nearest
smooth
‘Handbook of Conservation of Heritage Buildings’ (
Central Public Works Department,
July 2013)
. See also: ‘Guidelines for Conservation’
(Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage)
Brandon Lewis, ‘Transform Smart Building Data into KPIs that Matter’ (
Insight.Tech,
17 September 2020)
While AutoCAD and compatible systems have been widely accepted as the documentation standards in the building industry, BIM formats include digital representation of the building and in-built 3D capabilities to enable error free multi-system infrastructure layouts, construction monitoring/change management tools, etc., It is suggested that all design outputs and archived building or infrastructure plans under the e-Courts project should be in the BIM format.
‘LEED Rating System’
(U.S. Green Building Council)
ECBC (2017).
‘Urban and Regional Development Plans Formulation and Implementation (URDPFI) Guidelines’
(Ministry of Urban Development, Government of India)
p. 199.
‘A Handbook of Landscape’
(Central Public Works Department)
Disaster Management Act (2005), sections 37(1) and 40.
Some High Courts have provisions for Disaster Management strategies in this regard. For example, the High Court of Himachal Pradesh has developed an Action Plan on Disaster Management, available here:
This includes medical officers, engineers, fire officers, home guards/security officers, etc.
A Building Data model is a conceptual model that diagrammatically represents the structure and flow of data elements, and relationships between them, within the information systems of a building. In the design of Courts, a building data model would serve as a blueprint for implementing building management systems. Data modelling (the process of developing a data model) provides outputs that can be analysed and used for effective decision-making and better management of the building systems.
NBC (2016), Vol I Part 4, section 4.10, p. 52.
NBC (2016), p. 89 (Annexures)
The Plan should outline the needs, goals and objectives for retrofitting the space through stakeholder engagement and user experience survey.
It should include an audit process, which engages with the concerned stakeholders, to evaluate the existing building and its facilities or equipment for their performance and efficiency, in accordance with the goals and objectives of the retrofitting.
The retrofitting options should be determined with an understanding of the potential risks and opportunities for accommodating improvements. The technical and economic viability, costs and benefits and resource availability should also be taken into accounting while preparing the plan.
Detailed plans and drawings of the design solutions should be prepared in consultation with stakeholders such as facility managers, engineers, contractors, and users, to ensure that the design meets their needs and expectations.
The plan should include a post-implementation evaluation to assess the efficacy of the retrofitting
A work plan with a budget and a schedule for implementation, monitoring and evaluation should be prepared for implementing the designs as per schedule.
The retrofitted facility/system or space needs to be maintained and necessary training and capacity building programs should be conducted to optimise the use, and maximise the benefits and lifespan of the building.
Physical assets such as furniture, plumbing, wiring, elevators, and heating and cooling, digital technology;
Soft service systems that would require human power such as waste management, security, landscaping, maintenance of hygiene, space planning and workplace design, wayfinding, building maintenance and site landscaping services; and
Security and safety services such as visitor management, fire safety systems, emergency or quick response, and access control systems.
Assessing the risks, capacity and vulnerability of the Court Complex towards various types of hazards, both natural and man-made, including assessing compliance of the Court Complex buildings with the NBC norms for fire and life safety.
Conducting an inventory of available internal resources such as fire alarm, fire extinguisher, water tank facility, etc., and external resources such as ambulance services, police station, fire station, hospital, etc., to identify resources to be procured for better preparedness.
Constituting a Quick Response Team consisting of Court officials who may be identified and trained in measures to be taken for prevention, mitigation, preparedness and response to various hazards and use of equipment and technology for disaster management.
Developing programs and training and capacity building sessions in collaboration with other Government Agencies and the DDMA to disseminate the evacuation plan to all stakeholders.
Preparing SoPs for prevention of fires, evacuation, first aid, search and rescue, and security/threat management audit in consultation with Jurisdictional Law Enforcement, Fire & Civil Defence Officials of the State.
Preparing building evacuation plans with evacuation routes, assembly points, refuge areas, nearest exits, location of fire extinguishers, etc., marked on a floor plan.
