Build green

India's future buildings will have to incorporate traditional architecture if the environment is to be saved

The superlative is overwhelming. India has the fastest growing green building industry in the world. And the pace of the growth is phenomenal: the area under certified green buildings has increased from just 1,858 square metres to 325 million sq m in 12 years. At a time when India is urbanising rapidly, going green in our construction is desirable. But uncomfortable questions are being raised over the green building concept. Are the certified green buildings really environment-friendly? Are they even energy-efficient, the single most important aspect of a green building?

Voluntary green building policies have so far failed to improve the performance of buildings. Often these policies provide technology-driven solutions. As a result, the so-called green buildings do not adhere to the minimum need of saving resources. India has a strong architectural tradition that has responded creatively to diverse climatic conditions. Can we resort to this to draft a modern script for green living?

Anumita Roychowdhury and Snigdha Das in this special coverage bring together a diverse group of experts who not only demystify the concept of green building but also explore our age-old building techniques that can be infused with new designs, materials and technologies to make modern buildings more comfortable and liveable.