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Life Science Archives (LSA)

ISSN: 2454-1354
Volume – 2; Issue - 3; Year – 2016; Page: 586 – 590
DOI: 10.21276/lsa.2016.2.3.10

Review Article
GREEN BUILDINGS - A REVIEW
P. Satheesh Kumar1*, C. Sivasubramanian1, M. Jeganathan2 and J. Ashok3
1
Department of Environmental and Herbal Science, Tamil University, Thanjavur - 613 010,
Tamil Nadu, India.
2
Designed Environment Academy and Research Institute, Trichy - 621 213, Tamilnadu, India.
3
Department of Architecture, Periyar Maniammai University, Thanjavur - 613 010, Tamil Nadu, India.

Abstract
The improving energy efficiency of buildings and energy systems, developing sustainable building
concepts and promoting renewable energy sources. “Green” or “sustainable” buildings use key resources like
energy, water, materials, and land more efficiently than buildings that are just built to code. With more
natural light and better air quality, green buildings typically contribute to improved health, comfort, and
productivity. A green building depletes the natural resources to the minimum during its construction and
operation. The aim of a green building design is to minimize the demand on non - renewable resources,
maximize the utilization efficiency of these resources, when in use, and maximize the reuse, recycling, and
utilization of renewable resources. It maximizes the use of efficient building materials and construction
practices; optimizes the use of on-site sources and sinks by bioclimatic architectural practices, uses minimum
energy to power itself, uses efficient equipment to meet its lighting, air-conditioning, and other needs,
maximizes the use of renewable sources of energy, uses efficient waste and water management practices, and
provides comfortable and hygienic indoor working conditions. In sum, the following aspects of the building
design are looked into in an integrated way in a green building.

Article History Key words: Bioclimate, Renewable energy,

Received : 29.03.2016 Hygiene and Green building.
Revised : 17.04.2016
Accepted : 10.05.2016
1. Introduction

A sustainable building, or green building environment by (i) Efficiently using energy, water,
is an outcome of a design which focuses on and other resources and (ii) Reducing waste,
increasing the efficiency of resource use energy, pollution and environmental degradation.
water and materials while reducing building Green building practices aim to reduce the
impacts on human health and the environment environmental impact of buildings. Buildings
during the building's lifecycle, through better account for a large amount of land use, energy and
sitting, design, construction, operation, water consumption, and air and atmosphere
maintenance, and removal. Green buildings are alteration. The environmental impact of buildings
designed to reduce the overall impact of the built is often underestimated, while the perceived costs
environment on human health and the natural of green buildings are overestimated. A recent
survey by the World Business Council for
Sustainable Development finds that green costs
* Corresponding author: P. Satheesh Kumar are overestimated by 300 per cent, as key players
E. mail: jegann1978@[Link]

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Satheesh Kumar/Life Science Archives (LSA), Volume – 2, Issue – 3, Page – 586 to 590, 2016 587

