Sustainable Development

sustainability refers to the ability to maintain or support a process continuously over

time.

It can be broken down into three pillars:-

economic sustainability, environmental sustainability, and social sustainability

"economic sustainability" focuses on conserving the natural resources that provide

physical inputs for economic production.

"environmental sustainability" adds greater emphasis on the life support systems,

such as the atmosphere or soil, that must be maintained to sustain life on earth.

social sustainability focuses at on the human effects and the category includes
attempts to eradicate poverty and hunger, as well as to combat inequality.

Sustainable development was explicitly popularized and contextualized by the

Brundtland Commission in the document "Our Common Future" where it was
defined as “development that meets the needs of the present without
compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”
The ultimate goal of sustainable development is to find a coherent and long-
lasting balance between these three aspects. (social, Economic & Envitonment)
In addition to these three main factors, there is a transverse consideration, which
is essential to the implementation of policies and actions with regard to
sustainable development:- good governance. (Governance consists in the
procedures of the decision-making process).

Challenges - Some of these challenges include: climate change, energy

consumption, waste production, threats to public health, poverty, social
exclusion, management of natural resources, loss of biodiversity, and land
use.

it is the developed countries, which followed energy-intensive growth path

leading to more damage to global commons. Developing countries and the less
developed countries have contributed the least to this environmental damage.

International Convention :-
under the umbrella of United Nations (UN). Till date three major Conventions –

a) United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) of

1992, held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (popularly known as Rio Summit or
Earth Summit 1992)
b) World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) of 2002, held in
Johannesburg, South Africa (popularly known as Rio+10 or Earth Summit
2002).
c) United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD) of
2012, held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (popularly known as Rio+20 or Earth
Summit 2012).

EARTH SUMMIT 1992 –

Outcomes –
a) Agenda 21: A blueprint for implementing sustainable development.
b) UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC): A Multilateral
Treaty.
c) Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD): A Multilateral Treaty.

Agenda 21 - s basically a non-binding Action Plan of the United Nations or UN

regarding sustainable development (21 referred to the 21st Century)

principles of environmentally and ecologically sensitive architecture

Global warming, Ozone depletion, increasing levels of the
environmental pollution and species extinction and irreversible
environmental changes caused by human, are the major cause for
Environmental degradiation

Attempts to Ecological Sensitivity

 Prioritizing Site Sensitivity
 Harnessing Natural Energy
 Promoting Waste Elimination
 Campaign for Occupants wellbeing

Sustainability in Architecture

- addresses the negative environmental and social

impacts of buildings by utilizing design methods,
materials, energy and development spaces .
- Talks about the philosophy is to ensure that the

actions taken today don’t have negative

consequences for future generations
- comply with the principles of social, economic
and ecological sustainability.
1st step - needs to take into account the natural resources and conditions at the
site,

2nd step.- incorporating these into the design wherever feasible.

3rd step - utilizing materials that minimize the structure’s environmental footprint,
(Architects should specify materials that do not harm the environment at any
stage of their life cycle)

4th step - employing systems into the design that harness waste and reuse it .
THREE MAIN CHARACTERISTICS OF A
SUSTAINABLE ARCHITECTURE PROJECT –
A. Environmentally-friendly building materials
B. Energy and resource efficiency
C. Efficient use of space
D. SUSTAINABLE WASTE MANAGEMENT
SYSTEMS
E. Improving the health and wellbeing of a
building's inhabitants

Sustainable building practices can also help to increase the longevity of

built structures, consuming less time in construction, reducing energy cost,
improve the health and happiness of residents,

Assignment:-
1- Role of water resources in sustainable development
2- How does energy contribute to sustainability
3- Material selection for sustainable development.
4- What is Sustainable development and what are the sustainable development
Goals.
5- What is difference between economic development and sustainable
development.

What is sustainable development

Sustainable development can be defined as an approach to the economic

development of a country without compromising with the quality of the
environment for future generations.

