Green Corner Archives – Go Smart Bricks

maximios October 8, 2020

With the ongoing pandemic and countrywide lockdown, the sanctity of our homes has become more important than ever. While “home” has always meant a place of comfort, today, the implications of it are even louder. RETV or Residential Envelope Transmittance Value is simply the way to calculate the amount of heat gained by a residential […]

Water scarcity issues are not new in India. Per capita water availability less than 1,700 cubic metre is considered water stressed and the present number in India is 1,545 cubic metre. Water resources ministry predicts water availability could plunge to 1,341 cubic metres in 2025 and as low as 1,140 by 2050. This scenario mirrors […]

Moving into a new house is one epic occasion, but again this can be overwhelming for several reasons. Knowing how to decorate a new home – and maybe on a budget – can be tough. Decorating your new home gives you a sense of elegance and relaxation every time you step in and spend your […]

With the aim of becoming the world capital of CO2 reduction by reducing its carbon emissions by 50%, Rotterdam has developed a set of self-sustainable floating Pavilion in Rijnhaven in 2013, with ambitious plans to adapt to sea level. This project is a catalyst for battling climate change, operating from three connected domes anchored within […]

Buildings are unswervingly identified as a weighty contributor to energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. In fact, buildings are responsible for nearly half (44.6%) of U.S. CO2 emissions – Additionally, their contributions to waste, pollution, and resource use cannot be ignored. To combat this, the concept of ‘green building’ emerged as a strong element. In […]

Demolition or deconstruction is one of the most dangerous areas of construction. According to a research study for the UK Health and Safety Executive (HSE), 40.6 percent of the overall construction fatalities occur on refurbishment sites. Whereby refurbishment comprises demolition, dismantling, renovation, and restoration works. Adding further to this figure, the German Federal Institute for […]

Why Do We Need To Adapt Sustainable Living And Self Sustainable Practices On Forest? United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) states that an estimated 18 million acres of forest are lost each year to deforestation, making it one of the biggest causes of concern responsible for the rapidly depleting natural resources. In other words, […]

Let’s begin with, The Edge, a 40,000m² office building located in the Zuidas business district in Amsterdam. What makes the Edge exception? it’s the fact that it bagged 98 out of 100 points from BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Methodology). Yes, The Edge worlds greenest office building and has been inspiring the world since […]

What is a green building? To explain in the simplest terms, Green building is environmentally-conscious construction and operation of a building structure. And for many good reasons, green building is becoming increasingly common. With the shift in mind-sets today the idea of promoting sustainability and green building concepts have taken a front foot in the […]

Vertical Garden as many calls it is something that has scarcely hit the industry with a bang, but the good news is – it’s slowly getting there. Across the globe, companies are tapping into this technology to turn the dense urban cities with adequate plant growth to curb air pollution and make the city beautiful. […]

Sustainability has been a hot topic for several decades now, and the importance of being environmentally responsible is broadening every single minute. One major cause for concern is Global Climate Change. Well, “The effects of climate change are already stirring on all continents and across the oceans” says the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change […]

Brick is one of the best choices if you want to stay “GREEN” and make eco-friendly choices. Well, using red mud bricks has been a never-ending practice in Indian construction, but this exquisitely prevalent building material is not considered environment-friendly as the precious topsoil is used in their production. But change is imminent, today environmental […]

Have you ever paid attention to “Air Quality”? Well, when it comes to air quality, most of us think of air pollution, car emissions, and smog. But, that isn’t all, it’s just a part of it, air quality can be broadly classified into indoor and outdoor, and “Indoor Air” can be deadlier than the outdoor […]

Living a lavish lifestyle is a dream for many. Well owing to the increasing purchasing power, more and more people in our country are preferring to buy luxury homes to attain a luxurious lifestyle. Living in luxury homes is about glam, glitz, space, and fun. But today, luxury cannot be confined merely by posh locations, […]

There is not repudiating to the fact that sustainable building is still in its embryonic stage in the country, but according to numbers, India is one of the leading countries when it comes to green building developments. In actual fact, India ranks number ‘2’ after the US in terms of the number of green technology […]

