Green Buildings Demystified !

1. GreenTek Indika Green Buildings Demystified! By M. Prabhakar Rao, A Concerned Citizen. GTI mprao33@yahoo.com

2. GreenTek Indika Ancient History of “Green Buildings”! • Historically the mankind has, always, been constructing only ‘Green Buildings’, to meet the “Three Fundamental Objectives” of ‘Comfort’, ‘Convenience’ & ‘Cost-Efficiency’ – meaning a living, meeting and / or working space, which indoors are ‘Cooler’ than the outer temperatures (Comfort), ‘preferably nearer to the work-places’ for easy reach with all amenities inside (Convenience) and free-flow of ’Natural Air & Sky-Light’ (Cost-Efficiency). • Those early dwellings used to be tall, well-ventilated, with conical or sloped, with thatched-roofs, later on with Tile-Roofs and much later with flat-roofs) – the walls, initially with 100% mud-walls or ‘oddly-cut rocks, with or without mud-plastering / cattle-dung, clay or lime finishing, much later with ‘neatly-cut rocks with or without mud-clay, mortar-plastering / cattle-dung, clay or white-wash’, afterwards with ‘hand or mould-made, Open / kiln-fired bricks, again with or without ‘mud-clay, mortar-plastering / lime-paint’ – which combination has achieved all the above Thee Objectives of ‘Green Buildings’. • Some used to be built with Wood / Bamboo Floors & Walls, with Wooden, Bamboo or Thatched Roofs. Even Today, some of them can be found in the Plains / Hills / Mountains of the “North-Eastern India” and in other parts of Asia and as well as in other Continents. • Even when the ‘Cementing Materials' were invented, their use was strictly confined to the ‘Cementing Purpose’ only, while the ‘mud-clay, mortar-Plastering walls / etc. ’ served the ‘exterior-finishing’, continuing the “Green Building” Tradition. • With the advent of the ‘Portland Cement Mortar’, invented by Joseph Aspdin in 1824 & become popular well after 1930s – that replaced, gradually, all the other earlier options (till it itself was displaced with superior options) – the ‘Green Buildings’, meeting all the above “Three Fundamental Objectives” have been the norm. GTI mprao33@yahoo.com

3. GreenTek Indika ‘The Modern Conventional Buildings’! • When ‘Reinforced Concrete’ – which was invented by French Gardener, Joseph Monier, in 1849 – and became popular on account of its High Strength, High Tensile Strain, Good Bonding to the Concrete, Thermal Compatibility & Durability in the Concrete Environment – began to, very slowly, displace all the other earlier options and paved the way for high-rises, in relatively smaller spaces, during the later part of the 19th Century. • However, till ‘HVAC’ (Heat, Ventilation and Air-Conditioning), invented by the American Engineer, Willis Haviland Carrier, in 1902, when it too was spread mass-scale, during the 20th Century – all types of Buildings used to be ‘Green Buildings’ only. However, it took another 10 to 20 Years for the ‘Deadly-Combination of RCC & HVAC’ to be tried, tested & adapted by the Construction Sector, as a reliable combination. • In conclusion, we can, confidently, say that the so-called ‘Conventional Buildings’ began to appear, technically, on our ‘Earth’ less than 100 years ago, while the ‘Deadly-Combination of RCC & HVAC’ became the universal norm only during 1960s. • We can define a ‘Conventional Building’ as which is completely sealed to its External Environment, uses ‘100% artificial lighting’ (during Daytimes too) and Microbial & / or Fungi-Fraught, ‘Unhealthy Conditioned Air’, consuming very high amounts of ‘Precious Electrical Power & Potable Water’. Thus, the ‘O&M (Operations & Maintenance) Costs’ are very high, throughout its Life-Cycle, apart from being Unhealthy to its occupants. GTI mprao33@yahoo.com

