness on green buildings, the green building movement is bringing a paradigm shift to the real estate. This paper highlights dissemination of green building concepts, its footprints and spread, benefits, myths, challenges and tremendous opportunities that it offers to the stakeholders.



What is Green Product? Countless materials are used in the construction of an environmentally responsible building. But, what makes the material a green product? A green building means using the products and materials in such a manner that it reduces the overall environmental impact on the building. A particular window may not be green, but it can be to maximize the collection of low winter sunlight and block the summer sun. So a conventional window can make its contribution to a greenhouse. On the other hand, wood treated with toxic preservatives has advantages in terms of durability, but it would not be considered as a green product due to the health and environmental hazards it represents. The green products may be categorized as the following: 92



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Products Made with Salvaged, Recycled, or Agricultural Waste Content: It is better to reuse a product instead of producing a new one. Examples of post-industrial recycled materials are bricks, millwork, framing lumber, plumbing fixtures, iron-ore slag used to make mineral wool insulation, fly ash used to make concrete and PVC scrap from pipe manufacture are used to make shingles. The important feature of green products is recycled content. For example, citrus oil which is a waste product from orange and lemon juice extraction is being used in some of the green products. Products That Conserve Natural Resources: These include products that use less material than the standard solution, products that are especially durable and therefore won’t need replacement as often, products made from FSC-certified wood, and products made from rapidly renewable resources. For example, drywall clips allow the elimination of corner studs; fiberglass windows and slate shingles have exceptional durability or low maintenance requirements. Products That Avoid Toxic or Other Emissions: The products that are natural or minimally processed can be called green because of low energy use and low risk of chemical releases during manufacture. These include wood products, agricultural or non-agricultural plant products, and mineral products such as natural stone and slate shingles. Some materials provide a better alternative for the products which have concerns about toxic constituents, intermediaries, or by-products. For example fluorescent lamps with low mercury levels, Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) and brominated fire retardants. Borate-treated building products, and bait systems eliminate the need for broad based pesticide application. Porous paving products and green roofing systems result in less storm water run-off and wastewater disposal systems cut-down ground water pollution by decomposing organic wastes. Products That Save Energy or Water: Building components that reduce heating and cooling loads like Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs), Insulated Concrete Forms (ICFs), Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (AAC) blocks, and high-performance windows and glazings are finding more acceptances in the market. Solar water heaters, photovoltaic systems and wind turbines are few of the products which enable us to use renewable energy instead of fossil fuels. Some products like rainwater catchment systems, green toilets and showerheads serve as fixtures and equipment that conserve water. Products That Contribute to a Safe, Healthy Built Environment: The products that do not release significant pollutants into the building like zero- and low-VOC paints, caulks, and adhesives and products with very low emissions, such as nonformaldehyde manufactured wood products fall under the above mentioned category. Some material prevents generation or introduction of pollutants like biological contaminants into occupied space. Duct mastic offers protection from the entry of mold-laden air or insulation fibers into a duct system. “Track-off” systems for entryways help in getting rid of pollutants from the shoes. Coated duct board prevents fiber shedding and helps in controlling mold growth. Linoleum arrests the microbial growth owing to the linoleic acid oxidation. There are products that remove indoor pollutants like certain ventilation products, filters, radon mitigation equipment, and introduce fresh air. Carbon monoxide (CO) detectors, lead paint test kits, and other Indoor Green Building: A Step Towards Sustainable Architecture



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Air Quality (IAQ) test kits are products that warn occupants of health hazards in the building. Green products enable us to bring daylight into a building, including tubular skylights, specialized commercial skylights, and fiber-optic day lighting systems, full spectrum lighting systems and highly reflective ceiling panels.