Green and sustainable buildings are getting more commonplace every year and for several good reasons. Minimizing the negative impact on the surrounding community and environment has been the common goal of green technologies across the globe. However, there are also few equally conscious individuals who are going back to adopting the older principles of living […]

Are you building a new home, considering remodeling, or just speculating how to improve your dream home’s sustainability? Ponder upon natural stone! It’s truly a natural winner when it comes to searching for perfect green building materials. Including Stone in Your Sustainable Home Design If you are looking for a sustainable material to […]

Buildings are responsible for an enormous amount of resource consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. With the ever-growing population and increasing demand for buildings, be it residential or commercial, we cannot get away from building houses and complexes, however, we can surely infuse sustainable construction methods. Buildings account for almost 40% CO2 emission and extensively consume […]

In a recent annual ranking report from the US Green Building Council’s (USGBC), this ranking list has the top ten countries outside the US that are following LEED and India accounts for 10-12% global space as green structures. It has more than 750 LEED certified projects covering over 20.28 million gross square meters of space […]

Constructing your individual home is a dream come true, isn’t it? Well, once constructed the overall cost involved can be easily calculated, but do you know the construction and running of a home can take a huge toll on the environment? Yes, the amount of damage a house can do to the overall environment is […]

Earth is home to nearly eight billion people and each one of these massive population needs to use natural resources in some or the other way. But did you know, the population on earth is increasing rapidly and the resources are dwindling even faster? We are at a crisis level in regards to various minerals […]

An inner calling to look beyond corporate life and aspirations brought a common man to a place where he follows his heart and learnt about indigenous architecture techniques. Today he builds eco-friendly homes in India and inspires a lot many people to pursue their dreams irrespective of their age and career. Anthony Raj, who worked […]

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 […]

Green is the new buzzword in the construction industry. Not only residential but the commercials buildings are turning green. In fact A recent study by GRIHA says, “India has second largest registered footprints in the world which is 4.5 billion sq.ft, Moreover, the market size of the green building in India is expected to grow […]

Remember the military bunkers from World War I? Dug in trenches and barricaded by sacks of soil/sand and of course, barbed wires, these makeshift facilities were powerhouses of revolution. Whole operations were carried on from within and with personnel living their way for several months at a stretch. Well, it’s time we revisit the DIY […]

The construction industry uses a momentous amount of non-renewable energy. The operation of buildings itself accounts for nearly 25 to 40 percent of the total energy used in the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) countries. But, energy consumption is not limited to operation, a considerable amount also goes into construction activities, which includes, […]

The concept of Green Buildings has risen to the status of a revolution in the past decade and rightly so. With the world getting more crowded, we are on the verge of facing the depletion of vital natural resources. Conventional building designs have suited well for some decades in the past but their limitations and […]

The man is a social animal but even so, we need to keep ourselves safe and protect our families. This has been the earliest concept of a home. But, what does it comprise? Early men started to live in caves before they used naturally sourced materials to build their homes. This was essentially a roof […]

River Sand or Bajri, refers to the loose, fragmented, and naturally-occurring material consisting of very tiny particles of decomposed shells, corals, or rocks. Apart from being an important part of the river, sand plays a crucial role in the construction industry. Currently, it is one of the most required material for the construction process and […]

The drift for “green” and eco-friendly building structures is sweeping over. Now builders, planners, and designers are making all efforts to integrate gardens, terraces and all genera of vertical planting in their design concepts for apartment buildings, office blocks and even skyscrapers. As environmental concerns are growing, architects are pushing planted buildings as a way […]

The roof of your house is what makes it feel cozy and comfortable apart from making it attractive. Today, the trend is fast changing from conventional roofing materials to ‘green’ or sustainable roofing materials. What is sustainable roofing, you ask? Simply put, a ‘green roof’ is an eco-friendly, durable and aesthetically appealing material which can […]

Green Buildings have become a definite solution to the climate change. While the concept dates back to several centuries, it is only now that both builders and homeowners are taking it seriously. The aim is to minimize the exploitation of natural resources and the means are varied. Saving electricity by the use of maximum daylighting, […]

