And the award goes to…
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The underground cave-resort Guhantara, the Bangalore facility building of the InterfaceFLOR-modular flooring, and Hotel Royal Orchid Metropole have all bagged some impressive rewards for their green approaches. Some details by RANJANI GOVIND
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— PHOTOS: MOHAN SRENIVASAN
PRIZES FOR ALL: (From left) InterfaceFLOR building; Royal Orchid Metropole, Mysore; and the tunnel-like entrance that leads to the underground marvel Guhantara resort…everything has a feel of green.
Green theories, sustainable practices, preserving heritage value, progressive construction materials and innovative designs in build that underline self-contained progress for heralding a new era in low-energy consumption…all these are principles that attract the attention of the rating organisations for bestowing a growth stamp, and draws the media for propagating healthy approaches. Property Plus’ Anniversary Issue caught hold of some of th
ese factors in the realty projects and materials segment that has helped these Herculean efforts bag some prestigious awards that speak for themselves.
InterfaceFlor building bags LEED-Gold
InterfaceFLOR India Pvt. Ltd., (subsidiary of InterfaceFLOR Europe – manufacturing modular commercial carpet flooring) has announced that its Bangalore facility has achieved the LEED-Gold Rating (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) for Commercial Interiors (CI) certification from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). This council has developed the LEED rating system to encourage the development of more sustainable buildings and interiors.
Says Raj Menon, Country Manager, India, InterfaceFLOR, “This InterfaceFLOR facility is the first building in Bangalore and the third in India to receive the LEED-CI Gold honours. Keeping in line with our company’s vision of Mission Zero, it was quite natural for us to go in for an energy efficient and sustainable office space. This resulted in an aesthetically designed showroom and office.”
InterfaceFLOR submitted 37 points for approval to USGBC, of which 35 points were approved, resulting in the facility being awarded the GOLD category for LEED certification for its Bangalore facility. The facility, spread over 4265 sq. ft, scored high in key LEED environmental categories like Indoor Environmental Quality, Energy and Atmosphere and Water Efficiency.
Architecture firm DWP Interics, which executed the project, worked closely with the InterfaceFLOR India team, energy consultants and LEED-accredited professionals from CII-GBC to ensure that the Bangalore facility adhered to the strict guidelines.
InterfaceFLOR implemented several strategies for the Gold certification. The company reduced potable water use by more than 30 per cent through low flow water closets and low flow urinals.
Saving energy
The automated HVAC system combined with Building Management System helped reduce energy consumption. The CO2 sensors within the HVAC system enable the maintenance of the indoor environment air quality to the required levels.
Twenty six per cent of the total materials used in the project was from rapidly renewable sources. Materials with high recycled content such as glass and MDF boards were also used.
The original ceiling has also been retained. Also, the use of natural daylight was maximised through design concepts, thus decreasing the need for artificial lighting.
For InterfaceFLOR, this is not the first building or interior it has entered for this accreditation. The company’s Atlanta showroom received the first ever LEED-CI Platinum certification in 2004 followed by the Shanghai facility, which received the LEED-CI Gold certification in 2006, the first LEED-CI rating at any level to be awarded in China. InterfaceFlor Thailand also undertook the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design for New Construction (LEED-NC) accreditation programme for its factory extension and achieved a certification.
During the mid-Nineties, the company’s founder and chairman, Ray Anderson, put the company on track to becoming the first sustainable company by 2020. Now defined as Mission Zero, the company’s drive to achieve a zero environmental footprint is a central part of the organisation’s ethos and culture.
Best heritage tourism
Royal Orchid Metropole Mysore, a part of Royal Orchid Hotels, has bagged the INTACH-SATTE award for best Heritage Hotel in India.
Royal Orchid Metropole that blends a build of the old and the new is set amidst the graceful old-world charm of the Raj.
The hotel was originally built by Maharaja Krishnaraja Wadiyar of Mysore in the early 20th Century and has now been restored and renovated by Royal Orchid Hotels.
Speaking about the renovation, Chender Baljee said, “We have taken utmost care while renovating the hotel to preserve the harmony and balance of the heritage structure, which offers the rich cultural heritage of Mysore, and it’s heartening to get the prestigious recognition.”
The criterion for winning the award was mainly focused on responsible tourism by the hotel with views to promote the art and culture in the vicinity.
Prior to the award function the panel visited the short-listed heritage structures to select the best heritage hotel for the year.
The heritage hotel comprises 30 old-world well-furnished rooms with amenities to meet international standards. The hotel also offers two restaurants, Tiger Trail, with Indian cuisine; and Shikari, an outdoor barbeque.
Royal Orchid Hotels currently operates 10 hotels in Bangalore, Mysore, Pune, Jaipur and Hyderabad, and is opening its first international resort in 2010 at Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania.
The hotel is listed in the Bombay and National Stock Exchanges. Started in the Seventies by Chender K. Baljee, it is governed by an independent board of directors.
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