1. RETREAT
MODEL OFSUSTAINABLE HABITAT

2. PROJECT DETAILS
• BUILDING NAME : RETREAT (RESOURCE EFFICIENT TERI RETREAT FOR
ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS AND TRAINING)
• SITE ADDRESS : GUL PHARI, GURGAON
• BUILDING TYPE : INSTITUTIONAL
• ARCHITECTS: SANJAY PRAKASH AND TERI
• CONTRACTORS AND SYSTEM SUPLLIERS : CONFOSS CONSTRUCTION
PVT. LTD. (CIVIL), JANUS ENGINEERING PVT. LTD. (ELECTRICAL),
PYROTECH ELECTRONICS PVT. LTD. (BMS), SUVIDHA ENGINEERS INDIA
LTD. (HVAC), SHIVA FURNISHERS (INTERIORS), THERMAX (HVAC AND
ROOT ZONE SYSTEM), TATA BP SOLAR (SOLAR PHOTOVOLTATICS), JAIN
IRRIGATION (SOLAR HOT WATER)
• YEAR OF START/COMPLETION : 1997/2000
• CLIENT/OWNER : TATA ENERGY RESEARCH INSTITUTE, NEW DELHI
• COVERED AREA : 3000SQ.M.

3. PROJECT DETAILS
• COST OF THE PROJECT : CIVIL WORKS – Rs. 23.6 MILLION, ELECTRICAL
WORKS – Rs. 2.5 MILLION
• COST OF VARIOUS TECHNOLOGIES : Rs. 18.54 MILLION
BREAK-UP
 EARTH AIR TUNNEL
 SOLAR CHIMNEY
 10.7 kW SOLAR PHOTOVOLTATIC SYSTEM
 STAND-ALONE PV STREETLIGHTING
SYSTEM
 ROOT ZONE SYSTEM
 SOLAR WATER HEATING SYSTEM
 BUILDING MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
 AMMONIA ABSOPTION COOLING SYSTEM
ALONG WITH GAS BANK
 AIR-CONDITIONING SYSTEM (HVAC)
TOTAL (COST OF TECHNOLOGIES)
- Rs. 1.68 MILLION
- Rs. 0.28 MILLION
- Rs. 7.40 MILLION
- Rs. 0.28 MILLION
- Rs. 0.85 MILLION
- Rs. 0.25 MILLION
- Rs. 2.30 MILLION
- Rs. 3.10 MILLION
- Rs. 2.40 MILLION
- Rs. 18.54 MILLION

4. A
B
O
U
T
TERI DEVELOPED THIS COMPLEX AT GUAL PAHARI, GURGAON, AS AN
EXAMPLE OF SUSTAINABLE HABITAT.
THE GUAL PAHARI CAMPUS IS SITUATED 35 KM SOUTH OF DELHI, AT
GURGAON, HARYANA, COVERING AN AREA OF 36.5 HECTARES OF
BEAUTIFULLY LANDSCAPED SURROUNDINGS. WHEN TERI BOUGHT
THE LAND, IT WAS TOTALLY ROCKY AND DEVOID OF ANY VEGETATION.
INTENSE PLANTATION ACTIVITIES WERE UNDERTAKEN BY SCIENTISTS
AND RESEARCHERS FOR IMPROVING THE FERTILITY OF THE LAND
AND TODAY IT IS COVERED WITH LUSH GREEN FORESTS AND
GARDENS FULL OF BEAUTIFUL FLOWERS. AMIDST THIS GREENERY
AND BEAUTY LIES THE RETREAT -- FOR THE RESOURCE-EFFICIENT
TERI RETREAT FOR ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS AND TRAINING -- A
MODEL OF SUSTAINABLE HABITAT.
TERI HAS SUCCESSFULLY BUILT THIS HABITAT, WHICH INTEGRATES
VARIOUS FORMS OF RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES AND IS AN IDEAL
EXAMPLE FOR ARCHITECTS, BUILDERS, AND OTHERS FOR THE
PROMOTION OF RENEWABLE ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES IN THE
COUNTRY.
THIS CLIMATE-RESPONSIVE BUILDING IS INTENDED TO SERVE AS A
MODEL SUSTAINABLE HABITAT, BASED ON NEW AND CLEAN
TECHNOLOGIES.

