The Green Touch for Delhi’s New Recreation Center and Solarium Garden

It is now beyond doubt that sustainability and energy-efficiency are being given their due importance in India, and this importance is manifesting itself in green architecture all over the country. Joining this bandwagon is a new Recreation Centre and Solarium in Delhi, to be inaugurated later this year. With all the eco-friendly aspects that are to be incorporated into its design, this Recreation centre is likely to stand out among other similar buildings.

The structure is sprawled over five acres of land, incorporating a green design that also provides a habitat of luxury in the indoors as well as the outdoors. The building is also unique for the fact that the environment created is conducive to outdoor activity throughout the year. This design has been provided by Mumbai-based architecture firm Prem Nath & Associates.

The Solarium, spread over 1 million square feet will be a multi-use destination complete with a farm, pool, gymnasium, aquatic centre and a library, all under a canopy made of enormous solar panels, a grey-water system, and passive cooling/heating design.

Glass with Aluminum

The entire structure is formed from glass and aluminum sections. Double-glazed low-e glass is held in place with high-strength horizontal fiber glass tendons and aluminum structural members. The clean construction gives way to an equally streamlined interior that is rendered clutter-free. The temperature inside the structure is regulated to meet the requirements of occupant comfort as well as to optimize conditions for the growth of plants.

The aluminum frame was designed to make the structure homogenous, lightweight and structurally stable. Photovoltaic solar panels on the roof work with the low-e glass to control temperature and reduce energy consumption, and rotating louvers on the roof help flood the indoors with ample fresh air. Meanwhile, motion sensors and LUX intensity meter sensors control lighting for efficient energy consumption.

The high gloss aluminum finish, the envelope of green landscape, the manicured lawns and the local tree plantations keep privacy intact. Trees have been illuminated with floor and trunk mounted lighters, concealed cleverly for glare-free lighting, and there are various theme indoor gardens with fruit tree plantations, sculptures, and pathways curbed with flowering plants. Some rare and exotic species of plants have been planted inside the structure as well as in the garden. Irrigation requirements within the complex will be partially fulfilled with recycled water.







Energy Efficient Glass Structure - European Investment Bank Headquarters

The winner of the first place in the Emilio Ambasz Prize for Green Architecture for International Buildings for 2010 was European Investment Bank in Luxembourg. This truly iconic building was designed by Ingenhoven Architects.


This extensively glazed building is famed for its unique structural design, apart from several energy-efficient design elements. By virtue of these qualities, this office building achieved the coveted “Very Good” rating under the United Kingdom’s Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM). It is also the first building on continental Europe to have been assessed under this scheme.

The headquarters of the EIB boast of a 170 meter-long tubular glass and steel structure with a zigzagging non-hierarchical office layout. This 72,500 sq meter building has enough office space and facilities for 750 employees and includes indoor ‘warm’ atria, a cafeteria, restaurant, and a connection to nearby buildings.

The building is completely shielded by 13,000 sq meters of glass that allow the penetration of daylight easily from all angles. Operable windows allow occupants to directly control the room temperature and permit natural ventilation.

Glass Roof

The highlighted tubular glass roof, framed with light-weight steel, covers 170m by 50m of building area. Being glazed, the roof offers maximum daylight and transparency and is key to the building’s environment-friendly concept as it curves around the office floor plates. The tubular glass envelope allows for daylighting of the working bays. The transparency of the external envelope is reflected internally by an open office layout that promotes free interaction.

This glass roof curves around the floor plates to create atriums in the V-shaped “gaps” of the building wings. The landscaped winter gardens on the side of the valley are unheated and act as climate buffers; they reduce variations between the outside temperature and the desired temperature in the offices, thereby contributing to lowering heating requirements in winter and cooling requirements in summer.



In contrast, the atriums on the boulevard side serve as circulation spaces. The largest atrium houses the main entrance to the building, and so temperatures in these areas have to be kept at a comfortable level. Both winter gardens and “warm” atriums are naturally ventilated through open flaps in the shell to draw fresh air into the building and to reduce heat gain especially in the summer months.

Cold water pipes also run through the concrete floor slabs, creating chilled ceilings in order to cool the building in summer and to regulate the building temperature between seasons. In winter, thermal energy from solar heat gain is used to heat the building, thus reducing energy consumption.

