Group Housing Report

neighbourhood housing

ARC 4670 : Architectural Design VI Ar. Nawab Ahmad |

Ar. Naveela Khan Rahman Ali Khan

Md. Umair

Md. Arbazuddin

Hafsa Rafi

01

Introduction to Neighbourhood Housing Neighbourhood housing refers to a housing society which is complete in itself in all aspects. It consists of public spaces which engage the users in social interactions, all administrative services within its boundaries, like banks, post offices, commercial complexes for shopping and everyday groceries, all hospitality services and institutions as well. It’s a collaborative settlement which takes care of the needs and allows its residents to support each other and help them grow.

Housing project in particular is a modular construction of sorts which involve repetition of one unit’s plan. This type of livelihood came into picture after the World War II, when immediate housing had to be provided to the war displaced population. Hence simple, repetitive modules were proposed as a solution.

Objective of the project The purpose of creating a neighbourhood housing is to create a choherent/ collaborative society which is flexible enough to change and mould itself according to the needs of its residents and the requirements of the time.

Most of the housing societies become redundant and dilapidate after period of 10 years or so. This report aims to analayse the causes for the shotcomings of high density housing societies in developing/ developed metropolitans and the ways in which they can be mitigated .

Dull, inert cities, it is true, do contain the seeds of their own destruction and little else. But lively, diverse, intense cities contain the seeds of their own regeneration, with energy enough to carry over for problems and needs outside themselves

Significance of the proposed project A learning from Jane Jacobs’ - Death and Life of Great American Cities

01 Mixed Landuse _ Amenities within walking dist.

02 a housing for all_breaking down boundaries 03 Bringing diversity and liveliness to societies. giving stakeholdership to residents, to 04 build/ customise their space.

This particular quote by Jane Jacobs, emphasizes on the ability of a space to regenerate itself being directly related to the dynamic that exists between different sectors/ constituents of a neighbourhood and their connectivity to other neighbourhoods.

The proposed project has a mixed land use and promses to bring people from different economic backgrounds together to engage them in creating an interdependent soceity.

These neighbouhood societies will be developed by the people, for themselves. Thereby establishing a connection to their surroundings.

The utopian town planning models even though have proved to be efficient in many ways but the segregation of residential, commercial, administrative sectors far away from each other has led to degradation of the city. It has imposed heavy traffic on the existing road network, therefore transit through the city became difficult. To relieve pressure on the road network, overhead rails and trams were introduced, but the construction of these created a havoc in the city. And thus we never realised when a simple solution became a cause for a domino effect of unsolvable problems.

02

Some of the most successful housing societies emerged as a consequence of active public participation. When people are given the responsibility of their surroundings, they make it liveable according to their own terms and needs. And that participation is what brings diversity in a place. It is what makes a space into a place.

“Cities have the capability of providing something for everybody, only because, and only when, they are created by everybody.” ..

Over the last few years, the importance of public participation has been recognised by planners all over as the key element in the success/ failure of a community space. Many architects beleieve in empowering the people in building their own surrundings.

Some successful examples are stated below.

The North End, Boston (Then and Now)

Morningside Heights, NYC

“Half a house, builds the whole community ” - Alejandro Aravena

Tale of two Cities The North End had been considered as a matter of concern for planners in Boston. The area was known as the fastest growing slum in Boston. despite being known as the worst But, despi slum area of Boston, it had survived and developed along with its residents. Jane Jacobs states in her book that the public’s participation and their sense of attachment towards their neighbourhood has been the key element in the rejuvenation of the area.

The above pictures are of the same alley 20 years apart.

No planner can know a place better than people who have lived in a place for over a decade and battld the issues over the years through small counter measures that proved to be much significant in the long run.

This area is houses some of the most prestigious schools- Julliard School of Music, Columbia Law School. The area despite being well planned, with perfect lined streets, surrounded by green parks and housing some of the most splendid institutions, went downhill because it didn’t take into account the human psychology. The people couldn’t connect to their neighbourhood and it led to its degradation. As a result of this, the leaders of the institutions on Morningside Heights were becoming frantic about the increasing difficulty of attracting staff and students to an unsafe and unattractive neighborhood.

The idea of urban renewal was seen as slum clearnace. A board was establsihed from the members of institutions who decided to eliminate housing and make a morningside gardens in its place and this led to formation of Harlem- a slum few blocks North.

Quinta Monroy Housing, Chile (Elemental) Instead of going for high rise cluster housing, Alejandro Aravena used staggering of blocks. The Housing offered not only a home fulfilling all building regulations in Chile but also a chance to its residents to expand and customise their living space as per their economic well being.

After Future Expansion

Elevation showing built portion and future mezzanine extension

Housing Blocks as provided by the developer

Plan showing built area and scope for future expansion

Study the Demographic data and provide room for customisation.

Public participation is crucial.

03

Architecture of a neighbourhood is an important factor to achieve this coherence. The architectural planning has a huge impact on the mindset of people. In 2016 TED Summit, a Syrian Architect, Marwa Al- Sabouni, describes how the colonisation and relocation of Syria by the French had led to the onset of civil wars and unrest in the country. Architecture and a century of thoughtless urban planning played a crucial role in the slow unraveling of Syrian cities’ social fabric, preparing the way for once-friendly, now-fragmented groups to become enemies instead of neighbours.

impact of planning on the mindset It started with French colonial city planners, blowing up streets and relocating monuments, Modern buildings started going up with little or no thought, design or planning, fracturing delicate communities further: Architecture became a way of differentiation. By the end of the 20th century, all that remained in Homs was a city center and, around it, a ring of ghettoized communities, each housing its own ethnic or religious group, and each enemies of the others.”

