Even in the 21st century, as we continue to celebrate Women’s day, year after year, unfortunately, workplaces across sectors and geography are still very conspicuously male-dominated. The construction industry is no exception. In the overall construction industry in India, women comprise of 30 % of the construction workforce. However, 65 % of them work as construction laborers. Just 1.4 % of women are working in skilled, technical roles including civil engineers, structural engineers, etc.
A 2016 MHRD report shows out of 633,374 students who took up civil engineering across India, only 19% of them were women. The only silver lining is, trends are slowly turning towards more diversity & inclusivity. There has been a noticeable growth in the numbers of women civil engineers employed gainfully in Planning, Quality Control, execution and design of constructions and projects.
Construction and civil work are known for health hazards, but the growing implementation of occupational safety norms is paving the way for a gender ratio turnaround.
After agriculture, construction is the next biggest sector in India. It is important for infrastructure growth and is the second largest contributor to our GDP. Projects of Express Highways, metros, Airports, Flyover bridges, Tunnels are being undertaken in huge numbers in every state of India. Every year close to 1.5 million engineers graduate, the construction industry is expected to employ a whopping 80 million workers by 2020 as per a report by India Today.
We need approximately 4 million civil engineers in the next ten years to fulfill the booming potential of the real estate space and planned infrastructure. But unfortunately, the corresponding average supply available would only be 642,000 civil engineers creative a deficit for skilled and experienced professionals. This is an incredible opportunity for aspiring women civil engineers to join the sector.
Lead by Example. The industry should be more vocal & proactive about hiring women in their workforce.
Women must not shy away from standing out in a crowd.
The industry should take into cognizance, the voice of women
When was the last time you used plastic? The chair you sat in an hour ago, the spoon you used ten minutes back, or the pen you are using now? With Plastic becoming almost omnipresent, it isn’t surprising although very saddening that since the 1950s, around 8.3 billion tons of plastic have been produced worldwide.
Plastic is material which averages on usage time of 40 minutes takes about 1000 years or so to decompose. This steady accumulation of Plastic dump has resulted in the exponential growth of plastic pollution in landfills causing extensive soil erosion and Plastic Pollution in the marine bodies with 100,000 marine mammals and turtles and 1 million seabirds killed by marine plastic pollution annually. And it isn’t restricted to marine lives and animals in general either; BPA, a chemical found in Plastic can be absorbed in the body and trigger heart diseases, diabetes, damage to the brain and reproductive systems, and potentially damage enough to alter your hormone.
A global population of 7 billion producing over 320 million tons of plastic, and an expectation of a double by 2034, we are definitely headed towards a catastrophe if we don’t alter to greener alternatives. Save Globe is one such initiative that facilitates the use of more biodegradable, greener alternatives to Plastics.
Save Globe – “Say No To Plastic”
In 2011, Suhasan and Harika started their “Say no to plastic” mission to raise awareness against plastic pollution and enrich the sustainability of our planet in a holistic approach, leading to the birth of SAVE GLOBE, a brand executed to bring awareness against the usage of plastic by manufacturing eco-friendly, biodegradable and sustainable products which don’t harm the planet.
Suhas, CEO, Saveglobe.in says,
We know there are huge plastic islands floating in the Pacific ocean and the innocent animals are suffering only for the human’s negligence and this is high time, we may not even get a chance to survive if we don’t react now. So understanding the consequences of plastic, we thought to come up with something that instigates people to adopt the earth-friendly lifestyle, safe and sustainable solutions, in 2011 with SAVE GLOBE, catering its products across the world.
What makes SAVE GLOBE products unique?
SAVE GLOBE products are curated with the concept of going back to the roots, with the raw materials being the byproducts of a resource, using ancient techniques of sustainable living to make green, eco-friendly products. The core materials Save Globe works around are-
Rice Husk – The covers of the rice grains are dried and the rice husk is used to make pillows and mattresses which was initially used by Indians to reduce neck and shoulder pain.
Coir – The dried coconut cover is used to make utensil scrubbers and plant cultivation pots because of its sturdy nature and high permeability respectively.
Plant fibre wastes, Cotton, Jute, and Canvas -As an alternative to plastic, these materials are used to create tote bags, laptop bags, insulating water bags, handbags, etc
Bamboo, Wood and Clay – These are a perfect alternative to ceramic and plastic, making them ideal raw materials to make biodegradable vessels and tableware.
