IIT Gandhinagar was first proposed and announced by the ministry of human resource development in 2008 the world is suffering. That is what every naturalist says whenever they get an opportunity to speak to the public and the main issue is global warming. Global warming has a very long history ever since the agricultural revolution which was started 30,000 years ago. And now the major world countries are taking steps to reduce global warming through various processes. One of the processes was green building and sustainable development. The green rating for integrated habitat assessment ( GRIHA ) helps in assessing the buildings that ensure their sustainability and their natural green concepts. The Indian Institute of Technology, Gandhinagar also called IITGN is the first building to get a five-star rating from the GRIHA.

IIT Gandhinagar Case study

• Architects: madhav hundekar, makarand godbole, madura mulay and vikram hundekar
• Developers: mitimitra consultants pvt. Ltd, hcp design planning and management pvt. Ltd, vastu shilpa consultants and jhaveri associates
• Location: gandhinagar, gujarat
• Completion year: 2015
• Plot area: 400 acres

Griha:

Griha is an Indian council that quantifies aspects like energy consumption, waste generation, renewable energy adoption, etc, and helps the people to assess by giving ratings. Moreover, the projects with a minimum built-up area of 20,000sq.m are considered for the rating. This helps in improving the community by reducing high energy consumption and environmental pollution. The IIT Gandhinagar was the first building project to get a five-star rating from the GRIHA and also received an overall impact score of 25.9 percent.

History of IIT Gandhinagar

The Indian Institute of technology of Gandhinagar was first proposed and announced by the ministry of human resource development in 2008. It was begun by operating in a temporary campus at Vishwakarma government engineering college, Chandkheda. Later the commencement of the project was begun when the act was passed by the Lok Sabha in 2011 and by the Rajya Sabha in 2012. However, the academics of the college collaborated with the California Institute of technology and the University of Notre dame. The academic activities began in July 2015.

Also, Read: Blavantnik School of Government – Forum of Integrity

Location

Along the beautiful banks of the Sabarmati river in the Palaj village of Gandhinagar lies the IIT Gandhinagar covering the site of 400 acres. However, the land actually given by the government of Gujarat under a lease for 99 years.

Sustainability & energy efficiency:

The main aim of the project is to use the resources in a more efficient manner. During the inauguration of the institution, the director of the institute said “sustainability is a key focus at IIT Gandhinagar in everything we do and that includes the development of our campus. The IIT Gandhinagar master plan demonstrates that green initiatives need not come with a hefty price tag”. Also, the renewable energy installation on the campus proposed to have a capacity of 500kwp for the site area of 2,11,795sq.m. The campus has many environmentally safe elements site as sustainability in site planning, water management, solid waste management, energy optimization, sustainable transport, and social sustainability.

Sustainability in IIT Gandhinagar site Planning

The landscape of the site has combined with the building cluster to reduce the increase in outdoor ambient air temperature. The hard paving of the campus has reduced. The holding ponds form the sustainable urban damage system implemented on the site. The stormwater drainage reduces the peak run-off quantity.

Water Management

The campus does not have an outgoing sewage line to the municipality. Thus, the wastewater treats with anaerobic reactors and a root treatment zone. And the recycled water used for irrigation for the plants on the site.

The annual water demand reduces by 41.86% through the reuse of treated water. However, low-flow fixtures are used on the campus. Also, the dewaters system in the site treats 100% of the wastewater.

Also, Read: Indian Institute of Management-Banglore

Rainwater harvesting

The campus has a unique system of rainwater harvesting. All the rooftops of the campus connect to the stormwater drainage. These pipes connect to the six rainwater storage structures also called Jal mandaps through a gravity feed system. The collected rainwater is also pumped to the water treatment plant and mixed with Narmada canal water. Then treated and pumped back to campus for kitchen and bathing purposes. However, these jaw mandaps have the capacity to sustain for 40 days on the campus.

Solid Waste Management

The biogas plants on the campus treat all the organic wastes generated and used for generating electricity. The kitchen wastes converted into manure. All other wastes are collected and are recycled by the authorized recyclers. Reusable products used on the campus to reduce waste generation like using reusable glasses in the tea stalls instead of using plastic or paper cups.

Energy Optimization IIT Gandhinagar

The buildings are designed in a manner that is 46% more energy-efficient than GRIHA in the base case while the street lights were 85% more efficient than GRIHA’s base case. The street lights installation with automatic switches meeting minimum lighting requirements.

Solar photovoltaic panels installation in every building in the academic complex generating electricity. Also, the total energy demand of the campus is 1000kwp. There is a solar carport between the academic complex and the hostel which generates about 190kwp. The total power generated from the rooftop solar panels and the carport solar panels is 500kwp during peak hours. Led lights are installed in many locations throughout the campus.

Also, Read: Mahatma Gandhi Labor Institute – by B. V. Doshi

The energy consumption, further reduced by passive cooling techniques. In addition, the use of passive downdraft evaporative cooling ( PDEC ) techniques can observe in various blocks of the campus. The academic complex building 7 combines the use of PDEC mist pipes, a night purge system, and a cavity wall system. Jaali screens are also provided in the hostel buildings.

Sustainable Transport

The continuous and universally accessible footpaths improve the workability in the campus. Electronic vehicles are used inside the campus for inner movement. Electric charging facilities are provided for more than 10% of the total car and two-wheeler parking slots. However, cycles encourage inside the campus for movements by the sustainable cycle pooling initiative. Also, a campus itself provides cycles for the students for three hours daily.

Social Sustainability

The campus has designed to ensure universal accessibility. However, every student on the campus has taught environmental awareness to produce a better society and a better world.

Thus, the Indian Institute of Technology, Gandhinagar ensures a green environment and energy efficiency throughout the campus. Every building is also an art and every art has a statement that tells the whole world. Thus, this design of the campus always tells the same thing. The earth is suffering.

Also, Read: The Center for Development Studies, Trivandrum – A Laurie Baker Masterpiece