India has been witnessing tremendous growth in building and construction sector for the past few years. With the increase in income levels, there are also changes in the life styles of various sections of the society. This is a healthy trend, but it is leading to enormous pressure on the resource demand - like energy, water, materials etc. Amidst all this, IGBC, through its annual Green Building Congress, keeps reminding its stakeholders (Architects, Builders & Developers, Corporate, Designers, Facility managers, Government, Institutions, Nodal agencies, Product manufacturers & suppliers, Service Consultants, etc.) not to lose track as we bear the responsibility to build a greener road for our future generation to breathe easy. And the efforts are appreciated as the Council's activities have enabled market transformation with regard to green building concepts, materials and technologies. The projected market potential for green building material and technologies is estimated to be about 120 billion USD by the year 2015, and 300 billion USD by 2025.
Apart from the displays, a series of conferences and seminars attracted the attention of the visitors. While flagging off the event at the 12th CII-IGBC Green Building Congress 2014, Mr. K. T. Rama Rao, Hon'ble Minister for Panchayat Raj & IT, Government of Telangana, underlined that the newly formed Telangana State is a land of opportunities & investments and provides excellent growth opportunities for investors. The State is a forward looking economy and is an ideal investment destination, he added.
Highlighting the initiatives taken by the State in enhancing the Green Quotient in the State, Hon'ble Minster said that the government, in a short span of just three months, has initiated three new green programs. He informed that retrofitting in 124 IT parks in Hyderabad is underway, adding that the Government plans to plant about 230 crore saplings across the state of Telangana aimed at improving the green quotient from 25% to 35%. "The government is also planning to install 1,000 watts of energy through Solar power," he said highlighting that to ensure sustainable development, cities should not only be smart but also become green and safe.
Mr. Mangu Singh, managing director, Delhi Metro Rail Corporation Ltd, informed that by shifting the commuting from road transport to metro, there is a potential to eliminate 11 grams of GHG emission per passenger, per kilometer. He said that the Delhi metro and IGBC have been working together in developing green rating system for metros which can become a guideline for all other cities.
Dr. Prem Jain, chairman, Indian Green Building Council & Green Building Congress 2014 noted that IGBC, with the support of all the stakeholders has facilitated 2.3 billion square feet, thereby making India the second country in the world with largest green building footprint. "IGBC aspires to cross 10 billion square feet of green building footprint by 2022," he informed adding that by the year 2032, every Indian should find his shelter in a green home, where there is increased quality of life, enhanced ventilation, etc.
New Rating Systems
The IGBC announced three rating systems to cover schools, metro rail projects and new buildings.Announcing the launching of the three systems at the CII Green Building Congress 2014, Mr. Prem C Jain, chairman of IGBC, said, "The New Building Rating System comes in the backdrop of IGBC and USGBC parting ways on the LEED certification programme. "All these years, the US LEED certification was followed in rating new buildings. However, we have decided now to part ways and to have our own rating system for new buildings. We have adopted this approach as we believe India could become a next big Green Building base in the world," he said. Simultaneously, a portal has also been created to facilitate online interface on green building rating systems.Affordable Housing
Ministry of Housing & Urban Poverty Alleviation to work closely with all the stakeholders in promoting Green, CII-IGBC to partner in the process.Speaking at the 12th edition of CII-IGBC Green Building Congress 2014, Ms Anita Agnihotri, IAS, Secretary, Ministry of Housing & Urban Poverty Alleviation, highlighted that, with increased urbanization happening across the cities, there is a growing need to develop and promote housing structures which are not only affordable but also sustainable & scalable.
According to her, housing sector has a great multiplier effect in terms of proving employment, security, etc. "To make this happen, working closely with all the stakeholders is an imperative. The Ministry would be pleased to work with IGBC and other stakeholders" she added calling on the need to incubate young entrepreneurs and professional work force who will add value to the housing sector. "Women community should be made part of the whole process. In the proposed smart cities, affordable housing will be an integral part," she underlined.
