14014145 achieved human comfort conditions using passive downdraft evaporative

4 I green by design april 2009

EDITOR’S NOTE

ContentsApril

2009

FEATURES22 Low Energy University Mediatheque - A

pioneering example of sustainable technologies by

SPBR architects.

25 House 205 - A forest encircled low cost

residential dwelling by H Architects.

29 Handmade School Bangladesh - A light filled,

humane, collective space for learning.

33 Renzo Piano’s Living Roof - The California

Academy of Sciences; an elegant steel and glass

structure built with technologically precise details.

36 Earthbag House - A method hitherto used by

the military is improvised upon to create a low-cost

housing solution.

40 Vernacular Architecture - A revival of old

Indian traditional building elements.

43 TERI - An organisation at the forefront of

promoting green architecture and technology.

Q & A12 A Tête-à -Tête with Parul Zaveri & Nimish Patel

of Abhikram, Ahmedabad.

GREEN MARKET08 Green Market - A look at the latest low

environment impact products to join the market.

GREEN TALK46 BCIL - Aims at providing healthy living spaces.

48 Power of Fuel- A documentary by Josh Tickel

on the consumption of fuel and its hazards.

18 Eco School- A sustainable military school in

Pun

ECO LIVING20 Global Warning - Tips to curb global warming.

21 Curbing CO2 - Changing everday habits add up.

28 Water Ways - The countdown begins - an

initiative to save water.

32 Prefab Homes - Give a new twist to sustainable

housing.

38 The Other Side of Green- Redefining Green

architecture.

39 BEE- Introduces a labelling program that fills a

gap in consumer awareness.

50 Reuse Beats Recycling - A new perspective on

consumerism.

11

Owner, Publisher & Printer Mr. Anish R. Bajaj for Marvel Infomedia Pvt. Ltd. Printed at Marvel Infomedia Pvt. Ltd., B 62, 1st

Floor, Cotton Exchange Building, Cotton Green Road, Cotton Green, Mumbai 400 033. Published at B 62, 1st Floor, Cotton Exchange

Building, Cotton Green Road, Cotton Green, Mumbai 400 033 Tel (022) 23736133/1 Editor Mr. Anish R. Bajaj Creative Director

Natalie Pedder Bajaj Feature Editor Mala Bajaj Sub Editor Shweta Salvi Writers Sheetal Mishra, Shriyal S., Relin Hedley Layout

Design Krishnakant Surve, Asif Shayannawar Marketing: Mumbai B 62, Cotton Exchange Bldg, Cotton Green, Mumbai 400 033

Tel: (022) 32656823, 23736133, 32958501 Fax: (022) 23743069 Email: [email protected].

To say that global

warming is an issue

which is best left to

the likes of the scien-

tists of the world,

would reek of total

ignorance or the

voluntary shirking of

one's duty as a

responsible earth dweller.

Sustainable building methods and technologies

should now be integral to the way we live and not be

considered as mere alternatives. Green By Design

focuses on landmark projects, green initiatives and

technological breakthroughs that champion the

cause of a better tomorrow.

Featured in our first issue are the works of

consummate architects who are driven by principles

of sustainability. Parul Zaveri and Nimish Patel of

Abhikram push the envelope with their simple

ideology comprised of common sense and tradi-

tional Indian building methods in their projects. We

enter into a dialogue with them to elucidate their

unique fundamentals.

The Army Military School in Pune is another

example of responsible architecture constructed by

Group Phi. The design firm, Centre for Vernacular

Architecture and energy consultants BCIL spin their

magic to create truly energy efficient buildings.

Reviewing the perspective of green architecture

internationally we come across Renzo Piano's

California Academy of Sciences with its dynamic

living roof and Nader Khalili and Kelly Hart's grass

root level and extremely low environment impact

structure - the Earthbag House.

Showcased in this issue, we also have the

Handmade School located in Bangladesh. This is a

'labour of love' breathed to life by architects Anna

Heringer and Eike Roswag.

The Low Energy Mediatheque situated in Rio de

Janeiro, chalks out a path using vital examples of

sustainable construction technologies.

We hope the works of these impressive crafts-

men and innovators will inspire and motivate

homeowners and builders alike to live and design

'green'.

Mala Bajaj


green market products

Rugs & Riches�Rugs & Riches has nowintroduced a range of rugs andcarpets that are environmentfriendly.

Rugs & Riches uses eco-friendly raw materials, in order toadhere to environmental norms.The designs are made keeping inmind earthy attributes and to getconsumers interested in nature.Designer Suresh Rateria’s cre-ations include nature's elementsof earth, wood, fire and water.The stone carpet and pebblesrange are exclusive lines from thecollection of Rugs & Riches.Contact: tel: (011) 64697393 /

09891563125.

Eco Friendly Products ByHindware �Hindware has introduced waterclosets which have a dual flushcistern of as less as 2/4 litres ofwater as compared to regularcisterns of 9-12 litres. The Cleoand Lara water closet savesaround 5 litres of water with eachflush.

With 'Senso Urinal' and 'UrinalSensomatic', Hindware has setanother benchmark as theseurinals have a pre usage and postusage flushing requiremet of lessthan 750 ml of water.Contact: tel: (0124) 4779200

email: [email protected]

Kool Glass By Sejal �Sejal Architectural Glass Ltd,(SAGL) is one of the country's topglass processors.

SAGL and Shanghai YahuaPilkington Glass Co. Ltd havesigned a partnership to bring KoolGlass Eco to cater to emergingtrends in India. The series com-bines high performance insulatingglasses available in a wideselection, energy saving attributesand aesthetic appeal. The seriesis available in a variety of coloursand also offers excellent proper-ties with a combination of solarcontrol, optimum light transmis-sion/ reflection and thermalinsulation. Contact : tel: (022)

28633383/84/85

web: www.sejalglass.com

Bajaj's MDF Boards�Bajaj eco-tec Products Ltd, haslaunched its eco-friendly particleand MDF boards with an aim toreduce negative environmentalimpact. The underlying concept ofthe product is the use of anagricultural residue i.e sugarcanebagasse, to manufacture India'sfinest engineered bagasse-basedMedium Density Fiber (MDF)boards, particle boards, HighDensity Fiber (HDF) boards andlaminated flooring.Contact: tel: (0120) 2543939/40


web: www.bajajecotec.com

green by design supplement to home review april 2009 issue

april 2009 green by design I 9

products green market

� EcoSoft For Every Corner

Carpets Inter is an internationalbrand of carpets marketed inIndia by Godrej Interio with anobjective of providing customersthe best of carpets, enhancing theambience of an office whilecontributing to the environment.

The research team of thecompany has developed aresourceful way to use plasticwater bottles and converting thewaste into high performance andenvironmental friendly soft bakingcarpet. This new environmentallyfriendly product from Carpets Interis made from 90% post con-sumer discarded PET waterbottles.Contact: tel: (022) 67961222/2465

Metasys By JohnsonControls�Johnson Controls, a leader inenergy efficiency andsustainability introduces theMetasys® sustainability managerwith an aim to minimize theeffects of rising energy demands.This system is integrated with thesoftware acquired from Gridlogix,allowing facility managers moresecure connectivity to IT applica-tions. This software platformallows building managementsystems to interface with openprotocol IT systems to bettermanage energy, maintenance,physical security and compliance,which makes facilities moreenergy efficient and sustainable.Contact: tel: (022) 30822200

GlacialLight Launches LEDLights In India �We all know power is a concur-rent subject. It is not just in Indiabut the entire world that has failedto make up for the shortage ofpower.

Taking this opportunity,GlacialLight under the GlacialTechbrand forays into India andlaunches a variety of LEDproducts. GlacialLight LEDs offerconsiderable power savings whileextending product life cyclesunder normal conditions.Contact: tel: (011) 40525645

Twiga Insulation System �Twiga has a substantial marketshare in the fiberglass woolinsulation and fiberglass tissueindustry in India.

Twiga fiberglass wool insula-tion is a world class insulationproduct manufactured in India.These insulations are made up offine, long, inorganic glass fibresbonded with a high temperatureresin and is widely recognised forits energy conserving and soundinsulating properties.Contact: tel: (011) 26460860


web: www.twigafiber.com



green market products

Thermatek Tiles�Thermatek tiles is an innovativeproduct that is ideal for keepingroofs cool.

These tiles exceed the interna-tional norms for cool roofs andalso conform to ECBC, LEED andIGBC standards. The tiles arecement bonded, highly durableand lower the surface tempera-ture of the roof by up to 17o C.This differential in temperatureincreases comfort inside thebuilding and the load on air-conditioning systems is reduced.Contact:

tel: (02634) 280881


web: www.thermatek.com

Dupont's SentryGlas® �DuPont Glass Laminating Solu-tions announces the commercialavailability of a new 35-mil (0.9-mm) SentryGlas®. This clearinterlayer for strong glass is usedfor protective windows, doors andsafety-glazed building elements.

The market for thinnerSentryGlas® sheets include solarpower generation, where cleanenergy produced can be mademore cost-effective through thedesign of longer-lasting, lighter-weight modules.Contact: tel: (0124) 4091818

fax: (0124) 2540889


Philips Ecomoods�Ecomoods from Philips is astylish, energy efficient lightingproduct. Ecomoods energy savinglamps are beautiful, decorativelamps with a wonderful warmand welcoming light. Theselamps can be dimmed for energysaving and will last up to 12,000hours, so one can virtually forgetabout spending extra on replace-ments. These lamps save up to 80percent of electricity compared toother standard lighting. Featuresof the Ecomoods lighting seriesare, high energy efficiency andhigh light output to fill even thelargest room.Contact tel: (0124) 4091954

web: www.lighting.philips.co.in

Unaxol Eco-FriendlyCoatings �Unaxol Paints India Pvt Ltd hasintroduced Unaxol® water basedcoating systems in India. Itrepresents a breakthrough inwater-based wood lacquers andcoatings technology where it isnow possible to replace and alsoexceed conventional solvent-based paints in terms of specificperformance parameters.Unaxol® has a special advantageof being cost-effective yeteco-friendly.Contact: tel: (080) 41651602

email:[email protected]



products green market

�Zody Chair By HaworthThe incredible Zody chair byHaworth is specially designed forpeople working in offices. Theaward-winning super modern,eco-friendly chair is made with upto 51% recycled content and upto 98% recyclable materials. Itcan be taken apart in about 15minutes, and easily recycledwhen you decide the process ofcreative destruction needs to takeits course. It has no PVC and isGreen Guard certified and it canalso help you towards LEEDcertification. The chair is also thefirst, if not the only, endorsed bythe American Physical TherapyAssociation. Contact: tel: (022)

2665300 1/2. fax: (022) 26653022.

