Sustainable Materials For Site Planning

GROUP 6 : SUSTAINABLE MATERIALS FOR SITE PLANNING
Submitted By :
Himashree .B Kshamitha N Raj
Muskan Jaiswal Lavnish S
Nainika Gupta Nisarga
Sustainable Materials in Site Planning & Construction
Introduction
A Sustainable Material is one that:
• Does not deplete non-renewable (natural) resources.
• Has no adverse impact on the environment when used. i.e. It has to be
Environmental friendly
• They have to be durable, reusable or recyclable, in their composition.
• A sustainable material is any material that can be put to effective use in the
present without compromising its availability for use by later generations.
• Sustainable building materials are those which are produced or sourced locally.
These materials are contain recycled & industrial waste materials and
byproducts.
• Sustainable materials have a lower impact on environment & are
thermally efficient. The production of these building materials
require considerable less amount of energy in production when
compared to the modern construction materials.
• The advantages in selection of sustainable building material lies
in the fact that they are not only economically viable but also
reduce toxic emissions thereby reduce overall environment
impact.
• The use of sustainable material & technology reduces transport
& production cost & carbon emissions.
Sustainable Materials in Site Planning
Sustainable building materials can be defined as
materials with overall superior performance in terms of
specified Criteria.
For Selection of Sustainable building materials the

following criteria are commonly used:
1.Locally Produced and Sourced Materials
2.Transport costs and Environmental Impact
3.Thermal Efficiency
4.Occupant needs and Health Considerations
5. Financial Viability
6. Recyclability of Building Materials
7. Waste & Pollution generated in the Manufacturing process
8. Energy Required in the manufacturing process
9. Use of Renewable Resources
10.Toxic Emissions generated by the product
11.Maintenance costs
Sources Of Sustainable Materials:
1.Materials From Renewable Sources 2. Reuse from waste products as
raw materials
• Materials that Can be obtained from
renewable sources like solar energy, • Materials - They are typically the
wind energy, bio-gas etc. products of recycled matter.
• Materials significantly of plant origin. • Materials that can be dismantled
• E.g.: Wood, Natural fibers, Polymers and reused again.
etc. • E.g.: Old Plumbing's, Doors,
crushed glass, wood chips etc.
Advantages :
• Increases Energy Efficiency: Buildings made from sustainable materials are specifically
designed to run on low energy consumption and maximize environmental factors to reduce
the cost of use, such as maximizing the use of natural lighting and increasing thermal
regulation.
• Reduces Cost: An energy-efficient building using sustainable materials drastically reduces

maintenance and operational costs. Throughout the lifetime of a building, 80% of its total
cost is spent on maintenance, while the other 20% go on utilities, improvements, and
furniture.
• An energy-saving house using sustainable materials such as a solar roof and advanced
water systems are durable and cost less in the way of bills and ongoing maintenance.
• Improves Health: Rapid urbanization has caused the quality of air to deteriorate. Poor air
quality can lead to several diseases and even cause serious illnesses. Sustainable materials
help preserve good air quality in your home through technologies involving filtration,
insulation, and reducing air exchange from outside to the inside.
• In short, sustainable building materials produce more output with less effort.
Sustainable Materials Examples :-
1.Earthern Materials – Adobe, Cob, Compressed