Energy Conservation

Mechanical systems such as lighting, sun shading, heating, cooling and ventilation can be controlled individually. Wastage is avoided as much as possible, as individual settings are reset to the most efficient levels possible several times a day by the central control unit. Staff members can open their windows to the atriums and winter gardens or to the outside at almost all times.

All offices are equipped with a control panel that allows building users to individually regulate blinds for sun shading, lighting and temperature. Artificial office lighting is restricted to 300 Lux throughout the offices. However, staff can illuminate their individual work spaces with desk lamps to 500 Lux. This overall reduction in general lighting Lux levels significantly reduces the building’s energy consumption.

All surfaces - walls, floors and ceilings - are also designed to make optimum use of daylight, enhance luminosity and thus contribute to a pleasant working atmosphere.

Efficient Construction Materials   Construction materials were selected in accordance with the energy used for their manufacture, with materials with the least energy consumption given preference. The internal façade frames, for example, which cover a surface area of 17,600m2, are made of wood rather than aluminium because research found that the energy used in the manufacture of the wooden materials is only 2% of that which would have been expended in the manufacture of the equivalent aluminium profiles.

This environmental philosophy extended to the construction site, where the majority of materials were chosen for their small environmental impact. For example, all wood used has been certified by the FSC or the PEFC (programme for the endorsement of forest certification).

Elegant Glazing of Capital Gate Tower

Abu Dhabi is the home to one of the world's great buildings - Capital Gate, an iconic and avant-garde building that blends the beauty of the wave with the power of technical advancement.




Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company (ADNEC) has revealed that glazing work on the iconic Capital Gate Tower, currently under construction next to Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre, is complete. This “Capital Gate” has been designed by the New York firm RMJM architects.



Capital Gate forms the focal point of Capital Centre, the business and residential micro city being developed by ADNEC around the thriving Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre. The Capital Gate is a 160m-tall leaning tower in Abu Dhabi, UAE.



The architecture of the Capital Gate tower is dotted with monster glass panels. Monster glass panels for Abu Dhabi’s 'leaning tower' development have arrived on what the project team claims is the world’s biggest flatbed truck. The panels are for the Capital Gate building, which architect RMJM recently submitted for the Guinness Book of Records as the ‘world’s most inclined building’. It has a tilt of 18 degrees – over four times more than the Italy’s Leaning Tower of Pisa.



More than 12,500 individually shaped glass panels have been installed on Capital Gate's façade in a complex engineering feat which has taken ADNEC and its construction partners ten months to complete. In an intricate operation, 728custom-made glass panels have been used. Each pane of glass had to be a slightly different shape and fitted at a different angle due to the building's unique lean and its curved profile. The first two glazing panels are weighing approximately 5 tonnes each.

The tower's unique shape and character made the installation of the glazing particularly challenging for the engineers. It is a compliment to all involved that the installation took place during ADNEC's busiest year ever for exhibitions and events; yet, there was no disruption to the visitors or exhibitors.

The glass panes on Capital Gate make up more than 700 larger glass "diamonds," and were manufactured in the United Sates with the steel frames holding the glass precision-cut in Austria before being shipped to the UAE. ADNEC stored the glass panels away from the construction site and delivered them as needed, on enormous flatbed trucks. Once they reached the Capital Gate construction site they were meticulously placed into the correct position by on-site engineers.

The RMJM project team is using the glass to create a new kind of glazing system called ‘Cardinal C240’, which is anti-glare but also highly transparency. The glass used is a highly energy-efficient glass and low e glass. This glass has two silver coatings which minimise glare and maximise light transmission. The double glazed façade will allow natural daylight into the building while boosting energy efficiency and shielding users from harmful glare. The use of this advanced variety of glass is a 'first' for the UAE. The 'pressure-plate' system that has been developed for the steel frame which holds each pane in place guarantees the water tightness of the façade and allows thinner panes of glass to be used, thereby reducing the weight of the glazing system.

The lean and curve of the building added considerable complexity to the glazing process. A few glass panes have deliberately been left out to ensure that adequate ventilation exists prior to the installation of the air conditioning.

Due to its unique shape, Capital Gate is being constructed on top of a concrete raft with a dense mesh of reinforced steel. The steel Diagrid sits above an extensive distribution of 490 piles that have been drilled 30m underground to accommodate the gravitational and wind loads. The angles and dimensions of the building facade have been meticulously designed to ensure that each individually shaped panel accurately defines the shape of this magnificent structure.

