Dear Inspired Readers,

The Green Building movement has

Volume 7
shown phenomenal growth over the last
few months. Just a few weeks ago IGBC
announced the successful certification
www.inspiredgreen.in
of 100 buildings in India as well as the
launch of the IGBC Green SEZ and
IGBC Green Township pilot versions.
There seem to be many many more conferences and exhibitions
on Green Buildings, all aimed at creating awareness and
spreading knowledge to make Green into the mainstream
building industry. As a result buildings today are becoming
more and more efficient and environmentally sensitive, with
modern technology, materials and products.
We at Inspired to be Green take pride in bringing you the latest
and most interesting news, events and innovations in the Green

for those inspired by green, written by the experts in green

Building industry and thank you for your support.
Stay inspired,

Contents Isabelle
Green building
movement in India

10
Initiation and growth of green
building movement in India

Better Home Insulation

Explaining the difference which insulation could

18
make in residential buildings
inspired to be
ITC Hotel
Showcasing the green

26
features of ITC Hotel

E-waste and recycling

Addressing an upcoming threat of the

30
cities of India

We are happy to receive your queries,

comments and contribution
130, Old Mahabalipuram Road,
Shollinganallur, Chennai - 600119.
Ph : +91 98432 68083 M E M B E R

isabelle@inspiredgreen.in www.inspiredgreen.in
BEE’s
Star Rating
A discussion with Dr.Ajay Mathur,
General Director of BEE about the
labeling program and Star-rating
for offices and ESCOs, during the
“Empower India 2010” organized by
Urjavara Organisation as well as BEE
Growing Energy
Demand
Every day India’s growing economy needs more
power for industry, buildings, infrastructure and rural
electrification. Increased power demand of 6% every
year, leads to more power plants to satisfy the hunger
for energy. More than 50% of the country’s electricity is
generated from coal driven thermal power plants. This
generation of electricity causes air pollution generates
carbon emissions and causes global warming.
Star Rating
The objective of this program, as
set out by B.E.E (Bureau of Energy
Efficiency, Govt. of India) is efficient
use of energy and its conservation.
With increasing gap between energy
demand and supply situation in India, the labeling
program is the ‘least-cost’ option to the government.
From the consumers point of view, the energy labeling
program offers significant benefits. It enables consumers
to reduce their monthly energy bills while using air
conditioners and provides information on energy use.
For products like air conditioners, tube lights, and
refrigerators it is now mandatory to have star rating.
This rating gives manufacturers the chance to sell high
performance products for a better rate and consumer’s
an informed choice of the energy performance of the
products in terms of its energy usage.
Efficiency Strategy
Efficiency strategies can save huge amounts of energy
in every sector. Potential savings can be achieved
through awareness, design and efficiency measures.
Green Buildings are a great example for the potential
energy savings in the building sector. Some green
building projects show more than 50% of energy savings
compared to a conventional building. More and more
builders are ready to invest in efficiency strategies which
pay back multiple times after the building is occupied.
Star Rating for Office
Buildings
Large potential for energy savings in existing office
buildings is addressed by the Star Rating for office
buildings which has so far been developed for day use
office buildings and BPOs. It is being developed to cover
different categories of buildings like shopping malls,
hotels and hospitals, etc.
To apply for the rating of office buildings, the connected
load of the building must be more then 100 kW and
following information must be provided:
- Actual energy consumption
- Building’s built up area
- Conditioned and non-conditioned area,
- Type of building,
- Hours of operation of the building in a day,
- Climatic zone in which building is located
Energy Performance Index (EPI)

The calculated Energy Performance Index (EPI) in kWh / sqm/ year will be considered for the rating. For example
the correlated EPI and Star Rating for Offices with more than 50% air conditioning with respect to the various
climate zones are as below.

Composite Warm and humid Hot and dry

EPI EPI EPI

Star label Star label Star label
(Kwh/sqm/year) (Kwh/sqm/year) (Kwh/sqm/year)
190-165 1 Star 200-175 1 Star 180-155 1 Star
165-140 2 Star 175-150 2 Star 155-130 2 Star
140-115 3 Star 150-125 3 Star 130-105 3 Star
115-90 4 Star 125-100 4 Star 105-80 4 Star
Below 90 5 Star Below 100 5 Star Below 80 5 Star

ESCO’s at the success story -

Rashtrapati Bhavan
The potential of energy savings in office buildings
is largely untapped, partly due to lack of effective
delivery mechanisms for energy efficiency. ESCOs
provide a business model through which the
energy-savings potential in existing buildings can be
captured, and the risks faced by building owners can
be addressed as well. These companies specialize
in energy audit and implement energy efficiency
practices in a particular organization. The overall
energy efficiency investment market size under ESCO
system of performance contracting in India has been
estimated by the ADB Study project team at Rs 140
bn (Rs. 14000 crores) and has the potential to save
about 54 billion units of electricity annually.
The performance-contract based payments for
energy savings achieved through the interventions
carried out by the ESCO ensures that savings are
achieved, and that the payments by the building
owners to the ESCO are related to the achievement
of these savings. The piloted ESCO business
model to upgrade the energy efficiency of eight
central government buildings in Delhi, including
the Rashtrapati Bhawan, shows very encouraging
results. In the case of the Rashtrapati Bhawan, the
investment made by the ESCO in energy-efficiency
upgrades has been recovered in less than a year
through the savings in the electricity bills.

saveenergy.co.in
It’s an initiative of BEE, Emerson Climate Technologies
and Copper. The platform provides a power
saving guide and an interactive tool to calculate
energy savings by using star rated air conditioning
systems. Consumers are able to predict their energy
consumption for air conditioning system and can see
the potential savings for using 5 star rated equipment.
Check it out!

Inspired to be GREEN, thanks Dr.Ajay Mathur on behalf of the readers for his marvellous effort towards
sustainability, and wishes BEE lot of success for its valuable initiatives.

Inspired to be GREEN I Volume 7 I 5

K
alakshetra is a highly respected and long
established centre for performing arts
specializing in classical dance, music and
theatrical arts reflecting a wide range and depth from
century old traditional art forms to modern practice.
Built in 1982, the design of this auditorium boasts of
passive architectural techniques adopted in design with
no significant M&E interventions, despite it being situated
in Chennai, known for its hot & humid coastal climate.
Kalakshetra is situated in a verdant campus known for
retaining an atmosphere of being close to nature in the
form of a thickly wooded environment devoid of any
form of automotive traffic in most part of the campus
and close to the coast of Bay of Bengal. The undulating
campus primarily consisting of sand dunes and ponds
leaves a lasting impression on any visitor. Aptly so, the
ambience lends itself specifically to that which focuses
on teaching of traditional performing art forms of India.
The concept is based on traditional forms and principles of
the Natya Shastra, an ancient treatise on performing arts. This
concept has been reflected not only in the plan of the public
and the performing areas but also in the exterior form and the
materials used for construction. The roof is built of traditional
tiles on timber rafters and is insulated with two layers of ordinary
clay tiles with a ventilated air gap in between. The large span was
covered by castellated steel beams in a radial pattern.

This auditorium is non air-conditioned and is only naturally
ventilated. Located in a hot and humid zone, being close
to the seashore, and set in a densely vegetated area, the
micro climate offered innate opportunity for the building to
take advantage of the sea breeze in the afternoons when
performances were held. In the early part of the mornings,
classes are held in traditional Indian dance forms when the
land breeze keeps the inside airy, cool and comfortable.
Also the high ceiling, deep overhangs of the roof, slatted
and internally inclined, serve as sun breakers enhancing
the comfort of the interior even on hot summer days.
Sewage and sullage waters are segregated and the sullage
water after passing through natural filteration media is
used for irrigating the landscape by gravity, without use of
electrical pumping.
There was no enhanced cost towards electro-mechanical
interventions. Most of the efficiencies for climatic comfort
were achieved as part of built-in architectural design efforts.
Though not measured and recorded, this auditorium is
highly sought after, especially during the Community Art
Festivals, organized periodically.
As an evidence of the successful architectural and
climate responsive design measures, not only the internal
conditions are comfortable during all seasons but also has
resulted in great acoustics, even without artificial sound
reinforcing systems. Except for the use of structural steel
portals to span the wide seating area, all materials were
locally sourced.
The project was completed in early ‘80s, long before
green processes / certifications came into being, but with
the most environmental friendly & energy conservation
measures factored in design! This project is a true
reflection of the best in passive design features that have
been adopted & is core to CRN’s design philosophy.

Inspired to be GREEN I Volume 7 I 7

 THE SEED’s ...to a Greener Planet
Market Transformation Efforts
Green Building Webinar
…Energy Efficient Air Conditioners
15 th September 10:00 AM REGISTER TODAY!
Only two years back the consumer awareness for energy
efficient air-conditioners was very low. Reason enough
for Emerson Climate and International Copper to support
a National Educational Training Programme (NETP),
which worked out to a success.

In 2008 only 25% of AC Buyers would have chosen Star-

rated products over non-labeled systems. Only one year
later over 30% of end-users giving preferences to 4* and
The Green Building Research Institute (GBRI) along with Inspired
5* rated air conditioners and about 50% are inclined to buy
to be green is proud to announce the release of “ The SEEDs ...to
3* rated AC. The awareness for star rated AC developed
a Greener Planet” - a powerful audio video presentation for the so fast that 5* rated products were sold out as soon
green building industry. From basic topics on sustainability to as the days got hotter.
new green technologies including BIM and Energy Modeling
The national educational Training Program is run by BEE
- the presentation educates the audience on the growing green and supported by Emerson Climate Technologies and
building industry in India, United States, Canada, Dubai, International Copper. It focuses on training of showroom
AbuDhabi, Saudi Arabia, China and Singapore. The 60 minute salesman and tools to motivate the end-user to choose
webinar also includes performance analysis of LEED projects, energy-efficient systems. Media advertisements accompany
tools and strategies required for a green building project, the initiative as well as an “Energy Calculator” which can
be used on the website of www.saveenergy.co.in
green project management, green washing,etc. Attendees are
also eligible for continuing education (CE) credits required The “Energy Calculator” is a powerful tool for calculating
for your LEED credential maintenance. the power consumption of star rated AC – and it gives the
consumer an idea of the annual energy savings by using 5*
Green Building Training CD rated equipment. This touch screen calculator is exhibited
at conferences, showrooms and symposiums as part
In addition to the webinar proceedings, there is a
of the program.
interactive CD which includes:
• From the green building basics to cost & schedule Comparing 1* with 5* AC
impact of each LEEDTM credit. Description 1* A/C 5* A/C
• Sample mock exams for green building exams 8 Hours a day, 8 Hours a day,
Operation
like IGBC AP, LEEDTM AP aspirants 252 days a year 252 days a year
• Opportunity assessment in the east & west - US- Size 1.5TR 1.5TR
Canada - UAE - India- China INR 5.5 Per INR 5.5 Per
Electricity Tariff
• Other green building rating systems - GRIHA- KWHr KWHr

green globes - estidama pearl - China 3 star Annual Operating

INR 18,301 INR 13,719
Cost
• Green building process- planning charette - design
Savings Of 5*
- construction - commissioning - closing INR 4,582
Over 1*
• Green technologies - BIM, energy modeling &
Price Difference
other tools in Market
~ INR 5,000
• Green building project management
Payback Period ~ 1 Year
• Lessons learned from building LEEDTM platinum
• Performance of LEEDTM projects
• The future of green building industry

For more information contact Inspired to be Green team at

+91 98432 68083; info@inspiredgreen.in
Else please visit : www.greenbuildingresearchinstitute.org

Green Building Research Institute inspired to be For more information please visit www.saveenergy.co.in

Your Research Partner in Sustainability & Green Buildings
for those inspired by green, written by the experts

" THE ELEMENTS "

...Of a Green Home
What is a Green Building?
Buildings are responsible for almost one-half of all greenhouse gas emissions today. “A
green building is one which uses less water, optimizes energy efficiency, conserves natural
resources, generates less waste and provides healthier spaces for occupants, as compared to
a conventional building.”