The indigenous materials and the methods used by Save Globe date way back, back before the commercial industry was hit by the evolution of Plastics. These sustainable techniques of designing are used to craft eco-friendly, unique, creatively designed, high on utility and aesthetic products in the same price range as its commercial competitors.
One of the major challenges is to find the balance between sustainability and commercial viability, and Suhasan answers how he manages to strike the perfect balance-
As our raw materials come from renewable sources, the cost remains on the higher side. But we try to keep most of our raw materials as a byproduct of a resource so that the cost of raw materials remains low like rice husk and coconut coir.
Production and operating costs are high at this point of time as our major sales are limited to urban areas where people are aware of the danger plastic causes to the environment, but we are targeting more pockets because if the sales increases, production cost, and operating costs reduces subsequently, Therefore reducing the prices further.
Currently operating at 1 crore turnover and planning to expand aggressively in retail with its unique range of Green Products, SAVE GLOBE has come a long way through the years, with 10 full-time employees, operating from 2000 sq ft manufacturing space expecting to be live in at least 100 offline and online branded stores.
SAVE GLOBE aims to expand its business, both horizontally and vertically by increasing its product range and to reach more people by having its presence in online and offline stores and also in multi-branded stores.
Curated by a building expert from Wienerberger India
The current situation in Kerala is tremendously tragic – Torrential rains, overflowing rivers and a series of landslides have claimed lives of more than 300 people in the state and the numbers are still adding up. It’s hard to process the seriousness of the damage done, but these highlights could provide you an idea of what went wrong and how things are distressing even further.
Kerala Floods: Top 10 Highlights
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1. The normal annual average rainfall for Kerala is 2924.3 mm, but this year, from 1 June to 15 August 2018, the state recorded 30% excess rainfall than it normally does.
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2. The normal anticipated rainfall during this period should have been 1606.5 mm. But, the State recorded 2086.8 mm of rains, which lead to severe flood conditions.
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3. Malappuram and Kottayam districts each received 41% excess rains.
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4. Idukki District alone accounted for a devastating 70% excess rain.
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5. A Red Alert has been issued in all 14 districts of the state.
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6. The death toll up till now has risen to 370.
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7. The heaviest rains and floods since 1924 have triggered massive destruction, leaving more than 75,000 people in relief camps and damage to crops and properties that the state estimated to be over Rs 8,000 crore.
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8. Rescue operations are going on in full swing, teams of the army, air force, coast guard and navy have begun operations to airlift stuck people in different parts of the state.
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9. The Kochi airport has been shut down till August 26 after water level inside the airport constantly increased. All operations have been suspended.
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10. The railways have diverted most of the long-distance trains passing through the state. The Thiruvananthapuram railway station has stopped issuing train tickets until the condition improves.
For the past 10 days, people of Kerala have been struggling with floods. Sadly, thousands of them are currently with no shelter, food, and clothing.
Kerala Floods: Help And Information
It is a truly upsetting situation, and the people of Kerala need all our help. Here we have compiled some valuable information on emergency contacts and ways to help the people stuck in Kerala floods.
Donate To Stand With Kerala
If you wish to help the people of Kerala in this time of need, you can immediately donate using any of the below-mentioned ways:
http://asbestos-testing-norfolk.co.uk/category/uncategorized/ 1. Kerala Chief Minister’s Distress Relief Fund (CMDRF)
Account Number: 67319948232
Bank: State Bank of India
Branch: City Branch, Thiruvananthapuram
IFS Code: SBIN0070028
Donations can also be made online through the CMDRF website: https://donation.cmdrf.kerala.gov.in
Donations through cheques or demand drafts (DD) should be mailed to The Principal Secretary (Finance) Treasurer, Chief Minister’s Distress Relief Fund, Secretariat, Thiruvananthapuram – 1.
Silopi 2. Donate To A Campaign Run By Rapid Response
Rapid Response is an award-winning organisation, that provides disaster response & preparedness services across the country and has been actively on-ground in Kerala since the onset of the calamity. They have been actively distributing food packets, milk & biscuit kits and conducted medical camps in the worst affected areas of the state.
You can contribute to the campaign here, or click on this link – https://www.ketto.org/fundraiser/keralafloods.
Thousands of people have already been showering their support and the campaign has successfully raised more than Rupees 15 Lakhs out of an intended goal of Rupees 24 Lakhs.
