Building green homes, brick by brick

Integration of systems that produce renewable or clean sources of energy into the built form is a key attribute of green architecture.  Kochuthommen Mathew offers energy-efficient solutions for your home.

The past few decades of rapid urbanisation have given a boost to the construction industry in the country. A large number of residences, malls and high-rise structures were built without any environmental considerations.

Today, the building industry is the most consumptive industry as it uses up a lot of money, energy and resources during the process of construction and throughout the building’s lifetime.

When demolished, they not only pollute the immediate surroundings but also add to the already sensitive landfill issues. With an average life time of 30 to 50 years, a building can contribute to huge economic and environmental losses if not designed carefully.

Green building concepts have caught on in the West, while in India, it is mostly a fad for the rich and famous. Though there have been many campaigns on green buildings, to most people, green architecture is a farfetched dream owing to the initial expenses involved.

One needs to understand not only the harmful effects of such thoughtless construction, but also understand the numerous benefits of ‘green architecture’. For any new venture, there is always an initial investment and a risk.

Yet, one invests this money based on calculations of future returns. A home is one’s dream. While creating a home, one creates an asset, so why not invest when pay back and benefits are guaranteed?

Green building practices strive to achieve healthy environments for quality of life now and for the future generations, and cut down the consumption of energy, materials and water thereby slashing your bills.

To begin with, remember that the adage ‘prevention is better than cure’ holds well even in the case of the building industry. It is always better to avoid things that cause wastage of resources, be it energy or money.

As such careful evaluation is needed before you begin any construction, first assess if a new structure is absolutely necessary. If the structure is sound, then a ‘green’ remodelling for your existing house could be the best piece of green architecture. It is important that people understand this fact especially in the present scenario of dwindling space and resources.

When a new construction becomes inevitable, build small and build less. One needs to consult an architect to come up with a piece of green architecture that not only sits lightly on the environment but also bestows benefits on its occupants.

The basic elements of green buildings are solar water heating systems, use of glass panels to allow natural light inside the building during daytime, rainwater harvesting, environmentally friendly building materials and specifications, waste minimisation ensuring healthy indoor environment, maximising energy use in buildings, water conservation and efficient measures, and energy-efficient equipment.

The result of all this is rewarding, with lower operational energy, lesser water requirement, lesser waste water generation resulting in a drop in water pollution, decline in material usage, longer building life and lower maintenance cost.

Maintenance cost & efficiency

While remodelling a house, list your requirements and weigh each element in terms of maintenance cost and efficiency. It is advisable to reuse furniture and materials as much as possible.

Also calculate the energy consumption, then prevent and cut wastages. Check and repair faulty electrical appliances or replace inefficient ones with energy star rated appliances.

Lighting fixtures such as CFL and LED are expensive but are more energy efficient and durable than cheap incandescent bulbs. In households, the use of automated energy control system can cut down wastage due to carelessness.

Repair leaks; as far as possible use low-flow showerheads and faucet aerators to save resources without sacrificing water pressure. Repaint walls with low VOC paints and use non-toxic natural cleaning agents.

Use of natural materials or recycled finishes is preferred for better indoor air quality. In consultation with an architect, figure outs means to bring in natural light and ventilation wherever possible. Rooms with AC should have no leaks and should preferably be small in size, have false ceilings, carpet floors, insulated walls and energy efficient windows to reduce the cooling load.


In our country, a lot of energy is spent on cooling a building. The primary concern, therefore, is to prevent heat gain. This can be done through a lot of simple effective methods like construction with hollow blocks, use of natural material, and careful orientation and planning to avoid harsh sunlight.

Also simple techniques like using light colours for exteriors, planting shade trees in the west and south, use of roof gardens to cut direct sun in case of flat roof or the use of terracotta tiles and false ceiling in case of sloping roofs can reduce heat gain.

Take load off cooling

In huge office buildings where natural ventilation and lighting cannot be provided, energy is primarily consumed for cooling and lighting. Cooling load can be reduced through the use of energy-efficient glazing and blinds.

The use of energy-efficient lighting system coupled with photo cell detectors that detect the amount of surrounding lighting in a space and are able to dim or light up accordingly ensures the best lighting levels without the wastage of energy.

Another important issue in green architecture is water management. Apart from rainwater harvesting which stores water for use later, recycling water is a key method of reducing portable water consumption.

Incorporation of grey water system in houses and treatment plants in apartments cut down on additional water bills and save valuable water reserve for use during dry spells.
Also installation of motion sensor enabled wash basins and water saving cisterns, especially in public buildings can drastically reduce wastage.

Integration of systems that produce renewable or clean sources of energy into the built form is a key attribute of green architecture.

This means one can generate power from the sun, wind and even organic waste with just an initial investment.

The most commonly used systems are solar power panels and bio-gas plants while the use of wind turbines in high rise structures is gaining popularity.

With the government and NGO offering special rebates and help for the use of such clean sources of energy these technologies are here to stay.
(The writer is an architect.)