Why Make your Building Green?

The environmental impact of the building design, construction and operation industry is
significant. Buildings annually consume more than 20% of the electricity used in India.

Development shifts land usage away from natural, biologically-diverse habitats to hardscape
that is impervious and devoid of biodiversity. The far reaching influence of the built environment
necessitates action to reduce its impact. Green building practices can substantially reduce
or eliminate negative environmental impacts and improve existing unsustainable design,
construction and operational practices. As an added benefit, green design measures reduce
operating costs, enhance building marketability, increase employee productivity and
reduce potential liability resulting from indoor air quality problems.

Studies of employees in green buildings reported productivity gains of up to 16%, including

reductions in absenteeism and improved work quality, based on “people friendly” green design.
In other words, green building design has environmental, economic and social elements that
benefit all building stakeholders, including owners, occupants and the general public.

About Indian Green Building Council (IGBC)

The Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) was formed by Confederation of Indian Industry
(CII) in the year 2001. The vision of the council is to usher in a green building movement
in India and facilitate India to become one of the global leaders in green buildings by 2015.

The council offers a wide array of services which include developing new green building rating
programmes, certification services and green building training programmes. The council also
organises Green Building Congress, India’s annual flagship event on green buildings.

The council is committee-based, member driven and consensus-focussed. All the stakeholders
of construction industry comprising of architects, developers, product manufacturers,
corporate, Government, academia and nodal agencies participate in the council activities
through local chapters.

Green Building
Movement in India
An outlook of initiation and the growth of green
building sector in India.

Information and image source : CII-IGBC www.igbc.in

Green Building movement in India
Ever since the active launch of IGBC in the year 2001, the green building movement in India is moving from strength to strength
which is poised to reach stellar heights. The council housed in a green building, CII-Sohrabji Godrej Green Business Centre,
Hyderabad is the first ‘LEED Platinum’ rated green building in India and third in the world.

CII Sohrabji Godrej Green Business Centre Building, Hyderabad.LEED NC - Platinum Certified

From a humble beginning of 20,000 Sq.ft of green building foot print, today the green building movement in India
stands tall with 691 projects both in government and private sector amounting to over 433 M Sq.ft of built up area.
Today a variety of IGBC rated green building projects are coming up in the country. This includes government buildings,
residential complexes, factory buildings, convention centers, hotels, hospitals, educational institutions, laboratories, IT
parks, airports, and corporate offices.

700 691

600

500
465

400
Registered
Certified
300 322

200
110
63
100 80 30
1 0 10 2 17 540 10 15
2 1
0
2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
With 691 Registered buildings, 433 Million Sq.ft of green foot print and still counting...

First 100 certified Green Buildings in India

Adding one more feather to its cap IGBC has facilitated India to demonstrate first 100 fully functional green building
projects. This has been a landmark achievement that has put India on the world map for green buildings. This includes a
variety of buildings like corporate offices, convention centres, hotels, hospitals, IT parks, factories, airports, educational
institutions, government institutions, etc.

Inspired to be GREEN I Volume 7 I 11

 Tamil Nadu Leglislative Assembly, LEED India NC Gold

IGBC Green Building rating programmes Features of IGBC Green Building

rating systems
The IGBC green building design guidelines revolves around
The IGBC Green Building Rating System is a voluntary,
the 5 elements of nature viz., Site, Water, Energy, Materials
and Indoor Air Quality. The rating programmes adopt a holistic consensus – based, market-driven building rating system based
approach towards building design, construction and operation. on existing proven technology. It evaluates environmental
The rating programmes include: performance from a whole building perspective over a
building’s life cycle, providing a definitive standard for what
• IGBC Green Homes: Applicable for residential buildings
constitutes a “green building”. The rating systems revolve
which include individual homes, gated communities and
around the 5 elements of nature viz., Site, Water, Energy,
high rise residential buildings
• IGBC Green Factory Building: Addresses the sustainable Materials and Indoor Air Quality. An additional category,
design and construction practices of upcoming and existing Innovation & Design Process, addresses sustainable building
industrial buildings across all the sectors. expertise as well as design measures not covered under the
• IGBC Green SEZ: An extension of Green SEZ guidelines five environmental categories.
jointly developed by the Ministry of Commerce and
Industry (MoCI) and IGBC. Guidelines designed to address IGBC green building rating programs are the measurement
the efficient and effective design plan for newly notified systems designed for rating variety of buildings like corporate
Government and private SEZ’s. offices, convention centres, hotels, hospitals, IT parks, factories,
• LEED India for New Construction (NC) and Core & airports, educational institutions, government institutions, etc.
Shell (CS): Guidelines designed to address the design and It is based on accepted energy and environmental principles
construction of environmentally sound commercial and and strikes a balance between known established practices and
institutional green buildings. emerging concepts.

Green Homes gaining ground

IGBC has launched its Green Homes rating system in the year 2007 system for individual and commercial residential developments
which was a spectacular success with over 150 registered projects creating a foot print of over 145 M Sq.ft both from leading
developers and individuals building their homes. IGBC is well poised to transform the residential building market through active
support of Indian construction industry stakeholders.
160
151
146.24

140

120
Registered Projects & Million Sq.ft

100
88

No of regisered projects
80
71.1 Area (M Sq.ft)

60

42
40
31.9

20

0 0
0
2007 2008 2009 2010
Year

35% green footprint (146.24 Million sq ft) is from Homes BCIL T-ZED Homes, Bangalore, IGBC Green Homes Platinum
Year

New Rating Systems

IGBC is working stern in devising new rating systems to suit well the diverse building typologies. IGBC Green Townships & IGBC
Green Cities which are much more diverse in scale are expected to be launched very soon. Green schools, existing buildings and
green landscaping are also in the development phase. For devising these rating systems a systematic approach has been adopted with
the expertise of eminent industry professionals, architects and other experts of that particular field, which makes it much more valid.
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Congress 2010 Chennai Trade Centre, Chennai, India
Asia's largest green building conference & exhibition

Some of the key speakers

Mr Tim Cole Mr Mark Ginsberg Dr Prem C Jain Ar Karan Grover Mr Christopher C Benninger
USGBC USDOE IGBC Karan Grover Associates CCB Architects

Mr Chris Smith Dr Kath Williams Ar Rajeev Kathpalia Ms Chitra Vishwanath Prof Roland Stulz
USGBC Kath Williams + Associates Vastu Shilpa Consultants Biome Environmental Solutions Novatlantis, Switzerland

The event will feature the following Some of the products / technologies on display
Date Event Acoustical systems
ª Insulation
ª
5 & 6 October Training Programme on Green Building Rating Systems Adhesive / Paints /
ª Lighting & day lighting
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Sealants products
5 & 6 October Training Programme on Energy Simulation
Building automation &
ª Plumbing, water systems
ª
7 - 9 October Exhibition on Green Building Products & Technologies controls & treatment
7 & 8 October International Conference on Green Buildings Ceiling systems
ª Site & landscape products
ª
Flooring systems
ª Waste management,
ª
6 & 9 October Green Building Mission
Heating, Ventilation & AC
ª salvage & recycling
9 October Conference on Green Homes equipment & systems services..... and more
your
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day ls
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Sta
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www.igbc.in
 Enjoy 100%
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A s electricity prices and building's power consumption

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building's energy costs.
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• Natural Ventilation
• Evaporative Cooling
• Air Conditioning
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Ventilation systems can provide comfort cooling for most
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Evaporative cooling - The Most Natural
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An evaporative cooling system consists of pads which are
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cooled and humidified air.
The economy of using evaporative cooling is surprising
to most people. A 90% reduction in energy used by using
evaporative cooling compared to a conventional air
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Energy costs are likely to continue to rise in the future as
will the energy requirements of most organizations. Taking
steps today to increase the efficiency of the cooling system
can offset the impact of rising energy costs.
 DRI's Arctic Coolers, offer a completely natural way of
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and humidity and increasing productivity.

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Inspired to be GREEN I Volume 7 I 17

How better
home insulation
could “broaden the pond” for the air
conditioner market in India
by Mr.R.Rangarajan, Chief Executive, Supreme Petrochem Ltd, Mumbai. e-mail: r_rangarajan@spl.co.in
Current Market Scenario
Increasing prosperity & the lowering prices of window and split
air-conditioners have made them affordable to most middle
class home owners. However, despite the price afford ability,
many homeowners still hesitate to purchase an air conditioner
when they consider the high running costs. This is an untapped
market and provides an opportunity to “broaden the pond” for
air-conditioner manufacturers.
There is an opportunity for window air-conditioner
manufacturers to think out of the box and “broaden the pond”
to exponentially expand the size of the target market.
In this context, the following issues in the background are
important to note :
• India is under increasing pressure to cut greenhouse
gases and be more energy efficient.
• As per the Bureau of Energy Efficiency’s statistics,the
building sector in India accounts for 33% of the
total energy consumed. Of this, the residential
sector accounts for 25% and the commercial sector
accounts for 8%.
• Buildings account for close to 10% of the global
greenhouse abatement potential. Retrofit of residential
HVAC is one of the most important measures to being
more energy efficient & thereby lowering greenhouse
gas emissions.
• Bureau of Energy Efficiency (which is under the aegis
of Ministry of Power, Govt of India) has introduced the
Energy Conservation & Building Code (ECBC 2007) as
a voluntary code but is well on the way to making it
• mandatory in a phased manner.
• Energy cost will only increase in times to come, and
the pressure on the air-conditioner market to lower
energy consumption will increase dramatically, as air
conditioners account for the major chunk of energy
consumption in any household or building.
• Therefore, considering these issues, it is important
for the air-conditioning business to think differently
to offer to address customers who are not yet in
the addressable market.
Residential Building Insulation
Residential Building insulation is a very well established
concept globally. In India, till recently, it was virtually unknown.
However with increasing temperatures & rising energy costs,
the market for building insulation is starting to grow in India.
Building insulation is one of the components towards an
energy efficient building envelope. It serves as the outer shell
to protect the indoor environment as well as to facilitate its
climate control.
In tropical climates like India, 80% of the total heat gain is due
to direct solar radiation and the rest is due to temperature
difference between the exteriors and interiors. Thus to reduce
the overall Relative Heat Gain (RHG), it becomes necessary to
curtail the incoming solar radiation. This is s typically achieved
by the use of opaque insulation for walls & roofs and the use
of solar control glass with high performance solar coatings.
How Residential Building Insulation
improves Air-conditioning performance
Effective residential building insulation reduces heat ingress
into the building thereby lowering power consumption for air-
conditioning dramatically for the consumer. This is a simple
but effective “win-win” situation for all stakeholders.
The initial capital cost of air-conditioners itself may not be
a deterrent to many consumers, but the high running costs
(increase in monthly electricity bills by at least Rs. 800/-per
month) are usually a huge deterrent.
An air-conditioning solution that could be a certain winner in
the Indian market would be one that meets two criteria:
• Air-conditioners that entail low initial capital investment.
• Power consumption is low enough so that the increase
in monthly electricity cost is very low
Air conditioner manufacturers have already worked on
bringing the initial capital investment well within the reach of
most Indian home-owners. The easy availability of consumer
credit for purchase of appliances also does not make this a
major barrier in a “purchase decision”.
appliances also does not make this a major barrier in a “purchase decision”.

