Mahindra Chloris
Real Estate

Mahindra Chloris

Located in Faridabad, Mahindra Chloris is the country's second Platinum-rated residential building under the Multi Dwelling Category of the IGBC's Green Homes Rating System.

With a vision to be the thought leader in sustainable development in the Indian real-estate sector by 2015, Mahindra Lifespace Developers Ltd (MLDL) decided to build on its in-house capabilities and develop the expertise to produce green buildings. With North India as the target, after completing a residential building five years ago, the company moved on to developing its first green residential project in Faridabad: Mahindra Chloris. Registered as one of the pilot projects under the Indian Green Building Council's (IGBC) Green Homes Rating system, today, upon completion, it stands proud as the country's second Platinum-rated residential building under the Multi Dwelling Category. While explaining the green features of Mahindra Chloris to Shriyal Sethumadhavan, Amit Pal, General Manager-Quality Assurance & Innovation, MLDL, also speaks of the challenges involved in practicing what one advocates.

Getting on board: In the beginning, we found it difficult to understand the requirements of a green building, its design and development, and technical needs. The initial plan was developed considering green building requirements. The architect for Mahindra Chloris is Rajinder Kumar Associates, and there was no green consultant or facilitator on board. It was decided that the green building design, development and facilitation would be done by an in-house team.

Initially, to consider and incorporate the design requirements, we conducted a feasibility study with all the stakeholders involved. This study also aimed to select the appropriate green materials for building and infrastructure and implementation of strategies for material sourcing, supply chain management, etc. We attended many corporate seminars and contacted the IGBC and USGBC (United States Green Building Council). With five trained and certified IGBC APs (accredited professionals) on board, the entire in-house team was involved for months in self-study and research vis-à-vis developing and designing the building. Overall, the journey was interesting and exhaustive, as it was MLDL's first project to get Platinum certification.

Making the mark: Broadly, there are five major criteria under which the project has implemented various green initiatives: sustainable site planning, water efficiency, energy efficiency, material management and efficiency, and indoor air quality. To this, there were additional green initiatives that contributed to achieving the Platinum rating.

For instance, before starting construction, we excavated the entire top soil and preserved it at various locations near the site. This soil was protected from erosion and reused for the landscape area about one-and-a-half to two years after the project was complete. Also, heat-reflective paints have been used on the roof to reduce the heat island effect. These paints radiate heat from the rooftop and prevent the entire radiation from penetrating the roof. They are different from normal window panes as they contain certain pigments that reflect heat waves back into the atmosphere.

The outer periphery of a building forms its envelope. These walls are usually made with red clay bricks or concrete blocks. For Mahindra Chloris, we built a unique flyash brick, which has a very low thermal conductivity value and does not allow the heat wavelength to pass through and enter the flat. So, this unique envelope makes the building energy-efficient. Apart from these, we have made provisions and amenities for the differently-abled and those using non-fossil based fuel vehicles. We incorporated an efficient landscaping design, low-flow fixtures, solar water heating system, efficient waste management system for segregation of waste at source, and good daylighting design, etc.

Saving water: For water conservation, like most green buildings, we have installed an in-house STP to treat 100 per cent wastewater, which is reused for flushing and gardening. The low-flow water fixtures are our USP. These faucets have aerators that allow air to flow along with the water, further giving it a foamy feel. Other measures taken to conserve water include rainwater harvesting, use of drought-tolerant species, good water management practices in landscape design, reduced turf area and water meters at appropriate locations.

Clean air: We have concentrated on two major factors to improve indoor air quality. Mahindra Chloris is designed such that tenants will always get fresh air upon opening their doors and windows; this leads to proper air circulation. Apart from the orientation, we have used low VOC content paints that are less than 15 mg/l. This makes indoor air quality much better than in other commercial buildings. Other measures include good daylighting design, building flush-out before handover to customers, efficient exhaust systems in the kitchen, etc.

Power packed: Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) are the main cause for depletion of the ozone layer and, hence, we have used CFC-free air conditioners in the clubhouse; R410 is the refrigerant in these air-conditioners. We have also used energy-efficient glazing in uPVC windows. These are special window frames that use uPVC as a material, and energy-efficient glazing is nothing but low E glass. This glass has special pigments, which when injected into the molten state, form a layer inside the glass. So, it is not an exterior coating but is inbuilt to prevent heat waves from entering the building. Moreover, in terms of electric design, efficient lighting power densities have been considered. We have used solar PV panels to generate power to meet 100 per cent of external lighting requirements. We have also installed solar water heating systems that have an installed capacity of heating water up to 16,000 litre per day.