Silver Screen Fabrics �SilverScreenTM is a registeredtrademark of Verosol Group B.V.,in the Netherlands. VerosolFabrics B.V. is a worldwidesupplier of branded qualitysolutions for solar control.

SilverScreen is produced in anenvironmentally friendly manner; ithas the Öko-Tex Standard 100certificate. During summerSilverScreen keeps the heat outdue to the reflecting metal layerand reduces the loss of warmthduring the winter. This results inthe considerable saving on thecost of energy. Additionally itreduces the amount of CO²emissions making it an eco-friendly product.Contact: tel: (022) 24964556

Havells Green Vision�Havells has introduced India's firstGreen CFL (Compact FluorescentLamp). These CFL’s contain nolead and the mercury content isalso very low.

The company has also intro-duced its energy efficient fanswhich consume only 50 watts ofenergy. Havells cables on theother hand, with pure copper andaluminium, help in reducing theleakage of current from 20% to1% and also protect from shortcircuit risks.Contact : tel: (0120) 4771000

Green Conserve �The firm of Conserve ConsultantsPrivate Limited have been formedwith the sole mission ofconserving energy and preservingthe environment. It is one of theleading companies in India thatcan render green buildingservices like LEED facilitation,energy modeling studies, lightingsimulation, fundamental andenhanced commissioning, allunder one roof. Contact: tel: (044)

24450655/ 45504313 email:

[email protected]

web:www.conserveconsultants.com



abhikram Q & Agreen by design supplement to home review april 2009 issue

Abhikram Living

PARUL ZAVERI & NIMISH

PATEL OF ABHIKRAM

BELIEVE THAT THE ROLE OF

CONTEMPORARY

ARCHITECTURE IN INDIA

SHOULD BE OF A

RESPONSIBLE NATURE

DRIVEN BY GOOD COMMON

SENSE AND DRAWING FROM

RELEVANT TRADITIONAL

INDIAN METHODS OF

BUILDING.

What is the present day

scenario of Green Architec-

ture in India?

It depends on the perspective one

takes on the definition of 'Green

Architecture'.

'Green Buildings' has become

the latest buzzword in the field of

built environment. It seems to

have caught on like wild fire in the

print media, in the electronic

media and most importantly,

amongst the fraternity of builders

and clients, for homes, offices,

institutions, and many other

buildings.

The colour 'Green', however,

has acquired many a hue and

many a definition. Architectural

practices are fast becoming

agents of change and they much

rather use 'Green' than any other

colour! Utility Consultants are also

competing with each other for the

maximum number of Green

Awards. 'Green' products are

emerging faster than the users

have the capacity to absorb them.

It appears that in the near future,

those who are not in a position to

call themselves 'Green' may be

considered as outcasts in the

industry.

But, if sustainability is to be

seen as the actual measure of

Green architecture, then people of

India have been practicing it for

centuries in every corner. As a

matter of fact, with the advent of

the fast paced industrialised

scenario coupled with the

universalisation of architectural

styles, it has suffered in its

momentum & in its intensity.

How do you define Green

Bui ld ings?

The presently popular 'Green'

buildings are the result of a U.S.

initiative, with roots in 1994,

through organizations known as

Leadership in Energy & Environ-

mental Design (LEED), as well as

the U.S. Green Buildings Council

(USGBC). They began to pursue

this extremely laudable cause of

addressing the levels of unsus-

tainable consumption in the U.S.,

and making efforts to bring them

down to more acceptable level of

sustainability. They established

targets for designers as well as

manufacturers and gave incen-

The Torrent Research Center, has been constructed using a good dose of

common sense mixed with traditional Indian building methods.


Q & A abhikram


tives of certifications, awards and

accreditations to buildings/

professionals.

This has led to new buildings

being designed to follow such

standards/targets, in the devel-

oped world, to begin with, and

also in India since the past few

years. In India the cause is carried

forward by the Indian Green

Building Council (IGBC), which

started with adopting the U.S.

standards even for Indian

buildings. They have now begun

to alter some of these standards

for Indian conditions. However,

the majority of these standards/

targets still remain anchored in

the U.S. context.

The current 'Green' Buildings

objectives pursued by the USGBC

& IGBC is what we understand as

the 'Top Down' approach. Most of

the standards or targets arrived in

this approach, are geared to

reduce the high consumption

levels of energy. This appears to

be an acceptable approach for

most of the developed world.

This 'Top Down' approach:

� Is more popular in the current

scenario;

� Concentrates more on maxi-

mizing the energy savings;

� Accepts Western understand-

ing of sustainability easily;

� Uses high technology innova-

tions, materials & products;

� Is driven by the brand 'Green' &

accompanying recognition;

� Pursues recognition based on

'intent', rather than 'performance';

� Necessitates the inputs &

simulations of experts.

However, what is observed in

the Indian context is that the

resultant 'Green' Buildings are not

'Green' enough. They still have

room for further savings in energy

consumption.

What do you believe is the

right approach to pursue

Green Architecture

Objectives?

Sustainability or 'Green Architec-

ture' can be interpreted in many

different ways. What is desirable

for one country may be in excess

for another, and vice versa. Its

meanings and understanding will

vary according to its context.

India has suffered considerably

during the past century by adopt-

ing directions appropriate for

other countries, and using materi-

als not entirely appropriate for

their own context, creating

enormous pressures on its

resources.

Most of the Built Environment

of the pre-independence era can,

even today, pass through the

sieve of what we refer to as

'Green Architecture'.

For the Indian context, we

believe we should pursue with

what we call the 'Hamare Wala

Green'. To us it means:

� Understanding sustainability in

the context of India & its regions;

� Attempting to understand what

constitutes 'Human Comfort' in

buildings;

Passive downdraft evaporative cooling (PDEC) methods

have been used in the Torrent Research Centre.



� Questioning the needs, identify-

ing their optimum levels in long

term scenario, and taking the

design provisions to that level

only;

� Ensuring that what is sustain-

able today remains that way in

decades to come;

� Ensuring that sustainability is

not only in parts but also that way

holistically;

� Maximizing the use of tradi-

tional wisdom in design, wher-

ever applicable, because it

represents the knowledge of the

long-term behaviour of materials,

their strengths as well as

weaknesses;

� Assessing all new technologies

for their long term impact in the

context of India & its development

priorities, before accepting them

for use;

� Being aware of the embodied

energies of the materials, before

we specify them;

� Taking the decision making

processes to measurable levels,

in order to make our choices

judiciously;

� Taking the 'savings' benchmark

targets closer to the minimum

standards of provisions;

� Addressing all the above

issues through the sieve of value

engineering, for the specific

context of the built environment;

� Pursuing goals and not just the

means.

This, to us, is a 'Bottom Up'

approach, and is more relevant in

the Indian context. In principle, the

'Bottom Up' approach:

� Is less popular in the current

scenario;

� Concentrates more on minimiz-

ing the energy consumption;

� Pursues the Eastern under-

standing of sustainability, and

questions the Western under-

standing;

� Uses low technology innova-

tions, materials & products;

� Is not driven by blindly follow-

ing 'Green', or any other brand;

� Is recognised based on

'performance' and not just 'intent';

� Necessitates the use of

common knowledge & common

sense.

We have realized in our

practice that the two most

important and readily available

tools to achieve the Hamare Wala

Green Buildings are the use of

common knowledge and com-

mon sense, available to all

professionals. They could be

further supplemented progres-

sively with innovations, and the

trial and error approach, and/or

scientific decision making pro-

cesses, as needed.

What are your views on the

mainstreaming of

sustainabil i ty?

In our 30 years of experience

through a contemporary main-

stream practice, we have de-

signed a wide range of building

types of all scales. They are all

sustainable. It is a matter of

choice that the practice has to

make. If we keep the societal and

the national interest as our focus,

and see the role of the profession

as a service provider, then we

have the added responsibility to

opt for the Bottom Up approach

to designs.

The Torrent Research Center,

Ahmedabad, which has used

An inside view of the passive cooling

towers at the Torrent Research Centre.


Q & A abhikram


reported typical consumption in

Indian buildings to be 280-500

kWh/m2 or 375-670 kgCO2/m2

based on GHG coefficient of 1.34.

(Singh and Michealowa, 2004)".

(As quoted in Post-occupancy

evaluation of passive downdraft

evaporative cooling and air-

conditioned buildings at Torrent

Research Center, Ahmedabad,

India by Leena Thomas and

George Baird).

Is retro fitting of existing

structures a viable option?

It certainly is, but the achieved

result will never be the same as in

the design of buildings, which

incorporates the 'Bottom Up'

approach from the very inception

of the project. This is evident in

the project, the Pathak Residence,

designed by Abhikram at

Ahmedabad, which used Com-

mon Knowledge+Common Sense

+Innovations.

An existing bungalow required

an extension for an Artist Studio

on the first floor. This was

achieved by:

� Lifting the inclined tiled roof by

2 ft and providing roofing sheets

below the tiles to create an air

gap for insulation.

� Constructing a Rat-trap external

Common Knowledge+Common

Sense+Innovations+Trial & Error

+Scientific Decision Making

Processes, has amply demon-

strated that sustainability can be

mainstreamed.

