Overview

The course delves into sustainability, addressing the environmental impact of construction materials and advocating for the use of green products. Various green certifications and sustainable alternatives for building materials are discussed, emphasizing the importance of reducing the environmental footprint in construction. Life cycle assessment (LCA) is explained in four phases: goal and scope definition, life cycle inventory, life cycle impact assessment, and interpretation of results. Green project management, focusing on positive environmental, social, and economic impacts, is detailed across phases: project definition, design integration, construction implementation, and commissioning. The module also highlights the significant environmental impacts of buildings and introduces global green building rating systems, with a specific focus on India's GRIHA and IGBC systems and their role in promoting sustainable design practices.

Syllabus

Sustainable Building Materials

Sustainability is the major talking point of every industry and construction materials that we use causes great harm to environment and human health. In order to reduce the footprint of a building the materials that we use should be sustainable with minimum impact. Here we will be discussing about what is a green product and understand green certifications such as Green pro, Eco mark, EPD (Environmental Product Declaration), FSC (Forest Stewardship Council), BEE energy star rating, etc. and processes involved in these certifications. Next, we will discuss what is a sustainable building material, key features for evaluating sustainability of a building material and sustainable alternatives of building materials.

Building life cycle assessment

Life cycle assessment (LCA) is a systematic analysis of potential impact of a product or service during its entire life span from raw material extraction and acquisition to energy and material production and manufacturing, consumption, end-of-life treatment, and final disposal. Here we will discuss about the four phases of LCA that are Goal and scope definition which defines the purpose of the study, Life Cycle inventory (LCI) which is quantification of resources consumed and substances emitted into environment, Life Cycle Impact Assessment (LCIA) which is the evaluation of potential impacts and Interpretation of results. Next, we will discuss how LCA for a whole building is being done and its life cycle energy analysis with an example.

Green project management

Green project management is a holistic approach that encompasses the utilization of methods and practices to generate a net positive impact on the environment, society, and the economy. In this module, we will explore the various stages of green project management. The initial phase involves defining the project and setting goals, encompassing activities such as information gathering, preliminary assessments, and the formulation of a certification plan. The second phase focuses on integrating design, encompassing processes like schematic design, design development, and the creation of construction documents. The third phase, construction implementation, entails the actual application of green construction practices on-site, along with documenting construction credits for the final Green Building Certification Construction Review. The ultimate stage in green project management is the commissioning phase, which is a systematic process ensuring that a building's intricate systems are constructed and tested to operate in line with the design intent and operational requirements.

Sustainable Rating systems

Buildings exert substantial direct and indirect influences on the environment throughout their life cycle, from construction and occupancy to renovation, repurposing, and eventual demolition. These structures consume energy, water, and raw materials, produce waste, and release potentially harmful atmospheric emissions. To address these environmental challenges, the incorporation of green concepts and techniques in the building sector has become essential. Consequently, various green building rating systems have been established globally, aiming to mitigate the environmental impact of buildings through sustainable design practices. In the upcoming modules, we will delve into the discussion of these international green rating systems and a detailed examination will be conducted on the green rating systems implemented in India, such as GRIHA (Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment) and IGBC (Indian Green Building Council).