A case study for eco house

Red mars, raigad, Maharashtra.

Ar. Mahesh sunder naik.

Mahesh naiks projects are based on

organic architecture which believes
in creating structures that grow from
nature and blend with it.
They all have been built with local
materials and age-old construction
methods.
Red mars, naiks first project, was
featured in the phaidon atlas of
21st century world architecture .
It was nominated for the Aga khan
award for for architecture in 2007.

ECO HOUSE
ECO HOUSE
Anecohouse is an environmentally low-impact home designed and
built using materials and technology that reduces itscarbon
footprintand lowers its energy needs.
The strategies to be considered for the eco house are:
Site planning
Water efficiency
Energy efficiency
Materials and resources
Indoor environmental quality

GENERAL INFORMATION
ARCHITECT: Mahesh sunder naik.
OWNERS: Ebrahim.
LOCATION: Awas, Alibaug, Maharastra, India.
CLIMATE: Tropical monsoon climate

Hot summer in march

Rainy monsoon in June
Dusty unpleasant October
PROPERTY: A double storied villa.
YEAR BUILT: 2003
AREA: 4000 square feet.

GROUND FLOOR PLAN

1-PAVILION 2-SWIMMING POOL 3-KITCHEN 4-DINING 5-TOILET 6-BATHING AREA 7-MASTER BEDROOM
8-VERANDAH 9-BALCONY 10-DECK 11-PLANTER

PLANNING
The
layout
plan
is
a
combination of a square and
triangular grid.
The complex comprises a
separate pavilion connected
to the main house through an
open
courtyard
with
a
swimming pool.
The dining area, kitchenette, a toilet and an open to sky bathroom
occupy the ground floor of the main house with the master bedroom
in the mezzanine level.

MEZZANINE FLOOR PLAN

1-PAVILION 2-SWIMMING POOL 3-KITCHEN 4-DINING 5-TOILET 6-BATHING AREA 7-MASTER BEDROOM
8-VERANDAH 9-BALCONY 10-DECK 11-PLANTER

A balcony projecting from the

mezzanine
floor
affords
panoramic view of the greenery
The building is surrounded by
the existing trees and has been
kept as natural as possible with
mounds covered in shrubs to
blend with the scale of the
building.

CLIMATE

Mezzanine floor

Swimming pool

pavilion

LONGITUDINAL SECTION
Since alibaug has a hot and humid climate with heavy rain, the major
axis of the house is oriented in the north south direction, with the
mezzanine on the south to protect the pavilion and courtyard from both
the monsoon and the afternoon sun.

Natural ventilation:

CLIMATE

Sloping roofs prevent the stagnation of the air and increase the air
flow.
Strategically placed open spaces and openings generate cross
ventilation, while the breeze passing over the central water body
helps in lowering the temperature.
In addition, the huge volume of master bedroom on the mezzanine
creates a air mass, which provides thermal insulation.

The roof ridge is cantilevered more than 1.5 meters on each side and
the massive overhangs provides ample shade to the verandah, along
with the many trees.
The pavilion roof tapers down almost to the ground and provides
privacy from passerby.

Strategies considered
SITE
PLANNING
None of the trees were cut down during the construction of the
building
Amenities can be accessed with in a km radius
The major axis of the building is oriented in N-S direction
Only native species are planted to minimize the need of water
The earth excavated for the foundation was re used for the
construction.

WATER
EFFICIENCY
Only native plants are planted which will reduce the water consumption
Rainwater harvesting- the water collected from the roofs are connected
to the percolation pit
ENERGY
EFFICIENCY
Solar water heater is used for heating the water.
MATERIALS
USED
Red mars draws its spirit from an honest use of local natural materials.
The locally available, fine grained basalt rock, an extrusive igneous rock
found above the earths surface was used for the foundation for its high
compressive strength.
Rcc coping was used in the junction between the basalt foundation and
brick wall to prevent cracks on the wall due to seismic movement.
Locally available lake water brick was used to keep the budget low

MATERIALS
USED
Railway sleepers were chosen for the flooring of the mezzanine, due to
their light weight, rustic look and durability
To create the massive roof overhang for protecting the exposed brick,
low cost light weight 5 x 5 grids of hollow box ms sections were
constructed with battens on the top for Mangalore tiles.
To cut down the cost of shuttering 9-inch thick brick walls without
mortar were constructed as shuttering for arches. The gaps between the
bricks were filled with dry sand and mortar was used for smoothening
the top.
No artificial colors were used in this house, the architect chose
materials that lend their own color- mangalorean tiles, bricks, wood and
steel.

INDOOR ENVIRONMENTAL
QUALITY
Day lighting
The windows, open to sky and the courtyard brings in thenatural
lightproviding effective internallighting.
The sunlight from the east and west is encouraged in the courtyard
and the pavilion area.
While the intensity of the south light is tempered the huge mezzanine
structure of the main house, which cast its shadows over the courtyard
and verandah.
The trees around the building shades the wall and window.

Rating IGBC
Sl. no

Strategies

Points

Site selection and planning

Water efficiency

6/11

Energy efficiency

12/19

Materials and resources

Indoor environmental quality

1nnovation and design process

Total

SILVER RATED BUILDING

4/9

7/13
13/15
1/5
43/75

THANK YOU