INTRODUCTION TO GREEN BUILDINGS

Green building is defined as people with healthy, comfortable and safe living, working and activities of the space, while the building full life cycle (material production, construction planning, design, construction, operation and maintenance, and removal, recycling) process to achieve efficient use of resources (energy, disabilities, the water, materials), with minimum impact on the environment of buildings, also known as eco-building, sustainable architecture.

The concept of green building stems from effective utilization of energy resources including sunlight, electricity and water. It is more about sustainability, aimed at creating healthier and more resource efficient models of construction, renovation, operation, maintenance, and demolition.

Typical principles include climate-responsive design, use of local and sustainable materials, water harvesting, etc. Architectural elements like courtyards, clusters, wind towers, roof terraces and jaalis (stone lattices), among others, are used for effective climate control and have become social and cultural elements.

Green buildings are designed to reduce the overall impact of the built environment on human health and the natural environment by:

• Efficiently using energy, water, and other resources

• Protecting occupant health and improving employee productivity

• Reducing waste, pollution and environmental degradation.

The main objectives of sustainable design are to avoid resource depletion of energy, water, and raw materials; prevent environmental degradation caused by facilities and infrastructure throughout their life cycle; and create built environments that are livable, comfortable, safe, and productive.

Green buildings are not only designed for present use, but consideration is also been given to future uses as well. An adaptable structure can be "recycled" many times over the course of its useful life. If specific technical issues prevent use of the building for a new function, then the materials used in its construction are designed to facilitate ease of recycling and reprocessing of materials.

In a green building, consideration is also given to the construction process itself. Materials that minimize waste or can be recycled help contribute to an efficient and environmentally sensitive construction process. Green buildings are designed to eliminate waste by using modular systems of construction, recycled products, and resourceful use of materials. The ideal green building would create no waste either during construction or use, so the impact on the environment and resources is minimized.

Another important aspect of green architecture is the integration of energy efficient mechanical systems and conservation methods.

Green buildings are designed to reduce or eliminate the dependence on fossil fuels. Further, land use and building orientation also plays a critical role in green architecture. A green building is located to take advantage of its climate and surroundings. These conditions not only affect the efficiency of a building, but of the community and society as a whole. Planning for responsible land use addresses these issues through the consideration of climate, transportation, and the natural environment.

EVOLUTION: Green Architecture began with the first Earth Day (22ND April) in 1970, and has grown in popularity as awareness of the earth’s many ecological problems become more wide spread.

The Energy and Resource Institute plays a very important role in developing green building capacities in the country. TERI came up with a rating system called GRIHA which was adopted by the Government of India as the National Green Building Rating System for the country. GRIHA aims at ensuring that all kinds of buildings become green buildings. the strengths of GRIHA lie in the fact that it rates even non-air conditioned buildings as green and puts great emphasis on local and traditional construction knowledge. THE CESE building in IIT Kanpur became the first GRIHA rated building in the country and it scored 5 stars, highest in GRIHA under the system. It has become a model for green buildings in the country. It has proved that with little extra investment, tremendous energy and water savings are possible. There are various projects which are the first of their kinds to attempt for green building ratings like apartment residential buildings and non-air conditioned buildings.

Measures are being taken to spread awareness about the GRIHA-National Green Building Rating System of India.

The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) plays an active role in promoting sustainability in the Indian construction sector. The CII is the central pillar of the Indian Green Building Council or IGBC. The IGBC has licensed the LEED Green Building Standard from the U.S. Green Building Council and currently is responsible for certifying LEED-New Construction and LEED-Core and Shell buildings in India. All other projects are certified through the U.S. Green Building Council. There are many energy efficient buildings in India, situated in a variety of climatic zones. One of these is RMZ Millenia Park, Chennai, India's largest LEED gold-rated Core & Shell green building.

The above introduction about Green buildings is just a example why it is required what are the step's which are initiated towards it, it would be my humble request to all the readers to start implementing the Green process on their level............... its not so late but if we don't initiate it might get to late.