Indian Institute of Technology (IIT, New Delhi) organized a workshop on “Green Building for Indian Smart Cities” on 07th November 2015. Seven students from Civil Engineering department of Dronacharya Group of Institutions, Greater Noida, participated in the workshop. “Green” Buildings are high performance structures that meet certain standards for reducing natural resource consumption .Green Building are designed to reduce the overall impact on human health and the natural environment by using energy , water and other resources efficiently and by reducing waste, pollution and environmental degradation.

Objective of Green Building:

1. Efficient management of energy and water resources

2. Management of material resources and waste

3. Restoration and Protection of environmental quality

4. Enhancement and Protection of health and indoor environmental quality

5. Reinforcement of natural systems

6. Analysis of the life cycle costs and benefits of materials and methods

7. Integration of the design decision making process

The first session started with welcome note by Dr. B. Bhattacharjee Professor, IIT Delhi, who discussed the Government policies regarding the Green Building. Then Dr. Mukesh Khare, Professor,Civil Engineering, IIT Delhi, introduced the theme of the workshop and explained the purpose of organizing the workshop. Green building is one which uses less water, optimizes energy efficiency , conserves natural resources , generates less waste and provides healthier space for occupants as compared to conventional building.

Proceeding the session Dr. S. Bhalla Professor, Civil Engineering, IIT Delhi gave glimpse of Smart Sensing Research. A sensor producing an electrical output when combined with interfacing electronic circuit is known as “ Smart Sensor” which is a combination of both sensor and actuator. It is simply physical, biological or chemical input & converts it to the measured value into a digital format. He told IIT Delhi, aims to carry research towards the development of new sensors and techniques based on smart materials for structural health monitoring, biomechanics and energy harvesting and other interdisciplinary applications involving structural dynamics. Structural Dynamics, is a type of structural analysis which covers the behavior of structures subjected to dynamic (actions having high acceleration) loading. Dynamic loads include people, wind, waves, traffic, earthquakes, and blasts. Any structure can be subjected to dynamic loading.

The second session was conducted by Dr. Sumedha Moharana Professor, IIT Delhi, who discussed areas of sensing in civil engineering structure. Dr. Sumedha explained about piezoelctric materials and adaption of piezoelectric material for RC structure and latest piezoelectric based sensor such as concrete vibration sensor (CVS), Piezo - based foot pressure sensor. Piezoelectricity, is the electric charge that accumulates in certain solid materials (such as crystals, certain ceramics, and biological matter such as bone, DNA and various proteins) in response to applied mechanical stress. The word piezoelectricity means electricity resulting from pressure.

Next, Dr. T. Visalakshi HOD Civil Engineering ABES Engineering College, Ghaziabad, discussed EMI Technique and Geopolymer Concrete such as strength monitoring variation of equivalent stiffness and damping. Geopolymers are inorganic, typically ceramic, materials that form long-range, covalently bonded, non - crystalline (amorphous) networks. Geopolymer concrete is hardened cementations paste made from flyash and alkaline solution, combines waste products into useful products ,setting mechanism depending on polymerization , curing temperature between 60° - 90°.

Dr. Mukesh Khare Professor, Civil Engineering, IIT Delhi took the third session and explained about wall panels indoors. He gave introduction on Indoor Air Quality (IAQ), its problem, poor IAQ result and its reason. Wall panels offer improved performance and functional benefits like sound transfer reduction between rooms, protection of walls from scratches, wear and discoloration, nearly zero maintenance or upkeep once installed. Indoor air quality (IAQ) is a term which refers to the air quality within and around buildings and structures, especially as it relates to the health and comfort of building occupants.

Mr. Diwakar Bhagat, Professor, Civil Engineering, IIT Delhi covered building material as sources of Indoor Air Pollution in typical office building. A major source of indoor air pollution in developing countries is the burning of biomass(e.g. wood, charcoal, dung, or crop residue) for heating and cooking. Indoor Air pollution in developing nations is major health hazard globally.

Dr. Roger West Associate Professor, Civil, Structure and Environmental Engineering, Trinity College, Dublin Ireland , briefed about evaluation of absorption properties of material by mathematical modeling such as first order absorption /desorption rate models and Linear Langmuir model. The Langmuir adsorption model explains adsorption by assuming an adsorbate behaves as an ideal gas at isothermal conditions.

The workshop ended by giving Participation Certificates to the participants. The students got insight into what Green Building is about and uses of green building in development of Indian smart cities, which provided enriching experience to the participants.

Some Glimpses: