An ideal “green” project preserves and restores habitat that is vital for sustaining life and becomes a net producer and exporter of resources, materials, energy and water rather than being a net consumer. A green building is one whose construction and lifetime of operation assure the healthiest possible environment while representing the most efficient and least disruptive use of land, water, energy and resources. The optimum design solution is one that effectively emulates all of the natural systems and conditions of the pre-developed site – after development is complete.

Green building brings together a vast array of practices, techniques, and skills to reduce and ultimately eliminate the impacts of buildings on the environment and human health. It often emphasizes taking advantage of renewable resources, e.g., using sunlight through passive solar, active solar, and photovoltaic equipment, and using plants and trees through green roofs, rain gardens, and reduction of rainwater run-off. Many other techniques are used, such as using low-impact building materials or using packed gravel or permeable concrete instead of conventional concrete or asphalt to enhance replenishment of ground water.

The common objective is that green buildings are designed to reduce the overall impact of the built environment on human health and the natural environment by:

• Efficiently using energy, water, and other resources
• Protecting occupant health and improving employee productivity

• Reducing waste, pollution and environmental degradation

   

Goals of Green Building:

1. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)

A life cycle assessment (LCA) can help avoid a narrow outlook on environmental, social and economic concerns by assessing a full range of impacts associated with all cradle-to-grave stages of a process: from extraction of raw materials through materials processing, manufacture, distribution, use, repair and maintenance, and disposal or recycling.

1. Siting and structure design efficiency

Concept is one of the major factor determining the impact on the environment. Designing the building in a manner where every aspect is aimed at reducing the damage to the environment is desirable. Sustainable design can reduce the footprints to a great extent.

1. Energy efficiency

Right from construction to maintenance to daily usage, energy consumption should be reduced as much as possible. Onsite generation of renewable energy through solar power, wind power, hydro power, or biomass can significantly reduce the environmental impact of the building.

1. Water efficiency

Reducing water consumption and protecting water quality are key objectives in sustainable building. To the maximum extent feasible, facilities should increase their dependence on water that is collected, used, purified, and reused on-site.

1. Materials efficiency

Building materials typically considered to be 'green' include lumber from forests that have been certified to a third-party forest standard, rapidly renewable plant materials like bamboo and straw, dimension stone, recycled stone, recycled metal, and other products that are non-toxic, reusable, renewable, and/or recyclable.

1. Operations and maintenance optimization

No matter how sustainable a building may have been in its design and construction, it can only remain so if it is operated responsibly and maintained properly. Ensuring operations and maintenance (O&M) personnel are part of the project's planning and development process will help retain the green criteria designed at the onset of the project.

1. Waste reduction

During the construction phase, one goal should be to reduce the amount of material going to landfills. Well-designed buildings also help reduce the amount of waste generated by the occupants as well, by providing on-site solutions such as compost bins to reduce matter going to landfills.

Definition:

"Green Building" is the practice of creating structures and using process that are environmentally responsible and resource-efficient throughout a building`s life-cycle from sitting to design ,construction ,operation ,maintenance ,renovation and deconstruction. This practice expands and complements the classical building design concerns of economy ,utility ,durability and comfort. Green Building is also known as "Sustainable or High Performance Building".

The ideal green building would be a building project that will allow you to preserve most of the natural environment around the project site ,while still being able to produce a building that is going to serve a purpose.

The Green Building is a structure that is environmentally responsible and resource-efficient throughout its life-cycle. These objectives expand and complement the classical building design concerns of economy ,utility ,durability and comfort.

The construction and operation will promote a healthy environment for all involved ,and it will not disrupt the land ,water ,resources and energy in and around the building.

The Green Building concept is gaining importance in various countries. These are buildings that ensure that waste is minimized at every stage during the construction and operation of the building ,resulting in low costs according to the experts in the technology.

Green Buildings are designed in such a way to reduce overall impact on environment and human health by :

1. Reducing trash ,pollution and degradation of environment.
2. Efficiently using energy ,water and other resources.
3. Protecting occupant health and improving productivity.
4. Minimal disturbance to landscapes and site condition.
5. Use of non-toxic and recycled/recyclable material .
6. Efficient use of water and water recycling.
7. Use of energy efficient and eco-friendly equipments.
8. Use of Renewable energy.
9. Quality of indoor air quality for human safety and comfort.
10. Effective controls and building management systems.

The Green Building movement in India was started in 2003 and received a major impetus when, CII -sohrabji Godrej Green Business Centre building in Hyderabad became the first green building in India which was awarded with the prestigious and the much covered LEED(Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Platinum rating by the US Green Building Council(USGBS) and also became the world`s greenest building in 2003.

For having this Green Building Concept, some or all of the following steps need to be followed:

• Proper Building Orientation and Landscape and emphasis on natural light.
• High efficiency insulated glass windows can reduce requirements of energy during the operation or use of building. Thus it will emit minimum carbon dioxide CO2.
• Minimize Cement/concrete consumption through innovative architecture and Structural Design for optimum use of cement.
• Maximum use of waste Pozzolanic material like fly ash in Concrete Mixture along with cement.
• Non-toxic paints should be used on the walls. These use water rather than petroleum based solvents and do not emit smog producing pollutants. This will improve Indoor Air Quality.
• Use Sewage treatment and recycle the waste water from bathroom and Kitchen.
• Install simple Wind turbines on the roof, which can be used to generate electricity for use when there is no power.
• Provide Rainwater Harvesting systems on the roof of building to collect water, which can be used to flush Toilets or for general wash or recharge the ground.