How green is your home?

The climate crisis has forced many industries to introspect on their consumption and contamination of the planet's resources. The building and construction sector alone contributes a third of global CO2 emissions, according to the United Nations Environment Programme. The need for sustainable, green homes is paramount, not just for the sake of the environment, but also because of the radical opportunities they can offer to occupants - from lower bills, to an improved standard of living.
The Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) estimates that India has over 8 billion sqft of green housing, a figure they hope to increase to 10 billion by the end of this year. The IGBC defines a green building as one that "uses less water, optimises energy efficiency, conserves natural resources, generates less waste and provides healthier spaces for occupants."

Samir D'Monte, Principal Architect at SDM Architects, agrees that while there has been growth in sustainable housing, things are still far from perfect. "In many cases, some building owners are more concerned with getting a certificate rather than actually being green," he says. "Broadly, you need to be aware of the properties of the materials you use, at every step of the way, and do research."

Abraham's design for a property in Goa incorporated the surrounding trees, instead of clearing them

D'Monte points out that using material such as Italian marble often leads to a higher carbon emission, as the marble is quarried in Italy and then shipped to India.
"Try and do simple things intelligently, and make the building work with the environment," is his mantra. This ethos can be seen in the firm's work at an automobile factory in Aurangabad. Rather than use air conditioning, they utilised evaporative cooling technology similar to desert coolers, with some fans being 10 feet in diameter. The result was a 10 degree difference in temperature, without an AC.

A large amount of buildings in cities are made of concrete and glass, neither of which is suitable to a hot climate. "Concrete has a high heat capacity, meaning it absorbs the heat from the outside, and glass, that is not properly shielded, also increases the building's heat," D'Monte says. "A good building makes occupants feel closer to nature. If you have concrete walls radiating heat and an AC blasting in your face, you will feel unwell. A well designed home should feel like a garden, not a refrigerator."

Nitin Mehra, Alan Abraham and Samir D'Monte

Manjiri Bishwadeep built her own house, modelled around sustainable practices, in 2016. Located on the outskirts of Pune, it took three years to complete. It features mud walls, wood ceilings and natural stone, and was made entirely from scratch. "I wanted it to be cross-ventilated," she says. "Now, even in the height of summer, we only need to use a cooler for, perhaps, one hour in the afternoon," she says. The house has solar panels and gardens that allow for vermicompost - all the waste from the kitchen is put back into the environment. Even the mud bricks were built from their land.

However, Bishwadeep warns that sustainable practices can cost significantly more than commercial options, and require a large amount of commitment and patience. "You have to do a lot of research," she advises. "Mud bricks might work really well in a dry climate like Rajasthan, but in Pune, you'd also have to take the rains into account." Bishwadeep points out that some technology, like the solar panels, lack advancement such as utilising solar energy during the monsoon or winter months, when the sun isn't as strong. Despite taking longer and costing more than expected, Bishwadeep says she is "absolutely glad we did it. It was worth everything".

The inherent nature of sustainable housing, however, with its emphasis on integrating into the environment, means it is difficult to provide blanket solutions or suggestions. Alan Abraham, of Abraham John Architects, emphasises the importance of contextualising: "Our architecture is subservient to nature. It's about how the building is positioned, how it affects the environment and nature around it. You can end up with a lower energy bill if the house doesn't affect its surroundings." Abraham points to a project in Goa, where the client wanted them to cut down the trees on the property. Instead, they built around the tree set. "We do not allow trees to be cut on our site; we build around them, despite it being more complicated."

To Abraham, the big design decisions matter the most: "The moment you build, you are not being eco-friendly. It's about how much you can limit that damage. The fewer things you have, the more sustainable you are. No matter how efficient, you are still wasting [resources]." Designs that are built to last, rather than chasing the latest trend, can inherently be more sustainable - "define your goals, curtail your wants."

For those unable to have a large degree of autonomy over their living spaces, small changes can also make a difference. Nitin Mehra, Executive Director of ALCOI, a fenestration solution company, emphasises the need for a balance between aesthetics, functionality, and sustainability. "Engineered products can enhance sustainability," he says, pointing to how double glass and recyclable aluminium can be used to prevent heat transfer, which, in turn, can result in an increase in use of air conditioning.

Like the others, Mehra also emphasises the need for research on the part of the consumer, when considering sustainable materials and practices. "Heat enters most from the west and south, so while it would be useful to have windows there in a cold environment, it may not be best for our conditions." Mehra also suggests placing plants and greenery at windows to cool down the air naturally.

Sustainable housing practices, at their core, require a degree of mindfulness and commitment. Whether it is in being more conscious of consumption, or the choice of materials used for renovation, or even the positioning of windows, there are changes we can make to our living spaces. And those can help our health, our wallet, and our planet.