Green Building

Submitted to

Dr.Prithwis mukherjee

In partial fulfillment of the requirements of the course

Business Information studies

On 7/11/2010

By

Shruti Bagchi
Abstract
In today’s world of climate change and high energy prices it has become critical that buildings use very
few fossil fuels to “future proof” the home against unpredictable and rapidly rising prices. It is the practice
of creating structures and using processes that are environmentally responsible and resources efficient
thought a buildings life-cyle: from designing, construction, maintainance and deconstruction. Although
new technologies are constantly being developed to complement the current ones the common objective
is that green buildings are designed to reduce the overall impact of built environment on human health
and the natural environment by:

a) Efficient use of energy, water and other resources.

b) Protecting the occupant’s health and improving the employee’s productivity.

c) Reducing waste pollution and reducing environmental degradation.

How Do Buildings Affect Climate Change And Natural

Resources
 Building uses a lot of our natural resources.
 In terms of energy commercial buildings consume a lot of energy.
 Buildings and the transportation infrastructure that serves them, replace natural resources and
surfaces creating a runoff that washes pollutants and sediments into the surface of water.
 The energy used to heat and power our buildings leads to the consumption of large amounts of
energy mainly from burning fossil fuels, which generates substantial amounts of CO2 the most
dreaded Greenhouse Gas.
 Commercial buildings may also be responsible for the release of Greenhouse Gases in other
ways for instance construction and demolition debris degrades in landfills may generate methane.

Why A Green Building?

A green Building may definitely cost more upfront but in the long run it saves money through lower
operating costs. The concept of Green Building, a new approach, is to save water, energy, and material
resources in the construction and maintenance of the buildings and can reduce or eliminate the adverse
impact of buildings on the environment. By preferring Green Buildings over conventional ones we help our
planet and people to retain nature to a maximum extent possible. We all are aware that a building is
constructed using cement, sand, steel, bricks etc.These building materials are responsible for about 20%
of the greenhouse gases emitted by a building during its lifetime. Green buildings shall use the products
that are non-toxic, renewable and recyclable wherever possible. Locally manufactured products are
preferred so that collective material environment of the locality remains a constant.

Alexander Thomson was an eminent Scottish architect who is pioneer in Green Building.
Conceptual Drawing of a Green Building

Concepts while Constructing a Green Building

Land: The landscaping and the exterior design of the Green Building shall be in such a way that there is
more shaded area, the light trespass is eliminated and local species of plants are grown.

Water: The Green Building by its design and shape shall not disrupt the natural flow of water. It should
orient and stand just likes a tree. Rain falling over the whole area of the complex shall be harvested in full
either to replenish the ground water table in and around the building or to be utilized for the services of
the building. The plumbing system should have different lines for drinking and flushing. Grey water from
kitchen, bath and laundry shall be treated and reused for purposes of gardening or cooling towers of air
conditioning.

Energy: The solar energy at the top of a Green Building is harvested to supplement conventional energy.
The natural light is harvested in the intermediate floors so as to minimize the usage of electricity. Sunlight
is restricted by the tall trees outside the lower floors of the building. High efficiency light fixtures make
lighting pleasurable apart from saving the energy. High-efficiency windows and insulation in walls and
floors are used for the benefit of better controlling of temperature.

Air: In the air conditioned environment, a Green Building shall be specially equipped to ensure the quality
of Indoor Air for a healthy atmosphere. Even the nasal feelings shall be pleasant free from the odor of
paints and other furnishings. A comfortable atmosphere at work stations improves the attendance of the
staff and increases their productivity.

Raw Materials Used In the Construction of a Green Building

Green Wood: When Hemp fibers and biodegradable plastic is pressed together and heated it forms layers
and this material is as strong as wood. When buried in land it degrades faster. This wood creates much
more raw materials when it breaks down. Microbes produce methane gas when they decompose this
wood substitute and other debris’s which are thrown into landfills. Another type of bacteria absorbs this
gas and turns it into plastic that can be further used to create a new wooden plank. By this cycle there is a
continuous source of raw materials for this particular type of wood. When this material which is still at
research comes to the market it may help to control deforestation and promote rainfall.

Green Cement green method to produce both cement and aggregate, another type of concrete has been
developed. Their method sequesters Carbon Di Oxide from the power plant fuels and mixes this gas with
sea water to produce the raw materials of this concrete.

Other Green Building Materials: Renewable plant materials like bamboo and straw, lumber from forests,
recycled stone, recycled metal are some of the other materials used in a Green Building.

Green Building and Its’ Advantages

The concept of Green Building has emerged from the need of energy efficiency and environment
responsibility. Green Buildings are said to reduce energy efficiency and make living healthier and more
comfortable. It is the use of eco friendly materials that brings out the concept of Green Building.