“The harmony of the social environment got trampled over by elements of modernity, The brutal, unfinished concrete blocks and the divisive urbanism that zoned communities by class, creed or affluence.” says Marwa Al-Sabouni, an Architect and a resident of the city Homs, Syria.

Interpretation of Syrian cities based on descriptions given by Marwa Al Sabouni

The French relocation projects seperated the closely knit communities and called it organisation. They relocated monuments. The thoughless planning led to a loss of feeling and a feeling of discrimination and despair among the residents.

The unqual distribution of resources made some parts develop while some declined.

This led to civil unrest and rise of extremists and the ultimate division of population.

Syria before the Frech relocation project_ Short blocks with mixed land use

Syria after the war

Analyse the existing Natural Areas and Opportunities for Ecosystem Enhancement

Outline a Mix of Land Uses and the amenities to be provided in those zones.

Ensure the neighbourhood can provide a Multi-modal street network.

Neighbourhood planning guidelines for hosuing societies Planning a housing society for 5000 people, equipped with all amaenities, along with institutional and community buildings, has its challenges.

The evolution of master plan for such a site is difficult as all amenities have to be provided in walking distance of houses. It’s a to and fro process.

This section demarkates a suitable step wise approach to neighbourhood planning, thereby marking all essential milestones in planning. (even the ones which we tend to miss).

At the end of each principle, bye laws and building regulations for construction in NOIDA is stated along with a learning / conclusion derived for use in the proposed academic exercise.

Strive for a more Compact Urban Form and increased Density to create distinct

Integrate a variety and mix of Parks and Community Spaces

Provide for Housing Opportunity and Choice

Build in Resilience Create a Safe and Low Impact attri- and Secure butes that enhance Neighbourhood the neighbourhood

Encourage elements that add to the neighbourhoods

Every site contains natural open spaces and is sensitive to the existing land conditions and local ecology. Neighbourhoods are designed to include existing or enhanced natural and conservation areas or respond to natural features. This may include greenways, wetlands watercourses, woodlots and native plant vegetation.

Therfore, a careful reconnaissance survey is required for Identification and mapping of existing natural features for enhancement of natural features and mitigation of probable issues on site.

incorporating existing site features

01 02 03 04 05 06

Utlisation of stormwater to enhance landscape

Preserve existing natural features (where identified as beneficial) and integrate these within the neighbourhood as an amenity.

Design and layout streets to avoid large existing natural features.

Design along and according to the slope of site / run off direction of stormwater.

Preserve view corridors to key natural or cultural features Where possible utilize natural systems as part of neighbourhood green infrastructure (connect with swales, etc.)

Integrate park spaces with, and utilize natural areas and stormwater ponds as amenity features in the Where possible, design stormwater management areas as wetponds and naturalize edges to create a community amenity and wildlife habitat. Naturalize as much as possible to re-create natural riparian habitat and treatment conditions for surface water run off and storm sewer treatment.

Recreational outdoor spaces created along stormwater collection. The area is a “seasonal bloom”_ Grass and flowering plants in winter, wetpond in rainy season.

Great neighbourhoods include a mix of land uses with an identifiable commercial centre or corridor. These areas provide goods and services to meet residents daily needs and are an important community gathering place.Neighbourhood nodes may also be locations of recreation and transportation. Nodes can vary in size depending on the context. The best neighboruhood nodes include: A mix of uses, integrated higher density residential housing, a pedestrian oriented public realm, and are within a short walking distance of most residents in a neighbourhood.

mixed land use _ zoning

01 02 03

List the type of amenities. ( Residential, commercial and buffer/ transition zones )

Zoning of areas (Arranging amenities to make them available at walking distance )

Plan Nodes (Community gathering spaces. Incorporate parks, plazas and other community gathering spaces. )

Create a network of integrated mixed use neighbourhood nodes.

Design a network of mixed-use, walkable nodes connected together by transit, and easily accessible from surrounding residential neighbourhoods by bicycle and by foot.

Transition from medium to low density to high medium density with buffer zones of landscaping and

Inclusive neighbourhoods are diverse and strong communities where people of a wide variety of backgrounds, ages and abilities can live and access basic daily needs. Strong communities are essential to a livable and sustainable city. New neighbourhoods should provide a range of housing and access to a mix of services and amenities to support a diverse population. Infrastructure should be designed to be universally accessible and age-friendly to accommodate a wide range of user needs and abilities.

mixed land use _ significance

01

Neighbourhoods are inclusive.

02

Nodes and transition spaces

Design a network of mixed-use, alkable nodes connected together by transit, and easily accessible from surrounding residential neighbourhoods by bicycle and by foot.

Provide for a wide variety and choice of housing within the neighbourhood.

Provide for affordable housing opportunities.

03

Supports viable uses, services and facilities.

Cluster compatible and complimentary services, housing types and amenities to create activity centres or neighbourhood hubs that serve the greatest number of residents and can be supported by consumers within and between neighbourhoods.

Publicly oriented, active uses, such as commercial and community uses shall be located at grade and at or close to the sidewalk edge to encourage street vitality and safety.

Plan for a mix of land uses and amenities within walking distance of neighbourhood residents.

Design neighbourhood infrastructure, parks and civic facilities to accommodate people of all ages and abilities.

Buildings should be well connected to and integrated with pedestrianoriented open space such as courtyards, gardens, patios, and other landscaped areas.