Determining strategic locations within the Court Complex where the floor plan must be displayed including all public areas, workspaces and at the entrance lobby.
Designing and implementing accessible signage systems and mechanisms for information flow and alerts for emergency situations using technology.
Preparing plans for using Lead Protection System, which is a portable security tool used to escort vulnerable stakeholders from the area of threat to a safe place, in case of emergencies.
Updating the evacuation plan on a periodic basis based on information collected from the building data model
of the Building Management system.
Conducting regular mock drills for emergency situations.
Preparing security response protocol for the Quick Response Teams to operate at the time of emergencies.
Preparing procedures and methods for monitoring, evaluation, and maintenance of the Disaster Management Plan, including periodic evaluation and updation of the said procedures in consultations with the DDMA.
Lato
justified
PART D – IMPLEMENTATION, MONITORING & EVALUATION
RECOMMENDATION FOR SITE AND BUILDING MANAGEMENT
2.1.
Phasing Plan for New Constructions
To determine the future capacity requirements and additional functions that a Court Complex has to accommodate in the long term, stakeholder consultations and review of the number of pending cases, including those to be taken up online should be conducted. Subsequently, a Phasing Plan that outlines a schedule of actions to be undertaken during all stages of the project development should be prepared. It must include a detailed timeline with dates for deliverables at each stage.
At the Pre-design stage, when the project scope is defined and at the Design stage, the Court Complex Master Plan should identify the phases in which the future development activity would take place. Resources and space must be allocated accordingly.
The Phasing Plan must anticipate and manage future requirements of spaces and functions, including amenities, and ensure better adaptation of existing spaces when transitioning from one use to another. When accounting for future additions the Court building must be designed to have structural redundancies to accommodate additional floors. The extensions to the building must be added without construction flaws and with minimum maintenance costs. A well-planned and managed project should ensure flexibility to add new functions and avoid the need to look for another site or building to accommodate additional facilities.
For example, if a new Court Complex is planned to have four Courtrooms based on its existing caseload, and the aim is to accommodate 15 Courtrooms in the long term, a Phasing Plan should be prepared to manage the first phase of development from inception to implementation. The Plan should anticipate the budget and resources required for future expansion. As part of the Phasing Plan, space for future expansion should be allocated in the Court Complex Master Plan, either horizontally on the site or vertically in accordance with the local building regulations.
The design principles and the spatial design considerations of this Handbook should be taken into account when preparing the Phasing Plan.
2.2.
Retrofitting Plan for Upgrading Existing Buildings
For retrofitting and upgrading of existing buildings, a Retrofitting Plan, which meets the Court design principles and spatial design considerations of this Handbook, should be prepared to ensure that the existing spaces can suitably accommodate the proposed changes.
The Retrofitting Plan should take into account the following considerations:
For example, if an existing Court Complex needs to be upgraded to ensure accessibility, the Retrofitting Plan must outline steps to manage the interventions of accessibility measures to ensure least disruption and optimum use of spaces. It must also ensure inclusion of diverse sets of users through stakeholder consultations and surveys. The Plan must include a method for conducting an audit of existing accessibility features and assess the requirement for additional facilities, including time, resources and budget for implementing the same.
Specific capacity building and sensitisation programs must be included in the plan to ensure proper implementation. For further details, please refer to
Section 5
. Additionally, an assessment framework must be prepared and an evaluation must be conducted using the User Experience Survey which is based on the design principles and the spatial design considerations of this Handbook. For further details, please refer to
Section 6
In such instances where historic buildings are adapted or repurposed for use as a Court Complex, the historic character of the building must be protected. The prevalent local building regulations and the requirements for historic conservation (if applicable) need to be followed.
2.3.
Building Management Systems
It is essential to adopt a control system that can monitor and manage the mechanical, electrical and electro-mechanical services in the Court Complex. A Building Management System (“BMS”) should be put in place to centrally control and monitor all services including security, power, heating, ventilation, air-conditioning, physical access control, pumping stations, elevators, lights and information and communication technology systems. Such a system aims to provide an optimum solution for enhanced building performance, improved energy efficiency, increased environmental sustainability and a comfortable, safe, and efficient environment.