Material take: The materials used have a certain percentage of recycled content. In the case of fly ash, it is a by-product of thermal power plants. Similarly, other materials were also selected consciously keeping in mind their impact on the environment. Our roof assemblies are tested in IIT-Bombay for heat absorption/reflectance properties. The heat reflective paint used in Chloris has a solar reflectance index of more than 80 per cent.  Conservation of precious resources like top soil before start of construction, use of door shutters with recycled content and sourcing most of the material within 250 km from the project site are just some of the measures taken to conserve material resources. We have also installed converters to convert organic waste into manure, which is further used for landscaping.

Daylight factor: Site selection is one of the most important aspects in developing a green building. Chloris is built in a place with all the basic community amenities within a walking distance of 1 km. The building has been designed to receive daylighting and ventilation within the flats. A daylight factor of 2 per cent for more than 80 per cent of all regularly occupied spaces was achieved. Openable area to carpet area ratio is more than 15 per cent for all regularly occupied spaces. We were able to achieve this by designing appropriate window sizes with respect to carpet areas and by proper selection of window glazing, which has high visual light transmittance properties.

User's guide: In a residential building, it is also important for tenants to comply with environment-friendly norms. Hence, we have developed a home user guide for our customers. The basic purpose is to update them on the green features installed in the project and give them guidelines on its maintenance to reap the complete benefits and enhance the efficiency of the building. Also, the guide has many tips on ways to go green.

Overcoming the challenges: While the key challenge was related to budget constraints, sourcing the material from within 250 km of the project boundary was also difficult; it took extensive research to identify suppliers within the desired distance. We also had to battle with the traditional mindset. Initially, architects and project executers thought that building green was very expensive with a 5-6 per cent higher cost. But, this is not the case; Chloris did cost us a little more, but only about 1-2 per cent. So, convincing them about the value engineering benefits in green buildings that reduce the cost of execution was also a challenge. However, all said and done, we at MLDL strongly believe that any business will survive only if it adopts sustainable practices. And for us, green definitely makes business sense.

Project details:

Size of the project: 42,456.34 sq m (built-up area)
Developer: Mahindra Lifespace Developers Ltd. Tel: 011-2610 2182. E-mail: homes@mahindralifespaces.com Website: www.mahindralifespaces.com
Completion year: March 2011
Contractor and civil finish: Bebanco Northern Contracts Ltd. Tel: 011-2681 6661/62.
Architects/Planners: Rajinder Kumar & Associates. Tel: 011-2616 2930/31. E-mail: info@rkaindia.com Website: www.rkaindia.com
Landscape Architects: Design Cell. Tel: 0124-4018 123/24. Website: www.designcell.info
Green consultant: Mahindra Lifespace Developers Ltd.
Structural consultant: Vintech Consultants. Tel: 011-4314 1516/2629 6765. E-mail: vintech@vintechconsultants.com Website: www.vintechconsultants.com
Electrical consultant: Kanwar Krishen Associates. Tel: 011-2952 1180/83. Website: www.kkapl.com
Plumbing consultant: Deolalikar Consultants. Tel: 011-4310 0500/36.
Elevators and escalators: Kone Elevators India Pvt Ltd. Tel: 011-2376 6170. Website: www.kone.com    
HVAC consultants: Gupta Consultants. Tel: 011-2685 9263. E-mail: guptacon@ndf.vsnl.net.in  
HVAC contractor: LG Electronics India Pvt Ltd. Tel: (0) 98733 32016. Website: www.lg.com
Ventilation: Bright Flow. Tel: (0) 98101 56708. E-mail: info@brightflow.co.in  Website: www.brightflow.co.in
Lights: Philips. Mob: (0) 98104 06824. Website: www.philips.co.in
Electrical and fire detection systems: Sterling & Wilson. Tel: 0120-4071 000. Website: www.sterlingandwilson.com
External cladding: Texture paint by Spectrum. Tel: 011-2981 6587/6791. E-mail: spectrum@nda.vsnl.net.in Website: www.spectrumpaints-india.com
Roofing: Sun Sheetal Heat Reflecting Paint. Mob: (0) 99156 54108.
Glazing: Pilkington. Tel: (0) 99991 15152. Website: www.pilkington.com
Paints: Berger. Tel: (0) 99101 12959. Website: www.bergerpaints.com
Cement: ShreeCement. Tel: (0) 92125 10365. Website: www.shreecement.in

Amit Pal’s perspective


"Energy efficiency is the need of the hour as buildings consume more than 20 per cent of the electricity generated in India. As of now, over 890 million sq ft has been registered under the IGBC. This number will definitely increase with time, and I believe that someday the government will make it mandatory for all buildings to be developed as green."

