Building Sense : Certificate course for Sustainable Building Concepts and Practices

September 27-28, 2016

Centre for Science and Environment’s Sustainable Buildings and Habitat Programme organized a training programme on ‘Sustainable building concepts and practices” exclusively for the State Pollution Control Board, Andhra Pradesh officers from different technical backgrounds. The two day programme aimed to deepen the understanding of existing policies, their potential and constraints in promoting efficient use of resources and minimizing waste in public buildings. The programme explored the scope of harmonizing the policy-driven and market-driven approaches to accelerate the adoption of resource-efficient practices in buildings.

The program began with lighting of lamps. The inaugural session witnessed the presence of Dr. Phani Kumar, Chairman, APPCB; Shri B.S.S. Prashad, Member Secretary, APPCB;  Shri S.V.K. Reddy, JCEE; Ms Anumita RoyChowdhury , Executive director , CSE.  In the beginning Shri Siva Reddy welcomes the chief guest, other guests, media people and participants. He also briefed about the objective and significance of this training programme.  Shri BSS Prashad, Member secretary, APPCB provided an overview of issues concerning building construction and energy use.   Dr.  Phani Kumar, Chairman, APPCB, emphasized and suggested the need of passive design strategies in a building.

The programme included more than 10 sessions and brought together 42 senior officers to suggest ways for integrating green measures in building practices.

The training addressed and focused on following components:

  1. Green buildings environment connection: The big picture
  2. Why green buildings
  3. Housing: from exclusion to inclusion
  4. Sustainable energy in buildings : The big picture
  5. Environmental regulations in buildings
  6. Priortize materials in sustainable design
  7. Water sensitive design and waste water treatment techniques and management in buildings
  8. Solid waste management policies and practices in India
  9. Building energy simulation and energy audit
  10. Energy efficienct building technologies

The training programme started with a lecture delivered by Ms. Anumita Roychowdhury , giving a big picture on buildings and its environment connection. The way in which she gave ideas about sustainability and concepts of green buildings was wonderful. The presentation provided an overview of issues concerning urbanization, building construction and energy use with a special focus on developmental challenges in building sectors. She highlighted the fact that the India has still to build 70 per cent of its building stock which will be there in 2030. Pointing out that we have great opportunity to develop differently and be more sustainable.

She was followed by a presentation on ‘Why green buildings’ delivered by Mr. Deependra Prashad,   giving an overview of Green Buildings and its importance for sustainable development.  He was followed by presentations on ‘Housing: from exclusion to inclusion”  delivered by Anumita Roychowdhury. The day ended with two evening sessions on ‘Sustainable energy in buildings: The big picture’ and ‘Environmental regulations in buildings’ delivered by Mr. Inderjit Ahuja.

The second day started with Deependra Prashad, Principal Architect DeependraPrashad, Architects & Planners (DPAP), Delhi and he talked about the “Priortizing materials in sustainable design”. His presentation examined the types of "green" building materials available and how to select the best ones for your specific needs.  The materials used to construct buildings can make a tremendous difference in preserving natural resources and promoting human health.

Later the two sessions dedicated to waste management. Firstly, Ms. Chhavi  Sharda from CSE talked about waste water treatment techniques and management  in buildings and then Ms. Swati Sambyal from CSE highlighted solid waste management policies and practices in India. The training was ended with focus on building energy technologies with lectures on ‘Building energy simulation’ and ‘HVAC and lighting Technologies’ by expert Mr. Sameer Divekar from dbHMS consultants.

In the feedback session, Participants appreciated the content and methodology of the training and felt that the programme was of more informative, inspirational and beneficial that enabling them to design sustainable buildings. Shri Reddy from APPCB concluded the programme by acknowledged the initiative taken by CSE and look forward to work more on implementation side of the projects.