Future Realty
The government and the construction industry are steadily adopting a green building approach for developing infrastructure
A huge amount of resources go into construction and maintenance of buildings. This is even more so for green buildings, given that there is a premium on including eco-friendly features. Mumbai, for instance, consists of 20 per cent of green buildings in India, and the fact is that this number is increasing at a fast rate.
With demands for sustainable future development in the world, a new attitude to environment is visible. It is leaving its mark on architectural ideas, working methods and projects where brand new visions of the future are on the agenda. The focus has now shifted to new, sustainable technologies in the areas of solar energy as well as recyclable materials.
The government and the construction industry are steadily adopting the green building approach for development of infrastructure. Many factors are acting as catalysts for the rapid development of green buildings. These include increasingly serious environmental problems, constant improvement of demands on the architectural environment’s quality, introduction and development of a variety of green building technologies, the successive implementation of accompanying “green building evaluation criteria” and other relevant policies and regulations.
According to one estimate, in the next three to four years, about 200 million sq ft of commercial space and 45 million sq ft of retail space is expected to be constructed across major cities in India, which indicates that there is a great opportunity for developers and occupiers to promote the concept of green buildings.
However, the challenges faced for development of green buildings in India are extra investment in an unstable real estate market scenario and difficulty in sourcing green building materials.
The global green building movement started in the 1990s, marking the beginning of an early trend to optimise energy use in construction. It conceived the leadership in energy and environmental design (LEED) rating system five years later. A number of countries followed suit with the establishment of partnerships and environment assessment methods.
In spite of these global developments, it took quite some time for India to join the global green building bandwagon. Initially, there was lack of cognisance in the industry on the sustainability of green building construction. Today, it is one of the given imperatives in the construction industry and is regarded as a cornerstone in the design of buildings.
The biggest obstacle lay in changing mindsets; in addition there was a substantial price tag involved in going green. The first thought that would haunt businessmen would be the larger financial requirements. Naturally, it weighs heavily in any business decision. But gradually, a large section of the industry realised that going green will only make their structures last longer.
Given that the green market in India is at a relatively nascent stage, there is a lack of skilled professionals which has impeded the ability of the market to meet the demand for green buildings. The training and development of such personnel is thus vital to advance the green building agenda. A comprehensive training framework needs to be put in place to nurture a core group of green building professionals with the well laid down target of producing green certified structures. This strategy has helped motivate and upgrade the capabilities of existing personnel, bringing in new entrants to develop a proficient workforce.
Our metros have willingly acknowledged the rightful use of green technology to uphold high level of sustainability. Real estate projects aim at full utilisation of solar energy for power and thermal stabilisation along with prime focus on water harvesting and waste recycling. Another important facet is that of landscaping. Most of the structure design proposes terrace farms, especially in space-starved cities, to minimise the loss of plantation on the ground.
Utilisation of LAR designs is a concept that encourages ecological architecture inspired by pyramid style. Herein, the designers propose vegetation on all terraces which would meet the cooling requirements of the building. Besides, the design also concentrates heavily on rain water and solar energy harvesting. The recent residential edifices believe in utilising power and meeting the energy requirements from the wind turbines.
Since climate change has come to dominate public discourse, all buildings are no longer considered appropriate. Therefore, the idea of using renewable energy and recycle materials has been applied.
Bio-solar home is one sample of producing energy. The design criteria consist of concepts like no greenhouse gas pollution, no heat and noise pollution.
Special efforts are taken to avoid visual, air and water pollution. The design is incorporated taking into considerations factors like unique building form, site and climate, using energy and environmental friendly material mixed with appropriate technology.
Natural material such as coral, driftwood and pebbles bring warmth and texture to modern design, especially rooms with big, colossal sweeps of one particular material. Organic material sustains in the long run and endows a customised touch to monochromatic or modern spaces.
Unlike old window shutters that function merely as wistful decor, new retractable panels are providing ways to shade interiors from daylight to give a cutting-edge look. New-fangled systems can easily retract on cloudy days, while in the summer it can help reduce thermal bridges and cooling costs.
The challenges to achieve this goal are to promote new building constructions and to retrofit existing buildings while satisfying low energy criteria. This means improving energy efficiency of buildings and energy systems, developing sustainable building concepts and promoting renewable energy sources. The design of a low-energy building requires parametric studies to optimise the design of the building envelope and HVAC systems.
Building energy efficiency can be improved by implementing either active or passive energy efficient strategies. Improvements in heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems and electrical lighting are active strategies, while improvements in building envelope elements can be classified under passive strategies.
Various components such as walls, fenestration, roof, foundation, thermal insulation, thermal mass and external shading devices, make up this important part of any building.
Landscape architecture is currently an important feature in all aspects of architecture. It determines the positioning of diverse plant life and enhances the artistic look of the building. Landscaping also adds in giving bright, bold colours. There can be an added advantage if an optimum utilisation of lush texture plantings can be made.
Moreover, large leaf plants can change the overall scale of a small space. Homeowners can thus use landscape architecture to create a picturesque and livable area for the entire family to soak in the pleasures of good living.
Consumers today have become increasingly aware of the choices they can make to play a role in saving the earth. This reflects growing consumer demand for green buildings and would drive developers to build more green properties across the city.
The growing awareness on the benefits of green buildings among international and domestic occupiers is eventually driving the demand for green buildings. As a result, developers are taking a keen interest in developing such buildings which is the future of Indian realty.
