Green Buildings and Biophilic Architecture

[00:00:00] If you ever wondered what architecture is, look up and around. You are likely surrounded

[00:00:11] by it right now. It is more of a world view, a lens with which we interpret all of our

[00:00:17] surroundings, rooms, corridors, streets, temples, furniture, parks, malls, hospitals, plazas,

[00:00:25] city squares, theatres, literally everything. From originating in the minds, it can take

[00:00:31] any shape in reality and set up a stage of our lives. To bring out some fascinating stories

[00:00:37] from the world of architecture across different corners of the globe, words fear, presence,

[00:00:43] ArchiCast. I am Shweta Yohost for this architectural

[00:00:47] podcast series ArchiCast. In this episode we will be talking about Green buildings and

[00:00:53] biophilic architecture. Green building is the construction and operation of a building

[00:00:59] structure that is environmentally conscious. Green building is a whole systems approach

[00:01:05] to designing and building buildings that save energy, water and material resources while

[00:01:11] also being healthier, safer and more comfortable. Green architecture has environmental, social

[00:01:18] and economic advantages. Green architecture benefits the environment by reducing pollution,

[00:01:25] conserving natural resources and preventing environmental degradation. It reduces the

[00:01:31] amount of money that the building's operators must spend on water and energy by increasing

[00:01:37] the productivity of those who use the facility. With today's shift in mindsets, the idea

[00:01:44] of promoting sustainability and green building concepts has stuck in center stage.

[00:01:49] Lead, or leadership in energy and environmental design is a Green Building certification administered

[00:01:57] by the United States Green Building Council. Greha, or Green Rating for Integrated Habitat

[00:02:04] Assessment, is India's National Green Building Rating System for any completed construction

[00:02:11] endorsed by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy. The Sazalon One Earth Building in Pune

[00:02:18] designed by Architect Christopher Beningar is a lead platinum and Greha Five Star rated

[00:02:24] building. The campus has 18 hybrid wind turbines which account for 7% of total energy consumption.

[00:02:33] The campus infrastructure is designed to allow water percolation and thus control storm

[00:02:39] water runoff. The ventilation system consists of jet fans that save 50% energy by removing

[00:02:47] stale air and bringing in fresh air on a regular basis.

[00:02:51] Adharshila, urban architecture works designed the Indian Institute of Management in Koshikode

[00:02:58] in 2019. This project received a Five Star Greha rating and claims to have reduced energy

[00:03:05] consumption by 66.11% when compared to the Greha benchmark. Sustainable site planning

[00:03:12] by preserving and protecting trees that are already present on the site during construction

[00:03:18] is one of the strategies used to reduce the impact of the building. Energy optimization

[00:03:24] was ensured along with occupant comfort. The project made use of sustainable materials

[00:03:30] such as fly ash in its construction. Now let's try to understand the concept of biophilic

[00:03:37] architecture which also relates to nature. The term biophilia was coined by Eric From

[00:03:44] a social psychologist. The term biophilia refers to a desire for a reconnection with nature

[00:03:51] and natural elements. Since the turn of the century nature connected or biophilic design

[00:03:58] has grown in popularity with numerous impressive examples all over the world. This design concept

[00:04:05] aims to reestablish a connection between people and the natural world by taking design

[00:04:11] cues from nature and utilizing natural materials. The biophilic design principle focuses on

[00:04:18] bringing natural elements into built spaces such as natural light, water, plants, natural

[00:04:25] materials such as wood and stone and the field of textures, patterns and shadows. Biophilic

[00:04:32] design is becoming increasingly popular as it boosts productivity because the interior

[00:04:38] is provide emotional comfort. Good biophilic design incorporates health conditions, socio-culture

[00:04:45] norms and expectations to create spaces that are inspirational, restorative and healthy,

[00:04:53] and creative with the functionality. Singapore's Jwell-Shanghi Airport is a popular tourist

[00:04:59] destination designed by architect Moshe Savdi. It is an epitome of biophilia in architecture

[00:05:06] that emerges as an embodiment of urban public space. The nature-defined entertainment

[00:05:12] and retail complex on the inside of Shanghi Airport comprises the world's tallest

[00:05:18] indoor waterfall, the Rain Vortex, at the centre of the prominent encircling decks of

[00:05:24] the forest. The high-performance glass panels used for the faced, ensure light transmission

[00:05:31] in the prominent and reduced heat gain allowing plants to grow and protecting the indoors from

[00:05:37] heat waves. Bungal Place in Melbourne is a vibrant community

[00:05:42] entertainment present that hosts a variety of events. The award-winning arts, community

[00:05:48] and civic facilities name and striking architectural design were inspired by Bungal stories from

[00:05:55] Australia's First Nations Peoples. According to legend, Bungal was a wage-tailed eagle

[00:06:02] that floated above the earth and created the world and life. The iconic wooden structure

[00:06:09] is represented by the roof as the eagle's wings and the timber grid shell in the foyer

[00:06:14] as the legs. The beautiful timber structure adds to the complex, welcoming atmosphere.

[00:06:22] Biophilic design has a more qualitative goal and green building is more of a quantitative

[00:06:28] concept. Biophilia is tied specifically to human well-being and presence of natural elements

[00:06:35] in buildings while green building aims towards a more environmentally friendly construction

[00:06:41] and operation. Biophilic design and green design concepts seem to be analogous but share

[00:06:47] a really thin line of difference between them. Integrating biophilic elements in a building

[00:06:53] definitely helps it to become greener. If both these concepts are well understood, integrating

[00:06:59] them together can definitely create wonders in the world of architecture.

[00:07:04] With this, I will end the episode. I hope you all liked it. Thanks for joining. This episode

[00:07:09] was written by Urban Planner Shriya and produced by Snorville Creations India. As always, thanks

[00:07:16] for listening to ArchiCast.