The features of sustainable development are:

1. Minimising the release of greenhouse gases that are responsible for air
pollution and global warming.
2. Using renewable sources of energy such as wind, solar energy etc to
reduce the global carbon footprint.
3. Limiting the rate of consumption of natural resources so that it does not
exceed the rate of its production.
4. Preservation of natural resources and protection of natural habitats of
organisms.
5. Emphasis should be placed on promoting green architecture for building
homes and offices.

Objectives of Sustainable Development

1. Economic Growth: For creating an economy that is sustainable and growing
in the right direction.

2. Protecting the Environment: This objective focuses on contribution by

humans towards protecting and enhancing the natural environment, by
minimising pollution and waste, also working towards reducing the global carbon
footprint.

3. Social Inclusion: This objective focuses on providing the facility of housing for
future generations and assisting in creating healthy, strong and vibrant global
communities.
GREEN BUILDINGS –

Buildings have extensive direct and indirect impacts on the environment.

During their construction, occupancy, renovation, repurposing, and demolition,

buildings use energy, water, and raw materials, generate waste, and emit
potentially harmful atmospheric emissions.

This has led designers to think of an sustainable approach at mitigating the

impact of buildings on the natural environment through Innovative design
standards.

The push toward sustainable design increased with the launch in 1990 of
Building Research Establishment's Environmental Assessment Method
(BREEAM), the first green building rating system in the world.

Following it the U.S. Green Building Council, aimed at improving the

environmental performance of buildings through its Leadership in Energy and
Environmental Design (LEED)

Additional rating systems such as net zero energy go beyond the limits of current
policy and building practices to address broader issues of sustainability and
resilience towards climate and disaster.

What is Green Building?

Defn.- The construction of buildings and other infrastructures using sustainable
technologies and materials that are environmentally responsible and resource-
efficient throughout a building's life-cycle: from planning to design, construction,
operation, maintenance, renovation, and demolition.

A green building is one which uses less water, optimizes energy efficiency,
conserves natural resources, generates less waste and provides healthier
spaces for occupants, as compared to a conventional building– IGBC (The
Indian Green Building Council).

Importance of Green Building –

Pollution and Climate change are the major concern of today’s society. And the
main aim of todays era is ways to lessen the consumption of energy and pollution
and become more dependant on renewable energy.

Emphasis is on use of natural source of energy to carry out our daily activities
like use of day-light in class rooms and work place, use of solar panels in cooking
and other activities, use of battery operated vehicles for movement and use of
public commute to go to workplace.

o A green building is designed, constructed and operated to minimize the

total environmental impacts while enhancing use comfort and productivity.
o The objective is to evolve a strategy to reduce energy use in building so as
to reduce energy costs and green house gas emission into the earth’s
atmosphere.

Green Building Rating System –

o is an evaluation tool that measures environmental performance of a

building through its life cycle starting of the site plan to design product
usage, monetary usage and even post occupants evaluation (to analyze
users comfort level )
o Each criterion has pre-assigned points and sets performance benchmarks
and goals to which the building to has to meet to get that type of
certification.

International Rating Programs:

a) LEED
b)
six principles towards a Green Architecture. : -

1)Conserving energy - A building should be constructed so as to minimize

the need for fossil fuels to run it.

2)Working with climate - Buildings should be designed to work with

climate and natural energy sources.