Earth Block, Wattle & Daub, Clay, Earth bags, etc.
2.Bamboo
3.Wood
4.Cork
5.Recycled Plastic
6.Pre cast Concrete
7.Straw
8.Reclaimed Or Recycled Steel
9.Terrazoo
10.Ferrok
1. Earthen Materials : • Cob or Stacked Earth –
• Abobe - Adobe is essentially a dried mud brick, • It is like adobe, is comprised of mixture of clay,
combining the natural elements of earth, water, sand, silt, and water; it also uses a binder of
and sun. It is an ancient building material usually fibrous or organic material such as straw, or
made with tightly compacted sand, clay, and dung.. It dries to a hardness similar to
straw or grass mixed with moisture, formed concrete and is used like adobe to create self
into bricks, and naturally dried or baked in the supporting, load bearing walls.
sun.
• Advantages – Water Proof , Fire Proof, Termite
Advantages - Cost of manufacture & production is Proof, Heat Resistant .
very less, cooler in summer and hotter in winter.
• Disadvantages – Labour intensive, Relatively
Disadvantages - Damage Caused by external slow to build, Cob walls cannot be laid during
forces such as wind, water and earthquakes wet or freezing weather. Insects, notably
,problems caused by excess humidity or rain water termites and small rodents can burrow into the
,regular maintenance, cracking of walls in summer. walls weakening them.
• Compressed Earth Blocks – It is pressed • Wattle & Daub – It building material used for
earth block or a compressed soil block, is a constructing walls, in which a woven lattice of
building material made primarily from damp soil wooden strips called wattle is daubed with a
compressed at high pressure to form blocks. sticky material usually made of some
combination of wet soil, clay, sand, animal
• Advantages - completely natural & non-toxic,
dung and straw.
Fire resistant, Insect resistant, Reduction in
transportation cost due to locally available • Advantages - completely Simple construction,
material used. Made of naturally occurring materials, Highly
durable, Highly sustainable
• Disadvantages -Not suitable for high-rise
buildings and wide-spans, Proper soil • Disadvantages – labor intensive, Time
identification required, Skilled labour Consuming for construction , they will
required, Requires quality check at every deteriorate quickly if regularly exposed to rain
stage of manufacturing to avoid low-quality or damp.
products.
Bamboo :-
Bamboo has been in wide usage since ancient times as
a low-cost material for houses, bridges etc. Recently
started appearing in designer homes as flooring, walling and
paneling material Is viewed as a material preferred only by
the poor or for temporary constructions Unpopular in
conventional construction due to low durability, lack of
structural design data, exclusion from building codes etc.
Facts about bamboo- Bamboo is a perennial grass and not a
tree as is commonly perceived. One of the fastest growing
plants on Earth. The strongest part of a bamboo stalk is its
node, where branching occurs. Bamboo has also long been
used as scaffolding.
Properties :
• Tensile strength
• compressive
strength
• elastic modulus
• anisotropic property
• shrinkage
• fire resistance
Advantages -
Strength - Bamboo is an extremely strong natural fibre, on par with standard hardwoods,
when cultivated, harvested, prepared and stored properly.
Flexibility - Bamboo is highly flexible. During its growth, it may be trained to grow in
unconventional shapes. After harvest, it may be bent and utilized in archways and other
curved areas.
Earthquake-resistance - It has a great capacity for shock absorption, which makes it
particularly useful in earthquake- prone areas.
Lightweight - Bamboo is extremely lightweight as compared with hardwoods. Consequently,
building with bamboo can be accomplished faster with simple tools than building with
other materials. Cranes and other heavy machinery are rarely required.
Cost-effective - Economical, especially in areas where it is cultivated and is readily available.
Transporting cost is also much lesser.
Durability - As long-lasting as its wooden correlates, when properly harvested and
maintained.
Limitations and drawbacks in construction -
Sustainable features -
Wood :-
• Wood is one of the most used natural
building materials in the world. A number of
valuable properties such as low heat
conductivity, small bulk density, relatively
high strength, amenability to mechanical
working etc. makes wood as famous
building material.
• Timber can be used in most economical
way without wasting any of the derivative
of it.
• When wooden building materials reach
the end of their useful life, they are often
be repurposed or recycled into new
products. All that stored carbon dioxide is
kept out of the atmosphere virtually
forever.
• Wood has many advantages over
traditional building materials such as
concrete or steel.
• It is a renewable resource.
Wood in construction -
• Wood is a responsible environmental choice for construction as long as it
comes from forests that are managed sustainably.
• Wood as a construction material has gained favour with many builders and
architects thanks to new technologies. The most promising is cross laminated
timber (CLT) — a process that resembles plywood but on a larger scale. They
are almost as strong as steel.
• Wood is a natural, renewable, and sustainable material for building, with a
lighter carbon footprint than steel or concrete.
• Wood grows naturally using energy from the sun, is renewable, sustainable and
recyclable. It is an effective insulator and uses far less energy to produce than
concrete or steel.
Properties :-
• Workability- the relative case in which wood is shaped
cut and Workability the relative case in which wood is
shaped cut and fastened together than the others.
• Moisture content- is a percentage of the mass of
water over the mass of wood fiber in a piece of
timber.
• Aesthetic Properties- Wood is a decorative material
when considered as an aesthetic material. Each tree
has its own color, design and smell the design of a
tree does change according to the way it is sliced. It
is possible to find different wooden materials
according to color and design preference. It can be
painted to darker colors of varnished, and can be
given bright or mat touches.
• Cleavability- High resistance for cleavage is important
for nailing and screwing while low splitting strength is
important for used as firewood.
• Stiffness- This property is important to determine the
deflection of a timber under a load.
• Hardness- is important in case of timber for paving
blocks flooring bearings and other similar purposes
Cork :-
Cork is a versatile raw material used for multiple applications,
from wine bottles to Building Materials to Aeronautics. Just like
bamboo, cork grows very quickly. Cork is resilient, flexible and
reverts to its original shape even after enduring sustaining
pressure. Its resilience and resistance to wear, makes it a
common element in floor tiles. It can only be sourced from the
Mediterranean, making shipping it a bit costly.
It is used for flooring, rigid insulation, exterior finish, floor
underlayment, acoustic wall coverings and countertops.
Cork is non-toxic and does not off-gas VOCs.