India, as one of the fastest growing economies, has so far failed to effectively manage the massive quantities of waste generated. Yes, this is one hardcore truth; the subject of waste management in India is highly ignored but it is surely the need of the hour. Did you know? Delhi alone is responsible for generating […]

Christmas is focused on trees, but does that make this festival ‘Green’? No, it doesn’t, starting from high electricity bills to non-recyclable wrapping paper and wasteful purchases, festival and holiday seasons really take a toll on our environment. So why not dream of a ‘Green’ Christmas Festival this year? Here are few eco-friendly tips that […]

As urbanization increases, our cities are getting unhealthy. The world is already facing a crisis and cities like Beijing aren’t witnessing a true sunrise anymore. By the year 2030, the urban landscape across the globe with more than double and this will be at the cost of our natural green cover. The only scope of […]

Rapidly growing urbanization and the uncontrolled changing of the natural landscape has brought out a serious problem for many Indian cities. While natural calamities like flood are on the rise every year, urban and semi-urban areas are continuously striving to improve their drainage systems. The problem is not recent, if we look deeper. Most big […]

The construction industry in India integrates a variety of locally sourced materials. This highly depends on the kind of construction, which range from ‘Kuccha’ mud houses to modern urban infrastructures that use high-end materials. The pressing problem with the industry is, however, the way the source materials are obtained. Sand mining, open fly ash factories, […]

As the world is getting smarter, so is increasing, its need for electricity. Modern homes and offices are integrated with more number of electrical appliances than it was a decade ago. This makes power very costly. It wouldn’t have been an inconvenience if we had been able to pace the march towards modernity with the […]

The construction industry is one of the largest consumers of natural resources, hence there is this huge need to design structures that have minimal environmental impacts. Green and sustainable buildings are an upcoming concept and the need for the present-day construction industry in India. Over the past few decades, more and more builders and architects […]

With the relentless need for espousing more and more sustainable practices in building construction, ultimately to evade the corrosion happening to the environment, constructing “Green Buildings” have become indispensable. But sadly, in India, this concept is largely overlooked and hence they are still not a very common phenomenon in the country. Despite this coarse fact, […]

Water is an essential component of all things in our lives. Sadly, today access to clean water is emerging out as a source of concern in many areas of our country and across the globe. Keeping in mind the current state, there is this inevitable need to employ water efficiency strategies in building construction. There […]

The element of celebration, lights, and sweets is liked by everyone regardless of any region, religion, age or gender. The festival of lights, Diwali is more associated with the element of celebration and lightening than any religious ritual. Although it is a Hindu festival, it is more visible by the decoration of sites, […]

The term ‘green building ‘ is not confined to ‘building’ only but rather encompasses sustainable construction plans, building design and direction, landscaping, building operations and maintenance. Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) defines the green building as one with optimal water utilization, optimises energy efficiency, conserves natural resources, generates less waste and provides healthier spaces for […]

The Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, also known as the RERA act was enacted by the Government of India on 26th March 2016, with its provisions coming to effect on 1st May 2016. This act was passed as a guard to protect of home buyers and also as a boost to the real estate […]

Rain water is one of the cheapest and readily available form and if collected can be used in a variety of processes. Rainwater harvesting is a process of collecting and storing rainwater in natural reservoirs or tanks so that it can be later used for things like watering plants or washing. In this process rainwater […]

According to the Construction Materials Recycling Association, demolition and construction waste are the largest sources of trash in the US. They have estimated that around 325 million tons of recoverable construction debris is generated in the country each year. And all those materials like concrete, metal, wood, asphalt, block etc ends up in a landfill. […]

Concrete is a well known gray building material that is widely used in almost every construction project – right from residential apartments to commercial buildings to pavers, sidewalks, viaducts, bridges etc. But very of us know the other side of this well-known building material. Do you know the production of commercial concrete material releases tons […]

Since the start of 2015, the construction sector has been experiencing a dramatic resurgence in terms of growth. This rapid development will have some detrimental impact on the environment too. The UK Green Building Council says, the construction sector consumes more than 400 million tons of material each year, and many of these have an […]