With steps like BEE Energy Star certification, the air-conditioning industry has done a lot of work to
increase energy efficiency. However, the high power consumption is still viewed as a barrier towards
a purchase decision by most home-owners. The running cost for an air-conditioner is still perceived
With steps like BEE
as prohibitively high.Energy Star certification, the air- by almost 87% through application of 50mm Extruded
conditioning industry has done a lot of work to increase Polystyrene (XPS) thermal insulation.
energy
This isefficiency. However, thebuilding
where residential high power consumption
insulation is
can play an important role by lowering power consumption
still viewed as
through a amore
barrier efficient
towards a purchase
buildingdecision by mostThe Itresultant
envelope.
is possible to reduce heat gain by 70% by proper use of
lower energy bills can makes air-
home-owners. The running cost for an air-conditioner is still insulation in the building envelope thereby reducing power
conditioners affordable from a running-cost perspective, and thereby provides an incentive for
perceived as prohibitively high. consumption required to cool the interiors. We have estimated
customers to buy an air-conditioner. that with a 70% reduction of heat load, the savings accrued
This is where residential building insulation can play an through reduced electricity costs are quite dramatic. (Refer to
important
In a building role byit islowering powerthat
estimated consumption
20% of the through
solaraheatFig gain comes
1 and Fig 2 athrough
graphicalthe roof & 15%
representation through
of the same).the
This
more
walls, efficient
and the building envelope.from
remaining The resultant lower energy
the windows, doors, makes
occupants,
the monthly running cost of an air-conditioner like
ground and other heat sources in an
bills can make air-conditioners
appliances, etc.. Through affordable from a running-cost
calculations it can be established
insulated that heat
building comegain from
down a roof70%
by almost alone
!! reduces
perspective,
by almost and 87%therebythroughprovide an incentive
application for customers
of 50mm Extruded Polystyrene (XPS) thermal insulation.
to buy an air-conditioner. With such a monthly running cost, the barrier for potential
It aisbuilding
possible home ofowners who defer purchases of air-conditioners due to
In it isto reduce that
estimated heat20% gain by solar
of the 70% heatby proper
gain use insulation in the building envelope thereby
their high monthly running costs gets lowered tremendously.
reducing
comes power
through the roofconsumption
& 15% through required
the walls,to and
cool thethe interiors. We have estimated that with a 70%
It provides an incentive for more homeowners to buy & avail
remaining
reductionfrom of theheat windows,
load, doors, occupants,
the savings ground and
accrued through reduced electricity costs are quite dramatic.
of the benefits of air-conditioning without having to worry
other
(Refer heattosources
Fig 1 like & aappliances,
graphical etc.. Through calculations
representation of the same in Fig 2). This makes the monthly running
about exorbitant electricity bills.
itcost
can be established that heat gain from a roof alone reduces
of an air-conditioner in an insulated building come down by almost 70% !!

With such a monthly running cost, the barrier for potential home owners who defer purchases of air-
conditioners due to their high monthly running costs gets lowered tremendously. It provides an
Figure
incentive for 1 -Energy
more consumption
homeowners to buy of air-conditioner
& avail of theinbenefits
an uninsulated and insulated without
of air-conditioning building having to
worry about exorbitant
Figure electricity
1 - Energy bills. of air-conditioner in an uninsulated and insulated building
consumption

Rs. 20,000
Rs. 18,000
Rs. 16,000
Rs. 14,000 Total Electricity Cost per month
(Rs)
Rs. 12,000
Total Savings w.r.t "No Star" per
Rs. 10,000 annum (Rs)
Rs. 8,000 Total Electricity Cost per month
with insulation (Rs)
Rs. 6,000
Total Savings w.r.t (No insulation
Rs. 4,000
+ "No Star") per annum (Rs)
Rs. 2,000
Rs. -
No Star 1 Star 2 Star 3 Star 4 Star 5 Star

Figure 2 - Savings from use of energy efficient air-conditioners in uninsulated & insulated buildings
Figure 2 -Savings from use of energy efficient air-conditioners in uninsulated & insulated buildings
In addition to the quantifiable savings that residential building insulation brings, there are several other
advantages where the performance of the air-conditioner improves dramatically:

1. Reaches the comfort temperature faster

2.
rd
Reduces start-up time by 1/3 . Inspired to be GREEN I Volume 7 I 19
3. Saves Energy & Money – approx. 70% less power consumption
4. Avoids cycling of the compressor meaning that there are no voltage peaks
Why the air-conditioning industry should pitch for
residential building insulation
The lack of residential building insulation hampers in bringing
out the best efficiency in an air-conditioner in the current
paradigm in India. The recommendation by air-conditioner
manufacturers to use building insulation will bring out the best
performance of air-conditioners and will lead to a broadening of
the market for the air-conditioner business.
It is estimated that the building sector accounts for 3.5% of
global greenhouse gas emissions and is set to increase to
4.6% by 2030.
As mitigation measures, Air conditioning and building insulation
are areas where maximum reduction in greenhouse gases can
be achieved in the building sector at low costs.
Building insulation in conjunction with good air-conditioning
can thus help reduce energy consumption, and yet provide
the comforts of climate control in an environmentally friendly
Insulation in ceiling - Application
manner. Thus it would be a responsible, yet good business
decision for air-conditioner manufacturers to promote building
insulation strongly as a recommended building measure as it
will lead to higher air-conditioner sales and also enhances the
effectiveness of air-conditioning.
INSUboard XPS Thermal insulation contributes to a
Green Building
INSUboard XPS thermal insulation is made in India by Supreme
Petrochem Ltd. The use of INSUboard XPS Thermal Insulation
enhances the energy performance of the building envelope and
lowers costs throughly.
• Lowers energy consumption for cooling & heating resulting
in energy savings.
• Lower HVAC equipment sizings resulting in capital costs
savings.
• Enhances indoor temperature & air quality therby resulting
in better health & productivity for the occupants.
• Enhances building marketability to the owners.
Insulation in roof- Application
 Sustainable Use of
Glass in Tall Buildings

T
all buildings clad in glass are being
constructed in urban environments all
around the world. Glass has been
the preferred material in the
construction of tall buildings because
it offers fast construction, off site
fabrication and lightness to the
building structure. On the one hand
glass is an ingenious façade material
but on the other hand, it has made
our buildings into energy guzzlers. The
amount of energy required to heat or cool a glass
building is significantly more than a building with
thermal mass in the exterior walls. The federal, state
& city ordained energy efficiency requirements have
become more and more stringent and it has become
very important to rethink our glass buildings. So
where is the demand for glass-clad buildings
coming from? Let’s take a brief look at the world of
real estate development in particular of New York City
to understand this trend. The hope is to understand
the demand side of the development industry and
renew a set of design management strategies that
can at least question if not curb the incessant supply
of inefficient glass buildings before they are blindly
supplanted all over the developing world.

New York Skyline

Form follows New York

The famous New York skyline has been a symbol of
economic progress and inspiration for a number of
burgeoning economic centers all over the world. In
order to understand why tall buildings look like the
way they do in New York City, we must look at some
factors outside of architecture and design which
have historically predestined whether a building will
be a glass building or mass building.
A look at the Lever house in New York gives a great
example of Corporate Modernism in America. This
building established a new paradigm for American
business. This symbol of Corporate America has
driven the vocabulary of steel and glass in high rise
corporate towers until the end of the last century
culminating with the AOL Time Warner Center in New
York City. The difference however was that the latter
was developer built. In most cases the developer
who builds the projects is not really the end user. The
developer typically leverages the pre-construction
sales of the building to secure lending from banking
institutions for construction and once the building
is built the developer transfers the ownership to
the future buyers and exits. Bluntly speaking, it is
a bottom-line business. “Owners want the quickest
build-out at the lowest first cost in order for the future
tenants to occupy the space and generate revenue
as soon as possible”, says Michael Deane of Turner
Construction. So there is usually a limited interest
in features that have long term benefits, such as
energy efficiency measures, as the developers are
not generally around to reap those benefits. Lever House, New York
 This article is penned by Mr.Bhaskar Srivastava. He is a senior executive of Ismael Leyva Architects (ILA)
he has a Master of Architecture degree from the University of Texas at Austin, Being a LEED Accredited
Professional and a member of the United States Green Building Council (USGBC), Bhaskar has
worked on several levels of LEED recognized developments. He has traveled widely and also worked
as a Historical Preservationist alongside Archaeologists in restoring ancient Greek structures for the
Museum of Tauric Chersonesos in Sevastopol, Crimea. He is currently involved with the international
operations for ILA in Doha and New Delhi.