5. A
B
O
U
T
CONTRUCTED OVER THREE YEARS, AND WITH A BUILT-UP AREA OF
3000 SQ.M., THIS 30 ROOM TRAINING HOSTEL BOASTS OF
CONFERENCE FACILITIES FOR 100 PEOPLE, DINING SPACE AND
KITCHEN, RECREATIONAL AREA, COMPUTER ROOM, AND LIBRAY. WHAT
MAKES RETREAT UNIQUE IS ITS TOTAL INDEPENDENCE OF THE CITY.S
GRID SYSTEM AND NEAR-COMPLETE FREEDOM FROM THE CITY
SERVICES AND INFRASTRUCTURE. INTERESTINGLY, ENERGY
PLANNING IN THE BUIDING HAS LEAD TO A REDUCED LOAD OF 96KW
(PEAK) FROM 280KW (PEAK), SHOWING A SAVING OF 184KW (PEAK).
RETREAT WAS CONSTRUCTED AT AN ADDITIONAL INVESTMENT OF 25%
AND SPENDS 40%-50% LESS ON ENERGY. LESS THAN 10 KILOWATTS
OF ENERGY IS USED TO LIGHT THE ENTIRE COMPLEX, WITH THE AID
OF SPECIALLY DESIGNED SKYLIGHTS, ENERGY-EFFICIENT LIGHTS,
AND A SOPHISTICATED SYSTEM OF MONITORING AND CONTROLLING
THE CONSUMPTION OF ELECTRICITY. A CONVENTIONALLY DESIGNED
BUILDING OF THE SAME SCALE WOULD USE CLOSE TO 28 KILOWATTS
TO PROVIDE THE SAME LEVEL OF LIGHTING. MOREOVER, THE
ESTIMATED CO2 SAVING IS ABOUT 570 TONNES/YEAR.

6. VISION
RETREAT IS A OMBINATION OF TECHNOLOGY AND ACHITECTURE IN A MANNER
THAT THE BEHOLDER’S UNDERSTANGING OF THE ENVIRONMENT, ENERGY, AND
BUILDING DEEPENS. AN INTERGRATED DESIGN ELEMENT, THE SOLAR PASSIVE
ARCHITECTURE, RENEWABLE SOURCES OF ENERGY, CONVENTIONAL AND NON-
CONVENTIONAL HEATING AND COOLING AND ENERGY-SAVING FEATURES- ALL
STAND OUT IN AN ASTONISHING BLEND OF THE TRADITINAL AND THE MODERN.
BASICALLY, THREE IMPORTANT THINGS WERE CONSIDERED IN THE CREATION
OF THE COMPLEX. FIRSTLY, THE FUNCTIONALITY OF THE BUILDING, AND TRYING
TO SEE HOW ENERGY IS USED IN IT. SECONDLY, THE DESIGN OF THE COMPLEX
MINIMIZES DEMANDS OF ENERGY IN THE BUILDING BY ARCHITECTURAL
INTERVENTION THROUGH PASSIVE CONCEPTS LIKE SOLAR ORIENTATION,
LATTICEWORK FOR SHADING, INSULATION, AND LANDSCAPING. THRIDLY, THE
SPACE-CONDITIONING AND LIGHTING DEMANDS ARE MET THROUGH ENERGY-
EFFICIENT SYSTEM WHEREAS THE ENERGY DEMANDS ARE FULFILLED BY
RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES.

