Evaluating The Parameters For Conversion Of Existing Buildings into Green Buildings

Abstract

The built environment has an effect on our environment, economic structure, and well-being. A green building is such which uses less energy, efficiently uses water, protects the renewable sources and gives a nourishing environment for the occupants. Therefore, green building can decrease or remove harmful effects of the environment and develop the existing current building’s unsafe design. The purpose of the research is to contribute a recognition of the concept of building green and the part it plays in accomplishing sustainability through green building assessment tools such as rating systems. The study analyses and compares two of the Indian green rating systems namely IGBC and GRIHA. The criteria of the rating systems are studied in detail. The paper also attempts to understand the parameters that provide a platform for the conversion of existing buildings into green certified buildings through sustainable methods. Guidelines are proposed in the green rating systems specifically to certify a current building as a green building. In the present study, the existing building in Nirma University has been studied in terms of methods of conversion that can be adopted to transform it into a greenbuilding. Furthermore, additional case studies of GRIHA-LD rated IIT-GandhinagarGRIHA rated CESE of IIT - Kanpur and NZEB-CEPT University are done as a background study to gain knowledge on the different aspects of building green in terms of institutional buildings. From the comparative study of the rating systems and analysis of an existing building, one can make a common checklist that covers all the features of the guidelines required to make a building green.