3)Minimizing new resources – a building should be designed so as to

minimize the use of new resources and, at the end of its useful life, to form
the resource for the architecture;

4) Respect for user - A green architecture recognizes the importance of all

the people involved with it;

5) Respect for site - A building will “touch-this earth-lightly”

6)Holism - All the green principle need to be embodied in a holistic

approach to the built environment

How Does Architecture Affect the

Environment?
- The urban built environment is responsible for 75% of annual
global GHG emissions: buildings alone account for 39%.
- buildings utilize a variety of fossil fuels including coal, natural gas,
and fuel oil. Which are non-renewable in nature. we must seek
ways to reduce the energy used by buildings and shift to renewable
energy sources (like- biomass, geothermal energy, and wind
energy.) for operation.
- Role of Architects in this regard are immense - Architects can
improve sustainable building design throughout the process
from conception to usage. Like select materials that are eco-
friendly, utilize new biocomposites, sustainable wood materials,
and use green roofs to minimize the heat island effect, improve our
connection to nature by careful site selection and proper building
orientation, proper window placement to promote natural ventilation
+ daylighting, and reduce embodied energy through careful
selection of materials.
The role of water in sustainable development –
. Access to clean and sustainable source of water is a global challenge, Today, more
than 50% of the world’s cities and 75% of all irrigated areas are experiencing water
shortages on a recurring basis.

The Sustainable Development Goals (goal no-6) lays Importance on - Access to safe
water, sanitation and hygiene. It is the most basic human need for health and well-
being. Water is essential not only to health, but also to poverty reduction, food security,
peace and human rights, ecosystems and education.

Without better infrastructure and management, millions of people will continue to die
every year from water-related diseases such as malaria and diarrhoea, and there will be
further losses in biodiversity and ecosystem resilience, undermining prosperity and
efforts towards a more sustainable

What can we do?

Investments in infrastructure and sanitation facilities; protection and
restoration of water- related ecosystems; and hygiene education are among
the steps necessary to ensure universal access to safe and affordable
drinking water for all by 2030, and improving water-use efficiency is one key to
reducing water stress.

Generating awareness into action will lead to positive results and increased
sustainability and integrity for both human and ecological systems.
GRIHA Rating of Green Buildings
A green building rating system is an evaluation tool that measures
environmental performance of a building through its life cycle. It usually
comprises of a set of criteria covering various parameters related to design,
construction and operation of a green building.

Each criteria has pre-assigned points. A project is awarded points once it

fulfills the rating criteria. In India, primarily rating is done by 3 organization.

The 3 organizations are:- LEED(Leadership in Energy and Environmental

Design) , IGBC(Indian Green Building Council) and GRIHA(Green Rating for
Integrated Habitat Assessment)

GRIHA rating is awarded after receipt and evaluation of the post occupancy
performance audit reports. The rating awarded is valid for a period of five
years from the commissioning of the building.

1. 50-60 points is certified as a 1 star GRIHA rated building,

2. 61-70 is a 2 star GRIHA rated building,
3. 71-80 is a 3 star GRIHA rating building,
4. 81-90 is a 4 star GRIHA rated building and
5. 91-100 is a 5 star GRIHA rated building

Benefits of Rating of a Green Building –

- Reduced energy consumption
- Reduced investment (lifecycle cost)
- Reduced pollution loads
- Reduced water consumption
- Increased user productivity and Marketability.
- Limited waste generation, water Pollution etc
 Green Practices technology: a few examples –
List of some Innovative approaches to Green technology to address a
sustainable Growth.
 Wastewater treatment and water purification (recycling water to make it
drinkable, or clean enough for other purposes)
 Waste management and recycling (minimizing landfill and its impact)
 Waste-to-energy (burning landfill to generate electricity)
 Electric transport (electric cars, trucks, buses, scooters — you name it)
 Programmable thermostats (programming temperatures to save energy
when you’re not home)
 Self-sufficient buildings (buildings that produce enough energy to power
themselves, generally through solar panels)
 Low carbon construction (developing energy-efficient buildings made with
green materials and smaller footprints)
 Carbon capture and storage (capturing and removing carbon from the
atmosphere)
 LED lighting (ultra-energy-efficient light bulbs)
 Vertical farming (uses less land, less water, and can be set up in cities)
 Composting (turning food waste into fertilizer)
 Wave energy (using ocean waves to generate electricity)
 Batteries (energy storage is crucial in the transition to renewables)
 Green materials (local, renewable materials like bamboo, hemp and straw)
 Carbon tracking software (track carbon footprint) — software that
calculates your company’s carbon emissions)
 circular waste management - turning waste into new, usable materials or
products
 commit to zero waste business principles. - Recycle as much as
possible, and purchase used and recycled items where you can.
 Fund Environmental Projects - Consider donating to environmental
initiatives, either locally or internationally.
Passive Solar Technology
Passive solar technologies convert sunlight into usable heat and cause air
movement for ventilating to heat and cool living spaces without active mechanical
or electrical devices.
Passive solar heating systems capture sunlight within the building's
materials and then release that heat during periods when the sun is absent,
such as at night.
Passive solar cooling systems use shading, thermal mass, and natural
ventilation to reduce unwanted daytime heat and store cool night air to
moderate temperatures.
Follow PDF notes for Details. ---