04

Supports the social and recreational needs

Organizing residential development around neighbourhood parks and amenities, planning for unique forms of housing that provide communal areas for residents, and identifying space for community facilities.

05

Allows for Flexible development

Designating land for alternative or interim uses, organizing roads and blocks to readily accommodate future redevelopment opportunities, and providing infrastructure that can be easily adapted to alternative energy sources and servicing are some of the ways this principle could be addressed in a new neighbourhood.

Informal Spaces promote social interaction. These are flexible in their use and can be used for pop up markets and exhibitions or community functions Land Use changing itself over time, according to needs of its residents.

A dense neighbourhood node : Cultural community centre provided along with parks and commercial spaces

Inclusive neighboourhood with multi modal choices. Connected through pedestrian walkways and roads.

Parks take advantage of adjacent building and provide a shaded haven

A community space which can be enjoyed by people of all ages. Social and recreational areas used diferently by different people. “Placemaking” / public participation livens up the space.

Parks planned in a 400m radius of all residential areas.

The master plan is a superimposition of various layers - the street network, the parking facilities, the green areas, the commercial, institutional and residential blocks. These are designed with respect to each other taking an initial zoning diagram as a basis.

formation of master plan After marking out different nodes in a neighbourhood and zoning out the amenities with equal distribution, a hierarchy of road network has to be establsihed to achieve a multi modal choice of connectivity within the neighbourhood and its connectivity to other neighbourhoods / surroundings. The circulation has to be designed in a way that promotes social activities and safe pedestrian passages in a neighbourhood. The residential blocks will be aligned according to these network of streets. After establishing a hierarchy, a grid is chosen for layout.

01

Hierarchy of Roads in a Neighbourhood.

Primary roads : Connectiong different nodes

02

Choice of Grid / Network for Laying out Roads

Secondary roads : Connecting amenities within a node

Internal roads : Connecting residential blocks

hierarchy of roads in a neighbourhood

01 02 03

The roads which conect the nodes in a neighbourhod and all the exists and entries.

The roads which connect the blocks within a node and round it.

The roads within a sector that connect different houses. ( Pedestrian walkways and driveways )

The road network should allow for multi modal choice of movement on site. it should provide a safe passage for pedestrians. The grid is chosen according to the size of blocks and the organic development of urban areas. The grid should promote a systematic urban growth in the neighbourhood. A hierarchy of roads is established in the road network to ensure safe and secure neighbourhood. The houses should only be accessible through internal roads. The other services such as waste maagement trucks, visitors coming in commercial sectors all utilise the primary road network (external roads), therby ensuring significant privacy for residents.

Designing the road network Design an interconnected street network that respects the City’s established hierarchy of roads and that directly connects with existing arterials, collectors and main entrances of adjacent residential developments.

Design grid or modified grid street patterns to increase route options and connections.

Design the layout of streets to minimize the use of cul de-sacs and ‘P’ loops. Where a cul-de-sac, P-loop crescent or a curvilinear collector roadway exists and it increases the distance of indirect travel for pedestrians, the neighbourhood design must provide a formalized pedestrian short cut via park linkages or walkways.

Layout the local street pattern with a maximum block size length of 200 metres between intersections and on average between 150m and 180m.

Locate key neighbourhood destinations (commercial, community recreational facilities, school sites, etc.) within a 400m to 800m (5-10 minutes walking distance) of the majority of residents.

Where possible, reduce paved widths of lane and streets to encourage a more pedestrian friendly environment. Street and lanes should remain wide enough to accommodate waste collection and emergency vehicle requirements Incorporate street trees to define and frame streets, particularly where there are deeper building set-backs and lower buildings, such as suburban residential streets and arterials with auto-oriented uses.

SPACE REQUIREMENT FOR DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE BUILDING Main Building The plinth or any part of a building or outhouse shall be so located with respect to average road level from site so that adequate drainage of the site is assured but at a not height less than 45 cm.

Interior Courtyards, Covered Parking Spaces and Garages These shall be raised at least 15 cm. above the surrounding ground level and shall satisfactorily drained.

Provided that the minimum clear head way under any beam shall be not less than 2.4 m.

Maximum height permissible for all the components of the building mentioned above is 4 m.

All open spaces provided either in interior or exterior shall be kept free from any erections thereon and shall open to the sky. Nothing except cornice, chhajja or weather shade (not more than 0.75 m. wide) shall overhang or project over the said open space so as to reduce the width to less than minimum required.

Di Distance between two adjacent building blocks shall be minimum 6 mtrs, and maximum 16 mtrs. depending on the height of blocks. For building height up to 18 mtrs., the spacing shall be ours and thereafter the spacing shall be increased by Isomers.for every addition of 3 mtrs. in height of building subject to a maximum spacing 16 mtrs, as of Development Control Rules, part 3 of National Building Code -2005. If the blocks have dead-end sides facing each other than the spacing shall be maximum 9 meters, instead of 16 mirs Moreover, the allottee may provide or propene more than 16mtr. space between two blocks.

MEANS OF ACCESS The width of the main street on which the building abuts shall not be

Requirenments in respect of building sites Main Building The plinth or any part of a building or outhouse shall be so located with respect to average road level from site so that adequate drainage of the site is assured but at a not height less than 45 cm

less than 12.0 m.

If there are any bends or curves in the approach road, sufficient width shall be permitted at the curve to enable the fire tenders to turn, the turning circle shall be at least of 9.0 m. radius.