4. ‘The Green Building Movement’ GreenTek Indika • Concern for ever growing ‘Energy Costs’ along with the looming threat of the fast depletion of ‘Fossil-Fuels’, dangerously increasing ‘Air-Pollution’ coupled with all-round ‘Water Contamination & Soil Degradation’, the realisation of the ‘Global Warming Phenomenon‘ with the suspected permanent ‘Climate Change’ and the overall awareness of our ‘Unsustainable Growth Policies and Consumption Practices’ has forced us to think for “Sustainable Developmental Alternatives” in all sectors including in the ‘Building One’, which consumes anywhere between 32% and 55% of a Nation’s total annual power generated – depending upon its ‘Economic Developmental Index’ of that Nation. • With a grave need of giving a ‘Focussed Attention’ to the ‘Resource-Efficiency’ in the ‘Building Sector’, thinkers of a cross-functional, super-specialists from different streams of Environmental Studies, Sociologists, Energy Specialists, Architecture, Engineering, Developers, Manufacturers of Construction Materials & Equipment, etc. across all developed Nations, have started ‘developing bench-marking tools’ for ‘Design’ and ‘Performance-Measurement’ of ‘Green Buildings’. • Thus, emerged several Green Building Councils, across the globe, with a sole objective of setting “Standards” to guide and facilitate the modern ‘Green Building Construction Initiatives’, in their respective Nations. GTI mprao33@yahoo.com 4

5. ‘Green Building Standards’ GreenTek Indika • UKGBC has established ‘Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM)’, as a tool to measure the sustainability of new non-domestic buildings in the UK, in 1990. • USGBC has conceived ‘Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED)’ in 1998. • Later CaGBC too has introduced ‘LEED Canada’ in 2000. • Australian GBC has introduced ‘Green Star’ rating system, in 2003. • IGBC introduced the ‘LEED-India’ in (2007), followed by several vertical-specific Green Building Rating Systems. In India and may be elsewhere there were also other Institutions that have started their own Green Building Rating Systems. • Soon, many other National Green Building Councils have adapted ‘BREEM’, ‘LEED’ or ‘Green Star’ as it is, while some of them are in the process of developing their own ‘Green Building Rating Systems’, adapted to their unique ‘Geo-Climatic Conditions’. • And since, 1998 under the Guidance of the “World Green Building Council”, G.B.C.s of scores of Nations – Developing / Under-developed too have joined the “Global Green Building Movement” and at various stages of their development. GTI mprao33@yahoo.com 5

6. ‘Modern Green Building’! GreenTek Indika • In simple terms, a modern ‘Green Building’ is constructed using materials with ’Low Thermal Conductivity Coefficients’, assuring ‘lower indoor-temperatures’ as against the higher ambient ones at outdoors, uses ‘day-light’ as apposed to the ‘artificial one’, amply ventilated, to totally avoid or reduce the usage of the contaminated,‘conditioned-air’ and also well integrated with its external ‘Natural Environment’. • Apart from aiming to save on Fossil-Fuel based Energy (through the deployment of Renewables like, Geothermal, Biomass, Biogas, Producer Gas, BIPVs / BIWES / Solar-Lighting / Water-Heating, wherever possible, Energy-Efficient Lighting, Water-Efficient Fixtures, Natural Ventilation (to discourage the usage of ‘Artificial Lighting’, during the Day-Times too). • Further it deploys sensible, ‘Cool-Interiors’ to enhance the ‘Comfort’ of the Occupants. • ‘Modern Green Building’ consumes less Water, recycles sewage water, to put to use for ‘flushing & landscaping’, allows percolation of Rain-Water into the Ground, converts its ‘organic-wastes’ to ‘usable energy’ and encourages many more “Sustainable Practices” and the list is going-up by the day. GTI mprao33@yahoo.com 6