7. VISION
SIDE VIEW
SITE PLAN
REAR VIEW OF BUILDING
BACKSIDE VIEW

8. DESIGNFEATURES
• VARIOUS PASSIVE DESIGN FEATURES OF THIS COMPLEX ENABLE REDUCTION OF
SPACE CONDITIONING LOAD BY 10%-15%.
• THE ROOF IS INSULATED WITH VERMICULITE CONCRETE TOPPED WITH CHINA
MOSAIC FOR OPTIMAL HEAT REFLECTION.
• WALLS ARE INSULATED WITH 40-MM THICK EXPANDED POLYSTYRENE
INSULATIONS.
• THE ENTIRE COMPLEX IS SOUTH-FACING, AND DECIDUOUS TREES ALL AROUND IT
PROVIDE SHADE DURING SUMMER WHILE LETTING IN THE SUN’S HEAT DURING
WINTER BY SHEDDING THEIR LEAVES.
• SOUTH PART OF THE BUILDING IS SUNKEN INTO THE GROUND IN ORDER TO TAKE
ADVANTAGE OF GROUND STORAGE AND THEREBY STABILIZE INTERNAL
TEMPERATURE.
• EAST AND WEST WALLS FACING WALLS ARE DEVOID OF OPENINGS AND ARE
SHADED.
• SHADING DEVICES AND FENESTRATIONS ARE DESIGNED TO BLOCK THE SUMMER
SUN AND LET IN THE WINTER SUN
• GLARE FREE DAYLIGHT HAS BEEN ADEQUETLY PROVIDED IN THE CONFERENCE
HALL, LIBRARY AND RECEREATION HALL

9. DESIGN FEATURES
• LANDSCAPING HAS BEEN ADEQUETLY
DESIGNED SO THAT THE WIND DIRECTIONS
ARE FAVORABLY ALTERED.
• THE NORTH BLOCK IS MADE SLIGHTLY
CONCAVE TOWARDS THE FRONT, WHILE THE
SOUTH BLOCK FORMS A HYBRID CONVEX
SURFACE FACING THE WINTER SUN.
• THE POINTS OF THE SOUTH BLOCK BROADLY
FALL ON THE SURFACE OF LARGE
IMAGINERY CONES THAT GENERATED THE
SLIGHTLY FREE GEOMETRY AND THIS
ALLOWS THE ARCHITECTURE TO BREAK
AWAY FROM THE GRID IRON APPORACH
THAT IS ASOCIATED WITH “SOLAR
ARCHITECTURE” NORMALLY.

10. SUSTAINABLESUPPLY
• TERI’S GUAL PAHARI CAMPUS IS INTENDED
TO SERVE AS A MODEL OF SUSTAINABLE
HABITAT BASED ON NEW AND CLEAN
TECHNOLOGIES. THEREFORE, IT MAKES
FULL USE OF THE MOST ABUNDANT
SOURCE OF ENERGY, NAMELY THE SUN,
BY TAPPING
THE SUN’S ENERGY IN DIFFE-
RENT WAYS, BOTH DIRECTLY AND
INDIRECTLY. SOME OF THE INNOVATIVE
WAYS OF TAPPING SOLAR ENERGY AND
USING ENERGY MORE EFFICIENTLY AT
RETREAT ARE (1) SOLAR WATER HEATER,
(2) PV (PHOTOVOLTATIC) PANELS, (3)
GASIFIER, (4) UNDERGROUND EARTH
TUNNELS AND (5) WASTE WATER
RECYCLING.

11. SolarWater Heater
• AN ARRAY OF 24 SOLAR WATER
HEATERS FORMS A PART OF THE
PARAPET OF THE LIVING QUARTERS.
THE SYSTEM CAN DELIVER UP TO
2000 LITRES OF HOT WATER (AT
65OC) EVERY DAY. IN WINTER, WHEN
THE DAYS ARE SHORT AND THE SUN
LESS INTENSE, A 9 KW ELECTRICAL
HEATING COIL SERVES AS A BACK-UP
SOURCE OF HEAT THE WATER. THE
HEAT GIVEN OFF WHEN THE STAND-
BY GENERATOR IS RUNNING IS ALSO
COLLECTED AND UTILIZED IN THE
SOLAR WATER HEATER, AS A BACK-
UP SOURCE.
SOUTH VIEW OF BUILDING SHOWING SOLAR
WATER HEATING PANELS AND SOLAR
CHIMNEY

12. Photovoltaic-Gasifierhybrid PowerPlant
A SERIES OF PHOTOVOLTAIC PANELS
CAPTURE SOLAR ENERGY AND
STORE IT BY CHARGING A BANK OF
BATTERIES. A NUMBER OF PANELS,
EACH MEASURING 1.1 BY 1.2 METRES,
ARE JOINED AND FORM AN INTEGRAL
PART OF THE ROOF OF THE BUILDING.
THE PANELS CAN GENERATE UP TO
10.7 KILOWATTS PEAK OF ENERGY,
WHICH IS FED INTO A 900 AMPERE-
HOUR/240 VOLT BATTERY BANK.

