Mayank Barjatya B Arch-Pune,
MSc-Ecology & Environment-Manipal, Bau-biologist, Germany
Do you get the blues when you think of going green?
WHEN we say 'green' you automatically think of eco-friendly homes, sustainability, environmental compliance systems, solar passive buildings and so on.
Every property column, magazine and newsprint is filled with news and concerns about our future generation. But with all the hype around the 'green revolution' we ourselves are clueless of the phenomenon. So here's a reality check:
You must have heard that eco-friendly homes use less energy and are more 'environment friendly'. In doing so these houses become unhealthier than normal homes.
* Formaldehyde emissions from composite wood products can cause cancer and asthma
* Faulty air conditioning systems and poor maintenance cause Sick Building Syndrome
* Overuse of plaster of Paris leads to breathlessness and chest congestion
* Vitrified tiles and artificial stones may cause arthritis and knee problems
To get the certificate of an eco-house, there are few mandatory and non-mandatory norms defined by the builder's community and authorities of Municipal Corporation, that need to be met.
Unfortunately, the non-mandatory norms are the ones that are the most essential and should be made compulsory, while the mandatory ones are those which developers are already following to get the basic sanctions.
The good news is that green does not have to be expensive and high tech. Energy saving buildings based on concepts as simple as better insulation form one of the core components of the green building science. According to the US GREEN Building Council, energy inefficiency in building accounts for 33 per cent of the world-wide carbon dioxide emissions.
Much of the glass used in buildings is extremely inefficient at containing heat. People might as well have their windows wide open the whole year through.
Just to create hype around entironmental concerns, a huge amount of money is invested in appointing overseas consultants, buying expensive building materials that seldom keep their promise to be friendly.
Green and eco-houses have to be supported with certain norms to safeguard human health. Guidelines about eco-housing are good for understanding the environment in a bigger perspective, but should not prove harmful for the people living inside the houses.
What we need today is to provide basic information to the end-users about healthy spaces. Use of natural building materials should be made mandatory for developers and builders.
A healthy building system is what we would like our experts to incorporate in their designs, where each and every particle of the building, apartment and house needs to be studied with respect to climatology and human health.
The following norms need to be observed while designing and during the construction process:
* Site level: Related to earth, plot and
geopathy.
* Building level: With respect to solar and lunar orientation, movements, wind directions, etc.
* Flat/house level: Climatological aspects, sunlight and cross-ventilation have to be taken into consideration while designing each house in order to utilise all natural powers at their best rather than using artificial energies like lightings and air conditioners.