Form follows Marketing Conclusion: Form follows Technology

Most tall luxury buildings are being sold with fancy European
names making promises of the elysium that lies within. The
promise of extreme comfort, sprawling views and out-of-the
world amenities brings in astronomical amounts of dollars per
square foot in sales. The cost of constructing residences or
hotel rooms in these tall mixed use developments is usually
so prohibitive that they have to be marketed as ultra-luxury
items in order to recover the costs. The marketing team is
brought in to create a sales strategy very early in the planning
process. They target the very slim section of demographics
that will pay a very high price per square foot if their priorities
are met. The priority list of this very slim section of the
demographics becomes a big determinant of building design.
We have observed that this buyer prioritizes sprawling views,
security, recreation amenities and comfort technologies
much before they even consider the exterior design of the
building. However, the demand for sprawling views has a
great impact on the exterior skin of the building. The design
challenge typically is to preserve the buyer’s priority for views
and still achieve a high performance building.
Historically, tall buildings have fueled the vanity of large
corporations and developers. The glitzy glass clad tall
buildings have heralded economic progress on the skyline
of many cities. Times have changed and glass clad buildings
are being criticized for their energy inefficiency. The need to
conserve, recycle and reuse resources is more urgent than
ever. The vision of endless corporate utopia offered by glass
clad skylines needs a little adjustment. With the development
of double or triple skin facades or pressure equalized 2 or
3 element systems, tall buildings can be made to perform
efficiently. We need to use the latest in these technologies
and transfer it to the local context of their construction.
Tall buildings may form a small percentage of our total built
environment but they are definitely the most visible elements
of our urban centers. Sustainable tall buildings should
use this ability to showcase the visible elements of green
technologies in order to sensitize the spectators with their
built environment.

Form follows Energy Demand

Sustainable architecture today is focused on reducing energy
consumption in buildings. However, our built environment
is shaped more by energy demand rather than energy
consumption. While the power consumption in tall buildings
has been brought down with daylighting strategies, LED
lighting, occupancy sensors etc, the demand load is still
3-4 times the consumption in these buildings. The demand
loads can only be brought down by reducing the mechanical
infrastructure in these buildings without compromising
thermal comfort and allowable factors of safety.

Whereas real prices of various energy forms have been

decreasing during most of the industrial history, due to
economies of scale and technology, the expectation for the
future is the opposite. We have realized that the real problem
facing us is not just population growth but population
growth coupled with the fact that our resources are finite.
Tall sustainable buildings will need to reduce the burden
on city infrastructure & the energy industry by installing
some demand side strategies and actually reducing the
infrastructural requirements of these buildings. AOL Time Warner Centre, New York

Inspired to be GREEN I Volume 7 I 23

What can we do to stop Global Warming ?
From the month of February itself, you must be tired of the scotching and unbearable heat. Mangoes that were available only
in the month of May-June have hit the markets in March itself. So what do you think is the reason????…. The only reason
for this untimely rise in temperature is – GLOBAL WARMING !!

What can we do to stop Global Warming?

• Replace a regular incandescent light bulb with a compact
fluorescent light bulb (cfl). CFLs use 60% less energy than
a regular bulb.
• Choose energy efficient appliances when making new
purchases. Look for the Energy Star label on new appliances
to choose the most energy efficient products available.
• Do not leave appliances on standby. Use the "on/off"
function on the machine itself. A TV set that's switched on
for 3 hours a day and in standby mode during the remaining
21 hours uses about 40% of its energy in standby mode.
• Cover your pots while cooking. Doing so can save a lot of
the energy needed for preparing the dish.
• Choose products that come with little packaging and buy
refills when you can.
• Reuse your shopping bag. When shopping, it saves
energy and waste to use a reusable bag instead of accepting
a disposable one in each shop. Waste not only discharges
CO2 and methane into the atmosphere, it can also pollute
the air, groundwater and soil.
• Plant a tree. A single tree will absorb one ton of carbon
dioxide over its lifetime. Shade provided by trees can also
reduce your air conditioning bill by 10 to 15%.
• Buy fresh foods instead of frozen. Frozen food uses 10
times more energy to produce.
• Drive carefully and do not waste fuel. You can reduce
CO2 emissions by readjusting your driving style. Choose
proper gears, do not abuse the gas pedal, use the engine
brake instead of the pedal brake when possible and turn
off your engine when your vehicle is motionless for more
than one minute. By readjusting your driving style you can
save money on both fuel and car maintenance.
• Protect and conserve forest worldwide. Forests play a
critical role in global warming: they store carbon. When
forests are burned or cut down, their stored carbon is
release into the atmosphere. Deforestation now accounts
for about 20% of carbon dioxide emissions each year.
• Encourage Others to Conserve. Share information about
recycling and energy conservation with your friends,
neighbors and co-workers, and take opportunities to
encourage public officials to establish programs and
policies that are good for the environment. Conservation,
substitution alternative energy sources, recycling,
sequestration of carbon, transportation alternatives, and
generally promoting wider awareness of the threats that
global warming and pollution represent to us.

Author: Abhay Desai – Director Marketing South Asia, Diversey India Pvt Ltd.
A cleaner,
healthier
future.
As JohnsonDiversey, you expected us to deliver the best,
most effective portfolio of cleaning products. You relied on
our world-class innovation and service to make cleaning
and sanitation more efficient. You valued partnering with us
to address the most challenging needs. You looked to our
leadership in making a cleaner, healthier future for the world.

Now, we’re simplifying our name under one powerful

brand—Diversey—to better reflect our world leadership in the
commercial cleaning and hygiene business. As Diversey, you
can continue to expect us to deliver the very best products,
services and partnership. And you can count on us to do even
more to deliver real, sustainable value.

We’re Diversey, and we’re leading the world toward

a cleaner, healthier future.

Diversey India Pvt. Ltd

A - 8, Laxmi Towers, Bandra Kurla Complex
Mumbai 400 051
Tel: 022 66444222
www.diversey.com
ITC Green Centre
Inspired by nature

In a chapter of The Road, Rachael Carlson wrote

"the road we have been taking is deceptively easy
a smooth super highway on which we progress with great
speed, but at its end lies disaster. The other fork of the road
-the one less travelled by" -offers our last our only chance
to reach a destination that assures the preservation of
our earth.

ITC commenced its journey on the less traveled road

some 17 years ago. In the bargain, discovering unknown
opportunities leading to new ways of doing old things,
learning the art of eco designing, which is nothing but
the art of seeing opportunities where none exist.

Conceptualization, modeling and scaling up has been

the forte of the Company. The ecological challenges
thrown up by modern industrial life styles have brought
in its wake innumerable challenges which need to be
addressed creatively & innovatively by process, policy
and design innovation which will hopefully result in
reducing our collective environment foot print.
 The Company, as an ecological pioneer, has over the plunge into the Green Building concept which emerged
years integrated environment imperatives in its entire in India in 2002.
management system right from roots to shoots. In a
The work in our new ITC office project had already
very short span of time the Company has established
commenced and management had to make some
more than 400 check dams in rural parts of India to
course correction to adopt the criteria laid by
enhance water security for the marginalized farmers
USGBC. Inspite of the fact that there will be time and
& helped over 2 million farmers to enhance their
cost over runs, this bold green initiative was taken
earning capacity through knowledge empowerment
and implemented.
techniques. Its paper division has reduced water
consumption from 250 tones of water to 50 tones water With exploding population, increase earning capacity
per tone of paper produced. and with the higher aspirations of people, the pressure
on natural resources will go up exponentially and as
The Welcomgroup chain has been identified as the
rightly pointed out by many enlightened people, such
greenest chain in the country by Business Standard.
growth is not sustainable. Therefore, a need for creative
With the already established "green lining" that exists
means of regulating the use of finite natural resources.
in the company, it was easy for the management to

"During the next quarter century, the most significant net contribution to a greener world will be made by
industry. Not every company is there yet, but most are trying. Those that aren't trying won't be a problem
simply because they won't be around long term". Ed Woolard - former chairman of DuPont

The Green Building has the following features

in brief:
• Building constructed with Fly Ash based cement
RMC (3.36%), Autoclave Aerated Concrete (AAC)
Blocks (55%)
• Double glazed windows with low-e coating
• Rain water harvesting
• Use of Variable Air Volume Chiller of 6.1
• CFC, HCFC & Halon free air- conditioning system
• Solar thermal water heating system for hot water
generation
• Light pollution reduction
• Use of day lighting resulting in reduction of life
cycle cost on energy front
• Energy efficient lighting (T5 lamps with electronic
ballast,high efficient luminarie)
• Water saving techniques
• Water efficient landscaping
• Sewage treatment plant and waste water recycling
• Low VOC, rapidly renewable & certified materials
• Use of certified wood
• Eco friendly house keeping chemicals & practices
• Environment Tobacco smoke control
• Carbon dioxide monitoring

Inspired to be GREEN I Volume 7 I 27

In a country where the construction industry is growing
at the rate of 10% per annum approximately, a few green
buildings will not suffice. Keeping the above perspective
in place, ITC Green Centre has been instrumental in
engaging all stake holders in green building practices,
introduced Green building concepts & demonstrated
to law makers so that changed policies and economic
instruments of GOI results in green building becoming
part of building bye laws, as opposed to few organizations
taking up the green path in construction.
The organization, during the construction stage,
sensitized 3,000 stake holders of ITC Green Centre. In
addition ITC Welcomgroup conducts regular eco design
programmes for schools, colleges, SME’s (Small and
Medium Enterprises) and chambers of commerce as part
of its eco - responsible best practices, so that a cascading
effect takes place in the shortest span of time.
Thus the ITC Green Centre in Gurgoan with 53 points
in the LEED rating system is the platinum certified
green building. This initiative by a giant corporate like
Welcomgroup is definitely a trend setting example.
Believed to be inspired from the nature, it inspires
other new ventures too, in that way apart from its
contribution to the nature, it may be considered to be
spreading the message of green in a wider angle. And
definitely the amount of thought gone behind the
design and execution is marvellous. The Welcomgroup’s
involvement in going green is evident by their self
initiatives such as the green education, and the effort to
make green building as a part of the bye laws. Inspired to
be GREEN thanks Welcomgroup for such initiatives, and
believe that it shall widespread the concept of green.
E - Waste & Recycling
Addressing an upcoming threat
by Santhosh M, IGBC AP e-mail: santhosharch@gmail.com

Defining e -waste
E-Waste for short - or Waste Electrical and Electronic
Equipment (WEEE) - is the term used to describe old,
end-of-life or discarded appliances using electricity. It includes
computers, consumer electronics, fridges etc which have
been disposed of by their original users. E-Waste contains
both valuable materials as well as hazardous materials which
require special handling and recycling methods.

Examples: Computers, LCD / CRT screens, cooling appliances,

mobile phones, etc., contain precious metals, flame retarded
plastics, CFC foams and many other substances.

European Union (EU) Directive on WEEE Implications to Environment

Large Household Appliances
Washing machines, Dryers, Refrigerators, Air-conditioners, etc.
Small Household Appliances
Vacuum cleaners, Coffee Machines, Irons, Toasters, etc
E-waste poses many health and environment problems
if disposed improperly due to the hazardous materials
that are contained in e-waste such as lead, mercury
and cadmium.

Computer monitors, batteries, circuit boards and even

Office, Information & Communication Equipment
PCs, Latops, Mobiles, Telephones, Fax Machines, Copiers, Printers etc.
Entertainment & Consumer Electronics
Televisions, VCR/DVD/CD players, Hi-Fi sets, Radios, etc
Lighting Equipment
Fluorescent tubes, sodium lamps etc. (Except: Bulbs, Halogen Bulbs)
toner and ink products are common e-waste items that
require disposal. Computer monitors contain lead that
when land filled ends up in our water and our soil. Most
e-waste contains significant amounts of mercury, and
almost all plastic found in electronics contain brominate
flame retardants.