It gives a warm, cozy and organic feel to an interior space. Each
piece of bark is unique in texture, grain and color, for a one of a
kind look. Cork satisfied LEED credits for being renewable,
recycled and having low emissions.
Properties : Characteristics:
• Lightweight material •Renewable and 100% natural raw
• Elastic and flexible material
• Impermeable to gases •Unlimited durability without losing its
or liquids properties
• Imperishable •Completely recyclable
• Good electric insulator •Excellent dimensional stability
• Thermal, sound and •Low energy consumption (93% cork,
vibration insulator 7% electricity)
Recycled Plastic :-
• Plastic recycling is the process of recovering scrap or waste plastic
and reprocessing the material into useful products.
• Recycling plastics is helping to save energy and landfill space.
• Recycled plastics can be blended with virgin plastic (plastic that has
not been processed before) to reduce cost without sacrificing
performance.
• Such recycled plastics are used to make polymeric timbers for use in
everything from picnic tables to fences, thus helping to save trees.
• Plastic from two-liter bottles is even being spun into fiber for the
production of carpet—another recycled product solution for our
homes.
• Although recycling is not best for some plastics (such as those that
are soiled), the material can still serve a useful purpose if used in a
waste-to-energy system (WTE).
• Plastics are strong, durable, waterproof, lightweight, easy to mold,
and recyclable – all key properties for construction materials. Miniwiz has already built several
structures including an entertainment
• Recycled Plastics can be used as (in form of ) - Roofing Tiles, Indoor campus, IMAX theatres, factories, and
Insulation, PVC Windows, Bricks, Fences, Floor Tiles etc. exhibition areas in Taiwan, Malaysia, and
China. A recent addition is the EcoArk
Characteristics: •robust and does not splinter Pavilion in Taipei. The walls of this building
•made from 100% recycled plastic are made solely of plastic bottles called
•environmentally friendly Polli-bricks that fit together like Lego
•does not rot, minimal maintenance pieces. Much of the raw material comes
•weather resistant, long lasting from recycled water bottles.
Precast Concrete Slabs :-
• Precast concrete slabs can be a helpful addition to any construction
project.
• The slabs are versatile, allowing them to be inserted in a variety of ways
into structures and foundations.
• Concrete slabs are used in many construction projects, ranging from small
home projects to larger commercial endeavors.
• Precast concrete has an advantage over traditionally made slabs because it
is poured in a controlled environment.
• The slabs are made by pouring standard concrete into a mold while under
highly supervised conditions.
• This prevents environmental variables from affecting the concrete and
enhances the strength of the structures that use it.
• Precast concrete strengthens with age, where other materials would degrade, and it is highly resistant to many elements
and potential environmental dangers.
• Concrete slabs are not labor dense projects, which can save the builder extra labor costs from the start of the project.
• Concrete slabs are also used often in industrial and institutional buildings.
• The slabs can be pre-made, they can be formed and then stored in stock until they are needed for a project.
• Once it is determined that the slabs are needed on site, they are transported and placed into the desired area, ensuring
they are ready when the project requires them.
• When the slabs are in place, they are cured, again in an environmentally stable and controlled environment, and can be
used immediately after this process is finished.
• Concrete slabs can be made in a variety of shapes, sizes, and designs.
• This versatility and ease of application make them an ideal choice for almost any construction project.
Types of precast slab
RCC slabs Waffle slabs
• This type of slabs are used for support • A waffle slab or two-way joist slab is a concrete
conditions in buildings. slab made of reinforced concrete with concrete ribs
• RCC Slabs whose thickness ranges from 10 to running in two directions on its underside.
50 centimeters are most often used for the • The name waffle comes from the grid pattern
construction of floors and ceilings. created by the reinforcing ribs. Waffle slabs are
• Thin RCC slabs are also used for exterior preferred for spans greater than 40 feet (12 m), as
paving purposes. In many domestic and they are much stronger than flat slabs, flat slabs
industrial buildings a thick concrete slab, with drop panels, two-way slabs, one-way slabs,
supported on foundations or directly on the and one-way joist slabs. Waffle slab can be used as
subsoil, is used to construct the ground floor both ceiling and floor slab.
of a building. • They are used in the areas where less number of
• In high rises buildings and skyscrapers, columns are provided, i.e. it is used in the areas
thinner, precast concrete slabs are slung which have huge spans
between the steel frames to form the floors
and ceilings on each level.
Prestressed hollow core slabs
• A hollow core slab, also known as a voided slab, hollow core plank, or
simply a concrete plank is a precast slab of prestressed concrete
typically used in the construction of floors in multi-story apartment
buildings.
• The production of these elements is achieved using our Extruder and
Slip former machines that cast in one phase along a production bed
without the need for any formworks.
• Hollow core slabs are highly developed structural elements and are
used all over the world due to their many advantages and diverse
applications.
Prestressed solid slabs
• The solid slab is a customized, loosely reinforced, full concrete slab
that is used in residential and industrial construction.
• Mounting parts, such as electrical outlets, wiring, openings, etc. or
even heating conduits can be previously installed in the solid slab in
the precasting plant.
Double tee slabs
• A double tee or double-T beam is a load-bearing structure that
resembles two T-beams connected side by side.
• The strong bond of the flange (horizontal section) and the two webs
(vertical members, also known as stems) creates a structure that is
capable of withstanding high loads while having a long span.
• It can be applied in roofing, parking and bridges.
Benefits of Precast Concrete Slabs
• Concrete slabs offer their users a wide variety of benefits, ranging from their initial application to their long-
standing constitution and design.
• When projects use precast concrete, there is an assurance that the quality of the material will be consistently
high. This is due to the way in which the materials are crafted.
• Each precast concrete slab is created by pouring concrete into a mold under supervised conditions,
guaranteeing excellent results with each creation.
• Environmental factors that could be a problem for other materials are taken out of the equation. Weather and
temperature are deliberately protected against and therefore have no effect on the production of the concrete.
• Precast concrete is also remarkably strong and durable.

