Sustainable Building

• mud and fly ash blocks instead of burnt brick or concrete
• timber for doors and windows
• 25 per cent of external wall area glazed
• noaluminium or PVC used

90 per cent materials sourced from around Delhi; thus involving minimum transportation Highly efficient use of materials

• thinferro-cement channels with stone slabs instead of heavy concrete slabs
• stone flooring pattern designed to reduce waste to less than 5%

Exposed brick work without paints
b) 40 per cent less operational energy

• User acceptance of indoor temperature range from 180 to 280 Celsius
• Optimised orientation to
  • maximise natural lighting and ventilation
  • minimise heat gain
• “Green clothing” (planting on building façade), cavity walling and built-in shading devices to minimise heat gain
• Innovative “Hybrid” air conditioning system minimising use of energy and water
  • prioritising evaporative cooling for hot and dry months
  • supplemented by refrigerant cooling for hot and humid months

c) 100 per cent waste water recycled

• Rainwater harvested for use or ground water recharge
• Waste water recycled for use in toilets and gardens
• Surplus waste water treated before recharging ground water

d) 15 per cent recycled materials

• Mud from old building salvaged to make new compressed earth blocks
• Stones used for masonry
• Industrial wastes, such as fly ash and stone dust used in construction

e) 30 per cent less steel

• Ferro-cement channels with minimal steel bars and chicken-wire mesh
• Shallow domes with Fly Ash blocks requiring no steel reinforcement
• Short-span reinforced cement concrete frame for basic structure

f) CFC free building

• Committed to protecting the Ozone Layer
• Permissible refrigerant used; can be upgraded as better refrigerants are made available

g) 30 per cent less cement

• 25mm thick ferro-cement channels, instead of 150mm thick slabs
• Minimal cement plastering – celebration of exposed natural materials
• Filler slabs using local artisan (pottery) skills

h) People Driven Design

• Interactive process between the DA staff and the architects; design evolved over a series of workshops
• Sensitive to requirement of universal access
• enabling persons with disabilities to reach all points with ease
• enabling persons from all strata of society to feel welcome
• Child-care and recreational facilities

i) Commitment to People and Nature

• Promotion of skill-based techniques and artisan products
• terracotta fenestration
• materials produced from micro-enterprises
• All wood from managed plantations
• Promotion of sustainable livelihoods and local rural and peri-urban economies

The original dream the vision that we had (for this building) was to create a workplace where young people could give their best. Their total creativity to nation building.