MODULE 5: GREEN ENGINEERING

By: GROUP 5

Green Engineering - is the design of utilizing engineering processes and methods that reduces
pollution, promotes sustainability, and minimizes risk to human health and the environment.

Two Major Roles of Engineer

1. Environmental Remediation – it is the removal of pollution or contaminants from air,

water, and land using a wide variety of technologies and methods.
2. Design/Development/Implementation – Engineers need to find innovative ways to create
products or solutions that will meet their client’s wants and needs.

Green Engineering uses metrics to quantify environmental impacts wherein green engineers
and companies conduct a life cycle assessment. This assessment considers four factors
whether the product should be pursued.

1. Climate Impact
2. Natural Resource Usage
3. Ecosystem Changes
4. Pollution

Green Engineering Approaches - are the standards of green engineers that they consider in
designing products to make them efficient from an environmental standpoint.

1. Waste Reduction
2. Materials Management
3. Pollution Prevention
4. Product Enhancement

Benefits of Green Engineering

1. Reduced Emissions

One of the goals of Green Engineering is to reduce global carbon levels for cleaner air.

2. Promotes Sustainable Living

It promotes sustainable lifestyles by using eco-friendly products developed by green

engineers. Sustainable living is the way of living, social behaviors, and choices, that minimize
environmental degradation.

3. Improved Energy Efficiency

 Green engineering designed energy efficient systems to reduce energy consumption at the
same level of performance.

4. Encourage Environmental Practices

By exposing people to green engineering products or infrastructure they are more likely to go
green like consuming less energy or reducing their waste.

Benefits of Green Engineering in a Company

1. Minimizes Energy or Production Waste

Green engineers can help identify which part of the company is producing waste or the
production efficiency is low and can suggest potential solutions or install innovative methods.

2. Tax Incentives

Under the RA 10771 or Philippine Green Job Acts of 2016 under section 5, companies who
promote green building practices, green technology, or creation of green jobs will have a special
deduction of up to 50% tax on their skills training and research development expenses.

3. Improves a company’s reputation

Going green can improve a company's reputation by showing its consumers that it cares for
the environment. It can also attract new customers and potentially find someone who can fund or
invest in the company.

Greenwashing - is the act of making false or misleading statements about the environmental
benefits of a product or practice.

Green Products - are products that are designed to have minimal impact on the environment.

Green Engineering Vs. Sustainable Engineering

Green Engineering is a subset of Sustainable Engineering wherein it also involves social

and economical parameters. While it is true that both of their principles and goals overlap, which
is to protect, restore, and preserve the environment, they should not be used interchangeably.
Green Engineering has a narrow focus on minimizing the negative impacts of processes and
products of human activities without exhausting our natural resources. On the other hand,
sustainable engineering has a broader focus in designing systems that meet human needs not only
in the present but also in the future. It is more directed in building a better future for the next
generation.

12 PRINCIPLES OF GREEN ENGINEERING

1. Inherent Rather Than Circumstantial

Designers need to strive to ensure that all materials and energy inputs and outputs are as
inherently nonhazardous as possible.

Though the negative impacts of hazardous substances can be minimised, this is often at the
expense of a significant amount of time and resources (human, materials and energy), which
further impose environmental and social impacts. Designers should take into consideration the
inherent nature of the selected material to ensure that it is as benign as possible (i.e. non-toxic,
and/or minimal energy and materials inputs required to complete the process).

2. Prevention instead of treatment

It is better to prevent waste than to treat or clean up waste after it is formed.

The concept of waste can be assigned to material or energy that existing processes cannot turn
into useful products. The generation and handling of physical waste further creates other ‘wastes’
– waste of time, money and effort. Using materials and processes that generate minimal waste
removes the costs and risks associated with substances that would otherwise have to be handled,
treated and disposed of.

3. Design for Separation

Separation and purification operations should be designed to minimize energy

consumption and materials use.

Separation of products typically expends much of the energy and resources of most
manufacturing processes. Designing products with physical and chemical properties that permit
self-separation processes rather than induced conditions (such as high energy, temperature
processes or the use of solvents) decreases waste, saves costs and reduces processing times.

4. Maximize Efficiency

Products, processes and systems should be designed to maximize mass, energy, space, and
time efficiency.

If a system is designed and applied at less than maximum efficiency, resources are being wasted
throughout the process. Space and time issues can be considered to eliminate waste and
maximise efficiency (in addition to consideration of material and energy used). In optimised
processes real-time monitoring systems can be used to ensure the process is following accurate
behaviour based on required design conditions.

5. Output-Pulled Versus Input-Pushed

 Products, processes, and systems should be "output pulled" rather than "input pushed"
through the use of energy and materials.