The approach to the building and open spaces on its all sides upto 6.0 m. width and the layout for the same shall be done in consultation with the Chief Fire Officer and the same shall be of hard surface capable of taking the weight of fire tender, weighing upto 22 tones for low rise building and 45 tones for building 15 m., and above in height. The said open space shall be kept free of obstructions and shall be motorable.

Main entrance to the premises shall be of adequate width to allow easy access to the fire tender and in no case it shall measure less than 5 m. The entrance gate shall fold back against the compound wall of the premises, thus leaving the exterior access way within the plot free for movement of the fire service vehicles. If-archway is provided over the main entrance, the height of the archway shall not be of height less than 5.0 m.

For multi-storeyed group housing schemes on one plot, the approach road shall be 20.0 m. or as per Master Plan/Development Plan provisions and between individual buildings, there shall be 6.0 m. space around.

In case of basement extending beyond the building line, it shall be capable of taking load of 45 tones for a building of height 15.0 m. and above and 22 tones for building height less than 15.0 m.

The authority shall have a right to impose such restrictions and limitations as to the number of storey and extent of height of the building

EXITS-STAIRCASES AND ELEVATORS Exits shall be so located so that the travel distance on the floor shall not exceed 22.50 m. for residential, educational, institutional and hazardous occupancies and 30.0 m. for assembly, business, mercantile, industrial and storage occupancies. Whenever more than one exit is required for a floor of a building they shall be placed as remote from each other as possible. All the exits shall be accessible from the entire floor area at all floor levels.

The travel distance to an exit from the remote point shall not exceed half the distance as stated above except in the case of institutional occupancy in which case it shall not exceed 6.0 m.

Staircase Requirement -There shall be minimum of two staircases and one of them shall be enclosed stairway and the other shall be on the external walls of building and shall open directly to the exterior, interior open space or to any open place of safety.

-For group housing, where the floor area does not exceed 300 sq metres and the height of the building is not over 24 metres, a single staircase may be acceptable. In buildings that are identified in Bye-Laws No 1.13 VI (a) to (m), a minimum of two staircases are compulsory.

-A staircase shall not be arranged round a lift shaft for buildings 15.0 m. and above height.

-The minimum width of treads without nosing shall be 25 cm. for an internal staircase for residential high-rise buildings. In the case of other buildings, the minimum tread shall be 30 cm.

-The maximum height of riser shall be 19 cm. in the case of residential high rise buildings and 15 cm in the case of other buildings They shall be limited to 12 per flight.

Elevators/lifts FACTORS FOR LIFT DESIGN

-Population handling capacity interval or quality -For residential buildings, occupancy area per person is 12.5 (gross area of floors in sq.m) -For lift design ,most suitable door width is 1000 mm and that of car width is 2000. si of car recommended for a single purpose -Minimum size building is one suitable duty load of 884 Kg. For large building car 2040 Kg. according to requirement.

-Speed of lifts for residential buildings: 4-8 floors = 1m/s 8-12 floors = 1.5m/s above 12 floors = more than 1.5 m/s

RAMPS For wheel chair

Commercial or permanent access ramps require a slope of 1:12 Occupied residential, vehicle or portable access ramps require a slope of 2:12 Unoccupied residential, vehicle or portable access ramps require a slope of 3:12 The minimum width and clearance should be at least 36 inches in most states. If a rail is present the width of the rails needs to be no less than 42 inches to accommodate for the spacing of the rail and 1.5 inch spacing between the handrail and the edge of the ramp.

General ramps

A ramp is comprised of horizontal sloped runs connected by level landings between runs. ... The maximum allowable slope in any new construction is 1:12 with a maximum rise of 30” (76.2 cm) without a landing. A ramp with a slope between 1:12 and 1:16 can have a maximum horizontal length of 30' (9.14 m) without a landing

A

Fire

n enclosed shaft having protected area of 120 min fire resistance rating comprising protected lobby, staircase and firemanns lift, connected directly to exit discharge or through exit passageway with 120 min fire resistant wall at the level of exit discharge to exit discharge. These shall also serve the purpose of exit requirement/ strategy for the occupants. The respective floors shall be approachable from fire-fighting shaft enabling the fire fighters to access the floor and also enabling the fire fighters to assist in evacuation through firemanns lift. The firefighting shaft shall be equipped with 120 min fire doors. The firefighting shaft shall be equipped with firemen talk back, wet riser and landing valve in fi its lobby, to fight fire by fire fighters.

Residential flats or apartments

Parking

15% of maximum permissible F.S.I. for dwelling units having built-up area above 80 m2 , 50% of total parking space shall be reserved for cars and dwelling units below 80 m2 built-up area , 25% of total parking space shall be reserved for cars.

Ecs(equivalent car space): the standards given are in equivalent car space (ecs) and it includes parking for all types of vehicles i.E. Cars, scooters, cycles, and also light and heavy commercial vehicles in case of wholesale markets and industrial areas etc.

Basements and parking • the basement may vary between 33.33 to 50 percent of the plot area and is to be used for parking, servicing and for essential household storage without counting in far.

The intemal height of the basement (floor to ceiling shall be minimum 2.4minutes from bottom of beam and maximum 4.5 metre, Except wherever light of equipments such as electric generator, air conditioner, fire hydrant eye. is more than 5 metre. Additional height equivalent to height of equipments may be permitted, In case of Automatic semi automatic mechanised parking facility also more than 1.5 mtrs, height may be allowed by the Chief Executive Officer depending upon the technology and requirement of space

Load bearing steel beams and columns of buildings having total covered area of 500 m2 and above shall be protected against failure/collapse of structure in case of fire. This could be achieved by use of appropriate methodology using suitable fire resistance rated materials along with suppression system Non-combustible materials should be used for construction of buildings, and the internal walls of staircase enclosures should be of brick work or reinforced concrete or any other material of construction with minimum of 120 min rating. The walls for the chimney shall be of Type 1 or Type 2 Construction depending on whether the flue gas temperature is above 200°C or less, respectively.

