Sustainable architecture: Go green to make green

By Roshenka de Mel

Sharing his strong belief in sustainable design principles, Raj Barr Kumarakulasinghe on a recent visit to Sri Lanka brought to attention the infinite design and cost saving possibilities to be gained through the implementation of a sustainable approach to architecture.

Chairman and President of Washington-based Barr Group International LLC and Barr Kumar Architects Engineers PL, Barr is currently in the planning stages of a “net zero energy” sustainable project in Sri Lanka called Paradise Sri Lanka, which is proposed to be a condominium for a mixed community including the retirement returning expatriate community.

The monthly services per person are approximately valued at US$ 1,500 and the project will provide a base for elderly Sri Lankans returning to their homeland in their old age, along with a variety of other retirees as well as holiday seeking clients and families.

Barr will mix long range stay condominiums and boutique hotels to cater to a mixed community. He believes that by drawing a mixed community, the entire condominium experience will be livened and more interesting.

Opportunity to take architectural design to new heights

As Sri Lanka finds itself poised on the verge of explosive development that is fast being realised, the demand for a multitude of buildings to come up across the country has never been more prevalent.

From hotels to houses to sky rises, a plethora of structures are about to sprout up across Sri Lanka’s skyline, from north to south. An issue that needs to be considered with great caution is how these buildings can be designed without tarnishing the land they stand on and furthermore how these buildings can possibly represent an entirely new class of environmentally sensitive, sustainable and low operational cost buildings.

What Sri Lanka at present faces is the opportunity to take architectural design to new heights by leapfrogging ahead and using the anticipated development to show ourselves and the world not just any old buildings coming up, but an entirely new league of buildings that architecturally are designed well and through the use of sustainable devices, are economically more beneficial to run in the long term.

Design like 1850: Using the 5C approach to sustainable architecture

Stressing that sustainability is not a different method of architecture but rather an approach which Barr believes greats like Geoffrey Bawa delivered instinctively, he stated: “We should design as if it’s 1850. For thousands of years before we got so technically advanced, people from around the world adapted their buildings according to the climate of the region. Our response too should be climatically correct.

“Climate influences culture. Culturally you have to connect to the local place. Responding to common sense and culture gives you a building that’s rooted where it is. When a person wakes up they need to know they are not in Peru, they are in Sri Lanka.

“You also need to be sight specific. Your architecture needs to say ‘I am designing in Sri Lanka in 2011’. Even as the same country keeps advancing, your building needs to capture a sense of time and place. It’s all an integrated system, it’s not a matter of sustainable vs. traditional.

“Architecture can have a traditional base layer and have a progressive layer of technology added onto it. Finally you need creativity to give the building a context that conveys all you want to convey and the values of the time.”

Elaborating further on how sustainability generates a lot of hype, Barr explained: “Sustainability is too much of a buzz word. If you design a building that functions when the power shuts down, you’ve already won. The term ‘going green’ often gives people the wrong impression. It is not a complex issue, it’s common sense.

“If you take technology used at its latest and overlay it on the basic climatic requirements of a building, you will have a building that is specific to that time or place. Sustainability is an approach to design; it starts by capturing the local essence of a place and layers that with technology to ensure the building is efficient and healthy.”

Benefits of zero net energy buildings: Cutting back costs in style

Further explaining the concept of ‘zero net energy’ buildings, Barr stated: “At the end of the year, if the amount your building consumes is less than the amount you bought, your building has achieved net zero energy. Zero energy buildings take solar panel use further through Building Integrated Photovoltaics (BITP), which refers to photovoltaic systems that can be painted on a flexible sheet and have the capability to generate energy from the sun through a series of dots. Through zero net energy, the building will power itself and send extra energy to the grid.”

Barr added: “I’m sure there are others who use this concept in Sri Lanka but I want to bring a concept of zero net energy building to Sri Lanka that also makes use of water as a resource. The use of water throughout a building is very important. There’s no point in using treated water in the flushing systems of a toilet, for that we should use water that perhaps been collected from rainfall.