• Owing much to the way it is made, this sort of concrete is able to actually grow stronger
and more stable with age.
• As the concrete settles, the lack of environmental disturbance during its production
becomes a large asset.
• The slabs are not in danger of being compromised by small flaws, and they can age with a
promise of no dilapidation.
• Precast concrete is also highly durable.
• It is resistant to many elements, such as fire, water damage, and environmental rot or decay.
the slabs are relatively unaffected by prolonged use or consistent wear.
• Precast slabs are, by design, also much easier to maintain and care for than other materials
might be.
• They are relatively non-porous materials, which need very little maintenance and upkeep to
hold their original form and serve their purpose.
Straw-Bale :-
• Uses bales of straw commonly wheat, rice,
rye & oats straw as structural elements,
building insulation, or both.
• Natural building
• Sustainable method construction.
• Low cost.
• Energy efficiency of thick, super-insulated
walls
Material
• Baled straw from wheat, oats, barley, rye,
rice and others.
• Walls covered by earthen or lime stucco.
• Straw bale are traditionally a waste
product which farmers do not till under the
soil, but do sell as animal bedding or
landscape supply due to their durable
nature
Advantages
• Easy to build.
• Renewable nature of straw.
• Low cost.
• Easy availability.
• Naturally fire retardant.
• High insulation value.
• Low cost alternative for building highly insulating walls.
Features
• Building walls with straw bales can be accomplished
with unskilled labour.
• Low costs of the bales make this technique
economically attractive
• Earthen plaster taken from site soil, applied by the
owner/builder, and maintained by the owner is quite
inexpensive,
• Mixture of clay and straw can be used to fill any
voids before the wire mesh is attached Plaster
• Earthen and lime plaster are two
natural alternatives
• Cement-based stucco is another
popular option.
Terrazzo :-
Introduction
• Terrazzo flooring dates back to the 15th century. Today terrazzo
flooring provides a combination of durability, design, and low
maintenance for building projects across the globe.
• In fact, the performance and design of terrazzo have led to a
renaissance, making it one of the green building materials commonly seen
in markets like schools, airports, hospitals, and other commercial
buildings.
Durability
• Terrazzo floors have remarkable performance and durability during its
entire lifecycle, often lasting longer than a building structure. These
floors typically last on average 75 years with few replacements in
between.
• As buildings age, terrazzo floors can be restored to its original
state at a fraction of the cost of an entire replacement. With such great
durability, terrazzo is ideal for locations with high amounts of daily
movement. This includes lobby areas, hallways, and entrances of any
commercial, institutional, or industrial building.
• Overall epoxy terrazzo floors are one of the cost-effective green
building materials on the market. This is due to the low maintenance
costs associated with the material. In fact, terrazzo floors are easy to
clean. Cleaning requires just a dry and damp mop to remove excess
residue from the floors. Regular routine maintenance and the occasional
resealing of a terrazzo floor keep the surface in good condition over the
years.
Sustainability:
• With a focus on sustainability in today’s construction projects, consider terrazzo as
the original green building material. Venetian marble workers reused marble scraps to
create inexpensive terraces for their homes at the time. A majority of a terrazzo floor
today consists of recycled content from the choice of aggregates, the components of the
epoxy resins and the recycled metal in divider strips.
• Aggregates are the most common source of recycled content found in terrazzo.
Recycled glass is the most popular option. Recycled glass adds to the design flexibility by
providing terrazzo floors with more color choices in addition to the color selection of
marble chips.
• Most terrazzo suppliers crush and process recycled content from post-consumer and
post-industrial sources. These sources include repurposing glass from sources glass
bottles and mirrors and excess marble from a quarry
Ferrock :-
Introduction
• Ferrock is a greener alternative to cement. It comprises of
recycled materials such as waste steel dust and silica from the
ground up glass. It absorbs more CO2 than it emits. It is five times
stronger than Cement and traps greenhouse gases reducing
carbon footprint. It is lightweight and has low maintenance cost.
• Approximately 95 percent of Ferrock is made from recycled
materials such as waste steel dust and silica from the ground up
glass. The steel dust, upon reaction with Carbon Dioxide (CO2),
produces iron carbonate which when solidifies turns into solid-rock
known as Ferrock.
Advantages
• Compared to Portland cement (made from chalk and
clay and resembling Portland stone in color), which is one of
the leading types in use throughout the world today,
Ferrock is stronger. It can withstand more compression
before breaking and is far more flexible, meaning it could
potentially resist the earth movements caused by seismic
activity or industrial processes.
• Properties of Ferrock is that it becomes even stronger
in salt water environments, making it ideal for marine-based
construction projects.& rather than emitting large amounts
of C02 as it dries, Ferrock actually absorbs and binds it!
This results in a carbon-negative process that actually helps
to trap greenhouse gases.
Ferrock cement :
• Cement in concrete, the second most used entity after water in the world today, is
the fourth largest source of anthropogenic carbon emissions. It’s been called the
foundation of modern civilization. For each ton of cement produced more or less eight ton
of CO2 is released. It is terrifyingly polluting the environment.
• The name Ferrock is a reflection of its composition – largely iron-rich ferrous rock.
It’s actually created from waste steel dust which is normally discarded from industrial
processes and silica from ground up glass. The iron within the steel dust reacts with CO2
and water to form iron carbonate. It is this that is fused into the matrix of Ferrock and, like
concrete, after it is dried, it cannot be melted back into a liquid form but retains its hard,
rocklike qualities.
• The study found that the strength of Ferrock concrete is twice that of conventional
concrete. Since Ferrock, being Environmentally friendly and all the raw materials used are
from waste metal powder, by using these to make concrete is an efficient concreting
technology both in terms of strength and environmental efficiency.
Reclaimed or Recycled Steel:-
Introduction
• As steel has inherent magnetism steel is very easy to recycle; this is
why is it the most recycled material in the world and the most
sustainable material of the 21st century.
• All the available scrap is recycled over and over again to create new
steel. Recycled steel maintains the inherent properties of the original
steel and the quality can also be improved on recycling.
• Steel is a permanent material that can be infinitely recycled without
loss of quality.
• Steel scrap from lower value can be converted into high value steels
by using appropriate processing and metallurgy.
• A basic oxygen furnace can be charged with 30% steel scrap.
• An electric furnace can be charged with 100% steel scrap.
• On average new steel products contain 37% recycled steel.
• Today’s steel products become tomorrow’s cans, trains, bridges or
buildings.
• Although all available steel scrap is recycled, there is not enough
scrap available to meet demand for few steel products.
• While many steel products such as packaging and vehicles have a
short to medium service life, large-scale products (building, bridges) are
designed last for decades or even centuries. In the future all of these
products will be recycled to meet our ever-growing need for steel.
Availability Savings at the site
• Traditional construction material costs • Once delivered, a prefabricated building is
and availability fluctuate with demand, but steel bolted up rapidly, moving construction along 30%
remains readily available. Steel scrap and more quickly than traditional construction.
deconstructed steel structures are taken for Construction with pre-manufactured buildings is
recycling every day. New steel is created from often called fast track or design-build construction.
virgin and recycled steel constantly. The supply • Further steel building savings are realized in
is nearly self-sustaining. the reduction of rework.
• Traditional construction with wood, • Fast-track construction with prefabricated
concrete and masonry creates scrap and waste steel buildings yields less than 2% scrap, saving on
that cannot be recycled and a project can take haul-off costs.
twice as long as it would with a prefabricated
steel building. While trees can be considered a
renewable resource, consider that it takes 20-
40 years to grow a tree to maturity.
Easy energy efficiency and minimal maintenance
• Energy efficiency is achieved by using variety of methods.
• Steel is perfect for cool roofing coated in Galvalume
and finished with special infrared pigmented paint have
both high reflectivity and high emissivity up to 40% on
cooling costs. Reflectivity refers to the reflection of
solar energy away from the roof to keep it away from
heating the structure.
• Emissivity is the action of radiating energy away from
the roof in the form of light instead of heat to reduce the
heat at the surface of the roof.
• Insulation is easily inserted between interior columns
and under roof panels to keep the interior environment at
a steady temperature.
• Beyond energy savings, steel buildings require little
maintenance. Keep the roof clean by washing it down
annually and inspecting the gutter system. A steel roof is
usually warranted for 25 years and can last up to 30-40
while retaining 95% of its reflective properties over its
lifecycle.
Building Examples :-
Suzlon One Earth, Pune
• This significantly unique office is designed by
Christopher Charles, Pune based architect and
has received LEED Platinum rating in 2010.
• Spread over 10 acres, this magnificent
structure is one of the largest green building
projects of the country and is also one of the
India’s first buildings to be LEED (Leadership in
Energy and Environmental Design) certified.
• Suzlon one earth is 100% powered by onsite
and offsite renewable sources.
• The campus has 18 hybrid wind turbines that fulfil 7% of the