Development points for flatted development

Water treatment

Solid waste management There should be at least a residual head of 0.018 N/mm2 at the consumerrs tap. There may be certain fixtures or appliances in the installation that may require a higher pressure, such as 0.05 N/mm2 or even higher (such as 0.1 N/mm2 in case of flush valves), in which case the system shall be designed using pumps, tanks or both to achieve the required minimum pressure

W A T E R M A N A G E M E N T

Lighting T

he illuminance of all working areas within a building should generally be 150 lux.

Where work takes place over the whole utilizable area of room, the illumination over that area should be reasonably uniform and it is recommended that the uniformity ratio (minimum illuminance divided by average illuminance levels) should be not less than 0.7 for the working area.

T

Daylighting

he recommended design sky illuminance values are 6 800 lux for cold climate, 8 000 lux for composite climate, 9 000 lux for warm humid climate, 9 000 lux for temperate climate and 10 500 lux for hot dry climate. For integration with the artificial lighting during daytime working hours an increase of 500 lux in the recommended sky design illuminance for daylighting is suggested.

‘Affordable housing can be green too’ Linking sustainability with quality rather than pricing can create opportunities for upcoming housing projects, especially since India’s ferent perceptions of affordability

socio-economic milieu warrants dif-

At the Paris Climate Conference, India pledged to reduce the greenhouse emission (GHE) intensity of its gross domestic product by 33-35% over 2005 levels by 2030. One of the key sectors that need to be factored in to meet this target is the real estate. India’s building stock is expected to double in the next 15 years and buildings are expected to emerge as the largest electricity consuming sector in the country. It is crucial that new buildings in the country are designed to be energy efficient and thermally comfortable

What is current status of the green building sector in India?

A minuscule part of India’s built infrastructure is green buildings. However, one must understand that bulk of our infrastructure is yet to be built. So there is huge opportunity to make sure that we move on the correct green path. The Indian Green Building Council started with a modest 20,000

sq. ft. green built-up area in India in 2003. By 2019-end, there were more than 5,723 green building projects registered under it, accounting for over 7.09 billion sq. ft.

But most of these projects that seek the green tag are commercial spaces. Only green building stock is of housing projects.

5-7% of the

Why is there a slow uptake on green buildings?

This is because green buildings are perceived to be more expensive. This is unfortunate. I agree that some elements of a green building (for example, UPVC windows) are expensive. But when a building is planned, architects and civil engineers discuss the energy requirement, for example the number of air conditioners required. But once you plan for a natural lighting, better insulated walls, UPVC windows and solar panels, the energy requirement will come down. Once the requirement for connected load comes down, the back-up electricity costs will also come down. Then, if you have water harvesting, the water costs will also come down, and also recharging will help improve groundwater levels also.

Can older buildings be made green by retrofitting?

Retrofitting has a very limited option. You can buy gadgets which are more energy efficient but you can’t break down the house to make it green. If you want to go that extra mile, you can probably change your windows to double glazed. But options are limited. It’s always best to weave in green options when your build the house.

Who should be the drivers?

The consumers, should be the drivers. Developers will never give you [green options]. The energy efficiency labelling programme showed us that once a few manufacturers agree, others will follow because nobody wanted to be left out. With the label, you are empowering the consumer to take an informed decision. Then consumers started demanding energy efficient appliances. Once the manufacturers realise the demand then they will act. Once that happens, then the regulator can further strengthen the benchmarks. Our focus should be to sensitise the consumers and expand the market. If we as consumers start demanding green options there is no way that any developer will not give them.

The government is pushing for affordable housing. How can the developers ensure that these buildings are also green?

In India, access to affordable housing is vital for achieving various social objectives, including poverty reduction. In 2012, urban housing shortage stood at 18.8 million units and is expected to grow at 6.6% to 34.1 million units by 2022.

Unfortunately, popular perception associates sustainability with expensive technological advances. Affordability, however, lies at the very core of sustainability. Common sense entails that if something cannot be reduced, reused, repaired, rebuilt, refurbished or recycled, it should be restricted or removed from production.

GRIHA for Affordable Housing

The “ ” rating variant was designed specifically for this purpose, and outlines at length how factors such as climate responsive design help reduce energy demand (and by extension, the electricity bills incurred by residents) at no additional capital cost. GRIHA AH strives to break the myth of expensive green buildings and lays emphasis on cost-effective sustainability measures. India is a tropical country with a requirement for space cooling for much of the year in order to maintain bearable indoor temperatures, yet affordable housing is often conceived as being required to merely provide the very basics in terms of shelter and security for the economical-

Second, the energy efficiency building code is new. When it was introduced in 2007, the code was used for the commercial sector first because MPs thought that there would be a cost in going green and they would not want to burden the common man with additional costs. And they said that as and when there is a greater uptake for all this, they will release the regulation for the residential sector.

ly-challenged sections of society. Unlike their counterparts in commercial or high-end residential projects, the occupants of affordable housing do not have access to expensive air conditioning equipment. GRIHA has always emphasised the importance of no-cost design interventions for enhancing performance and meeting thermal comfort through the manipulation of architecture and building material. Through the AH rating system, GRIHA envisions sustainable affordable housing as habitable spaces where the occupants have both the opportunity and the desire to reside beyond the short-term, which is conducive to their socio-economic development and respectful of the natural environment.

