Lecture 12 Flavours of Sustainable Architecture
Introduction
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Dr. Alvokita Agrawal is the course instructor for the online course on Sustainable Architecture at IIT Roorkee.
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The lecture focuses on the characteristics and aspects of sustainable architecture, particularly the environmental aspects.
"We have been discussing the characteristics and different aspects of sustainable architecture."
Tangibility of Environmental Aspects
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Environmental aspects are more tangible compared to social aspects.
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The identity of a place is an example of a less tangible aspect.
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Environmental aspects can be categorized into the five basic elements of nature: earth, air, water, energy (fire), and space.
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These elements directly influence the environmental aspects of buildings.
"All these environmental aspects can be clubbed in bins of the five basic elements of nature: earth, air, water, fire (energy), and space."
Earth Element
- The earth element encompasses the site, soil, vegetation, materials, construction waste, and waste generated from occupied buildings.
"For example, when we are talking about the earth, we are talking about site, soil, vegetation, materials, construction waste, and the waste produced from the buildings."
Air Element
- The air element includes air quality, indoor environmental quality, air pollution, and emitted toxic compounds.
"Here we discuss air quality, indoor environmental quality, air pollution, and the toxic compounds emitted into the air."
Water Element
- The water element covers the quality, quantity, and treatment of water, as well as wastewater produced.
"We discuss the quality and quantity of water, wastewater treatment, and water resource management."
Energy (Fire) Element
- The energy element focuses on energy consumption and generation, particularly renewable energy sources.
"In the fire element, we discuss energy consumption and generation, with a special emphasis on renewable energy sources."
Space Element
- The space element explores parameters such as daylight in buildings.
"In the space element, we discuss parameters like daylight in buildings."
Different Concepts Related to Sustainable Architecture
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Sustainable architecture is a broader term that encompasses various interrelated concepts, such as green buildings, climate responsive buildings, and ecological buildings.
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Green buildings primarily focus on the environmental dimension of sustainability, with a lesser emphasis on social aspects.
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Climate responsive buildings respond to climatic constraints, using local resources and considering materials' renewability.
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Ecological buildings aim to create and sustain mutually beneficial relationships with the local ecology and environment.
"There are many interrelated concepts, for example; green buildings, climate responsive buildings, and ecological buildings. Green buildings mainly focus on the environmental dimension of sustainability."
Green Buildings
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Green buildings are structures and processes that are environmentally responsible and resource-efficient throughout their life cycle.
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They emphasize practices such as energy and water optimization, waste reduction, and creating healthier spaces for occupants.
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Green building rating systems enable the assessment and benchmarking of a building's performance.
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Green buildings have become popular due to the availability of rating systems.
"Green buildings use processes that are environmentally responsible and resource-efficient throughout a building's life cycle."
Climate Responsive Buildings
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Climate responsive buildings are designed and constructed to respond effectively to climatic constraints.
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They aim to create comfortable indoor environments while using renewable and locally available materials and resources.
"Climate responsive buildings respond to climatic constraints through their design and construction."
Ecological Buildings
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Ecological buildings are designed to establish and sustain mutually beneficial relationships with their local ecology and environment.
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These buildings use locally available materials in a manner that enhances rather than disturbs the surrounding ecology.
"Ecological buildings create and sustain mutually beneficial relationships with all the elements of their local ecology."
Benefits of Green Buildings
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At the individual level, green buildings reduce energy and water bills, improve air quality, and require less maintenance.
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Regionally, green buildings positively impact water systems, vegetation, waste management, and overall ecological health.
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Globally, green buildings contribute to reducing global warming and have a lower carbon footprint.
"Green buildings come with a lot of benefits, including reduced energy and water bills, improved air quality, and reduced maintenance."
Conclusion
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Green buildings are the most popular concept in sustainable architecture due to the availability of rating systems that enable performance assessment and benchmarking.
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Green buildings offer benefits at the individual, regional, and global levels.