7. ‘Modern Green Building’ (Continued)! GreenTek Indika • It also, consciously, creates suitable ‘landscapes’ at indoors, outdoors, roof-tops and on the ‘Building Envelops’, apart from preserving or providing water-bodies – to avoid ‘Heat Island Effect’, in its ‘Micro-Climate’. • Further, it also protects “Health” & improves“Productivity” of the Occupants, due to the ‘Cleaner Indoor-Environment’ and tries to reduce its ‘Environmental Impact’, during its construction and its ‘life-cycle’. • The overall Intention of constructing a “Green Building” is to reduce our Consumption of “Energy, Water & Other Resources”, to conserve our precious & ever-diminishing “Natural Resources”, to make us live with the “Nature”,in harmony – both during its construction & life-cycle. GTI mprao33@yahoo.com 7

8. GreenTek Indika My Stand on Modern Green Construction: • With the above Prelude and the issues we will be discussing below, I – by no means – am suggesting that we should discard all the technological advancements , we have made so far and go for the earlier types of Buildings. • However, I wish to suggest here, that we, now, go for ‘Integrated Green Building Design & Comprehensive Micro-Climate Management Planning’ where the ‘Ecologically Responsible Construction’ forms the crux of the design-concept itself. • In other words, it is always “Advanced Planning & Planned Implementation (APPI)”. • This approach enables us to disturb only as little as is absolutely required‘Natural-Topography’ – before the start of / during the construction & Occupation, Usage of All Forms of Materials as less as is bare necessary– during construction & occupation and Optimising on the O&M Costs – during the Life-Cycle of the Building. • “Sustainable Infrastructure Development & Green Building Construction”, as you have noted by now, requires the usage of a “mix & match” of ‘Ancient Construction Techniques’, “Modern Technologies” & lately available ‘Green Building Products & Power Efficient Systems’, unlike the ‘Conventional Construction’, that is heavily dependent on ‘Completely Sealed RCC Structures’ buttressed with ‘Heavy Duty-HVAC Systems & Expensive Interior Furnishings & Systems’. GTI mprao33@yahoo.com

9. The Earth & Atmosphere! GreenTek Indika ‘Sustainable Architecture’ is a general term that describes ‘Environment-Responsive Design’ in the field of Construction and depends on our understanding of ‘The Earth, its Natural Forces & their Phenomena’; that is, • THE EARTH: Understanding the Nature of the “Earth” and its full Resources and Limitations, as well. • THE SOLAR-PATH: Understanding the ‘Phenomenon’ of the Earth's “Sun-Path”. • THE WIND: Understanding the Nature, Cycle & Behaviour of the “Wind”. • THE ATMOSPHERE: Understanding the Nature, Cycle & Behaviour of the “Atmosphere”. • THE LIGHT: Understanding the Nature, Cycle & Behaviour of the “Light”. • THE HEAT: Understanding the Nature, Cycle & Behaviour of the “Heat”. • THE WATER: Understanding the Nature, Cycle & Behaviour of the “Water”. Ancient Sanskrit Saying: “non-rishi, krithe kavyam”, meaning, ‘One Cannot Author an Epic, without having become a Rishi’ (a Supremely Knowledgeable Person)! GTI mprao33@yahoo.com 9

10. Why We Should Save ‘WATER’? GreenTek Indika The above statistical statement should remind us of above statistical statement reminds me of “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner”, by the English poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge, "Water, Water everywhere………..nor any drop to drink!" GTI mprao33@yahoo.com 10

