The Brain Child of Architect Sharukh & his wife Renu Mistry, Prana is an experimental building project located along the south west boundary of the Bangalore International Exhibition Center (BIEC).

The specialty of the project lies in the fact that the whole building is made keeping sustainability and green building in mind. Each and every aspect of the project has been done with a ‘green’ approach, showcasing the latest in HVAC technology alongside recycled materials. This biulding makes a point to the world that such a building can exist and is perfect in terms of functionality and energy saving.

The roof pipes are embedded with radiant cooling pipes with chilled water flowing through them giving the place a natural air cooing effect.

Glass blocks in the roof create a play of light allowing natural light to enter the building. Bamboo pergolas makes for an efficient, cost effective and ecofriendly shading device.

Recycled door and windows are punctured through the clay brick walls. Steel being the major component, construction times was a quick three months, and the light weight Porotherm walls help to speed up the process. According to Ar. Mistry, “the porotherm bricks have helped a great deal in promoting thermal and acoustic insulation”

The openings have deep cantilevered slabs over them to reduce heat ingress into the building. LED lights are used in  every rooms, which controls the energy consumed. Photovoltaic panels of 3 KW capacity are installed on the roofs, tilted south to generate solar power for lighting & other requirements. Ar. Sharukh emphasizes that more such panels will eventually make the building completely self-sustainable, and the home can be taken out of the grid.

Kitchen at ‘Prana’

A strong connection with traditional and familiar materials is seen in the use of the local clay bricks- Porotherm.

The project has many such uses of ecofriendly sustainable materials which has termed this home into a perfect example of a “green home”.

Authored by a Building Expert from Wienerberger India

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