High-Performance Buildings (HPBs)

High-Performance Buildings (HPBs) are gaining attention as a sustainable solution to address rising energy consumption, resource scarcity, and climate resilience, with examples like Infosys campuses showcasing their potential to reduce energy use, water consumption, and environmental impact. As urbanization increases and climate change intensifies, HPBs are becoming central to achieving sustainable development and meeting global climate goals.

What Are High-Performance Buildings (HPBs)?

• High-Performance Buildings (HPBs) and green buildings are terms often used interchangeably, but they have distinct objectives:
  • Green Buildings: Green buildings focus on reducing environmental impacts and energy consumption, often certified through established programs that assess sustainability across various categories, such as energy efficiency and water conservation.
  • High-Performance Buildings: HPBs aim for exceptional efficiency in all aspects, from energy and water use to occupant health and comfort. They utilize advanced technologies and smart design strategies to achieve results beyond local regulations, continuously tracking performance metrics.

Key Features of HPBs:

• Integrative Design: HPBs are created using an integrative design process, where architects, engineers, and other experts collaborate early to set specific performance goals. These might include maximizing natural light or optimizing cooling efficiency.
  • Digital modeling is used to simulate the building's performance before construction, helping to refine strategies for energy savings and comfort.
  • Passive design strategies like using natural sunlight and materials that store heat (thermal mass) help reduce the need for artificial heating and cooling.
• Sustainable Materials: HPBs use materials with low embodied carbon (the emissions produced during manufacturing) and high recycled content. This reduces their environmental impact.
  • Life-cycle assessments are done to evaluate materials' environmental impact over time, helping to select the most sustainable options.
  • Low-emission interior materials improve indoor air quality by reducing harmful substances that can evaporate into the air.
• Energy Efficiency: Buildings consume around 40% of global energy. HPBs reduce this demand through both passive and active strategies.
  • Passive strategies: Use natural light, optimize building orientation, and leverage thermal mass to reduce reliance on artificial lighting, heating, and cooling.
  • Active strategies: Use energy-efficient systems like HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning), smart lighting controls, and automated sensors to optimize energy use.
• HPBs aim for net-zero energy, meaning they generate as much energy (e.g., via solar panels) as they consume, reducing reliance on fossil fuels.
• The Infosys Hyderabad campus is an example of an HPB that uses radiant cooling and daylighting controls to minimize energy use.

• Water Conservation: With water scarcity becoming a major issue, HPBs focus on water conservation and reuse.
  • Efficient fixtures like low-flow faucets and dual-flush toilets reduce water consumption.
  • Rainwater harvesting systems collect rainwater for non-drinking purposes like irrigation.
  • On-site wastewater treatment systems recycle water, with some buildings like Infosys campuses in India recycling 100% of their wastewater.
• Performance Monitoring:
  • To ensure HPBs are operating efficiently, performance monitoring systems track energy usage, water consumption, and indoor air quality in real time. This data helps identify inefficiencies and make corrections.
  • The IIHS campus in Bengaluru uses smart devices and AI to optimize energy and thermal performance.
• Climate Resilience:
  • HPBs are designed to withstand extreme weather, such as floods and heatwaves. This is done through:
    • Careful site selection to avoid flood-prone areas.
    • Durable materials and backup renewable energy systems to ensure the building remains functional even during power outages.
  • An example is the Infosys Crescent building in Bengaluru, which uses advanced cooling systems to drastically reduce energy use compared to typical office buildings.

Overall Impact:

• HPBs are setting the standard for sustainable and resilient buildings in the 21st century. They reduce energy costs, enhance climate resilience, and improve indoor comfort, while contributing to sustainability goals.
• As more buildings adopt HPB principles, the goal is for all buildings to eventually follow these standards, improving environmental impact, operational costs, and real estate value.