This Pharmaceutical Research

Laboratory, located in

Ahmedabad, is one of the largest

successful experiments of

passive cooling in Asia. The total

built up area of the complex is

approximately 20,000 Sq.Mts.

72% of the central building has

achieved human comfort

conditions using Passive

Downdraft Evaporative Cooling

(PDEC), it has been able to

establish extremely low levels of

energy consumption, as well as

considerably decreased Carbon

Dioxide emissions per square

meter of area.

Its significant consequences

are:

� 200 Metric tonnes of Air-

conditioning load saved;

� Summer temperatures remain

at 28°-32°C;

� 6 to 9 Air changes per hour on

different floors in summer,

including those in a chemical

laboratory;

� The temperature fluctuations

indoors do not exceed 3°-4 °C,

over a 24 hour period, even

though the outdoor fluctuations

are 14°-17° C;

� The building which was

designed for 150 occupants in

1997 comfortably accommodated

more than 600 users in 2005.

Its more Significant Conse-

quences are:

� Everyone in the PDEC areas

breathes 100% fresh air, not re-

circulated air;

� 250 Kva power is made

available for someone else's use;

� The performance has been

consistent over the past 11 years

of its use;

� It has realised healthy financial

returns on the investment in the

way of building costs. The entire

cost of the building will be

recovered from the electrical

savings alone, in 13 years of

operation.

The Post-Occupancy Survey of

2004-05, conducted by the

University of Technology, Sydney,

Australia, and the Victoria Univer-

sity of Wellington, New Zealand,

through Building Use Studies

Survey 2005, which has a data-

base of 260 buildings worldwide,

have assessed the performances

of the 'Bottom Up' approach in the

Torrent Research Center as

follows:

"The total energy consumption

for PDEC and AC combined

(includes light, equipment and AC

for 2 blocks) for the 6 blocks in

2005 was 647000 kWh1. This

averages to 54 kWh/m2 and 72

kgCO2/m2. This climate respon-

sive approach of buildings such

as the Torrent comprising of labs

and offices with extended hours

of operation in a hot dry climate

such as in India is compared to

available targets for commercial

buildings. The Torrent energy

consumption performance

compares very favorably to the

target for newly developed fully air

conditioned buildings currently

set, which may not exceed 140

kwh/m2 for day use in a compos-

ite climate under the recently

introduced environmental rating

scheme TERI - GRIHA which

Small square holes were created inthe rat-trap external wall

which forms a hollow ventialted cavity around the house.

Photo courtesy Samir Pathak.



hollow wall to create a ventilated

cavity by providing small square

openings in the exterior wall to

allow air movement through the

hollow part.

The experience, as described

by the owner…

� In the past 8 summers, we

have not felt the need to put in a

false ceiling in this high roofed

room;

� During the hot summer, on

entering the studio one feels a bit

hot, but it is just a matter of

minutes before the body gets

adjusted and the room is comfort-

able once again;

� It is even more effective once

the openings at the top level of

the room are opened up;

� By late evening this particular

part of the house cools down

much before the other rooms of

the house;

� Temperature wise it seems to

be at least 5 to 8 degrees C lower

than the outside temperature

during summer;

� Had we not incorporated this

concept of passive cooling,

achieved by the special designing

of the walls and by the creation of

air drafts, we might have required

an A.C. We well appreciate what

we have saved on the electricity

bill. At the same time what we

observed was that the cost of

constructing this special design

concept has not exceeded

conventional building costs by

more than 10% to 15 %.

Can affordable and sustain-

able technologies go hand in

hand?

Yes, but not just the technologies.

As a matter of fact, the use of

sustainable strategies, decisions,

processes and technologies will

make the project more affordable.

How are city sprawl, green

architecture and pedestrian-

ism, related?

Green Architecture is not a recipe.

The confusion arises because we

tend to substitute the word 'green'

for the word 'sustainability'. If we

don't, then one would not ques-

tion how city sprawl, architecture

and pedestrianism are related.

City sprawl increases the need

for infrastructure provisions;

distance to work; commuting

time & cost; and transportation

needs. All of these tend to make

the development more unsustain-

able and hence less green.

Pedestrianism, if incorporated

in the development will make it

more sustainable and therefore,

more green. Architecture that we

see around us today is clearly

unsustainable from the

perspective of embodied energies

of the materials used and the

energy consumed for providing

human comfort in the buildings.

Any move to decrease both will

be more sustainable and thus

more green.

The inclined tiled roof was lifted by two feet and provided with roofing sheets

below, creating an air-gap for insulation. Photo courtesy Samir Pathak.


green talk eco school


Tagged as 'The Oxford of the

East' by Jawaharlal Nehru,

India's first Prime Minister,

the city of Pune is host to several

excellent educational institutes.

Set on a fast track attracting

students from all over the world

and adding to the development of

excellent educational systems,

the city witnesses its first military

school for girls. Designed by

Group Phi, this military school can

be identified as the first military

school for girls not just in Pune,

but across the country.

While designing this school,

the architects kept in mind the

ultimate users and initially con-

ducted a survey in order to

understand all the suggestions

made by the staff and the stu-

dents. The main objectives

detailed in the brief were to craft

a student friendly atmosphere

with a military touch to accommo-

date sufficient staff structure for

720 students, (teaching and non

Eco School

GROUP PHI HAS JUST FIN-

ISHED CONSTRUCTING ITS

FIRST SUSTAINABLE MILI-

TARY SCHOOL IN PUNE,

ASSEMBLED FROM NATURAL

AND ECO-FRIENDLY BUILD-

ING MATERIALS.

teaching) and provide space for

their activities whilst identifying

problems faced by the facility's

users and addressing detailed

requirements for the campus,

including provision of academic,

administration, sports and

recreation facilities.

Sustainability being the main

issue, the architects worked

circumspectly to swot the exiting

landscape and vegetation on the

site. In addition, they made best

use of natural resources like

water, stone and recycling of

waste water, creating merging

landforms transformed into

landscape features, with indoor


eco school green talkgreen by design supplement to home review april 2009 issue

and outdoor activities.

Hence, after completion the

architecture of the school includes

courtyards that are roofed with

polycarbonate sheets, shielding

the corridors and courts from the

heavy rainfall and ensuring the

ingress of natural light into the

building. The spaces created in

the corridor between the class-

rooms ensure proper cross

aeration and the same material

vocabulary is maintained through-

out the campus using rubble

masonry, with grooves at every 4'

height. The symbolic insignia of

the school has been incorporated

in the flooring layout at the

entrance hall, and the use of

natural materials through out the

structure and wide corridors help

in making the users feel closer to

nature and improve free circula-

tion of the students.

According to the site contours,

the south side of the school

building has a lower ground floor,

upper ground floor and first floor,

while the north side has an upper

ground floor and first floor.

Furthermore, the roof projection of

750 mm ensures proper protec-

tion to the windows on the first

floor, whilst the hierarchy of the

classrooms is maintained as

lower standard classes are on the

lower ground floor and 'higher

standard' classes on the first,

along with the laboratories. Thus,

with the approach to design an

environment conducive to military

training of girls and yet create a

second home for them, Group Phi

provided a facility that highlights

the ambience spaces created by

the architectural designs.



eco living global warning

Global Warning!

Global Warming according

to Wikipedia is the

increase in the average

temperature of the Earth’s near-

surface air and the oceans since

the mid-twentieth century and its

projected continuation. The

Intergovernmental Panel on

Climate Change (IPCC) concludes

that anthropogenic greenhouse

gases are responsible for most of

the observed temperature

increase.

Global warming will soon be

termed as ‘global warning’. Yes,

now the time has come, to

understand the drastic effects of

this reality before it gets too late.

Various effects of global warming,

like steady sea level rise,

increased cyclonic activity and

uncountable foolish human

activities have shown drastic

impacts on earth. The rising sea

level has submerged several low-

lying islands in the Sundarbans,

relocating thousands of people.

Temperature rises on the Tibetan

Plateau, which is causing

Himalayan glaciers to retreat, may

reduce the flow rate of the

Ganges, Brahmaputra, Yamuna

and simultaneously will also

effect the lives of our endangered

species. According to a 2007

World Wide Fund for Nature

(WWF) report, the Indus River

may very soon run dry.

To tackle global warming there are

many effortless things that we

can do in our daily life. Here is a

list of a few things that we can do

to as responsible earthlings and

make a difference.

Use Compact Fluorescent Bulbs

Substitute 3 frequently used light

bulbs with compact fluorescent

bulbs, substituting those 75 watt

normal bulbs with 19 watt CFLs

will cut down huge amounts of

carbon dioxide released into the

atmosphere over time

.

Use Recycled Paper

The next time prior to putting

paper in your printer make sure

that it is 100% post consumer

recycled paper.

Use Green Products

Help spur the renewable energy

market and cut global warming

pollution by buying products with

green tags.

Buy A Fuel Efficient Car

A single good hybrid car can save

thousands of litres of fuel. The

other ideal way of saving fuel is to

leave your car at home and travel

by public transport or even walk

whenever possible. Whenever

stuck in traffic, turn your engine

off, if you are going to wait for

more than 30 seconds.

Carpooling is another smart way

to save energy and socialize at

the same time!

Say No to Plastic

Approximately 2.5 million one

time use plastic water bottles are

thrown away every hour in the US

alone. Using a reusable water

bottle, be it glass or metal makes

sense every which way you look

at it. Water tastes different in

Global Warming’s Effect: Thick

haze along the Ganges River in

northern India.

plastic bottles and if the quality of

the plastic has been compro-

mised, it can be very harmful

health wise too.

We use shopping bags only for a

few hours (from the shop to the

house), but they can take lifetimes

to decompose. Carrying a

lightweight bag or two in your

hand bag, prevents the use of a

good number of bags each day.

The best part of this effort is that

there is no stashing away of bags

required as soon as you reach

home in an already crammed

drawer! Millions of barrels of oil

and several million trees as well

go to producing plastic and paper

bags each year.

