Conserve's Pioneering Work : Greenest Building in India
The Client
Turbo Energy Limited (TEL) is one of the leading manufacturers of the turbo chargers for engines. Incorporated in 1982, TEL is a joint Venture between Brakes India Limited, Sundram Finance Limited and BorgWarner Turbo System (formerly known as KKK - Germany). It is rated among the top and reputed suppliers of automobile industry. The products of the company find application in automobile, industrial and marine segments. The head office of TEL is located in Chennai and three manufacturing facilities are located across India: Two in Tamilnadu and one in Uttarakhand.
The Challenge
The green building movement in India had just started and being a reputed and pioneering brand, TEL team was eager to engage themselves with the sustainable revolution in an unique way. The challenge was to design and construct the Office Building of Turbo Energy as the “Greenest Building in the World" as per USGBC LEED V1.0. All the sustainable aspects and features of the project for achieving this “ambitious goal” had to be within the predefined business case.
The Solution
- The initial workshops revealed that to achieve this goal, the “low hanging” solutions have to be built early in the concept design stage. Conserve along with Ms Vineeta Badwe, Principal Architect, V V Architects, worked on various passive design concepts and strategies ratified by various simulation techniques.
- Daylighting simulation was conducted to ensure the optimum natural light via glazing system. The glare was successfully minimized to improve the occupants comfort, in terms of temperature and light. The selection of the glazing and design of glazing also play a vital role in reduction of energy consumption.
- The complete air-conditioning system works on solar energy. Various technologies were evaluated and eventually a solar thermal technology was zeroed in.
- Thermal comfort and productivity of the occupants was given prime importance enabling temperature, humidity, glare and adjustable task lighting to optimum levels.
- Material selection was done to far exceed recycled and rapidly renewable materials requirements of the LEED Rating system.
- Solar PV and micro wind turbines were installed to generate green power, thus reducing the burden on the external grid.
The Benefits
- In the year 2009, Turbo Energy Limited's (TEL) ‘R&D and Administration Block’, at Paiyanur, Chennai achieved the highest points 62/ 69, under the USGBC LEED - NC v2.2. It became the Greenest Building in India. Turbo Energy Limited also achieved the feat of being the second greenest building in the world. ‘Dockside Green’ Project Phase I – Synergy project in British Columbia, Canada was accorded as the greenest building in the world with 63 Points in the same year.
- The project achieved a savings of 48% in energy consumption over ASHRAE baseline getting Full Points (17/17) in energy and atmosphere category of the LEED Rating system.
- The energy saved due to passive architectural design is 5.2% of the overall energy consumption of the building on ASHRAE baseline. This is the highest figure that Conserve has been able to achieve for any design over the last 10 years and +200 projects.
- The project also achieved Full Points in Water Efficiency and Indoor Environment Quality. The indoor environment remains the major challenge.
“We appreciate Conserve’s efforts and active involvement in this project right from the beginning. We are extremely happy with the day lighting design and simulation and Conserve’s help in selecting the right glazing system. The project has hardly used any artificial light over the last one full year of operation. With their help in Solar Air-conditioning system the project has earned full 10 points in this category and also 17 out of 17 points under energy and atmosphere which is highest point any one can get.”
~Quote by TEL Representative
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Conserve Consultants Pvt. Ltd. (CONSERVE) is a global consulting firm in the business of planning, design, development and maintenance of Energy Efficient, Sustainable, High Performance Green Buildings and Organizations. CONSERVE expertise lies in Certification(Green Building Rating Systems eg. LEED, IGBC, GRIHA etc.) and CertificationPlus(Design, Construction and Operations) of Built-Environment Projects. We also offer SustainabilityPlus services at organizational level.
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