Although there is a regulatory framework in place, constructions are a state subject. So because of the urban local body bye-laws, the implementation has to be at the state level. That becomes a problem and dilutes the effort.

Linking sustainability with quality rather than pricing can create opportunities for upcoming housing projects, especially since India’s socio-economic milieu warrants different perceptions of affordability. The underlying idea is that people should be able to maintain comfortable living standards within affordable sustainable housing.

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case studies 01. Supertech Ecociti, Noida 02. Interlace, Singapore 03. Cidco Housing, Belapur

This case study was chosen because of its similarity to our proposed project and site. It has various housing configurations, it is located on the Noida- Greater Noida expressway(much similar to our site’s location). By studying its challenges and site utilisation and comparing it with standards, relatable inferences can be drawn for designing a project on the chosen site.

Supertech ecociti Noida-Greater Noida Expy, Blossom County, Sector 137, Noida, Uttar Pradesh-201301

Total Site Area : 11 Acres (4.451 Hectares) Ground Coverage: 20 % 20 residential Towers + 1 studio service tower Residential Units: 1634 Studio Apartments : 457 Total : 2091 apartments Population Density H.N (5) : 2348PPH (10455) H.N (4.5) : 2114PPH (9410)

Site Analysis

01

Acess to site

Surrounded by roads on 3 Sides.

Sector 137 Rd in the north-east.

On its south-east, through Shaheed Rajguru Marg Fronted by Hansraj marg Rd. From expressway, take Service Rd to 143B and then to Hansraj Marg to reach the site

02

Location Significance and Connectivity to other hubs Sector 137 is one of the fastest developing areas of Noida which is strategically located along the Noida - Greater Noida Expressway. It is located just opposite the institutional area in sector 136. Its strategic location, being close to sectors 136 and 142, is a big advantage as these are emerging as big IT hubs. Sector 137 is very well connected to Delhi and Greater Noida via the Noida - Greater Noida Expressway. The sector is located at a short distance from the Mahamaya Flyover. Further the proposed metro line will add to the sectors connectivity. Sector 137 is also in close proximity to the FNG Faridabad Noida - Ghaziabad Expressway. Sector 18, the shopping hub in Noida, is in close vicinity. Sector 137 is close to corporate and commercial districts and is a perfect option for the working class. In addition, there are many schools and educational institutes such as Amity University, DPS, Genesis Global School & Apeejay School and hospitals such as JS Hospital in the vicinity, ensuring a smooth functioning of daily life.

Strategic location close to commercial area and offices.

Well connected to Delhi, Noida and Faridabad.

Nearby stations include botanical garden metro station near sec 18 commercial and entertainment hub (GIP and other malls) Hospitals in 2km radius Close to Sector parks Situated on a collector road so less vehicular congestion and noise on site.

Key plan and site plan

List of amenities nearby

cluster plan configurations

Analysis and inferences

site plan _ arrangement of towers on site

shortcomings Even though these high rise apartments provide homes at affordable prices, it has been observed that these societies become deserted and degrade gradualy after 5-7 years of construction .

Main causes include high maintenance charges. The exterior finishes of towers blacken after one monsoon season. Moreover, seepage of water in pipes and leakage in pipes cause chipping of paint finishes and cause dampness.

The features provided never get fully developed and lay waste.

This particular project has efficient utilisation of land use, gives an unclutered view in the centre and the orientation and curve in placement ensures natural light and ventilation in all of its aprtments.

But recently, a news came up about a fire in the basement which highlighted its lack of ventilation in basements.

The stacked formations allow light and air to flow through the architecture and surrounding landscape. Developed by Capitaland and Hotel Properties Limited, With a GFA of 170,000 mm The Interlace has 1,040 apartment units of var ying size.

Stacked in hexagonal arrangements around eight large-scale open permeable courtyards, the scheme creates a network of internal and external environments that create a multitude of shared and private outdoor spaces on multiple levels. The large-scale complex takes a more expansive and interconnected approach to living through communal spaces which are integrated into its lush sur rounding greenbelt.

Location Client Architect Project Size Program Pri Price

Malaysia CapitaLand Ole Schereen Residential housing 8 hectares 1,040 residences 144,000 sqm, clubhouse / amenities 1,500 sqm, retail 500 sqm, ancillary / MEP 24,000 sqm, basement parking 2,600 spaces S$ 1,095 - S$ 1,318 PSF / S$ 1,234 PSF

Introduction The Interlace, one of the largest and most ambitious residential developments in Singapore, presents a radically new approach to contemporary living in a tropical environment. Instead of creating a cluster of isolated, vertical towers – the default typology of residential developments in Singapore – the design proposes an intricate network of living and social spaces integrated with the natural environment.

Thirty-one apartment blocks, each six stories tall and identical in length, are stacked in a hexagonal arrangement around eight large-scale open and permeable courtyards. The interlocking blocks create a vertical village of both shared and private outdoor spaces on multiple levels. While maintaining the privacy of the individual apartments through the generous spacing of the building blocks, The Interlace creates an interactive network of outdoor spaces oriented around the focal points of the courtyards, reflecting and extending the natural surroundings. Instead of following the default typology of housing in the region – clusters of isolated towers – the vertical is turned horizontal, with 31 apartment blocks, each six stories tall and 70 meters long.