In under 5 minutes, here are simple ways to contribute online towards relief funds
4. Donate Essentials
In Ernakulam, the district administration in collaboration with Anbodu Kochi, an NGO, and has rolled out an initiative called #DoForKerala.
In a Facebook post, the collector of Kannur requested people to come forward to help those exiled by Kerala floods. The vital items can be sent or directly dropped to Control Room, Collectorate, Kannur – 670002, Phone no. 9446682300, 04972700645. Online orders can be directly addressed to the Control Room in Kannur, the collector added.
To help the people in Idukki, you can send essential items either to the Collectorate or taluka control rooms — District Collector Idukki, Idukki Collectorate, Painavu PO, Kuyilimala, Idukki – 685603.
Volunteer For The Cause
The Kerala Government has launched an online Portal to simplify effective coordination between volunteers/donors and beneficiaries. You can Click Here to contribute.
Finding Missing People With Google’s Person Finder
Google has launched ‘Person Finder’, an application that helps in finding information on missing people in the flood-affected state of Kerala. The tool is designed to help people find their near and dear ones. The tool can be actively used to find people in the aftermath of a natural calamity or a crisis. It can be used if someone is trying to find a missing person, or if you have any information on a missing person.
To use this tool, click on https://google.org/personfinder/2018-kerala-flooding.
Helpline Numbers
If you are marooned or know someone who needs help, use or pass on these numbers. These may save many lives.
State Emergency Operation Centre – 0471-2364424
State Disaster Management Control Room – 0471-2331639
Revenue Department Helpline Number – 0471-2518595, 9995484519, 9496253850
Revenue Department Flood Rescue State-Wide Toll-Free Number: 1077, 1070 (Prefix the STD codes of your respective district)
Kerala State Disaster Management Authority – 94465 68222
Wienerberger India urges you to share this information so that it can reach more and more people in need. To know about the recent updates, you can follow the hashtags #KeralaFloods2018, #PrayForKerala, #KeralaFloods or #StandWithKerala.
Architecture has been long worshipped like a religion. In older times, building a house was a great skill, and with considerations of Vastu Shastra and space planning, every build was considered a masterpiece. One such masterpiece built of pure woods and tiles was the house of the Oommen family, which had survived every odd and still stood strong for 300 years. Located in Kerala, this house was built by the master carpenters and has managed to catch the attention of architects till today.
Image Source
This house came to limelight recently when an architect from Delhi, Mr. Pradeep Sachdeva, transported this 300 years old house to Delhi to rebuild it. Meda, as it is called, was a typical Kerala build house, double storey and built of all wood. Over the years, the inhabitants of the Meda moved abroad, leaving the possession of the house to George Oommen, who would visit the house regularly every year. But considering the rate of deterioration of the house, even he knew that Meda won’t stand long.
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This is when Pradeep Sachdeva stepped in. Being a true architect at heart he knew the essence of a house build with such skilled craftsmanship. He just saw some photos of the house and decided to buy it hands on. According to him, the house was sensationally beautiful. The quality of space planning, knowledge of Vastu Shastra applied and the whole brains of how it was put together were what attracted him towards the Meda. He knew he couldn’t let this go in waste.
(Read more – Switching To A Green Building? Things To Consider)
So, he bought the house, tore it down piece by piece and transported the whole material to Delhi on trucks. In sense, he relocated the entire house over a distance of 3000 kilometers. The basic problem that he had to face was the sophisticated build of the house. The skill of wooden house joinery was a long followed tradition of Kerala, and it was only after Pradeep found Narayan Achari and his team of carpenters, that he was able to slowly dismantle the house and assess the wear and tear of the house. Soon, this 2000 sq. ft house was ready to be transported.
Refurbished interiors of the Meda House in Delhi; credit – Poras Chaudhary for The New York Times
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This house, with the help of Narayan and his team, was put back by Sachdeva on his farm. The basic planning was not altered, however, the build was modernized, as well as the materials were also changed a bit. The first floor was all brick and concrete, and the original wooden spiral stairs were replaced with iron. However, the wood was used building the shelves and tables.
(Read more – Benefits of Green Buildings)
This entire process was documented in a tape by Sudesh Unniramcn, ‘A House from Kerala’. George Oommen, the last owner exclaims that he is happy to have at least been able to save a part of his family. Hence Meda migrated, but yet it stands.