"Green buildings are the most popular concept in sustainable architecture due to rating systems and the benefits they provide."
Benefits of Green Buildings
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Green buildings offer environmental, economic, and social benefits.
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They aim to reduce energy use, carbon dioxide emissions, water consumption, and solid waste generated during construction and use.
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Green buildings can reduce energy use by up to 50% and carbon dioxide emissions by a third.
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Water consumption can be reduced by around 50%, and solid waste can be reduced by up to 70%.
"So, green buildings come with a lot of environmental, economic and social benefits through the characteristics and also the aims which we have set for green buildings."
Sustainable Building vs Green Building
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Sustainable building considers the environmental, economic, and social dimensions equally, while green building focuses primarily on the environmental dimension.
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Environmental aspects are easier to monitor and quantify compared to social benefits.
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Sustainable architecture doesn't have well-developed benchmarking or rating systems like green buildings.
"Now, green building often looks at the environmental dimension while sustainable building looks at all the three-dimensions in an equal capacity. However, when we go on to monitor it as I was mentioning initially also that environmental aspects are the most tangible one."
Example: Green Building - Suzlon One Earth
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The Suzlon One Earth campus is a certified green building featuring renewable energy generation on-site and off-site.
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The campus generates 100% of its electricity through wind turbines and solar panels.
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Energy consumption is high, but the building does not draw any energy from the grid, making it a net zero campus.
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The building incorporates correct orientation, natural lighting, use of local materials, and water recycling systems.
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Native tree species are used in landscaping, reducing maintenance and water requirements.
"Now, Suzlon itself being the company which is involved in renewable energy, they have their entire campus which is 100 percent renewable energy campus. They have installed windmills, they have added solar photovoltaic to generate the entire electricity usage within the campus."
Example: Sustainable Building - Gando Primary School
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Gando Primary School in Burkina Faso is an example of a sustainable building constructed with low embodied energy materials.
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Compressed earth blocks made by the local community are used for construction, and locally available stones are utilized.
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The building incorporates a double roof design to maintain comfortable indoor temperatures in the harsh climate.
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Natural lighting and ventilation are prioritized for thermal comfort without the need for artificial lighting or mechanical systems.
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The building engages the community in designing and constructing it, creating a sense of ownership.
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Water management is achieved through rainwater collection and the reuse of water for flushing and landscaping.
"This is a primary school which was built for the local children for the community... The construction materials which are used are very low on embodied energy. They are made out of materials which available locally."
Sustainable Building vs Green Building
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Sustainable buildings focus on both environmental aspects and the well-being of human beings, while green buildings primarily focus on the environmental aspects only.
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Sustainable architecture creates buildings that are environmentally responsive for the users.
"So, the difference between sustainable building and green building is evident where for green buildings we are focusing only on the environmental aspects while in a sustainable building we are focusing not focusing, but the human beings, the users are at the center of it and for these human beings we create architecture which is environmentally responsive."
Affordability in Sustainable Architecture
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Suzlon One Earth office building is outstanding in terms of environmental aspects, but it may not be considered affordable.
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However, there are affordable models of sustainable architecture where the cost is minimal or negligible.
"Another thing which we can see here is the affordability, the economic affordability. Now, this office building of Suzlon One Earth is outstanding as far as environmental aspects are concerned, but it may not be affordable, a model of affordability. However, this one is out and out affordable because there is no cost which is going in, hardly any cost."
Distinctions between Sustainable and Green Architecture
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Sustainable architecture and green architecture are two synonymous and close, yet distinct, philosophies.
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In the upcoming lectures, the focus will shift from sustainable buildings to green buildings, discussing technical concepts that are more tangible and achievable.
"So, we very clearly know when we are talking about sustainable architecture and we are talking about green architecture, green buildings these are two synonymous very close, but distinct terminologies, distinct philosophies. In the next lecture onwards, we will discuss about some of the technical aspects of these green building. So, we will shift our focus from sustainable buildings more towards green buildings because that is more tangible and more doable."