Electric and Electronic Tools
Drills, Electric saws, Sewing Machines, Lawn Mowers etc. (Except: large
stationary tools/machines)
Toys, Leisure, Sports and Recreational Equipment
Electric train sets, coin slot machines, treadmills etc.
Medical Instruments and Equipment
Computers and display units contain significant amounts
of material that are hazardous to human health if they
are not disposed of properly. Monitors and televisions
constitute 40% of all lead and 70% of all heavy metals
found in landfills. These heavy metals and other toxins
that can leach into the soil from landfills, evaporate into
the air, and enter the air through incineration.

Surveillance and Control Equipment E-waste constitutes only 5-8 percent of municipal solid
waste, yet it is accumulating at a rate three times that of
Automatic Issuing Machines
other solid waste.
Toxins in e-waste include polyvinyl chloride (PVC 1. Lead in cathode ray tubes and solder
plastics), copper, lead, mercury, arsenic (in older 2. Arsenic in older cathode ray tubes
models), cadmium, manganese, cobalt, gold, and iron. 3. Selenium circuid boards as power supply
4. Polybrominated flame retardants in plastic
Between 1994 and 2003, disposal of castings, cables and circuit boards.
PCs resulted in 718,000 tons of lead, 5. Antimony trioxide as flame retardant.
287 tons of mercury, and 1,363 tons of 6. Cadmium in circuit boards and semi-conductors.
7. Chrommium in steel as corrosion protection.
cadmium being placed in landfills.
8. Cobalt in steel for structure and magnetivity.
There is uncertainty about the intensity of the impact 9. Mercury in switches and housing
of chemicals in e-waste on human health. Toxicology
is not an exact science, and there is rarely universal
agreement on how a given chemical substance affects
human physiology. This disagreement is compounded
by the fact that hazard identification tests are often
conducted using mice and rats, and then extrapolated
to identify human carcinogens and toxins.

This figure from the Texas Senate Research Center

shows the location of contaminants in a standard
home computer.

Sources of e-waste with their constituents & effects

Source of e-wastes Constituent Health effects
Solder in printed circuit boards, • Damage to central and peripheral nervous
glass panels and gaskets in Lead (PB) systems, blood systems and kidney damage.
computer monitors • Affects brain development of children.

• Toxic irreversible effects on human health.

• Accumulates in kidney and liver.
Chip resistors and semiconductors Cadmium (CD)
• Causes neural damage.
• Teratogenic.

• Chronic damage to the brain.

Relays and switches, printed circuit
Mercury (Hg) • Respiratory and skin disorders due to
boards
bioaccumulation in fishes.

Corrosion protection of untreated

and galvanized steel plates, Hexavalent • Asthmatic bronchitis.
decorator or hardner for steel chromium (Cr) • DNA damage.
housings

Burning produces dioxin. It causes

• Reproductive and developmental problems;
Cabling and computer housing Plastics including PVC
• Immune system damage;
• Interfere with regulatory hormones

Plastic housing of electronic Brominated flame

• Disrupts endocrine system functions
equipments and circuit boards. retardants (BFR)

Short term exposure causes:

Front panel of CRTs Barium (Ba) • Muscle weakness;
• Damage to heart, liver and spleen.
• Carcinogenic (lung cancer)
• Inhalation of fumes and dust. Causes chronic
Motherboard Beryllium (Be)
beryllium disease or beryllicosis.
• Skin diseases such as warts.

Inspired to be GREEN I Volume 7 I 31

Recycling Technologies
E-waste management practices comprise of various means of final disposal of end-of-life equipment which have different impacts on
human health and the environment. It can be distinguished between hazardous technologies that bear a great risk for both health
and the environment and are often applied in countries, where no strict standards exist and state-of-the-art e recycling technologies,
which comply with high environmental and occupational health standards.

Hazardous Technologies State-of-the-art Recycling

Incineration Technologies
The state-of-the-art recycling of e-waste comprises three steps:

1. Detoxication
The first step in the recycling process is the removal of critical
components from the e-waste in order to avoid dilution of
and / or contamination with toxic substances during the
downstream processes.

It is the process of destroying waste through burning. Because

of the variety of substances found in e-waste, incineration
is associated with a major risk of generating and dispersing
contaminants and toxic substances. The gases released during
the burning and the residue ash is toxic.

Open burning

2. Shredding
Mechanical processing is the next step in e-waste treatment,
Typical components of a mechanical processing plant are
crushing units, shredders, magnetic-eddy-current- and air-
separators. The gas emissions are filtered and effluents are
treated to minimize environmental impact.
Since open fires burn at relatively low temperatures, they
release many more pollutants than in a controlled incineration.
Inhalation of open fire emissions can trigger asthma attacks,
respiratory infections, and cause other problems such as
coughing, wheezing, chest pain, and eye irritation. Often open
fires burn with a lack of oxygen, forming carbon monoxide,
which poisons the blood when inhaled.

Landfilling
3. Refining
The third step of e-waste recycling is refining. Refining of
resources in e-waste is possible and the technical solutions exist
to get back raw material with minimal environmental impact.
Most of the fractions need to be refined or conditioned in order
to be sold as secondary raw materials or to be disposed of in a
final disposal site.
Landfilling is one of the most widely used methods of waste
disposal. However, it is common knowledge that all landfills
leak. The leachate often contains heavy metals and other
toxic substances which can contaminate ground and water
resources. Even well planned ones which are sealed to prevent
toxins from entering the ground are not completely tight
in the long-term.
E-waste and its Recycling in India
Globalization which has lead to giant leap in telecommunication, information system and also the change in the
lifestyle of people has made India to generate quite large quantity of e-waste in the recent years. And since the
e-waste management policy is not clearly defined, the present disposal is of hazardous nature. No accurate
estimates of the quantity of e-waste generated and recycled is available in India.

Major portion of e-waste is processed by the informal (unorganized) sector using rudimentary techniques such as
acid leaching and open-air burning, which results in severe environmental damage. E-waste workers have little or no
knowledge of toxins in e-waste and are exposed to health hazards. High-risk backyard recycling operations impact
vulnerable social groups like women, children and immigrant labourers. Inefficient recycling processes result in
substantial losses of material value and resources. Cherry-picking by recyclers who recover precious metals (gold,
platinum, silver, copper, etc) and improperly dispose of the rest, posing environmental hazards. There is no specific
legislation for dealing with e-waste at present.

Status of e-waste initiatives in India

WEE Generating Top 10 Cities
The Ministry of Environment & Forests (MoEF) of the government of India is
City WEE (in tonnes) responsible for environmental legislation and its control. The Central Pollution
Mumbai 11017.1 Control Board (CPCB), an autonomous body under the MoEF, plays an
Delhi 9730.3
important role in drafting guidelines and advising the MoEF on policy matters
regarding environmental issues. Historically, in 2001 in cooperation with
Bengaluru 4648.4
MoEF, the German Technology Cooperation (GTZ) began work on hazardous
Kolkata 4025.3 waste management in India through the advisory services in environmental
Chennai 4132.2 management. Subsequently, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Material Testing
and Research (EMPA) started to implement its global programme ‘Knowledge
Ahmedabad 3287.5
Partnerships in e-waste Recycling.’
Hyderabad 2833.5
Combining the knowledge and technical expertise of EMPA on ewaste
Pune 2584.2 management, coupled with the field experience of the Indo-German projects
Nagpur 1768.9 in managing hazardous waste in India, the Indo-German-Swiss ewaste initiative
was born in 2004. The vision of this initiative is to establish a clean e-waste
Surat 1836.5
channel that is a:

1. Convenient collection and disposal system for large and small consumers to return all their e-waste safely.
2. Voluntary system for modern and concerned producers to care for their product beyond its useful life.
3. Financially secure system that makes environmentally and socially responsible e-waste recycling viable.
The objectives of the initiative are:
1. Reduce the risks to the population and the pollution of the environment resulting from unsafe handling.
2. Focus on knowledge transfer to and skills upgrade of all involved stakeholders through trainings and seminars.
3. Target mainly the existing informal recyclers allowing for their maximum but safe participation in future e-waste
management by facilitating their evolution and integration in formal structures.

Existing e-waste recycling ventures in India

• Eco Recycling Limited (Ecoreco) in Mumbai was incorporated in September 2007 to manage end of life electrical &
electronic waste in an organized manner employing necessary technology & methodology to derive commercial
objective and also to protect ecology & environment.

• Attero Recycling in Noida was in the year 2007 with an objective of providing an environmentally friendly solution
to the problem of e-waste. It’s, an integrated end-to-end electronic waste (e-waste) recycling company.

• E-Parisaraa in Bengaluru started in the year 2005, aiming to reduce the accumulation of used and discarded
electronic and electrical equipment and preventing it reaching the landfills.

• Trishyiraya Recycling in Chennai, is an e-Waste recycling company, which provides e-waste management
consultancy, it’s a wholly owned Indian subsidiary of SIMS Recycling Solutions. SIMS group is a USD 8.0 billion
corporation having facilities in over 200 locations across the globe.

Apart from such private initiatives it requires large scale government interventions in policy level and also in action to
tackle this upcoming threat, and the people’s awareness and support is most important.

Inspired to be GREEN I Volume 7 I 33

 Nano technology
& Green Buildings
Author: Nitin Narang, LEED AP
Nitin’s 10-year international background offers involvement in architecture and urban design projects
focused on sustainable design in India, USA, UAE & Europe. This study was initiated by Nitin as independent
research while at University of Illinois, Urbana Champaign. (Email: nitin@greenroutesinc.com)

The biggest plans for the future of our built environment

are actually very, very small. The multi billion dollar per year
nanotechnology industry has already begun to transform
our buildings and how we use them; if its potential becomes
reality, it could transform our world in ways undreamed of.
Nanotechnology has the potential to radically alter our built
environment and how we live. It is potentially the most
transformative technology we have ever faced, generating
more research and debate than nuclear weapons, space
travel, computers or any of the other technologies that
have shaped our lives.
It brings with it enormous questions, concerns
and consequences. It raises hopes and fears in every
aspect of our lives—social, economic, cultural, political, and
spiritual. Yet its potential to transform our built environment
remains largely unexplored. The nanotech revolution is
bringing dramatic improvements in building performance,
energy efficiency, environmental sensing, and sustainability,
leading the way to greener buildings.