Use Energy Efficient Products

Start replacing refrigerators which

are more than 10 years old, buy

today’s new energy-efficient

model which helps in saving

tremendous amount of energy.

Shut down your computer when

not in use; save on energy by

using your computer’s sleep

mode in place of a screensaver.

Insulate Your House

Make sure that your dream home

is well insulated; usage of double

pane windows will keep the heat

outside the home and will result

in consuming less amount of

energy in the way of air

conditioning.

Cut Down Your Showers

The next time you step into your

bathroom remember to reduce

your eight-minute shower to a five

minute one in order to save water.

Water heaters to be eco friendly,

should be of the tank less variety.

If the bathroom is equipped with

the tank version water heater let

the users shower one after

another in order to conserve hot

water and thus energy. Installing a

low flow shower head and fixing

the tiniest of drips right away, can

save large amount of water.



Curbing Carbon Dioxide

While the world warms

up, it's very essential to

save our environment

or else be prepared to face

drastic consequences.

The amount of carbon dioxide

in the atmosphere is increasing

by leaps and bounds, all thanks

to rampant and unorganized

industrialization. Apart from

industries, certain human activi-

ties like the burning of fossil fuels

and deforestation are major

contributors of increased carbon

dioxide in the atmosphere.

Burning of fossil fuels, land

clearing and hazardous smoke

from vehicles raises the level of

this toxic gas in the environment,

which in turn boosts 'global

warming'.

Most of the carbon dioxide is

consumed by trees and plants

and that's the reason we should

plant more trees.Even though the

world's plants are taking up more

carbon dioxide, many ecosystems

are under severe stress and their

capacity to absorb is already

waning.

The main problem arises when

this toxic gas gets dissolved in

the sea and raises the acidity of

seawater. Many species of sea

life unable to adjust to the

changed situation thus get extinct

or reduce in numbers. The ill

effect of this poisonous gas does

not end here; it has a huge

negative impact on human health

as well.

Whether we believe it or not,

very soon this problem will get

shaped into an ugly havoc.

Environmental problems like,

muggy climate, hurricanes and

irregular rainfall patterns are

already making our life wretched.

Global temperatures will continue

to creep upwards until the ocean

depths arrive to an equilibrium

with the heated air, and until

biological systems finish adapting

to the new conditions, and until

Arctic icecaps melt back to

sustainable levels.Till then to

battle out this dilemma is the

imminent task of all mankind and

for this we need to change our

style of living.

The Time Has Come To Save

Our Planet Now!

1. Opt for fuel-efficient or hybrid

cars.

2. Using air-conditioning in stop-

and-go traffic can decrease the

fuel efficiency by as much as

12%.

3. Never burn fossil fuels like, coal

or wood openly.

4. Use recycled paper, products.

5. Replace ordinary bulbs with

CFL bulbs.

6. Plant as many trees as you

can.

7. Upgrade your residence with

energy-saving home appli-

ances.

8. Look for water-efficient shower

heads, faucet, flush system

etc.

From 1950 to 2005, the country

has experienced a severe growth

in CO2 release. At present India

is the fourth largest carbon

dioxide producing country, if not

controlled now the situation is

only going to worsen further.

The climate a century hence

would depend chiefly on what

we choose to do about our

emissions today.

Racold's Primo Range helps in

saving energy

MDF boards by Bajaj Eco-tecHonda Civic - A hybrid car

curb co2 eco living

CO2 Sensor by Desiccant Rotors

Sejal Architectural Glass Ltd’s

Kool Glass Eco



INCORPORATING sustainable design into a utilitarian, economical, aestheticallypleasing and energy-saving project that was future-oriented through a dual-program forfellow Brazilians, was the aim of the SPBR Architects (São Paulo, Brazil) team when theyentered the conceptual plans for a low-energy university in a competition last year.However, winning the Silver at the 2nd Regional Holcim Awards, 2008 (Latin America)as conceived for the PUC-Rio Mediatheque project was the just the spur they needed.They have capably actualized an innovative, futuristic and technologically aided two-fold educationally aligned structure. Namely, that of a building serving as a knowledgebase, supporting the university campus nearby and secondly, being a cultural link inaddition to an educational one for residents in the neighbouring settlement of Favela daRocinha, who would access it besides the general public.

The building is designed such that it presents itself as an identifiable local landmarkthat demonstrates developed standards of modern Brazilian architecture. It is rooted inrespect for natural topography while also exploring ultimate construction technology inconceptualizing passive green-design elements. Best orientation, thermal insulation,

THIS PAGE Illustrat-

ing the positioning

of the Mediatheque

on the PUC-Rio

campus. Best

orientation, thermal

insulation, shading,

natural lighting and

air-flow issues are

the mainstays of this

green architectural

solution.

OPPOSITE PAGE

TOP View of the

main entrance foyer.

LOW ENERGY

MEDIATHEQUEThe aim of SPBR Architects actualized from a sustainable design theory into

a utilitarian, economical, aesthetically pleasing and energy-saving project.

TEXT BY DEEPANJOLIE SONYA FIGG • PHOTO GRAPHS HOLCIM FOUNDATION COURTESY

THE ARCHITECTS



low energy university feature

shading, natural lighting and air-flow is-sues, all of which add to a substantial re-duction in energy consumption are themainstays of their architectural solution.For a space that essentially (and tradition-ally) was expected to function best with acertain kind of interior climate in order toensure book and media preservation, greendesign in practise was a tall order.

But, basing their design on the loca-tion of the Pontifícia Universidade Católicado Rio de Janeiro (PUC-Rio), the SPBRteam aligned their Mediatheque project tooperate from two ground levels already inexistence. The lower ground level (situatedat 0m) would host the massive book col-lections and administrative offices and theupper ground level (situated at 4 m) and called the Plaza, would provide access to thepublic building above.

The most important meeting point on campus is the Plaza, which has been extendedover a pier-support area that is in line with the Mediatheque's roof. This acts as a reflect-ing pool and was a feature recommended by the landscape designer who explained that

THIS PAGE BOTTOM

The Eastern facade

of the PUC-Rio

Mediatheque.



when water is poured onto the slab, it will provide for thermal control, as a measureagainst fire and also make the concrete slab impermeable by freeing it of any chemicalproducts, e.g. asphaltic membrane.

Green design sensibility is further applied to the display of book collection shelveswithin the library. Housed inside a glass enclosed rectangular area that is surrounded byseveral office spaces, an arrangement that ensures offices are near both windows andshelves. Their design and spatial alignment strategy provides for a balance in tempera-ture and humidity control, which is necessary for protecting books. A double layer ofsingle glass from the outside provides further defence from the natural elements.

Since the main reading room is open on the south and north and shaded by sun sails,this configuration reduces the impact of thermal heating and direct sunlight entry isrestricted by conscious exclusion of any windows along the façade too. Instead, a 'natu-ral lamp'-like void has been created inside this enclosed space in the centre of the build-ing, far from the limited windows of the library. Two segments of a glass floor located onthe upper level allow natural light to filter into this complete world within a world.

The need for balancing thermo-acoustics for enhancing the building's pro-greenleanings is met by enforcing the building structure with trusses, resting on a pair ofcolumns. These trusses enclose the longitudinal facades outside the research, UNESCOfloor, foyer and main reading room areas with steels boards with welded joint areas. Theboards measure 5 mm in thickness in order to offer all-weather protection. They shieldthe internal walls of the building and their multi-layered composition enables them toperform as air and thermal insulating, sound-proofing and mechanical space empower-ing steel barriers. This allows the Mediatheque to fulfil international standards of green-performance - as conceived in the early stages of ideation through 3D model testing.

THIS PAGE Interior

view of the

Mediatheque. Green

design sensibility is

further applied to

the display of book

collection shelves

within the library.

The main reading

room is open on the

south and north and

shaded by sun sails,

which reduce the

impact of thermal

heating and direct

sunlight entry.



house 205 feature

HOUSE 205 BY

H ARCHITECTSA rather unusual name for a remarkably simple, yet elegant low-cost

residential dwelling perched high at the edge of a steep canyon in

Vacarisses, Catalunya, (northern Spain) - that's House 205!

TEXT BY DEEPANJOLIE SONYA FIGG • PHOTO GRAPHS STARP ESTUDI COURTESY

THE ARCHITECTS



BARCELONA based H Arquitectes haveartfully combined path breaking green ini-tiatives along with strong conservative struc-tural elements to construct a quaint, for-est-encircled home for their clients, QuicoOrtega & Maria Ferriol.

The economics of the project, (a mod-est budget of 200,000 Euro for the 132sq. meters of built up area) did not under-mine the ecological vision for House 205.Neither did the location (the house is con-structed on the edge of a precipice) limitthe architectural team's basic aim of lend-ing a form to an intimate personal familyspace that could be developed by diggingdeeper into the mounds of rock and landsurrounding the site. So, the principal de-

sign team followed through with this and to their surprise, discovered a layer of rockthat was perfect for anchoring the proposed new house upon!

Furthermore, House 205's plan was based on raising its entire structure above thesite on thick, double concrete supports and a platform. This design provided for dualfunctions that being the exit for the house and also for a sit-out cum garden area. Theconcrete supports create permanent spaces for easy ventilation between the house andthe rocky ground. Thus, this single decision minimized land movements while preserv-ing the home's picturesque valley view. The natural physiognomy of a surroundingwoodsy area hasn't been compromised and the ramp crossing the land diagonally canconnect the residents very easily with the street across.

Venturing indoors, the layout of the interiors shows a linear sequential room patterni.e. each room has different proportions that are related to its main structure, enabling

PREVIOUS PAGE

The interiors of the

house portrays a

linear sequential

room pattern.

THIS PAGE TOP

A quaint forest

encircled home.

THIS PAGE BOTTOM

A natural rock bed,

which was perfect

to anchor the house.



house 205 feature

House 205 to function as a harmonious blend of open-planned spaces yet providingsmall self-contained units - thanks to the scope of huge sliding installations in all parts.