total energy consumption, the rest of energy demand is met
from offsite wind turbines.
• The structure is designed in a way to ensure maximum daylight
exposure thereby reducing artificial lighting consumption.
• The infrastructure within the campus is designed to enable
water percolation and thereby control storm water runoff thus,
contributing towards an increased water table level.
Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA), Hyderabad
• India’s 6th busiest airport, which is • Within the campus of the airport, there is a
situated in the downtown of Hyderabad green belt of 273 hectares with numerous
has set a benchmark for the green plants.
buildings in India. • In the last couple of years, RGIA has been
• The structure of the airport is designed successful in saving energy for nearly 3.97
in a way so as to consume less water, million kWh and have reduced the carbon
electricity and conserves natural footprint by 3331 tons.
resources.
Biodiversity Conservation India Ltd. (BCIL), Bangalore
• In 1994, BCIL was established
when green building concept was foreign
to all of us and was something one could
not locate even with long-range radar.
• The building was established with
an aim of creating eco-friendly living
habitats, especially in the urban space.
• It is a wonderful example of smart
homes where one can turn lights off
using mobile phones.
• The building has 44 interconnected rainwater

percolation wells that lead to a 400,000 litre
water tank.
• The building makes use of central reverse
osmosis system to purify water without the use of
chemicals.
• Grey water is directed to the gardens, toilets and
for washing cars.
Infinity Benchmark, Kolkata Ansal Esencia, 67 Sector,
• At the time of its inauguration, this 20
Gurgaon
storey structure which is spread over • This is another masterpiece by Indian
5,60,000sq.feet was 7th building in the architects that wants to be a part of the
world to receive the LEED Platinum rating. Green eco Revolution.
• The building is furnished with Co2 monitor • The features of this building are viable
sensors, rainwater harvesting, waste water sources of energy; all electronics are made
recycling system and humidification controls.
for maximum energy conservation, splendid
• The exterior of the building is made of brick bicycle tracks, environ benches, bins, poles
wall block while the roof comprises of deck and bus stops and drought resistant
thick polyurethane foam for better insulation. campus.
Sustainable Site Planning:-
Introduction
• A sustainable site plan has the least environmental impact while still meeting the client's project
goals.
• One of the most important and effective ways to create sustainable planning is by taking a
collaborative approach. Ideally all of the project stakeholders (owner, architect, engineers,
contractors, etc.) are brought together before the design process begins, and the design process
can be completely collaborative, with all parties providing valuable input based on their expertise.
• Sustainable site design is one of the most economical and critical tools for incorporating green
infrastructure into development projects.
• Green infrastructure serves to protect water quality in streams, lakes and wetlands and thereby can
meet community needs and regulatory requirements.
• Sustainable site design incorporates stream buffers, bios wales, rain gardens, reduced hard
surfaces and similar low impact development practices into a network of green spaces can help
improve or reasonably mimic preconstruction runoff conditions.
• Efforts to reasonably mimic pre construction runoff in new development can help to prevent flash
floods, store and treat storm water runoff as nature would and provide for community values such as
recreation and aesthetic green space.
Parameters 1. Site Selection 4. Grading Considerations

