Planning & Designing Cost Effective & Green Facades for Affordable Housing Projects

“AFFORDABLE” Housings as the name suggests, they must be affordable and come within the range of low to middle income people. So, to make them affordable, their construction and planning should be cost effective.

To make a project cost effective builders must cut down construction costs by using alternatives to the conventional methods and inputs. The usage of local and indigenous building materials, local skills, energy saver and environment friendly options make it possible. Also, minimizing energy consumption in buildings.

Green Buildings have less negative impact on environment than standard buildings. The green facade technology provide multiple benefits & aesthetic value to a wide variety of project types. They provide durability and functionality that make their inclusion cost effective into projects of all scales.

There are some ways of developing green facades:

  1. One is to make the facades energy efficient by cutting solar profiles in a conventional block. For each climate zone, some guidelines were developed, aiming at increasing solar exposure for buildings in cold climates and at reducing solar exposure in hot climates. This was managed to be done with the help of Residential Solar Block (RSB), which can maximize solar energy falling on roofs and on the ground, surrounding buildings in an urban area in winter. Thus maximizing the potential of passive utilization of solar energy. The RSB also supports strategies for mitigating the urban heat island through increased air flow between buildings

These glass blocks called solar squared can be integrated into building walls in new construction or as a part of renovations in existing buildings.

a) The glass blocks would allow in daylight for ambient lighting as well as generate electricity.

b) Better thermal insulation than traditional glass block, which help with climate control of the building.

The initial cost of these blocks may be high but in the long run they reduce the overall operational cost, making it cost effective in the long run by generating revenue out of it with its benefit of generating electricity.

  1. The other way is to design a successful green facade, we must have a clarity on creating “Green Walls”. They are described as a vegetated vertical surface.

Green facades are created by vines & climbing plants that are rooted in soil or containers, growing upwards or cascading down and require a structure to maintain their position, develop growth and survive through seasonal exposure.

Benefits:

  1. Green façade walls cool the exterior of the buildings by as much as 25 degree F.
  2. Green façade walls reduce indoor air temperature by reducing the heat flux into the building’s exterior walls & indoor space.
  3. Maintaining healthy, plants on a green wall can reduce exterior wall temperature, thereby saving money on cooling costs.
  4. Green façade walls can improve the energy balance of buildings through reflectance and transpiration

These benefits can help designers achieve desired energy reduction targets.

There are two methods of installation:

  • Two dimensional system.
  • Three dimensional system.

These green facades also provide healthy environment to those who are residing in the towers using them as they improve in quality by helping the storm water management.

For building energy efficient, durable, aesthetically beautiful, cost effective and adaptable housings, green façade offer a substantial asset.