The framework for House 205 consists of huge KLH panels of laminated wood forboth the walls and ceilings, which create efficient dimensions for articulation of bigarches as necessitated by the existence of surrounding rock layers providing the founda-tion for the house. Moreover, the dry assembling of this light-weight and cost-effectivepaneling system that is aesthetically pleasing too, empowered the design team to limitthe use of other raw materials and related energy, typically related to laying buildingfoundations for ensuring a secure structure that would otherwise have resulted in higherCO2 emissions; this feature also conserved water besides making short-work of labour,cost and time investments.

House 205 has a closed lifecycle, thanks to the use of laminated wood - a renewablematerial - making it an excellent example of a thoughtful, recyclable carpentry. Thisfeature also provides a warm, cozy look to the simple rectangular frame-and-wood shellhousing. The house has a 3-bedroom plan along with two study areas adjacent to aperky living area equipped with a compact, practical kitchen.

Double height walls in the library, neatly lined with books, cleverly conceal a woodenstaircase connecting it to the second level of the home. The facades are ventilated andfinished with coniferous wood such as the Flanders pine. The openings have also beenfinished with wooden fitters which in turn are protected with the help of removableshutters.

Cost-effectiveness has further been ensured by limiting the facings and in this waysaving on the coating and interior finish. In the rest of the house installations are hidden,but paneled with gypsum wallboard in certain rooms, leaving the rest with a structurethat has its facings visible. All these elements coalesce to grant House 205 the ultimatewooden volume, quite at home amid rock and forest and creating at once, both instantvisual impact and ecologically sound structural aesthetics.

THIS PAGE LEFT

H Arquitectes have

artfully planned the

exit of the house to

doubles as a small

sit-out cum garden

area.

THIS PAGE RIGHT

The house consists

of huge KLH panels

of laminated wood

for both the walls

and ceilings.

THIS PAGE

BOTTOM: Design

plan of the house.



eco living saving water

Are you getting worried

about facing the perilous

effects of vanishing water

resources? Read on and see how

an individual's action can help in

saving each drop of water.

As we all know water is the basic

necessity of life, the valuable

substance is now in the ugly

hands of 'pollution'. The water we

drink is not pure any more and the

reason behind its impurity is the

lack of consciousness. According

to a research 60% of water is

consumed in our washrooms.

Currently we should think of

conserving water and then tend to

matters of its contamination.

Some time back the Singapore

National Water Agency had

signed an agreement with India.

The main aim of this treaty was to

curtail water wastage in Indian

cities and towns.

The current environmental

dilemma urges us to plan for

sustainable water management,

especially considering the mount-

ing demand of the increasing

population. By simply following

some easy guidelines we can

control the loss of water quite

effortlessly.

Turn Off the Tap When

Not In Use

Many of us have a habit of

turning on the tap first and then

begining to use the water; don't

let the water run uselessly. Whilst

washing dishes, one should use

water extremely judiciously

eliminating any waste. If using a

dishwasher then pre-rinsing may

be avoided. Long showers should

be avoided at all costs and start

using bath-fittings with low water

flow rates.

Keep A Regular Check

Get repaired that leaky toilet

flush, faucet or pipe immediately.

Always remember to purchase

low flush toilets as they consume

a smaller quantity of water.

Watch Your Gardening Ways

Planting trees or gardening

indeed is the best way to deal

with pollution but here too misuse

of water should be avoided at all

costs. Water your lawn only when

required; opt for drought- proof

shrubs and plants. Always use

organic fertilisers and a well-

organised watering system.

Don't Treat Your Toilet As A

Trash Can

Remember that every time you

flush a cigarette butt or a facial

tissue, five to seven gallons of

water is wasted.

To bring down water wastage,

fill a bottle with some pebbles

and place it safely in your toilet

tank. In this way you will save

gallons of water each day.

It's Now or Never

Water is like an environmental

treasure, which if not used

properly can invite severe

problems. Many programmes

have been started by the govern-

ment of India like rain water

harvesting, which can help in

increasing the ground water level.

Some NGO's are also contributing

spectacularly in spreading

awareness. But that is not enough

there is much more that we can

do. We need to learn by heart that

overlooking this hazardous reality

will jeopardize our future.

Water Ways

Grohtherm range of thermostat by Grohe.

Raindance® EcoSmart showers

by Hansgrohe.



green school feature

HANDMADE SCHOOL

BANGLADESHThe Handmade School by Anna Heringer and Eike Roswag serves

as an example for future building development in the area.

This joyous and elegant two-storeyprimary school in rural Bangladeshhas emerged from a deep under-

standing of local materials and a heart-feltconnection to the local community. Hand-built in four months by local craftsmen,pupils, parents and teachers together withexperts from Germany and Austria, it usestraditional methods and materials of con-struction but adapts them in new ways tocreate light-filled beautiful, meaningfuland humane collective spaces for learning.

The school is part of the Modern Edu-



PREVIOUS PAGE

TOP Compositions

of Bamboo lattices

and structural

elements create a

beautiful play of

light and shadow.

The colourful saris

that make up the

ceiling of the lobby

add colour to the

space.

PREVIOUS PAGE

BOTTOM

This handmade

school is con-

structed by using

traditional methods.

THIS PAGE TOP The

architects have

made efficient use

of bamboo sticks

and earthbound

materials.

THIS PAGE BOTTOM

Exterior of the

house.

cation and Training Institute (METI) ofthe Bangladeshi NGO Dipshikha, whichplaces an emphasis on helping childrendevelop their own potential and use it in acreative way. The building follows the sameprinciples, bringing out the best in localmaterials by inventively combining themwith improved construction techniques.Earthbound materials such as loam andstraw are combined with lighter elementslike bamboo sticks and nylon lashing toshape a built form that addressessustainability in construction in an exem-plary manner.

The project team felt that it was par-ticularly important to improve the qualityof living in the rural areas in order to coun-teract the continuing population migrationto the cities.

They detected that the primary poten-tial for developing buildings in the ruralareas was the low cost of labour and locallyavailable resources such as earth and bam-boo.

The project team's main strategy wasto communicate and develop knowledgeand skills within the local population so



green school feature

THIS PAGE TOP The

project team have

made the best use

of natural resources

and thus lessened

the cost of labour.

THIS PAGE LEFT

Ground floor of the

building consists of

thick earth walls and

the upper floor is

open for sufficient

light.

THIS PAGE RIGHT

The entire building

rests on a 50cm

deep brick masonry

foundation.

that they could make the best possible use of the available resources. Historic buildingtechniques were developed and improved upon and the emerging skills were then passedon to local tradesmen transforming in the process the image of the building techniques.

On the ground floor with its thick earth walls, three classrooms are located each withtheir own access opening to an organically shaped system of 'caves' to the rear of theclassroom.

The upper floor is by contrast light and open, the openings in its bamboo wallsoffering sweeping views across the surroundings and its large interior providing space formovement. The view expands across the treetops and the village pond.

Light and shadows from the bamboo strips play across the earth floor and contrastwith the colourful materials of the saris on the ceiling.

The building rests on a 50 cm deep brick masonry foundation rendered with a facingcement plaster. Bricks are the most common product of Bangladesh's building materialindustry. It has almost no natural reserves of stone. As an alternative the clayey alluvialsand is fired in open circular kilns into bricks.

'Handmade School' showcases the potential of good planning and design, from thearrangement of the building on site to the realisation of aspects in detail.

Furthermore it demonstrates the possibilities of building with earth and bamboousing simple methods as the continuation of a local rural building tradition and canserve as an example for future building developments in the area.



eco living prefab homes

Prefab Homes

Prefabricated buildings are

gaining popularity as well

as leading the industry in

terms of technical progress and

energy efficiency.

Prefabricated domiciles are often

described as prefab homes;

these houses can be constructed

in a short span of time. While

constructing a prefab house the

floors are accumulated first, and

then the wall panels are attached

with fixtures. Once the house is

ready, the electrical wiring and

ceilings are mounted. After that,

the roof of the house is manufac-

tured separately and attached.

The external and internal touch-

ups are provided to the house

after the construction is com-

pletely finished.

The famous architect Gustav

Peichl has designed the single-

family Peichl-Haus, an arched,

zinc-roofed building slightly

reminiscent of a Quonset hut. On

the other hand, Frank Gehry has

shown his lavish designing skills

via constructing 'Court Yard

House' for the German firm

WeberHaus. The new design

effort is aimed at pumping up the

image of prefabricated housing in

Germany, in order to attract a new

clientele. The eminent Milan

based star Matteo Thun - who

founded Italy's Memphis design

group and led the creative team

at Swatch for several years -

turned out 'o sole mio', a pent-

roofed marvel of passive-energy

use, for Austrian firm Griffner

Haus.

The trend of prefab houses is

still in a developing stage in India

and will take time to develop

further. Recently Lockwood

International, a top New Zealand-

based wood construction com-

pany, launched its first series of

prefabricated wooden houses at

the Classic Golf Resort, Gurgaon

in India. Prefab homes are doing

remarkably well abroad but closer

home in India, this idea is still not

accepted. Here, prefab homes

are not considered an ideal

housing solution due to certain

social stigmas.

ZeroHouse - A portable prefabricated house by

architect Scott Speecht, of Specht Harpman.

Matteo Thun's 'O Sole Mio'.



renzo piano feature

THOUGH the Golden Gate Park where the California Academy of Sciences is situated,is nothing short of a dream-site and one of the rare Natural Science Institutes thatencourage public experiences with in-house scientific research conducted in the samebuilding, our reason for focusing on it lies in its living up to its design aim: to enableinterwoven spaces for exhibits, academic pursuits, conservation and research in a safe,modern facility. CAS exemplifies a high-tech model of sustainable architecture withfrugal material choices and yet accomplishes immense variety in shapes refined andclassical in style, highlighting its mission statement (Explore, Explain & Protect theNatural World). Guess one can always expect the unexpected from Pritzker Prize-winningarchitects like Piano!