2. Site/Building Layout 5. Storm water Management
3. Impervious Surfaces 6. Landscape Design
1) Site Selection :-
Definitions :
Site selection is the process of examining multiple options and assessing their
relative advantages and disadvantages. Site selection comes after the needs assessment
is completed.
Site selection can have a significant impact on the
environmental impact of a project site. Some specific parameters to
consider when selecting a site include:
• Avoid flood plains – continued development in natural flood plain
areas has contributed to increased flooding, decreased flooding
and increased soil loss.
• Provide buffers for bodies of water – Development around
bodies of water such as streams and wetlands should be limited
and include buffers of undisturbed areas of 50′-100′ or more.
• Avoid Greenfields – Greyfields and Brownfields are often less
expensive to develop, place less stress on infrastructure and
limit the environmental impact of developing previously
undeveloped sites.
• Keep transportation in mind – the impact that transportation of
people and goods to a site has can be significant. Try to select
sites that encourage the use of public and non-motorized
transportation.
Considerations -
• Limit development within/on
• Level ground, close to water
source.
• 100 year floodplains
• Prime farmland as defined by the
USDA
• 100’ of wetlands
• 50’ of high quality bodies of
water
• Habitat for endangered or
threatened species.
• Protection from critters.
• Southern exposure, tallest
plants on Northern side
2) Site/Building Layout :-
Site/Building Layout - The simple act of proper building orientation can

create energy savings of up to 25%. As little as 8 degrees of rotation
can have an impact. Consider the following when siting and orienting
buildings.
• Elongate the plan on the east/west axis

• Maximize north and south exposure for daylighting
• Minimize east and west facing windows
• Orient most populated areas to the north and south
The above items are good general guidelines but keep in mind that
extreme climates may warrant different practices. For instance in
extremely cold climates limiting windows on the north side may create
energy savings that outweigh the benefits of the daylighting that they
provide.
3) Impervious Surfaces :-
Increasing the imperviousness of a site can have a tremendous effect on
the water cycle. Impervious surfaces limit groundwater recharge, increase
pollutant loads and runoff and create a heat island effect.
Its important to limit the impervious areas on site to the minimum. Doing
this often improves the aesthetic of the site, reduces the environmental
impact and saves money. Below are some things to consider in order to
reduce site imperviousness.
• Limit potable water use