13. Photovoltaic-Gasifierhybrid PowerPlant
INDEPENDENT PANELS POWER
MOST OF THE LIGHTS LOCATED
OUTSIDE THE BUILDING. EACH
SUCH LIGHT HAS A PAIR OF SMALL
PHOTOVOLTAIC PANELS
(ROUGHLY A METRE WIDE AND
HALF A METRE TALL) AND IS THUS
A SELF-SUFFICIENT ‘STAND-
ALONE’ UNIT. A PHOTOVOLTAIC
PANEL ALSO POWERS THE WATER
PUMP.

14. The biomass Gasifier
THE BIOMASS GASIFIER IS THE MAIN SOURCE OF
POWER DURING THE DAY. FIREWOOD, DRIED LEAVES,
TWIGS AND CROP RESIDUES ARE USED FOR
FUELLING THE 50KW GASIFIER. THIS GASIFIER RUNS A
GENERATOR, WHOSE DIESEL REQUIREMENTS HAVE
BEEN CUT DOWN TO 30% AFTER APPROPRIATE
MODIFICATIONS.
THE BATTERY BANK IS THUS SERVED BY TWO
SOURCES OF POWER - THE PHOTOVOLTAIC PANELS
AND THE GASIFIER. A CONTROL DEVICE, THE ‘POWER
MANAGER’, CONSTANTLY WORKS OUT THE MOST
EFFICIENT COMBINATION, DECIDING WHICH IS THE
BEST SOURCE AT ANY GIVEN TIME. THE SYSTEM CAN
FUNCTION FOR 25–30 YEARS; THE BATTERIES HAVE A
LIFE OF 6 YEARS.

15. Underground Earth Tunnels
THE LIVING QUARTERS (SOUTH BLOCK) ARE MAINTAINED AT COMFORTABLE
TEMPERATURE (APPROXIMATELY BETWEEN 20OC TO 30OC) AROUND THE
YEAR BY CIRCULATING NATURALLY CONDITIONED AIR USING EARTH AIR
TUNNEL SYSTEM, SUPPLEMENTED WITH THE SYSTEM OF ABSORPTION
CHILLERS POWERED BY LPG IN HUMID SEASON AND AIR-WASHER IN DRY
SUMMERS.
UNDERGROUND STRUCTURES ARE NOT EXPOSED TO THE SUN AND THUS
DO NOT HEAT UP AS MUCH. SECONDLY, THE SURROUNDING EARTH
INSULATES THEM, WHICH HELPS IN MAINTAINING A MORE OR LESS
CONSTANT TEMPERATURE. TEMPERATURES RECORDED AT ROUGHLY 4
METRES BELOW THE SURFACE SHOW THAT THEY ARE STABLE AND REFLECT
THE AVERAGE ANNUAL TEMPERATURE OF A PLACE.

16. Underground Earth Tunnels
HOWEVER, THE COOLER AIR
UNDERGROUND NEEDS TO BE CIRCULATED
IN THE LIVING SPACE. EACH ROOM IN THE
SOUTH BLOCK HAS A ‘SOLAR CHIMNEY’.
WARM AIR RISES AND ESCAPES THROUGH
THE CHIMNEY, CREATING AN AIR CURRENT;
THE COOLER AIR FROM THE
UNDERGROUND TUNNELS TO RUSH IN TO
REPLACE THE WARM AIR. TWO BLOWERS
INSTALLED IN THE TUNNELS SPEED UP THE
PROCESS. THE SAME MECHANISM
SUPPLIES WARM AIR FROM THE TUNNEL
DURING WINTER.

17. Absorption Chillers
A SET OF ECO-FRIENDLY CHILLERS, WHICH RUN ON
LPG AND REQUIRE MINIMUM ELECTRICITY, PROVIDE
ADDITIONAL COOLING WHEN NEEDED. AS LPG IS A
NON-RENEWABLE SOURCE OF ENERGY, EFFORTS
ARE UNDER WAY TO RUN THE CHILLERS ON
PRODUCER GAS GENERATED BY THE WOOD-BASED
GASIFIERS. THE CONFERENCE CENTRE, WHICH
ACCOMMODATES UP TO 100 PARTICIPANTS, IS
CONDITIONED BY MEANS OF AMMONIA-BASED
ABSORPTION CHILLERS.