Eco-Green Hotel Afloat in Water – The Ark

That every modern building on the face of this earth seeks to be a sustainable entity is an oft-repeated and well-established fact. Interestingly, this trend is now finding its way even through buildings built on water. And as if in testimony, a gigantic arch-shaped hotel named “The Ark” has been built on sea water by the Russian architectural firm Remistudio, in collaboration with the International Union of Architects’ programme titled “Architecture for Disaster Relief.”

The core concept behind the architecture of this unique building is safety and protection from extreme environmental conditions and climate change.

Sprawled over a total site area of 4500 m2, this building can withstand extreme floods caused by rising sea levels, and floats autonomously on the surface of the water owing to its arch-shaped structure. The Ark is also designed to be a bioclimatic house with independent life-support systems, including elements that ensure a closed-functioning cycle.

Make-up of The Ark

Timber arches and steel ropes used in construction provide structural solidity to the building. The framework is covered by a special foil made of Ethyl TetraFluoroEthylene (ETFE) - a strong, highly transparent foil, self-cleaning, recyclable, highly durable, economical, and lighter than glass. The foil itself is fixed to the framework by special metal profiles, which also serve as solar collectors for water heating and as gutters that collect rainwater from the roof surface. A prefabricated frame allows for fast construction.

The cupola in the upper portion collects warm air which is gathered in seasonal heat accumulators to provide uninterrupted energy supply for the whole complex. The heat from the surrounding environment – the outer air, water or ground – is also used. The building can produce extra power for supplying to adjacent houses and for “green” means of transport.


The building makes a single energy system. The form of the cupola assists in creating an air-eddy at the outer surface around the central bearing, where the wind power and tornado generators are placed. The form of the building allows for placement of photoelectric cells at an appropriate angle to the Sun.

The base of the building is shell-like in structure, devoid of ledges or angles, rendering it very suitable for climatically and seismically sensitive regions. A load-bearing system of arches and cables allows weight redistribution along the entire corpus in case of an earthquake.

Green Touch


• Lush vegetation helps provide good quality of air and a source of food.

• All plants are chosen as per the principles of compatibility, illumination and efficiency of oxygen production

• A transparent roof allows for penetration of sufficient light for the plants in there interiors.

• The design uses solar panels and a rainwater collection system to provide occupants with power and water.

Read more on Green Building Glass http://www.glazette.com/glass-and-green-buildings-349.html
                                                                                                                                                       

Scaling New Heights with Glass in Construction

The Shard, London – Europe's Tallest Building


The Shard has just scaled new heights in architectural glass design history as the tallest building in Europe and the second-tallest free-standing structure in the United Kingdom. The very name is a tribute to glass, as it shimmers over 1016 feet high, designed with an irregular pyramid shape from the base up to the top. Clad entirely in glass, The Shard boasts of a sophisticated use of glazing with expressive façades of angled glass panes. A whopping 11000 panes of glass have been used across the building. These panes have been so used to reflect sunlight and the sky, so that the building's appearance transforms in tune with the weather and seasons. 


Besides its visual beauty, The Shard is a towering example of sustainability and energy-efficient Glass.

• 95% of the construction materials recycled

• 20% of all steelwork from recycled sources

• Local jobs and training ensured during construction and operation

• Combined heat and power creates efficiencies across the whole site saving 10% CO2 annually

• Triple skin intelligent façade minimized the effects of solar gain, whilst allowing maximum use of natural light

• Fitted with a combined heat and power (CHP) plant, operating on natural gas

• The gas engine fuelled by gas originating from the National Grid; fuel efficiently converted to electricity and heat recovered from the engine to provide hot water for the building.

The Shard is a project by the renowned Sellar Property Group, designed by the celebrated Italian architect Renzo Piano in collaboration with Britain’s Richard Rogers. Conceptualized as a mixed-use tower with office, hotel, residential and public space, it accommodates 72 habitable floors. It has a viewing gallery and open-air observation deck (UK's highest) on the 72nd floor, at a height of 804 feet. Unveiled on 5th July, 2012, it is scheduled to open to the public in February 2013.


Setting tall standards in building design excellence, The Shard has indeed touched glorious new heights with its classy, glass facade...