Le Châtelier’s Principle[10]essentially states that when a stress (such as temperature or pressure)

is applied to a system at equilibrium, the system readjusts to relieve or offset the applied stress.
This principle can be applied in an ‘input-pushed’ process, where the addition of more inputs
(stresses) leads to the generation of more outputs. But the same principle can be applied the other
way – ‘output-pulled’ – where the outputs are continually minimised or removed from the
system and the output is then ‘pulled’ through the system to minimise the amount of materials or
energy used.

6. Conserve Complexity

Products that require more materials, energy and time are generally more complex, high-entropy
substances. Recycling complex materials in many cases comes at sacrificed value (down-
cycling) – such materials should be designed for reuse, where as materials of minimal
complexity have more favourable properties for recycling.

7. Durability Rather Than Immortality

Targeted durability, not immortality, should be a design goal.

Products that last beyond their useful life often are the cause of environmental problems such as
waste to landfill, persistence and bioaccumulation. By designing products that in addition to
withstanding anticipated operating conditions (supported by maintenance and repair) possess a
targeted lifetime, such issues can be avoided.

8. Meet Need, Minimize Excess

Design for unnecessary capacity or capability (e.g., "one size fits all") solutions should be
considered a design flaw.

‘Over-designing’ products to embed flexibility and ‘worst case scenarios’ can often result in high
manufacturing and operating costs. Technologies that target specific demands of the user not
only minimises waste and cost, but further provides an alternative to ‘off the shelf’ technologies.

9. Minimize Material Diversity

Material diversity in multicomponent products should be minimized to promote

disassembly and value retention.
Products such as computers, due to their diversity of materials used in electronic and packaging
components, are difficult to recycle with existing methods while upfront designs that satisfy the
same need with less material diversity have more options for recyclability and reuse.

10. Integrate Material and Energy Flows

Design of products, processes, and systems must include integration and interconnectivity
with available energy and materials flows.

Products, processes and systems should be designed to use local materials and energy resources
– that is, resources that are as close as possible to the source of operation – to minimise
inefficiencies and consumption associated with transportation.

11. Design for Commercial "Afterlife"

Products, processes, and systems should be designed for performance in a commercial

"afterlife."

Designing products, processes and systems such that their components can be reused or
reconfigured to maintain their value and useability for new products (sometimes referred to as
‘design for modularity’).

12. Renewable Rather than Depleting

Material and energy inputs should be renewable rather than depleting

The use of materials from a finite source – a source in which its rate of replenishment is
negligible with respect to its depletion – has significant environmental effects due to their
inability to be ‘cycled’ back to the source for reuse. Renewable materials by their very nature can
be re-cycled to replenish the source (primarily ecological systems) and provide virtually infinite
service with minimal, if any, waste.

GREEN ENGINEERING IN ADDRESSING CLIMATE CHANGE

With the application of techniques and technological advancements that lower

greenhouse gas emissions, improve energy efficiency, and encourage sustainable resource use,
combating the impact of climate change will be much easier.

Green engineering helps mitigate climate change in the following ways:

1. REDUCE CARBON EMISSIONS

 The goal of green engineering is to reduce carbon emissions by encouraging the
use of renewable energy sources and energy efficiency. This entails creating more
energy-efficient vehicles, improving the insulation of buildings, and making use of
renewable energy sources like wind and solar energy.

2. RESOURCE CONSERVATION

Throughout the lifecycle of goods and processes, green engineering prioritizes the
effective use of resources including energy, materials, and water. It decreases greenhouse
gas emissions and lessens the negative effects of human activity on the environment by
consuming less resources and producing less trash.

3. WASTE MINIMIZATION AND RECYCLING

Green engineering aims to promote material recycling and reuse while lowering
waste output. When products and processes are designed with recycling in mind, the
demand for raw materials and the energy required to generate those products is reduced
and henceforth lowering carbon gas emissions.

4. SUSTAINABLE INFRASTRUCTURE

With an emphasis on sustainability, green engineering develops infrastructure

systems, including urban projects, water supply and sanitation systems, and
transportation networks. Consequently, this calls for the inclusion of green areas and the
creation of robust infrastructure that can endure the effects of climate change.
5. CLIMATE ADAPTATION

Sea level rise, extreme weather, and altered precipitation patterns are just a few of
the effects of climate change that green engineering aims to mitigate. Thus, this calls for
enhancing water management systems, developing resilient infrastructure, and putting
nature-based solutions into practice.

We are the engineers of tomorrow. The fate of the Earth will be determined by our
actions today.That is why, it is important to step up now and take responsibility and use
sustainability and innovation to undo what has been damaged, before it is too late.