Economic Advantages of Green Building

a)Water And Energy Savings: There is a drastic reduction in the consumption of water and Energy and
one can now use this money for other things besides utility bills.

b)Increased Value Of Property: Since Green Buildings have a low cost of operating and also an easy
maintenance and at a time when energy costs and property values are high green Buildings have an
advantage.
c)Improved Employee Attendance and productivity: The green Buildings have a control over temperature
along with proper lighting and ventilation and all these attributes provide a much improved employee
attendance and health. The employee productivity also increases because of the positive conditions
indoor. They will fall sick less often and will be much more dedicated.

Environmental Advantages of Green Building

Energy is the largest expense of any typical commercial building. Green Buildings cut costs to about 50%
and can yield savings of around 30% as compared to a commercial building.

 Emission reductions are achieved through Green Building because green Building uses less
environment harmful materials. Renewable sources of energy and efficiency initiatives reduce
contributions to global climate change and reduce emissions that compromise human health.
 Water conservation and recycling of rain water is also a major initiative and is also environmental
benefit.
 Temperature moderation can be achieved through site selection and including trees in the site
deployed for construction.

How is a Business Plan for a Green Building Made

A number of green Homes are being constructed in these years. Also as old homes and apartments begin
to deteriorate realtors look to rebuild them with green materials to reduce the energy usage. A business
plan needs to be build before you enter the Green Home building field. This business plan addresses
concerns about financing.

1) A mission statement for the green Building is build.The mission statement is a short statement which
indicates the company which intends to build the Green Building’s primary goal in the building industry.

2) A list of the company’s operational activities for business description is generated. Original home
building, consulting, additions, renovations, landscaping, and other activities are cited in a single page.

3) For a marketing plan the company consults with a marketing agency. The marketing plan starts with a
list of target outlets for the company’s advertisements.

4) A market research is conducted; investigate home builders, architectural firms and contractors that
offer green building services in the desired region.

5) The personal needs need to be explained as a part of the financial summary.

6) Research is done on costs for front-end loaders, handpackers and pickup truckers in the business
plan’s equipment inventory. The business plan must point out per unit costs for Green Binding supplies
like composite siding, solar panels and wind turbines to demonstrate green bonafides.

7) Highlight loans, venture capital and investments pending approval as a part of the business plan.

8) Finish the Green Home Building Business plan by writing the introduction and table of contents. The
introduction should include the commitment for Green Building.
Challenges and Hurdles
Even today there continues to be barriers to the adoption of Green Building Technologies. It is perception
in the building industry that green buildings add extra cost. Some of findings as per survey conducted
state that

1)57% of the 872 building owners surveyed said that it was hard to justify the greater initial costs of green
homes.

2)52%said that the market was not willing to pay a premium for building green homes.

3)36%said the certification process was too complicated as it involved a lot of paperwork.

4)30%said the market was not open to new ideas or technologies.

5)A few too believed that the biggest barrier is the unequal distribution of benefits between developers
and tenants.

Some of the barriers in the building of green homes could be

a)Builders

While green buildings are effective the benefits only accrue to the final owners of the buildings and not the
builder. This identifies builders as a single most important obstacle in the building of green homes.

b)Product information and sourcing

The scarce and poorly accessible information on green products is one of the barriers to green homes. A
consequence of this is skepticism from municipal building and safety departments.

Risks Involved In This Business

While the benefits of designing buildings to use energy water and other resources more carefully are clear
but that does not indicate that the industry is free from hurdles and risks. Below is the list of risks to green
building market growth

a) Financial risks

Green Building practices can be known to greatly increase the cost of the project due to expensive
building materials. The more complex the project is the more is the cost involved.Financial risks involved
if the project fails are loss of tenants or sale of the project, loss of government incentives and tax credits,
increased design and construction costs and diminished asset values.

b)Performance Risks

The ability of the buildings to perform at a certain level is the key component of the green project. Every
party should evaluate new technologies as compared to the projects where they have already been used.
The performance of professionals on the project is also a key component for the project. Using
professionals with adequate knowledge of this field provides an advantage.
Regulatory exposure

There is an increased uncertainty about the regulatory environment as the number of government entities
adopting green building initiatives and building codes nd regulations continues to expand. The increase in
the green building laws and regulations may lead to overlap or inconsistencies in different requirements or
unreachable standards. It is important that parties involved in any green project have an understanding of
the regulatory environment as it applies to that particular project.

What to Do To Avoid These Risks

To minimize the risks

a) Find out a little on the background of any professional involved on the project.

b) Address issues contractually and be particularly diligent when using standard industry contracts to all
the other green issues such as

1) Describe the additional level of work needed to achieve the desired green standard. Be sure to address
project objectives and expectations criteria for green achievement and responsibilities of performance in
regard to each party involved.

