IOCL R&D Campus - 1
Authors: Suparna Havelia, Anurag Bajpai
Team: Jeyaraj Kalirajan, Vertika Pandey
IGBC Green Campus – Platinum Rated
Environmental consciousness inspires sustainable construction. From environment-friendly workplaces to homes, sustainable design and building operations have taken centre-stage to every construction, be it new or existing. Warehouses, factories and green parks are too determined to align their energy and water consumption in an environmentally conscious manner.
The IOCL R&D Campus-1 in Faridabad, Gurugram, is one such fine example of green design and stellar energy-efficient outfits and water-efficient measures. GreenTree Global has helped the project in its pursuit of attaining Platinum Rating by IGBC Green Parks – Existing Campus.
GreenTree Global is a top green consultancy firm headquartered in Noida, Uttar Pradesh. GreenTree Global is working with various stakeholders in helping them attain green certification, carbon-neutrality and net zero energy buildings through assessment and reporting (GreenTree is a BEE empanelled for providing Technical Consultancy for converting existing buildings to Net Zero Energy Buildings), and consultancy in building energy efficiency and infrastructure development projects.
Contextual Landscaping: The best asset to a campus
The beautiful campus employed the traditional practice of 'xeriscaping'– planting native and drought tolerant species, which reduce the need for supplemental water for landscaping means. As many as 3133 fully matured trees grace the campus grounds.
Judicious Water Use and Management
The water consumption requirements on campus are met in a judicious manner with the help of treated wastewater and rainwater harvesting pits for collection of 100% of roof and non-roof runoff, which reduce portable water demand, thereby catering to landscaping and sustenance of the campus. Water meters are employed at major sources of consumption to monitor the withdrawal and consumption.
Responsible Commuting Practices
The campus is located near a bus-stop within a range of 550 meters, to facilitate movement of campus employees and officials to and from the campus. For internal movement, the provision of e-rickshaws, electric and CNG cars are provided. A strict prohibition has been enforced on using private vehicles within the campus. This move ensures accelerated uptake of public transport and infrastructure and sincere use of electric vehicles to reduce carbon emissions.
Renewable energy for campus needs
Solar PV panels have been installed on-site, which produce about 64% of the total infrastructural equipment power requirements. Energy-efficient HVAC systems and LED lighting fixtures are installed in the campus. The exterior campus lighting is installed in a manner which faces downwards and does not interfere with nocturnal environment.
Innovative Strides
The project has showcased in its sufficiency some remarkable features which set it apart from the rest of the establishments in an ecologically refined and technologically sound environment.
Organic Waste Management
The project has installed a bio-methanation plant to treat 100% organic waste generated at site and the generated bio-gas is delivered to ISKCON mid-day meal programme, located in Sector-7, Faridabad. The campus houses a bio-remediation site. Here the soil in which oil gets mixed up occasionally in the campus is treated with bacteria developed by the Industrial Biotechnology Group. The treatment is done in an environment benign manner in such a way that the soil becomes vegetation worthy subsequent to the treatment. The bacteria is commercialized by the project jointly with TERI since 2010 under the name of “Oilivorous” and is being used widely for all kinds of oil spillages throughout the country and outside also.
H-CNG Fuel
Hydrogen spiked CNG (commonly called H-CNG) is a very useful method for achieving emission reduction and ambient air quality improvement. a compact reforming unit of 250 Nm3/hr (4 tonnes per day) capacity has been installed in Rajghat Bus Depot -I in Delhi using Indian Oil’s Patented Compact Reforming process technology to facilitate the refuelling of H-CNG to a fleet of 50 BS IV compliant CNG buses, to validate the claims of the emissions before embarking upon mass conversion of all buses. This demonstration exercise in Delhi is first of its kind in the country as well as for the world in such high numbers.
Health and Well-being of Employees
The health and mental well-being of employees at any workplace help inspire productivity and enhance workmanship. The project has provisioned a yoga room, gym, table tennis room, jogging track, cricket ground a doctor facility among others. For physical readiness and robustness, cycling is encouraged within campus.
We believe that it is very crucial for the upcoming building stock (about 50% of the commercial building stock is yet to be built by 2030 [BEE, India]) to abide by green compliance codes and regulations in order to exemplify the efforts of the Indian Green Building Movement and move towards a low-carbon, climate-resilient and future-proofed way of living.