Architect Renzo Piano incorporated sustainable design strategies with a holisticapproach to using basic materials like gray architectural concrete for main buildings andwalls, implemented designs to enable recycling of materials from the old building andconstructed in combination with a mix of the old and new - and even then, managed toensure energy efficient heating and cooling.

At CAS, Piano takes on the mantle of a designer with advanced aesthetics in greenbuilding technology, effectively concretizing a scientifically sound yet culturally connected

THIS PAGE TOP A

view of the

California Academy

of Sciences

shrouded with the

landscaped roof

LEFT Pigeon holed

skylights are

sprinkled over the

roof surface to

permeate light in

the exhibits spaces.

RENZO PIANO’S

LIVING ROOFThe new California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco bears 'a

certain lightness of being' - an elegant steel structure, technologically

precise in detail, glass aplenty to allow fluid movement of daylight

and a diagrammatically simple layout that ever so quietly announces

its illustrious architectural credits.

TEXT BY DEEPANJOLIE SONYA FIGG

Photo by Shunji Ishida

Photo by Nic Lehoux

Photo by Nic Lehoux



Photo by John McNeal

Photo by Nic Lehoux

Photo by Nic Lehoux

Photo by John McNeal



renzo piano feature

establishment. This is a tribute to a family of builders hailing from Italy and also afantastically coming together of a varied scale of pieces. The location and orientation ofCAS remains the same; its central Piazza (courtyard), too, remains the hub of all activitieslike before.

The Planetarium Dome and Rainforest Biosphere are spherical dome shaped spacesnear the Piazza, which combined with the Steinhart Aquarium's reconstructed entrancerepresent Space, Earth and Ocean elements. These also 'push' the top up, creating anundulating roofscape. The continuity of form is maintained for the green roof, thehighlight of the project which assumes a new identity with a glass canopy beyond theperimeter walls, giving shade, rain-protection and also providing energy from 55,000photo voltaic cells contained in the glass!

A glazed skylight covering the central courtyard makes up the main living area withmultiple other, smaller sized ones sprinkled over the roof's surface to fill the exhibitspace below with natural light; these also enable natural ventilation. Retractable fiberscreens provide controlled microclimate for opening and evening hours when the eventspaces are in use.

CAS comprises 5 floors; automatic sun blinds and windows in majority of the unitswithin enable natural ventilation and illumination in all workspaces even as minimalchoice of a frugal palette, utilizing color sporadically gives a strong essence to the lightgray architectural concrete façade. Original limestone has been retained for the restoredAfrican Hall but all floor spaces feature polished concrete; white acoustic panels makeup the exhibit hall soffit and are mounted horizontally under the curvature of the roofforming 'the fish scale' surface. Exhibit space is reserved in the formwork tie holes leftvisible.

Four glazed facades fixed with extra-white glass enhance transparency and visual tran-sition of interiors while a hybrid concrete and steel roof structure, vegetation carpetingincludes a water "storage" layer, a deceptively designer-touch! The reformatory nature ofthe roof is evident as it switches over to a light steel structure midway and supports theglass panels with PV cells that power up the knowledge center contained within.

Piano skillfuly converts a basic science institute model into a place of humanistic artforms that are never quite abstract sculpture, but models of light. Drawing on a primevalknowledge base that determined for him the demolition of 11 existing buildings beforeerecting this new one with efficient use of water, a run-off pattern from the roof and puregeneration of renewable energy!

OPPOSITE PAGE

LEFT The central

Piazza of the original

structure was

maintained and

around which Piano

planned out the 3

domes - the

Planetarium,

Aquarium and the

Rainforest

biosphere.

RIGHT TOP Sketch

design of CAS.

BOTTOM Site plan of

CAS.

PAGE BOTTOM A

panoramic view of

the roof of the

university



ARCHITECT Nader Khalili of the Cal-Earth Institute set out on a path breakingtask of coming up with a low cost,sustainable form of building homes in themiddle east. He began experimenting withbags of adobe soil as building blocks forcreating domes, vaults and arches. Beingfamiliar with the Middle Eastern cultureand the use of adobe bricks in buildingmethods of the olden days, it was not longbefore he himself started to experimentwith this technique. At the Cal-Earth In-stitute, his students and understudies, whowere trained by him in several, similarbuilding techniques, expanded this fieldconsiderably with the help of further trialand error methods.

Erecting buildings with sandbags is aconsiderably old and conservative tech-nique. It was long being used by the mili-tary in particular, to create strong and pro-tective barriers against, armaments andother weapons of destruction. The wallsso constructed also helped in preservingand protecting the army from the differ-

EARTH BAG

HOUSEAn old and conservative building method, adopted by the military to

create strong, knock- down walls is adopted and refined by two archi-

tects to create simple, low cost, sustainable housing.

THIS PAGE Substan-

tial walls afford

resist-ance even

against severe

weather.



earthbag house feature

THIS PAGE The

bags are stuffed

with crushed

volcanic rock and

covered with

papercrete.

ent vagaries of nature. Burlap bags wereemployed initially in the construction ofmassive and substantial walls. Later on thisinnovative form of construction was car-ried out with the use of polypropylene bags.

The bags did their job well, except forthe fact that eventually degradationoccurred due to the exposure to strongsunlight. However it was noticed that ifthe bags were coated with a suitable plas-ter they were rendered strong enough tobe employed as walls in permanent hous-ing.

Kelly Hart, another architect whoseheart too was in sustainable architectureand was extremely keen to refine the earthbag building process, laid barbed wire inbetween the bags. This new hybridconcept led to the creation of an even moreviable form of housing. He made two morealterations to Khalili's technique. He usedcrushed volcanic rock instead of adobesoil to stuff the bags and the second refinement that he brought in was that he plasteredthe earth bag walls with papercrete. The crushed volcanic rock provided the walls withgood insulation and prevented any occurrence of rot or damage by moisture. Thepapercrete plaster turned out to be a boon too as the house became fairly maintenancefree unlike as in with the adobe finish. In a tropical environment, papercrete howevermay have to be substituted as here it could get infected with mold.


eco living green, the flipside


Sustainable structures are

flourishing rapidly, but

does that really support

the concept of green architec-

ture?

Today we are surrounded by

information on green architecture

and its benefits, but are we really

aware of what really is green or

sustainable architecture?

It's a general term that de-

scribes environmentally conscious

design techniques in the field of

architecture.

In India the concept of green

architecture is booming and

gaining a lot of attention but what

you and I need is a desperate

perspective check. How far have

we reached exactly? Every new

construction these days claims to

be built with green elements and

based on green guidelines.

A few important features of a

truly green structure are; architec-

tural elements like courtyards,

clusters, wind towers, roof

Other Side Of Green

terraces and jaalis (stone lattices),

amongst others should be used

to save our energy resources. For

instance, the natural light from the

courtyard, combined with energy-

efficient lighting systems can

save 88 percent of energy. The

challenge is to scrutinise and

reunite these traditional methods

with modern technological

innovations.

Low VOC (volatile organic

compound)-emitting materials

A Photovoltaic Installation by

Reynaers

CII-Godrej GBC in Hyderabad, India. A LEED

Platinum rated building.

such as recycled denim or

cellulose insulation should be

opted for over toxic materials

used in the past. Solar devices

such as photovoltaic solar panels

incorporated on the roof or even

the façade of a building can

provide for almost all the electric-

ity required by the building.The

Samundra Institute of Maritime

Studies (SIMS) at Lonavala, near

Pune India, has the longest

photovoltaic wall in the world. In

other parts of the world, wind

towers are used to lessen the

load on air conditioning systems

especially in the corporate zone.

There are many fine examples

of green structures in India but if

asked to mention any one, then

that would most obviously be the

Confederation of Indian Industry

Sohrabji Godrej Green Business

Centre (CII-Godrej GBC) in

Hyderabad, India. The building

has been designed by the Indian

architectural firm, Karan Grover

and Associates. This epitome

talks about the applicability of

traditional architectural knowledge

combined with today's design

processes of sustainability.

If one were to delve into

ancient architecture which was

inherently green by practise and

construction; and if these prin-

ciples were merged with contem-

porary design elements it would

definitely be possible to come up

with new and noteworthy results

in authentic 'green architecture'.Use of a passive solar concept


bureau of energy efficiency eco livinggreen by design supplement to home review april 2009 issue

bureau of energy efficiency eco living

Bureau of Energy Efficiency

The Bureau of Energy

Efficiency (BEE) has

introduced a labelling

programme which illustrates the

energy efficiency of a variety of

products.

Saving or conserving energy

means reducing the use of

energy; it may be obtained

through proficient energy use and

by reducing the consumption of

energy services. The Bureau of

Energy Efficiency (BEE), set up by

the government of India aims at

preserving and promoting the

efficient use of energy resources.

With the primary objective of

reducing energy intensity of the

Indian economy, it is established

to assist in developing policies

and strategies with a thrust on

self-regulation and market

principles, within the framework

of the Energy Conservation Act,

2001. This can be achieved with

the active participation of all

position the domestic industry to

compete in such markets where

norms for energy efficiency are

obligatory. This plan was

launched in May 2006, and is

currently invoked for equipments/

appliances like, frost free

refrigerators, fluorescent lamps,

air conditioners, direct cool

refrigerators, distribution

transformers and induction

motors, pump sets, ceiling fans,

electric geysers and TV sets.

One of the features of the BEE

label includes 'stars', which

further illustrates the energy

efficiency of the product. The

highlighted stars on the label of

the certified appliance deter-

mines its efficiency. Hence, more

the number of stars; more is the

saving. Furthermore, this BEE

label also serves as an informa-

tive tool in terms of daily/annual

power consumption details and

important product specifications

like type, capacity and efficiency.

stakeholders, resulting in an

accelerated and sustained

adoption of energy efficiency

across all sectors.

BEE connects with designated

consumers, agencies and other

organizations to recognize and

utilize the existing resources and

infrastructure judiciously. The

institute organizes training of

personnel and specialists in

techniques for the efficient use of

energy as well as for

strengthening consultancy

services in the field of energy

conservation.

Another very significant step

taken by BEE is the Labeling

Programme, which provides the

consumer an informed choice

about the energy saving, and

thereby the cost saving potential

of the marketed household

appliance or equipment. This is

expected to impact the energy

savings in the medium and long

run while at the same time it will

BEE Logo

ProductDetails

BrandModel

Typecross

VolumeStorageVolume

Annual Energyconsumption

(kwh/Year)

Stars (1-5)display the

relativeefficiency of the

product

BEE Logo

Importantproduct

specificationslike brand,

model, type,capacity,

efficiency, etc

Daily /annualpower

consumptionis used for

comparing theactual energyuse between

differntmodels

Stars (1-5)display the

relativeefficiency ofthe product

BEE label for refrigerators BEE label for air conditioners



THIS PAGE The

home-office of

Trends Adfilms in

Bangalore.

OPPOSITE PAGE

Open brick walls,

rough granite

exteriors, wall

paintings and

passive solar

concepts are some

of the features seen

in this office.

ENERGY does not mean what is certified; to live a simple life is ‘energy saving’ says Mr.R.L Kumar, who runs the Centre for Vernacular Architecture (CVA) in Banaswadi, Ban-galore. The Centre for Vernacular Architecture is a non-profit organization establishedin 1989 and has been designing and executing various vernacular architectural projectsin South India. The firm specialises in a less explored field and is concerned witharchitectural building practices that are cost effective, ecologically sane and culturallypertinent.

Building on the work of practitioners like Laurie Baker and Hassan Fathy, their ar-chitectural practice promotes the use of locally available materials, traditional buildingtechniques, culturally and climatically relevant building design. They also offerconsultancy, training, and promotion of student exchange/resident programs. The Cen-tre comprises of a core team of six architects, eight engineer/supervisors and a team ofabout seventy five dedicated craftsmen and people drawn from a variety of buildingrelated trades. In most of his projects Kumar has been successful in capturing the es-sence of 'space' and has virtually established that spaces need not be a result of a hanker-ing for detailing.

The home-office for Trends Ad Films Pvt. Ltd, situated on the outer Ring Road inBangalore, expresses the home part of the building in brick and the office in roughgranite. This project is like a creative turn for Centre for Vernacular Architecture, itportrays aesthetically pleasing work spaces with water bodies, ensuite furniture with an

VERNACULAR

ARTICULACYThe Centre for Vernacular Archtecture believes in using

architectural building practices that are cost effective,

eco-friendly and culturally pertinent.

TEXT BY SHEETAL MISHRA • PHOTO GRAPHS SHALINI SEHGAL



vernacular design feature



TOP Brick jharokas

and courtyards,

traditional architec-

tural features are

incorporated in this

modern day plan

of sustainable

architecture at the

women’s centre in

Kolar.

RIGHT ‘Cob walls’

another forgotten

feature has been

ingeniously brought

back into existence.

oxide touch, specialadd-ons like wallpaintings, greenzones, brickjharokas and court-yards to get suffi-cient day light. Theplace of work incor-porates all these as-pects and createsthought-provokingvibes for the younginhabitants. Thisinvigorating 7,000sq.ft ad agency is aperfect example ofinspirational archi-tecture. Here theconnection withnature is main-tained by uncov-ered stone and block work.

The Centre for Vernacular Architecture also has in its treasure trove one of its finestprojects, that is the Vimochana's Women's Centre in Kolar. Through this project Mr.R.L. Kumar experimented and brought forgotten 'cob walls' into the existence. Theentire architecture uses traditional constructing materials are used i.e, stones, mud wallsand other eco-friendly building materials.

The excessive use of high-embodied energy materials in modern day constructionresults in environmental degradation. The Centre for Vernacular Architecture throughthe mode of sustainable architecture aims to ease the burden of environmental degradationon earth.



teri feature

In this world of increasing globalization and buoyed by

optimism generated by the success of the Indian

economy, TERI moves forward to meet the challenges

of a ‘greener tomorrow’ through the excellence rooted

in its creative charter.

TEXT BY SHEETAL MISHRA • PHOTO GRAPHS COURTESY TERI

THE Genesis of TERI (The Energy and Resources Institute) lies in Mithapur, a remotecorner of north-western India, where a visionary chemical engineer was concerned aboutthe enormous amount of energy his factory spent on desalination - fresh potable water isscarce in those salty plains - and on making caustic soda from salt. Mr Darbari Seth ofTata Chemicals, who cherished the importance of energy as a resource, envisaged aninstitute 'to tackle and deal with the immense and acute problems that mankind islikely to be faced with in the years ahead, on account of the gradual depletion of theearth's finite energy resources that are largely non-renewable and on account of theexisting methods of their use, which are polluting’.

The idea instantly appealed to Mr. J R D Tata, Chairman of the Tata Group, a greatvisionary himself and a staunch supporter of scientific research - and TERI was dulyregistered in Delhi in 1974 as the Tata Energy Research Institute. Later it was renamedas The Energy and Resources Institute in 2003. TERI began operations in Mumbai inBombay House, in its first decade; the approach was to fund deserving research projectson renewable energy. However, in 1984, it moved to Delhi and began its own research;the first externally funded project was to develop an energy model for India. In its 30-odd years of existence, TERI has completed more than 3,500 projects. Their upshotshave been as varied as the fields they covered.

TERI's influence on government thinking is manifest at policy level; the institutehas been instrumental in drafting two major policy documents recently: the NationalRenewable Energy Policy for the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy and the NationalEnvironmental Policy for the Ministry of Environment and Forests.

THIS PAGE

The TERI University

THE ENERGY AND

RESOURCES

INSTITUTE



THIS PAGE LEFT

Solar-Panels in-

stalled in one of

TERI’s projects.

THIS PAGE RIGHT

TERI’s Mukhteshwar

Building in the

Himalayas.

The organization had played a major role at COP-12, where it structured two sideevents. In 2006-07, the institute signed a Memorandum of Understanding with theCCX (Chicago Climate Exchange), the world's leading carbon trading exchange. TheMoU seeks to explore the issues and options in the voluntary carbon market in India.TERI also serves as a registered adviser to the CCX and assists in exploring new offsetproject possibilities in the Indian subcontinent.

TERI undertook the study 'National Energy Map for India: Technology Vision 2030'during 2006-07. The study commissioned and supported by the Office of the PrincipalScientific Advisor, Government of India used the 'Markal' model to identify the mostpromising technological options across various sectors and suggest appropriate policiesfor moving towards optimal resource use.

Green India 2047 by TERI sought to estimate the extent to which India's naturalresources were degraded during the first 50 years of independence. The sequel to GreenIndia 2047 was DISHA (Directions, Innovations, and Strategies for Harnessing Ac-tion), which looked into the future to draw up a blueprint of action for an economicallyadvanced but sustainable India in 2047.

TERI's facilities in Gurgaon, Bangalore, Guwahati, and Mukteshwar serve as modelsof eco-friendly design. In 2006-07, TERI-GRIHA (Green Rating for Integrated Habi-tat Assessment), which is an environmental performance rating system for buildings -commercial, institutional, or residential - was launched. This innovative rating system,specifically developed for Indian conditions, uses qualitative and quantitative assess-ment criteria. It evaluates the environmental performance of a building throughout itslifecycle, thereby providing a definitive standard for what constitutes a 'green building'.Already, eleven buildings have been registered for rating. GRIHA has now become anational rating system.

The Green Business Centre building in Hyderabad - TERI was the energy consult-ant to the project - received the prestigious platinum rating under the LEED ratingsystem of the United States Green Building Council. TERI was responsible for ensuringmaximum energy efficiency in the building through an appropriate building envelopeand system interventions - and has now been retained by two more aspirants for theplatinum rating: ITC Ltd (for its proposed Centre for Corporate Excellence in Gurgaon)and North Delhi Power Limited.



teri feature

The flagship of events organized by the institute is DSDS, the Delhi SustainableDevelopment Summit, held every year in early February. A global summit, the eventdraws distinguished participants - heads of state and senior ministers; heads of largemultinational corporations, UN agencies, and bi- and multi-lateral agencies, scientistsincluding Nobel laureates - from every continent to debate current issues of regionaland international significance. The first such summit, organized in 1999, was inaugu-rated by the president of India. The summit is the world's sole forum on sustainabilityissues that transcends the global divide.

TERI's field campus presented a unique opportunity to TERI researchers to demon-strate energy-efficient architecture. The result was RETREAT (Resource-efficient TERIRetreat for Environmental Awareness and Training). Set amidst a lush green landscape,it has been designed as a residential training facility for executives. The entire facility isplanned to be self-sufficient, independent of any external power supply. The principlesof energy efficiency and recycling are used so effectively that the complex requires only25% of the energy.

The new TERI University campus by the establishment has been intended to offer asetting that enhances learning and showcases the concept of modern green buildings.

From biotechnology to global climate change, from smoke-filled rural kitchens toplush corporate boardrooms, from schoolchildren to heads of state-no sphere of humanendeavour is unfamiliar to TERI. Headed by Dr Rajendra K Pachauri, also chairman ofthe Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change (IPCC) and joint-winner of the NobelPeace Prize in 2007, TERI has state-of-the-art laboratories, yet it is more than a researchoutfit; it has looked into the past and into the future of the world's natural resources. Allactivities in TERI move from formulating local and national level strategies to suggest-ing global solutions to critical energy and environment-related issues. It is with thispurpose that TERI has established regional centres in Bangalore, Goa, and Guwahati,and a presence in Japan, Malaysia, Russia, and the United Arab Emirates. It has also setup affiliate institutes: TERI-NA (The Energy and Resources Institute, North America)Washington DC, USA, and TERI-Europe, London, UK.

THIS PAGE LEFT

Children studying

with a solar lantern.