The Ministry is also working closely with the State Governments in mapping the needs and requirements for affordable housing, she informed.
Mr. C. Shekar Reddy, chairman, IGBC- Hyderabad Chapter & National President, CREDAI, has committed to green 100 schools supported by CREDAI under the new IGBC green school rating programme. He added IGBC Hyderabad chapter will work towards enhancing the green footprint in Telangana.
Green Building Agenda
Speaking at the special ASEM-Roundtable on Energy Efficiency in green buildings organized as part of CII-IGBC Green Building Congress 2014, Ms. Renu Pall, Joint Secretary, ASEAN Multilateral, Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India underscored that there is a growing need to share best practices, technology exchange, and facilitate business opportunities amongst ASEM Countries.Ms. Jane Henley, CEO, World Green Building Council, started off on a positive note by underling that, over 100 nations are a part of World GBC. "All these countries are making concerted efforts in demonstrating that green buildings make good business sense. It is primarily industry-led initiative," she noted adding that the Green Building rating systems are voluntary and specific to the local conditions. She appreciated the catalytic role played by IGBC in launching rating systems to suit various types of buildings.
Adding further, Ms. Henley underlined that there is a growing need to expand our views and look at various facets like quality of life, green cities, vertical landscaping, etc., she explained how the co-existence of environment, society and economy is important for sustainability.
The day was also marked by signing of MoU between IGBC and Indian Society of Heating, Refrigerator and Air Conditioning Engineers (ISHRAE). Areas of cooperation include information exchange, participation in events, joint progammes, and promotion of educational programs.
Mr. Andrew McAllister, British deputy high commissioner, Hyderabad, said, "India has a massive opportunity for creating low carbon infrastructure and elaborated on UK- India partnership to clean up Ganga." He extended his interest to strengthen the areas where UK and India can work together.
The event was followed by distribution of National awards and certificates to winners from schools for Green- 1 contest and Architectural colleges for Architectural Design competition.
Sponsored by corporate giants such as Blue Star, Tata Housing, DLF, Daikin, Carrier, and Godrej to name a few, the event was supported by various organisations such as; CREDAI, AIGMF, ISHRAE, Good Governance India Foundation, Institute of Indian Interior Designers, IFMA, IPA, and a slew of international green building councils including Sri-Lanka, Indonesia, UK, Emirates, Jordan, and Colombia.
Significantly, the participants' profile was quite rich and diversified, and included Architects, Builders & Developers, Corporates, Government Representatives, Educational Institutions, Engineers, Energy Modelers, Electrical Consultants, Green Building Facilitators, Contractors, Green Product / Equipment Manufacturers, HVAC Consultants, Interior Designers, International Agencies, Landscape Consultants, Lighting Consultants, Plumbing Consultants, Project Management Consultants, and Town Planners.
In exclusive interactions with MGS Architecture, exhibitors acknowledged the new avenues that Green Building Congress opened up for them. Following are the excerpts:
Saint–Gobain Promotes its Gyproc Activ'Air board at GBC
Saint-Gobain Gyproc India Ltd, a dry-wall specialist, was promoting its eco-innovation strategy that brings value to customers by developing innovative products and solutions to help reduce the environmental impact of buildings over their entire life cycle. These eco-innovations help reduce energy and water use in buildings and have a lower environmental impact over their life cycle.Among the products on the display was Gyproc Activ'Air® board, the innovative technology used in this product helps in improving the Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) by permanently removing Formaldehyde (major indoor air pollutant) from the air inside closed spaces. Occupants spend almost 90% of their time indoors and hence it becomes important to improve IAQ. The air inside the closed space gets polluted by different pollutants released by commonly used entities such as carpets, furniture, cleaning materials etc. These pollutants can cause many respiratory health issues and are also major contributors to the Sick Building Syndrome. Activ' Air®'s technology takes these pollutants and coverts them into safe, inert compounds that once captured in the board, cannot be released back into the air. It keeps working for 50 years, based on tests and analysis, even after multiple renovations.