2) Allocate risks to parties best equipped to control the outcome of the venture. Contracts that pull all the
risk on one party are usually not appropriate because certification of a green project is not completely
within the control of any single member of the project team.

3) Design documents must be complete or updated as often as possible as this is one of the largest
causes of construction disputes.

4) Contracts should allow for flexibility.

5) Address the need to train the owner or operator on the functioning once the project is complete.

6) Address the issue of damages. Allocate the responsibility for registering the project, applying for
certification.

7) Maintain proper commercial insurance coverage as this field is evolving to address changes in green
building exposures. Understand the risks and compare it with services and coverage accordingly.

Certain Myths about Green Building

Myth #1

Green Buildings are costly

Building Year awarded Rating % increase in Payback(yrs)

achieved cost
 Godrej CBC 20,000 Platinum 18% 7yrs
Hyderabad
ITC Green 1,70,000 Platinum 15% 6yrs
Centre
Gurgaon
Wipro Gurgaon 1,75,000 Platinum 8% 5yrs
Technopolis 72,000 Gold 6% 3yrs
Kolkata
Spectral 15,000 Platinum 8% 4yrs
Services
Consultants
Office Noida

Showing a decreasing trend

Myth#2

Green Buildings take more time

Reality

 Design parameters are frozen at one go

 Only little additional effort required
 Rating awarded coinciding with the commissioning
 Rating System has no impact on project time schedule

Myth#3

Green products are hard to find

Though green products are not manufactured nationwide they can be purchased in some other parts of
the country. The number of green products have grown exponentially over the past few years to the point
that there are plethora of them available now.

Indian Green Building Council

The Green Building Movement over the years

No Criteria 2001 Till Date

1 CEO’s and Senior people involved 50 2000
2 No. of professionals trained on LEED rating 10 2500
3 No. of registered green buildings 1 80
4 Built in area 0 25million
5 Green Building products and equipments 5 50

Projected Growth of green buildings in india

 Year Registered Green Buildings Estimated market potential in
millions
2006 20 400 INR
2007 50 10000 INR
2008 100 20000 INR
2010 1000 200000 INR

Prominent Projects of green Building in India

A) HIRANANDANI at Powai at Mumbai

The prominent features of this project are:

 East West orientation of the building.

 High efficient walls and roofs.
 Terrace Garden.
 High albedo coating on the terrace.
 100%onsite grey water treatment.
 Ultra low flow and flush water fixtures.
 Glass partitions for increased natural light and enhanced views.
 Energy efficient chillers.
 C02 and fresh air monitoring systems.
 Enhanced ventilation and thermal comfort.

B) ABN AMRO BANK Chennai

The prominent features of this project are

 Low and ultra low flow and flush water fixtures.

 Enhanced lighting controls.
 CO2 monitoring systems.
 Enhanced fresh air ventilation
 Low emitting materials such as adhesives, sealants, paints and carpets.
 Most of the finished wood products contain high percentage of rapidly renewable material.

WORLD GREEN BUILING COUNCIL

In Novemebr 1999 the founding meeting of WorldGBC took place in California US with 8countries in
attendance.

 Australia
 Canada
  Japan
 Spain
 Russia
 UAE
 UK
 US
Formal incorporation of the WorldGBC took place in 2002.It is the largest international
organization influencing the green building marketplace. The WorldGBC supports new and
emerging Green Building Councils by providing them with tools and strategies.
The different Regional networks are
 WorldGBC Africa
 WorldGBC Americas
 WorldGBC Asia Pacific
 WorldGBC Europe
 WorldGBC Middle East

Summary Conclusion and Way Forward

The schedule of energy improvements over the next 20 years is as follows

 60%in2010
 70%in 2015
 80%in 2020
 90%in 2025
 Carbon neutral by 2025.

According to many of the findings by 2013 53%of many of the construction firms will largely dedicate to
green building up from 30% today. The fastest growing market for green building is Asia.*6%of the firms
expect a rapid growth in sales and profit levels. Solar power is the most common form of renewable
energy source used by over 52% of the industry today .And this is expected to grow to about 76%in the
next 5 years. The most exponential growth would be the use of wind power where in 57% are expected to
use it by 2013 up from 20% as of today. The use of geothermal power is expected to rise to 45% up from
22% as of today which is almost a double.
References
Images

http://www.epa.gov/tribalcompliance/resources/green_building_final_presentation.pdf

Google Images

Text

http://www.authorstream.com/Presentation/umak-135632-green-building-education-ppt-powerpoint/

http://gigaom.com/cleantech/5-major-risks-to-green-building-market-growth/

www.igbc.in/

www.worldgbc.org/

http://www.ehow.com/how_5032831_make-plan-green-home-building.html

http://www.ecoworld.com/home-buildings/5-economic-benefits-of-green-building.html