Heat reduction insulated roofs and walls that substantially reduce heat ingress ( up to 60%) thereby reducing AC loads.

Cross ventilation with fresh breeze; goodbye to high energy costs (up to 40%)

Solar lighting is safe for people as well as the planet;

100% natural light all across, thereby cutting down usage of artificial light by 50%

PHILOSOPHY BEHIND GREEN ARCHITECTURE







Generally, the cost difference while raising a green building is approximately between 5% to 10% more than a conventional building but the investor recovers costs within 3 years.

Not only green buildings consume less energy to build but also reduce running costs of buildings by up to 35 - 40%.

Retain the external environment at the location of the building.

Improve internal environment for the occupants.

Preserve the environment at places far away from the building.

LEED Certified ----------- 40 to 49 points ( Recognition : Best Practices )

Silver Level ------------- 50 to 59 points ( Recognition : Outstanding )

Gold Level -------------- 60 to 74 points ( Recognition : National Excellence )

Platinum Level ---------- 75 to 100 points ( Recognition : Global Leadership )

Eco-friendly Green Building (known as Green construction or sustainable building) refers to a structure, and the process, that is environmentally responsible and resource-efficient throughout a building's life cycle from sitting to design, construction, operation, maintenance, renovation, and demolition. This practice expands and complements the classical building design concerns of economy, utility, durability, and comfort.When prehistoric man constructed a hut for the first-time using bamboo trees and coconut leaves to protect himself from sun and rain, he set into motion process of exploiting nature for his humble needs. As he cuts the trees, he also disturbed the natural habitat of insects and birds that lived in those trees, thus interfering with the cycles of nature. That was the beginning.The concept of Green Buildings is an approach to save water, energy and material resources in the construction and maintenance of buildings. This can reduce and eliminate the adverse impact that buildings have on the environment and occupants.'Green Building' technology is a futuristic idea for the planet and is pro-life. It is inspired from various elements of nature and innovatively designed to generate sufficient economic and health advantages. It brings us closer to the nature by bringing nature closer to home. In fact, it makes the whole growth story of mankind sustainable.Green building may have higher initial cost of its construction than conventional buildings, but in the long run these buildings could save up to 40 to 80% of energy cost. The energy requirements of some well-designed green buildings around the world is 15% lower than that of a conventional building.By preferring green building over conventional building, we help the planet earth to save nature as much as possible.A multi-storeyed office complex requires a vast area that can accommodate thousands of visitors and stuff. Therefore, selection of a site for such a building complex must take into consideration preserving local vegetation , wild life, natural water courses, etc. a site rich in biodiversity should be avoided or the building should be planned to reduce the site disturbance.Landscaping and exterior design in a green building should be designed to accommodate more shaded area; the light trespass is eliminated and local species of plants are grown.The green building by its design and shape should not be disrupt natural water flows. It should orient and stand just like a tree. Rain falling over the whole area of the complex should be harvested in full either to replenish the ground water table in and around the building or to be utilized in the services of the building. The toilets should be fitted with low flesh fixtures. The plumbing system should have separate lines for drinking and flushing. Grey water from the kitchen, bath and laundry should be treated and reused for gardening or in cooling towers of air conditioning.Solar energy at the top of a green building is harvested to supplement conventional energy. Natural light is harvested in the intermediate floors to minimize the usage of electricity. Sunlight is restricted by high grown trees outside the lower floors of the building. High efficiency light fixtures make a pleasant lighting apart from saving the energy. High-efficiency windows and insulation in walls, ceilings and floors are used for the benefit of better temperature control.We all know that a building is constructed using cement, sand, steel, stones, bricks, and lot of finishing materials. These materials are quarried or produced from far away from the location of the buildings. Building materials are responsible for about 30% of the greenhouse gases emitted by a building during its lifetime. World Business Council for sustainable development and the Industry Institute Partnership cell has estimated that, by 2050 buildings will contribute to emit 3800 mega tonnes of carbon. United nations Environment Programme reports that nearly 35% greenhouse gases emissions are from buildings.Green buildings should use products that are non-toxic, reusable, or recyclable wherever possible. Locally manufactured products are preferred so that the collective material environment of the locality remains a constant and the fuel for the transport of materials is saved.Green construction is a dynamic field that is always evolving with the advent of new technology, the economy and social change. Certain building materials and methods are considered "greener" than others because they have qualities that minimize their impact on the planet. Non-toxic, renewable, sturdy, or recycled products may be considered green.Flooring is a good place to start when trying o make greener building choices. Some woods are less renewable than others, and carpet often contains VOCs (volatile organic compounds) that have a negative effect on indoor air quality. Bamboo has become a popular choice for flooring, since it replenishes very quickly. Cork, which is removed from the outside of a living tree at intervals, is attractive, natural, very renewable and gentle on the human body. Other green flooring options include sisal, eucalyptus, recycled carpet tiles, recycled rubber, wool carpeting, linoleum and reclaimed wood.On driveways and walkways, specially engineered cement that is porous and allows water to sink in rather than run off and pollute waterways is environmentally friendly. Also using light colored concrete, especially in urban areas, helps to reduce temperature.Insulation is very important in green construction because it helps conserve energy. In the past, asbestos was used for insulation, but it has since been banned or restricted in many countries because of health hazards. Good sustainable choices for insulation are those made from recycled newspaper and wood pulp, soy, cotton, recycled plastic or cork.An important feature of green roofing is its durability; sustainability can often be as simple as avoiding or limiting waste. Composite cedar shingles resist moisture, mildew and insects, which extends there life. Metal roofing materials that have solar reflective qualities also have advantages, especially in hot climates. Living roofs, which are covered in hearty plant life, reduce the ''heat island effect'' that is caused by a lack of evapotranspiration in areas that have a lot of concrete and asphalt surfaces.Breakthrough in technology have made glass a popular green building material. Windows constructed of layered panes separated by sealed, gas-filled compartments provide insulation that conserves energy. Additionally, windows and doors can also be covered in special low-emission coatings that use or block natural solar rays to help regulate indoor temperature.Renewable plant materials like bamboo (because bamboo grows quickly) ad straw, lumber from forests ecology blocks, dimension stone, recycled stone, recycled metal are some of the other materials used in a green building.The buildings constructed based on the Green concepts should conform to prescribed standards. There should be continuous assessment and monitoring from the planning / design stage up to the completion of construction, only then can a building be considered as a Green Building.For this, LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Green Building Rating System is followed. In this system, points are awarded for adopting green concepts in various categories and the building are certified green at levels such as silver, gold or platinum based on the total number of points they get in the LEED rating.