As ‘eco-friendly’ and ‘sustainability’ become buzzwords, corporates are devising new ways to create green homes. Siddharth Choudhary reports
Our immediate environment is what affects us the most. In India, like the rest of the world, people are waking up to the danger of increasing pollution and the hazards associated with it.
There is an attempt to incoporate greener solutions in manufacturing as well as architecture of homes and factories. Moreover, India does not have to look very far for sustainable architecture as indigenous architects like laurie Baker in the 1960s pioneered cost-effective, energy-efficient buildings and designs that maximised space, ventilation and light while maintaining an uncluttered yet striking aesthetic sensibility. Eco-friendly solutions like the Indian Coffee House in Thiruvananthapuram are a great example.
The idea of sustainability, or ecological design, has once again been finding favour with architects because some customers realise that our actions and decisions today will inhibit the growth opportunities of future generations. There is a growing market for such ecological designs in architecture. In contemporary architecture, companies like PVR ltd are creating sustainable housing solutions.The aim is to borrow from each of the five elements and create a building which would blend in with the natural processes. Newer concepts like urban farming, environics and local sourcing have been introduced which prevent the blockage of the natural cycles of nature. Such processes allow nature to breathe through these constructions without obstruction.
Sana Shadaab Sarvar, a former Sustainability Consultant, believes in taking the most basic designs and converting them into environment-friendly and energy saving buildings. Says she, “The main task at hand is helping young architects achieve that level of maturity where they not only make their designs fashionable but also ecologically favourable. The goal is to produce lEED (leadership in energy and environmental design) approved designer buildings which help in cost-cutting and earn subsidies from the government as well.” Guiding the designs of houses in order to protect them from overheating in the summer or being too chilly in the winter without the expense of central heating or air conditioning is an achievement for sustainable architects.
Introducing nature-friendly technology seems to be the key point of sustainable architecture and efforts are being made to achieve these results. Rahul Sen, Chief of Architectural Design, Gautam Dutta CEO PVR ltd home, revamps interiors to make designs more eco-friendly. “Our objective is to go beyond the technicalities of architecture and revamp the old property to orchestrate space, introduce the house to natural light and increase movement within the house.” Sustainability has to be created within the layout of the houses. Introducing the system of skylights, an additional floor or extensions and verandahs ensure the house is well-lit and cross-ventilated. Instead of using flat rooftops, you can give it a circular dome shape so that the house remains cool without using air conditioner. By placing windows high above the ground and ensuring they face each other rather than the prevalent l-shape, the hot air that rises escapes easily without being entrapped in spaces.
Self-sufficiency is another important factor of sustainable architecture, one which would render whole villages or cities capable of processing their own food. As a sample, Gautam Dutta, the CEO of PVR, decided to get his house revamped along ecological lines. Dutta was introduced to Saahil Parekh and Kaustabh Khare, the brains behind Khetify. “The two entrepreneurs had pioneered the urban farming revolution in metros and I was convinced to adopt farming as an intrinsic element of this house. So we utilised the terrace space and transformed it into an urban farm.”
The overall design philosophy revolves around refined use of art, a sophisticated earthy colour palette and strong silhouettes. light, airy and fresh is the mantra of modern living spaces. The drapes are designed in a simple fashion to enable light to pass through. Raw materials, which go into construction and are absolutely important but harmful to the environment, can be made less life-threatening by changing their chemical compositions at the molecular level.
Talking about construction, cement major Dalmia Bharat has also come up with a greener solution. By reducing the carbon footprint emissions to 330 kg per tonne against the international average of 612 kg per tonne, they have achieved a landmark in the sustainable development model. Sandeep Kumar, Executive, Dalmia Bharat Group, says, “Cement is something that you cannot limit only to construction material but also to construct things like art.”
It is to promote this concept that the company held an art exhibition at Bikaner House where artists like Iti Tyagi showcased their work and demonstrated what cement was capable of. “Cement is cost-efficient and the cost of production remains the same. It is a conscious choice that we have made for a greener future,” says Kumar.
The artists created simple chairs and tables to wall clock and flower pots showing the wider applicability of cement as a cheaper and durable option. Artist Iti Tyagi emphasised that they did not want to create elaborate art structures but wanted to show how cement could replace plastic appliances and conveniences.