TERMS –
EcoDensity – EcoDensity is an attempt to increase the population in existing
neighbourhoods in a way which is both environmentally friendly and reduces the city's
ecological footprint.
Carbon sequestration – It is one method of reducing the amount of carbon dioxide
in the atmosphere with the goal of reducing global climate change. Carbon
sequestration is the capturing, removal and permanent storage of
CO 2 from the earth’s atmosphere. Reforesting, rewilding or the
reclamation of agricultural land will allow carbon capture on the largest
scales, as will removing pollutants from our seas, lakes and oceans.
Ecological Footprint - the impact of a person or community on the environment,
expressed as the amount of land required to sustain their use of natural resources. i.e.
the quantity of nature it takes to support people and their economies.
Psychrometric Chart – a tool for understanding the relationships between the
various parameters of supply air and the relative humidity. It is a graph of the
thermodynamic parameters of moist air at a constant pressure, often equated to an
elevation relative to sea level.

Embodied energy is the energy consumed by all of the processes associated with the
production of a building, . Embodied energy does not include the operation and disposal of the
building material.
It includes the energy used in mining, manufacturing and transporting the materials, as
well as the services in the economy that support these processes.

Biomass gasifier /Biogas - a process of converting solid biomass fuel into a

gaseous combustible gas
Stand-alone photovoltaic system – an automatic solar system that
produces electrical power to charge banks of batteries during the day for use at night

Earth Air Tunnel (EAT) is a technique in which air to sub-soil heat exchange
occurs in buried pipes for producing cooling in summer and heating in winter

SSR & WWR –

window-to-wall ratio (WWR). WWR is the ratio of the area of non-opaque building
envelope components of dwelling units
SSR would mean more glazed area in the roof.
These are used in control of Heat and Light to a Building
What is geothermal heating and cooling system?
Geothermal energy is the Heat within the Earth. Geothermal energy is a
renewable energy source because heat is continuously produced inside the
earth. Geothermal heat pumps transfer heat from the ground (or water) into
buildings during the winter and reverse the process in the summer.

passive elements of architecture –

Passive Design works in line with the local climate to maintain a comfortable
indoor temperature.
Passive design strategies use the ambient energy sources instead of
purchased energy. strategies include daylighting, natural ventilation, and solar
energy. , using water features or using evaporative coolers can help to cool
the air inside the building.

What is a BIPV system? (Building Integrated photovolatics)

BIPV system is an integral component of the building skin that simultaneously converts
solar energy into electricity and provides building envelope functions such as:

 weather protection (water proofing, sun protection);

 thermal insulation;
 noise protection;
 daylight illumination; and/or
 safety.

three main application areas for BIPV –

- roofs (e.g. shingles, tiles, skylights)

- façades (e.g. cladding, curtain walls, windows)
- externally integrated systems (e.g. balcony railings, shading systems)

Energy audit means the verification, monitoring and analysis of use of energy
including submission of technical report containing recommendations for improving
energy efficiency with cost benefit analysis and an action plan to reduce energy
consumption.