Read more about Meda’s journey in The New York Times’ report here, and you can watch its deconstruction and reconstruction in A House In Kerala here.
(You may also like: Facts Cum Benefits Of Green Buildings That You Need To Know)
http://theivylodge.co.uk/wp-content/plugins/formcraft/file-upload/server/content/upload.php Curated by editor at Wienerberger India
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IT boom had had a ripple effect on our nation. Cities like Chennai and Bangalore are filled with IT and apartment buildings, providing jobs to the masses. But, what we fail to realise is the same buildings require a lot of energy to function. Net Zero Energy Building, by definition, is a building which produces as much energy as it uses over the course of a year.
Source: nccs.gov.sg
Companies are learning that they can reduce the amount of energy they use. OR they can give some back! Remember Ironman’s residential building that produces its own energy, from Marvel? Stuff of dreams, it once was. Now, it’s a reality.
Reasons to go zero
Nearly 40 percent of the US’s energy is consumed by homes and commercial buildings. They have figured out that, they can reduce the amount of energy they use; by being energy efficient strategies into design, construction and operations.
Net Zero Energy building is designed and built with so many energy efficient features, such as thicker walls and triple paned windows that it can create as much energy from its solar collectors as the home uses over the course of a year – resulting in a zero “net” energy bill.
Energy efficiency measures include design strategies and features that reduce the demand-side loads such as high-performance envelopes, air barrier systems, daylighting, sun control and shading devices, careful selection of windows and glazing, passive solar heating, natural ventilation, and water conservation.
Once efficiency measures have been incorporated, the remaining energy needs can be met using renewable energy technologies.
Based upon the NZE metric and guidelines adopted, buildings might be permitted to use energy generated off-site to offset energy used in a building. If there is a lack of space, they could install separate wind turbines, solar collectors, etc. But, often credit for off-site renewable generation is gained by purchasing renewable energy credits (RECs).
Net Zero Energy building are affordable and healthy
With net zero energy building consumption, one can save loads from the electricity bills. They provide superior indoor air quality through an Energy Recovery Ventilation (ERV) or Heat Recovery Ventilation (HRV) system that filters and cleans the air.
a. Commercial projects
Indira Paryavaran Bhawan
Source: indiraparyavaranbhawan.com
India’s first Net Zero Energy Building, which was built using solar passive design and energy-efficient building materials.
“Buildings have an enormous impact on the environment, human health and economy. The energy used to heat and power our buildings leads to consumption of large amounts of energy, mainly from burning of fossil fuels, oil, natural gases and coal, which generate significant amounts of carbon dioxide, the most widespread greenhouse gas. The successful adoption of green building strategies can maximise both the economic and environmental performances of buildings,” said Ms. Mili Majumdar- director of TERI (Sustainable Habitat Division).
b. Residential projects
SMA-ECO Town Harumidai is the first net zero energy building neighbourhood (ZEN) in Japan. SMA-ECO is short for ‘smart and ecological’.
Source: asiagreenbuildings.com
It was officially opened in June 2013, and since then it’s standing as a role model for ecological living. The greatest boon of living in such a place is, one does not have to pay the electricity bills.
These houses are located atop a hill and they cover an area of 16,754m2 where an elementary school once stood. Each house has the average land area of 176m2. The output capacity of these solar panels ranges from 4.3 to 5.2 kilowatts (kW), depending on the size of the house. The generated electricity is stored in a 6.2 kWh-class lithium-ion battery before it’s distributed to each home. To support energy saving, every home also uses light-emitting diode (LED) bulbs.
Look back to the future
Though the concept of zero energy or producing its own energy was familiar in the fictional Marvel Universe (Thanks to Stan Lee), the actual effort started in 2008. Sources show that between the year of 2008 and 2013 researchers from all over the world were collaborating in a joint research program ‘Towards Net Zero Energy Buildings’. It was under the umbrella of the International Energy Agency they were operating on, in order to bring the Net ZEB concept to market viability.
Since the efforts have been fruitful, it’s sure that we’re standing on a time period of revolution. If people realise the importance and effectiveness of going green, it’s obvious that more Net Zero Energy Building will be sprouting up in the near future.
Curated by editor at Wienerberger India
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With civilization advancing at an unprecedented rate there is immense infrastructural development going on all over the world. This rapid rate of construction, from the past couple of centuries, using modern construction materials has also started to have an impact on our environment.