Site Plan

Concept

Zoning While maintaining the privacy of individual apartment units through the generous spacing of the building blocks and far-ranging views, the design also features communal spaces for shared activity. Extensive residential amenities and facilities are interwoven into the lush vegetation and offer opportunities for social interaction, leisure, and recreation.

The design capitalizes on the generous size of the site and further maximizes the presence of nature by introducing extensive roof gardens, landscaped sky terraces and cascading balconies. Above- ground vehicular circulation is minimized, liberating large green areas within the development. The Interlace incorporates sustaina bility features through careful environmental analysis of sun, wind, and micro-climate conditions on site and the integration of low-impact passive energy strategies.

Landscape and other features at The Interlace takes up eight-hectares, with the arrangement of the buildLandscaping ings maximizing the presence of the surrounding tropical floral by introducing extensive roof gardens, landscaped sky terraces, cascading balconies and lush green areas.

The architectural design also incorporates sustainability features through careful environmental analysis of sun, wind and micro-climate conditions on site and the integration of low-impact passive energy strategies.

Water bodies have been strategically placed within wind corridors as a means of allowing evaporative cooling to happen along the wind paths, reducing local air temperatures and improving thermal comfort in outdoor recreation space.

Service Cores Core A

level 1- 1 to 6 oor (11 blocks)

level 2- 7 to 12 oor (10 blocks)

1 Elevator+ 1 Stairs

Core B

2 Elevator + 1 Stairs

Core B

2 Elevator + 2 Stairs

level 3- 13 to 18 oor

level 3- 13 to 18 oor

E X P E R I E N C E O F S P A C E

case study

Cidco- HOUSING at PARSIK HILL

Income Tax Colony, Sector-21, CBD Belapur, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra 400614

Introduction • The programme requirement of 1048 apartments was varied mostly comprising of one to two room units.

• The system we designed to create public space, semi-public space and private space.

• Total site area 9.5 hectares.

• Area for school and shopping about 2 hectares.

• Construction period 1985-1996 • Overall density of 55 units per acre.

O • The unit sizes range from 20 to 100 square meters.

• A sense of enclosure and continuity of movement is maintained throughout the scheme

zoning

Building materials • Rough cast plaster punctuated with bands of cheap handmade tileswas chosen as the building finish keeping in the mind the meager budget and the brunt of Mumbai monsoons.

• Quartzite stone walls at ground level and a honeycomb lattice onroof defines private open spaces.

• Courtyards are semi-paved.

Use of cross wall and grouping of toilets has resulted in cost reductionn • Have attached terraces at upper floor.

The units are arranged in such a way that it creates a network of courtyards and roof terraces fostering community interaction. • The form of every block is different and it is patterned in different formations based on the typology of the site, to create squares and pathways. A sense of enclosure and continuity of movement is maintained throughout the scheme.

The division of site is accentuated by different types of building blocks designed on the basis of dwelling unit areas.

A-20 sq. m

Climate

Navi Mumbai has a sub-tropical climate of humid-per-humid to semi arid and sub-humid tYpe.The average annual temperature in Navi Mumbai is 26.8c.

-In winter temperature 13 between 17 c to 20° c -In summer temperature ranges from 36 c to 41' c.

-Out of total rainfall 80% rainfall is experienced during june to october.

-Average annual rainfall is 2000-2500 mm -Humidity is 61-866 Has a coastal stretch 34.2 kms.

planning in clusters • Use of cross wall and grouping of toilets has resulted in cost reduction • Have attached terraces at upper floor.

• The units are arranged in such a way that it creates a network of courtyards and roof terraces fostering community interaction.

• The form of every block is different and it is patterned in different formations based on the typology of the site, to create squares and pathways.

• A sense of enclosure and continuity of movement is maintained throughout the scheme.

• The division of site is accentuated by different types of building blocks designed on the basis of dwelling unit areas. .

A-20 sq. m B-25sq. m C-34sq. m D-40sq. m E-50sq. m F-70sq. m H-90sq. m

Architectural features

Utilisation of spaces

Open staircases

Reduce covered area of circulation to minimum.

Inconvenient during rainy season.

Parking space

Since it was built for lowest income group the architect assumed that the necessity of parking space would be bare minimum Child Children's play areas Children's play area was not provided

Vehicular circulation

The internal spaces are free from vehicular traffic width of vehicular road =6m Pedestrian circulation Width of pedestrian pathway = 3m The creation of the traditional narrow street, linking all housing units, provides intimate encounters between people and a sense of belonging to the neighbourhood square

Courtyards

The interlocking courtyards accommodate different functions and create a micro climate within the site.

Building forms define a variety of enclosures for public and private use

The buildings which were not in use are not properly maintained and were converted into a waste disposal area.

Pedestrian pathways are an important feature of low rise, high density scheme Shaded streets and small courtyards laid along the slopes of the site provide space for human interaction

Semi public courtyards are defined by paved footpaths and constantly changing levels

Diffused light and shaded pathways are an important feature of internal spaces.

The window sizes are very small (0.5m x 1.2m ).

The pattern of development follows the typology of site to provide for private courtyards, roof terraces and interval pathways.

A passage with in the cluster leading to the hill. The spiral staircases provide direct access from walkways to upper floors.

Current changes in some spaces pros and cons

site analysis 01 . exisitng vegetation 02 . Contours and topography 03 . site accessibility and connectivity 04 . Wind movement on site 05 . activity mapping on site 06 . noise levels on site 07 . Positive views on site 08 . exisitng structures and surroundings

Soil mapping and earthquakes Alluvial Soil 300 cm in depth Generally silty soil with varying percentages of clay and sand are found in the area. Therefore, contiguous agricultural fields interspersed with the open scrub and sparsely dotted trees are characteristically seen near the rural settlements cha in the area. The soil in Noida is moderately fertile.