“Our buildings should be designed to minimise water wastage and should use water as a renewable resource and feature.”

Trees, the essence of environment

Further highlighting the importance of trees, Barr explained that the first step he makes when starting is the replanting of trees in an area, adding that “trees are the essence of environment”.

Barr explained that the first move he makes when starting any project is to plant trees. Barr stressed: “Kandalama is a classic example of how you should respond as an architect. I believe Geoffrey Bawa was the pioneer of ecotourism architecture; he was creating sustainable architecture even before there was a term for it. You don’t have to be an eco-architect to know that if you’re in a jungle, you want the building to disappear whilst still providing all the needed comforts.”

Bringing to attention how the correct design of a building can be cost effective in the long run, Barr explained: “By design you can reduce the impact of energy, water and carbon credits later in the day. Buildings if not built correctly generate huge operations costs for their entire lifespan that reaches 50-100 years.

“If you spend a further 20% on applying sustainable measures to a building you’re going to amortise the initial investment of the building within five to seven years, at that point the energy used for your building will be free. Sensual architecture is image driven but you have to understand that investors are looking at the bottom line. If you can show and demonstrate that the initial investment of your building will through sustainable measures have a higher return on investment, then as a business solution, you’ll have no end of people looking towards sustainable architecture.”

Avoiding sick building syndrome

Barr highlighted the ultimate purpose entrusted to architects is not to build pretty buildings, but above all other responsibilities, it is to ensure the protection, health, safety and welfare of the public.

Too often he explained that when designing according to the climate and environmental setting of the building, location is not considered at its design stages and there can be flaws in the function of the building which contributes to a concept called sick building syndrome.

Barr stated: “If you seal a building, you then rely only on mechanic systems to circulate air through it. They will deliver really good conditioned air but the ducts through which the air travels over years collect microbes, dust and dead cockroaches and that is what the fresh air passes over. If you’re living in a completely sealed building, be it a workplace or hotel, people get sick.

“If you’re an architect, please design buildings with open windows providing access to fresh air. If they can deliver fresh air through open windows in sky rises in Frankfurt, there’s no reason why we can’t do the same in Sri Lanka. There is no excuse for not opening the building up with windows. You have to look at what you can gain and enjoy naturally, this kind of sustainable design validates design excellence.”

Different aspects of greener design

Outlining the different aspects of greener design, Barr explained: “You have to firstly turn to renewable energy sources to generate power for the building. Sri Lanka has access to shoreline which makes it an ideal location to harness tidal and wind energy. Hydroelectric energy is also a good option. Sri Lanka’s climate is fairly consistent unlike where there are four seasons, which can make it harder to design with alternative energy.

“We need to cut out the use of coal to generate energy and take step towards renewable resources. Secondly we can increase the use of renewable materials.

Instead of using teak floors which come from trees that take 50 years to grow, the use of bamboo floors for instance is not only aesthetically pleasing but are highly renewable. The more we use recycled materials, the better the sustainability of the project will be.

“Indoor air quality is another important component of green design and touches on window air quality which is linked directly to health. When painting, you can use paints with low VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) to reduce the impact of harmful chemicals and glues. Water efficiency and use as a resource, conservational measures applied to minimise wastage and facilitate the most effective use of water throughout the building are also key.

“Finally the preservation of sustainable site is very important. In order to preserve the sustainability of a building site we need to be non-invasive in the design of our buildings, otherwise the entire essence of an area suffers.”

Importance of urban planning to sustainable architecture

When you have an urban setting, Barr stressed that it’s important not to let it spread continuously and expand as one monotone texture throughout the country. He stated that in the development of cities, there should be a policy in place to identify sensitive environment areas and preserve them.

