TS RERA No.P02400003403.

Balancing Sustainability and Luxury: The Case Against Private Pools in Net-Zero Communities

By
August 14, 2024

Author: Prajwala Gaddalay, Assistant Manager (Sustainability), Phanindra Kumar Uppalapati, Manager(MEP) Rajasekhar Talluri, Sr.General Manager( MEP & OFM)

Introduction

At Organo, our commitment to sustainability is unwavering, guided by the "Sapthpatha" principles—the seven strands of sustainability: Earth, Water, Food, Shelter, Energy, Soil, and People. Every aspect of our design is aligned with these principles, striving to create net-zero communities where energy and water consumption are carefully managed.

Case 1: Current Scenario Without Individual Pools

In our Kandawada project, the decision to exclude individual pools is a deliberate one, aimed at ensuring that power and water demands remain within sustainable limits. Each villa is designed with an energy load of 20 KW, which is efficiently managed by the solar panels installed across the development. Water demand is similarly optimized, with each villa requiring just 1.4 KL per day to support the needs of seven residents. This careful planning not only supports our goal of maintaining a net-zero community but also reinforces our commitment to water positivity, ensuring that our developments are both energy-efficient and environmentally responsible.

Case 2: The Impact of Individual Pools on Sustainability

The introduction of individual pools at each villa would severely disrupt the carefully balanced sustainability measures in our Kandawada project. Catering to client demands for private pools would trigger a dramatic escalation in both power and water consumption. Specifically, the energy load per villa would skyrocket from 20 KW to 62 KW, driven primarily by the need for heat pumps to maintain the pools at a comfortable temperature. This increase represents more than a threefold rise in energy demand, which would place a significant strain on the community's solar-powered infrastructure.

Image 1: Graphical representation of solar Infra CAPEX 

Water consumption would also surge from the current 1.4 KL per day to an astonishing 37 KL per villa(15 m x 2 m x 1.2 m). This sharp increase is due to the substantial volume of the pools and the continuous need for water top-ups to counter evaporation. The cumulative effect on the community's water resources would be profound, drastically altering our water-positive status.

If 40% of the community were to opt for individual pools, the repercussions would extend beyond just energy and water consumption. The entire infrastructure would need substantial upgrades, including high-tension (HT) equipment, transformers, diesel generators (DGs), cables, and panels. These upgrades would not only lead to significant capital expenditures but would also compromise our net-zero ambitions by limiting the available space for additional solar capacity. 

Image 2: Graphical representation of electrical Infra CAPEX 

Furthermore, the increased water demand—an additional 720 KL—would likely necessitate reliance on external water sources, such as tankers or bore wells, undermining our commitment to self-sufficiency and further conflicting with our net-zero principles. This reliance on external resources would also increase operational costs and environmental impact, ultimately moving us away from our core sustainability goals.

Image 3: Quantitative analysis breakdown of additional electrical loads and water demand.

Case 3: A Balanced Approach with a Common Heated Pool

To reconcile the need for luxury with our unwavering commitment to sustainability, Organo proposes the introduction of a common heated pool as a practical and eco-friendly alternative to individual private pools. This solution is thoughtfully designed to significantly reduce the infrastructure burden that individual pools would impose, ensuring that our Kandawada project remains aligned with our net-zero goals.

The common heated pool requires a single heat pump with a total load of 60 KW, compared to the much higher combined load that individual pools would demand. This centralized system is far more efficient, reducing the overall energy consumption across the community. Additionally, the common pool's water volume of 46 KL is carefully managed, with minimal water required for regular top-ups due to evaporation. This stands in stark contrast to the significant water demands of multiple individual pools, which would drastically increase the community's overall water usage.

This approach enables Organo to maintain its commitment to the "Sapthpatha" principles, particularly in the areas of energy and water conservation. Residents can still enjoy the luxury of a heated pool, but in a way that does not compromise the community’s eco-friendly values. By opting for a common heated pool, we ensure that our developments remain sustainable, balancing the desires of our residents with our steadfast dedication to environmental responsibility.

Our Collaborators

FHD Grouphttps://fhdindia.com/

About Studio Organo

We are a cross-functional and research-focused team of architects, engineers, and technical experts, who ideate, refine and detail eco habitat products, components, and solutions. Our core intent is to co-create and manifest apt rurban lifestyles across all eco-habitat components to celebrate the living for respective user groups. From earth-friendly neighborhoods to home interiors, we’ve got it all covered.

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Website :https://www.organo.co.in/studio-organo

If you’d like to know about our design explorations or if you would like to be part of our user research as we refine the design, please email us at studio@organo.co.in