Green building refers to both a structure and the application of processes that are environmentally responsible and resource-efficient throughout a building’s life-cycle: from planning to design, construction, operation, maintenance, renovation, and demolition.
What is Green Building
What is Green Building
What is green building? A green’ building is a building that, in its design, construction or operation, reduces or eliminates negative impacts, and can create positive impacts, on our climate and natural environment. Green buildings preserve precious natural resources and improve our quality of life. There are a number of features which can make a building green’. These include: Efficient use of energy, water and other resources Use of renewable energy, such as solar energy Pollution and waste reduction measures, and the enabling of re use and recycling Good indoor environmental air quality Use of materials that are non toxic, ethical and sustainable Consideration of the environment in design, construction and operation Consideration of the quality of life of occupants in design, construction and operation A design that enables adaptation to a changing environment Any building can be a green building, whether it’s a home, an office, a school, a hospital, a community centre, or any other type of structure, provided it includes features listed above. However, it is worth noting that not all green buildings are and need to be the same.
Different countries and regions have a variety of characteristics such as distinctive climatic conditions, unique cultures and traditions, diverse building types and ages, or wide ranging environmental, economic and social priorities all of which shape their approach to green building. Green buildings could become one of the main factors to preserve our rapidly decaying environment. There is no easy way to define a green building, but a green building is essentially a structure that amplifies the positives and mitigates the negatives throughout the entire life cycle of the building Kriss, 2014 . There are many definitions for a green building, but all of them include the planning, designing, constructing, and operating of the building while taking into huge considerations of the energy use, water use, indoor air environment, materials used and the effect it has on the site the green building is being built on. The first green buildings dates back to as far as the 1970’s, when solar panels went from experiments to reality. Green buildings were not as popular as they are today due to their extremely high pricing. With technology rapidly growing, solar panels are becoming cheaper and cheaper, making the transition to creating green buildings more affordable. This is the primary reason for the increased growth of green buildings today. A modern company that is paving the way to the growth of green buildings named LEED, Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, focuses primarily on new and effective ideas for environmentally friendly buildings projects.
With more than 60,000 commercial projects worldwide and 1. 7 million square feet being certified every day, LEED is one of the leading groups for promoting green buildings. Buildings require air, water, energy and space for its occupants. These are provided by systems in place like the ventilation system, the water supply system and the electricity supply system. The materials which are used in the construction of the building also produce environmental impact like carbon footprint, pollution through wastes and slurry, and the consumption of water and power. Buildings are one of the major sources of pollution that cause air pollution and are responsible for climate change. The objective of green building concept is to develop buildings which use the natural resources to the minimal at the time of construction as well as operation. Green buildings emphasize on the resource usage efficiency and also press upon the three R’s Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. The technique of green building maximizes the use of efficient construction materials and practices boosts the use of natural sources and sinks in the building’s surroundings minimizes the energy usage to run itself uses highly proficient equipment for the indoor area uses highly proficient methods for water and waste management. The indoor equipment includes lighting, air conditioning and all other needed equipment. Green Building is a team effort and the designing and construction include consultants from architecture and landscaping, air conditioning, plumbing, energy and electrical areas. These consultants have to assess the impact of the each and every design on the environment, keeping in mind the cost involved. The final design needs to be feasible and should minimize the negative impacts that the building would have on the environment. Implementation of the green building concept can lead to a reduction of carbon emission by thirty five percent, water usage by forty percent, solid waste reduction by seventy percent and reduction in energy consumption by fifty percent. Green Building concept also emphasizes on the fact that an area with high biodiversity should be avoided as a site for the construction of a building. To ensure minimum negative impact on the environment by the construction and operation of a building, the factors which are to be kept in mind are to preserve the external environment to the building location to improve the internal area for the residents of the building and also preserve the areas which are not close to the building. Saving Energy Energy saving through green building concept occurs in two ways.
First is reduction in the amount of energy that is consumed in lighting, air conditioning and other building operations. Second is the usage of energy sources which do not produce any greenhouse gases and are renewable in nature. Green Buildings emphasize more on natural lighting and concepts of temperature control and efficient design to further reduce the carbon footprint as well as reduce cost of operation. Saving water Green Buildings use various methods to reduce water usage, treat and reuse waste water and filter water from sourced from precipitation. The target is to be able to achieve zero water table negative impact from the green building. Reducing Waste Waste reduction is one of the most important issues that are to be dealt with. In the US alone, the waste from construction and demolition of buildings accounts for sixty percent of the total non industrial waste. Green Building concept emphasizes on improving the design of the product, re using and recycling materials. It results in tremendous waste reduction and also helps to reduce the environmental impact of the building. Improving Health and Productivity Hygiene and proper conditions inside the building also help in boosting human productivity. Hence various businesses concentrate on this aspect. Green Building concept provides for cleanliness and sound working conditions for employees and other inhabitants. Green Building concept in USA: Green building markets in the United States of America USA , account for five to ten percent of the total building market. The largest organisation for green building in USA is the US Green Building Council USGBC . It has over twelve thousand member organizations and is around a financial worth of over twelve billion dollars. Some of the rating systems that have been developed for green building concept are: Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design LEED , Green Globes, Building Owners and Managers Association BOMA , National Association of Home Builders NAHB , International Codes Council and American National Standards Institute.