GREEN ENGINEERING IDEAS

I. WATER SYSTEM

Classifications of water:
 ● Clean Water- from faucet/tap
● Gray Water - from baths, bathroom sinks, and washing machines
● Black Water - from toilets, dishwasher, and kitchen drains

Greywater System - A gray water system collects waste water from fixtures and appliances like
showers, baths, bathroom, and the washing machine. The gray water flows down the drain
through the pipes and is diverted into a holding tank. The water runs through a filtration system
and is then ready to use for irrigation. Untreated greywater should not be kept for longer than one
day, but adding two tablespoons of chlorine bleach per gallon of water will extend storage time
somewhat.

II. NATURAL VENTILATION:

Types of Natural Ventilation

● Wind Driven Ventilation - as wind blows across a building, it comes into contact with the
windward wall, which develops a positive pressure. Simultaneously the opposite wall,
also called the leeward wall, develops a negative pressure.
● Stack Ventilation - also known as buoyancy or thermal ventilation, is primarily induced
by temperature differences within a home. As air in a home heats up it becomes less
dense, which causes the air to rise. This warm air will leave your home through a window
or opening located higher in the home, which results in cool fresh air entering through
lower openings.

Design considerations:

● Building orientation and location.-homes should be oriented so that the windward wall is
perpendicular to the summer wind.
● Building form and dimensions - naturally ventilated buildings should not be too deep
because it will be difficult for wind driven air to pass through the home.
● Window Types
● External elements - such as trees, adjacent buildings, or other structures may obstruct the
wind.
● Air Inlet and Outlet- air inlets should be low in the room and air outlets should be higher
and across the room from the lower inlet.

III. ENERGY SOURCES:

Solar Panels- It can work with indirect sunlight, but they will not produce as much power. It
produces 10 kilowatt-hours of electricity per square foot. The average solar panel has a power
output rating of 250 to 400 watts (W) and generates around 1.5 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of energy
per day per solar panel. Most homes can meet energy needs using 20 solar panels.

IV. SUSTAINABLE CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS (Green Building Materials):

These materials are designed to endure extreme weather conditions, resist deterioration,
and have minimal environmental impact throughout their life cycle.

Carbon Footprint - refers to the total amount of greenhouse gas emissions caused by an
individual. Carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases act like a blanket or a cap, trapping some
of the heat that Earth might have otherwise radiated out into space.

a. BAMBOO:

- It has a quick growth cycle, is cost-effective, and requires no pesticides or fertilizers. Due to its
durability and lightness, bamboo makes for a great material for walls, frames, and roofing.

b. TIMBER:

- Wood is a highly sustainable and rapidly renewable building material. It helps to reduce the
carbon footprint of buildings by absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

c. CORK:

It originates from the bark of the cork oak tree and renewable material that can usually be
processed directly without the addition of synthetic substances. Because of cork’s unique cell
structure, it also stores carbon.

d. Precast Concrete

- It is made from natural ingredients like sand, gravel, and cement which are abundantly
available in nature. It is durable and requires less energy/labor to produce and assemble than
many conventional concrete types. It uses less concrete for the same coverage because of the
design optimization and minimal waste. The difference in the concrete used can be as much as
30%.

e. POLLUTION ABSORBING BRICKS:

- also known as air purifying brick, is a cutting-edge building material used to restrain air
pollution. It filters the outside air and provides it to the interior of the structure. These bricks
filter the air and separate the pollutants and other particles like dust.
Disadvantages:

● Takes Up More Space

This pollution-absorbing brick wall takes twice the space as regular walls. It certainly can result
in a reduction of space inside the structure.

● Low Capacity to Bear Loads

These bricks have less capacity to bear the load of the total structure of the building, hence you
can only build two-storey structures with these walls.

f. HEMPCRETE

- a bio-composite material that contains a mixtures of hemp, hurds and lime. It exhibits durability
and strength. Hemp absorbs carbon dioxide, thereby reducing the carbon footprint.

Disadvantages

● Not recommended for elements subjected to heavy loads, limiting its application in
certain constructions.
● Limited popularity in many countries results in overall reduced usage of hempcrete.
● Availability and cultivation of hemp are not universal, leading to difficulties in sourcing
hemp.
● Relatively higher cost compared to traditional concrete.
● Have larger dimensions than regular concrete blocks and brickwork.

g. LOW VOC PAINTS

- Safer than high-VOC paint and easier to apply. Using low-VOC paint helps reduce allergy-
causing toxins. Low-VOC paints helps to reduce the concentration of contaminants in the ozone
layer, as well as groundwater and landfills.

