A key highlight that makes Jade-90 in Sector- 90 Mohali, Punjab,a special project is that under one roof, it has buildings of three different typologies: residential, commercial and IT offices. In close proximity to Mohali airport and being constructed over 14.17 acre, the materials used in the project are environment-friendly, recyclable and energy-efficient. Usually, residential construction is more time-consuming compared to designing commercial buildings and IT offices. To complete the project on time, the MIVAN method has been used for the residential projects with the frame structure deployed to construct the commercial and IT offices. ArTripat Girdhar, Co-Founder, The Design Studio, shares more on the methods used while designing and constructing this project. Challenges in specialised services MEP (mechanical, electrical, plumbing):The Design Studio’s motto is to design three buildings in three different ways to collaborate into one siteat the same time. As each complex hasa different design concept, composition, different strategies and different calculations, the challenges faced were different in the respective verticals. Residential buildings take more load compared to IT and commercial buildings. Therefore, for residential houses, mechanical systems and plumbingare used, whereas IT complexes require more electrical systems, HVAC and machinery systems, and commercial buildings requireboth electrical and mechanical systems. Flooring: The project employs a mix-and-match combination of flooring for three different typologies of buildingsas per usage capacity.For example, for commercial, it made use of granite flooring; for residential vitrified; and Italian and vitrifiedfor the IT offices. Painting:Oil bond distemper (OBD) has been used for the campus. Lighting: More importance has been given to natural light. Apart from that, in terms of artificial lighting, the team has used display light, spotlight and throw light to enhance the architectural elements. Roofing and insulation:In the commercial andIT buildings, a false-ceiling look has been given and Kober stone is used for roof insulation, whereas concrete walls are used in the in the residential segment. HVAC and air-conditioning:The project has installed a variable refrigerant volume (VRV) air-cooling system, an HVAC technology, in the IT offices and commercial complex. This refrigerant is conditioned by a single or multiple outdoor condensing units, and is circulated within the building to multiple indoor units.VRV air-conditioning systems are an extremely energy-efficient means of precisely regulating the temperature within commercial buildings. The challenge we faced during this process was installation.VRV air-cooling systems havecomplex refrigeration techniques that may have thousands of feet of pipework and hundreds of connecting joints, which sometimes create many opportunities for leakage. It requirescare and attention to detail as allocated to large chillers or industrial refrigeration systems. Pipework must be supplied to the site cleaned and capped and must remain capped as long as possible. As soon as the installation of a section of pipe has been completed, it should be sealed again to minimise the entry of moisture. That said, being energy-efficient, the team recommends VRV air-conditioners for IT offices and commercial buildingswhereas split air-conditioners are used in residential complexes, as they do not require a duct network.Each individual room has the space for a split ACand it can be used whenever required. Prefabricated technology and façade services: Double-glazing glass windows have been installed. Such windows consist of two or more glass window panes separated by a vacuum or gas-filled space to reduce heat transfer across a part of the building envelope. They are energy-efficient and have heat-resisting quality. Construction software AutoCAD Staad software was used while designing the project as it helps reduce required working time. The software helps in load calculation—columns and beams, column size, timespan—and decides what kind of frame design should be chosen and how muchtime it will take to complete the project so that the architect can plan easily. The methodology The campus development approach has been applied to this project as three types of buildings have been designed under one campus. This is the most cost-effective and practical approach for architects. While the MIVAN approach has been used while constructing the residential complex, the frame structure has been used to constructthe IT and commercial complexes. Going local The total area of the site is 14 lakh sq ft, of which 30 per cent is occupied by the green area of the site, i.e. 4 acre. A majority of the materials used have been sourced locally, and are recyclable. Local materials such as earthen materials, insulation concrete forms, steel, natural clay and various others have been used, generating employment opportunity for local labour and reducing transportation cost. The cost involved in the construction of the project is Rs 2.30 billion.Further, the residential complexis an area oriented with zero percent of wastage. Each material used in its construction is recyclable. Green and unique! Project details Area:14 lakh sqft Costs involved: Rs 2.30 billion Contractor: Addi Architect/planner: The Design Studio AutoCAD Staad Design and construction software:AutoCAD Staad Manufacturers of materials used: ACP glass MEP contractor: Kalyan Constructions Painting contractor: DM and Co. Lighting contractor: Kalyan Landscaping contractor: RSA.