With globally changing climate demographics, sustainable buildings are need of the hour so that they can minimise adverse impacts on the built and natural environment in terms of the building themselves, their immediate surroundings and the broader regional and global setting. zz
- by Sudhir Thorat , Managing director at 3D Architecture
With demands for sustainable future development in the world, a new attitude to environment is visible. It is leaving its mark on architectural ideas, working methods and projects where brand new visions of the future are on the agenda. The focus has now shifted to new, sustainable technologies in the areas of solar energy as well as recyclable materials.
The government and the construction industry are steadily adopting the green building approach for development of infrastructure. Many factors are acting as catalysts for the rapid development of green buildings. These include increasingly serious environmental problems, constant improvement of demands on the architectural environment’s quality, introduction and development of a variety of green building technologies, the successive implementation of accompanying “green building evaluation criteria” and other relevant policies and regulations.
According to one estimate, in the next three to four years, about 200 million sq ft of commercial space and 45 million sq ft of retail space is expected to be constructed across major cities in India, which indicates that there is a great opportunity for developers and occupiers to promote the concept of green buildings.
However, the challenges faced for development of green buildings in India are extra investment in an unstable real estate market scenario and difficulty in sourcing green building materials.
The global green building movement started in the 1990s, marking the beginning of an early trend to optimise energy use in construction. It conceived the leadership in energy and environmental design (LEED) rating system five years later. A number of countries followed suit with the establishment of partnerships and environment assessment methods.
In spite of these global developments, it took quite some time for India to join the global green building bandwagon. Initially, there was lack of cognisance in the industry on the sustainability of green building construction. Today, it is one of the given imperatives in the construction industry and is regarded as a cornerstone in the design of buildings.
The biggest obstacle lay in changing mindsets; in addition there was a substantial price tag involved in going green. The first thought that would haunt businessmen would be the larger financial requirements. Naturally, it weighs heavily in any business decision. But gradually, a large section of the industry realised that going green will only make their structures last longer.
Given that the green market in India is at a relatively nascent stage, there is a lack of skilled professionals which has impeded the ability of the market to meet the demand for green buildings. The training and development of such personnel is thus vital to advance the green building agenda. A comprehensive training framework needs to be put in place to nurture a core group of green building professionals with the well laid down target of producing green certified structures. This strategy has helped motivate and upgrade the capabilities of existing personnel, bringing in new entrants to develop a proficient workforce.
Our metros have willingly acknowledged the rightful use of green technology to uphold high level of sustainability. Real estate projects aim at full utilisation of solar energy for power and thermal stabilisation along with prime focus on water harvesting and waste recycling. Another important facet is that of landscaping. Most of the structure design proposes terrace farms, especially in space-starved cities, to minimise the loss of plantation on the ground.
Utilisation of LAR designs is a concept that encourages ecological architecture inspired by pyramid style. Herein, the designers propose vegetation on all terraces which would meet the cooling requirements of the building. Besides, the design also concentrates heavily on rain water and solar energy harvesting. The recent residential edifices believe in utilising power and meeting the energy requirements from the wind turbines.
Since climate change has come to dominate public discourse, all buildings are no longer considered appropriate. Therefore, the idea of using renewable energy and recycle materials has been applied.
Bio-solar home is one sample of producing energy. The design criteria consist of concepts like no greenhouse gas pollution, no heat and noise pollution.
Special efforts are taken to avoid visual, air and water pollution. The design is incorporated taking into considerations factors like unique building form, site and climate, using energy and environmental friendly material mixed with appropriate technology.
Natural material such as coral, driftwood and pebbles bring warmth and texture to modern design, especially rooms with big, colossal sweeps of one particular material. Organic material sustains in the long run and endows a customised touch to monochromatic or modern spaces.
Unlike old window shutters that function merely as wistful decor, new retractable panels are providing ways to shade interiors from daylight to give a cutting-edge look. New-fangled systems can easily retract on cloudy days, while in the summer it can help reduce thermal bridges and cooling costs.
The challenges to achieve this goal are to promote new building constructions and to retrofit existing buildings while satisfying low energy criteria. This means improving energy efficiency of buildings and energy systems, developing sustainable building concepts and promoting renewable energy sources. The design of a low-energy building requires parametric studies to optimise the design of the building envelope and HVAC systems.
Building energy efficiency can be improved by implementing either active or passive energy efficient strategies. Improvements in heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems and electrical lighting are active strategies, while improvements in building envelope elements can be classified under passive strategies.
Various components such as walls, fenestration, roof, foundation, thermal insulation, thermal mass and external shading devices, make up this important part of any building.
Landscape architecture is currently an important feature in all aspects of architecture. It determines the positioning of diverse plant life and enhances the artistic look of the building. Landscaping also adds in giving bright, bold colours. There can be an added advantage if an optimum utilisation of lush texture plantings can be made.
Moreover, large leaf plants can change the overall scale of a small space. Homeowners can thus use landscape architecture to create a picturesque and livable area for the entire family to soak in the pleasures of good living.
Consumers today have become increasingly aware of the choices they can make to play a role in saving the earth. This reflects growing consumer demand for green buildings and would drive developers to build more green properties across the city.
The growing awareness on the benefits of green buildings among international and domestic occupiers is eventually driving the demand for green buildings. As a result, developers are taking a keen interest in developing such buildings which is the future of Indian realty.
With globally changing climate demographics, sustainable buildings are need of the hour so that they can minimise adverse impacts on the built and natural environment in terms of the building themselves, their immediate surroundings and the broader regional and global setting. zz
- by Sudhir Thorat , Managing director at 3D Architecture
Source:- Financial Chronicle
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