CASE STUDY BUILDING - CLIMATE
COLD AND SUNNY --- LEDeG Trainees’ Hostel, Leh
COLD AND CLOUDY --- Himurja office building, Shimla
COMPOSITE CLIMATE --- Sohrabji Godrej Green Business
Centre, Hyderabad
MODERATE CLIMATE --- Residence for Mary Mathew,
Bangalore
HOT AND DRY CLIMATE --- Sangath – an Architect’s
Studio, Ahmedabad
WARM AND HUMID CLIMATE - Vikas Apartments, Auroville
LEDeG TRAINEES’ HOSTEL, LEH
Project details
COLD AND SUNNY
• Project description Hostel building for trainees in appropriate technology
• Architect Sanjay Prakash
• Consultants In-house
• Project period 1994–1996
• Size 300 m² covered area in a small campus
• Client/Owner LEDeG (Ladakh Ecological Development Group)
Design features
• Traditional materials and methods of construction have been modified and adapted to
achieve energy efficiency
• Load bearing Walls - Ground Floor Wall – Rubble masonry with mud mortar; Upper
Floor & Partition – Adobe in mud mortar; Intermediate floor and roof – Timber-
Framed with wood joists covered by twigs, grass and earth
• Predominantly south exposure with no overhangs for maximum winter gains –
SOLARIUM. Entrance lobby designed as a solarium on the south side.
• Bedrooms provided with various types of Trombe walls (half Trombe, unvented
Trombe, vented Trombe) or direct gain systems for passive heating.
• INSULATION – Thick earth wall; FINISH – Black Paint; OPENING – Cork based weather strips –
Air tight; Composting Pit Latrine; PHOTOVOLTAIC CHARGING
LEDeG TRAINEES’ HOSTEL, LEH
COLD AND SUNNY
HIMURJA OFFICE BUILDING, SHIMLA
Project details COLD AND CLOUDY
• Location Shimla, Himachal Pradesh
• Building type Office building
• Architects Arvind Krishan and Kunal Jain
• Year of completion 1997
• Built-up area 635 m²
Design features
• Air heating panels designed as an integral part of the south wall provide effective
heat gain. Distribution of heat gain in the building through a connective loop that
utilizes the stairwell as a means of distributing heated air
• Double-glazed windows with proper sealing to minimize infiltration
• Insulated RCC diaphragm walls on the north to prevent heat loss
• Solar chimney
• A view of curved ceiling with glass blocks to distribute daylight and roof-mounted
solar water heating system
• Specially designed solarium on south for heat gain
• Careful integration of windows and light shelves ensures effective daylight distribution
• Solar water heating system and solar photovoltaic system
HIMURJA OFFICE BUILDING, SHIMLA
COLD AND CLOUDY
Sohrabji Godrej Green Business Centre, Hyderabad – COMPOSITE
CLIMATE
• Introduction
• The CII – Sohrabji Godrej Green Business Centre in
Hyderabad is the first LEED Platinum rated building in
India.
• Location, Orientation & Climate
• It is located in HITEC City, a major technology township
in Hyderabad.
• Natural Features
• Existing features in the landform have been integrated
into the design without causing much harm to the local
eco-system.
• Natural lighting and ventilation enhance the energy-
efficiency of the building.
• Adequate green spaces help in controlling the inside
temperatures & providing visual delight at the same
time.
• There is a vast difference in the amount of glazed areas
on the northern and western sides of the building. Such
features prevent unwanted heat gain.
Sohrabji Godrej Green Business Centre
• The building is designed to maximize usage of natural light for
day-lighting without getting unwanted heat inside. The ground
surface covered by the building is replaced through roof
gardens which play a major role in insulating the building.
• Unwanted gain of heat is reduced through simple design
principles like earth berming.
• Heat gain through openings is also reduced through intelligent
design of windows.
• A combination of open and closed spaces keep the building
cool and well-ventilated
• Use of local materials and materials with low-embodied energy
is visible at various places.
• Local stone and waste construction materials are used for
external cladding.
CII – Sohrabji Godrej Green Business Centre
• ‘Jaalis’ on the outer façade of the building also help in cooling,
shading and ventilation of the building.
• Renewable Energy Solar energy is used to generate electricity that
is used in the building.
• Water Management - Rain water is recharged into the ground.
• The landscaped garden has a variety of local plants and trees which
require less water for irrigation.
• The garden has been designed such that all rainwater is retained.
• All waste water is treated in a root zone treatment facility. The
treated water is used for flushing toilets and irrigating the garden.
• Air caught by the wind towers is carried through an earth-air
• tunnel which pre- cools the air entering into the AHU’s. This saves
energy required in the cooling process.
RESIDENCE FOR MARY MATHEW, BANGALORE
MODERATE CLIMATE
Project details
• Building type Residence-cum-office
• Architects Nisha Mathew and Soumitro Ghosh
• Year of start/completion August 1995 to June 1996
• Site area 237 m²
Design features
• Natural lighting is extensively used in the north-east and north-west by hollowing out courtyards,
which become permanent sources of light and ventilation.
