Gratitude Villa is a futuristic house for tomorrow which is built for the modern needs along with reducing carbon footprint by 50%. Built amidst a vast spread of lush greenery, the Gratitude villa sets as an example of Modern architecture integrated with traditional design elements and aspects.
Fly-ash Bricks
Gratitude Villa has used Fly-ash bricks for all masonry walls.
Composition:
Cement – 6%, Flyash – 40%, M Sand – 10%, Crusher Sand – 44%
The benefits of these bricks for the users :
The thermal Resistance value (R value) of these bricks are three times that of fired clay bricks. Hence, with a 9” thick external wall, Gratitude achieves the same level of thermal comfort as a 2’3” thick wall built with fired clay bricks. This significantly reduces the heat gain through the walls.
The benefits of these bricks for the planet are:
Made from Fly-ash wastes from the nearby Neyveli Thermal power plant, the embodied energy and corresponding CO2 emissions of these Fly-ash bricks is significantly lower than fired clay bricks.
Installation of Fly-Ash bricks.
THERMAL RESISTANCE
(R Value)
Conventional kiln burnt red bricks
R2
Fly-ash bricks (of same size)
R6
Recycled – Steel
The benefits for the users :
– Reduced cost due to its recycled components as compared to Virgin Steel
The benefits for the Planet:
– The carbon footprint of this steel is 50% lower than Virgin Steel
(Source: Priyanka Pande, ACC Ltd)
Green Concrete
Concrete used at Gratitude is M25 grade.
Composition
OPC 53 – 31% ( ACC brand )
GGBS -69% ( JSW Brand )
((Ground Granulated Blast-furnace Slag) is a cementitious material which comes out as a by-product from Iron and Steel Manufacturing industries
Green Concrete
Glass
The Glass used in all the joineries of the site is Selected with high light transmittance value and low SHGC (Solar Heat Gain Co-efficient), in order to avoid major heat gain through the glass. After excessive research and consultation, Saint Gobain – Sparkling ice (ST 167) is used, with heat strengthening to sustain exterior conditions.
Reflective Glass (ST 167)
Reclaimed Timber For Joineries:
All Doors and Windows of Gratitude Villa are made with reclaimed plantationTimber from old houses. Unlike other metal/ UPVC doors and windows, Wooden joineries used in Gratitude have low embodied energy (due to its recycled property) and allows minimal heat transmittance.
Timber joineries
Fly-ash Bricks In Rat Trap Bond
The masonry bond used in Gratitude is Rat-Trap bond.
This masonry has used 20% lesser mortar and bricks as opposed to 9” thick Flemish/English bond.
This bonding pattern creates a cavity between the bricks that provides substantial insulation, thereby reducing the heat gain through the walls.
The thermal resistance value of masonry in Gratitude has gone up to R10 from R6 due to the use of Rat-trap bond.
Guniting
The technology used for external plastering of Gratitude Villa is Guniting/ Shotcreting
This technology uses pressure for spraying plaster on walls .
The benefits for the user:
increase in overall strength
reduces the time taken
reduces wastage of material.
ensures uniformity
reduces porosity of the plaster
increasing density and water repellent property.
Increases durability of the building
Improves the thermal mass of the walls
The benefits for the planet:
The cement used for guniting and brickwork at Gratitude is ACC Suraksha (PPC) hence ensuring low embodied energy for mortar and plaster.
process of spraying a mix or mortar or concrete to a surface of application with the help of a spray gun
Lean Plaster
Lean plaster on ceilings is an Auroville special practice of preparing the underside of a slab prior to concreting with a lean mix of 1 : 10 (Cement: Sand). This is removed at the time of De-shuttering the slab.
The benefits for the user:
Does not require ceiling plaster.
Reduced Material usage
Putty and paint can be directly applied to the ceiling.
The benefit for the Planet:
Reduces usage of cement, hence optimises material and makes it resource efficient.
Lean plastering