- Use Native Species - Shade buildings in summer, allow
- Place landscape areas to sunlight during winter.
receive runoff - Place and design landscape areas
- Use captured rainwater to filter and clean storm water
- Shade large hardscapes - Raingardens in parking areas
- Bio retention rather than
retention ponds
4) Grading Considerations :-
What is Grading?
Grading is the process of modification of existing landform to accommodate
new structures, parking and circulation and to ensure positive drainage.
Consideration must be given to utilities such as: water, gas, power, communication
services, and sewerage for disposal of wastewater, and storm water.
The environmental impacts of mass grading Whenever possible we should try to limit
a development or building site are often grading operations as in the distances
overlooked. given below.
Site grading destroys the natural •Less than 10' beyond surface walkways,
ecosystem present within the soil. This patios, surface parking, and utilities.
ecosystem breaks down pollutants, •Less than 40' beyond the building
provides nutrients for biota, supports perimeter.
insect and animal life, and has numerous •Less than 15' beyond primary roadway
other benefits. curbs.
It takes many years for the soil to recover •Less than 25' beyond constructed areas
from mass grading; in some cases it never with permeable surfaces (such as pervious
does. paving, storm water detention areas, and
Soil erosion, which can be a temporary or playing fields).
permanent effect of grading, pollutes
waterways and washes valuable soil off-site.
5) Storm water Management :-
Storm water is the general term for the rainfall runoff collected from roofs,
roads and other surfaces before flowing towards low-lying land. It is the portion
of rainfall that does not infiltrate into the soil. Stormwater management means
to manage surface runoff.
It can be applied in rural areas (e.g. to harvest precipitation water), but is
essential in urban areas where runoff cannot infiltrate because the surfaces are
impermeable. Traditional Stormwater management was mainly to drain high peak
flows away.
Stormwater management is essential to prevent erosion of agricultural land
and flooding of inhabited urban or rural areas. Both cases can cause severe
damages and contamination of the environment if sanitation facilities are flooded.
This results in high costs and notably massive suffering for the local
communities.
Theoretically, Stormwater management is necessary in every settlement, rural
or urban, to protect human health, prevent water pollution, (re-)use precipitation
water (on agriculture or household level) and prevent damages to infrastructure.
It is essential in urban areas where constructed surfaces change the hydraulic
properties and prevent infiltration. The whole management has to be adapted to
the local conditions (climate, topography, resources, etc.).
Stormwater management in sustainable site
planning?
Stormwater runoff is one of the most significant
environmental impacts of a developed site, but it also
provides one of the greatest opportunities for
sustainable design.
All of the other factors above help to limit the
amount and speed of stormwater leaving the property
and also contribute to improving the water quality.
However, developing a site can significantly alter the
hydrologic cycle for the property and surrounding
area.
Steps can and should be taken to maintain the pre-
development hydrology or even to improve it. Many municipal
regulations require that the post-development runoff rate does not
exceed the pre-development rate but do not address runoff
quantity.
These regulations are largely flood control-based and do not
address groundwater recharge and the hydrologic cycle.
The low-impact development (LID) techniques shown below can be
used to mimic the pre-development hydrology.
● Rain gardens/Bioretention: 6" – 12" deep, 8% –
10% of the site area, less than 1/2 acre
drainage area, up to 2 acres possible,
landscape islands, and 4' – 10' between parking
rows and 8' – 10' for double-loaded rows.
● Wetlands: 6" – 12" deep, large drainage areas
(often less than 25 acres), minimum of 6” – 18”
permanent pool depth, excellent water quality
control and wildlife habitats.
● Grass Swales/Infiltration Trenches: up to 5 acres
of drainage areas, 1% – 4% slopes, low-
maintenance and improved stormwater quality.
● Green Roofs: well suited for urban and ultra
urban areas, intensive and extensive types, less
than a 20% roof slope, improved stormwater
quality and interception and storage of rainfall
(up to 50%).
Advantages and disadvantages:
Advantages Disadvantages
• Proper drainage of surface runoff • Expert planning,
• Possibility to recharge groundwater implementation, operation
and (re-)use precipitation water and and maintenance required
surface run-off as irrigation or • Depending on the
household water technique, a lot of
• Treatment of Stormwater in a very operation and labour
early stage required
• Avoids damages on infrastructure • Risk of clogging
(private properties, streets, etc.); infiltration system caused
flood prevention by high sedimentation
• Can be integrated into the urban rates
landscape and provide green and
recreational areas
6) Landscape Design :-
Introduction
Landscape design is an independent profession and a design and
art tradition, practiced by landscape designers, combining nature and
culture. In contemporary practice, landscape design bridges the space
between landscape architecture and garden design.
Landscape architecture Is a discipline that focuses on intervention
through the activities of planning, design, and management. Also it is
concerned with the art and science that underpins all activities.
Landscape architecture is concerned with landscapes of all types
both urban and rural, and at all scales from the smallest open space to
whole region.
Landscape Design Considerations:
 Limit potable water use:
 Use Native Species.
 Place landscape areas to receive
runoff.
 Use of capture rainwater.
 Shade large hardscapes.
 Shade buildings in summer, allow
sunlight during winter.
 Place to filter and clean Stormwater:
 Raingardens in parking areas.
 Bio retention rather than retention
ponds.
SUSTANABLE LANDSCAPING
SUSTANABLE LANDSCAPING encompasses a variety of practices
that have developed in response to environmental issues. These
practices are used in every phase of landscaping, including design,
construction, implement and management of residential and commercial
landscape.
SUSTAINABLE LANDSCAPING is a part of growing global effort in the
landscaping industry to create aesthetically pleasing landscapes while
improving and conserving the environment and saving money.
USES OF SUSTAINABLE LANDSCAPING
1. Require less maintenance.