Cost of TRADITIONAL BUILDING VS GREEN BUILDING

Traditional and sustainable engineering are two contrasting pillars shaping our
technological world. Traditional engineering emphasizes efficiency, functionality, and cost-
effectiveness, often overlooking long-term impacts. In contrast, green engineering expands the
scope to encompass environmental, social, and ethical considerations, aiming for solutions that
safeguard our planet’s resources and future generations.

Comparative Study on the Cost Analysis of a Green Versus Conventional Building

The purpose of this study was to design a new residential building while considering
these factors and introducing LEED features to accommodate the growing need for
environmentally friendly “Green Building Initiatives”.

Conclusion:

Total cost of construction rose by 30% by adding LEED features compared to the conventional
building. Considering the savings per year, it will take approximately 15 years to even out the
added green feature cost. Therefore, construction of “green buildings” may be more expensive at
first as compared to traditional buildings, but they prove to be cheaper in the long run.

PHILIPPINE GREEN BUILDING COUNCIL

The Philippine Green Building Council (PhilGBC) is a non-profit organization dedicated to

promoting and implementing sustainable building practices in the Philippines. It aims to
transform the building industry towards sustainability, encouraging the development and
adoption of green building standards, and fostering collaboration among stakeholders.

Objectives and Mission

1. Encourage the construction and operation of buildings that are environmentally responsible
and resource-efficient throughout their life cycle.

2. Increase public and industry awareness about the benefits of green building practices,
including energy efficiency, water conservation, and improved indoor environmental quality.

3. Establish green building standards and certification systems tailored to the Philippine context.

BERDE( Building for Ecologically Responsive Design Excellence)

● BERDE was developed by PHILGBC as an appropriate response to the Philippine

building industry’s need to proactively address the negative impacts of climate change in
the property sector.
● It is a tool to measure, verify and monitor performance of buildings above and beyond
existing mandatory building and environmental regulations and standards.
 ● BERDE Assessment and Certification is credible, unbiased, balanced and impartial and is
achieved through a third party certification process conforming with international
standards.
● It is recognized as the National Voluntary Green Building Rating System of the
Philippines through the Philippine Energy Efficiency Project: Efficient Building Initiative
(PEEP-EBI) of the Department of Energy.

GREEN BUILDING CERTIFICATION

Green certifications are recognized credentials awarded to buildings or construction
projects that meet specific sustainability criteria. These are an excellent way to prove your
building or project’s commitment to environmental responsibility and energy efficiency. By
getting a green certificate, you’re letting the world know how dedicated your business and brand
are to reducing your ecological footprint and promoting a healthier, more sustainable future.

WHERE GREEN CERTIFICATIONS COME FROM

Green Building Councils, which are members of the World Green Building Council
(WorldGBC) global network, develop and administer many of the world’s building
certifications. Programs such as LEED and BREEAM have gained significant recognition
worldwide and are currently considered benchmarks for sustainable construction practices.

LEED
LEED, which stands for ‘Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design’, is a
rating system developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) to evaluate the
environmental performance of buildings and measure their sustainability. It is widely recognized
as the industry standard for green building in the United States, and used in over 160 countries
worldwide.

LEED CATEGORIES
The LEED rating system is based on a point system, with buildings earning points for
meeting certain criteria in different categories.
1. Sustainable Sites: Any new construction will have an ecological impact. This category
seeks to limit that impact on the building site, as well as the surrounding environment and
waterways
2. Location and Transport: The Location and Transportation category rewards thoughtful
decisions about building location, with credits that encourage compact development,
alternative transportation, and connection with amenities such as restaurants and parks.
3. Water Efficiency: This category awards points for installing systems that reduce water
consumption and treat water efficiently and in an environmentally sound manner. The
section is based on an “efficiency first” approach to water conservation.
4. Energy and Atmosphere: Under this category, a building can earn points for
maximizing a building’s energy efficiency, for using renewable and alternative energy
sources, and for adhering to ozone protection protocols.
5. Indoor environmental quality: In any building structure, good indoor air quality must
be achieved by removing, diminishing, and controlling any source of air pollution within
the building; providing a control device for the thermostat system to guarantee
comfortable temperatures; and implementing connections to the outdoor environment.
 6. Materials and Resources: Involves using building materials that leave less of an
environmental impact on the earth, and that reduce and control waste and decrease the
quantity of materials needed.
7. Innovations: The purpose of this LEED category is to recognize projects for innovative
building features and sustainable building practices and strategies. This category gives
points for design innovations that make the structure excel beyond expectation in the rest
of the categories.
8. Regional Priorities: These Regional Priority credits encourage project teams to focus on
their local environmental priorities.

