Architectural Design
Architecture gives me the best opportunity to practice my ecological design principles. The aim is to show that construction can be economical and nature-friendly at the same time. Continue reading
Tag Archives: design
Trees, Landscaping and Microclimate
A bunch of new pages have been added to the sustainability section of this site and deal mainly with landscaping, appropriate plantation and how to create a garden to attract birds and butterflies.
Many people seem to want to disconnect their property from the surroundings but it should be the job of the architect and the landscape designer (if there is one) to ensure that a project is a part of the environment in which it resides because a building’s footprint extends beyond the area that it covers – it includes the impact on the surrounding land and on the earth’s resources as a whole.
Kaya Kalp Project – Early Example of Green Design
Satellite picture of Kaya Kalp
This project, completed in the mid 1990s, is an early example of green design in India – long before the term became popular with most Indians. It was built using mostly local materials and at extremely low cost but there was no compromise on quality, comfort or aesthetics.
While it was designed as a training centre for handloom weavers, the flexible design allowed it to be used temporarily as a school as well as a community centre.
I have not been to Maheshwar in years and have no recent photographs but I know that the trees have grown well because they are very clearly visible in satellite pictures.
Rating System for Water Efficient Fixtures in India
The Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) has prepared a background paper for the ministry of Urban Development on a rating system for water efficient fittings and fixtures in India. This is much-needed and will (like with the BEE ratings for energy efficiency) help architects who are interested in sustainable design in the choice of taps, showers and sanitary-ware.
The paper has some typos and errors but overall, the information is extremely useful -if a little technical. Free registration is required to download it from here.
If You Really Must Have a Glass Façade, Read This
I’ve been a strong critic of glass buildings in hot places like Mumbai or Delhi but recognise that it may be appropriate in more temperate climates. One thing that had escaped my attention, though, was the hazard that such buildings have become for birds. The thing is, birds don’t see glass façades the way we do – in fact, they hardly see them at all – which is why they are known to fly straight at a glass building and be killed or maimed by the impact.
It costs a lot more to make a bird-friendly glass façade but, at least, we now know that such an option exists.
via: N.Y. Times :: New Windowpanes Have a Built-In Warning to Birds
Energy Calculator for Air-Conditioners in India
More and more people are installing air-conditioners in their homes these days thanks in large part to the concrete hot-boxes being constructed in our cities and the heat-island effect. Added to that is the fact that many commercial buildings have senseless glass façades – which makes them even-hotter-boxes. Net result: the amount of energy being consumed in urban areas is rising at an alarming rate. The archaically-named Bureau of Energy Efficiency or BEE has been more proactive than many other government agencies in trying to make a change in this regard. They’ve created mandatory star ratings for refrigerators, fluorescent lamps and air-conditioners and voluntary ratings for other appliances like fans and geysers.
They’ve also created an associated site with a great energy calculator that you can use to check how much money you would save by using air-conditioners with higher star ratings. I’ve seen similar calculators on the net that cater to the USA or Europe but it’s great to have one that is valid for us in India. It basically tells you how many rupees you would save based on your usage and on city you live in. At this time, there are 17 major Indian cities in the list and, if you can’t find your own, look for one that has a similar climate and temperature range. You must remember that such calculators make lots of assumptions so while they should give you a fairly accurate idea, don’t expect that figures to be 100% accurate.
The site also has some basic tips on saving energy and I feel that BEE should make calculators for other appliances as well – especially light fittings and fans.
Now if only they’d remove that asinine piggy-bank mascot…
Is Rowan Atkinson’s House Really That Bad?
This subject has been blogged and tweeted all over the place but few seem to have seen any photographs of the proposed house or, if they have, they’re keeping it well under wraps. The architect’s website doesn’t seem to list it and I finally managed a glimpse of the proposed “futuristic petrol station” in an article by the Daily Mail. The house it intends to replace looks, to my mind, rather boring and and I see no reason for replicating something of such little architectural interest.
It’s hard to judge what the house will actually look like based on a single bird’s eye view, so I’ll reserve comment on that. I am more interested in knowing how much energy it will save – and how sustainable it will be – compared to the old style.
Oh, and for the record, Black Adder was fine but I really dislike that Mr. Bean chap.
LEED and Indoor Air Quality
This is an interesting and a whole new angle on the LEED debate. Essentially what is being said is that tightly sealing a building (to make the air-conditioning system more energy efficient) also locks in hazardous chemicals with complete disregard for indoor air quality.
Ideally, in our climate, we’d have less “sealed” buildings and more that could breathe. Of course, to do that, architects in India need to first stop designing climatically inappropriate glass façade buildings.
“Windancer” Windmills Have Some Great Features
With their windmills starting rotation in breeze as light as 1m/s, Wind Simplicity’s designs would be great for many parts of India that are not on the conventional wind-map. They are built to withstand snow and ice – not problems we face every day in our tropical climate! Now if only some Indian manufacturer would tie up with them to make these in India…
Edit: The website <http://www.windsimplicity.ca/> doesn’t seem to be working any longer but here is the archived page in case you’re still interested.
Web Conference on Sustainable Communities
Last evening at the American Library here, there was a web interaction between Peter J. Arsenault and Roshni Udyavar – head of the Environmental Architecture course at Rachana Sansad. I fully expected it to be all about LEED but was pleasantly surprised that there was only a passing mention to a system that I don’t think much of.
While the initial slideshow predictably made me want to yawn (powerpoint should be banned once and for all!) the discussion that followed was interesting enough. For one thing there was agreement that while a building may be tagged “green” in isolation, it may be totally unsustainable in the context of its surroundings (Mukesh Ambani’s Antilla is a prime example).
Peter talked about the ICLEI Star Index and a yet-to-be-released system called GreeningUSA which is in the public comment period till the end of September 2010.
The discussion was interrupted by a, well, person, who ranted on about how India could teach the world how to build sustainably. Maybe so but all the materials this chap espoused seemed to be of the edible variety and I’m sure I caught the word “nuts” in there somewhere…or was that my imagination? Made everybody cringe, that’s for sure.
Anyway the discussion came to an abrupt halt when the web-link between upstate New York and the American Library got messed up. Could hear Peter telling someone in the background that he couldn’t see or hear us any more.
Note to self: If you’re ever in such a situation, assume the opposite side can still see and hear you. Do not do or say anything inappropriate!