How can design help a building be more climate-resilient?

High-performance buildings are at the forefront of sustainable construction, focusing on energy efficiency, resource conservation, and climate resilience through integrative design and the use of sustainable materials; they employ passive and active strategies to minimise environmental impact

High-performance buildings (HPBs) are at the forefront of sustainable construction, tackling urgent needs like energy efficiency, climate resilience and resource conservation. As climate change intensifies, resources become scarcer, and urbanisation increases, HPBs — built to consume less energy, conserve resources, and withstand unpredictable weather — are an important part of achieving and keeping sustainable living.

Building an HPB requires key practices such as integrative design, lifecycle-based materials, efficient energy and water management, performance monitoring, and climate-resilient features.

What is integrative design?

At the core of HPBs is an integrative design approach that encourages architects, engineers, sustainability consultants, and building owners to work together and set measurable performance goals. These goals might aim for, say, 90% daylighting in occupied spaces or cooling in 700 sq. ft. per tonne of air-conditioning in commercial buildings. This approach ensures all building systems — air-conditioning, lighting, and building envelope components like walls, roofs, and windows — work together smoothly.

Digital modelling also plays a crucial role by creating a virtual representation of the project, allowing the team to predict performance outcomes, guide optimal system sizing, and test different strategies. With simulations, the team can adjust their strategies to meet energy-saving and thermal comfort goals before construction even begins. This predictive approach helps achieve high operational efficiency, improves resilience, and reduces long-term costs.

An example of an integrative design process in HPBs is the early use of passive design strategies, whereby designers make the most of natural sunlight and plan to use materials that retain heat (thermal mass). These strategies reduce heating and cooling demands, allowing designers to choose equipment of the right size.

What makes materials sustainable?

Materials need to be durable, energy-efficient, and prioritise occupant health. HPBs in particular prefer materials with low embodied carbon (emissions produced during manufacturing) and high recycled content. A life-cycle assessment is often used to evaluate a material’s environmental impact and reveal the most sustainable options.

Additionally, HPBs use low-emission interior materials to improve indoor air quality by reducing the concentration of volatile organic compounds (harmful substances that can easily evaporate into the air). This creates a healthier environment for occupants and improves building performance.

For example, for the upcoming Indian Institute of Human Settlements (IIHS) campus in Bengaluru, planners are using a life-cycle cost analysis to evaluate materials for comfort, durability, and the cost of envelope materials, including their impact on cooling equipment size and energy use over 50 years. (Note: The author works at the IIHS.)

How can buildings use less energy?

Buildings account for about 40% of the total energy consumption of 580 million terajoules — equivalent to 13,865 million tonnes of oil over their lifespans, primarily for operational needs. Reducing this demand requires both passive and active strategies. Passive design strategies tap into natural light, optimise building orientation, and take advantage of thermal mass to reduce the need for artificial lighting, heating, and cooling. These strategies must be tailored to the local climate and the building’s specific needs, ensuring efficient operation without heavy reliance on mechanical systems.

On the active side, HPBs use energy-efficient HVAC systems, lighting, and appliances supported by smart technologies like automated lighting control and occupancy sensors that allow real-time energy monitoring and optimisation. The Infosys Hyderabad campus was India’s first HPB to have a radiant cooling HVAC system that combines daylighting controls and task-lighting to minimise energy use.

A key goal for HPBs is net-zero energy, a.k.a. net-positive energy performance: they generate as much or more energy than they consume. Advances in affordable solar and wind technology make it easier to achieve this goal and reduce fossil fuel use.

How do HPBs save water?

Water scarcity is a critical issue nationwide, and HPBs address it by conserving and reusing water and fine-tuning quality. Efficient fixtures like low-flow faucets and dual-flush toilets reduce water use while rainwater harvesting apparatuses collect rainwater for non-potable uses like irrigation and sanitation.

On-site wastewater treatment systems also increase efficiency by recycling greywater for irrigation and treating blackwater with biological systems like constructed wetlands and sewage treatment plants. HPBs also incorporate green infrastructure elements such as permeable paving and bioswales to manage stormwater and cool urban heat-islands. Infosys campuses in India, for example, recycle 100% of their wastewater using a water management system and aerobic membrane bioreactor, earning them zero-discharge status.

Why is monitoring important?

Performance monitoring helps ensure an HPB meets design goals and operates efficiently. Using advanced monitoring systems, an HPB tracks energy consumption, water use, and indoor environmental quality in real-time. This data helps facility managers identify inefficiencies and implement corrective action. Continuous performance assessments can also validate the design and inform future projects.

For example, the second annexe of the IIHS Bengaluru campus uses a network of smart devices plus controls linked to an artificial intelligence to optimise thermal regulation.

How can HPBs handle climate risks?

HPBs are built to withstand unpredictable weather like extreme heat and flash floods — beginning with careful site selection and flood protection measures. Durable materials and diverse energy systems enhance structural resilience while passive survivability ensures the structures are habitable even during a power outage. Renewable energy systems also provide backup power, and rainwater harvesting and onsite treatment systems ensure water doesn’t run low.

For example, the Infosys Crescent building in Bengaluru is designed to use far less energy than typical office buildings. It serves about 8,000 people and uses only 75 kWh of energy per sq.m each year, while most offices use between 150 and 200 kWh. With 90% of the space air-conditioned, the building’s advanced cooling system requires 3 W per sq. ft versus the usual 4-5 W in regular offices. This shows how smart design can save energy and reduce costs without increasing building expenses.

Taken together, HPBs set the standard for buildings this century and benchmarks for sustainability and resilient built-environments. In addition to their benefits for the climate and lowering operational costs, they improve real estate value. As the practices underlying their construction and operation become more widespread, the goal should be to make all buildings HPBs.

Sandhya Patil is a sustainability expert with the Indian Institute for Human Settlements and anchors technical assistance for ASSURE. The author does not have any financial interests vested with any company or organisation that would benefit from this article

Published - November 19, 2024 08:30 am IST