11. 01) The Water! GreenTek Indika • Whatever ‘Water’ is on the Earth’s Surface and below it (Ground-Water) plus in its Atmosphere is constant, in terms of quantity; • This constant quantity of Water on Earth is in Solid state (Glaciers, Ice-caps, etc.), liquid state, in the form of Oceans, Seas, Rivers, Streams, Lakes, Ponds, etc. and Under-Ground in the form of Aquifers OR in its ‘Atmosphere’ in the form of Gas (Steam, Clouds or Vapour); • Surface Water continuously evaporates – the rate of which is dependent on the Ambient Temperature of that moment. • Ground Water too vaporises into the empty spaces, underground as well as, continuously moves, upward of the earth, on account of a phenomenon called ‘Capillary-Action’, till they reach the surface of the Earth, from where it evaporates. • This is that water, all the species of ‘Flora’ harness, through their roots, to live. • The Atmospheric Vapour, returns to the surface of Earth, in the form of rains, after forming into clouds. • And unless we allow ‘The Percolation of the Storm Water’, to replenish the ground-water levels, we will not have much fresh water to be used by all species of the ‘Flora’ & the ‘Fauna’. GTI mprao33@yahoo.com 11

12. 02) The Heat! GreenTek Indika • The behaviour of ‘Heat’ can best be observed through the study of Materials, in terms of their “Thermal Conductivity Coefficient”, also known as ‘Heat Transfer Coefficient’. • All Atoms, Molecules, Materials, Compounds and a mix-n-match of any or all of these in any state – ‘Solid’, ‘Liquid’ & ‘Gaseous’ do have a specific “Thermal Capacity” also called as “Heat-Capacity”– before it transforms into other state or simply explode or implode. • Each Solid melt into liquid and each Liquid vaporise into Gas, at a specific amount of temperature, which just means upto a fraction of a Degree before their melting / boiling-points, they continue to absorb the heat. • Each material also emits-back, instantly, the heat absorbed by it – by force / circumstance / surroundings / hour of the Day – to its immediate environment, through all surface-planes of it, as soon as it stops receiving heat. GTI mprao33@yahoo.com 12

13. 02) The Heat (Continued)! GreenTek Indika • It is also true that the greater the ‘Heat-Capacity’ of a material, the higher the “Thermal Conductivity Coefficient” of it. • Further, during any Hot-Day, as soon as the Sun’s Solar Heat Bombardment starts diminishing a few hours before Dusk, materials with ‘High Thermal Conductivity Coefficients” would, initially, emit more heat into indoors than into their ‘External Environment’, as the temperature of it too requires time to sufficiently lose itself into the atmosphere, before it can start taking anymore heat, from any source. • Which boils down to that the indoors, their Interiors, Furnishing, etc. continue to receive heat from the structures, floors, walls & roof, during the most part of the Night too, especially during Summer. • For the selection of “Green Building Materials”, we need to keep the above in mind and prefer materials with “Low Thermal Conductivity Coefficients”. • This, automatically, assures “Lower Indoor-Heat Gain”, whereby the temperature differential between the ‘Indoors’ and its ‘External Environment” is a few to several degrees (sometimes, even in 2-Digits), depending on the Geo-Climate of a location, Season of the Year and the time of the Day. GTI mprao33@yahoo.com 13

14. 03) The Light! GreenTek Indika • For our purpose it is better, we understand, “The Light”, thoroughly. • It makes us visible to the rest of the world. • It also makes us see our surroundings. • It passes through all transparent and even semi-transparent substances. • It travel in a straight-line. • It reflects and refracts on all materials. • Only in case of ‘Mirrors’ it’s reflection / refraction is 100% or nearer and on all other material-surfaces, it reflects / refracts the colour of the object-materials, thus, we are able differentiate the object’s colour / shade / shape & size-up its dimensions. GTI mprao33@yahoo.com 14

15. 03) The Light (Continued)! GreenTek Indika • It travels through intricate piping – to any unlighted corners and crevices, which phenomenon we can take advantage of. • ‘Natural Light’ coming from the Sky is free and mostly harmless, except the two portions called ‘Infra-Red’ & ‘Ultra-Violet’, intense & uncontrolled exposure to which, could give us skin cancers, etc.. • We can harness Natural Light through wider windows, doors, sky-lights (horizontal, vertical & Angular), through “light-piping”, ‘Reflectors’, ‘Deflectors’ & ‘Blocks’. • And this incurs no recurring cost and thus, we can avoid lighting of Indoors, with artificial lighting, even during day times, too. • Artificial Sources of Light is not only expensive but also made of materials that are harmful to the “Health of Us as well as our Earth”. GTI mprao33@yahoo.com 15