Spread of Green Building Green building is no longer a concept belonging to a few outlaws from the mainstream building industry. The concept of green building builds upon the model of minimal disturbance to landscapes and site condition, use of non-toxic recycled and environmental friendly building materials and renewable energy. It is gradually fitting the industry standard with the aim of efficient use of water and water recycling, use of energy efficient and eco-friendly equipment, IAQ for human safety and comfort, effective controls and building management systems. In the US, green building accounts approximately about 2% of the new non-residential building market and is expected to grow to 5% to 10% by 2010. The estimates for green residential buildings are even lesser, at 0.3% of the market. But this trend is likely to grow due to high consumer confidence and a growth in the number of green builders. After the US, Australia and Canada, India has also emerged as the hottest destination for green buildings. According to the Indian Green Building Council (IGBC), the requirement for green building materials and equipment would reach $4 bn a year by 2010.



Elements of Green Building It consists of the following elements: Siting: It starts with selection of a site which is well-connected to the mass transit. The site should be such that it protects and retains the existing landscaping and natural features. The plants that have low water and pesticide needs, and generate minimum plant trimmings should be used. Energy Efficiency: The design strategies of green building like shape and orientation, solar design and the use of natural lighting can affect energy performance. The utilization of high-efficiency lighting systems with advanced lighting controls, energy-efficient heat or cooling system in conjunction with a thermally efficient building shell, minimizes the electric loads from lighting, equipment, and appliances can lower the burden on power consumption. The use of appropriately sized and maximized light colors for roofing and wall finish materials, high R-value wall and ceiling insulation and use of minimal glass on east and west exposures can serve the purpose of conservation. The exploitation of alternative energy sources such as photovoltaic and fuel cells represents the symbol of emerging technologies for the future. Computer modeling is supportive in optimizing design of electrical and mechanical systems and the building shell. Materials Efficiency: The selection of construction materials and products should be done after appraising several characteristics such as reused and recycled content, zero or low off gassing of harmful air emissions, zero or low toxicity, sustainably harvested materials, high 94



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recyclability, durability, longevity, and local production. Such products encourage resource conservation and efficiency. Use of dimensional planning, reuse and recycle of construction and demolition materials and other material efficiency strategies reduce the amount of building materials needed and also cuts construction costs. Water Efficiency: Dual plumbing can make use of recycled water for toilet flushing or a gray water system that recovers rainwater or other non potable water for site irrigation. Wastewater can be reduced by using ultra low-flush toilets, low-flow shower heads, and other water conserving fixtures. Use of re-circulating systems for centralized hot water distribution and installation of point-of-use hot water heating systems for more distant locations can increase water-efficiency.



Benefits of Green Buildings The benefits of green building can be divided into environmental benefits, economic benefits and health and community benefits. The environmental benefits could improve and protect ecosystems and biodiversity. Better design and building practices can help in addressing environmental challenges such as natural resource depletion, air, water, and soil pollution and safeguard natural resources. These buildings use a number of techniques to improve water quality and availability. These techniques can help in reducing water usage and on-site filtering of storm water. The wastages can be reduced through better product design, recycling, and the re-use of materials can cause reductions in both raw material usage and also in associated environmental impacts, as well as the cost to the private sector and local governments of disposing of these materials. The economic benefits can be assessed by reduction in the operating costs, reducing the amount of energy used to light, heat, cool and operate buildings and their appliances, enhancing asset value and profits and optimize life cycle economic performance. The use of advanced energy-saving technologies in buildings can benefit the community in enormous reductions in demand for fossil fuels and emissions of greenhouse gases. According to the USGBC estimates, green building, on average, currently reduces energy use by 30%, carbon emissions by 35%, and water use by 30-50%. Green building can also help achieve gains in human health and prosperity. It can improve upon occupant comfort and health, minimize strain on local infrastructure and contribute to overall quality of life. Substantial research supports the health and productivity benefits of green features, such as day lighting, increased natural air ventilation and moisture reduction, and the use of low-emitting floor carpets, glues, paints and other interior finishes and furnishings. Several corporates are now seeing Green Building Rating as a tool to enhance marketability. These buildings are also eligible for carbon credits, in view of the fact that they save the environment from carbon-dioxide emissions and also put forward business opportunities to the developers. The renewable energy market is aglow and recent studies reveal that demand for solar panels and wind turbines have outstripped supply. Green Building: A Step Towards Sustainable Architecture



