High Performing Buildings - Fall 2008 - (Page 54)

Lessons LeARneD overcoming Climate Careful building orientation, optimum window sizing, lowe double glass and envelope insulation demonstrate that, even in the hot and dry climate of northern india, careful design can minimize heat ingress. Design Discipline it is surprisingly easy to save large amounts of energy and water by imposing discipline on the whole design and build team and by holding regular design coordination meetings with a clear mandate on achieving targets. The design team met regularly to discuss the challenges posed in sustainable construction which spawned new ideas and ensured better coordination of the design elements. for example, ideas for extensive use of waste, such as broken china mosaic tiles on the roof and construction debris as the sub-base for the flooring, originated from these meetings. occupant Feedback employees enjoy the building’s indoor air quality and daylight. Although the building is closely connected to the community with residential and commercial areas near one another, individuals often choose to stay in the building during their lunch break. When compared to previous office situations, employee absenteeism has dropped, and productivity has increased. Finding Local sources obtaining sustainable building materials from local sources was problematic. The building team had to hunt for vendors for bamboo flooring, low VoC paints, low flow fixtures and material made of recycled components. The building takes advantage of more than 300 days of bright sunshine annually in Noida, India. Although India is one of the world’s top 10 energy consumers, the country is taking measures to increase energy efficiency. According to The Times of India, industry professionals expect the number of green building projects in India to increase from the current 164 to more than 2,000 by 2012. As a role model for future developments, the Spectral Office contributes to this growing sustainable trend. • About the AuthoRs Prem C. Jain, Ph.D., is chair of the indian green Building Council and chair and managing director of spectral services Consultants in noida, india. Ashish Rakheja is cochair of the indian green Building Council’s technical committee and chief operating officer for spectral services Consultants. The air-conditioning load is half that of a similar office building in the area. 54 HigH Performing Buildings fa l l 2 0 0 8

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of High Performing Buildings - Fall 2008

High Performing Buildings - Fall 2008
Contents
Lessons Learned
Green on a Budget
ASHRAE Sets Example: ASHRAE Headquarters
The Lavin-Bernick Center for University Life
Spectral Services Consultants Corporate Office
Advertising Index

High Performing Buildings - Fall 2008