Green roof is basically a complete system fabricated in such way that the inhabitants can grow plants on the roof of their house/building without suffering from any kind of leakages/damages to the roof membrane that protects building envelope. Green roofs are suitable for all kind of building structures – right from small residential garages to […]

With people getting more aware and conscious about the environmental sustainability, green building trends are getting more popular in India. In fact, as per the sources, the green building industry is expected to get more expansion by 2018. But what’s making people head more towards green building concept rather than conventional building methodology? Let’s discuss […]

Overview: The current trends in architecture and interior design are seeing a revival in the usage of organic materials, like clay bricks. Clay is on its way to become of the most sturdy, organic and preferred building materials for all types of green buildings – whether commercial, government or residential. It is loaded with other […]

Roofs form a large proportion of the cost of an extension, particularly if it is a pitched roof, which is why a lot of people go for the cheaper option of a flat roof. But flat roofs don’t last as long and are prone to developing leaks that are hard to fix, as water ‘pools’ […]

What was essentially thought to be a predominant application for the advanced economies, the positive notions of the green building concept, has trickled down to the developing nations as well at a remarkable pace. It is interesting to observe that over the years “Green Building concepts” have not only progressed as a sustainable design approach […]

First of all, take some time out from your busy schedule and contemplate, what does the earth really mean to you? How important a role does the environment play in your life? Do you really feel that protecting and nurturing the environment is something you should invest your time, energy and money in or is […]

Water plays a significant role in our lives since it is a precious natural resource. Over the past few years, there has been an increase of water shortages in several parts of the world. It is vital that ideal measures are put in place to help to reduce the high rate of water loss. With […]

Green in today’s context refers to any process adopted to achieve savings in energy consumption; reducing dependence on non-renewable resources; adopting natural processes and being environmentally responsible. When it comes to definitions, a ‘green home’ is a building that follows the aforementioned principles of sustainability and is resource-efficient throughout its life cycle. Choosing a green […]

“Modern machinery, quest for sustainable construction and abundance in availability has made clay an architect-friendly material” Ever since humans evolved from nomads to settlers, clay has played an important role in almost every aspect of early livelihoods. Its unique chemistry allows clay to be tremendously flexible in terms of size and shape. As a result, […]

It is a common misnomer that buildings adopting green building concepts in their design, build and processes incur a very high initial investment and hence only very premium builders can have the luxury to afford such practices for their projects. In reality however, concepts etched out in Green methodologies have in fact led to substantial […]

A report “Global Construction 2020,” says that after China and USA, India will be third largest global construction market. According to a study by Timetric’s construction intelligence centre (CIC), the annual growth of the Indian construction industry is expected to increase from 2.95% in 2011–2015 to 5.65% during the coming five years. The government’s flagship […]

Bali is the place to relax and unwind yourself. In this scenic holiday destination, you could unleash the potential of your body and soul with yoga. One such place where you can practice yoga in sync with nature is at Yoga Pavilion at Four Seasons Resort Bali at Sayan. The Special Feature that Makes it […]

It is not easy to leave the corporate world and try something out of the ordinary. Antony Raj worked in the corporate sector for many years. He stumbled upon the indigenous architecture techniques. Soon, he became fascinated with this unique technique and started to build eco-friendly homes in India. Let’s learn more about Antony Raj […]

Building a new home, or renovating your old one? Here’s your chance to implement eco-friendly designs and materials that reduce energy consumption and greenhouse emissions. Sustainable homes are not only great for the environment, but for your pocket as well in the long run. An efficient sustainable home is one that uses minimal energy to […]

Global corporations have swung their interests in building sustainable commercial complexes. Which has led to an increase in sustainable building materials reaching to the masses. Ever since former US Vice President’s documentary on climate change “An Inconvenient Truth” cast a spell on us all, sustainable living has been endorsed by the developed world, and is […]

Green buildings have been in the news for quite a long time now. With each passing day, it is seeing an unprecedented rise among both the sellers and the consumers. The rapid growth of urbanization and energy scarcity in several places in India has made the energy efficiency a very important issue to look out […]

