Synopsis Green Building Design

By Apilas Kanages

Ever increasing pollution and its demand for more housing to accommodate has taken its toll on the environment, which has let us to a revolutionary step in creating buildings which are environmentally friendly. Conventional buildings can be described as a major pollutant of the environment, which has enticed us to look for various alternates to counter its adverse effect on the environment as well as its occupants. This project primarily focuses on the steps to be taken to make a building into a green building from its initial design, construction, and though its occupancy period. Since these steps greatly influence the design of a green building, it is essential to give thorough consideration. Green building is the revolutionary development practice centered upon the mission of creating buildings, which apply an increased efficiency of resources such as energy, water, and materials. It is the practice of creating structures and using processes that are environmentally responsible and resource-efficient throughout a building's life cycle: from siting to design, construction, operation, maintenance, renovation, and demolition. In turn, green building reduces building impacts on human health and the environment by implementing improved site location, design, construction, operation, maintenance, and removal - encompassing the complete life cycle of building. This project also involves a practical design of a green building library of 8 storeys with a floor area more than 15000 sq.m for Koneru Lakshmaiah University. The project incorporated many green building elements such as site selection, energy usage, water reuse, material selection, construction procedure etc. For example geo-thermal air-conditioning system was incorporated to the conventional air conditioning system to reduce the energy consumption. Inclusion of various green building elements has made the building more environmental friendly and provided an opportunity to obtain Gold Certificate from LEED India. This project also incorporated the structural design using computer software, which shows the design of green buildings can be done though conventional structural design methods in which various green building elements incorporation can create a building which can be sustainable and environmental friendly building. The process of green building system is a unique one and they provide not only improved building to occupants as well as being environment friendly. In a short period of time it had gain huge recognition among government and private sectors and gaining in status. Slowly but surely it is finding its way into the mainstream construction.