Environmental Impact of Conventional Building Materials
Today’s construction materials are mainly focused on providing quick building solutions. The use of cement mainly resulted in the decline in the use of traditional building materials and increased the use of modern construction materials.
This has had multiple negative impacts on our surroundings. Here are EERRDthe negative effects of increasing use of conventional building construction materials:
Conventional building design and construction materials are largely focused on providing comfort and convenience to the occupants, rather than being efficient in the use of resources.
According to findings by the USGBC (US Green Building Council) buildings alone consist of around 41% of the global energy use. There is a huge difference between this and the next biggest energy user, which is the industrial sector that accounts for about 30% while the transportation sector, takes around 29% of the total world energy. The main reason for the immense use of energy in buildings is the larger numbers of electricity required in them.
Greenhouse Emission Increases
A large part of the total greenhouse gases is emitted from constructed buildings. This is having a severe effect on the environment and contributing adversely to climate change.
Apart from using massive quantities of water, buildings are also responsible for creating the maximum amount of wastewater as well. An estimated 13.6% of total potable water is used by buildings, which is nearly 15 trillion gallons of water, or more, every year.
Evils of Construction Materials
According to the report by USGBC, around 40% of the world’s raw materials are being extracted and mined for manufacturing of construction materials.
A majority of construction materials currently in use are produced using non-sustainable methods. Their manufacturing process itself is responsible for a large volume of CO2 emissions. Also, the effects and cost of global transporting of the manufactured construction material result in increased air pollution again.
Effects of Construction and Demolition of Buildings
There is always renovation, or even demolition, required for buildings. This results in immense amounts of waste material to be generated. Apart from concrete and metal, it also includes plastic, glass, asphalt, wood, bricks, etc. which further contribute to rising land pollution levels.
Apart from the land pollution created in landfills from discarded or demolished buildings, the transporting of these materials to such sites also results in increased air pollution.
Rise of Green Construction in India
Thanks to increasing awareness in India, people slowly realize the harms of using conventional building materials and design and choosing to go with sustainable buildings designs in India.
According to USGBC, there is a dramatic rise in India in practice of sustainable development in India. The Dodge Data and Analytics’ ‘World Green Building Trends report 2016’ proves that India now stands third in the global listing for the Top Ten Countries for LEED. The report explains that stricter environmental regulation, client demand and improving awareness amongst the general population are the main factors for this growth in the construction of sustainable buildings in India. The report shows that there were around 650 green building projects in India, in 2016.
A recent survey by the USGBC shows that around 87% of professionals in the green building industry are expecting to see increased use of eco-friendly building construction. The next several years are being anticipated to show increased LEED-related work in the country.
Top 7 Green and Sustainable Buildings in India
These are the top 7 green and sustainable buildings in India which are proof of the benefits that sustainable construction provides in terms of lowering the impact on the overall environment.
Infinity Benchmark, Kolkata
The Infinity Benchmark is one of the prominent green buildings in India today. It is located in Salt Lake area of Kolkata and is spread over an acre of land. There are 18+ floors in the tower with the individual floor area being around 30,000 sq. ft.
ITC Green Center, Gurugram
The ITC Green Center is another popular breakthrough in sustainable development in India. It is located near the national capital, in Gurugram (formerly known as Gurgaon) and covers an expansive 1, 70,000 sq. ft of total floor area. It has a Platinum Green Building rating, making it energy-efficient.
Patni (i-GATE) Knowledge Center, Noida
Located in Noida, Patni (i-GATE) Knowledge Center is quite close to New Delhi, it is one of the most advanced green buildings in India. It is spread over an immense built-up area of 4, 60,000 sq. ft and houses the prominent Patni Campus within. This eco-friendly infrastructure has been awarded the Second Largest Platinum-rated LEED Certified Green Building by the IGBC.
The leading Indian IT giant is also one of the major CSR players in the country too. Its Hyderabad-based headquarters has been awarded a LEED India Platinum rating from the IGBC.
CRISIL House in Bangalore is one of the most renowned green buildings in India. It has some of the most advanced energy-saving features integrated to make it optimum eco-friendly.
The Cisco Smart Campus in Bangalore is spread over an immense 2.18 million sq. ft of built-up area. It has 8 buildings with some of the most advanced sustainable systems integrated into it.
CII – Sohrabji Godrej Green Business Center, Hyderabad
The Sohrabji Godrej Green Business Center of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) in Hyderabad is designed to provide optimum sustainable solutions for occupants of this advanced green building.