16. 04) The Atmosphere! GreenTek Indika • The atmosphere of Earth is a layer of gases surrounding the planet Earth that is retained by Earth's gravity. The atmosphere protects life on Earth by absorbing ultraviolet solar radiation, warming the surface through heat retention (greenhouse effect), and reducing temperature extremes between day and night (the diurnal temperature variation). • ……………………………………………………………… • Air is the name given to atmosphere used in breathing and photosynthesis. Dry air contains roughly (by volume) 78.09% nitrogen, 20.95% oxygen, 0.93% argon, 0.039% carbon dioxide, and small amounts of other gases. Air also contains a variable amount of water vapor, on average around 1%. While air content and atmospheric pressure varies at different layers, air suitable for the survival of terrestrial plants and terrestrial animals is currently only known to be found in Earth's troposphere and artificial atmospheres. • From the above, you we will note that 20.95% of that Oxygen is what enables us to live & survive and any imbalance between Oxygen & other harmful gases like Carbon Dioxide, Carbon Monoxide, etc. would make our lives, miserable or even fatal; • That is why we call our urban centres as highly polluted and we tend to rest in relatively pollution-free neighbourhoods. • COURTESY: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air GTI mprao33@yahoo.com 16

17. 05) The Wind! GreenTek Indika • Wind is caused by differences in Pressure (/Temperature). When a difference in pressure (/temperature) exists, the air is accelerated from higher to lower pressure (/temperature). On a rotating planet, the air will be deflected by the Coriolis effect, except exactly on the equator. Globally, the two major driving factors of large-scale winds (the atmospheric circulation) are the differential heating between the equator and the poles (difference in absorption of solar energy leading to buoyancy forces) and the rotation of the planet. Outside the tropics and aloft from frictional effects of the surface, the large-scale winds tend to approach geostrophic balance. Near the Earth's surface, friction causes the wind to be slower than it would be otherwise. Surface friction also causes winds to blow more inward into low pressure (/temperature) areas. [COURTESY: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wind] • Instead of going deep into the Science of the Wind, for our purpose, we better understand the following:- • As for as an Urban Building is concerned, it could blow from any direction, depending on the Season, Region, Location, Elevation, Time, Temperature, Pressure & Obstructions-to-the-Wind, etc.. Free Circulation of Air into the Building, with proper Cross-Ventilation, reduces the indoor heat-gain. • It flows in straight-line direction, even ‘Wind-Turbulence’ generated on account of ‘Obstructions’ do resume the straight-line direction with the new deflection-direction, as soon as it bypass that ‘Obstruction’ – till again deflected by some other ‘Obstruction’, when it takes the direction-of-deflection. • Thus, we can harness or control the Wind-Flow into a building, with proper design-provisions – to ensure adequate Air-Flow in the Building. GTI mprao33@yahoo.com 17

18. 06) The Solar-Path! GreenTek Indika “Solar-Path” or ‘Sun Path’ refers to the apparent significant seasonal-and-hourly positional changes of the Sun (and length of daylight) as the Earth rotates, and orbits around the sun. The relative position of the sun is a major factor in the heat gain of buildings. Accurate location-specific knowledge of sun path and climatic conditions is essential for economic decisions for a Building orientation, landscaping, summer shading, and the cost-effective use of Solar Blockers, Deflectors, Reflectors, Awnings, Canopies, et al. We only need to note that the Solar-Path moves between 600 to 1200 o at the Eastern-Side and 2400 to 3000 and on the Western-Side – on a 3600 Circle – on the Imaginary Straight Line between The Earth & The Sun, every Two Months, as shown below. The Diagrams showing tilt towards North, during Summer are good for the Western Hemisphere, while the quite opposite-direction, i.e. South is true for the Eastern One, during the same Season. COURTESY: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sun_path GTI mprao33@yahoo.com 18