LEED CERTIFICATION LEVELS

The LEED certification is structured across four distinct levels, each representing a
higher standard of sustainability and environmental responsibility.
 Certified (40-49 points): Achieving the Certified status signifies that a building project
has met the baseline requirements of LEED certification, securing at least 40% of the
total possible points. It is a recognition of the project's initial steps toward minimizing its
environmental impact.
 Silver (50-59 points): The Silver certification level indicates that a project has surpassed
the basic LEED requirements, achieving more than 50% of the available points. This
level reflects a significant commitment to environmental stewardship, incorporating
advanced sustainable practices that go beyond the foundational measures.
 Gold (60-79 points): Attaining Gold certification denotes that a building has excelled in
its sustainable design and operation, securing over 60% of the LEED points. This
prestigious level is indicative of a project's comprehensive adoption of best sustainability
practices.
 Platinum (80+ points): The Platinum certification represents the pinnacle of LEED
achievement, awarded to projects that earn more than 80% of the available points. This
highest level of certification is reserved for buildings that demonstrate leadership in
sustainability and have implemented cutting-edge green building technologies and
strategies. These buildings not only significantly lower their environmental impact but
also set new standards for sustainable design and construction, inspiring others to pursue
excellence in green building.

BREEAM
The BREEAM green rating system was introduced in the United Kingdom in 1990 by the
British Research Establishment (BRE) as the world’s first comprehensive green building rating
system for office and residential buildings. BREEAM, which stands for Building Research
Establishment Environmental Assessment Methodology, is a sustainability certification
scheme for buildings. It evaluates a building’s environmental performance across a range of
categories, including energy efficiency, water management, and waste reduction.

BREEAM CATEGORIES
BREEAM assessment uses recognized measures of performance to evaluate the
building’s specifications, design, construction and use. These measures are set against ten core
categories and benchmark criteria, including:
 1. Energy: This category encourages specification and design of energy efficient building
solutions that support the sustainable use of energy in the construction and operations of a
building.
2. Health and Well Being: This category ensures increased comfort, health and well being
of a building’s occupants, visitors and others in close vicinity.
3. Land Use: This category includes sustainable land use, habitat protection and
maintenance of biodiversity at the building’s site and surrounding land.
4. Materials: This category takes into consideration that materials are sourced in a
responsible way and have a low embodied impact over their life including extraction,
processing, manufacturing and recycling.
5. Management: This category encourages adoption of sustainable management practices
to ensure that robust sustainability objectives are set and followed throughout the
operation of a building.
6. Pollution: This category addresses the prevention and control of pollution caused by a
building. It aims to reduce a building’s impact on its neighboring communities and
environments in the form of light pollution, noise pollution, flooding and emissions to air,
water and land.
7. Transport: This category encourages better access to sustainable means of transport for
the occupants of a building.
8. Waste: This category is about sustainable management and reuse (where possible) of the
construction and operational waste associated with a building. By encouraging good
design and construction practices, it aims to reduce waste and avert it from the landfill as
well as recognize measures to reduce future waste
9. Water: This category is about efficient and sustainable use of water during the
construction and operations of a building. It focuses on identifying means of reducing
potable water consumption.

Each of the criteria is scored and then multiplied by a weighting. According to the
targeted rating level, there are minimum thresholds that must be achieved. Additions can be
made for specific innovations. The resulting overall score is then translated into a rating on a
scale of BREEAM® certification levels.

BREEAM CERTIFICATION LEVELS

 Outstanding: Represents pioneering best practice and denotes an exemplary
sustainability performance. This level is awarded to projects that achieve 85% or more of
the available assessment score.
 Excellent: Indicates best practice and is awarded to projects that achieve 70% or more of
the available assessment score.
 Very Good: Represents advanced good practice and is awarded to projects that achieve
55% or more of the available assessment score.
 Good: Denotes intermediate good practice and is awarded to projects that achieve 45% or
more of the available assessment score.
 Pass: Indicates that the assessed project meets acceptable sustainability standards. This
level is awarded to projects that achieve 30% or more of the available assessment score.
 Unclassified: Projects that do not meet the minimum standard to achieve a Pass rating
fall into this category.
OTHER CERTIFICATIONS
 EDGE (Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies): This certification system was
created to reduce and mitigate the environmental impact of buildings in three areas: direct
energy consumption, water consumption, and the energy footprint of its construction
materials.
 ENERGY STAR: ENERGY STAR is the trusted, government-backed symbol for energy
efficiency helping building owners save money and protect the environment through
energy-efficient products and practices.
 WELL Building Standard: This standard takes a different approach to sustainability in
buildings, instead addressing user behavior, operations management, and design factors
to determine the impact on user health and wellbeing.
 BERDE: BERDE (Building for Ecologically Responsive Design Excellence) Program
was established by the Philippine Green Building Council (PHILGBC) as an appropriate
response to the Philippine building industry's need to proactively address the negative
impacts of climate change.