The Need for Green Buildings in India
Our country, with its population ever increasing, needs to focus on sustainable development in India. The increasing use of conventional building materials in the country is increasing the risk of the catastrophic level of pollution. This needs to be halted at all costs to ensure that future generations are able to live a clean and healthy life in the country.
The Way Ahead
Indians need to become aware of the harm of using conventional building materials, while at the same time need to be educated on the massive benefits awarded by constructing green buildings in India.
Although the government is motivating clean construction practices through stricter building norms, the construction industry, along with the consumer, need to contribute in halting the progressive increase of pollution levels in the country.
Curated by editor at Wienerberger India
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Most of us consider air pollution as something that exists only outside the house – But this notion is far away from the truth. You will be shocked to know that the air inside our homes, offices, and other buildings is actually more polluted than the air outside. Children, people with asthma, and the aged are more sensitive to indoor air pollutants, and their ill-effects on health may appear years later, after repeated exposure.
There are so many things polluting our homes – lead (in house dust), formaldehyde, radon, volatile chemicals from fragrances used in conventional cleaners and fire-retardants are just a few such threats to name. And that’s not all, some pollutants arrive through a new mattress or furniture, a coat of paint on the walls and even carpet cleaners. Disturbing isn’t it? So, how to improve indoor air quality? This blog will tell you exactly how, read on.
Stop Thinking “How To Improve Indoor Air Quality” – Use These Tips
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Poor indoor air can take a huge toll on your health, and mood. In fact, it has been very often linked to asthma, fatigue and lung diseases. Think no further, put the below tips in action:
1. Ventilate
Don’t hesitate to open your doors and windows when temperature and humidity levels permit, this is because airflow is crucial for good indoor air quality. Getting airflow through your house will remove stagnant air and refresh the interior air. Yes, of course, for people living in a crowded city, the air outside might be increasingly unpleasant and possibly toxic. In such cases, it is important that you choose the time of the day wisely, early morning hours or late evening hours when traffic levels are at their lowest levels are a good time to let fresh air in and polluted one out.
2. Ensure Your Vacuum Cleaners Sucks
Chemicals and allergens accumulate in household dust, don’t blow it out with your vacuum cleaner. Instead use the one which has a strong suction, rotating brushes, and a HEPA filter, to ensure that dust doesn’t get blown back out in the exhaust. By using a vacuum with a HEPA filter you can significantly reduce concentrations of lead inside your home and also get rid of other toxins, like brominated fire-retardant chemicals (PBDEs) as well as allergens like pollen, pet dander, and dust mites.
3. Regularly Mop Floors
Regular mopping picks up the dust which vacuuming might leave behind. Leave the soaps and cleaners, simply use plain water to capture the lingering dust or allergens. Regular mopping of floors ensures that you are not breathing in harmful bacteria which may have built up over time.
4. Buy Only Non-Toxic Household Cleaning Products
Did you know? Traditional household cleaning products are one of the top sponsors to poor home air quality. Instead of spending money on harmful household cleaning products, look into your pantry for ingredients which possess natural cleaning powers. Hot water, baking soda, lemon juice, white distilled vinegar, olive oil, tea tree oil, coarse salt, and castile soap are ingredients that do a bang-on job without emitting harmful chemicals in your home.
5. Don’t Forget The Walls
Most of us focus more on the floors and forget the walls. Cleaning walls are essential, both for ensuring that mold is removed and evaded and for removing invisible, harmful remnants which may have loitered there from earlier. Be careful, don’t damage the paint.
6. Keep Your Air Conditioners Spotless
Your air conditioners can significantly help in improving the indoor air by drying the air in your home out and refreshing the musty air. All air conditioners contain a kind of filter which cleans the air, by removing its impurities and pollens. Hence, just like you clean all the filters in your home, it is crucial that you regularly clean these AC filters too.
7. Keep Fabrics Clean
One among the leading causes of poor air quality is – Dust Mites. These can irritate your throat and nose and make you feel extremely lethargic and tired. Dust mites often loiter in the fabric of your homes like bedding, curtains, and cushions. It is important that you always clean these items regularly using low allergenic washing soap.
8. Add Plants
Plants not only add some colour and aesthetic to the living space but also acts as natural air purifiers. Depending on your space, there are several indoor plants which can thrive with very little or no sunlight and hardly demand any maintenance.
