V-GUARD’S Green Office- For A Greener Kerala

-Guard Industries has been a trendsetter in Kerala on several fronts. The brainchild of Mr. Kochouseph Chittilappally, a far-sighted entrepreneur, V-Guard is now the country’s largest seller of voltage stabilizers, with a range of products that include wiring cables, electric pumps and motors, geysers and, solar water heaters, electric fans and UPSs. The company has also ventured into the leisure industry with great success and is planning to diversify even further into exciting new fields. The vision and dynamism of its founder is reflected not only in every aspect of the company, but its corporate office in Kochi which is one of Kerala’s exclusive new ‘green’ office buildings.
The Green WorkspaceV-Guard’s 13 storied Corporate Office is situated in 2 lush acres in the suburbs of Kochi. Covering an area of 1.2lakh square feet, this award –winning eco-friendly building is Mr. Kochouseph Chittilappally’s contribution to the fight against global warming and the depletion of natural resources. The office which became fully functional in 2010 aims to conserve natural resources, reduce pollution, generate minimum waste , adopt energy efficient practices and use less water. Each floor is lined with verandahs awash with plants and this prevents sunlight falling directly on the walls. False ceilings reduce heat conductivity to interiors, while a one foot space above the abundant windows consists of a perforated nylon sheet that allows airflow into the building all day long. The result is that interiors are kept cool and well ventilated even in summer, thus cutting down on the requirement for air conditioning. The rooftop garden is another big attraction, with half of the area being converted into the staff dining room where employers can enjoy their lunch amidst nature’s bounty.
Harvesting rainwaterRainwater harvesting is another important feature of V- Guard’s cool office. Water used for washing and cleaning purposes is directed towards a treatment plant on the premises, where it is filtered, treated and then used for irrigation. An automatic drip irrigation system has been set up to water the plants daily, and drinking water requirements are met through a well. The well water is treated to a reverse osmosis mechanism to ensure purity. Overflow from the rainwater harvesting tank is also re-routed to the well. Even the tiles used for the ground have pores that direct rainwater into the earth rather than allowing it to flow away.

Eco-friendliness is the catchword everywhere. The furniture is made from recycled materials, and solar heaters meet the hot water requirements of the office. Aluminium is used for framing as it has no maintenance cost, and air conditioning is restricted to areas where it is indispensable such as the data centre. A unit to harness wind and solar energy will drastically reduce electricity consumption, which already has been slashed to one fifth of what they would have been in a conventional office.
V-Guard’s cool green office is an eye-opener for corporate offices everywhere even as it is makes a statement about a Keralite’s determination to keep Kerala green.