The ground water in NOIDA is generally hard in nature due to presence of calcium and magnesium in excess amount.

NOIDA faces flood hazard due to Rivers Yamuna and Hindon. The sectors that are at high flood risk in case of breach of left afflux bund on Yamuna or water overflowing the top near Noida Toll Bridge in Noida are Sectors 16A, 95, 94, 124, 125, 126, and 127 while Sectors with low flood risk are sector 17, 18, 38A, 128, 44, 131, 133, 134, and 130. Hence the site is not flood affected.

The site lies in Seismic Zone 4 which is greatly prone to earthquake and thus study foundtion and earthquake resistant structures need to be provided to avoid damage to apartment towers.

“ Form Follows Climate ” - Charles Correa

1. OPTIMUM ORIENTATION-The best orientation from solar radiation point of view requires buildings ,as a whole, should receive solar radiation in winter and mininmum in summer.

2. The optimum orientation of building in india is with the longer facade facing north and south to avoid summer heat gain,and allow maximum winter radiation.The basic objectives is to minimize the building exposure along east and west 3. BUFFER SPACES OR THERMAL BUFFER ZONE-it is recommended tp design the internal layout of the building in such a manner that most of the living occupied spaces are placed along the nothern or southern fascades and away from the eastern and western.

4. LOCATION OF BUILDINGS OPENINGS-Building openings shoulkd be located on ythe fascades with the with the least amount of insolation Thus it is always recommended to provide maximum openings on the northern and southern fascades to avoid openings on the eastern and western fascades to allow maximum daylight and minimum solar radiation inside the building.

5. SHADING DESIGN - It has been observed that maximum incident heat gain occurs through the roof,followed by walls to the west and east.The western and eastern walls of buildings are subjected to the wall surface.Therefore these walls are difficult to shade with horizontal shading device,and these fascades require complete vertical shading or vertical screening 6. SOLAR HEAT GAIN COFFIECIENT-The SHGC is the fraction of incident solar radiation admitted through a window.It measures how well a fenestration blocks heat from the sun.The lower the shgc,better the productr in b locking unwanted heat gain.Shgc is expressed as a number between o and 1.

7. ADEQUATE DAYLIGHTING- In india,daylight is available in plenty under clear sky conditions, and can be used for satisfactory indoor illumination during the way.Direct sunlight is excluded from the definition of daylight factor ,as it is not desirable from the viwpoint of lighting quality

The site is North East oriented. The shadow analysis has been done at an interval of 2 hours starting at 10am . This will help in placement of open spaces with respect to the the built form on site. The shadow cast by height of surrounding strucutres will detemine the setback on site. (using angle plane)

Sun path diagram and shadow analysis on site

at 10 am

at 12 noon

at 02 pm

at 04 pm

the right side of site lies in the shadow region of adjacent housing society and does not let the morning sun in. Apartments on this side are preferably avoided.

for shaded structures on ground decidous trees can be used to provide shade in summer and sunlight in winter .

The Site lies in Composite climate region. Both summer and winter seasons are extreme and hence design of buildings will have to minimise heat gain during summers.

Even though the site has a moderate /composite climate, the microclimate data will differ greatly due to the presence of concrete structures around it. Due to urban heat island effect, the microclimate temperatures will be higher than the data collected on everyday temperature. Hence, The microclimate on site will have to be regulated through careful plantations and movement of wind created due to pressure differences.

Yellow- comfortable temp range Green - extreme temp. causing discomfort and needs to be mitigated through passive design strategies

Conclusions from Mahoney Table Southwest Monsoon Winds

Annual Temperature variation and their relation with comfortable temperatures

Westerly winds (loo) Hot dry winds

Prevailing North East Winds.

Also act as rain beaing winds during retreating monsoon season.

Winds from North-East direction vary between 10 - 45 km/hr.

Climate Analysis on the Basis of ASHRAE and ISHRAE standards In this climate air conditioning will always be needed, but can be greatly reduced if building design minimizes overheating Window overhangs (designed for this latitude) or operable sunshades (awnings that extend in summer) can reduce or eliminate air conditioning Provide double pane high performance glazing (Low-E) on west, north, and east, but clear on south for maximum passive solar gain Raise the indoor comfort thermostat setpoint to reduce air conditioning energy consumption (especially if occupants wear seasonally appropriate clothing) Minimize or eliminate west facing glazing to reduce summer and fall afternoon heat gain Traditional passive homes in hot dry climates used high mass construction with small recessed shaded openings, operable for night ventilation to cool the mass Traditional passive homes in hot windy dry climates used enclosed well shaded courtyards, with a small fountain to provide wind-protected microclimates Good natural ventilation can reduce or eliminate air conditioning in warm weather, if windows are well shaded and oriented to prevailing breezes Long narrow building floor plan can help maximize cross ventilation in temperate and hot humid climates Use light colored building materials and cool roofs (with high emissivity) to minimize conducted heat gain m Use plant materials (bushes, trees, ivy-covered walls) especially on the west to minimize heat gain (if summer rains support native plant growth) A radiant barrier (shiny foil) will help reduce radiated heat gain through the roof in hot climates High Efficiency air conditioner or heat pump (at least Energy Star) should prove cost effective in this climate Screened porches and patios can provide passive comfort cooling by venSc tilation in warm weather and can prevent insect problems