Most buildings just consume resources. What if a school could actually balance its own energy and water needs?
That question sits at the heart of Solar Decathlon India (SDI) 2025–26. And Team Tattva from Jawaharlal Nehru Architecture and Fine Arts University (JNAFAU), Hyderabad, has taken it seriously.
Working with Sthapati Architects as their project partner and collaborating with Hydromo on the water systems, these students have designed a thoughtful, net-zero-ready campus for Good Shepherd School in Kavuru, near Chilakaluripeta, Andhra Pradesh.
Taking a Close Look at the Real Context
Good Shepherd School has an enrolment of approximately 1,200 students and 90 staff members. Good Shepherd School is located in a warm and humid environment. The client requested three connected buildings – Junior, Administration and Main Academic – to provide a sense of simplicity, comfort and ease of maintenance and be ready for the future. The goal is for the buildings to have “The Simple/Honest Buildings”, or not complex/child-friendly architecture but rather, architecture that respects the local culture and financial resources of the school.
The team of Tattva consisted of 10 final year architecture students and were gathering a community of architects to approach their project through a fresh lens.Led by Pooja Nandigam, they divided responsibilities across energy, water, health, affordability, resilience, and more — then brought everything together through constant discussion and iteration.
Climate-Responsive Design That Actually Works
They started with deep pre-design work: local climate data from Bapatla, sun-path studies, wind analysis, psychometric charts, and energy simulations on different box models. Three design options were tested and refined.
The final direction leans toward a stepped L-shaped form with courtyards. Narrow floor plates, smart orientation, generous floor heights (3.6m), and well-placed shading elements help the building breathe naturally. The goal is clear — 70% of spaces with good daylight and 60% relying on natural ventilation.
Early simulations showed one option hitting an impressive ~39.66 kWh/m²/year EPI, well within their target of ≤40 kWh/m²/year. They’re not just chasing numbers — they’re creating comfortable classrooms that stay cool even when the Andhra summer hits hard.
Water Strategy That Goes Beyond Harvesting
Here’s where the collaboration with Hydromo made a real difference.
Instead of treating water systems as an afterthought, the team designed them into the building from the beginning. With an estimated daily demand of around 60,000 litres, they focused on:
- Low-flow fixtures
- Dual plumbing for greywater reuse (flushing and gardening)
- Roof and site rainwater harvesting with recharge trenches
- A decentralized STP integrated thoughtfully into the planning
Hydromo helped shape a practical, decentralized greywater treatment approach that doesn’t hide in the backyard but becomes part of the overall design thinking. This is exactly the kind of integration we love at Hydroarch — making water infrastructure visible, efficient, and architectural.
More Than Just Energy and Water
The proposal tackles ten clear goals: thermal comfort, resilience during monsoons and power cuts, low embodied carbon using local materials (burnt clay bricks, fly ash, Kadapa stone), affordability (targeting ₹1,800–2,200 per sq.ft.), and creating a living-learning environment that students actually connect with.
The courtyards, shaded outdoor spaces, and strong indoor-outdoor links are meant to support both learning and well-being.
Why This Project Feels Important
Team Tattva didn’t try to create a flashy showpiece. They focused on what matters for a rural school in India — something replicable, maintainable, respectful of local realities, and genuinely sustainable.
Their work shows that net-zero isn’t only about putting solar panels on the roof. It starts much earlier — when energy flows, water cycles, site conditions, and daily life are considered together.
At Hydroarch Platform, we’re genuinely excited to showcase projects like this. Student teams that think in systems, collaborate across disciplines, and bring practical innovation to real sites are exactly what Indian architecture needs more of.
A big congratulations to the entire Team Tattva — Pooja Nandigam, Navateja, Lehari, Vitesh, Krishna Gowtham, Harshik, Sreelekhya, Thrini, Harsha Vardhan, Satwik, and their faculty mentors. Your work reflects the true spirit of Solar Decathlon India.
Here’s to more buildings that don’t just consume — but learn to balance and give back.