Additionally, adoption of a Building Information Modelling (“BIM”) facilitates a process for designers and construction professionals to provide a complete solution for the life cycle of the building from the design stage to construction and further to operation. Real-time data from the BMS can be integrated into a BIM to aid the facility managers to manage the building operations sustainably.
2.4.
Site and Building Facilities Management
To manage space usage in an optimal and efficient manner, organise the storage of materials and equipment, ensure a cost effective environment and design an enhanced workplace experience that is contextually sensitive and environmentally friendly, it is essential to appoint an agency for facilities management services with a Facilities Manager. The appointment of such an agency would help ensure the functionality, comfort, safety, efficiency and sustainability of buildings and grounds, and the physical infrastructure within a Court Complex.
Facility management services would include management of the following:
The scope of work of the Facility Manager may be determined depending on the stage of construction or occupancy of the District Court Complex. The agency can facilitate and ensure adequate procurement of amenities, conduct regular maintenance checks for various spaces including sanitary provisions, and guide the budgetary allocations for the Court Complex depending on the specific needs. Dedicated funding to support the functioning of such an agency should be arranged to ensure regular management and maintenance of site and building services. For further details, please refer to
Annexure 8
2.5.
Sustainable Building Strategies
The High Court should establish a Sustainable Building Policy to ensure that all District Court buildings under its jurisdiction adhere to sustainable practices. It is recommended that a comprehensive approach be developed to meet the green building standards outlined by either the IGBC building rating system or the LEED rating system.
The District Court buildings should be planned to incorporate and maintain sustainable features, including ecologically sensitive transformation of the site; adoption of measures for natural light and ventilation; energy and water-saving systems and fixtures; and systems for waste disposal, health and hygiene. Locally sourced, renewable and eco-friendly materials should be used in the construction of all District Courts.
Additionally, Court buildings should meet the minimum requirements for the energy-efficient design and construction of buildings specified in the Energy Conservation and Sustainable Building Code, 2017
and the Generic Energy Efficiency Guidelines.
While preparing the Master Plan for a Court Complex, strategies for incorporating soft landscape with a sustainable approach should be adopted.
For waste disposal and management, the Policy should also lay out systems for recycling of old records, documents, and old or broken furniture and equipment. Additionally, in coordination with the local Municipal authorities, systems for disposal of sanitary/medical waste and garbage, should be put in place to ensure sustainable waste management practices in all District Courts. This includes adopting sustainable measures for disposal of wet waste and recycling of wastewater at the site level.
2.6.
Disaster Management Strategies
District Courts should incorporate and follow the provisions of the
Disaster Management Act (2005) which provides institutional and operational frameworks for disaster prevention, mitigation, response, preparedness, and recovery at all levels
. The Act envisages the formation of the District Disaster Management Authority (“DDMA”) headed by the District Collector/Deputy Commissioners and co-chaired by the elected representatives of local authorities.
In coordination with the respective DDMAs, a Disaster Management Plan
with Standard Operating Procedures (“SoPs”) should be prepared by the High Court for District Courts under their jurisdiction. The Plan and the SoPs should make provision for planning, organising, coordinating and implementing measures for effective response and management during emergencies and disasters.
At the District-level, a Court Disaster Management & Emergency Response Coordination Committee should be set up comprising representatives from the District Court such as Judges, lawyers, and the Facility Manager (
Section 2.4
), and representatives from the relevant local authorities.
This Committee should be charged with the monitoring and implementation of the Disaster Management Plan and supervision of all the quick response teams.
The Committee should undertake the following functions:
Further, SoPs may be prepared for the following aspects of Disaster Management:
Additionally, a qualified Fire Officer with experience of not less than three years, must be appointed, who must be available on the premises or in the District Fire Department (in close proximity), to maintain all equipment and prepare Fire Orders and fire operational plans.
Third party auditors should be engaged to assess the efficiency of the disaster management policies and emergency protocols and recommend periodic revisions to the SoPs.
References
GT Super Text
1px solid lightGray
lato
& .
Source:
black
item-
subItem-
nestedItem-
square
1px solid red
Image Credit:
red