in real estate and construction estimate the the winter. In addition, effective window
additional cost at 17 per cent above conventional placement (day lighting) can provide more natural
construction, more than triple the true average cost light and lessen the need for electric lighting
difference of about 5 per cent (Doreen et al., during the day. Solar water heating further reduces
2012). energy loads. Finally, onsite generation of
renewable energy through solar power, wind
2. Building Materials power, hydro power, or biomass can significantly
reduce the environmental impact of the building.
Building materials typically considered to
Power generation is generally the most expensive
be 'green' include rapidly renewable plant
feature to add to a building (Fadi Chlela et al.,
materials like bamboo (because bamboo grows
2011).
quickly) and straw, lumber from forests certified
to be sustainably managed, ecology blocks, 4. Reduced waste
dimension stone, recycled stone, recycled metal,
and other products that are non-toxic, reusable, Green architecture also seeks to reduce
renewable, and or recyclable (e.g. Trass, waste of energy, water and materials used during
Linoleum, sheep wool, panels made from paper construction. For example, in California nearly 60
flakes, compressed earth block, adobe, baked % of the state's waste comes from commercial
earth, rammed earth, clay, vermiculite, flax linen, buildings. During the construction phase, one goal
sisal, seagrass, cork, expanded clay grains, should be to reduce the amount of material going
coconut, wood fiber plates, calcium sand stone, to landfills. Well designed buildings also help
concrete (high and ultra high performance, roman reduce the amount of waste generated by the
self-healing concrete, etc.). The EPA occupants as well, by providing onsite solutions
(Environmental Protection Agency) also suggests such as compost bins to reduce matter going to
using recycled industrial goods, such as coal landfills. To reduce the impact on wells or water
combustion products, foundry sand, and treatment plants, several options exist. "Grey
demolition debris in construction projects. water", wastewater from sources such as
Polyurethane heavily reduces carbon emissions as dishwashing or washing machines, can be used for
well. Polyurethane blocks are being used instead subsurface irrigation, or if treated, for non-potable
of CMTs by companies like American Insulock purposes, e.g., to flush toilets and wash cars.
(Sailor, 2008). Polyurethane blocks provide more Rainwater collectors are used for similar purposes.
speed, less cost, and they are environmentally Centralized wastewater treatment systems can be
friendly. Building materials should be extracted costly and use a lot of energy. An alternative to
and manufactured locally to the building site to this process is converting waste and wastewater
minimize the energy embedded in their into fertilizer, which avoids these costs and shows
transportation. other benefits (Thomas Menino, 2009). By
collecting human waste at the source and running
3. Reduced energy use it to a semi-centralized biogas plant with other
biological waste, liquid fertilizer can be produced.
Green buildings often include measures to
reduce energy use. To increase the efficiency of 5. IPD Environment code
the building envelope, (the barrier between
conditioned and unconditioned space), they may The IPD Environment Code was launched
use high-efficiency windows and insulation in in February 2008. The Code is intended as a good
walls, ceilings, and floors. Another strategy, practice global standard for measuring the
passive solar building design, is often environmental performance of corporate
implemented in low-energy homes. Designers buildings. Its aim is to accurately measure and
orient windows and walls and place awnings, manage the environmental impacts of corporate
porches, and trees to shade windows and roofs buildings and enable property executives to
during the summer while maximizing solar gain in generate high quality, comparable performance
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Satheesh Kumar/Life Science Archives (LSA), Volume – 2, Issue – 3, Page – 586 to 590, 2016 588

information about their buildings anywhere in the November 2007, and launched it in North India.
world (Srinivas, 2010). The Code covers a wide Now, it plans to use Griha in the South. Griha will
range of building types (from offices to airports) focus on Indian climatic conditions, also called
and aims to inform and support the following. bioclimatic architecture. Griha is different from
other rating systems, it not only focuses on Indian
 Creating an environmental strategy climate but Indian life style and economy as well.
 Inputting to real estate strategy Griha is a 100 - point system with 34 criteria.
 Communicating a commitment to Based on points obtained, the ministry grants
environmental improvement stars. A five star building is the greenest building.
 Creating performance targets Registration for certification needs to be
 Environmental improvement plans completed before beginning the building project
 Performance assessment and measurement (ENVJS).
 Life cycle assessments
 Up to 30% reduction in energy
 Acquisition and disposal of buildings
consumption
 Supplier management
 Limited waste generation due to recycling
 Information systems and data population
 Less water consumption
 Compliance with regulations
 Reduced pollution
 Team and personal objectives
TERI came up with a rating system called
The IPD estimate that it will take
GRIHA which was adopted by the Govt. of India
approximately three years to gather significant
as the National Green Building Rating System for
data to develop a robust set of baseline data that
the country. GRIHA aims at ensuring that all
could be used across a typical corporate estate.
kinds of buildings become green buildings. The
6. ISO 21931 strengths of GRIHA lie in the fact that it rates
even non-air conditioned buildings as green and
ISO/TS 21931:2006, Sustainability in puts great emphasis on local and traditional
building construction Framework for methods of construction knowledge. The CESE building in
assessment for environmental performance of IIT Kanpur became the first GRIHA rated
construction works Buildings, is intended to building in the country and it scored 5 stars,
provide a general framework for improving the highest in GRIHA under the system. It has
quality and comparability of methods for assessing become a model for green buildings in the
the environmental performance of buildings. It country. It has proved that with little extra
identifies and describes issues to be taken into investment, tremendous energy and water savings
account when using methods for the assessment of are possible. There are various projects which are
environmental performance for new or existing the first of their kinds to attempt for green
building properties in the design, construction, building ratings like apartment residential
operation, refurbishment and deconstruction buildings and non air conditioned buildings.
stages. It is not an assessment system in itself but Measures are being taken to spread awareness
is intended be used in conjunction with, and about the GRIHA -National Green Building
following the principles set out in, the ISO 14000 Rating System of India.
series of standards (Greg Kats and Leon Alevantis,
2008). 8. Confederation of Indian Industry (CII)