Chromogenic Technology: Application of Nanotechnology to Green Buildings

Nanotechnology, the manipulation of matter at the molecular scale, is opening new possibilities in green building through
products like solar energy collecting paints, nanogel high-insulating translucent panels, and heat-absorbing windows. Even
more dramatic breakthroughs are now in development such as paint-on lasers that could one day allow materials to send
information to each other, windows that shift from transparent to opaque with the flip of a switch, and environmentally
friendly biocides for preserving wood. These breakthrough materials are opening new frontiers in green building, offering
unprecedented performance in energy efficiency, durability, economy and sustainability.
 Smart Materials
A number of companies are using nanotechnology to add special characteristics to product surfaces, which can be anything
from stain-resistance and colour durability to self-cleaning, improved hardness and scratch-resistance, corrosion and UV
resistance, and improved thermal performance. Two nanoparticles that stand out in their application to construction materials
are titanium dioxide (TiO2) and carbon nanotubes. The former is being used for its ability to break down dirt or pollution and
then allow it to be washed off by rain water on everything from concrete to glass and the latter is being used to strengthen and
monitor concrete. Coatings made from nano-particles can be unusually tough or slippery, or exhibit unusual properties, such
as changing color when current is applied or cleaning themselves when it rains. Hybrid Materials with desired properties and
products like Nano Solar Paints provide unimaginable benefits.

Building Envelope and Thermal Performance

By tweaking molecular properties affecting thermal performance, manufacturers have been able to significantly improve this
quality in some materials, offering potential energy-efficiency benefits to buildings. Aerogels, very lightweight solids made from
silica and carbon, are a high-performing thermal product benefiting from nanotechnology.

Structural Systems
An outline research agenda for nanotechnology in cement and concrete covering the next two decades has been enacted;
however, practical applications have not yet emerged. Goals include improving mechanical and shrinkage properties, reducing
energy consumption during cement production, developing self-powered sensors to monitor the performance of installations
and developing innovative concrete materials. Material can be made ten times as strong & durable as steel for the same mass.
At Nanoscale different laws of physics come into play, properties of traditional materials change, the behavior of surfaces
start to dominate the behavior of bulk materials, and whole realms open for us. Researchers suggest that nanotechnology will
increasingly help the building industry to improve the performance of its buildings. For the time being, cost and the
relatively small number of practical applications hold back much of the prospects for nanotechnology in the
construction industry. However, materials are the core business of construction, and the prospects
for change are significant in the not too distant future. The sheer size and scope of the
construction industry means that the accompanying economic impact will be huge.

Nanotechnology Energy Revolution/ building

Sustainable Methods

Trans-humanism

Semiconductors

Smart Materials

Structural System

Built Building Envelope

Form
Adaptable Processes

Flow chart showing Nanotechnology,

Sustainability and impacts on Built Form

Structural System –
Use of Carbon Fiber

Inspired to be GREEN I Volume 7 I 35

 Green Building Materials
The choice of materials and products used in a building play an important role in the “Greeness” of a project and
has a major role in energy savings, indoor environment and can reduce the environmental impact of building
construction. The LEED and IGBC rating systems are excellent guides which provide a framework for the team to
work towards green, although architects and consultants need to go above and beyond the rating systems to achieve
higher levels of sustainability.

What are “Green Materials”?

The “Greenest Material” in the world, is the material
which has not been used, and does not exist in the
building. It has zero embodied energy and zero carbon
foot-print! This brings us to the core of Green Building
design, which is minimum material and maximum
efficiency. The team should validate the design through
energy and lighting simulations such that no element
of the building is over designed or unnecessary or only
for aesthetic purposes. Beauty comes from simple and
harmonious buildings, not from add-ons, this concept
is evident in all of Nature’s creations. I believe that
materials and products in a building are “Green” by
virtue of how they are used in an appropriate manner.
When designing, also consider the “Cradle to Cradle”
concept, which was so well developed and articulated
by sustainability pioneer, William McDonough. Any
product and material we use in the building should be
put back in the manufacturing process after its use in the
building. For example, the insulation from a demolished
building should be capable or direct reuse or processed
in some way so that it can be made into new
insulation (recycled content) or made into an entirely
new product. Currently, most of our building materials
and systems follow the “Cradle to Grave” system and
we are running out of space for “Graves” in India!
A lot has been said about the use of glass in a
Green Building, what is your take on this?
A simple analogy; medicines are vital to all life to
maintain health and cure disease. Drug abuse is when
we use these in an inappropriate way and actually cause
harm to ourselves. Similarly, glass is a vital element
in our buildings bringing in daylight and a connection
to the outdoors. Just like drug abuse, when architects
and clients use glass with no respect to the climate
and site, it becomes a deterrent to the operating cost
of the building and health of its occupants. Energy
and lighting simulations can help you to optimize
the glass quantity, orientation, shading and thermal
properties as well as guides like ECBC and ASHRAE
can assist in the building design. If used intelligently
“Glass can be Green”.
Simulation has a major role to play in material
selection; can you please elaborate the benefits?
Simulation is one of the best design validation tools
available to architects and engineers of modern buildings
before a single brick is laid. The performance of the
building can be predicted and optimized to work in an
integrated and efficient system. This is the opportunity
for the team to reduce costs by going Green and break
the misconception that Green Buildings costs more.
Energy Simulation helps the team predict the energy
consumption and optimize the building elements
like walls, roofs, glazing, insulation and glazing.
The HVAC and renewable energy system can be
optimized to save first and operating costs. Also, any
green building / energy conservation strategy can be
calculated, validated and payback period estimated.
Lighting and Solar modeling is used to predict natural
daylight, artificial light as well as heat gain in the
building. These results can be analyzed and fine
tuned to optimize glazing, design shading devices and
develop a day lighting system that maximizes natural
light and compliments it with artificial light to achieve
savings and a better indoor environment.
The savings have a snowball effect on energy
conservation as reduced heat ingress and lighting loads
result in downsized HVAC systems and in turn smaller
DG and Transformers. The results are lower operating
costs and reduced maintenance. It is a win-win for
everyone involved.
India has always been sustainable, so why is the
Green Building such a new concept?
It is true that Green & sustainability has been part
of our ethos and culture from time immemorial. Our
forefathers were brilliant at living in harmony with
nature and “treading softly” on our Mother Earth.
It is very important to understand that the goals of
sustainability haven’t changed, but the way we build
and our lifestyle requirements have gone radical change.
We have gone from hand fans to mechanical fans to
air conditioners, from living with nature to protect
ourselves from it. We should be inspired by our heritage,
not imitate it. Surprisingly, some of us build with this
ancient technology rather than adopting some of the
new materials and technology available. Understanding
our past helps us to move forward confidently, but
holding on to the past will prevent progress.
Where do you see Green in India going
from here?
Green Buildings are here to stay and the number and
awareness will only increase in the future. People are
becoming more aware and conscious and would like to
do their part in preventing climate change and global
warming. Sustainability will become mainstream
architecture, services and construction and Green
lifestyles will be the only way forward for humanity.
I look forward to the day where every building
is Green, where every building offsets its carbon
footprint and has a zero discharge & waste generation
and the people of India will not accept anything less
than a Green Building. We need to show that we care
about more than just ourselves, for this is a world we
share with million other plants and animals and our
future generations should have the pleasure and joy of
experiencing it, just as well, if not better, than we do
every day of our lives.

Inspired to be GREEN, thanks Mr.Dhruv Futnani, for sharing his thoughts about green building to us.

Mr. Dhruv Futnani, LEED AP, IGBC AP.

Dhruv is an Architect and Green Building Consultant who

has worked on various certified LEED Platinum projects
in India and USA. He may be contacted at 9500076968
or dhruvfutnani@gmail.com

Inspired to be GREEN I Volume 7 I 37

Gypsum Boards
The Sustainable yet
affordable solution
T
o design buildings which reduce energy consumption,
create healthy environment and restrict negative
impacts on nature it takes a team of dedicated architects
and engineers. The use of right materials along with optimized
orientation and design of the building have a great impact on
the buildings energy consumption. High performance and
lightweight materials which allow fast construction give new
opportunities to increase energy-efficiency in buildings.
The construction industry has developed materials which are
stronger and many times lighter compared to traditional used
materials, whereby reducing the quantity of material used.
Lightweight construction helps to reduce the environmental
footprint of buildings and makes them more sustainable,
by reducing the embodied energy. The market demand for
high performance buildings and efficient use of energy has
guided the construction industry to find building materials
providing better quality and reduced environmental impact. In
the search for high performance building materials, gypsum
boards have conquered the market for partitions and ceilings
in many countries around the globe. These boards have raised
the standards for building materials by combining qualities of
exceptional fire ratings, sound insulation and design flexibility
as well as meeting the builder’s expectation for a fast and
affordable construction.
Drywall construction with gypsum boards is 9 times lighter then
compared to brick wall, hence the whole building structures can
be made lighter which saves concrete, steel and reduces the
environmental footprint of the building.
Sustainability and “green” by definition doesn’t mean only
environment friendly but also comfort to the users and
affordability. Gypsum drywalls on this aspect are not only
3-4 times faster to install but also provide thermal insulation,
acoustic insulation up to 72 dB and improve the indoor air
quality making it an appropriate material for a fast developing
construction market such as India. The international trend of
replacing inefficient “wet constructions” with drywalls is
gaining ground in India and successful implementation of
drywall systems in our country is promising a fast developing
market for gypsum boards.
Mr. Olivier Chaudet, CEO of Lafarge Boral Gypsum India sees
one of the greatest challenges for the Indian market in training
skilled labor and building awareness on advantages of drywall
system products. To address issues of training Lafarge has
established a world class training centre and invested in a mobile
training facility where yearly about 1000 people are trained,
some of them certified by going through the complete installation
course. At construction site certified installers supervise the
application of gypsum boards and ensure a new quality level
for this application. Lafarge as a Group invests half of the
R&D budget in the sustainability construction segment, and the
results are convincing. Innovation that brings value to customers
and contributes towards more sustainable constructions is the
main aim of such a focus through investment in research. A
successful product is developed by working closely with the
design community to learn of specific requirements and address
the different needs of architects and builders.
To address the issue of awareness LaGyp the brand of complete
gypsum board solutions by Lafarge in India has also worked on
several programs to be close to the design community as part of
its global approach. Programs such as the Lafarge Avant Garde
offers exchange opportunities through workshops, international
knowledge sharing trips and online information as well as
consultancy services.
On a commercial aspect gypsum drywalls are probably the best solution saving considerable amount on the structure
thanks to its light weight. With one of the highest impact on the sustainability – LaGyp drywall systems can provide
points under the LEED India New Construction rating system:

• Energy & Atmosphere Credit 1 - Optimize Energy Performance – 1 Point

• Materials & Resources Credit 2.1 & 2.2 - Construction Waste Management – 1 or 2 Points
• Materials & Resources Credit 3.1 - Building Reuse – 1 Point
• Materials & Resources Credit 3.1 & 3.2 - Resource Reuse – 1 or 2 Points
• Materials & Resources Credit 4.1 & 4.3- Recycled Content – 1 or 2 Points
• Materials & Resources Credit 5.1& 5.2- Regional Materials – 1 or 2 Points
• Indoor Environmental Quality Credit 3.1 – Construction IAQ Management Plan (During Construction) – 1 Point
• Indoor Environmental Quality Credit 4.1 & 4.2 – Low Emitting Materials – 2 Points
• Water Conservation Credit 4.1 – Water use Reduction – 1 Point

LaGyp Boards can contribute up to 14 Points for LEED India New Construction Rating System (source: Lafarge &
IGBC). Hence gypsum drywalls is in true sense the best solution for constructions that needs to be “sustainable yet
affordable”. It is for this reason that forward looking people in the design and construction community ranging from 5
star properties like JW Mariott to budget hotel chains like the Ginger Hotels by Tata have taken the step towards this
more efficient way of construction. By using complete gypsum board systems in their ongoing projects the builders are
able to meet the tight construction schedule.