19. 07) The Earth! GreenTek Indika • After having studied the Nature & Behaviour of ‘The Water’, ‘The Heat’, ‘The Light’, ‘The Atmosphere’, ‘The Wind’ & ‘The Solar-Path’, I believe, we are – now - ready to appreciate the “Mother Earth”, the only home to us, the Flora & the Fauna. • Though the Earth’s Inner-Core is a molten-sphere, we on the surface of it are not affected by that factor, in any way, except that we can economically harness ‘Geo-Thermal Energy’. • Just a few feet below the surface, it’s always Wet & Cooler and the deeper we dig, the Cooler it gets. • The whole of Earth’s Naturecomprises the ‘Flora’ (all the Plant-Life comprising the “Green” including those of the under-water) and the ‘Fauna’ (all the Animal life including marine ones as well as us). GTI mprao33@yahoo.com 19

20. ‘The Ecological Imbalance’! GreenTek Indika • There has, always, been a “Symbiotic Relationship” due to the ‘Synergic Equilibrium’ mutually enjoyed by the ’Flora‘ and the ‘Fauna’, on this Earth, perpetrating “Sustainable Growth” of both – till a few hundred years, ago, in the sense, the refuse of the ‘Fauna’ like, the ‘Exhaled Carbon Dioxide’ has been nutralised by the ’Flora‘, to sustain itself through a process called ‘photosynthesis’ – the synthesis of organic compounds from carbon dioxide and water (with the release of oxygen) using light energy absorbed by Chlorophyll, thus replenishing the ‘Atmospheric Oxygen’, while the ‘Fauna’ continuously inhale Oxygen and in turn exhale the CO2. • While the ‘Herbivores’ of the Animal-Kingdom survive on the ‘Flora’ - its leaves, stems, roots, fruit, vegetables, etc., the ‘Carnivores’ of the same used to live-off on the ‘Herbivores’, while the ‘Omnivores’ throve on both the ‘Flora’ and the ‘Herbivores’, wherein a “Perfect Ecological Balance” existed, till the dawn of the ‘Industrial Revolution”. GTI mprao33@yahoo.com 20

21. ‘The Ecological Imbalance’ (Contd.)! GreenTek Indika • Irresponsible Deforestation, Rapid Migration, Unplanned Urbanisation, Driven by the Thoughtless Industrialisation coupled with the ‘economy-of-scales’ supported with Profit-Driven, Demand-Creation and the aimless Consumerism have all caused a permanent “Climate-Change”, due to the ‘Global Warming Phenomenon’ which has created a dangerous “Eco-Imbalance”. • Ancient Hindu Rishis advised, “Vruksho Rakshati Rakshitaha”[‘If we Protect Trees, They will protect’, meaning ‘Us and the Environment’ of which we are all an inherent part of]! GTI mprao33@yahoo.com 21

22. Need an Integrated Green Building Design! GreenTek Indika • As, each facet of a ‘Green Building’ is independent as well as, very much, dependent on every other facet of it, an “Incompatible Design” of one of it will, grossly, affect the performance of any or all of the others. • Materials of Roofing, Flooring, Walls & Openings – which together form the ‘shell’ of any building using materials of ‘High Thermal Conductivity Coefficients’ would not only permeate ‘Solar Heat’ into itself as well as into the ‘interiors’ of it, from all the directions. • This means that it not only emits heat into ‘indoors’ during the Day, but also during a major portion of the Night, especially during the ‘Summer-Season’; • This together with the ‘Faulty Interior Furnishing’. in turn, calls for the installation of Higher Tonnage of, Energy-Guzzling HVAC Systems or higher usage of Air-Coolers, Evaporative Coolers, Fans, etc., thus increasing both ‘Capital & Operating Costs’, during the life-cycle of the Building. • Wind-Towers blocking for several hours of sun-rays falling onto the roof-top BIPVs and such other inefficient-planning are all the results of not having an Integrated Approach to the Design. GTI mprao33@yahoo.com 22