Activ'Air® can be used in our daily environment to provide healthier environments where we live, learn and work. It works without one knowing it's there and continues to work after every renovation and redecoration – providing peace of mind for generations. A product that helps create a happier & more productive environment.
Godrej GBCS Introduces Two New Services
Mr Manjrekar informed that Godrej GBCS has recently been augmented with two new services – MEP Design Consultancies and Building Information Modelling (BIM). These services have been added this year only. Under MEP Design Consultancy, the company offers sustainable engineering solutions. "We provide mechanical, electrical, plumbing and fire fighting (MEP) engineering design services with environment sustainability at the core. With our technical expertise and multidisciplinary approach to building services design, we can bridge the gap between the requirements of the client and efficiency of planning."
On the other hand, BIM is the process of developing a virtual, three-dimensional, information rich model to design, construct and maintain a building project. "BIM is an intelligent model-based process, which not only manages graphics but also helps in automatic generation of drawings, reports and design analysis. This helps in sharing information to support decision making about the project in early conceptual stages, based on design, construction and its operational life," explained Mr Manjrekar adding that the process helps in co-ordination with architecture, structural, mechanical, electrical, plumbing and construction services.
Mr Manjrekar asserted that the company's team is well-equipped to handle project of all sizes. "We have a varied platter of projects, from hospitality, malls, IT parks, commercial towers, high rise residential towers, residential townships, sports complex, to mixed use buildings. Our scope included concept, feasibility study, master planning, design services, contract preparation, site visits and implementation up to commissioning."
According to Mr Manjrekar, Godrej & Boyce Mfg Co Ltd has always been a champion of environmental protection and preservation. India's largest tract of privately-owned mangroves is preserved by Godrej in Vikhroli, Mumbai. "The first effort towards this was the support lent to the development and commissioning of the first LEED Platinum-rated building in India, the CII-Sohrabji Godrej Green Business Centre at Hyderabad in 2004," he shared while describing the start of the Group's journey towards green concepts and techniques. "Today, we have a dedicated team of more than 70 experienced professionals to provide consultancy services for Green buildings, MEP Design, Building Simulation and Building Information Modelling in sync with the client's project objectives."
Sree V Harsha Enterprises Unveils its Cozy Heaters for Indian Buyers
This is for the first time at GBC that Sree V Harsha Enterprises has presented its unique wall-mounted panel heaters (branded as Cozy) for the Indian buyers.
He added, "Though the product is pretty seasonal when it comes to India, it has quite a big market coming up especially in the North, where winter stays for over four months and people use conventional blower and room heater to keep the internal atmosphere warm."
Models available from 40W to 2000W, these heaters can be supplied optionally with reflecting heat barrier that can be fixed on the wall behind the heating panel. "This method (patent applied) avoids heat loss through wall and increases efficiency," shared Mr Vangala adding that Cozy is also available with wings (patent applied) to protect from overheating if covered by mistake. The heater is typically a wall-mounted panel heater where the customer drills holes into the walls to mount the panel. A new patented mounting feature Ezy-Mount has been introduced recently wherein the whole system is fixed with the help of a stand but without any drills."
This easy to install heater weighs only 6 to 10 kgs depending on the size and wattage and is economical. "A 600W panel is sufficient to heat a 12 sq meter room. Moreover, its attractive slim design can perfectly match the décor of the room. As the product is suitable for both residential as well as commercial applications, we are hoping to receive a positive response from both institutional and retail sales in time to come," he averred.
Premier Pavcon Displays CFC Free Polystyrene Inserts Thermal insulated Concrete Blocks
Jaipur-based Premier Bars Pvt Ltd (Unit II) presented EPS blocks with polysterene integrally located in between the two layers of the high compressed concrete aggregate mix. Due to its thermal insulation capability, these blocks are appropriate for external wall construction in residential and commercial building construction. "These EPS blocks are environment-friendly and provide efficient thermal barrier and can help save upto 50% electricity cost in a building," said Mr H. S. Bhati, the company's sales and marketing manager.