Would you like to share details of any green initiatives? Write in to us at feedback@ASAPPmedia.com

Located in Faridabad, Mahindra Chloris is the country's second Platinum-rated residential building under the Multi Dwelling Category of the IGBC's Green Homes Rating System.With a vision to be the thought leader in sustainable development in the Indian real-estate sector by 2015, Mahindra Lifespace Developers Ltd (MLDL) decided to build on its in-house capabilities and develop the expertise to produce green buildings. With North India as the target, after completing a residential building five years ago, the company moved on to developing its first green residential project in Faridabad: Mahindra Chloris. Registered as one of the pilot projects under the Indian Green Building Council's (IGBC) Green Homes Rating system, today, upon completion, it stands proud as the country's second Platinum-rated residential building under the Multi Dwelling Category. While explaining the green features of Mahindra Chloris to Shriyal Sethumadhavan, Amit Pal, General Manager-Quality Assurance & Innovation, MLDL, also speaks of the challenges involved in practicing what one advocates.Getting on board: In the beginning, we found it difficult to understand the requirements of a green building, its design and development, and technical needs. The initial plan was developed considering green building requirements. The architect for Mahindra Chloris is Rajinder Kumar Associates, and there was no green consultant or facilitator on board. It was decided that the green building design, development and facilitation would be done by an in-house team.Initially, to consider and incorporate the design requirements, we conducted a feasibility study with all the stakeholders involved. This study also aimed to select the appropriate green materials for building and infrastructure and implementation of strategies for material sourcing, supply chain management, etc. We attended many corporate seminars and contacted the IGBC and USGBC (United States Green Building Council). With five trained and certified IGBC APs (accredited professionals) on board, the entire in-house team was involved for months in self-study and research vis-à-vis developing and designing the building. Overall, the journey was interesting and exhaustive, as it was MLDL's first project to get Platinum certification.Making the mark: Broadly, there are five major criteria under which the project has implemented various green initiatives: sustainable site planning, water efficiency, energy efficiency, material management and efficiency, and indoor air quality. To this, there were additional green initiatives that contributed to achieving the Platinum rating.For instance, before starting construction, we excavated the entire top soil and preserved it at various locations near the site. This soil was protected from erosion and reused for the landscape area about one-and-a-half to two years after the project was complete. Also, heat-reflective paints have been used on the roof to reduce the heat island effect. These paints radiate heat from the rooftop and prevent the entire radiation from penetrating the roof. They are different from normal window panes as they contain certain pigments that reflect heat waves back into the atmosphere.The outer periphery of a building forms its envelope. These walls are usually made with red clay bricks or concrete blocks. For Mahindra Chloris, we built a unique flyash brick, which has a very low thermal conductivity value and does not allow the heat wavelength to pass through and enter the flat. So, this unique envelope makes the building energy-efficient. Apart from these, we have made provisions and amenities for the differently-abled and those using non-fossil based fuel vehicles. We incorporated an efficient landscaping design, low-flow fixtures, solar water heating system, efficient waste management system for segregation of waste at source, and good daylighting design, etc.Saving water: For water conservation, like most green buildings, we have installed an in-house STP to treat 100 per cent wastewater, which is reused for flushing and gardening. The low-flow water fixtures are our USP. These faucets have aerators that allow air to flow along with the water, further giving it a foamy feel. Other measures taken to conserve water include rainwater harvesting, use of drought-tolerant species, good water management practices in landscape design, reduced turf area and water meters at appropriate locations.Clean air: We have concentrated on two major factors to improve indoor air quality. Mahindra Chloris is designed such that tenants will always get fresh air upon opening their doors and windows; this leads to proper air circulation. Apart from the orientation, we have used low VOC content paints that are less than 15 mg/l. This makes indoor air quality much better than in other commercial buildings. Other measures include good daylighting design, building flush-out before handover to customers, efficient exhaust systems in the kitchen, etc.Power packed: Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) are the main cause for depletion of the ozone layer and, hence, we have used CFC-free air conditioners in the clubhouse; R410 is the refrigerant in these air-conditioners. We have also used energy-efficient glazing in uPVC windows. These are special window frames that use uPVC as a material, and energy-efficient glazing is nothing but low E glass. This glass has special pigments, which when injected into the molten state, form a