'SPARSH' - green building mock-up was set up at the UN Estate grounds, New Delhi as a part of the United Nations Day celebration on 24th October 2017. SPARSH is an integrated, life size model which endeavours to enhance user experience of a “Green Building” as part of its mandate to build awareness around the concept of green buildings among the masses. The model was visited by representatives of the Heads of International Community in India together with multilateral/bilateral agencies, diplomatic missions, private sector partners, civil society, political big wigs, bureaucrats, and national & international electronic & print media among many.
SPARSH was previously set up at India Habitat Center as a build up to the 8th GRIHA Summit. The mock-up was then inaugurated by Shri. Pradeep Kumar Pujari, Secretary, Ministry of Power, GoI, at India Habitat Centre on 27th February, 2017.
The key features of SPARSH include the building envelope made on recyclable steel construction technique made by Galvalume alloy (Zi+Al+Si), water less and fast construction; building blocks that boast of acoustic and thermal insulation, fenestration made of recycled glass with a very high thermal resistance, state-of-the-art energy efficient lighting & appliances, and integrated operable sky-lighting to reduce artificial lighting, to facilitate thermal comfort by extracting hot air from top and reduce energy consumption by more than 60%; internal and external walls made-up of cement fiber boards and gypsum boards using the dry wall technique; Internal and external flooring built out of construction and demolition waste, post industrial waste, reducing the loads of landfill by 50%; Water efficient bathroom fixtures reduce the water consumption of the structure by more than 50% and a Solar PV panel that supplies renewable energy to the structure.
This integrated model helped visitors understand how these individual features are employed to perform as a sustainable habitat. It also gave them a taste of the visual, thermal and acoustic comfort for a healthy living.
