LET THERE BE LIGHT THE STORY OF CEMENT HOUSE ACC A GREEN APPROACH THIS IS THE STORY OF CEMENT HOUSE THE HEADQUARTERS OF ACC CEMENT

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1 LET THERE BE LIGHT THE STORY OF CEMENT HOUSE THIS IS THE STORY OF CEMENT HOUSE THE HEADQUARTERS OF ACC CEMENT A MAJESTIC BUILDING STEEPED IN HISTORY, WHERE EVERY BUILDING ELEMENT HAS A STORY TO TELL

2 THIS STORY BEGAN IN THE YEAR 1939, WHEN A BUILDING NAMED CEMENT HOUSE WAS BUILT ALONG A PROMINENT STREET IN THE HEART OF MUMBAI CITY. THE LAND BELONGING TO CEMENT HOUSE EXTENDED WELL INTO WHAT IS NOW CHURCHGATE RAILWAY STATION

3 CEMENT HOUSE PLAYED HOST TO AN ARRAY OF FAMOUS PERSONALITIES OF ITS TIME LIKE JRD TATA, NANI PALKHIWALA AND MANY OTHERS OVER THE YEARS THE BUILDING KEPT EVOLVING AS PER THE FUNCTIONAL NEEDS OF AN OFFICE AND THE WORK CULTURE IN THE COMPANY A FEW DECADES LATER TWO FLOORS WERE ADDED TO THE ORIGINAL GROUND+4 STRUCTURE TO CREATE MORE SPACE.

4 AS TIMES CHANGED AND TECHNOLOGY CREPT INTO OFFICES, CEMENT HOUSE STARTED SHOWING SIGNS OF DIFFICULTY IN ACCOMODATING THESE NEW ACC REQUIREMENTS A GREEN APPROACH ALSO, SPACES WERE RANDOMLY MODIFIED OVER THE YEARS LEADING TO INEFFICIENT SPACE USAGE, CIRCULATION AND LACK OF LIGHT & VENTILATION

5 AT THE TURN OF THE MILLENIUM, A MAJOR CHANGE IN WORK CULTURE GAVE BIRTH TO THE CONCEPT OF AN OPEN OFFICE. FINALLY, AFTER A GAP OF 70 YEARS, ACC INITIATED THE FIRST MAJOR PLANNED RENOVATION FOR CEMENT HOUSE IN THE YEAR 2007 NITEEN PARULEKAR ARCHITECTS PVT LTD WERE ASSIGNED THE TASK OF BREATHING NEW LIFE INTO THE BUILDING AND THUS A NEW CHAPTER WAS WRITTEN IN THE HISTORY OF CEMENT HOUSE

6 THE CLIENT BRIEF WAS VERY CLEAR. ACC WANTED CEMENT HOUSE TRANSFORMED INTO - A STATE-OF-THE-ART, MODERN OFFICE -RETAINING THE CHARM & GRANDEUR OF A HERITAGE BUILDING & MOST IMPORTANTLY -TAKING A GREEN DESIGN APPROACH THE DESIGN TEAM RESPONDED WITH A CONCEPT THAT TOUCHED THE VERY CORE OF THE BUILDING LITERALLY!

7 THE EXISTING CENTRAL CORE USED AS A SERVICE SHAFT IT WAS PROPOSED THAT THE CENTRAL CORE BE CONVERTED INTO AN OPEN ATRIUM

8 AND FINALLY CEMENT HOUSE WAS BATHED IN DAYLIGHT CENTRAL ATRIUM FLOODING THE SPACE WITH LIGHT & THE LANDSCAPE CREATING A FOCAL POINT GROUND FLOOR PLAN

9 OPEN OFFICE LAYOUT WITH WORKSTATIONS OR CUBICLES FOR ALL EMPLOYEES FIRST ACC A FLOOR GREEN APPROACH PLAN INFORMAL DISCUSSION & BREAK OUT AREAS FRAMING THE ATRIUM SECOND ACC A GREEN FLOOR APPROACH PLAN

10 THE ATRIUM FORMING A VISUAL LINK BETWEEN VARIOUS FLOORS THIRD FLOOR PLAN THE SERVICES REROUTED THROUGH EXISTING DEFUNCT LIFT SHAFTS FOURTH ACC A GREEN FLOOR APPROACH PLAN