layer inside the glass. So, it is not an exterior coating but is inbuilt to prevent heat waves from entering the building. Moreover, in terms of electric design, efficient lighting power densities have been considered. We have used solar PV panels to generate power to meet 100 per cent of external lighting requirements. We have also installed solar water heating systems that have an installed capacity of heating water up to 16,000 litre per day.Material take: The materials used have a certain percentage of recycled content. In the case of fly ash, it is a by-product of thermal power plants. Similarly, other materials were also selected consciously keeping in mind their impact on the environment. Our roof assemblies are tested in IIT-Bombay for heat absorption/reflectance properties. The heat reflective paint used in Chloris has a solar reflectance index of more than 80 per cent.  Conservation of precious resources like top soil before start of construction, use of door shutters with recycled content and sourcing most of the material within 250 km from the project site are just some of the measures taken to conserve material resources. We have also installed converters to convert organic waste into manure, which is further used for landscaping.Daylight factor: Site selection is one of the most important aspects in developing a green building. Chloris is built in a place with all the basic community amenities within a walking distance of 1 km. The building has been designed to receive daylighting and ventilation within the flats. A daylight factor of 2 per cent for more than 80 per cent of all regularly occupied spaces was achieved. Openable area to carpet area ratio is more than 15 per cent for all regularly occupied spaces. We were able to achieve this by designing appropriate window sizes with respect to carpet areas and by proper selection of window glazing, which has high visual light transmittance properties.User's guide: In a residential building, it is also important for tenants to comply with environment-friendly norms. Hence, we have developed a home user guide for our customers. The basic purpose is to update them on the green features installed in the project and give them guidelines on its maintenance to reap the complete benefits and enhance the efficiency of the building. Also, the guide has many tips on ways to go green.Overcoming the challenges: While the key challenge was related to budget constraints, sourcing the material from within 250 km of the project boundary was also difficult; it took extensive research to identify suppliers within the desired distance. We also had to battle with the traditional mindset. Initially, architects and project executers thought that building green was very expensive with a 5-6 per cent higher cost. But, this is not the case; Chloris did cost us a little more, but only about 1-2 per cent. So, convincing them about the value engineering benefits in green buildings that reduce the cost of execution was also a challenge. However, all said and done, we at MLDL strongly believe that any business will survive only if it adopts sustainable practices. And for us, green definitely makes business sense.Project details:Size of the project: 42,456.34 sq m (built-up area) Developer: Mahindra Lifespace Developers Ltd. Tel: 011-2610 2182. E-mail: homes@mahindralifespaces.com Website: www.mahindralifespaces.comCompletion year: March 2011Contractor and civil finish: Bebanco Northern Contracts Ltd. Tel: 011-2681 6661/62. Architects/Planners: Rajinder Kumar & Associates. Tel: 011-2616 2930/31. E-mail: info@rkaindia.com Website: www.rkaindia.comLandscape Architects: Design Cell. Tel: 0124-4018 123/24. Website: www.designcell.info Green consultant: Mahindra Lifespace Developers Ltd. Structural consultant: Vintech Consultants. Tel: 011-4314 1516/2629 6765. E-mail: vintech@vintechconsultants.com Website: www.vintechconsultants.com Electrical consultant: Kanwar Krishen Associates. Tel: 011-2952 1180/83. Website: www.kkapl.comPlumbing consultant: Deolalikar Consultants. Tel: 011-4310 0500/36.Elevators and escalators: Kone Elevators India Pvt Ltd. Tel: 011-2376 6170. Website: www.kone.com    HVAC consultants: Gupta Consultants. Tel: 011-2685 9263. E-mail: guptacon@ndf.vsnl.net.in  HVAC contractor: LG Electronics India Pvt Ltd. Tel: (0) 98733 32016. Website: www.lg.comVentilation: Bright Flow. Tel: (0) 98101 56708. E-mail: info@brightflow.co.in  Website: www.brightflow.co.inLights: Philips. Mob: (0) 98104 06824. Website: www.philips.co.inElectrical and fire detection systems: Sterling & Wilson. Tel: 0120-4071 000. Website: www.sterlingandwilson.comExternal cladding: Texture paint by Spectrum. Tel: 011-2981 6587/6791. E-mail: spectrum@nda.vsnl.net.in Website: www.spectrumpaints-india.comRoofing: Sun Sheetal Heat Reflecting Paint. Mob: (0) 99156 54108.Glazing: Pilkington. Tel: (0) 99991 15152. Website: www.pilkington.comPaints: Berger. Tel: (0) 99101 12959. Website: www.bergerpaints.comCement: ShreeCement. Tel: (0) 92125 10365. Website: www.shreecement.inAmit Pal’s perspectiveEnergy efficiency is the need of the hour as buildings consume more than 20 per cent of the electricity generated in India. As of now, over 890 million sq ft has been registered under the IGBC. This number will definitely increase with time, and I believe that someday the government will make it mandatory for all buildings to be developed as green.Would you like to share details of any green initiatives? Write in to us at feedback@ASAPPmedia.com

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