In USA, the existing buildings are accounting for forty percent of total energy consumption, twelve percent of total water usage, sixty eight percent of electricity usage, thirty eight percent of carbon dioxide emission and sixty percent of non industrial waste generation. Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design LEED Rating System: LEED rating system was developed in USA by the US Green Building Council in the year 1998. It provides a set of standards for environmentally sustainable construction of building using a market based rating system. This rating system is being followed in the US and many other countries for the evaluation of sustainable building. LEED can be defined for new constructions, existing buildings, commercial buildings and schools. Buildings which have been recognized to be eligible for LEED are offices, retail establishments, institutional buildings and service establishments. LEED rating system provides a variety of benefits and cost savings. The benefits include reducing the operating costs, reducing resource utilizations in terms of water and electricity, reducing emissions of greenhouse gases. The other cost savings includes the tax rebates and zone allowances
Linguistic composition in India
At the time of Independence from the British rule in 1947, there were many princely states. Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel, the then home minister, played a stellar role in amalgamating these states into the union of India. The Constitution of India was adopted on 20th November 1949 and came into effect on 26th January 1950, which defined Union of India, comprising of different states and union territories. In 1956, the states were recognized on linguistic basis.
Language is a system of mutually intelligible vocal symbol by which the member of a society communicates. It serves as a medium of communication and expression of and for the masses, thereby instilling in them a sense of belongingness and warmness. In a broader sense, language plays an essential ROK in constructing a sense of identity.
India is one such country which holds more than a billion population comprising of a vast communities having its own ethnocentric and distinctive profile of spoken and written languages. About 400 languages and 300 dialects spoken across 29 states and 7 Union Territories of India. According to 2011 linguistic survey, census at a reports there are a total of 121 languages and 270 mothertongues. There are 22 languages specified in the 8the constitution of India, of which Hindi is the predominant language spoken by about 43.63% of the population followed by Bengali (8.03%), Marathi (6.83%), Telugu (6.70%) and Tamil (5.70%).
The multilingual aspect of the country affects every aspect of its national life. At present the language problem has become so acute that it has posed a major threat to national integration. Most often linguistic tensions are being manifested in the borders which are bilingual.
Of course English is a great language, but the problem is that, no nation can grow great with the help of a foreign language, simply because a foreign language fails to represent the indigenous culture. In the past, India did not have the problem of languages, because Sanskrit and Prakrit served as link language. At present, although Hindi has been recognized as the official language of the Union, but his has promoted bitter hostilities, particularly in the South.
Development of one national language, that is, Sanskrit maybe keep the linguistic unrest under control as most of the languages owe their origin to the Sanskrit grammar and literature. States should be recognized as administrative unit rather than linguistic units. There should be ban on the political organizations which try to solidify linguism.
In conclusion, language is the most delicate part of the body of community. It should not ordinarily be disturbed in the process of national development or social regeneration.
Web 3.0 : Financial Service Industry
How will the evolution of the web have an effect on Financial Services? This is a question that puts many financial institutions in peril but is it really something that will put banks out of business?
What is Web 3.0?
Web 3.0 is a new evolution phase that is coming into reality. The web as we know, is evolving into something more secure with more opportunities and various features. A lot of people don’t understand Web 3.0 and are scared of it. This will be a massive change on how we see the internet and how we will use it. It is going to be a decentralized platform and it will be individualized wherein you can customize your internet browsing experience.
The Royal Bank of Canada is utilizing millions of data points to train its own AI, resulting in fewer client calls and faster application delivery. Meanwhile, BNY Mellon, the world’s largest cross-border payments service provider, improved its fraud prediction accuracy by 20%. By researching real-time market data within nanoseconds, AI and high-performance computing (HPC) are combining to provide better and faster trading intelligence.
What does this mean for Financial Services?
Web 3.0 is transforming the finance sphere slowly into a decentralized place. Basically, you don’t need a financial institution governing your transaction or authorizing them. The transaction will only be initiated by you and reaches the receiver, in a matter of moments, without any middlemen. Using cryptocurrency, you can make transactions over blockchain that eliminates that bank server from between. Cryptos are digital assets that let users transact directly without a payment service provider in the intermediary, which means that they enable new forms of capital. Although Bitcoin remains comparatively low now, it still may provide effective money governance by preserving and protecting the data or memory of what our money represents. Then there is the unparalleled manipulation of fiat money. We can observe how central banks have significantly extended their balance sheets since the GFC and the ongoing pandemic COVID-19.