THIS PAGE RIGHT

Director General

TERI, Dr R.K.

Pachauri.


green talk bcil


BCIL (Biodiversity Conserva

tion India Ltd) is a builder-

technology enterprise set

up by Dr. Chandrashekar

Hariharan to mainstream

sustainability in the urban area in

1995. He is the only Indian among

eight Asians chosen as a Water

Champion by ADB in 2005

amongst experts working in 63

nations in Asia. The company has

taken up the environmental

challenge of the day to provide

living spaces for people who

respect not one but all six fila-

ments of environment i.e. earth,

energy, waste, water, air and

biomass.

BCIL has been able to

construct two million square feet

of sustainable residential spaces

for urbanites, far above the

standards of conventional

residential buildings, over and

above any building codes that

exist in this country or perhaps

globally. Recently BCIL T ZED

BCIL EMBODIES

SUSTAINABLE

ARCHITECTURE AND SEEKS

TO PROVIDE HEALTHY

LIVING SPACES NOT ONLY

FOR ITS CLIENTS BUT FOR

THE CITIZENS OF INDIA.

received the first international

award (Ryutaro Hashimoto APFED

Award by the Ministry of Environ-

ment Japan) given for a residen-

tial building complex for

mainstreaming sustainability in

India. BCIL is recognized as one

of the largest ‘sustainable built

environment’ enterprise in the

country, and was conferred the

Spectrum Award for sustainable

architecture twice. It was also

presented with the TERI corporate

environmental initiatives award in

2003. In 2005, it received the All

India Practising Architects Award

for sustainable architecture.

BCIL’s journey began with

T ZED, a watershed project

BCIL Living


bcil green talkgreen by design supplement to home review april 2009 issue

Trans Indus, its first residential

complex in Bangalore which was

built around a theme of ‘healing

the land’ as it was created on a

rocky piece of land. It is a lush

green haven now, and is

considered amongst the top ten

most coveted properties in

Bangalore and conferred with

several awards. This was

followed by other properties such

as Townsend, T Zed Homes, and

Collective. With its new project

‘Red Earth’ it is sure to assimilate

many more milestones. BCIL is

now extending its work out of

Bangalore to Mysore (Expanse),

Goa (Gaia) and Coorg (Little Acre).

T ZED is particularly special for

BCIL because it is a watershed

project in the way sustainable

buildings are constructed

anywhere in the world. It is the

first multi unit and multi storied

residential complex to be inde-

pendent of municipal water and

waste connection. T ZED’s holistic

closed loop system is a leading

example of a multi unit residential

building that not only saves all

water that falls on the campus

and leaves no waste for others to

treat, but it remains water positive

as well i.e. it adds water to the

depleted aquifers. T ZED stands

out for the staggering number of

additional benefits that the

property offers to a customer – all

this accomplished with no

support whatsoever from either

the Government or any other

external agency in terms of

subsidies or finance-in-

assistance.

BCIL RedEarth, an enclave of

140-plus villas to the north of

Bangalore, offers homes that

don’t use electricity from the

Power Corporation, or water from

the Water Supply Board.

In the sunny land of Goa, a

half-hour’s ride south of the

airport, close to Margoa, there is

a lovely set of retirement homes

at the BCIL Gaia.

The Green Idea Lab (GIL) is the

design, consulting and research

arm of BCIL. Part of GIL’s design

challenge is building

with reusable and low-

embodied energy materials,

improving the standard of living

for the client-communities so

developed, and assisting in

building rating and carbon

management services.

T ZED, is the first multi-unit,multi storied residential complex to be

independent of a municipal water and a waste connection.


green talk fuel


Amid the many problems

afflicting the modern world,

fossil-fuel dependence may

be one of the most critical,

possibly second only to climate

change in its potential to destroy

the fabric of life as we know it.

Consequently, the most recent

movie by Josh Tickell (author of

From the Fryer to the Fuel Tank),

raises awareness and motivates

the audience to 'change your

fuel....change the world'.

This film named Fuel made its

national debut in Portland,

Oregoon on November 14th, 2008.

With an expenditure of approxi-

mately $2 million (mostly in

donations from individuals), it took

the director 11 years to make this

film, a story of his personal

journey for clean energy solutions.

Citing the problems the

society encounters when fossil

fuels turn to be interconnected

with every part of modern life,

Power Of 'Fuel'

ALTHOUGH THE FILM CAN'T

BE DEPICTED AS THE END

SOURCE OF ALL INFORMA-

TION, 'FUEL' UNDENIABLY

SERVES AS A VITAL DOOR

THAT OPENS INTO THE VAST

SUBJECT OF CONSUMPTION

AND ITS HAZARDS.

Fuel exposes an insightful over-

view of America's troubled

relationship with oil. The docu-

mentary further highlights how

alternative and sustainable

energies can reduce the world's

addictive dependence on fossil

fuels. "I made Fuel to show that

there is a way for us to have all

the energy we need without

compromising peace and free-

dom," said the Director, Josh

Tickell, highlighting the focus of

this comprehensive film.

In the opening scene of Fuel, a

tranquil satellite image of our blue

planet fills the screen, while a

narrator describes how single-


fuel green talkgreen by design supplement to home review april 2009 issue

celled organisms changed into oil

over millions of years. Elaborating

on issues with alarming statistics

and facts, this documentary

brings to light the involvement in

an expensive war in Iraq for all,

the massive oil spill in Louisianan

during Hurricane Katrina, and the

health dangers to the populations

living in close proximity to oil

refineries that report a huge rise in

cancer, fertility problems, miscar-

riages and birth defects.

Furthermore, the makers of

Fuel have brought to our attention

a collection of ideas that can help

us take control of the situation we

are in. As cited by Tickell, "The

movie really mirrors what has

occurred in the environment

movement over the past three

decades." In addition to the oil

dependency issues that the film

outlines, it demonstrates the

benefits of switching to alternative

fuels and the growing need for

more localised action towards

this end. It exceptionally explores

alternative electricity, made

popular during the Carter adminis-

tration and reversed during the

Reagan years, such as harness-

ing energy from the sun (solar),

wind and water (hydro). It por-

trays in a virtual city of the future,

where green roofs, light rail, and

'vertical farms' illustrate how large

populations can be less depen-

dent on personal vehicles and

grow their own food and fuel

locally by retrofitting existing

cities.

With interviews and appear-

ance by a wide range of environ-

mentalists, policy makers and

educators, along with such 'green'

celebrities as Woody Harrelson,

Sheryl Crow, and Larry Hagman

offer serious fuel for thought as

well as for action. Through these

experts and celebrity activists, the

documentary explores the various

options of alternative fuels includ-

ing bio-diesel (made from any

kind of vegetable oil including

used oil from fast food restau-

rants); biomass (forestry and

agricultural products as well as

biodegradable industrial and

municipal waste); ethanol (alcohol

made through the fermentation of

sugars found in starches like corn

and potatoes); and methane

(made from digestion and degra-

dation of organic material).

Offering clear pathways for

solutions, Fuel re-contextualises

how we view our dependence on

oil, how we view war and what

we are handling to the coming

generation. In Tickell's words,

"Fuel is uplifting, clear, based on

fact and personal experience and

leaves viewers with a sense of

what the future can be, if we act

now." After winning a Sundance

Film Festival Audience Award in

January 2008 and the AFI (Ameri-

can Film Institute) Dallas Interna-

tional Film Festivals 'Current

Energy Earth Friendly Award' in

March, this film is on track to

continue picking up awards and

influencing audiences nationwide.

In this way, Fuel is a redemp-

tive story, although it does not

promise that the road ahead will

be easy. It shows technology that

is within grasp, so that individuals

and cities can gradually switch

from oil dependency to more

localised and sustainable models

that meet the triple bottom line of

improving the economy, the

society, and the environment. Like

many documentaries, the power

of Fuel is in the dialogue it

creates.



eco living reuse beats recycling

Reuse Beats Recycling

The guiding light in today's

endeavour to lead a green

life is made up of three

words, reduce, reuse and

recycle. But that said, the one

thing that shines through is the

act of reuse.

Reuse is often confused with

recycling, but they are really quite

different. (Even those engaged in

reuse frequently refer to it as

recycling.) Reuse in the broadest

sense means any activity that

lengthens the life of an item.

Recycling, on the other hand, is

the reprocessing of an item into a

new raw material for use in a new

product-for example grinding the

tire and incorporating it into a

road-surfacing compound. Reuse

is nothing new. What is new is

the need to reuse.

Reuse is accomplished

through many different methods:

Purchasing durable goods, buying

and selling in the used market-

place, borrowing, renting, sub-

scribing to business waste

exchanges and making or receiv-

ing charitable transfers. It is also

achieved by attending to mainte-

nance and repair, as well as by

designing in relation to reuse. This

may mean developing products

that are reusable, long-lived, and

capable of being remanufactured

or creatively refashioning used

items.

Why is reuse so important?

Because at the same time that it

confronts the challenges of waste

reduction, reuse also sustains a

comfortable quality of life and

supports a productive economy.

With few exceptions reuse

accomplishes these goals more

effectively than recycling, and it

does so in the following ways:

� Reuse keeps goods and

materials out of the waste stream

� Reuse advances source

reduction.

� Reuse preserves the "embod-

ied energy" that was originally

used to manufacture an item.

� Reuse reduces the strain on

valuable resources, such as fuel,

forests and water supplies, and

helps safeguard wildlife habitats.

� Reuse creates less air and

water pollution than making a

new item or recycling.

� Reuse results in less hazard-

ous waste.

� Reuse saves money in pur-

chases and disposal costs.

� Reuse creates an affordable

supply of goods that are often of

excellent quality.

� Unique to reuse is that it also

brings resources to individuals

and organizations that might

otherwise be unable to acquire

them.

An installation made with ceramic bits

at the Nekchand garden

Always use both sides of

paper for your printer

A schematic of

water reuse

14014145 achieved human comfort conditions using passive downdraft evaporative

Documents