Comparison of Gypsum Boards with other materials

Gypsum Board Plywood Brick wall
Installation Easy to Install Easy to Install Masonry work
Proven fire
Fire resistant but no
Fire resistance starting
Not fire resistant fire rating
Resistance from 30min to 4 hrs
calculated
fire rating
Thermal
K Value .16w/mk K Value .17w/mk Not known
Insulation
Cost of
Rs. 70 to 75 / sq.ft Rs. 90 to 110 / sq.ft Rs. 50 to 55 / sq.ft
Installation
220 to 270 sq.ft can 220 to 270 sq.ft can 44 to 70 sq.ft can
Time for
be completed by 1 be completed by 1 be completed by 1
Installation person in one day person in one day person in one day
Seamless finish
Finish Seamless finish Joints visible
only after pop
Minimum
75 mm 75 mm 140 mm
thickness
Gypsum board
9 times lighter than
Same as gypsum partitions are 9
Weight brick wall
board times lighter than
(100kg per sq.mt )
brick wall
STC –
Reduction Reduction
Acoustic Not tested
Up to 72 dB Up-to 45 dB max
Performance
Water
consumption 98% less than
Negligible 22 Lt/m2
during brick wall
construction
Messy due to wet
Relocation Fast and easy Wastage is high
construction
Crowd
3 KN/M Not tested 3 KN/M
pressure
Source : Research - Inspired to be GREEN
Inspired to be GREEN I Volume 7 I 39
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 Gypsum Board Systems
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Bamboo : Frank Costanzo
L
ike many, I never really understood exactly how
much of an impact bamboo has been having
on the sustainable building industry and more
generally carbon sequestration potentials. However,
recently, a client of PGI approached us as a UNEP
partner-consultant and it provided PGI a unique
opportunity to deeply research the industry from
end to end. Fact is, bamboo is a quite remarkable
plant with yet to be tapped potentials. I think the
reason it hasn't caught on more in India is the lack of
integrated management and project ownership. I'm
pretty sure the stigma of 'poor man's wood' has been
erased but still you find agro-investors much more
drawn to the 'classics' like Teak and Eucalyptus; and
that's confounding because bamboo is such a better
option. However, that being said, some of the world's
best research on propagation and nursery techniques
have come out of Indian institutions over the past
twenty years. Ironically, these home-grown processes
are more likely to be adopted in China than India.
I think the UN FOA's observation puts it best: the
countries where bamboo is strong as an economic
commodity tend to be more interested in increasing
yields and expanding plantations. India has yet to
really invest in its potential perhaps due to the fact
that over 80% of bamboo farms are government
owned. As soon as bamboo is viewed through the
lens of a free-market investment venture, the tides will
turn. There really is no reason that India should be
importing finished bamboo products from China and
Indonesia. It'd be like an OPEC nation importing oil.
The real beauty of bamboo is that if properly managed
it's an unbeatable quality commodity. Plus, if the right
taxa is chosen, it's a top tier building product. Add to
that it's incredible above-ground carbon containment
qualities, it's as 'real' green as you can get. But again,
to make it worth the time and meet expectations,
it requires proper planning and management. It
requires end-use analysis, proper processes,
investment in tissue cultivated elite taxa and a host
of other factors in order for it to be a fruitful endeavor
for either the agro side or manufacturing side. Quality
of the culm is everything, and you really can't achieve
a high standard without capacity building from the
laborer in the field to the mill manager.
For information please contact globalganesh@yahoo.com
But looking at it strictly
from the vantage point
of the building industry,
it's a true green
product that makes
economic sense and
is predictable. That
predictability has come from massive amounts of
research and testing by engineers and architects
from INBAR and other institutes who really have to
be thanked for getting the bamboo product lines
accepted by the building industry. It took about
twenty years but bamboo products are being applied
in ever widening applications. The finish quality and
consistency is what has been improving rapidly, and
that's testament to its versatility. Particularly in design
and construction industries, items or processes
that don't perform to predictable standards fail in
the marketplace. The recent lines of products from
bamboo whole or fiber are literally mind-blowing and
are clearly here to stay.
And as we all know, something can be sustainable
in one application but not so in another. That's why
it's important that the building industry be good
stewards of the regeneration of bamboo stocks
so we don't have a repeat of the 1950-80's when
exploitation of bamboo as a material led to the
destruction of massive inventories. It's a prime
example of the necessary man-nature relationship,
where the economic interests of the industry is
harmonized with natural capital values. Fortunately,
organizations like UN FAO and INBAR are developing
a universal framework for future global forest
resource assessments for bamboo. Frankly, bamboo-
producing countries need to include bamboo in
their national inventories and provide organizational
support to monitoring agencies that watchdog global
natural capital resources like bamboo. Just like the
tiger census, we don't want to wake one day to find
bamboo forests have been depleted. That would
be the ultimate “lose lose” situation: an accepted
green material would erode from the market and
a vital carbon sink would be eliminated. Currently
FAO is creating international standards and process
manuals for ground and remote-sensing assessment
Bamboo House Bamboo Bike

The Solar Decathlon is a competition

in which 20 teams of college and
university students compete to design,
build, and operate the most attractive,
effective, and energy-efficient solar-
powered house. Competing colleges and
universities build solar powered homes
and operate them on the National Mall
for 3 weeks every other year. Recently
the Solar Decathlon was held in Madrid.
Bamb Ecological Technology Inc. is building handmade
The Chinese team from Tongji university bamboo bicycles in the Philippines by employing people
has designed and built ‘bamboo house’ from neighborhood villages. It's a very interesting
(aka sunshine inn). Made primarily out product, made out of bamboo grown in their region by
of bamboo, the house minimizes CO2 themselves, they've also made their own solar dryer box,
emission levels throughout the whole which will help speed up the bamboo treatment process.
production phase. The raw material is For more information visit www.bambike.com
also locally cultivated.

Exterior view of completed bamboo house Construction phase at the villa solar

Facade and structure Window detail PV panels in facade

The house features two curved roofs and a solar-facing wall which are clad with photovoltaic panels that
can generate enough energy to sustain the house, and potentially sell back to the grid. Another highlight
of the 75 m2 house is the innovative interior wall covering, which utilizes phase change materials (such as
those used in heat packs) to heat and cool the house. In order to build the house quickly on site, the team
pre-fabricated the majority of the house and prepared the material before shipping to Madrid.

Inspired to be GREEN I Volume 7 I 43

An Ode to Nature
Green School , Bali
Green School Bali, one of the most amazing schools
on earth, is giving its students a relevant holistic
and green education.
The students come from all corners of the world, many
relocating with their parents just for the experience of
attending. Amongst them, fully 20% are local Balinese kids
funded by scholarships from generous donors, allowing
them to benefit from an international education and
facilitating the magic of Balinese culture to fully permeate
the education. The curriculum for younger children is
influenced by the work of Rudolf Steiner, who pioneered
the idea of holistic education. Older students have the
opportunity to study for Cambridge IGCSE's and a planned
IB diploma/certificate course will take them to graduation.
Green Studies, which focus on sustainability, and a
quality Creative Arts program complement the academic
curriculum.
The Green Studies programme includes topics like carbon
footprint analysis, water studies and even, organic farming
and gardening.
Within the Creative Arts and physical education
programmes, students delve into yoga and batik
painting using natural dyes made from vegetation on
Delivering a generation of global citizens who are
knowledgeable about and inspired to take responsibility for
the sustainability of the world
site, and martial arts, with the Balinese traditional art of
Mepantingan being an important component. Students,
aged between three and 15, learn by doing, with each
child tending to their very own vegetable patch.
And as part of that commitment to greening the
environment, Green School is built entirely out of bamboo
– even its blackboards, desks, chairs and lamps.
Bamboo is the latest darling of eco-conscious architects,
designers and manufacturers all over the world. The
demand worldwide is high for bamboo for clothing, flooring,
furniture and as building material.
Bamboo’s environmental benefits arise largely out of its
ability to grow and spread quickly – in some cases, one
meter a day – without the need for fertilizers, pesticides
or much water.
Bamboo also reaches structural maturity in four to five
years and produces a crop each year (compared to 30
to 50 years for most tropical hardwood trees), helping to
improve soil conditions and prevent erosion along the way.
Bamboo is so fast-growing that it can yield 20 times more
timber than trees on the same area.
Your one stop source for
residential and commercial
bamboo floors, furniture,
panels, products and
pre-fab structures.

surabhi For more Information

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l e e d
decoded Water Efficiency Credit 2: Drought Tolerant Species

Intent
Landscape to be designed to ensure minimum consumption of water.

Requirement
Ensure that atleast 25% of the landscaped area is planted with drought
tolerant species.

Drought Tolerant Species

Native species have evolved and adapted to the local weather over
thousands of years. In their native habitat, they are tolerant of seasonal
extremes, having adapted to survive winter cold and summer heat,
Drought tolerant plant - Red Bird of Paradise
periodic drought, wildfires, coastal conditions and high winds. Once (Caesalpinia pulcherrima) lend a colorful tone
established, many native species require little or no additional irrigation
beyond normal rainfall. Placing these plants in the garden reduces
the need to supply extra water during periods of inadequate rainfall.
While cacti and succulents may have a place in some drought-tolerant
gardens, they are not the only alternatives. There are other choices
available and appropriate for dry areas. With careful selection, planning
and execution, drought-tolerant landscapes can be as pleasing as those
needing heavy irrigation.