DeFi
DeFi is short for decentralized finance where there are no middlemen between you and the receiver. The transaction will be on the blockchain where the transaction time is reduced from time of hours/days, to moments that you can count on your hands. With DeFi, you can perform all transactions and services that are offered by traditional banks, without the bank in between. Now, you might wait for your transaction to be passed through because your bank should allow it and then it has to pass through the bank’s server.
DeFi uses cryptocurrency as the main currency because they are programmed using blockchain technology. There is a huge difference between CeFi and DeFi.
Effect on Financial Services
Undoubtedly, Web 3.0 has opened its doors for infinite opportunities and many FinTechs are utilizing them while traditional institutions are being left behind. These organizations are investing in their technology and its improvement in this rapidly changing market. These FinTechs’ major part of investment is into AI which are being programmed to understand the different problems faced by people and able to give out the solutions in a matter of seconds. This dependance on AIs is being constantly improved which are learning from their own errors and giving better and more efficient solutions. A survey by NVIDIA , according to it, nearly 83% of finance service professionals say that AI is essential for the companies’ success. It is also said that AI can improve company growth by 20%.
Conclusion
Web 3.0 is bringing so many opportunities while improving the present technology and organizations that are utilizing it will not be taking rest anytime soon. This technology is just going to become better and better. Every single day that we see this technology step up just shows that we are not done with technology, it can be better and more efficient and these companies are proving that to use everyday. Web 3.0 is showing more freedom of speech and thoughts than the present restricted web 2.0, decentralization is going to put back the control back in the hand of the User.
“Where there is life, there is growth
Where there is age, there is evolution.”
~Charles Darwin
Thank you so much for reading this article. I have added information from different websites and I thank them for their view on this topic. Do leave comments on different aspects of Web 3.0 that you think will change us.
The links to pages that helped me understand Web 3.0 better:
Financialit.net: How web 3.0 is transforming the financial services industry?
https://www.finextra.com/the-long-read/231/how-ai-is-powering-the-future-of-financial-services
Web 3.0 : Financial Service Industry
How will the evolution of the web have an effect on Financial Services? This is a question that puts many financial institutions in peril but is it really something that will put banks out of business?
What is Web 3.0?
Web 3.0 is a new evolution phase that is coming into reality. The web as we know, is evolving into something more secure with more opportunities and various features. A lot of people don’t understand Web 3.0 and are scared of it. This will be a massive change on how we see the internet and how we will use it. It is going to be a decentralized platform and it will be individualized wherein you can customize your internet browsing experience.
The Royal Bank of Canada is utilizing millions of data points to train its own AI, resulting in fewer client calls and faster application delivery. Meanwhile, BNY Mellon, the world’s largest cross-border payments service provider, improved its fraud prediction accuracy by 20%. By researching real-time market data within nanoseconds, AI and high-performance computing (HPC) are combining to provide better and faster trading intelligence.
What does this mean for Financial Services?
Web 3.0 is transforming the finance sphere slowly into a decentralized place. Basically, you don’t need a financial institution governing your transaction or authorizing them. The transaction will only be initiated by you and reaches the receiver, in a matter of moments, without any middlemen. Using cryptocurrency, you can make transactions over blockchain that eliminates that bank server from between. Cryptos are digital assets that let users transact directly without a payment service provider in the intermediary, which means that they enable new forms of capital. Although Bitcoin remains comparatively low now, it still may provide effective money governance by preserving and protecting the data or memory of what our money represents. Then there is the unparalleled manipulation of fiat money. We can observe how central banks have significantly extended their balance sheets since the GFC and the ongoing pandemic COVID-19.
DeFi
DeFi is short for decentralized finance where there are no middlemen between you and the receiver. The transaction will be on the blockchain where the transaction time is reduced from time of hours/days, to moments that you can count on your hands. With DeFi, you can perform all transactions and services that are offered by traditional banks, without the bank in between. Now, you might wait for your transaction to be passed through because your bank should allow it and then it has to pass through the bank’s server.
DeFi uses cryptocurrency as the main currency because they are programmed using blockchain technology. There is a huge difference between CeFi and DeFi.
Effect on Financial Services
Undoubtedly, Web 3.0 has opened its doors for infinite opportunities and many FinTechs are utilizing them while traditional institutions are being left behind. These organizations are investing in their technology and its improvement in this rapidly changing market. These FinTechs’ major part of investment is into AI which are being programmed to understand the different problems faced by people and able to give out the solutions in a matter of seconds. This dependance on AIs is being constantly improved which are learning from their own errors and giving better and more efficient solutions. A survey by NVIDIA , according to it, nearly 83% of finance service professionals say that AI is essential for the companies’ success. It is also said that AI can improve company growth by 20%.