GLOBAL & LOCAL GREEN INFRASTRUCTURES

Green infrastructure is any practice that uses or replicates natural systems to achieve a
desired outcome. This includes green roofs, bioswales and rain gardens. Green infrastructure
looks to nature for advice, restoring and replicating ecological systems to create human benefits.

GLOBAL GREEN INFRASTRUCTURES

BOSCO VERTICLE
Standing proudly in the Porta Nuova Isola area of Milan, Bosco Verticale (or Vertical
Forest), are two residential towers, designed by Boeri Studio. The two towers have received
LEED Gold, the highest degree of energy certification. This was possible because Bosco
Verticale is a system that optimizes, recovers and produces energy.
FEATURES THAT MAKE IT A GREEN BUILDING
 Increases Biodiversity
 Helps build a microclimate and to filter fine particles contained in the urban
environment
 An area of 500 square meters of solar panels and systems that exploit geothermal
energy

SHANGHAI TOWER
It is the tallest building in China and the second-tallest structure in the world. Recognized
as one of the world's greenest skyscrapers, Shanghai Tower achieved LEED Platinum
certification.
FEATURES THAT MAKE IT A GREEN BUILDING
 Double-Glass Façade
 Tapering Spiral Shape of The Tower
 Electricity Generation Using Wind Turbines
 Rain Water Harvesting
VANCOUVER CONVENTION CENTRE WEST
Located in Vancouver, Canada, it is designed to bring together the natural ecology,
vibrant local culture, and built environment, accentuating their interrelationships through the
architecture. It was first certified LEED Platinum for New Construction in 2010 and awarded
LEED Platinum again in 2017 for Operations + Maintenance. It is the world’s first double
LEED Platinum-certified convention center.
FEATURES THAT MAKE IT A GREEN BUILDING
 Six Acre Living Roof
 Underwater Habitat Skirt
 Seawater Heating and Cooling System
 Black Water Treatment Plant

THE EDGE
Situated in the centre of Amsterdam’s Zuidas business district, The Edge is an office
building which opens itself up to the city with its 15-storey atrium. The sophisticated design,
combined with smart and advanced technology, resulted in a 98.36% (BREEAM-NL)
sustainability score for the building. The Edge sheds new light on real estate in the future:
buildings that generate more energy than they consume.
FEATURES THAT MAKE IT A GREEN BUILDING
 Fifteen-Storey Atrium
 Powered by the Sun
 Trickle-Down Toilet Water

LOCAL GREEN INFRASTRUCTURES

ARTHALAND CENTURY PACIFIC TOWER
ArthaLand is the first in the world to achieve EDGE Zero Carbon certification for its
flagship office building, the ArthaLand Century Pacific Tower (ACPT) in Manila. It is the only
triple-certified project in the Philippines, having also earned LEED Platinum and BERDE 5-
star certification.
FEATURES THAT MAKE IT A GREEN BUILDING
 Triple- and Double-Glazed Curtain Wall Systems
 The building uses of a top of the line heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC)
system, with an average energy efficiency rating (EER) of 15, resulting in lowered
electrical consumption required for cooling.
 The building’s ventilation system is designed with a Variable Speed Drive (VSD).

ARYA RESIDENCES
The two-tower Arya Residences is the first residential high-rise in the country, located on
McKinley Parkway in Bonifacio Global City, to be registered under the US Green Building
Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program with the
certification goal of Gold.
FEATURES THAT MAKE IT A GREEN BUILDING
 Eco-friendly Design
  Water Efficient
 Energy Efficient Design and Construction

ZUELLIG BUILDING
It is the first office building in Manila’s Makati Central Business District that was pre-
certified by the U.S. Green Building Council at the LEED Gold level; the project is now LEED
Platinum certified.
FEATURES THAT MAKE IT A GREEN BUILDING
 Energy Efficiency
 Indoor Environment Quality
 Water Efficiency
 Materials and Resources

BTTC CENTRE
BTTC Centre is a Class A 12-story green building located at Ortigas Avenue corner
Roosevelt Avenue, Greenhills, San Juan, Metro Manila, Philippines.
It is the first green building in Greenhills, San Juan to receive a Gold pre-certification for
Core & Shell under LEED. It is mixed-use development offering office, commercial and retail
spaces with a floor plate of 1,384 square meters per floor.
FEATURES THAT MAKE IT A GREEN BUILDING
 Double-Glazed Glass and Walls
 Use of a power regenerating electrical system for the elevators
 Built-In Sewage Treatment Plant

GREEN ENGINEERING IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES

Developing Countries are countries with lower levels of organization and lower income per
capita. They often experience socio-economic challenges in education, poverty and medicine.
Examples of developing countries are India, Bangladesh, Indonesia and especially Philippines. It
has a growing economy and faces challenges in areas such as infrastructure, poverty reduction,
and education.