Some drought tolerant plants survive periods of reduced summer water

by going dormant and then resuming growth during the winter and spring.
Many low-water-use plants actually avoid drought by producing wide-
spreading or long roots to reach stored groundwater. These extensive
Drought tolerant plant - Texas Mountain Laurel
root systems can also be beneficial for hillside stabilization. A variety of
(Sophora secundiflora) provides shade & beauty.
species on a slope – trees, shrubs, and perennials - will provide a range
of root depths to help bind soil and rocks together. Many drought-tolerant
plants can be useful in areas of high fire danger. Some dry land plants
are low-growing with a creeping or spreading habit; this low foliage along
with open branching, limited leaf litter, and low quantities of flammable
oils or resins contribute to fire-resistance. Be sure to water these plants
as needed to maintain moisture. A plant’s natural growing conditions
contribute to its appearance and characteristics. A drought tolerant plant
that thrives in dappled shade may have large, leathery leaves, whereas a
plant that prefers full sun may have smaller, firmer foliage. Plants in high-
heat areas may be drought-deciduous and lose their foliage altogether
during times of low water. Leaf color generally depends on light exposure
and tends to be lighter, silvery, or greyish for plants that live in full sun; Cacti and succulents provide a stunning focal point to
plants from more shaded areas generally are darker. a drought tolerant garden

Benefits of Drought Tolerant Plants

• Lower water bills
• Reduced water use
• Attractive plants with less maintenance
• More wildlife habitat
• Less plant disease and more pest resistance
• Deeper roots help to stabilize slopes
Draught tolerant lawn alternative - Draught tolerant lawn alternative -
• More groundwater recharge
sea side daisy yarrow
Methodology for drought resistant landscape
Limit Turfgrass
Turfgrass requires more water than other plants in the
landscape, it’s advisable to avoid it in drought tolerant
landscape design, when used, by isolating turf from gardens,
trees and shrubs, a landscape consultant can separate
irrigation zones and use less water. It’s required to limit turf
to areas that are regular in shape and easily irrigated.
Mulching
Properly mulching an area lowers the soil temperature and
decreases the loss of moisture due to evaporation. In addition
to creating texture in the landscape, organic mulches decay,
adding nutrients to the soil. Appropriate depth of the mulch
is important: 2 to 3 inches for trees and shrubs, and 1 to 2
inches for vegetables, annuals and perennials.

Selection of species Use soil amendments

The most important and crucial element is the selection of
landscape species, this could be made easy if one studies
the existing naturally growing species of landscapes, and
the may adopt the same, or a species with similar properties
based on the requirement, which means it doesn’t need
much external supplement.
Efficient Irrigation
Efficient irrigation may mean including an irrigation system.
The least efficient system is the sprinkler. It delivers a large
amount of water in a short period, but loses excessive
amounts of moisture to evaporation. Drip irrigation is one of
the efficient one, which could be considered.
A soil amendment is any material added to a soil to improve
its physical properties, such as water retention, permeability,
water infiltration, drainage, aeration and structure. The goal
is to provide a better environment for roots. There are two
broad categories of soil amendments: organic and inorganic.
Organic amendments come from something that is or was
alive. Inorganic amendments, on the other hand, are either
mined or man-made. Organic is the most preferred.
Maintaining the landscape properly
Maintenance is also a critical factor, even though it shall be
minimal for a well designed drought resistant landscape, it
shall also be considered as the most critical.

Xeriscaping
Xeriscaping refers to landscaping and gardening in ways that reduce or eliminate the need for supplemental water from
irrigation. It is promoted in regions that do not have easily accessible, plentiful, or reliable supplies of fresh water, and is
gaining acceptance in other areas as climate patterns shift. If it were better understood, xeriscaping and drought tolerant
design would be practiced more often than it already is. Xeriscaping based design can be very beautiful and generally
requires less water, fertilizer, maintenance, and pest control than traditional landscaping. And, of course, using less of these
will save time and money.

The principles of xeriscaping address the areas of slope,
plants, plant groups, watering methods, and soil. And because
xeric design is based on principles, shape and other design
aspects can be based on and used for any design style.
A common thought is that xeriscaping is strictly rocks and
cactus. While this may be one way of doing it, Xeriscape
principles can be applied to any garden design style. Besides
the native plants already adapted to your area, there are
many colorful drought tolerant plants native to other climates
such as Southern Europe, North Africa, Western Asia, South
Africa, and Australia that will thrive in our garden.
Proper grouping of plants is a main principle of xeriscaping.
Grouping plants with similar water needs allows them to be
watered as required with very little waste. By planting high
water use plants separate from low water use and no water
use plants, you can regulate water needs more accurately.
Your irrigation system can be zoned according to plant needs
which will save resources and money.

Inspired to be GREEN I Volume 7 I 49

 The Energy - Water Nexus
by Mr. Subhash Chandra Mathur, MD Samarpit International Group, Gurgaon, India.

W ater is scarce in generally arid areas like the Middle East,

Africa, Australian desert, etc. But even in areas that
seemingly have plenty of water, a mix of growing population,
pollution, poor management, and development has led to the
surfacing of water issues in the most unsuspecting manners.
consumption and loss. The Wall Street Journal reported that
"the electric-power industry accounts for nearly half of all
water withdrawals in the US" and "Power companies are
pulling back from plans to build traditional power plants that
require steady streams of water to operate." .

All major types of industries — energy, agriculture, Looking at India, according to a recent presentation at the
manufacturing - are fully reliant on water for even Uttar Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission (UPERC),
the country has 16% of world population but only 4% of the
marginal operation.
total available fresh water. Ground water constitutes 38.5%
According to some estimates,it take 37 gallons of water to of the total water resource of the country. Major uses of
grow, package, and ship enough coffee to make one cup. A Ground water in India are Irrigation (90% of all available water
hamburger requires about 634 gallons to make it to your meets only 55% of the need), Drinking purposes/domestic
stomach. But the most water-intensive industry of them all is consumption (5% meets 90% of need)and Industries (5%
energy. It can take up to 168 gallons of water to get one barrel meets 50% of the need).
of oil from oil sands. And 800 gallons are required to generate
To elicit the governmental support and to bridge the policy
one megawatt-hour of electricity. According to another
gap between the water and energy sectors so that problems
estimate by US Geological Survey, electricity production
involving the interaction of the two sectors can be addressed
from fossil fuels and nuclear energy requires 190,000 million
and reform efforts can move forward, The Water Energy
gallons of water per day, accounting for 39% of all freshwater
Nexus Activity (WENEXA) has been initiated.It is designed to
withdrawals in the US, with 71% of that going to fossil-fuel
address seemingly intractable problems whose roots lie at
electricity generation alone.
the intersection of these two sectors.
So, we use a lot of water to produce energy, especially fossil
Under the aegis of initiatives like WENEXA, scientific and
fuel energy. And we use a lot of energy to produce water —
technological innovations should be encouraged to focus on
for food, to treat water, to capture and treat waste water.
minimizing the impact of energy production on water quality
Another point of concern is that the world population is and availability and reducing the amount of energy required
expected to increase significantly while fresh water supplies for treating and distributing water.
are not. The burgeoning global population's ever-increasing
need for fresh water is at odds with a warming world that is
already squeezing water availability in some regions. Climate
variability could thus further add to the woes and impact
water supplies, quality, and energy demand.
Since water and energy are so tightly bound together, the
relationship has been given a special name: the energy-water
nexus.

And energy industry must compete for water with agriculture,

other industries as well as domestic use. According to the 2007
report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change,
things will only get worse as current water-management
practices are unlikely to quell demands.

But there is hope. There is slow, but nevertheless increasing,

awareness building up on the interdependence of water-
reliant systems and the need for balancing of the requirements
of all users and development of technologies to reduce water
 Waterless urinals
No Water – No Smell – ZERO Maintenance – Possible?

Potable water has been a scarce resource and environmentalists

are working day and night to save as much water they can. Many
organizations are regularly putting their efforts to make products to
save potable water. Waterless Urinal is one such product available
globally and has been mandatory to use in a number of countries.
However, the technologies available so far were based on cartridge
or oil seal that has high operating costs and regular maintenance;
thus the product has not been able to get much support. Now a
new technology has been invented that has no cartridges, chemical
requirements and has zero operating costs with no maintenance.
Emphasis should be laid on innovations for These urinals were used in Beijing Olympics and have been approved
by the Beijing Olympics Authority for their successful operation.
• Treating and reusing non-potable process water in
The product has advanced nano-coating to make it anti stain and
power production. anti bacterial; providing better hygiene to users and innovative flap
• Accessing currently unused water sources, such as technology to control the odor. In India the product was introduced
brackish aquifers. by AG Aqua Solutions, a year back and has been tried and tested
• Reducing cooling water used by thermal electricity- by different organizations so far. Municipal Corporation of Delhi
has already started installing these urinals for upcoming Common-
generating power plants.
Wealth Games to provide better civic amenities to visitors and
• Delivering water and energy more efficiently to prevent general public.
losses and
The product adopts several patent techniques. It works on the
• Minimizing water-related impacts from mining, energy
principle of gravitational force and air pressure technology. The
production and use, and disposal of solid by products.
nano silver is an anti bacterial glaze that doesn’t let urine to stay
on the body and the patented trap technology has NRV (Non
Research should also be directed at reducing the energy
Returning Valve) that opens with the urine flow and closes once its
required to treat, pump, and distribute water, including
passed through Plastic Trap installed inside the steel case needs to be
improvements in waste-water treatment processes and replaced once in 5 years. It’s anti bacterial and anti fungal coating
irrigation technology. Also, to combat the amount of water kills the pathogens and does not let infections spread. And due to the
consumed by traditional power plants, utilities must turn Functional
hydrophobic principle
property of the of
Functional flapsilver
principle
nano technology
of coating in
flap technology in water,
which repels
to alternative technologies. According to the Wall Street Kupple Waterless
Kupple urinals urinals
Waterless
there is no urine accumulation in the urinal’s surface.
Journal,a wind turbine, for example, can save 200 to 600 Flap closes withFlap
the gravitational
Functional principle
Flap opens flowof
with Flap offlap
urine
opens technology
with flow of urinein KuppleWaterless
closes with theurinals
gravitational
gallons of water compared with the amount required by a pull and stopping theand
pull odor
stopping the odor

modern gas-fired power plant to make that same amount;

solar arrays are also gaining momentum because their water
needs are minimal.

In short, Global Water supplies are at risk of drying

up as the climate warms, but mitigating climate
change calls for shifting to less water intensive Flap opens with flow the of urine Flap closes with gravitational pull and
alternative energy sources. stops the odor PropertyPvt.
A Property of AG AquaASolutions Ltd.Aqua Solutions Pvt. Ltd.
of AG

For more info please visit www.savewater.co.in

Inspired to be GREEN I Volume 7 I 51

 Living wall features
• This is the only seamless green wall system. The basal infrastructure is not seen as it is covered with thick vegetation.
• This is the most sustainable living wall system, as the installations have already sustained varied climatic conditions
ranging from 2 deg C to 46.5 deg C temperature.
• The modular system consists of Living wall panels of size 30cm x 30cm x10cm.
• Weight of Living wall when fully saturated with water is less than 8.5 kg per sft.
• The growth medium is longevity enabled & replenishment of organic materials or change of growth medium is not
required for many years.
• Panels have an in built irrigation system, which works on gravity & assure that each cell of the panel gets water.
• The panels have provision to introduce illumination and also mist irrigation through the panels. The introduction of
spraying system makes maintenance easy in case of high rise buildings
• With pre-grown panels one can have ready effect from first day of installation.