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Myths of Green Building Green building practices are gaining popularity at an accelerated rate. But still there are certain myths appended to it. The common myth of green building is that these buildings are costlier. The cost could be to some extent higher than a conventional building. But it also depends on how we measure up to the cost. It requires a baseline cost for all comparisons to be alike. The incremental cost would come out to be less if the baseline design is already at a certain level of good eco-design. It would seem high if the base design has not considered green principles. The adoption of green building materials is increasing and there has been a transformation in the mindsets of the stakeholders. Earlier, recycled material was having negative connotation and supposed to be of inferior quality. But now, with increased awareness on green materials and their advantages, this trend is shifting. The expenditure incurred on green building materials and equipment is also showing a decreasing trend. For example, the cost of waterless urinals was around Rs. 14,000 in the year 2001, and is at present available for Rs. 6,000. The cost of other materials also shows a decreasing trend as the economies of scale comes into picture. The other perception is that green buildings have to be air-conditioned. This is not true at all. It can be applied for non-air conditioning buildings like IGP office, Gulbarga and Hyderabad Institute of Technology and Management in India. The other prevailing parable is that green buildings take more time for construction which is not accurate at all. Now, there is no difference in the time involved in constructing a green building vis-à-vis a normal building.



Economics of Green Building The benefits of green buildings may be captured by investors and should be reflected in decision economics. The economic concern with respect to these buildings can be broken into the following categories: Direct Capital Costs: It is the money required to design and construct buildings including interest during construction. Many studies suggest that incorporating typical green principles in construction projects results in an increase in capital cost of between 0% and 30%, with the majority of the studies indicating cost increases of less than 8%. But this increased cost can be offset by savings resulting from the elimination of unnecessary systems, or the downsizing of systems through better design. Direct Operating Costs: This includes all expenditures incurred to operate and maintain a building over its full life. These costs include painting, roof repairs and replacement, and other routine maintenance activities. In addition to this, property taxes, insurance, and the costs of reconfiguring space and services to accommodate occupant moves (termed ‘churn’) also come under this category. Some insurance companies also offer premium reductions for the reduced reliance on fossil fuel in green buildings. 96



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Life Cycle Costing: It combines the capital and operating costs to determine the net economic effect of an investment incurred in green buildings. Sophisticated energy conserving lighting systems and air-condition systems with exceptional response to building and outdoor conditions will cost more than their conventional materials, but will provide a payback on their original investment within a relatively short time. As energy and water prices rise due to increasing demand and diminishing supply, the payback period will become much shorter. Life Cycle Costing (LCC) is an important evaluation technique that provides a consistent framework for evaluating alternative systems to determine their life cycle performance. Productivity Effects: It is the dollar value related to changes in occupant productivity relative to a conventional building. Green buildings contribute to the health of those who work in them. Many studies have shown a strong indication that occupant productivity is greater, and that salary costs are reduced, in green buildings compared to conventional buildings. The magnitude of this productivity gain is assumed to be between 2%-10% in a green building that incorporates improved air quality, with increased amounts of natural light, with better circulated heat, and air conditioning is more pleasant and healthier, besides being more productive. Property Values and Absorption Rates: It is the key factor for speculative developers who cannot realize the operating cost and productivity savings. The increased demand for green buildings will result in its higher valuations with capitalizing on features like superior capitalization rate, high demand and residential sales. Other Indirect or Intangible Benefits: Companies associated with green buildings will benefit from these perceptions though employee pride, satisfaction, and well-being should, in turn, be reflected in reduced turnover and improved morale. Other benefits of this improved image include advantages in recruitment of employees. Good quality of natural lighting can have a dramatic effect on sales in commercial buildings. External or Tertiary Economic Effects: These buildings have reduced reliance on infrastructure (sewers, roads, etc.), reduced greenhouse gases and reduced health costs. Green buildings often incorporate natural lighting and ventilation and internal energy and water generation, making them less reliant on external grids, and less vulnerable to grid-related problems or failures such as black-outs, water shortages, or contaminated water.