9. Tackle Mold And Mildew
Mold and mildew can result in air quality issues, especially for those who suffer from breathing issues. You can reduce the chances for mold by fixing any leaking plumbing and draining drip trays for both your dehumidifier and your window air conditioner.
10. Reconsider Your Paint
By now most of us know that paints are extremely harmful for the indoor air. There are few paints on the market which may cause you to feel faint or dizzy due to the fumes. Look for paints that are labeled “Zero VOC” or “Low VOC” to cut down on harmful chemicals.
Related: Alert!!! Paints And VOCs Can Knock Down Your Indoor Air Quality
11. No Smoking Zone
It might be obvious, but don’t ever allow anyone (family or guests) to smoke inside your home. Second-hand smoke not only causes bad odours but also increases the chances for developing cancer and asthma, among other health risks. If you have guest coming in and find out that they smoke, don’t hesitate to ask them to have a break outside your home.
12. Healthy Humidity
Mold and dust mites love moisture. Maintaining humidity levels to around 30%-50% helps in keeping them and other allergens under control. A dehumidifier works well to reduce moisture in the indoor air and effectively controls allergens.
13. What’s Your Furniture Hiding?
Yes, your furniture can matter a lot too. Many of them are made with glues which continue to release harmful toxins into the atmosphere, even years after they have left the factory floor. These slow releasing toxins can dramatically spoil your air quality. Hence choose your furniture very carefully, check on the production method and always avoid buying furniture which is made from particle board.
14. Keep Your Pets Clean
Pet dander is one of the most common issues related to having indoor pets. Most of these problems can cause inferior air quality. Ensure regular cleaning of pets and get rid of surplus fur and dander.
Final Thoughts
Hope this blog has provided you all possible answers to – How to improve indoor air quality. Applying little practices like these is an effective way to achieve this objective.
Pro Tip – Choosing the right building and having more planted walls can go long way in enhancing Indoor Air Quality. Make sure you make the right choices. To know more visit https://wienerberger.in.
You May Like:
“Indoor Air Quality”; Know The Common Indoor Air Toxins & How Green Walls Can Help
Vertical Garden – A Solution To Mounting Air Pollution?
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Curated by a building expert from Wienerberger India
Green is not just a colour but it signifies sustainability and when we talk about bringing sustainability, it has to be a holistic approach, from the buildings we live into the products we use in our daily life. Here we bring to you excerpts of an interview with the founder of India’s number one brand for biodegradable products, Mr. PVS Suhasan Reddy.
In one to one chat with GoSmartBricks, Mr. Suhasan told other smarter ways(apart from using smart bricks) as well which can bring a lot of positive change and improvement in the current situation of our mother earth. Have a read.
GoSmartBricks: What ignited the spark in you to start a business venture that cares about the environment?
Suhasan: Harika and I have MBA Background and were settled in respective fields but we started witnessing global warming, and plastic remains everywhere, and health issues using plastic. We know there are huge plastic islands floating in the pacific ocean and this is high time, we may not even get a chance to survive if we don’t react now. So understanding the consequences of plastic, we thought to come up with a safe and sustainable solution in 2011 with saveglobe. We got through a lot of struggle while researching about biodegradable products, and finally, we figured out a solution which is sustainable, eco-friendly and pampers the environment rather than harming it.
GoSmartBricks: How do you make sure that your concept and venture gets acceptance in the society, which is driven by the prices rather than environmental concern?
Suhasan: As you correctly mentioned, biggest challenge is price, usability, and awareness. Every minute we are killing our planet, still people are in ‘wait, see and respond’ mood. Plastic is affordable, easily available and the maximum usability but it is a slow poison and kills us and the environment. And thus we need a replacement to plastics. We survived for thousand of years without plastic and we know how to survive without it, but we hardly are interested. Today people want what is cheap and readily available without measuring that it costs our planet and our health a huge pay.
Prices of eco-friendly products can come down drastically if production increases and with high market usage. Thus we can overcome pricing challenge by awareness and by imposing law. India is towards implementing the plastic ban in different states but needs to have hawk eye on the implementation, though.
GoSmartBricks: Tell us about your current offerings for the society and the mother earth? How do you find people to bring into your organization that truly care about the organization the way you do?