Conclusion
Web 3.0 is bringing so many opportunities while improving the present technology and organizations that are utilizing it will not be taking rest anytime soon. This technology is just going to become better and better. Every single day that we see this technology step up just shows that we are not done with technology, it can be better and more efficient and these companies are proving that to use everyday. Web 3.0 is showing more freedom of speech and thoughts than the present restricted web 2.0, decentralization is going to put back the control back in the hand of the User.
“Where there is life, there is growth
Where there is age, there is evolution.”
~Charles Darwin
Thank you so much for reading this article. I have added information from different websites and I thank them for their view on this topic. Do leave comments on different aspects of Web 3.0 that you think will change us.
The links to pages that helped me understand Web 3.0 better:
Financialit.net: How web 3.0 is transforming the financial services industry?
https://www.finextra.com/the-long-read/231/how-ai-is-powering-the-future-of-financial-services
What is Solar Architecture
What is Solar Architecture
What is Solar Architecture
What is a Freelancer? How to earn money by becoming a Freelancer?
Nowadays everyone wants to earn money online, and no matter what people do, they can earn more money by working from home than they can earn by working anywhere. Nowadays many people get a lot of work but they do not want to go to the office, and they wish that they could work from home.
So friends, now you can work from home also, and earn money. Yes, you can work from home also. Air can make money, and not a lot.
So what is the freelancer we are going to tell you today? And how can you become a freelancer?
What is a Freelancer?
Freelancers are those who earn money by working from home, when a person works online or offline from home, then we call him Freelancer.
If you understand in easy language, then suppose you know Designing very well and you are very expert in it, and you want that you can earn money from this talent but, you don’t even want to know the office, and want I wish that you could work from home, the way you know good designing, then maybe someone needs a good designer for any of their work?
So just like you needed work, the other person needed a workman, so in this way, if you work from home for someone and he will give you money for your work, then we will call him a freelancer.
If you also have such a talent that you think that you do that work very well or you are very expert in it, then you too can become a freelancer. You can also earn money online from your talent sitting at home.
Who can become a Freelancer?
You know what a freelancer is, let’s know who can become a freelancer. Freelancing means earning money online using the art you have. First of all, think about what service you can give to the people? What job can you do well?
are you a good teacher
Do you do graphic design?
are you a writer?
are you a singer
Are you a software engineer?
Whatever art you have, you can show it to the whole world for free by opening your account on the freelancing website and you can also sell it, and earn money online sitting at home.
What jobs can freelancers do?
Freelancers can do all the online work, ranch requires good skill, below we have told you about some freelance work, which freelancers do.
- Content Writing
- Online Teaching
- Graphics Designing
- Web Designing
- Blogging
- Digital Marketing
- Marketing Services
- Web Designing
- Web Development
- Social Media Marketing
- Mobile App Development
- Graphics Designing
- Video Designing
- UI/UX Designing
- Accounting Services
- Photoshop Design
- Logo Design
- Data Entry
- Customer Support
There are many more freelancing jobs that you can do, we have told you a list of some special and more searched freelancer jobs above, which you can become a freelancer by doing.
Where and how to do Freelancing work?
You do not need to go anywhere to work as a freelancer, you can work from home, for this, you just have to search for online work, after which you can do freelancing work.
You can start your work online by creating your account on some of the good websites given below.
- freelancer
- Upwork
- Fiverr
- Truelancer
- PeoplePerHour
- Guru.com
- Design crowd
- 99designs
- FlexJobs
- Indeed
If you do not want to go to the office and if you want to work from home, then you can do freelancing work, if you want to do a part-time job or want to earn money online then you can become a freelancer, freelancer By becoming you can earn good money also from your talent.
So maybe now you must have understood what is a freelancer? And how can you become a freelancer? How did you like this post, and was it helpful to you? And if you have anything that you did not understand, then you can ask us in the comment box given below, we will try our best to help you.
Ind vs Eng: Shikhar Dhawan return, India playing eleven could be against England in first ODI
The Indian team will now play in the ODI series after Test and T20 on England tour.India won the three-game T20I series 2-1 against England.In the ODI series against England, Rohit Sharma will try to repeat the same success as the T20 series.India need to choose their XI very carefully to win the ODI series against England.There was news about Virat Kohli’s injury and his fitness will be monitored ahead of the game. Shikhar Dhawan will open the innings with Rohit Sharma in ODIs Will keep an eye on Virat Kohli’s fitness Suryakumar Yadav might be favored over Shreyas Iyer Shikhar Dhawan returns Shikhar Dhawan has returned to the Indian ODI team and Gabbar will once again open with Rohit Sharma. Dhawan played his last ODI for India on February 11 this year against the West Indies and now four months later he will play again in the ODI series against England.Virat Kohli will start as the number three in the team, who is currently struggling with his form.His form is definitely a problem for the team, but Kohli will also have a chance to regain his form in this series.Suryakumar’s claim is strong There are two contenders for fourth place on the ODI team, including Suryakumar Yadav and Shreyas Iyer, but Suryakumar is more likely to be placed over Shreyas Iyer. Rishabh Pant joins the team as the wicketkeeper batsman, although his batting order can be changed depending on the situation.After that, Hardik Pandya and Ravindra Jadeja can be included in the team as all-rounders.Chahal can be given preference over Akshar Yuzvendra Chahal can be given preference over Axar Patel in the first ODI against England.Speaking of speed attack, Jasprit Bumrah and Mohd.Shami will be the team’s first choice.On the other hand, Shardul Thakur and one of the famous Krishna can get a chance as the third pacesetter in the team.However, a Krishna famous for his fast pace seems more likely. Team India is likely to play in the starting XI for first ODI – Rohit Sharma (Captain), Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (week), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Shardul Thakur/Samvid Krishna, Yuzvendra Chahal.