Green Building Assessment and Rating Systems Most of the conventional buildings are major contributors to carbon emissions. For this reason several organizations offer assessment rating programs that certify how green or eco-friendly, a building really is. Still, there remains a shortage of data regarding the real performance and impact of building design and operation strategies. Increased access to this kind of data will help to ensure that green buildings actually perform in a manner superior to conventional buildings, and help to identify ways to push for continued improvements in the building sector. In 1990, the UK Government pioneered the green standards movement at the Green Building: A Step Towards Sustainable Architecture



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request of the British real estate industry; it launched BREEAM—the Building Research Establishment’s Environmental Assessment Method. It evaluates the environmental performance of a broad spectrum of new and existing UK buildings. The United States Green Building Council made its first move with Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating program in the year 2000. They designed a program, in which points were devised for each category like 14 points for a sustainable site, 5 points for water efficiency, 17 points for energy and atmosphere, 13 points for materials and resources, 15 points for indoor environmental quality, and five points for innovation and design process. This LEED program is applicable for both new construction and existing buildings. Companies can earn points for everything from brown field redevelopment to public transportation access. LEED has four award levels: Certified (26-32 points), Silver (33-38 points), Gold (39-51 points) and Platinum (52-69 points). A LEED-Gold and LEED-Platinum building has 50% and 70%, respectively, less negative impact on the environment than a standard building. Another agency which is also involved with this new approach is Green Globes. It offers an online tool assessment protocol, rating system and guide for integrating environmentally friendly design into commercial structures. It started its functioning in Canada for the commercial builders in the US by the Green Building Initiative, a nonprofit organization committed to the cause of accelerating healthier and environmentally sustainable buildings in the US. The other player in this arena is National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) who also offers its own voluntary certification program. It is termed as National Green Building Program and based on the National Green Building Standard, which is being developed by NAHB and the International Code Council. This program would serve as a channel between state and local voluntary green building programs. It offers nationwide online scoring tool for builders and verifiers and would help in registering the green builders and provide educational resources for general awareness. Many countries are drafting their own green standards. Some of them are mentioned below: • Green Star (Australia) • Hong Kong Building Environment Assessment Method (HK-BEAM) • Comprehensive Assessment System for Building Environment Efficiency (CASBEE) (Japan) • Ecology, Energy Saving, Waste Reduction and Health (EEWH) (Taiwan) • BCA Green Mark (Singapore) • Energy Star (United States Environment Protection Agency) • Philippine Green Building Council • European Environment Agency • India Green Building Council 98



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Challenges to Green Buildings Green buildings may be seen as cornerstone of global strategies to address global warming. But, this approach is being perceived as new and unusual and people tend to be suspicious of new things. Building projects are by and large financed by external lenders, who do not differentiate between green building and conventional construction. Their indifference could be ascribed to their inadequate knowledge to determine the value of green buildings. Although, building designers and specialists are likely to be the most informed group about this approach, yet there is still widespread misinformation in this sector. Hence there is lot of uncertainty over costs, economic benefits, reliability and building performance of green building technologies. The resolution of this issue can be achieved through education of design professionals so that they understand the importance of design team performance coupled with an emphasis on the expertise of design team members. A developer may not be fascinated for green features. His interest is to keep investment costs low as their profit depends on them. As the actors responsible for the operational phase differ from those involved in the building process, there is usually a conflict of interests which can hamper the introduction of energy-efficient technologies. The various levels of government can play a pivotal role towards the promotion and implementation of green buildings. But the lack of coordination and consistency in government policies exhibit negative impact on construction players. The authority should offer tax-benefits to the people who are involved with the green movement. There should be preferential treatment by giving fast-track permissions and approvals. The first or actual cost of green building is perceived to be higher as compared to conventional construction. The World Business Council on Sustainable Development conducted a survey with 1,423 people in Japan, China, Brazil, the US, Spain, France and Germany in August 2007 on the costing of green buildings. They arrived at a conclusion that the cost of green building has been overstated by an average of 300% rendering it 17% above conventional construction, more than triple the cost estimated by the study’s authors of 5%. Going green requires integrated design process and involvement of new agencies which is also responsible for bringing in another aspect of uncertainty. Lack of experienced workforce and shortage of well-trained project managers are the constraints in using this new approach. The need of the hour is the scaling up of training and research and development initiatives. Dearth of green material is another drawback but ongoing R&D will enable them to overcome this stumbling block.