Mr Bhati informed that due to these unbeatable attributes, EPS blocks are, slowly but steadily, becoming popular among the construction fraternity. Currently, the company is supplying these blocks to a few renowned projects such as Manipal University, Jaipur; Infosys Bangalore & many other HNIs.
The company has variants of such products in its portfolio that includes stone finished concrete blocks, solid & hollow concrete blocks, high strength & designer landscaping pavers for varied outdoor applications. "Operating on a fully automated German Vibro Compact Technology, our manufacturing plant at Mahindra World City in Jaipur is spread over 20,000 sq meters and has an installed capacity to roll out 1500 units of concrete blocks, 4500 units of concrete pavers, per hour," informed Mr Bhati. "All these building materials can help the building gain LEED points."
NTL Lemnis Puts on Display 'Pharox' Range of LED Products
NTL Lemnis, the Indo– Dutch LED lighting major, showcased a wide range of products of their globally acclaimed brand, 'Pharox' at GBC.
Mr Gupta further elaborated that the Pharox constitutes a diverse range of LED lighting solutions, and hence, it was put on the display under various categories such as professional range, outdoor LED lighting solutions, industrial LED lighting solutions and retrofit LED Lamps. "These beautifully designed bulbs are not just energy-efficient and green, but also aesthetically pleasing," he asserted.
Mr Gupta informed, "The Pharox professional range has been developed for the Indian institutional market and has a product for every need like ceiling lights, down lights, spot lights, LED tube lights and bay lights." In the outdoor segment, NTL Lemnis showcased modular street lights that are based on module concept to meet the light output for various street lighting designs.
The company also showcased Tulip range of downlights, a decorative down light fixture where the heat sink is of tulip shape. The tulip shaped fins ensure effective heat dissipation and with low depth and a sleek design, the downlight can be easily fitted at places where there is less space between ceiling and fall ceiling.
NTL Lemnis products are available across the country with its sales offices in North, West and South zones of India.
Hindustan Concrete Blocks Introduces Green Building Products
Hyderabad-based Hindustan Concrete Blocks Pvt Ltd made its first appearance in the Green Building Congress (GBC) 2014 with its much appreciated Aerated Autoclaved Concrete (AAC) blocks, a path-breaking technology in the construction industry. The company's objective of participation in the exhibition was to introduce its cost-effective, green building products to the construction fraternity and to explore opportunities in the untapped market."We were founded with the vision of introducing prefabricated construction technologies to the Indian construction and infrastructure industry. Over the years, we have emerged as one of the largest producers of these blocks currently catering to the strategic markets of south and north India, respectively," said Yogesh Gupta, the company's director.
Informing about Company's successful participation, Mr. Gupta said "At GBC, we received encouraging response for our AAC blocks and registered quite a few good orders." He announced that customers can now get a Hitech AAC block at the same price as a good quality clay brick!"
Mr Gupta pointed out that these Hitech blocks, with very low thermal conductivity, keep the interior remain cool in summer, and warm in winter. "These inorganic, insect-resistant blocks do not allow termites and ants to eat or nest inside or between the blocks. Further, these blocks reduce interior temperature variation marinating pleasant and healthy temperature for habitants. Moreover, Hitech blocks are fire-resistant up to 4 to 6 hours depending on their thickness. Earthquake forces on structure are proportional to the weight of the building; hence, AAC blocks show excellent resistance," he asserted.
Hindustan's fully automatic AAC blocks' manufacturing plant is located in Hyderabad with an annual capacity of 1.5 Lakh cubic metres. Mr Gupta informed that to keep up pace with the green run in the rapidly increasing construction activities across the country, there are plans to add second AAC blocks plant in Bangalore soon.