Ind vs Eng: Shikhar Dhawan return, India playing eleven could be against England in first ODI
The Indian team will now play in the ODI series after Test and T20 on England tour.India won the three-game T20I series 2-1 against England.In the ODI series against England, Rohit Sharma will try to repeat the same success as the T20 series.India need to choose their XI very carefully to win the ODI series against England.There was news about Virat Kohli’s injury and his fitness will be monitored ahead of the game. Shikhar Dhawan will open the innings with Rohit Sharma in ODIs Will keep an eye on Virat Kohli’s fitness Suryakumar Yadav might be favored over Shreyas Iyer Shikhar Dhawan returns Shikhar Dhawan has returned to the Indian ODI team and Gabbar will once again open with Rohit Sharma. Dhawan played his last ODI for India on February 11 this year against the West Indies and now four months later he will play again in the ODI series against England.Virat Kohli will start as the number three in the team, who is currently struggling with his form.His form is definitely a problem for the team, but Kohli will also have a chance to regain his form in this series.Suryakumar’s claim is strong There are two contenders for fourth place on the ODI team, including Suryakumar Yadav and Shreyas Iyer, but Suryakumar is more likely to be placed over Shreyas Iyer. Rishabh Pant joins the team as the wicketkeeper batsman, although his batting order can be changed depending on the situation.After that, Hardik Pandya and Ravindra Jadeja can be included in the team as all-rounders.Chahal can be given preference over Akshar Yuzvendra Chahal can be given preference over Axar Patel in the first ODI against England.Speaking of speed attack, Jasprit Bumrah and Mohd.Shami will be the team’s first choice.On the other hand, Shardul Thakur and one of the famous Krishna can get a chance as the third pacesetter in the team.However, a Krishna famous for his fast pace seems more likely. Team India is likely to play in the starting XI for first ODI – Rohit Sharma (Captain), Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (week), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Shardul Thakur/Samvid Krishna, Yuzvendra Chahal.
What is Solar Achitecture
Solar architecture is an architectural approach that takes in account the Sun to harness clean and renewable solar power. It is related to the fields of optics, thermics, electronics and materials science. Both active and passive solar housing skills are involved in solar architecture. The use of flexible thin-film photovoltaic modules provides fluid integration with steel roofing profiles, enhancing the building’s design. Orienting a building to the Sun, selecting materials with favorable thermal mass or light dispersing properties, and designing spaces that naturally circulate air also constitute solar architecture. Initial development of solar architecture has been limited by the rigidity and weight of standard solar power panels. The continued development of photovoltaic (PV) thin film solar has provided a lightweight yet robust vehicle to harness solar energy to reduce a building’s impact on the environment.
In the past, we’ve seen solar panels as a necessary evil. They used to be clunky, awkward objects placed haphazardly around a building. Solar panels have evolved in their design and so to has their presence in the world of architecture and design. The major development in solar panels is that they no longer need to be perfectly flat. This has opened up a world of opportunities in their use in more abstract architectural projects. They have their limits, however. It’s hard for solar panels to soak up as much sunlight on an angle.
Architects have managed to take solar panels leaps and bounds. Panels have been incorporated into roofing without simply being placed in rows along a roof. Clients who choose to focus on solar energy can work with architects to designate flat, unused spaces throughout a property to place solar panels without drawing too much attention. More creatively, solar panels have been incorporated into awnings. They have also been incorporated into the landscaping of properties, dividing gardens and filling in empty spaces in the surrounding environment.
The effectiveness of solar architecture is largely determined by the creativity of the architect and the flexibility of the client. A clever architect will be able to incorporate solar panels into the design of a building without making them look bulky and awkward. The more a client is willing to be flexible with the amount of solar energy generated, the more subtly the panels can be incorporated into the design.Solar panels have been widely available for purchase since the 1980s but have yet to be widely adopted in residential housing.
Some barriers to the widespread adoption of solar panels include worries about the cost of the panels, the impact on jobs, and their appearance.