2. Reduce environmental harm.
Pollution, climate changes etc.,
3. Benefits Wildlife.
Food, water, cover.
4. Provides seasonal interest.
5. Maintain local character.
Principles of sustainable landscaping :
 The typical landscape requires many inputs time, money,
labors, water, chemicals and fertilizers.
 Our landscapes also produce wastes which most of us never
consider: plant trimmings, polluted run-off from chemicals and
fertilizers, and water lost by evaporation.
 The concept of sustainable landscaping asks us to examine the
input and output of our landscaping and find ways to minimize
both.
- Treat Water as a Resource.
- Value Your Soil.
- Preserve Existing Plants.
- Conserve Material Resources.
Benefits of sustainable landscaping
Environmental benefits:
1. Enhance and protect ecosystems and biodiversity.
2. Improve air and water quality.
3. Reduce solid waste.
4. Conserve natural resources.
Economic benefits:
1. Reduce operating costs.
2. Enhance asset value and profits.
3. Improve employee productivity and satisfaction.
4. Optimize life-cycle economic performance.
Health and Community benefits:
1. Improve air, thermal and acoustic environments.
2. Enhance occupant comfort and health.
3. Minimize strain on local infrastructure.
4. Contribute to overall quality of life.
:
 The typical landscape requires many inputs time, money,
labors, water, chemicals and fertilizers.
 Our landscapes also produce wastes which most of us never
consider: plant trimmings, polluted run-off from chemicals and
fertilizers, and water lost by evaporation.
 The concept of sustainable landscaping asks us to examine the
input and output of our landscaping and find ways to minimize
both.
- Treat Water as a Resource.
- Value Your Soil.
- Preserve Existing Plants.
- Conserve Material Resources.
CONCLUSION:
 Minimize land disturbance through the selection of disturbed land,
re-use of brownfield sites, retrofit existing buildings, and minimize new
impervious surface creation (parking, building layout, travel lanes, etc.)
 Understand existing watershed plans and environmental goals of the
jurisdiction and local watershed organizations that may be regulated.
 Consider energy implications and carbon emissions in site selection
and building orientation.
• Apply best practices for erosion control, through
both improved grading and landscaping methods.
• Use native plants and remove any invasive species
at the site.
• Reduce the heat island effect by minimizing
impervious surfaces, improved landscaping, and by
other building design methods;
CONCLUSION:
• Minimize habitat disturbance.
• Reduce, control, and treat surface runoff through effective storm water
practices that treat both the quantity and quality of runoff created
through the development process.
• Locate the building within a walkable distance to a range of other
destinations such as places offering goods and services;
• Incorporate transportation solutions into site plans that acknowledge
the need for bicycle parking, carpool staging, and proximity to mass
transit. Encourage alternatives to traditional commuting;
• Consider site security concurrently with sustainable site
issues. Location of access roads, parking, vehicle barriers,
and perimeter lighting, among others are key issues that
must be addressed.
• Respect existing aesthetic view sheds from existing
buildings, landscape features, and historic sites.

Sustainable Materials For Site Planning

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Sustainable Materials For Site Planning

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GROUP 6 : SUSTAINABLE MATERIALS FOR SITE PLANNING

For Selection of Sustainable building materials the

• Reduces Cost: An energy-efficient building using sustainable materials drastically reduces

Sustainable Materials Examples :-

1.Earthern Materials – Adobe, Cob, Compressed

• Precast concrete is also remarkably strong and durable.

• The campus has 18 hybrid wind turbines that fulfil 7% of the

• The building has 44 interconnected rainwater

Parameters 1. Site Selection 4. Grading Considerations

Site/Building Layout - The simple act of proper building orientation can

• Elongate the plan on the east/west axis

• Limit potable water use

USES OF SUSTAINABLE LANDSCAPING

1. Require less maintenance.

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