Ever since the concept of ‘smart city’ has been doing around, every city is trying to implement strategies to be a fit to smart city criteria.’ Every city is trying to come up with a unique proposition to initiate the smart living plan. In this regard, amidst all the buzz, the city of Coimbatore has […]

The 16th Energy Globe World Awards held in conference centre of the Milad Tower rising over Tehran’s roofs was a successful event and is subjected as world’s most prestigious award for sustainability. Mrs. Masoumeh Ebtekar, Vice President Iran, referred in her speech to the importance of such awards for outstanding environmental projects and their implementation. This event is the starting signal […]

Indian Real estate might witness a new year gift from the environment ministry as it is considering a major trimming of green code in building Bylaws and the national building code. Well, this trimming might allow builders to comply with only 12 to 24 environmental norms instead of 100 originally proposed. This will be now […]

The Energy Research Institute, also known as TERI, organized a workshop on 4th of December, on the importance of Clay-fired, Resource Efficient Bricks (REBs) and discussed how the effective use of REBs can potentially go along way in creating a sustainable means of constructing buildings- both environment friendly and cost effective. The workshop took place […]

Indian building stock is expected to reach 100 billion square feet compared to the existing 25 billion square feet, according to an estimation. Owing to our well-structured infrastructure industry, India is amongst the few countries spearheading the green building movement worldwide. India has over 2380 registered green building projects and over 60 LEED platinum certified constructions. In […]

In spite of the terrorist attack, the spirited city of Paris played host to 193 countries, for ‘Climate Summit’ from 30 November to 12 December 2015. “The Paris Agreement on climate change is a monumental success for the planet and its people,” said, Ban Ki-moon, Secretary-General of the United Nations. The deal effectuates the 193 countries […]

[2 Min Video]: Poor air quality in classrooms has grave consequence on society A new analysis shows that poor air quality in classrooms costs the country hundreds of billions dollars every year. Click the link HERE to check out the Schools and educational institutions project references. Video 2: What experts have to say about Porotherm […]

Indian property buyers are rapidly growing aware of ‘green homes’ and eco-friendly features that constitute the designing of green buildings. Such awareness has triggered a new realisation among builders. Big and small – the compelling need to incorporate sustainable, eco-friendly features in their building design. What exactly is green building technology? Key indices of green […]

The Green Building Council has launched a retrofit project ‘BUILD UPON’ with a €2.35 million budget across Europe to support Governments in designing and implementing the national renovation strategies. It will comply with the European rules as well. 80 key organisations met at Arup Headquarter, London for the launch. This project was launched in March, […]

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 […]

Source: energymatters.com.au Sun Edison, the US-based renewable energy major and Tata Power Delhi Distribution Ltd. have signed a long term agreement to supply 180 MW solar power to New Delhi. Basis this agreement, the renewable energy providers will be able to sell power directly through the national grid to end customers. The solar power plants for […]

Gobi desert, Qinghai province, is coming up with China’s largest solar power plant spread across 2,550 hectors with 220MW capacity. The solar power plant will help China eventually reduce the usage of coal by about 42.60 tonnes annually, and bring down carbon dioxide and sulphur dioxide emissions. The plant is expected to provide 10lac households […]

World CSR Congress has announced Chairman & Managing Director of Waaree Energies Limited, Hitesh Doshi as the Renewable Energy Leader of the Year. Mr. Doshi received the award at an event organised in Mumbai on July 24 according to a news release. Source: scontent-lhr3 Waaree Energies is reported to have been established by Hitesh Doshi […]

Source: twimg.com The Rajasthan state government has approved investment worth INR1.56 lakh crore in the solar power sector, envisaging solar power generation of 26,000 MW. A committee headed by Chief Minister, Vasundhara Raje, approved the proposal in the cabinet meeting. The Minister of Parliamentary affairs, Rajendra Rathore, informed that four companies have signed agreements for […]

India ranks third on the US Green Building Council’s annual ranking of the top 10 countries for Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) certified buildings with 1,883 certified projects. The analysis used to develop the list ranks countries in terms of gross square metres and numbers of LEED projects to date. The LEED certification […]

Green Corner Archives – Go Smart Bricks

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