5 Storeyed Energy Efficient Mini Condo Building

Han Tun Saw
Aug 12
2 min read

I want to share my latest civil engineering project with you all. It is a 5 storey energy efficient mini condo that my team and I have been working on, and I am really excited to present the final concepts and overall design to everyone.

Civil engineering is not just about creating massive, strong concrete structures. To me, it is about making those structures work in harmony with nature and finding smart ways to reduce our carbon footprint. I wanted to design a building that balances structural integrity with modern sustainable technologies, proving that we can build robust homes without compromising our environmental responsibilities.

For this project, we focused heavily on passive solar design, energy efficiency, and resource optimization. The building features an open ground floor parking layout that maximizes natural cross ventilation. On the rooftop, we integrated solar panels that can reduce reliance on conventional energy sources by up to 30 percent. We also incorporated a rainwater harvesting system to collect and filter water for non potable uses, significantly lowering overall water consumption.

To manage thermal performance, high performance glass windows were modeled and specified. These help retain indoor comfort while minimizing heat gain and loss, which can decrease heating and cooling energy demands by approximately 20 percent. Additionally, advanced insulation materials were integrated into the wall assemblies to reduce overall heat transmission.

From a structural standpoint, we used ETABS version 9.7.1 to analyze the structural grid system. We modeled beams, columns, slabs, and shear walls to ensure the frame can withstand dead, live, wind, and seismic forces under international design codes. Every element was carefully calculated so that safety and strength go hand in hand with our green building goals.

We are officially presenting this design for our Group 3 Project Show. It has been an incredible learning experience diving deep into green building methods, life cycle costing, and advanced structural analysis.

What do you all think about incorporating these kinds of energy efficient features into modern residential buildings? I would love to hear your thoughts and suggestions in the comments below.