• Roof insulation was provided by using a roof system of precast hollow terracotta curved panels
with nominal G I reinforcement. A nominal layer of concrete of only 2-inch thick at the crown of
panel was poured into place. The hollow terracotta layer works as heat-resisting layer.
• A thick ‘wall’ on the southern/south-western side, which comprised largely masonry surface
within which were located the services such as toilets, pantry, kitchen work space, and
servants’ room. The depth of the south-west wall was used to shield the heat and provide
pockets for openings located on this ‘wall’ to pull in south-west breeze.
SANGATH – AN ARCHITECT’S STUDIO, AHMEDABAD
HOT AND DRY CLIMATE
Project details
• Building/project name Sangath – an Architect’s Studio
• Location Ahmedabad
• Building type Institutional
• Architect Balkrishna Doshi
• Year of start/completion 1979–1981
• Client/owner Balakrishna Trust
Design features
• Underground construction
• Thermal storage walls
• Vaulted roof form to create efficient surface/volume ratio. The vault induces convective air
movement thereby cooling internal spaces Vaulted roof of sandwiched construction with an
insulating layer of locally made clay fuses sandwiched between two concrete slabs
• Use of broken China mosaic glazed tiles from local factory as top finish for the vault to reflect
heat
• Daylighting by north-glazing, skylights, and roof cutouts – INDIRECT AND DIFFUSED LIGHT
• Microclimate modified by vegetation and water bodies
• Rainwater and roof tank overflow water harnessed for recycling and reuse
SANGATH – AN ARCHITECT’S STUDIO, AHMEDABAD
HOT AND DRY CLIMATE
•Underground
construction
•Thermal storage
walls
• Sandwiched
Vaulted roof
• Indirect and
diffused light
• Water channel
• broken china
tiles
• Lawn and
Vegetation
VIKAS APARTMENTS, AUROVILLE
Project details WARM AND HUMID CLIMATE
Project description 23 residential apartments housing
50 people and common facilities
Building type Residential
Built in area 1420 m²
Architect Satprem Maini
Period of construction 1992–1999
Design features
• Buildings oriented longitudinally along the east–west axis with openings along the north–south
for cross-ventilation and reducing summer gains. Pier walls oriented at 45 degrees to the
predominant wind direction further aid cross ventilation
• Partly sunken buildings with adequately daylit basement floors (1.2 m deep) that are cool in
summer (earth stabilizes internal temperature)
• Soil excavated for construction used in making earth-blocks
• Solar chimneys integrated with the building structures creating a natural draft that add to the
ventilation
• Fenestration with overhangs adequately designed to get enough daylight and cut off direct
gains
• Terrace gardens and creepers on the west façade reduce cooling loads
• Energy-saving compact fluorescent lamps of 9 W and 6 W used for lighting
VIKAS APARTMENTS, AUROVILLE
Project details WARM AND HUMID CLIMATE
Project description 23 residential apartments housing
50 people and common facilities
Building type Residential
Built in area 1420 m²
Architect Satprem Maini
Period of construction 1992–1999
Design features
• Buildings oriented longitudinally along the east–west axis with openings along the north–south
for cross-ventilation and reducing summer gains. Pier walls oriented at 45 degrees to the
predominant wind direction further aid cross ventilation
• Partly sunken buildings with adequately daylit basement floors (1.2 m deep) that are cool in
summer (earth stabilizes internal temperature)
• Soil excavated for construction used in making earth-blocks
• Solar chimneys integrated with the building structures creating a natural draft that add to the
ventilation
• Fenestration with overhangs adequately designed to get enough daylight and cut off direct
gains
• Terrace gardens and creepers on the west façade reduce cooling loads
• Energy-saving compact fluorescent lamps of 9 W and 6 W used for lighting
VIKAS APARTMENTS, AUROVILLE
WARM AND HUMID CLIMATE
VIKAS APARTMENTS, AUROVILLE
WARM AND HUMID CLIMATE
VIKAS APARTMENTS, AUROVILLE
WARM AND HUMID CLIMATE
BENEFITS OF A GREEN BUILDING
GREEN BUILDING
• A green building is a structure that is environmentally responsible and resource-efficient throughout its life-cycle.
These objectives expand and complement the classical building design concerns of economy, utility, durability, and
comfort.
• 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 occupants health and improving employee productivity
• • Reducing waste, pollution and environment degradation
For example……………….
• Green buildings may incorporate sustainable materials in their construction (e.g.,
• reused, recycled-content, or made from renewable resources);
• Create healthy indoor environments with minimal pollutants (e.g., reduced
• product emissions);
• And feature landscaping that reduces
GREEN BUILDING FEATURES
1. Use of Recycled and Environmental Friendly Building Materials
2. Minimal disturbance to landscapes and site condition
3. Use of Non- Toxic and recycled/recyclable material
4. Efficient use of Water and Water Recycling
5. Use of Energy Efficient and Eco-Friendly Equipments
6. Use of Renewable Energy
7. Quality of Indoor Air Quality for Human Safety and Comfort
8. Effective Controls and Building Management Systems
