A sustainable design approach of a mega hostel: a study based at NIT, Srinagar, Kashmir, India

Abstract

In a sustainable building design, energy, water and resource optimization are key considerations, along with minimizing impacts on the ecology and environment. In this case study, water-related issues are considered from a sustainability perspective. The main objective of this study is to provide a sustainable design for a mega-hostel at the National Institute of Technology (NIT) Srinagar, with the aim of achieving an eco-friendly design which minimizes its dependence on external sources of energy. Rainwater harvesting, greywater reuse and the installation of a biogas plant are the three main techniques considered in this project. Rainfall data was collected and water demands for the mega-hostel and greywater produced by the mega-hostel were estimated. Potential rainwater harvesting, dimensions of a storage tank, first flush volume, discharges and dimensions of gutters have been calculated in this study. Greywater quantity has been calculated and a membrane bioreactor (MBR) to treat greywater is suggested, because it is space-optimized. Dimensions of a biogas plant and the quantity of gas released have also been estimated based on the amount of food waste generated by the mega-hostel.