Green Building Movement in India Green building has altered the real estate market dynamics. India is being recognized as leader in environmentally-friendly construction and would surpass the US within four years to become a country with the most space covered by green building according to Indian Green Building Council (IGBC). The construction industry in India is growing at an average rate Green Building: A Step Towards Sustainable Architecture



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of 9.5% as compared to the global average of 5%. The Green Building movement initiated by CII has gained tremendous impetus over the last six years. With a modest beginning of 20,000 sq.ft of green footprint in the country in the year 2003, today about 80 green buildings with a footprint of over 25 million sq.ft are being constructed in India. The projected growth potential for green buildings in India is shown in Table 1. Table 1: Projected Growth Potential for Green Buildings in India Year



Projected Certified Green Buildings (Nos. Per Year)



Estimated Market Potential (US$ Mn)



2006



20



80



2007



50



200



2008



150



500



2012



1,000



4,000



Source: Indian Green Building Council, CII-Sohrabji Godrej Green Business Center, February 2008.



One of the most prominent green buildings in the country is the CII-Sohrabji Godrej Green Business Center in Hyderabad which was one of the first to be awarded the Leadership in Energy and Environment Design (LEED) by the US Green Business Council in 2003. The ITC Green Center at Gurgaon, IIT Kanpur building and the Hiranandani Gardens in Powai, Mumbai, are some of the prominent green landmarks on the country’s landscape. Mumbai will also be the proud possessor of the first green residential building in India. This project has been on track by Shree Ram Urban Infrastructure Limited and the building is at ‘Palais Royale’ at Worli. This project will be India’s first residential building hoping to achieve the prestigious LEED Platinum rating. The corporate world has realized that being environmentally conscious can not only help address climate change, but also means big business. Apart from the construction industry players, the IT giant also boasts of a Platinum certified green campus in Gurgaon. The other IT titans, TCS and Infosys, seem to come around with the green building movement. For instance, TCS is opting for green at its Bhuvaneswar office while Infosys is working towards green center at Jaipur. Wipro is also taking initiative for green building space thereby setting examples for other IT companies to follow.



Conclusion The planet earth is home to all. To continue life on this planet and to remain alive, humans must live in synchronization with nature and environment. It requires a vision that embraces sustainable principles of green building and an integrated design approach to make it happen on large scale. These practices are not limited to single type of building or market niche, geographic location or business model. It is being seen as part of comprehensive urban development programs geared toward development of sustainable 100



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communities with emphasis on integrating green building with sustainable urban infrastructure for transportation, gas and electric utilities, potable water, waste disposal and recycling, storm water and wastewater management and sewage. It will help to encourage great interest in green building as it offers a solution to the problem of urban growth pressures, housing needs and fulfill the aim of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). Essentially, the difference between green and conventional buildings is that green buildings offer healthier and more comfortable interior spaces and include measures to reduce their ecological footprint. Even people will stand to gain from improved air quality and the reduction in their energy bills. Thus we can say that green buildings aim to achieve social and environmental goals well beyond those for conventional buildings and there are strong indications that these benefits greatly out-weigh the relatively small increase in construction costs. Economies of scale has played a major role in price reductions of this advancement in order to make them more feasible. This can be their gesture of fulfilling environmental responsibility. The benefits of green buildings are increasingly being recognized by building stakeholders, but useful and practical knowledge of these buildings is still limited. 



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