A. CHALLENGES OF DEVELOPING COUNTRIES

1. Limited Resources: Developing countries often lack the financial resources needed to
invest in expensive green technologies and infrastructure. This limits their ability to adopt
renewable energy sources, implement waste management systems, or upgrade to more
eco-friendly industrial processes.
2. Technological Access and Transfer
3. Limited Education and Expertise: Developing countries may lack the necessary
expertise and educational resources to design, implement, and maintain green engineering
 solutions effectively. This can result in suboptimal outcomes or even failure of green
projects.
4. Economic Constraints: Developing countries don't give more attention to investing to
green engineering technologies. They focused more on addressing their socio economic
concerns.

B. STRATEGIES OF DEVELOPING COUNTRIES

1. Localized Solution: Tailoring green engineering to address specific needs.
2. Technology Adaptation: Adapting to existing green engineering technologies rather
than creating their own project.
3. Partnership: Partnerships pulls funds through stakeholders, investors and such.
Government should partner with public and private sectors such sa NGOs in pooling
some resources.Through partnership, exchange of ideas promotes innovation.
4. Ecosystem-based approaches: Ecosystem-based approaches in green engineering focus
on mimicking natural systems and leveraging ecosystem services to achieve sustainability
goals. By studying and integrating natural processes into engineering designs, such as
using natural wetlands for water filtration or incorporating green roofs for stormwater
management, engineers can create more efficient and environmentally friendly solutions.
These approaches often lead to benefits like reduced environmental impact compared to
traditional engineering.

C. OPPORTUNITIES IN GREEN ENGINEERING ADAPTATION

Sustainable Development
Green engineering plays a crucial role in achieving sustainable development by integrating
environmental considerations into the design, development, and implementation of engineering
projects and processes. It focuses on minimizing environmental impact, conserving resources,
and promoting social responsibility. Through innovations like renewable energy technologies,
efficient waste management systems, and eco-friendly materials, green engineering helps
mitigate climate change, reduce pollution, and conserve biodiversity, thus contributing to long-
term sustainability.

1. No Poverty: Green engineering can create sustainable jobs and economic opportunities,
lifting people out of poverty through the development of green technologies and
industries.
2. Zero Hunger: Sustainable agriculture practices, enabled by green engineering, can
increase food production while minimizing environmental impact, contributing to food
security.
3. Good Health and Well-being: Green engineering focuses on reducing pollution and
creating healthier environments, which directly impacts public health by decreasing
incidences of diseases related to air and water pollution.
4. Quality Education: Green engineering fosters innovation and technological advancement,
providing opportunities for education and skill development in sustainable practices and
technologies.
5. Gender Equality: By promoting inclusive and equitable participation in green technology
development and implementation, green engineering can help address gender disparities
in STEM fields.
6. Clean Water and Sanitation: Green engineering develops technologies for water treatment
and conservation, ensuring access to clean water and sanitation for all.
7. Affordable and Clean Energy: Green engineering focuses on renewable energy sources
such as solar, wind, and hydroelectric power, making clean energy more accessible and
affordable.
8. Decent Work and Economic Growth: Green engineering drives the growth of sustainable
industries, creating employment opportunities and fostering economic development while
minimizing environmental impact.
9. Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure: Green engineering encourages the development
of innovative technologies and sustainable infrastructure, driving progress towards more
sustainable industrial practices.
10. Reduced Inequality: By promoting access to sustainable resources and technologies,
green engineering can help reduce inequalities within and between countries.
11. Sustainable Cities and Communities: Green engineering contributes to the development
of eco-friendly infrastructure, urban planning, and transportation systems, making cities
more sustainable and resilient.
12. Responsible Consumption and Production: Green engineering promotes the development
of eco-friendly products, processes, and services, encouraging responsible consumption
and production patterns.
13. Climate Action: Green engineering plays a crucial role in mitigating climate change by
developing renewable energy sources, improving energy efficiency, and implementing
sustainable land use practices.
14. Life Below Water: Green engineering contributes to the preservation and restoration of
marine ecosystems through technologies for sustainable fishing, pollution reduction, and
marine habitat restoration.
15. Life on Land: Green engineering supports conservation efforts and sustainable land
management practices, helping to protect terrestrial ecosystems and biodiversity.
16. Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions : By addressing environmental challenges and
promoting sustainable development, green engineering contributes to stability, justice,
and the strengthening of institutions.
 17. Partnerships for the Goals: Green engineering encourages collaboration between
governments, businesses, academia, and civil society to achieve common sustainability
objectives through knowledge sharing and technology transfer.