Brand 'hindware' Showcases its Water-saving Technologies
Leading sanitaryware brand, hindware showcased its extensive range of eco-friendly certified products at the Green Building Congress.Being the only organised player with a certified Research & Technology department, employing over 30 technicians, designers including expats, hindware has consistently worked on ways to make products more water efficient. Nano, the 1.5 ltr per flush closet, Dual-flush (2/4 ltrs), Double symphonic, Symphonic jet to sensor flushing, the evolution of the modern day toilet from hindware, aims to save water. Its 'Rimless' design toilets are not just about aesthetics, its functional focus lies in improving flushing efficiency as well. The Star Rated, WEP-1 range of closets, which is India's first by the brand can save up to 50,000 ltrs per year, two-step faucets which include an eco-click water saving feature, aiming to save up 70% water to air-mixing shower heads, waterless urinals, GRIHA-certified hindware tiles and other automated products were exhibited at the event.
Commenting on the occasion, Mr. Sushil Luniya, president, marketing & sales, said, "We truly believe that the Green Building Congress is an ideal platform for visitors or rather all stakeholders to witness the latest in green building materials. We are happy to partner with them for a greener tomorrow."
Adding he said, "We at HSIL Limited have recognised our role and adopted various strategies to help conserve the environment. As a progressive industry player, it is very critical to understand the requirement from all perspectives – be it nature, customer and business. We have always strived for innovative designs that have not only been acclaimed for their aesthetic appeal but also for water-saving technology."
Mutha Unveils Epitome - A Premier Range of Bamboowood Flooring
Mr Mutha informed that the company's manufacturing unit is located in the industrial area of Agartala, Tripura. Known as the Bamboo Park, the state has more than 15 species of bamboo and is one of the foremost bamboo growing states in India. "Working in association with German, Chinese and Taiwanese based companies, known for their technical expertise; we strive for excellence in manufacturing high quality bamboowood flooring," he asserted. "Spread across 10 acres, our upscale production unit is equipped with state of the art technology to cater to the growing demands of the environment conscious customer. "With a well-defined focus on R&D, we aim to give our customers top-notch, eco-friendly flooring."
Mr Mutha reinstated that bamboo is the timber of the 21st Century as many characteristics of bamboo are similar to that of hardwood. "This trendy flooring material can elevate the elegance of the space almost instantly. It has an appearance and feels that is similar to hardwood flooring and yet, is still distinct and different, adding an ineffable quality to the room."
However, bamboo is not a type of wood rather a kind of grass. "The use of bamboo helps moderate our dependence on the dwindling timber resources. Bamboowood flooring has already become a popular alternative to wooden flooring in Europe, United States and other developed countries." Mr Mutha is confident that in view of the government's restriction on the use of natural wood, followed by the rapidly growing need of renewable resources will surely push the market for bamboo in coming years.
BeardSell Showcases QuikBuild- Structural Concrete Insulated Panels
BeardSell Limited, manufacturer of pre-fabricated systems, has introduced its structural concrete insulated panels (SCIP), christened as QuikBuild. These modular panels encourage direct cost savings due to reduced labour, reduced material and cheaper construction equipment. Besides, low weight of the final product also reduces logistic costs. "The system brings structural integrity as the monolithic structure of the panel in conjunction with concrete brings forth a structure built with it to withstand earthquakes, hurricanes and high winds," said Mr Amrith Anumolu, the company's director.These QuikBuild panels enable fast implementation of any project. "Simple design, efficient production, easy transportation and quick erection of the building unit reduce time-lines of projects of all sizes by up to 60%. Besides, being a standardised factory product, these panels bring uniformly high quality to a construction project of any size. What's more, the QuikBuild system consolidates the masonry, insulation, plastering and utilities addition steps thus reducing the construction complexity," added Mr Anumolu.
