02 | Climate concept 2.1 Sustainability vision The goal of achieving sustainability has been an integrated vision for the project and has been taken into account by all the disciplines. To achieve this goal, the design focuses on the aspects of reduce, re-use, re-purpose and produce. To re-purpose spaces for future use, the structure is designed to be adaptable such that the functions can change and, instead of losing its purpose, it can adapt to future demand. As a result the towers can accommodate both residences and offices and the machines in the fabrication lab are removable. This is also taken into consideration for the installation of climate systems such that it offers flexibility and adaptability. To re-use, the waste heat is recovered as much as possible from different spaces. Moreover, the building has a Rainwater harvesting system to meet the water consumption demands to a certain extent. Grey-water recycling is another strategy to limit the need of water resource. The recycled water is supplied to the urban green hill at the plaza level for supporting the plant growth. To reduce the energy demand, the envelope is designed such that the direct solar heat gain is reduced by ensuring self-shading over the glazed portions of the facade. Possibility of exploiting natural ventilation
through the facade has been explored significantly reducing the need of mechanical ventilation. In addition to passive facade strategies, efficient heating and cooling systems are provided such as geothermal heat pumps, floor heating etc., which demand lesser energy as compared to the traditional systems. The site being surrounded by an urban development is vulnerable to be affected by the urban heat island effect. Hence, the green urban hill at the plaza level mitigates the urban heat island effect and excess atmospheric CO2. This strategy also creates a microclimate at the public plaza level thereby reducing temperatures effectively and maintaining a good urban comfort in the vicinity. To produce sustainable energy through renewable resources, the facade focuses on combining architectural aesthetics with an energy efficient envelope with the PV-panels. The roof area of both the towers are equipped with solar water heaters which can significantly meet the energy demand for heating hot water especially for the hotels.
Figure9: Sustainability vision. (drawn by Yamini) Climate Design | MEGA 2020
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