18. Energy-efficientLighting
ENERGY EFFICIENT COMPACT FLUORESCENT LAMPS ARE
USED IN THE RESIDENTIAL QUARTERS, CORRIDORS,
LOBBY AND TOILETS.
ENERGY EFFICIENT TUBE-LIGHTS WITH ELECTRONIC
CHOKES ARE USED IN CONFERENCE HALLS, RECREATION
ROOMS, COMPUTER ROOMS, DINING HALL AND IN
ADMINISTRATION AREAS.
GLARE-FREE DAYLIGHTS ARE PROVIDED IN THE
CONFERENCE HALL, LIBRARY AND RECREATION HALL
THROUGH THE USE OF SPECIALLY DESIGNED SKYLIGHTS.

19. Waste Water Recycling– Root Zone System
IN THE RETREAT, WASTE WATER IS
RECYCLED USING THE ROOT ZONE
TECHNIQUES. IN THIS NATURAL
TECHNIQUE, ROOTS OF PLANTS WITH
SPECIAL CAPABILITIES ARE USED TO
CLEAN THE WATER WHICH IS USED FOR
IRRIGATION AND VARIOUS OTHER
PURPOSES. IT IS NATURAL WASTE WATER
TREATMENT PROCESS BASED ON
AEROBIC AND ANAEROBIC
DECOMPOSITION OF THE CONTENTS IN
THE ROOTS OF THE REEDS AND
MICROBIAL ORGANISM. THIS SYSTEM
CLEANS (5 M3 PER DAY) FROM TOILETS
AND KITCHENS, ETC.

20. BUILDINGMANAGEMENTSYSTEM
• MONITORS BUILDING PARAMETERS ( TEMPERATURE, HUMIDITY,
CONSUMPTION, ETC)
• MONITORS ELECTRICITY GENERATED FROM EACH SOURCE
• DECIDES ON LOAD-SHARING AND LOAD-SHEDDING TO OPTIMIZE ENERGY
USAGE
• RECORDS AT REGULAR INTERVAL – IN WINTER AND IN SUMMER, ON
BRIGHT DAYS AND ON CLOUDY DAYS, AT VARYING LEVEL OF OCCUPANCY,
AND SO ON.
• THE ELABORATE, EXTENSIVE, AND SENSITIVE NETWORKS OF SENSORS,
LINKED TO A CENTRAL STATION, MONITORS EVERY HEARTBEAT OF THE
SYSTEM 24X7 A YEAR.
• THUS THE FACILITIES IS ALSO A FIRST-RATE SOURCE OF IMMENSE
QUANTITIES OF SCIENTIFIC DATA THAT CAN POWER MANY MORE
EXPERIMENTS AND INDEED INFLUENCE THE DESIGN OF OTHER SUCH
FACILITIES THE WORLD OVER.

21. S
PECI
AL
RED STONE JALI USED
FOR EXTERNAL
FACING
TERI RETREAT WATCHING
TOWER
LAXMAN JHULA AT TERI
RETREAT
HALF NORTH BLOCK WITH
RED STONE JALI AND
LANDSCAPING

22. S
PECI
AL
MARBLE FLOORING
INTERIOR OF
COMPUTER ROOM AT
TERI RETREAT
NURSERY TO UTILIZE
WASTE RECYCLED
MATERIAL FROM BIO-
GASIFIER PLANT
WASTE WATER RE-CYCLING BY ROOT ZONE
SYSTEM

23. CONCLUSION
A GREAT DEAL OF THOUGHT AND PLANNING
HAVE GONE INTO THE CONSTRUCTION OF
RETREAT, BUT IT IS NOT JUST A FACILITY: IT
IS A CONCRETE REAFFIRMATION OF TREI’S
FAITH IN ITS RESEARCH AND OF ITS
COMMITMENT TO SUSTAINABLE
DEVELOPMENT – IT IS TERI’S GIFT TO
HUMANKIND IN THE 21ST CENTURY.