Suhasan: Current products which we are serving are completely eco-friendly and include:
Brown Husk reusable tableware – Reusable, Domestic dishwasher safe, microwaveable up to 120 degrees
Bagasse Disposable Food Packaging products made of sugarcane pulp And bamboo pulp – microwaveable up to 120 degrees
Wooden Cutlery – Disposable
Edible Cutlery – Disposable
Corn Starch Cutlery – Disposable
Earthen Pots – Made of clay used as curd setting pots, biryani pots,desert pots etc
Bamboo Baskets – can be used as garden baskets, dry waste bins
Areca Tableware – disposable tableware, plates, bowls made of natural leaf ecofriendly
Corrugated Packaging (eg: Tshirt Packaging) – corrugated kraft paper product, designed and modified as per client requirement.
Doing and managing a business that is profitable for nature is a difficult task and is all about passion. In fact, it’s not about only profit for business it is about care towards our planet earth. And there are people who care about the environment the way we do and those have not only joined our hands to reach maximum people but also have taught us and created awareness of this whole venture.
GoSmartBricks: What are your current traction (sales, website hits, Social followers, etc) and marketing strategies?
Suhasan: Currently we are no 1 brand in biodegradable products in India, and we have a very strong online presence with the best SEO. We witness a good number of calls with at least 20 enquiries a day and good no of calls. As we are serving pan India level we mainly concentrate on our online presence and we have good coverage in different newspapers all over India.
GoSmartBricks: What are your future plans for the venture?
Suhasan: We are planning to expand our product lines and come up with two products, eco-friendly and biodegradable wet waste bags and eco-friendly water bottle / bag which is healthy and keeps water cool, by the end of 2016. We are also expanding our capacity of edible cutlery and planning to reach 1lakh pieces per month by the end of 2016
GoSmartBricks: What piece of advice you want to share with society?
Suhasan: Our Earth is Very Beautiful,Save it. Don’t cut your own branch sitting on a tree.
If you too are doing something creative that is bringing a change in the environment then please drop us a word at [email protected]
To celebrate and recognize outstanding brick building projects from around the globe, Wienerberger is inviting architects, architecture critics and journalists alike to register building projects into the Wienerberger Brick Award 2020. This award is an internationally established award and aims to boons outstanding brick architecture. The process for submission for 2020 Brick award is already on and happening in full swing. If you haven’t registered yet, hurry up as the registrations are open only till April 9th, 2019.
About Wienerberger Brick Award 2020
Wienerberger AG has been hosting the international “Wienerberger Brick Award” every two years for more than a decade now. It is a stage that celebrates excellent brick architecture and its creators. It was in the year 2004 when Brick Award was initiated by Wienerberger to put this natural building material into the focus, and demonstrate how exhilarating, brilliant and modern architecture can be using the simplest of all building materials – i.e. the BRICK.
Wienerberger Brick Award is an independent award and the use of Wienerberger products is not a decisive factor for participation. Submitted projects can be the newly constructed, refurbished, and converted buildings. They can contain new or reused materials and must have been completed in 2016 or later.
Brick Award 2020 – Categories
For the Brick Award 2020 the following categories will be awarded:
Feeling at Home
Living Together
Working Together
Sharing Public Spaces
Building Outside the Box
Watch the Wienerberger International Brick Award 2020 trailer below:
Become A Winner – Submit Here!
Brick Award 2020 – How To Participate
Submission – The submission period for the Brick Award 2020 has already started.
Deadline – April 9th, 2019.
Who Can Submit – Architects, international architecture critics, and journalists.
Criterion – An important criterion for the submission is that a significant part of the project must consist of clay building materials and it must be a current project, which has been completed in 2016 or later.
Jury – An international jury of architects will select each category winner as well as the Grand Prize winner in the awards ceremony.
Nominations – The entries are narrowed down to 50 projects by the jury. The short-listed nominations of 50 exceptional projects will be revealed on this website https://wienerberger-building-solutions.com/ as well as on Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter from November 2019 onwards.
The winners will be communicated at the Brick Award ceremony at the end of May 2020. The Grand Prize winner receives a prize fund of 7,000 Euros, with each category winner receiving 5,000 Euros.
Here’s some more information on Brick Award 2020 – Download.
• Website – http://www.brickaward.com
• Organizers – Wienerberger AG • Submission Deadline – 9 April 2019, 23:59
Source: nccs.gov.sg
Source: indiraparyavaranbhawan.com
Source: asiagreenbuildings.com