“Economics is the biggest barrier, and aesthetics are the second,” Gardzelewski says. He says these two things stand in the way of solar becoming the standard for architecture design, rather than a risky and costly add-on.
The economic aspect of solar panels is multifaceted. First, there’s cost and risk perception, and then there’s the larger impact on the economy, such as the creation of green-collar jobs. Some people think that their home’s resale value is at risk when they install solar. One appraiser Gardzelewski spoke to said: “I won’t give a house with solar panels any more value in an appraisal. The appraisal will be the same with or without them.” Because the appraisal industry itself is ambivalent about assigning value to solar panels, many homeowners fear that installing them could actually decrease the value of their home—despite potential savings for buyers on future energy bills.
The initial cost of installing solar panels is notoriously exorbitant. Gardzelewski insists that the actual price of the panels has decreased tremendously, so there is no reason that solar-panel installation costs should remain so high. “Solar-panel installers will give you a quote to put solar panels on your home, and they will tell you it costs a lot more than it should cost or what it needs to cost,” he says. “The panels themselves have come down to where they’re just a fraction of the overall expense.”
One reason solar installation remains such a high-ticket item is that builders haven’t wholeheartedly adopted it. “Once solar integrates into the home-building industry, the price of labor will go down because the contractor is going to manage that pretty tightly,” Gardzelewski says. “If you manage the cost and the labor of solar-panel installation, there’s no room for the price to get jacked way up.”
In coal-industry-driven states, there is also some fear that the rise of solar energy will hurt the economy and take away jobs. But Gardzelewski disagrees. He believes that the long-standing blue-collar jobs of the coal industry could become the long-standing green-collar jobs of the solar industry.
BERG’s 5-Strategy Taxonomy for Solar Architecture
1. Legibility
This refers to revealing and celebrating the building systems to see how they work. This is an industrial look with the “guts” of the building exposed. In this paradigm, seeing the inner workings, wiring, structure, and connection of the solar panels fits in with the overall industrial design.
An energy-systems plan (including a radiant-floor heating system, insulation, seasonal shade structures, a ground-source heat pump, and design-integrated solar) for the Fox House in Pavilion, WY. Courtesy of UW-BERG.
An energy-systems plan (including a radiant-floor heating system, insulation, seasonal shade structures, a ground-source heat pump, and design-integrated solar) for the Fox House in Pavilion, WY. Courtesy of UW-BERG.2. Material Planes
Gerrit Rietveld’s Schroder House and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe’s Barcelona Pavilion are two examples of buildings focused on planar composition. In the case of the Barcelona Pavilion, Mies used planar composition to celebrate the richness of materials such as glass, marble, onyx, and travertine. With this strategy, the material aspect of a solar panel is celebrated, too. “We really love looking at the crystals and the wiring and all the intricacies of a solar panel,” Gardzelewski says.
3. Form Follows
From the principle “form follows function,” this concept means designing a building that adapts its shape to the path of the sun. This strategy is obvious when a design is altered to provide optimal orientation for a large number of solar panels, often with a stretched-out or swooping form on the south roof. “A solar panel is a huge module of 3 1/2 feet by 5 1/2 feet, and this can seriously influence the size of your roof,” Gardzelewski says. Designing a roof to fit this module can make the actual solar installation not only easier and more effective but also much better looking.
4. Shading Through Solar Architecture
Solar panels can provide shade for the building itself or the adjacent outdoor space; this method is a good solution for a difficult existing roof. “If you build an exterior structure and you can pull out an enclosed porch—a space that you’re not trying to fit onto the existing roof—you can use it to shade a small space outside,” he says. “You can add solar panels to this new area, and it won’t have to blend into the rest of the roof, because it is a completely separate thing.”
A 3D model of the Fox House in Pavillion, WY. Courtesy of UW-BERG.
A 3D model of the Fox House in Pavillion, WY. Courtesy of UW-BERG.5. Disguised Solar-Panel Design
In this approach, the solar panels are hidden through either compositional strategy or design innovation. This strategy is best used in conjunction with “form follows,” as architecture designed around the size and shape of a solar panel is best suited to disguise the panel (like these solar rooftops from Tesla). “If you can fit them perfectly onto your roof, then you can float or frame the solar panels so you don’t see all of the infrastructure under it—you just see the reflective glass,” Gardzelewski says.
Getting the economic equation for solar panels to work for average middle- and working-class families may take some time. But incorporating BERG’s architectural taxonomy, which integrates solar panels in the design phase, is something architects can do now. Even if a client isn’t going to install solar right away, the taxonomy can help home and building owners incorporate solar panels more aesthetically down the road. And by considering solar as an early constraint that influences building design, architects may be able to usher in an era when solar is finally ubiquitous.