PHILIPPINE GREEN BUILDING CODE (June 2015)

The Philippine Green Building Code, a referral code to the National Building Code of the
Philippines, rallies to lessen the impacts of buildings to health and environment through resource
management efficiency.

With the implementation of this Code and the promise of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and
energy and water consumption by at least 20%, DPWH will herald the achievement of the
Philippine Government’s commitment to reduce carbon emissions by 70% in 2030.

Application:

PERFORMANCE STANDARDS:

1. Energy Efficiency

Building Envelope:

Air Tightness: Buildings must be planned and designed with specific details to ensure
that air tightness is maximized. Details should precisely include joints, service entry
points, windows and doors.

Glass Properties:

The requirement of Window to Wall Ratio (WWR) needs to be balanced with the amount
of daylight coming through the glazed area.
 Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC) is used to determine the amount of solar heat
admitted through the glass divided by the total solar radiation incident on the glass.

Visible light Transmittance (VLT) is used to determine the amount of light transmitted
through the glass.

Natural Ventilation: The size of the opening shall be equal to at least ten percent (10%)
of the floor area of regularly occupied spaces.

Building Envelope Color: Light-colored building envelope, especially the roof areas
which are the most vulnerable, can reduce heat transfer from the outside to the inside of
the building by having surfaces with high Solar Reflectance Index (SRI).

Roof Insulation: Buildings shall be provided with roof insulation so that the average
thermal resistance value (R-Value) of the roof is at least R-8.

Mechanical Systems:

Air conditioning typically accounts for more than fifty percent (50%) of total electricity
costs in a centrally air conditioned building. Hence, the efficiency of an air conditioning system
is of prime importance.

The use of energy-efficient water heating systems in buildings, by observing minimum

power performance requirements, will help reduce energy consumption due to heating of water.
All motors for mechanical equipment over five (5) kW shall be provided with variable speed
drive and high efficiency motors

Electrical Systems:

Building should be planned and designed to maximize the use of natural light so to reduce the
use of artificial illumination.

In order to limit the use of electricity in unoccupied areas of buildings, occupancy sensors linked
to lighting (except for emergency and security lighting) shall be installed

Escalators / Moving Ramp / Walkway must be fitted with controls to automatically reduce speed
or stop when no traffic is detected.

2. Water Efficiency

Efficient water fixtures include faucets, showerheads and water closets that use less water in
order to perform the same function of cleaning as effectively as standard models.
Minimum storage tanks size (in cu.m) shall be calculated by dividing the building footprint area
by 75. Collected water shall be used for non-potable purposes such as toilet flushing, irrigation
and cooling towers.

3. Material Sustainability

Non-Toxic building materials refer to building materials without hazardous or toxic chemicals
that could cause Sick Building Syndrome (SBS) and eventually lead to Building Related Illness
(BRI).

Paints, coatings, adhesives and sealants used indoors or nonventilated areas shall not contain
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) or should be within levels tolerable to humans.

4. Solid Waste Management

Efficient waste management requires the adoption of efficient waste management practices and
use of eco-friendly materials. General MRF shall be provided for the collection and segregation
of solid waste materials.

5. Site Sustainability

General Site clearing, grading and excavation shall be planned at the start of construction to
mitigate pollution caused by erosion and sedimentation taking into consideration existing
endemic foliage as regulated by the DENR.

All existing utilities and water bodies and waterways, shall be protected and shall not be
disturbed.

A minimum of fifty percent (50%) of the required Unpaved Surface Area (USA), as required in
Rule VII and VIII of the NBC, shall be vegetated with indigenous and adaptable species.

6. Indoor Environmental Quality

Compliance to the minimum fresh air rates provided in the latest Philippine Society of
Ventilating, Air-Conditioning and Refrigerating Engineers (PSVARE) Standards.

RA 9211, the Tobacco Regulations Act, restricts tobacco smoking in public spaces and the
prescription of designated smoking areas inside buildings.

INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS

The Secretary of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), as the concurrent
National Building Official, pursuant to Section 203 of the NBC, through the NBCDO, shall
regularly review the GB Code not to exceed three (3) years from the date of effectivity and every
three (3) years thereafter.