7. “TERI” In India The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII)

plays an active role in promoting sustainability in
The Energy and Resource Institute plays a the Indian construction sector. The CII is the
very important role in developing green building central pillar of the Indian Green Building Council
capacities in the country. MNRE (ministry of new or IGBC. The IGBC has licensed the LEED Green
and renewable energy) adopted Griha in Building Standard from the U.S. Green Building
©2015 Published by JPS Scientific Publications Ltd. All rights reserved
Satheesh Kumar/Life Science Archives (LSA), Volume – 2, Issue – 3, Page – 586 to 590, 2016 589

Council and currently is responsible for certifying gains are much less precisely understood and far
LEED-New Construction and LEED-Core and harder to predict with accuracy (Joe Hackler and
Shell buildings in India (Urbikain and Sala, 2009). John Holdren, 2008).

9. Indian Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) 11. Conclusion

The Indian Bureau of Energy Efficiency The green building experiences in India
(BEE) had launched the Energy Conservation have been exciting and challenging as well. This
Building Code (ECBC) on February 2007. The will ultimately serve to improve not only the
code is set for energy efficiency standards for energy performance of buildings but will also
design and construction with any building of assist the country conserve energy and natural
minimum conditioned area of 1000 Sq meter and a resources by spurring increased recovery and
connected demand of power of 500 KW or 600 recycling of building materials. The easy
KVA. The energy performance index of the code availability of most of the green materials and
is set from 90 KWh/sqm/year to 200 equipment in the country has made it easier for the
KWh/sqm/year where any buildings that fall under designers to adopt local materials to a very large
the index can be termed as "ECBC Compliant extent. Now there is an imminent need for service
Building" More over the BEE had launched a 5 providers, who would be required in large
star rating scheme for office buildings operated numbers, not in hundreds but thousands, as the
only in the day time in 3 climatic zones, movement is heading to reach greater heights. The
composite, hot & dry, warm and humid on 25th green building movement is here to stay for the
February 2009. benefit of individuals, society and the country at
large. And energy savings are only the most
10. The costs and financial benefits of green obvious and most easily quantified of the cost
buildings benefits of green buildings. Furthermore, over
time the real advantages offered by green
Integrating “sustainable” or “green”
buildings will be recognized increasingly as
building practices into the construction of state
critical to companies’ having a competitive edge.
buildings is a solid financial investment. In the
We must think boldly and broadly about energy
most comprehensive analysis of the financial costs
efficiency, conservation, and smart growth.
and benefits of green building conducted to date, a
Sustainability of growth – not mere growth – is
minimal upfront investment of about two percent
the goal of both the smart company and the smart
of construction costs typically yields life cycle
city. While, clearly, this is true for reasons related
savings of over ten times the initial investment.
to the well being of our environment, it is equally
For example, an initial upfront investment of up to
true for reasons related to the competitive arena of
Rs.100,000 to incorporate green building features
the business world. Beyond the obvious
into a Rs. 5 million project would result in a
importance of safeguarding our environment and
savings of at least Rs.1 million over the life of the
health, high performance green building will also
building, assumed conservatively to be 20 years.
benefit India’s economy.
The financial benefits of green buildings include
lower energy, waste disposal, and water costs, 12. References
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from increased productivity and health. These Wagner. 2012. The impact of auxiliary
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uncertain (productivity/health benefits). Energy buildings, Fraunhofer Institute for Solar
and water savings can be predicted with Energy Systems ISE, Germany, University of
reasonable precision, measured and monitored Karlsruhe, Building Science Group, Englerstr,
over time. In contrast, productivity and health Germany.
©2015 Published by JPS Scientific Publications Ltd. All rights reserved
Satheesh Kumar/Life Science Archives (LSA), Volume – 2, Issue – 3, Page – 586 to 590, 2016 590

2) Fadi Chlela, Ahmad Husaunndee, Christian

Inard and Peter Riederer. 2011. A new
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©2015 Published by JPS Scientific Publications Ltd. All rights reserved