Elaborating on the physical attributes, he added that the core material used in QuikBuild is EPS which is an excellent thermal insulator. It maintains indoor temperatures and lowers HVAC costs 50-70%. Tested for 120 minute fireproofing, it is only 25% of the weight of a regular masonry wall, which alleviates the fixed load of a structure. "Adding more to it is the thickness of the concrete - only one inch each side of the EPS (comes in thickness range 50, 80, 100, 120, 150mm) and three inches for roof tops. High-tensile wire mesh (2.5mm, 2.0mm, 3.0mm) gives the required strength to a building. Since a pillar structure is less stable than a box structure for earthquake resilience, this system creates a box structure, as effectively all the walls become shear walls, holding each-other together."
Further, these moisture-proof panels prevent condensation/absorption on interior walls, while the external walls/roof can use waterproofing mortar for additional protection. The panels have superior sound dampening capability compared to masonry walls and this can be further enhanced (up to 50dB attenuation) by increasing the core thickness. With all these features, the panels can be used in a variety of form factors (curved, etc.).
The company, which has completed several small projects in last couple of years, is now targeting big builders and developers for applications of these systems in their upcoming residential projects for villas and farm houses. "For instance, Tata Housing is using our systems for internal partitions in a project in Bangalore, while Meenakshi Constructions is using this system to build the whole structure for their farm house project in Hyderabad. The highlight of this system is that it eliminates the use of pillars & beams and expands the floor area as instead of 9-inch walls it creates only 4.5-inch walls. It is fruitful for builders. The finish comes out excellent with no settlement cracks" he averred.
Kerakoll India Introduces its Green Eco-Compatible Laying System
Kerakoll India Pvt Ltd, a green building product manufacturing company from Italy introduced its green eco-compatible laying system to inquisitive visitors at the exhibition. The system consists of a range of construction products that includes binder for screed, levelling, self-levelling, waterproofing, grout and sealants. According to Mr Niranjan Dave, the company's senior key project manager, "This is Kerakoll's first of its kind guaranteed eco-compatible system, certified for mechanical properties, durability and adhesion for laying all formats of floor tiles and natural stones. The new system works exactly as the traditional one but it is much easier to use and resolves all the problems such as low durability of screed, cracks, stains on tiles and stones, damp rise through walls and weak adhesion."Divulging the advantages of the three-layer laying systems, Mr Dave shared that once the concrete layer is done, Kerakoll's job starts. "First, we level-up of the floor with screed, which is prepared using the mineral binder KeracemR Eco and KerakollR Quartzo, crushed sand of controlled granulometry. The mixture so prepared requires less water, reacts uniformly, and dries rapidly with no cracks and shrinkage, ensuring high durability. This is followed by a slurry bond coat of Tack Eco – a polymer modified binder adhesive containing pure white marbles from Kerakoll's quarry in Carrara. This slurry bond is especially developed to be used with KeracemR Eco and KerakollR Quartzo to guarantee the chemical adhesion of tiles and natural stones. The use of special polymers ensures prolonged workable time ideal for the laying of large format tiles and stones."
Highlighting the discrepancies of the traditional laying system, Mr Dave said, "In traditional method, the cement alone is a very rigid material. When mixed with water it dries rapidly thus allowing very little time for laying. The screed created using sand of uncertified granulometry and ordinary Portland cement leads to insufficient compressive strength. Furthermore, incorrect cement-sand ratio, fine sand and more than the required quantity of water leads to shrinkage and sagging of screed causing cracks and knocking sound through the tiles and stones. The excess amount of water that is not used by cement to react migrates upward causing damp rising through the walls and paint peel off, besides causing stains and efflorescence on the surface."
The company, which is serving Indian construction need from last eight years with imported stuff, is now planning a Greenfield facility here. "We are coming up with a fully green manufacturing unit at Vadodara in Gujarat with an investment of over Rs.150 crore. Spread over 11 acres of land, this facility will be truly a replica of the one in Italy," informed Mr Dave. "We have done the complete flooring in arrival and departure of T3 IGI Airport New Delhi, followed by Airports in Mumbai and Bangalore and have also registered a few big projects in our name."