11 THE EXECUTIVE FLOOR SPILLING OVER INTO A LUSH GREEN ROOF GARDEN FIFTH ACC A FLOOR GREEN APPROACH PLAN PLANT SPECIES USED ARE LOCAL OR ADAPTIVE IN NATURE SIXTH ACC A FLOOR GREEN APPROACH PLAN

12 THE PROJECT WAS REGISTERED FOR LEED NC & MAJOR RENOVATION RATING UNDER THE INDIAN GREEN BUILDING COUNCIL, A BOLD & UNIQUE STEP FOR A BUILDING OF THIS AGE AND HISTORY IT WENT ON TO ACHIEVE GOLD RATING WITH A TALLY OF 47 POINTS SETTING AN EXAMPLE THAT GREEN INITIATIVES CAN BEGIN AT ANY POINT IN THE LIFE CYCLE OF A BUILDING. GREEN INITIATIVES SUSTAINABLE SITE - THE SITE IS WELL CONNECTED TO TRANSPORT & AMENITIES - CHARGING STATIONS FOR ELECTRIC CARS & RESERVED PARKING PROVIDED FOR CAR POOLS -75% OF THE STRUCTURE HAS BEEN RETAINED - USE OF OPEN GRID PAVEMENT SYSTEM

13 GREEN INITIATIVES ENERGY & ATMOSPHERE - BUILDING FENESTRATION WAS MODIFIED TO INCREASE DAYLIGHT. - EXTERNAL GLAZING, ROOF INSULATION & SKYLIGHT DESIGNED AS PER IGBC RECOMMENDATIONS GREEN INITIATIVES BUILDING MATERIALS USE OF MATERIALS WITH HIGH RECYCLED CONTENT LIKE MDF, AGLOMERATED MARBLE, AERATED CEMENT BLOCKS

14 GREEN INITIATIVES BUILDING MATERIALS USE OF BOUGHT OUT PRODUCTS LIKE CARPETS, CEILING & FLOORING TILES, WITH HIGH RECYCLED CONTENT GREEN INITIATIVES BUILDING MATERIALS - USE OF RAPIDLY RENEWABLE PRODUCTS LIKE BAMBOO FLOORING IN EXECUTIVE AREAS - USE OF REGIONAL MATERIALS

15 GREEN INITIATIVES GREEN ROOF - TERRACES HAVE BEEN CONVERTED TO ROOF GARDENS THUS REDUCING THE HEAT ISLAND EFFECT - STP HAS BEEN INCLUDED TO PROVIDE RECYCLED WATER FOR LANDSCAPING GREEN INITIATIVES LIGHTING - 90% OF THE BUILDING RECEIVES DAYLIGHT AND HAS A VIEW -PROVISION OF TASK LIGHTING HAS BEEN MADE FOR ALL EMPLOYEES -- SOLAR PANELS INSTALLED ON TERRACE TO SUPPORT LIGHTING ENERGY REQUIREMENTS - SENSOR BASED LIGHTS & LED FITTINGS HAVE BEEN USED - EXTERNAL LIGHTING DESIGNED TO MINIMISE DISTURBANCE TO NOCTURNAL LIFE

16 GREEN INITIATIVES WATER EFFICIENCY - USE OF LOW FLOW SANITARY FITTINGS AND FIXTURES - USE OF SENSOR TAPS & URINALS - WATER COOLED CHILLERS REPLACED BY VRV SYSTEM - STP WATER USED FOR FLUSHING GREEN INITIATIVES INDOOR AIR QUALITY - PAINTS, ADHESIVES, SEALANTS WITH LOW VOC CONTENT WERE SELECTED. - ADEQUATE AND ISOLATED EXHAUSTS WERE PLANNED FOR PHOTOCOPIER ROOMS - THE ENTIRE BUILDING WAS CONVERTED TO A NO SMOKING ZONE

17 GREEN INITIATIVES LEED CREDITS THE CUMILATIVE OUTCOME OF ALL THESE EFFORTS WAS A LEED GOLD CERTIFICATION WITH 47 POINTS THE STORY OF CEMENT HOUSE LET THERE BE LIGHT THE NEXT GENERATION OF BUILDINGS IS RESTORATIVE - WILLIAM McDONOUGH