23. Need an Integrated Green Building Design (Contd.)! GreenTek Indika • Completely sealed Enclosures, i.e. a Building with very low or no area of openings would disallow ‘Sun-Light Penetration’ into it and consequently forces the occupants to use higher quantum of ‘Artificial Lighting’, during Day-Times, too. • Landscape with mostly exotic, but ‘imported speciesof Flora’ that failed to naturalise themselves to the ‘agro-climatic conditions’ of that region would demand heavy loads of irrigation, not to speak of continuous nursing costs. • High Solar Reflecting Glazings & such other building exteriors without having been compensated by the ‘Heat Absorbing Mechanisms’ outside the building would create undesirable ‘Heat-Island Effect’ – within the ‘Micro-Climate’ of the Building and may be in the immediate neighbourhood, too. GTI mprao33@yahoo.com 23

24. Are Green Buildings Expensive? GreenTek Indika Yes, on account of costly materials / equipment or solutions, presently, available in the market – which often might not add any real value to the Green Building but would enable the building to qualify for & get some Credit Points if we approach the local Green Building Council, for certification. but, not so prohibitively that they should deter us from going in for them as, all the ‘additional green costs’ can be recovered within six months to a maximum of five years, whereas the ‘Savings’ on O&M costs, as discussed, previously, can be enjoyed for all times to come. For ‘Green Buildings’, the ‘additional-costs’ if incurred prudently, are variable between 2.0% to 3.5%, depending on the Intent, Size, Location and whether certified by a GBC (and if so the rating aimed to achieve – for ‘Certified’, ‘Silver’, ‘Gold’ or ‘Platinum’). They will become even expensive if, the project owners have gone ahead with the ‘Architectural Designs’, ‘Lay-outs’ & ‘Site-Preparation Works’, before they bring-in a ‘Green Building Design Consultant’ as, revamping the already ‘frozen Designs’ in tune with the ‘Green Building Principles’ would only add-up to the costs. And GBC Certifications are for Corporate-Communications’ Purpose only and if not, the costs without ‘Certifications’ would be anywhere between 1.00% to 2.00%, based on the ‘Green Excellence’ the project targets to achieve. Finally, not all Green Buildings need be certified, but nevertheless can be designed to be ”Eco-Responsive & Resources’ Efficient”, while being comfortable to the occupants. GTI mprao33@yahoo.com 24

25. 100% Green Buildings, atNo Extra Construction Costs! GreenTek Indika • An 'Integrated Green Building Design and Comprehensive Micro-Climate Management Plan' for any building of Housing, Factory, Godown, Farm-House, Resort, School, Hospital, Hotel, Mall, Multiplex, Stadium, Auditorium, Township, Community, Estate, et al , that would meet all the parameters expected of an impeccable "Green Building" as well as give the required ‘Certification’ under any ‘Green Building Council’, if that is so important to the Project Owner – with zero escalation on the planned construction costs of a so-called ‘Conventional Building', provided we approach the ‘Design’ with due “Respect-to-Nature” and ‘Total Open-Mind’. • Yes, these "Green Buildings" too like, any others are designed to be Eco-Responsive, Recharge the Ground with Rain-Water & Used Water, Conserve / Use Less Water and Power, Re-use the Treated Sewage Water, Provide Ample Day-Light, to all regularly occupied spaces, with Comfortable, Cozy, Cool and Clean Indoor Environment and Convert Organic Wastes into Usable Energy, and many more pleasant features “Minus the Expensive and Uncalled for Frills” – without compromising on the “Quality-of-Construction”. • Geographic Region, Climatic Zone, Location, Elevation & Level, do not matter. GTI mprao33@yahoo.com 25