The Green Touch for Delhi's New Recreation Center and Solarium Garden

It is now beyond doubt that sustainability and energy-efficiency are being given their due importance in India, and this importance is manifesting itself in green architecture all over the country. Joining this bandwagon is a new Recreation Centre and Solarium in Delhi, to be inaugurated later this year. With all the eco-friendly aspects that are to be incorporated into its design, this Recreation centre is likely to stand out among other similar buildings.

The structure is sprawled over five acres of land, incorporating a green design that also provides a habitat of luxury in the indoors as well as the outdoors. The building is also unique for the fact that the environment created is conducive to outdoor activity throughout the year. This design has been provided by Mumbai-based architecture firm Prem Nath & Associates.

The Solarium, spread over 1 million square feet will be a multi-use destination complete with a farm, pool, gymnasium, aquatic centre and a library, all under a canopy made of enormous solar panels, a grey-water system, and passive cooling/heating design.

Glass with Aluminum

The entire structure is formed from glass and aluminum sections. Double-glazed low-e glass is held in place with high-strength horizontal fiber glass tendons and aluminum structural members. The clean construction gives way to an equally streamlined interior that is rendered clutter-free. The temperature inside the structure is regulated to meet the requirements of occupant comfort as well as to optimize conditions for the growth of plants.

The aluminum frame was designed to make the structure homogenous, lightweight and structurally stable. Photovoltaic solar panels on the roof work with the low-e glass to control temperature and reduce energy consumption, and rotating louvers on the roof help flood the indoors with ample fresh air. Meanwhile, motion sensors and LUX intensity meter sensors control lighting for efficient energy consumption.

The high gloss aluminum finish, the envelope of green landscape, the manicured lawns and the local tree plantations keep privacy intact. Trees have been illuminated with floor and trunk mounted lighters, concealed cleverly for glare-free lighting, and there are various theme indoor gardens with fruit tree plantations, sculptures, and pathways curbed with flowering plants. Some rare and exotic species of plants have been planted inside the structure as well as in the garden. Irrigation requirements within the complex will be partially fulfilled with recycled water.

Okhta Tower to be Europe's Tallest Green Building

Sustainable buildings in Europe will have a new height to scale with the creation of the Gazprom Tower, officially known as the Okhta Tower. The plan has recently been given the green signal to begin construction; it will be designed by UK-based architectural firm RMJM. Upon completion, this building will be the tallest in Europe and one among the world’s most energy-efficient.

St. Petersburg in Russia will be the home to Okhta Tower, which through its 77 storeys will cross 400 metres in height. This tower will primarily serve as headquarters to Gazprom’s oil unit, OAO Gazprom Neft, and will also be home to a concert hall, a museum, a hotel and a business centre. In the name of sustainability, this tower will incorporate multiple elements for energy-efficiency during construction.

Glass Skin

The building will be insulated by an exoskeleton, dubbed as a low-energy ‘fur coat’, and will consist of two layers of glazed glass ‘skin’ with an atrium between the inner and outer walls. This buffer zone will supply the building with natural ventilation, sunlight for interior lighting and at the same time will act as a thermal insulation by keeping the structure warm during fierce minus 30 degrees Russian winters. Trees and plants will be sandwiched between the double glass walls, which will be responsible for providing warmth in winter and lower temperatures in summer.

The outer wall will comprise of temperature-colour-changing glass panels. This tower will change colour up to 10 times a day depending on the position of the sun, and creating a dazzling scene of a 300m-tall twisting glass tower across 75 floors.

Inspired by the pentagonal plan of an ancient Scandinavian fort believed to have once occupied the site, the tower consists of a central concrete core ringed by five square interlocking floorplates. The floorplates spin on their axes as they ascend, giving the building its twisted effect. A 'cog mechanism' - whereby the five floorplates interlock - ensures the tower's stability.

Sustainability

The pentagram design of the tower maximises access to daylight and allows for spectacular views for the offices without losing heat due to exposed surface area in comparison to other structures.

Specialized water, heating and ventilation systems have also been incorporated to reduce the energy consumption levels of the building. There will be a public viewing gallery on the 70th floor.

The office floor plans will also feature a large number of social spaces and green zones that will let the workers to access leisure areas without wasting energy by using elevators for vertical transportation.

The cost of construction is estimated at to $2.4bn. This cost will be borne jointly by Gazprom's subsidiary Gazprom Neft ($1.4 billion) and the St Petersburg City Administration ($1 billion).