Solar architecture
The term solar architecture refers to an approach to building design that is sensitive to Nature and takes advantage of climatic conditions to achieve human comfort rather than depending on artificial energy that is both costly and environmentally damaging. Unlike the conventional design approach that treats climate as the enemy which has to be kept out of the built environment, solar architecture endeavours to build as part of the environment using climatic factors to our advantage and utilising the energy of Nature itself to attain required comfort levels. Nature’s energies can be utilised in two ways – passiveand active and consequently solar architecture is classified as passive solar and active solar architecture.
Passive solar architecture
It relies upon the design or architecture of the building itself to ensure climate control by way of natural thermal conduction, convection and radiation. The rudiments of solar passive design were developed and used through the centuries by many civilisations across the globe; in fact, many of these early civilisations built dwellings that were better suited to their climatic surroundings than those built today in most developed and developing countries. This has been largely due to the advent of cheap fossil fuels that allowed for artificial temperature and light control at the cost of natural light and cooling. A substantial share of world energy resources is therefore being spent in heating, cooling and lighting of such buildings. The use of solar passive measures such as natural cross ventilation, sufficient day-lighting, proper insulation, use of adequate shading devices coupled with auxiliary energy systems that are renewable and environment friendly can considerably bring down the costs as well as the energy needs of the building.
Passive solar systems
The term passive solar refers to systems that absorb, store and distribute the sun’s energy without relying on mechanical devices like pumps and fans, which require additional energy. Passive solar design reduces the energy requirements of the building by meeting either part or all of its daily cooling, heating and lighting needs through the use of solar energy.
Passive heating
Heating the building through the use of solar energy involves the absorption and storage of incoming solar radiation, which is then used to meet the heating requirements of the space. Incoming solar radiation is typically stored in thermal mass such as concrete, brick, rock, water or a material that changes phase according to temperature. Incoming sunlight is regulated by the use of overhangs, awnings and shades while insulating materials can help to reduce heat loss during the night or in the cold season. Vents and dampers are typically used to distribute warm or cool air from the system to the areas where it is needed. The three most common solar passive systems are direct gain, indirect gain and isolated gain. A direct gain system allows sunlight to windows into on occupied space where it is absorbed by the floor and walls. In the indirect gain system, a medium of heat storage such as wall, in one part of the building absorbs and stores heat, which is then transferred to the rest of the building by conduction, convection or radiation. In an isolated gain system, solar energy is absorbed in a separate area such as greenhouse or solarium, and distributed to the living space by ducts. The incorporation of insulation in passive systems can be effective in conserving additional energy.
Passive cooling
Passive solar technology can also be used for cooling purposes. These systems function by either shielding buildings from direct heat gain or by transferring excess heat outside. Carefully designed elements such as overhangs, awnings and eaves shade from high angle summer sun while allowing winter sun to enter the building. Excess heat transfer can be achieved through ventilation or conduction, where heat is lost to the floor and walls. A radiant heat barrier, such as aluminium foil, installed under a roof is able to block upto 95% of radiant heat transfer through the roof.
Water evaporation is also an effective method of cooling buildings, since water absorbs a large quantity of heat as it evaporates. Fountains, sprays and ponds provide substantial cooling to the surrounding areas. The use of sprinkler systems to continually wet the roof during the hot season can reduce the cooling requirements by 25%. Trees can induce cooling by transpiration, reducing the surrounding temperature by 4 to 14 degrees F.
Active cooling systems of solar cooling such as evaporative cooling through roof spray and roof pond and desiccant cooling systems have been developed alongwith experimental stratergies like earth-cooling tubes and earth-sheltered buildings. Desiccant cooling systems are designed to dehumidify and cool air. These are particularly suited to hot humid climates where air-conditioning accounts for a major portion of the energy costs. Desiccant materials such as silica gels and certain salt compounds naturally absorb moisture from humid air and release the moisture when heated, a feature that makes them re-useable. In a solar desiccant system, the sun provides the energy to recharge the desiccants. Once the air has been dehumidified, it can be chilled by evaporative cooling or other methods to provide relatively cool, dry air. This can greatly reduce cooling requirements
Evaporative cooling
Evaporation occurs whenever the vapour pressure of water is lesser than the water vapour in the surrounding atmosphere. The phase change of water from liquid to the vapour state is accompanied by the release of a large quantity of sensible heat from the air that lowers the temperature of air while its moisture content increases. The provision of shading and the supply of cool, dry air will enhance the process of evaporative cooling. Evaporative cooling techniques can be broadly classified as passive and hybrid.
Passive direct systems include the use of vegetation for evapotranspiration, as well as the use of fountains, pools and ponds where the evaporation of water results in lower temperature in the room. An important technique known as ‘Volume cooler’ is used in traditional architecture. The system is based on the use of a tower where water contained in a jar or spray is precipitated. External air introduced into the tower is cooled by evaporation and then transferred into the building. A contemporary version of this technique uses a wet cellulose pad installed at the top of a downdraft tower, which cools the incoming air.
