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The Sona Sigma Block project space

comprises of classrooms, Lecture halls,
auditorium, lab spaces, research area,
library and admin office. The project has
installed Total solar PV of 10 kWp, which
is 6.4 % of the total connected load. The
internal lighting energy consumption is
37,574 KWh. Energy generated from
solar is 12000 kWh, which is 31.04% of
total energy required for internal lighting.
Sona College of Technology is an
environmentally responsible institution
and is always striving to protect the
environment and has taken enormous
efforts along with En3 to implement
various sustainability and green measures
in the project from concept to
completion.

Facts and Figures

Water Efficiency

Location : Salem, Tamil Nadu

Built up area : 3,382 m2
Air-conditioned Area : 2,613 m2
Non Air-conditioned Area : 769 m2
Energy Consumption Reduction : 55 .79 % reduction in energy consumption
compared to GRIHA benchmark
EPI : 61.89 KWh/ m2 /year
Renewable Energy : Rated capacity of solar PV installed on site is 10 KW
GRIHA provisional rating : 5 Stars
Year of completion : 2014

i.

Integrated Design Team Client : Sona College of Technology

Principal Architect : M/s Kadri consultants Pvt Ltd
Landscape Architect : M/s Kadri consultants Pvt Ltd
Structural Consultant : Sona college -Civil Department
Electrical Consultant : Sona college - Electrical Department
HVAC consultant : M/s Airton Consulting Engineers Pvt Ltd
Plumbing consultant : Mr.A.K.Nagabhushana
Green Building Design and Certification : En3 Sustainability Solutions Pvt Ltd.

Water plays an integral part in the greening process of sona campus. The project has
demonstrated a reduction in water consumption by more than 67.4% compared to the base
case scenario by adopting necessary water saving drip irrigation system for shrubs and trees
and sprinkler for lawns.
ii. The project has demonstrated a reduction in water consumption i.e. 1571.25 KL annually
which is more than 68% compared to the base case consumption of 4935 KL by adopting
necessary saving measures . Low flow taps , sensors based urinals , 3lt / 6lt flushing for water
closets have been installed on site.
iii. The project team has also taken efforts to minimise water loss during construction activities.
The project has adopted measures like use of ready ix concrete only , curing using gunny bags
for columns and beams , ponding on roof etc.
iv. Rainwater harvesting , reuse and recharge are done 100% on site.

Energising The Building

Novelties-

Site Sustainability Features

Figure Showing GRIHA score .

The project has achieved overall energy savings of

about 56 % over conventional building using high
performance glazing, efficient design shading
devices, efficient lighting design use of evaporative
cooling mechanism, installation of onsite solar power
. The project has reduced potable water use by 68%
from the calculated baseline design fixture
performance requirements established by the GRIHA
guidelines. Moreover the building has been designed
to showcase various green and sustainability
measures and practices and the effort is to use this
building to create greater awareness on green
concepts and sustainability to all its visitors, students
and occupants & spearhead the green movement in
the state and the country.

i.
ii.
iii.

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v.
vi.

Window to Wall ratio (WWR) is maintained within 15.48% which is much lesser than the
GRIHA limitation of 60% or less.
The artificial lighting design is done in such a way that the lux levels as recommended in NBC
are adhered to and hence over design of artificial lights are avoided.
Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC) of the fenestration confirms to the benchmarks of Energy
Conservation Building Code (ECBC) 2007. Glass installed in air-conditioned area has 0.62
SHGC and in non-air-conditioned area is 0.86 SHGC. Calculations have been submitted
indicating the effective SHGC of fenestration is less than 0.25
The Project has demonstrated 55.70% EPI reduction from the benchmark EPI of 61.9
kWh/m2/annum to 140 kWh/m2/annum. Selection of CFC free and HCFC free refrigerants
avoids global warming and ozone depletion.
The project has installed 10kwp of onsite solar pane to generate renewable e energy.
The Project has adopted energy efficient evaporative cooling methodology to maintain thermal
comfort in most of the regularly occupied spaces.
The project has provided shading element such as jallis to restrict the direct thermal radiation
67% of total living area is day-lit and meets daylight factor as prescribed by National Building
Code (NBC) through provision of daylight windows and roof monitors.

The project site is within 0.5km radius form a public transportation access for the benefit of the minimizing transportation
vii.
pollution and strain on local infrastructure, protects green natural resources.
The project site had 46 Matured trees of which the team has taken additional efforts to preserve 15 Trees compensatory trees of
the same species in the ration of 1: 3.
Resource Management
Indoor Environmental Quality
Hence the project team has planted about 138 Trees in compensation as an effort to protect existing landscape and site features.
467 Cum of topsoil was preserved during construction measure to protect the fertile topsoil.
i.
The project team has implemented necessary measures to
As the site is located in a campus, the new Sona sigma block has been designed in such a way that the existing pathways are used i. The project has used low embodied energy
industrial waste material such as fly ash in
prevent air pollution (dust and smoke) in the vicinity of
as connecting element and no new pathways are proposed. Also as passive design feature, the block has been located along North
60% of the total volume of block work &
the site during construction. The dust suppression
south axis due to site constraint , the longer facade in the east are shaded by a long corridor which acts as connecting element
replaces 21.4 % of the cement used in the
measures includes, provision for wheel washing, provision
between Sigma block and the neighbouring blocks and also acts as a connecting element within the block.
ready mix concrete & the masonry mortar
of 3 m high barricading around the site, sprinkling of non
The architectural space zoning was done based on the sun path has been analysed and the planning has been done in such a way
and plaster.
potable water on dusty roads ,gravel on regular basis etc.
that minimal heat entry is achieved in the project, most of the class room areas are oriented towards East west axis .All the
ii. Project has used low energy materials such
ii. All the paints and sealants used in the project have low
regularly occupied spaces in the west and south are provided with natural and manmade shading elements.
as locally available athangudi tile in the
VOC content
interior. The segregation of materials like
iii. Health and safety of workers during construction, with
The project has less than 25% paved area and more than 50% of the paved area is shaded/ painted with high SRI / covered with
wood, plastic, glass, empty cement bags etc.
effective provisions for the basic facilities such as
vegetation.
were ensured during the construction phase.
sanitation, and clean drinking water, and safety of
Timer based automatic controls have been installed on the site for the externals lights and the efficiency of the installed exterior
iii. Multi coloured bins with respective signage
equipment or machinery were done during construction
CFL & LED lights are 21 & 43 Watts much less than the GRIHA requirements of 50Watts.
is displayed in sigma block to encourage
phase.
Transportation and service corridors on site has been maintained to the possible extent to avoid unnecessary cutting and
segregation of waste at source.
-Jaskaran Singh , Maganjot Kaur , Triptbir Kaur , Nimesh Taneja , Nakshnoor Singh
trenching of land. All utilities were aggregated and considered along previously distributed areas.