Barr stated: “Sri Lanka is advanced in finding wilderness areas. Some of these areas have become tourist attractions and demand for access to them has seen a rise in hotels coming up around them. If hotels come up in a cluster, that’s great but if they spread too much throughout a wilderness area, there can generate increased noise, light and sound pollution throughout a wider reach of those pristine areas.

“There’s a need for rules to ensure that the design of these buildings stays true to the natural setting that surrounds them. We need a policy in place to minimise the pollution in these areas and we need to ensure we carry out sensitive design in these areas. Where there is a need for lights, something subtle should be used instead of a large globe that shines brightly throughout the area. It’s a matter of common sense being used by the architects as well.”

Highlighting that it is important to recognise the functional importance that natural features such as waterfalls and marshlands play, Barr stated: “We need to create buffer zones around natural features. They are there with a greater purpose and being invasive towards them will be harmful to the building and site in the long run. If you create projects like large hotels in a way that is correct for the climate, you intensify the entire offering and experience through sustainability. “

Don’t fear going local: Tap into local and foreign knowledge

Bringing to attention the importance of tapping into local knowledge, Barr mentioned: “There is a tendency to bring in foreign architects to steer large projects in Sri Lanka; when this happens Sri Lankan architects become the producers in the process rather than individuals who are able to influence the process.

“No one group holds the truth, we need to take outside knowledge and tie it to local knowledge. Local architects will be better prepared to respond to the local climate, culture and context of the building. If you do projects like large hotels in a way that is correct for the climate, you intensify the experience through sustainability.”

Sri Lanka’s chance to leapfrog with sustainable design

Barr depicted Sri Lanka as a country with a great chance to leapfrog with technology and its response to sustainable architecture: “We don’t have to learn from any other country as such; the magic of Sri Lanka is that we are a one climate zone. Our streets would benefit enormously with tree lines which would enhance the entire look of the city whilst countering carbon emissions at the same time. Improvements in Sri Lanka are starting already. We have a very lush land, if you take that and work with what we have here, we can set the tone for how architects should respond.”

Need for strong policies and enforcement to ensure overall sustainability

In a place like Sri Lanka which is evolving rapidly, Barr stressed that strong enforcements are need to secure proper planning. Bringing to light the downside, he said: “Policy is always tough, it can be long and drawn out. What we need is for people to understand and practice the ethos of sustainability. Then you don’t have to convince anyone.

“The country is small enough to be zoned climatically. We have to identify what is important to preserve in each zone. Simple rules can be put in place to prevent the cutting of trees above a certain calibre. It is important in such instances to give people a measurable quantity when it comes to rules.

“Enforcement has to be as strong as the policy. What is needed is a mix of rules and regulations along with creative design from architects and developers which will ensure a more sustainable approach to building and eliminate what is left of a chain cultivation mentality.”

At a macro level Barr explained how the preservation of key ecosystems and green belts between city expansions are important; however things like tree planting and tree cutting regulations are small but can make a huge impact.

Stressing the importance of responding correctly to a climate and jokingly explaining how God makes better design than man ever can to demonstrate the need for architects to just ‘go with’ the natural essence of the building site, Barr concluded his interview by emphasising that going green is not a huge expense at all.

“You can add the best bells and whistles to make a building sustainable for no more than an additional 20% of the building’s cost. Without these measures, the operating costs of a building can add up to 100 times more than the actual building cost over the lifespan of the structure.”

He emphasised that a greener, more sustainable approach to architecture is not something which is extended as a privilege to only those who can afford it, but rather is a concept which can be realised through the most simple of steps and a response that takes into consideration, climate, culture, common sense, context and creativity.

As Sri Lanka prepares for its next phase of development, a sustainable approach to building will not only ensure lower overall operational costs, it will ensure that design enhances the natural environment of an area and by doing so, increases the ultimate value of that area.

Barr concluded: “Architecture is an art, a practical art. Architecture is a science, a sensual science, it’s in the nuances. Architecture happens at the edge between the inside and the out. The more defined and layered that edge, the more interesting the architecture will be.”