Passive indirect evaporative cooling techniques include roof spray and roof pond systems.
Roof spray
The exterior surface of the roof is kept wet using sprayers. The sensible heat of the roof surface is converted into latent heat of vaporisation as the water evaporates. This cools the roof surface and a temperature gradient is created between the inside and outside surfaces causing cooling of the building. A reduction in cooling load of about 25% has been observed. A threshold condition for the system is that the temperature of the roof should be greater than that of air.
There are, however, a number of problems associated with this system, not least of which is the adequate availability of water. Also it might not be cost effective, as a result of high maintenance costs and also problems due to inadequate water proofing of the roof.
Roof pond
The roof pond consists of a shaded water pond over an non-insulated concrete roof. Evaporation of water to the dry atmosphere occurs during day and nighttime. The temperature within the space falls as the ceiling acts as a radiant cooling panel for the space, without increasing indoor humidity levels. The limitation of this technique is that it is confined only to single storey structure with flat, concrete roof and also the capital cost is quite high.
Earth cooling tubes
These are long pipes buried underground with one end connected to the house and the other end to the outside. Hot exterior air is drawn through these pipes where tit gives up some of its heat to the soil, which is at a much lower temperature at a depth of 3m to 4m below the surface. This cool air is then introduced into the house.
Special problems associated with these systems are possible condensation of water within the pipes or evaporation of accumulated water and control of the system. The lack of detailed data about the performance of such systems hinders the large-scale use of such systems.
Earth-sheltered buildings
During the summer, soil temperatures at certain depths are considerably lower than ambient air temperature, thus providing an important source for dissipation of a building’s excess heat. Conduction or convection can achieve heat dissipation to the ground. Earth sheltering achieves cooling by conduction where part of the building envelope is in direct contact with the soil. Totally underground buildings offer many additional advantages including protection from noise, dust, radiation and storms, limited air infiltration and potentially safety from fires. They provide benefits under both cooling and heating conditions, however the potential for large scale application of the technology are limited; high cost and poor day-lighting conditions being frequent problems.
On the other hand, building in partial contact with earth offer interesting cooling possibilities. Sod roofs can considerably reduce heat gain from the roof. Earth berming can considerably reduce solar heat gain and also increase heat loss to the surrounding soil, resulting in increase in comfort.
Active solar architecture
It involves the use of solar collectors and other renewable energy systems like biomass to support the solar passive features as they allow a greater degree of control over the internal climate and make the whole system more precise. Active solar systems use solar panels for heat collection and electrically driven pumps or fans to transport the heat or cold to the required spaces. Electronic devices are used to regulate the collection, storage and distribution of heat within the system. Hybrid systems using a balanced combination of active and passive features provide the best performance.
Active solar systems
Active heating
In active systems, solar collectors are used to convert sun’s energy into useful heat for hot water, space heating or industrial processes. Flat-plate collectors are typically used for this purpose. These most often use light-absorbing plates made of dark coloured material such as metal, rubber or plastic that are covered with glass. The plates transfer the heat to a fluid, usually air or water flowing below them and the fluid is used for immediate heating or stored for later use. There are two basic types of liquid based active systems- open loop and closed loop. An open loop system circulates potable water itself, through the collector. In closed loop systems, the circulating fluid is kept separate from the system used for potable water supply. This system is mainly used to prevent the freezing of water within the collector system. However, there is no need to go in for such a system in India, as freezing of water is not a possibility. Also closed loop systems are less efficient as the heat exchanger used in the system causes a loss of upto 10 degrees in the temperature of water, at the same time, one has to reckon with the extra cost of the heat exchanger as well as the circulating pumps. Compared to these, thermosiphon systems are more convenient and simple.
In Thermosiphon systems, the water circulates from the collector to the storage tank by natural convection and gravity. As long as the absorber keeps collecting heat, water keeps being heated in the collector and rises into the storage tank, placed slightly above (at least 50 cm). The cold water in the tank runs into the collector to replace the water discharged into the tank. The circulation stops when there is no incident radiation. Thermosyphon systems are simple, relatively inexpensive and require little maintenance and can be used for domestic applications.
Solar ponds have been developed ,which harness the sun’s energy that can be used for various purposes including production of electricity.
Other devices such as solar cookers, water distillation systems, solar dryers, etc. have been developed which can be used to reduce energy requirements in domestic households and in industrial applications.
Active cooling
Absorption cooling systems transfer a heated liquid from the solar collector to run a generator or a boiler activating the refrigeration loop which cools a storage reservoir from which cool air is drawn into the space. Rankine steam turbine can also be powered by solar energy to run a compressed air-conditioner or water cooler.
Solar refrigeration is independent of electric supply and without any moving parts, for example, Zeolite refrigerator.
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