GREENING AND SUSTAINABILITY
“Go Green” is becoming the concept adopted by most of the organizations. Several buzz words such as Sustainability, Global Warming, and Green Building have been spreading around. Well, let us look what sustainability means. A sustainable material or a building is one that is eco-friendly, safe for people, energy efficient, toxic free and in compliance with the green standards and regulations.
An integrated design of the key features and optimizing the requirements to meet the desired results plays a key role in the implementation of sustainability. United States Green Building Council (USGBC) and Green Building Council Institute (GBCI) have a program to evaluate and certify green construction / interiors/ cores and shells/operations and maintenance/neighborhood development (in the development stage). The projects are evaluated under various categories that are mandated as per the established requirements.
Getting back to having a cursory look at the broad categories for LEED certification for new construction, as per LEED version 2.2, following had to be addressed and implemented:
Ø Sustainable Sites: Measures must be implemented to ensure erosion and sedimentation control as part of the building code requirements. Control measures can be the use of silt fences, straw bales and sediment traps. Key factors that add credit to sustainable sites are site selection, site development, community connectivity, brownfield redevelopment, alternative transportation, protection and restoration of habitat, storm water design, heat island effect and light pollution reduction.
Ø Water Efficiency: Measures such as using greywater, water-saving and waterless plumbing fixtures can be implemented for water efficiency. Key factors that add credit to water efficiency are water efficient landscaping, innovative wastewater technologies and water use reduction.
Ø Energy & Atmosphere: Implementation of potential strategies such as wind, solar, biomass, geothermal, low impact hydro, and tapping renewable energy is recommended. Key factors that add credit to energy and atmosphere are fundamental commissioning of building energy systems, energy performance, refrigerant use and green power.
Ø Materials & Resources: Recommended potential strategies are FSC certified wood, use of recycled and regional materials. Key factors that add credit to materials and resources are building reuse, construction waste management, material reuse, use of recycled, regional and renewable materials.
Ø Indoor Environmental Quality: Potential strategies include minimizing ETS transfer, ventilation simulation, IAQ management plan, air testing, use of low emitting materials, indoor chemical and pollutant source control, thermal comfort and lighting controls. Key factors that add credit to Indoor Environmental Quality are minimizing ETS, increasing outdoor air delivery monitoring, increased ventilation, effective controllability of thermal comfort and lighting systems.
Ø Innovation & Design Process: Key factors that add credit to innovation and design process are innovative ideas that add sustainability to the building and have low impact on the ecosystem.
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